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**A Soul Reclaimed**
By Brickgirl
Lady_Brick@yahoo.com
http://www.mindeclipse.com/
Rated: PG
Disclaimer: Sailor Moon and friends do not belong to me.
            Adonis, Thalia, and this story do.
**Part 4: To Prick And Sting**
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Princess Serenity sat by the river under the tree where Thalia 
had died.  Her hand rested upon the bloodstained dirt, the only 
sign that any tragedy had occurred here.  Her other hand held 
Thalia's crystal.  It had been found downstream, caught between 
two branches.

Of Thalia, there had been no sign.

The Princess bowed her head and wept, her tears dripping onto her 
black silk mourning gown.  She clenched the crystal, not noticing 
that she cut her hard as she did.

She felt a presence behind her, and whipped around in fear.  
However, it was only Endymion.  Dressed in a simple black tunic, 
he still conveyed a royal presence.  He knelt, putting a gentle 
hand on her shoulder.

"Are you all right?" he asked, his voice soft.

Serenity nodded, wiping her eyes.  Endymion offered her a 
handkerchief, and she blew her nose, feeling slightly ashamed.

"I'm sorry about your mother," she offered, feeling a pang of 
sorrow.  Her loss was tragic, but his was unimaginable.

He shook his head.  "Even with the threats, I never expected that 
this would ever..."  He let out a shaky breath.  "That's not the 
worst of it.  A messenger arrived today from a group calling 
themselves the Terren Council.  Apparently some of the more 
prominent kingdoms have joined together to take my mother's place 
as Earth's Head of State.

"But it's only been two days!" Serenity gasped.

Endymion smiled grimly, the expression devoid of any emotion, 
save anger.  "It does seem slightly suspicious, doesn't it?  They 
are too powerful combined to accuse of having orchestrated the 
assassination, though.  They have declared that within a week's 
time, all contact with the other planets is to be cut off.  Any 
offworlders caught on the planet after that will face the penalty 
of death."

Serenity shook her head.  "Then it was all in vain.  This attempt 
to reunite the Moon and Earth.  All that resulted was more 
death..."  Unable to finish, she lowered her head and began to 
cry.  Endymion hesitantly put his arms around her, stroking her 
hair.  He remembered gazing down at her unconscious face as he 
had carried her back to the castle after the attack.  She had 
looked so small and alone, fragile and unprotected without her 
Senshi.  He remembered the odd pang in his chest, as if part of 
him wanted to be the one to protect her from then on.

"This is all my fault," the Princess sobbed.  "If she hadn't been 
trying to save me..."

Endymion held Serenity at an arm's length, forcing her to look at 
him.  "Don't ever say that.  What happened wasn't your fault.  
Thalia died doing what she wanted to do; protect you.  The whole 
week we were together, all she talked about was you, and what a 
special person you are."  He swallowed.  "She was right.  She 
wouldn't want you to think like that.  And you shouldn't.  She 
was better then that."

"Did you love her?"

The question startled Endymion.  "I... I can't say that I did.  
The two of us were so different..."  He trailed off, suddenly 
realizing that he had been staring at the Princess's eyes, how 
blue they were.  <You fool!> he scolded himself.  <Now isn't the 
time to start a romance!>

Serenity seemed to ignore his incoherence.  "The Senshi will be 
heartbroken when they find out.  They have become quite close to 
your Generals."

Endymion was glad for the change of subject.  "Yes, just an hour 
ago, Jadeite was telling me about a tiff he had with Lady Rei.  
Apparently he had made a comment about how women were weaker 
fighters then men."  A slight smile broke through the grimness of 
his features.  "He had just come back from the healer.  His arm 
had been broken in three places.  Sounds like a lover's quarrel 
to me."

Serenity giggled, her sadness momentarily forgotten.  "He should 
have known better then to say such a thing about Rei.  She can 
be... touchy.  Will General Jadeite be all right?"

"With the Healer and his own power, he should be fine within a 
day or two."

"That's good."

The two lapsed into a comfortable silence.  Endymion fiddled with 
the edge of his tunic, not wanting to stare at Serenity, not 
realizing she was watching him.  She studied his profile quietly.  
They were very much alike, as Thalia had said.  She suddenly 
found him looking down at her with something akin to longing in 
her eyes.  He bent down, as if to kiss her.  Serenity strained 
towards him.  The instant their lips touched, she pulled away.

"This ... this isn't right," she said, pulling away.  "I can't do 
this to Thalia."

"I'm sorry.  I didn't mean to..."

Serenity cut him off with a hand on his shoulder.  "No, you 
didn't do anything wrong.  I just ... I'm not ready for..."  She 
trailed off.

Endymion smiled and put his arm around her gently.  "Would you 
like me to give you a tour of the palace?  I know you haven't 
seen much of it while you have been here, and it would do both of 
us good to get our mind off things."

Serenity nodded as Endymion helped her to her feet.  "That would 
be wonderful, your Highness."

Endymion took here small hand in his.  "Call me Endymion, 
Princess.  There is no need for formality among friends."

"Then call me Serenity ... Endymion."

Endymion kissed her hand.  "As you wish."
__________

Queen Serenity sat in a drawing room of the Earth palace.  She 
heard the giggling of her daughter as she and Endymion walked 
down the halls.  She smiled sadly, glad that the Prince had been 
able to ease her daughter's mind.  She knew she had been right to 
suggest he go check on her daughter, as she knew she had been 
correct in sensing an unusual bond between them when he had 
carried her in unconscious, though they barely knew each other.  
It was much like the bond she had shared with her husband so many 
years ago, before he had been killed.

The bond of eternal love, of two souls who will seek out each 
other lifetime after lifetime, somehow knowing that one is not 
complete without the other.

Serenity sighted, rubbing her forehead.  If only she had realized 
before that the two were linked in such a way.  By trying to pair 
Endymion with Thalia, she had thrown off the balance that should 
have ensued between the two.

"It is hard to carry the weight of the world on your shoulders, 
isn't it?"

The Queen turned to see Setsuna as Sailor Pluto standing beside 
her.  She held her staff and gazed down at the Queen expectantly.

"Why are you dressed as Pluto?" Serenity asked once she had 
recovered from being startled.

"There is a darkness fast approaching.  Andora's prophecy has 
been set in motion.  The "Earthen Angel" has fallen, and the 
battle will soon arrive.  I will do all that I can, but the 
timeline is set.  The days of your Kingdom are limited my Queen."

"Why do you tell me this?"

"I only tell you what you already know."

"What is my daughter was to be awakened?  She has already shown 
that the spirit of the Senshi of the Moon lives within her."

Setsuna smiled sadly.  "She would have the power, but lack the 
training.  In the end, the outcome would be no different.  There 
is a time for Light and a time for Darkness.  Though the light 
may go out, it will never truly die.  Darkness cannot rule 
forever.  Love can break its hold."

"You can never say anything straight forward, can you."

"I learned from Andora.  She was probably the most confounding 
person who ever lived."

Serenity had to smile at Setsuna's unusually flippant tone.  
"What was she really like?"

"Andora?  Much like you.  She blamed all of the troubles of the 
world on herself."  Serenity started to speak, but Setsuna 
silenced her with a wave of her hand.  "Do not trouble yourself 
with what happens around you.  You are not to blame, any more 
then I am.  Time sets it's own course, and not even I can stop 
what is meant to be.  I can only make sure that it happens."

Setsuna abruptly turned and vanished from the room.  Serenity 
stared at the space where she had been.  "Thank you for 
understanding, Setsuna," she whispered, hoping that somewhere, 
the Guardian of Time could hear her.  "And know that the weight 
of the world does not rest on your shoulders, either."
__________

"Serenity, where are you?"  Endymion's voice echoed down the 
hall.  Serenity, hidden behind a doorway, giggled.  She couldn't 
remember the last time she had so much fun.  That past few hours 
had seemed to make the sorrows of the last two days vanish.

"There you are!" came a triumphant voice from behind her.  
Jumping in surprise, she turned to see a grinning Endymion behind 
her.  She took off down the hallway at a run, catching Endymion 
off guard.  He was quick to follow.

Serenity, glancing laughingly back at her pursuer, failed to 
notice a slight dip in the stone floor.  Caught unaware, her 
ankle twisted beneath her.  With a sharp cry, she fell to the 
floor.  Endymion, who had been only a few paces behind her, was 
quickly at her side.  "Are you all right?" he asked, worry 
furrowing his brow.

"I'm fine," she said, rising to her feet.  However, as soon as 
she tried to put weight on her ankle, she immediately collapsed, 
and would have fallen if the Prince had not been quick to catch 
her.

"You are most certainly not fine," he told her sternly.  Despite 
her protests, in fact, somewhat encouraged by them, he swooped 
her off her feet, carrying her to the nearest guest chamber.  
After depositing her on the sofa, he sat beside her, taking the 
injured ankle in his hands.

"I'll be fine in a minute.  There is nothing for you to worry 
about," she said, trying to hide a wince of pain as Endymion 
examined the injury.  He began to massage her ankle.  Serenity 
gasped in surprise as the swelling went down almost immediately, 
and the pain vanished.

"Are you a Healer?" she asked.  Endymion smiled.

"I do have a slight bit of healing magic, and have had some 
training.  Little things, like twisted ankles, I can handle.  I 
wouldn't be able to heal a serious injury, like General Jadeite's 
arm."

Princess Serenity stood, testing her ankle.  "Thank you," she 
said.  "You didn't have to do that."

"It wasn't any trouble," Endymion said casually.  He twisted his 
hand, a rose suddenly appearing.  He handed it to the astonished 
Princess with a flourish.

"More magic?" she asked, examining the perfect red petals.  "I 
bet you do that for all of the ladies."

"Only the pretty ones."

Serenity blushed.  She looked up at Endymion, the rose clutched 
in her trembling hand.

This kiss lasted much longer then the first.
__________

<No pain>

That was the first thought that entered her mind.  She was 
expecting pain (for some unknown reason), and the lack of it 
surprised her.

<Am I dead?>

This question confused her more then the first.  Why should she 
be dead?  It seemed to her that dying was something one should 
remember, quite vividly.

Then, she *did* remember.

Opening her eyes, Thalia grabbed at her chest, expecting to find 
an arrow, or wound, or some sign of injury, but there was 
nothing.  No scars, or bandages.  It was as if the injury never 
happened.  Other then her tattered senshi fuku, there was nothing 
amiss.

Her tattered *senshi fuku*.

Thalia frowned.  Her transformation should have broken after 
being unconscious for so long, or one of the other senshi would 
have detransformed her.  It made no sense to waste so much energy 
while healing.  And her powers would have interfered with any 
Healer trying to work on her.

If there had been a Healer.

For the first time, Thalia noticed her surroundings.  She was not 
in a healing chamber, as she had assumed, but, rather, a cave 
with a large stream flowing through.  She could see no entrance, 
but the cave was lit by some unknown luminescence, enough for her 
to see quite clearly.  There was no sign of anyone else.

"Hello?" she called, sitting up.  She winced at her stiff 
muscles.  Managing to stand, she looked around, searching for 
signs of another person.  There were none.  Thalia felt the first 
twinges of fear.

"Is anyone there?" she said, more hesitantly this time.  She felt 
herself tense up, as if awaiting an attack.

"SSSO, YOU'RE FINALLY AWAKE."

Thalia jumped at the deafening voice. Whipping around, she found 
herself face to face with some sort of evil-looking black cloud 
with two silted eyes of pure red fire.  She automatically reached 
for her crystal on her bow, but it was no longer there.  Fumbling 
with surprise for a moment, she quickly recovered, crying 
"CRYSTALLINE ENERGY FURY!!!!", unleashing the attack ...

...Which passed harmlessly through the cloud.

"ISSS THAT ANY WAY TO TREAT THE ONE WHO SSSAVED YOUR LIFE?" the 
being asked her.

Thalia took a step back, her senses assaulted by pure evil that 
emanated from whatever it was in front of her.  "Who are you?" 
she asked suspiciously.

"NAMESSS ARE NOT IMPORTANT."

"What do you want?" she asked, racking her brain for any idea of 
what to do.

"I WISHHH FOR YOUR SSSIRVICESSS."

"Why should I help you?"

"YOU OWE ME YOUR LIFE."

"I owe you nothing!" spat Thalia.  "I don't know who you are, or 
how I ended up down here, but if you hadn't helped me, my friends 
would have."

A red slash appeared on the cloud, under the glowing eyes.  It 
took Thalia a moment to realize that it was meant to be a smile.  
"AND WHAT FRIENDSSS WOULD THAT BE?"

"The Princess Serenity, Heir to the Throne of the Silver Moon," 
Thalia said proudly.  "As well as the Senshi of the Inner 
Planets."

"AND WHAT OF THE DARK HAIRED PRINCE?"

Thalia was started.  How did...  "Prince Endymion of Earth?"

"AH YESSS, PRINCE ENDYMION."  The demon, Thalia assumed that it 
was, began to laugh.  "YOU POOR, DELUDED CHILD.  SSSO BLIND TO 
THE PLOTSS OF OTHERSSS.  YOU SSSTILL REFUSE TO SSSEE THE TRUTH?"

"What the hell are you talking about?" Thalia questioned, 
beginning to grow angry.  "What truth?"

"THE TRUTH ISSS THAT YOUR FRIENDSSS BETRAYED YOU."

"What are you talking about?"

"THE ATTACK ON THE PRINCESSSS WASSS A SSSETUP.  IT WASSS TO 
ENSSSURE THAT YOU WOULD NOT INTERFERE."

"Interfere in what?"

"THE PRINCE AND PRINCESS WERE IN LOVE.  YOU WERE IN THE WAY."

Thalia's laugh was bitter.  "That is the most ridiculous thing I 
have ever heard."  She felt her anger rise, swirling with the 
power that lay within her.  She brought her hands up to her 
chest, swirls of energy gathering around them.  "How dare you 
profane the honor of my friends!"  Gathering her energy, she 
yelled "CRYSTAL STORM!!!"

A massive cyclone of energy-laced crystal shards poured from the 
Senshi's hands, blowing the entity across the cave into the far 
wall.  The demon was quick to recover.  Before Thalia realized 
what was happening, she found herself immobile within dozens of 
cloud like tentacles.  Struggling, she was unable to break free.

"YOU REFUSSSE TO SSSEE THE TRUTH, SSSO YOU MUSSST BE FORCED!"

An image appeared within the mouth of the demon.  It was blurred 
at first, but quickly came into focus.  The picture was 
unmistakable.

Princess Serenity and Prince Endymion locked together in a 
passionate kiss.

The tendrils around Thalia loosened, not that she noticed.  Her 
mouth gaped in shock at the two entangled figures in the image 
before her.

"No," she whispered.  "It can't be true."
__________

Metallia watched the girl's face in secret delight.  Her plan was 
working perfectly.  The fool Princess and Prince had made it so 
easy.  She began to probe the unaware girl's mind, peeling 
through her emotions.  Shock, pain, hurt.  Finally she found what 
she was looking for.  The necessary chink in the warrior's mental 
armor.

Hate.

With a triumphant shriek, Metallia forced her way into the girl's 
mind.  Thalia screamed, clawing at her head, but it was too late.  
Her figure began to glow with dark power, the last remnants of 
her fuku falling away.  Her body began to grow, yet strangely 
twist as well, as though trying to fold upon itself.  Her hair 
flowed out behind her, much longer then before.  Claws grew from 
her writhing fingers, horns protruded from her shoulders. and her 
ears lengthened.  A purple gown swirled around her form, 
completing the transformation.

Metallia admire her handiwork.  The woman who stood before her 
was no longer recognizable as the girl she had been moments 
before.  Not only had her appearance changed but the kindness and 
warmth that had once shone from her eyes was gone, replaced by a 
smoldering hatred.

"WHAT IS YOUR DUTY?" Metallia demanded of the woman.  The former 
senshi turned her head slowly towards the demon and smiled.  
Fangs protruded from her blood-red lips.

"My duty, oh great Metallia?" she sneered, her voice harsh.  "My 
duty is to crush the Moon Princess and the rest of the pathetic 
planets in this system so that once again, your Dark Kingdom will 
rise to power!"

"CORRECT!" the demon hissed.  "AND HERE IS YOUR PRIZZZE!"  A 
black iron crown appeared before the woman, topped by glowing 
green crystal.

"What is this?" she asked, taking the crown in her hands, feeling 
the power that ran through it.

"THIS CROWN SSSIGNFIESSS THE MORTAL WHO RULESSS BY MY SSSIDE ASSS 
QUEEN.  IT WASSS WORN BY OCTAVIA, AND NOW IT SHALL BE WORN BY 
YOU.  THE SSSTONE ON TOP LINKSSS MY POWER TO YOU."

"What is this stone?" the woman asked, tracing a claw over the 
smooth surface.

"BERYL."
__________

Setsuna sat before the Gates of Time.  Memories ran through her 
head.  The loss of her people, the endless years in this infernal 
limbo, the endless pickling of what still existed of her 
conscience, begging her to stop what she knew was coming.

She could feel the darkness approaching, overwhelming all in it's 
path.

The pieces were falling rapidly into place.

And there wasn't a damn thing she could do about it.

Or WOULD do about it.

<<<It is hard to carry the weight of the world on your shoulders, 
isn't it?>>>

No one knew that better then her.

Setsuna bowed her head and wept silently.

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There was a slight delay in this rewrite, partially because of 
moving back to school, and largely because this part needed a 
severe rewrite.  I was never happy with how quickly Serenity and 
Endymion fell in love, and I think this time is was a bit more 
apparent that it wasn't such a sudden thing.  There were also 
some minor mischaracterizations of Setsuna that needed to be 
fixed.  Overall, I'm a good bit happier with this part now, and 
hope everyone else enjoys it as well.

For those who are wondering whatever happened to "Priestess of 
Light", don't worry, Part Four should be out within two weeks.  
For those who have no idea what I'm talking about, it is the 
prequel to this story, focusing on Andora, Octavia, and the 
foundation of the Silver Millennium.  It is available on ASMR as 
well as my own fanfiction site, so go give it a read.