Chapter Five: Finding The Jupiter Crystal

~A year later

The evening was a peaceful and quiet one, everyone in the city had gone to bed for the night while others were on their way to their evening shifts for their jobs. Even the stars, which were emitting a peaceful hue in the sky, appeared to be resting, as the only sole cosmic force awake beaming down thick rays of silvery light was that of the full silver moon in the sky. The evening proved that everything was calm, peaceful, and right with the world.

Inside the Chiba apartment, the inhabitants were sleeping peacefully and dreaming dreams of happiness and the hopes they held. However the quiet was interrupted by the sound of a loud wail emitting from the nursery.

Yawning Serena walked into the nursery, she focused sleepy eyes on the small red crib where her second child and the future senshi of Mars slept. "I'm here Raye, please don't cry."

Raye's sniffles quieted, she looked up at her mother with innocent yet mischievous purple eyes.

"There now, how about I get you a bottle?" Serena asked walking to the kitchen carrying Raye.

Raye's face took on that of sadness, she threw back her head and began wailing loudly.

"Raye, calm down, I'll get your bottle." Serena said gently rocking the child in her arms to soothe her.

Raye continued to wail, which of course woke up everyone in the small apartment.

"Serena what's wrong with Raye?" Darien asked tiredly from the doorway of the kitchen.

Serena turned around. "I don't know, I was going to get her a bottle and then the next thing I know she began crying again." Tearing up Serena sniffled. "What am I going to do Darien? Raye hates me!"

"She doesn't hate you," Darien wrapped his arms around Serena's waist and hugged her. "She's probably cranky from being awake at this time of the night."

Serena looked down at Raye; the baby had stopped wailing and was drifting off to sleep. "She only wanted attention."

"See, I told you." Darien smiled. "Now, how about we put Raye back to bed and then we can sleep?"

"Right," Serena walked into the nursery and saw that Amy was sitting up in her own crib looking at her mother with wide blue eyes. "It's alright Amy, your sister is ok."

Amy giggled and sat back down in her crib with her blanket and kitten doll, she continued watching her mother and sister closely.

Serena carefully sat Raye down in her crib and tucked the baby in. "You may be a handful, but I'm happy you've been reborn."

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"Come on Amy, open your mouth for the train."

Amy shook her head keeping her mouth shut tightly, she turned her head to avoid the spoonful of baby food.

"Amy you have to eat," Serena said as she pretended to eat the baby food. "See it's yummy, mommy likes it a lot."

Amy looked at Serena with wide eyes; she turned her head again, keeping her mouth shut tightly. She was not going to be tricked into eating the food.

"Come on Amy, I'll even eat a spoonful for real," Serena ate the baby food and nearly spat it out. She frowned sitting the bowl onto the table. "Is this what they are feeding babies?! No wonder they don't like it."

Amy giggled clapping her hands; she dug her hands into the food in the bowl and began drawing on the tray of her high chair with it.

"Alright Amy, you have to eat and not draw with your food," Serena coaxed the blue haired child into eating. "Here comes the airplane."

Amy giggled and opened her mouth. She made a face when she tasted the food but cooperated with her mother.

"That's a good girl," Serena smiled, sat the spoon down on the table, grabbed a nearby napkin, and started cleaning off Amy's face. "I'm proud of you."

Amy giggled as she beamed at the praise she was getting. She looked behind her mother catching sight of Raye who was crawling around the living room dragging one of the large pillows behind her.

A loud crash followed by giggles were heard, Serena quickly got up and rushed into the living room, she saw Raye was sitting near a pile of books that had fallen off the coffee table.

"Raye, are you alright?" Serena quickly picked up the child and looked her over making sure she wasn't hurt.

Raye's reply was a giggle; she looked over at the pile of books and started looking around for more "toys" to play with.

"Ok, how about I put you in the playpen until I finish feeding your sister?" Serena asked, she placed Raye in the playpen and handed her a few toys to play with. "There, you'll stay out of trouble."

Raye frowned and began whining. She picked up the Sailor Moon doll and tossed it out of the playpen hitting Serena in the head.

"Raye, we don't throw things." Serena said firmly.

Raye began making a small sound as if saying that she could throw things if she wanted to.

"I said no," Serena said firmly, she sighed and went back into the kitchen, she gasped in surprise at the sight before her. Amy had managed to get out of her high chair and was happily drawing on the walls with the baby food. "Amy, don't do that!"

Amy looked at Serena a moment before she started drawing again. She giggled and reached down grabbing more of the food in her hands.

"No, Amy we don't use your food to draw." Serena said. She picked up the child, went to the sink sitting her on the counter, and turned on the water. "Amy, we don't draw on the walls."

Amy giggled. "Ma-ma." She said sweetly and started to babble an apology in baby talk.

"Alright, I'm not mad." Serena said smiling gently, she changed Amy out of her clothes and sat her in the sink, as she grabbed the baby shampoo she kept under the sink as she began washing the child's hair.

Amy teared up and began wailing loudly, she hated getting her hair washed more so than getting a bath. She looked over at the wall where her "artwork" had been forgotten. She tried to get away only to have her mother keep a firm grip on her. "Ma-ma no!" She said hitting Serena on the hand.

"Amy, I'm sorry but you have to be cleaned." Serena said, she finished washing Amy's hair and dried her off. "There now all clean, let's go get you changed into some clean clothes."

The door to the apartment opened as the Outer senshi and Darien had returned from their outing.

"Were home Aunty Sere!" Michelle called out happily, in her arms she held a teddy bear which she had dressed up as Sailor Moon.

Serena walked out of the nursery holding Amy who was now dressed in a new dress with a blue ribbon in her short blue hair. "Did you have a good day with Uncle Darien?"

Alex nodded. "Yes, we went to the shopping mall because we behaved when we went to the bank."

"Is that so?" Serena smiled, walked over to Darien, and kissed him. "Did you bring back anything for Raye and Amy?"

Darien nodded, "Of course," He held up two teddy bears that were dressed up as Sailor Mercury and Sailor Mars.

"Where'd you get those from?" Serena asked raising an eyebrow.

"We made them!" Michelle said giggling. "It was funny watching Uncle Darien trying to figure out how to get the stuffing machine to work."

"Really…" Serena held back a giggle and sat Amy down on the floor. "I'm glad you all had a fun day today."

Darien handed Amy the Sailor Mercury bear and handed Raye the Sailor Mars bear. "Serena, next time you take the to the toy store, I forgot how crazy it was in those stores."

"Alright," Serena giggled and looked over at Susan and Alex who were both sitting on the couch quietly. "Did you two get anything?"

Alex nodded holding up a baseball bat and a baseball. "These are much more fun than the girly toys that Michelle and Susan bought." She tossed the baseball up into the air.

"Alex," Serena said firmly. "Don't play with that in the house."

"Alright Aunt Serena." Alex said with a pout, she got up and went into her room to put her toys away.

"What about you Susan?" Serena asked.

Susan looked up from the craft book and showed it to her aunt. "I thought it'd be more fun to get a book of crafts so that when I get older I can learn how to make clothes. I want to be a designer one day."

Serena smiled softly at what Susan had said. She was glad that the child of Pluto had chosen to be a designer as she had in the past, this was a good sign that she was growing up into the person she had been before.

Raye crawled over to where Amy sat with a few blocks in front of her. Her eyes took on that of an evil gleam as she crawled over and used her hand to knock over Amy's tower of blocks.

Amy began wailing witnessing that her little sister had destroyed her tower.

Serena gasped out and immediately picked up Amy. "What's wrong Amy?" she asked the small child.

Amy sniffled and pointed to Raye who was crawling around on the floor as if guarding the blocks. "Mean!"

Serena sighed; she had recently noticed how Raye was bullying Amy, and keeping her from the toys that she tried to play with. "Raye, why not give Amy a turn with the blocks?"

Raye looked at Serena for a moment before resuming her task of guarding the toys.

"Come on Raye we have to share," Serena said gently taking a doll and giving it to Amy.

Raye saw this as a surprise and threw her head back as she let out an ear piercing wail.

Serena sighed and picked up Raye to calm her down. "Don't cry Raye," she said gently. "You have to share with Amy which means you can't guard the toys to keep her away."

Amy walked over to Serena and held up the bear indicating she wanted Raye to have it. "Raye have!"

Serena smiled. "How sweet of you Amy," She said showing the doll to Raye. "Look what Amy gave to you."

Raye sniffled and knocked the bear down on the floor indicating she did not want it after all.

"You're being stubborn aren't you?" Serena smiled. "You have to share with Amy."

"Me…me…" Raye began to try to speak.

"What are you trying to say, come on Raye say mommy."

"Me' ball ed!"

Serena stared at Raye. "What?"

"Me ball ed!" Raye giggled. "Me ball ed!"

"Me ball ed?" Serena looked at Darien who was suppressing his laughter. "Darien do you have any idea what she's trying to say?"

"I think she's trying to say Meatball head," Darien said.

"Wha?" Serena looked at Raye. "No Raye I am mommy, come on say mommy."

"Me ball ed!" Raye giggled again. "Ma ma me ball ed!"

Amy giggled and followed Raye's example. "Ma ma, Me ball ed! Ma ma Me ball ed!"

"Not you too Amy," Serena said rolling her eyes. "Come on I am mommy not meatball head."

"Me ball ed!" Raye repeated while giggling happily.

Amy began hopping around the room. "Ma ma me ball ed! Ma ma me ball ed!"

Serena blew out a breath. "Great not even two years old and Raye is already reverting back to her old ways."

"It may just be a phase." Darien said with a smile. "By the way we are invited over to Andrews tonight for dinner."

"Great!" Serena said with a smile. "What's going to be for dinner?"

"Spaghetti and Meatballs," Darien said laughing.

Serena shot a glare at Darien. "Very funny…"

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"Welcome to our home!"

The Chiba family stared at the young couple who had wide smiles on their faces as they led them into the apartment.

"Thanks for inviting us over!" Serena smiled at her friends as she followed them into the living room.

"It was no problem since we always come over to your house for dinner," Keisha said with a smile. "And it was fun cooking with Andy."

Serena giggled and nodded. "It sounds like how Darien and I are whenever we cook dinner together."

The sound of Amy's wailing was heard from the other side of the room as Raye giggled while pulling the child's short blue hair.

"Raye," Serena cried rushing over and taking the baby's hands from Amy's hair. "No," she said firmly. "We do not pull hair!"

Raye began wailing wanting to continue with her mischief and pick on Amy more.

"What am I going to do?" Serena asked with a sigh as she handed Raye her stuffed raven. "She's been bullying Amy since she learned to walk."

"Sibling rivalry," Keisha said simply. "Raye wants the attention and she is picking on Amy to get it."

"I just wish she'd get along with her," Serena blew out a breath. "She's just so stubborn."

"She'll grow out of it." Keisha said with a smile. "I bet anything that the two of them will be the best of friends."

"I hope so," Serena said watching Amy run to get away from Raye.

"Aunty Serena!" Michelle ran over to Serena. "Can we go play at the park across the street before dinner?"

Serena nodded. "Alright but come back in an hour."

"We will!" Michelle promised taking off out the door with her sisters.

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"I'm gonna go over the bar of the swings!"

Alex swung high on the swings and began to try to go over the bar. She giggled and began going higher and higher.

"Don't do it Alex!" Susan called out. "You'll get hurt!"

"No I won't." Alex said stubbornly as she began to gain speed. "I will break the record and go over the bar!"

"Stop that you brat!" cried out a green haired child running over. "You cannot swing on our swing set!"

Alex stopped swinging and glared at the little girl. "Says who?"  

"This swing belongs to Esmeralda Darkhart which is me!" the girl cried. "So get off them now!"

"You aren't the boss of me!" Alex challenged. "It is a free country and I can swing where we want!"

"No you can't!" Esmeralda pushed Alex onto the ground and walked towards the swing.

Alex reached out grabbing her foot sending her to the ground. "You are going to pay for pushing me!"

"Leave my sister alone!" A boy with Silver Hair ran over and grabbed Alex's hair

"Let me go!" Alex screamed out in pain.

Susan who had been on the other side of the park ran over and tackled the boy so he could let Alex go. "Leave my sister alone!"

"Oh look it's the quiet brat." The boy pushed Susan to the ground and began to ground her face into the sand.

Susan began screaming out as Alex ran over and pushed the boy to the ground.

"Leave her alone!" Alex screamed. "Why don't' you go back to the dumpster you crawled out of?!"

Esmeralda began to laugh. "My brother and I don't listen to brats like you!" she began laughing.

On the other side of the playground Michelle was sitting in a field of flowers making a flower wreath. "This will be so pretty!" she looked up and saw a boy watching her closely. "Huh?"

The boy walked over to Michelle cautiously as he sat far away from her in the field and pulled out a drawing book. He looked up every now and then while he was drawing.

"Hmm…" Michelle stood up and walked over to him as she smiled. "Hi!"

The boy looked up from his drawing book giving Michelle a small smile. "Hello…" he said.

"I'm Michelle! I'm six!" Michelle giggled and fixed the yellow ribbon in her pigtail. "What's your name?"

"I'm Saphir…" The boy said softly looking down at his sketchbook again. "I'm six too."

Michelle giggled taking a seat next to him. "I like drawing, playing with my dolls and I really love spending time with my aunty."

Saphir looked up at Michelle as his eyes filled with happiness. "I like drawing and playing on the slide." He grabbed Michelle's hand. "Want to be friends?"

Michelle nodded. "Yes!" she giggled happily.

"Saphir get away from her!"

The two children looked up and saw Yui and Mimi coming towards them.

"She's a crybaby and a prissy brat!" Mimi said. "We don't want you hanging around with the likes of her!"

"Don't be mean!" Michelle cried out glaring at them. "He can make his own decisions!"

"Our brother is not going to be friends with someone like you!" Yui pushed Michelle down.

"Michelle are you ok?" Saphir asked getting ready to help her up but Mimi grabbed him.  

"Come on Saphir we should be getting home." Mimi said. "Or else Mom will be angry."

"Not until I see if Michelle is ok!" Saphir said stubbornly. "You guys were mean for pushing her."

"Let's go!" Yui said dragging Saphir away leaving Michelle staring after them.

"He is their brother?" Michelle stood up and dusted her dress off. "I guess I'll have to wait and see him again."

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"Alex!  Susan! Michelle! What happened?"

Serena gasped and saw that the three little girls were now covered in sand and had visible bruises on their faces and arms.  

"We were bullied by the Darkhart kids," Susan explained. "They pushed Alex and they grounded my face in the sand."

Serena narrowed her eyes; she was getting tired of those brats bullying her three nieces. She made a mental note to give their mother a piece of her mind. "Don't worry I'll deal with their mother later." She said. "Right now we have to take you home to change."

"It's alright Serena," Keisha said standing up and heading off to the closet retrieving a box full of clothes. "I have some clothes that might fit them."

Serena started going through the box looking at the different clothes that were folded neatly inside. "Where'd you get these from?"

"Oh! These are my old clothes from when I was younger," Keisha explained. "I was saving them for when I had my own kids but since I don't' have any yet the girls can have them."

Alex made a face as she pulled out a pair of over all short pants that were decorated with stars. "These are too girly." She whined.

"I like this one!" Michelle held up a blue jean skirt and a blue shirt which had a small kitten on the front.

"Hurry and get changed and then we'll have dinner." Serena said watching the girls take off to go change.

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Later that night, Serena was on the phone with Beryl Darkhart telling her off.

"Your children need to learn some manners!" She screamed. "My nieces are the sweetest children in the world and your little monsters take pleasure in bullying them! Hello?" She slammed the phone down on the holder. "That witch hung up on me! If I had the chance she'd be Moon dust."

"Calm down Serena," Darien said entering the room soaked from head to toe. He had been giving Raye and Amy bath when the two toddlers decided to have a water fight. "Everything will out for the best."

"And if it doesn't I can always use the Eternal Tiare to turn her to moon dust." Serena smiled evilly at the thought and touched the Eternal Moon Article on the front of her shirt.

"Don't even think about it," Darien said. "You can solve this without becoming Sailor Moon."

Serena rolled her eyes. "You take the fun out of everything."

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The sound of thunder and a strike of lightening resonated from outside the Io Castle which orbited the planet Jupiter. The walls decorated with ancient tapestries and paintings of the royal family whom resided there during the Silver Millennium.

Serena looked around and could only see her shadow on the walls every time lightening flashed.  She began to wonder why she had been sent there in the first place. "Is anyone here?"

"Welcome Princess Serenity."

Serena turned and saw a woman with wavy brown hair dressed in a green dress appear in bright light. She could see the woman's green eyes held the same warmth and kindness as Lita's had been. "Are you?"

The woman nodded. "I am Queen Eelysa of Jupiter and the mother to Princess Jupiter." She smiled softly.

"Does that mean you've brought me here to let me know that Lita is next to be reborn?" Serena asked.

Queen Eelysa nodded. "My daughter's star seed has already started shining once again."  She looked at the picture of Princess Jupiter hanging on the wall.  "She died a noble death to protect you and I know you will do everything in your power to protect her."

"Of course," Serena said. "I am going to allow Lita a second chance to live and she won't ever have to be alone as she was in her previous life."

Queen Eelysa smiled. "That is all I've wanted to know," She said. "My daughter had been very lonely before she met you. She will never be lonely when she is reborn. She'll be surrounded by friends that love her."

"I will protect and make sure that Lita won't ever be lonely again." Serena promised.

In a twinkle of light, Queen Eelysa faded away leaving Serena alone inside the castle.

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The trek through the mountainous and rocky area of Jupiter had been tough on her but she continued as she made a vow to find her friend's Sailor Crystal. Looking around the planet and the large rock structures Serena paused trying to figure out where the crystal would be.

"Serena…"

She stopped walking at the sound of her name, looking around the quiet terrain she could've sworn the voice of Lita was calling out to her. Shaking her head she continued with her trek. She continued walking until she came to a large rocky terrain which consisted of water in small craters.

"Find me…"

Before moving any further her foot bumped against a crystallized stone. Picking it up she saw, it started glowing with the aura of Jupiter.  She held the crystal in her hands holding it close to her heart. She had found the crystal of her most precious friend. "Lita, I swear to you that you won't be alone again…"

"Thank you for finding me Serena…" a voice whispered from the air. She began to fade away taking the crystal with her.

End Chapter

Next Chapter: Lita Juno Chiba