In Another Lifetime
Usagi-chan
Usagi@tuxedomask.com
I don't own Sailormoon or anything pertaining to.
E-mail me!
Dedicated to my Rei-chan.  You know who you are!

~~~

I've always wanted to clear up what happened.  Here, and in the Silver 
Millennium.  To start off, I'd like it to be known that I don't, never 
have, and never will feel anything towards Chiba Mamoru, besides a 
sisterly affection.  That's all it ever was.  

I know a lot of people assume that because I 'dated' him in this life,
I felt something for him before.  That isn't true.  There is a reason
he and I hung out sometimes, but I'll get to that later.  

As to the Moon Kingdom...  I remember everything that happened clearly.
Its an interesting story, to say the least.  I was Princess Rei, of the
planet Mars, and guardian of the Moon Princess, Sailormars.  

Things started off when the betrothal between Princess Serenity and
Prince Endymion of Earth was arranged.  It wasn't a tale of true
love at first sight, as many seemed to believe.  That was just a
fairy tale that somehow survived the downfall of the kingdom.  Queen
Serenity had asked me to go to Earth and ensure that preparations 
were being made to fulfill the alliance treaty between the two 
kingdoms.  Also, I was to perform the wedding ceremony.  Even then,
I was a priestess.

The day I was to leave, Princess Serenity had hauled me into the gardens
for a brief chat.  She had sat nervously on the stone bench, unable to
look at me.  I smiled down on her, waiting patiently for her to tell
me what was troubling her.

"Rei, I'm afraid." She had looked up at me with confused, and terrified
blue eyes.

"Of what, Serenity?" My voice was calm, trying to ease her trouble 
although I wasn't feeling that calm.

"I know the engagement is part of the treaty and I can't back out of it,
and I don't want to!" She looked earnestly at me.  "I want to do what's
best for my people, but.."  

She hesitated and I knelt down in front of her.  I knew I had to leave
for my shuttle soon, but I wasn't one to leave my Princess near tears.

"Rei, can you find out more about Endymion for me?  Find out if maybe...
If maybe I could love him?" Serenity looked at me with such innocence I
smiled.

"Of course Serenity." I promised her.  Smiling once more, I stood.

"Be careful Rei.  If anything happened to you, I don't know what I'd do!"
Serenity exclaimed.  

"No one can beat the senshi of fire." I grinned at her before turning 
and leaving the garden.

My shuttle arrived on schedule and the Earth had set up quite a fanfare
for my arrival.  I was interested to see what they did when the Princess
herself arrived.

"Greetings, Senshi of Mars.  I am King Damian, of Earth.  This is my wife,
Queen Gaia, and our son, Prince Endymion."

My eyes quickly ran over the prince.  He was your typical handsome Prince,
although his looks were a bit dark.  Serenity would be pleased with his
appearance, I know, although she was never one to base a relationship
on looks.  

I smiled graciously at the King and Queen.

"Thank you for having me here, and greeting me like this.  I realize what
busy schedules monarchs are forced to keep." 

"Ah, that we are.  Please, come inside!" King Damian exclaimed.  "I'll have
someone bring your bags in."

"I have none." I told him, hiding a smile at his confusion.  "Anything I
need is in my subspace pocket.  Something all senshi have."

"Ah.." He nodded his head.  "Well, this way."

That, is how I met the Prince of Earth.  No soul shattering romance or
connection, or physical atttraction.  Nothing.  We didn't even speak.

Over the next few weeks, I spent a lot of time with the Prince.  I 
generally tagged along with him on his duties, getting a feel for what
Serenity's life would be like.

Endymion had four guards who were almost always with him.  First, there
was Malachite.  He was the leader of the group, in Endymion's absense.
Malachite had long pale blond hair and icy blue eyes.  I thought maybe
Serenity would be frightened by him, but sooned learned otherwise.  
Except on the battle field or training field, Malchite was pretty easy
going.  Next came Nephrite.  He was a tall, well built man with reddish
brown hair.  He was a very serious person, but nothing compared to
Zoicite.  Zoicite was a rather delicate man with darker blond hair.  He
constantly had his nose in a book, but was quite good with the sword.  I
had been watching them train earlier.  Finally, came Jedeite.  He had blond
hair that he wore short, and warm blue eyes.  He seemed like a blast of
cool air to me, though I'm not sure why.  It didn't seem to matter how
much time I spent with Endymion, or any of the others.  My attention was
always brought back to Jedeite.  

Often I would train with them, or go to court with them.  Whenever possible,
I would situate myself near Jedeite.  I would train with him, fighting
him in which ever technique he felt needed improvement.  He was a good
warrior, but I had been raised to fight for my princess, to die protecting
her if necessary.  He was no match for me.  The only one who ever came close
to defeating me was Endymion himself.

I was surprised when Endymion approached me one day.  He asked if we
could speak for a moment.  I nodded my head and followed as he led me
out into a garden.  He sank onto a cold stone bench and focused his
attention on a buch in front of him.

"Sailormars," He paused.  "Can you tell me about her?"

"Her?" I asked, fairly sure who he was talking about.

"About Princess Serenity." 

I raised my eyebrow at the irony of it all.  Here I was, in another garden
on another planet comforting the other half of the couple of the century.
True, they had never met, but I was so sure they would click.  I had
observed Endymion quite well, as Serenity had asked me.  I knew she would
like him.  He had charm, poise, grace.  His dark complexion would compliement
her fair one so well.  He was a dreamer.  I had often seen him roam through
the garden's late at night when he thought he was alone.  He would spend 
hours just staring up at the moon and night sky.  Something I would never
tolerate in my own finace, but something I knew Serenity herself often
did.  She was wont to spend hours gazing at Earth, wondering if it held her 
true love, and wondering if she could ever love it's prince.

"What do you want to know?" I asked kindly.

"Anything, everything!  Wht does she look like, is she nice, what about 
her disposition?" He shot the questions at a speed that suprised me.  He
had obviously put some thought into this before approaching me. 

I sank to my knees in front of him, trying to get comfortable.  I had a
picture of Serenity with me, tucked away in the folds of my robes, but
I didn't want to show him.  I would not have him fall in love with her
beauty, as so many others had.  There was more to her than that, and I 
wanted him to know.

"She's sweet, very generous.  There are a thousand and more stories of
things she has done for other people.  She never thinks of herself, and
she will need someone who will think of her first, always.  She's a 
dreamer, like yourself, Prince Endymion.  Serenity spends hours day
dreaming about true love and other such fancies." I began.

"You say that, as though you don't believe in true love." Endymion
commented.  I looked up at him.

"I've been raised as a warrior.  I never had the luxury of daydreaming.
The harsh reality has always stared me in the face." I replied.

"So Princess Serenity has led a life of luxury?  A life without any hardship
or pain?" Endymion asked.  I laughed.

"Nothing of the sort.  Serenity has learned many lessons the hard way.  
The only thing Queen Serenity will not allow her daughter to do, is train
physically.  Princess Serenity is never to fight." I told him quietly.
"She has spent hours, days, helping those less fortunate, and trying to right
the wrongs.  The difference in her, is that she is too innocent to let the
things she sees affect her.  Everything is simple to her.  If something is
wrong, fix it. If someone is sick, heal them.  There is no gray in her eyes,
nor black.  Everything is painted all the colours of the rainbow, though
her morals are stiff."

I paused, letting what I had said sink in.  I glanced up at the blue sky,
something I rarely got to see.  It was almost a novelty for me to see the
clouds drifting across the sky as they were.

"Serenity is childish at heart.  She is still young and full of energy.
Her exuberance is often contagious.  If she has a smile on her face, chances
are everyone she passes will as well, and it isn't often she isn't smiling."
Again, I paused but this time for lack of things to say.  It's hard to
discribe Serenity to someone and I needed to select my words carefully.
"Serenity is as her name decreeds.  She has an idealism and optimism that
surpasses anything I have ever seen.  Being with her brings tranquility
and peace, no matter what."

Endymion smiled.  He seemed pleased with his future bride, and I was 
glad.  I knew there first meeting would be difficult, but I hoped I had
been able to alleviate it to some decree.

"Is there anything you would like to know, Sailormars?  About Earth, or any
of the people you have met?" Endymion asked me.

I replied without thinking.  I hadn't even realized I had spoken until the
name slipped from my lips.

"Jedeite."

Endymion didn't seem surprised.  He leaned back carefully on the bench,
shifting his gaze from the plant to the sky.

"Jedeite, is like the sky.  He moves freely, where he wants to and when he
wants to.  He is very free spirited, and calm.  Always calm.  Its almost
as though some sort of shield has been built around his heart and soul.  I
do not, and never have, doubted his loyalty.  If he swears something, his
word is stronger than any metal." Endymion paused to think.  "Jedeite is
hard to explain.  He has a very complex system of values.  If he feels 
some innocent is being harmed, he will go to their rescue unless he 
believes they can help themselves, but choose not to."

I took this in, as he spoke.  I knew from the start that Jedeite was a 
complex man.  I knew I would not have been attracted to him, otherwise.

"Jedeite is also a very religious man.  It is rumoured that you are as well."
Endymion glanced at me for confirmation so I nodded.

"Yes, I am a priestess of the Shinto religion." As you can see, some things 
never change.

"You should talk to him, if you like him, Sailormars." Endymion seemed to be
approaching this as though it were something simple seen only in black
and white.  I smiled slightly.

"And if he does not like me?" I asked, looking up at Endymion.  "Besides,
it would not work.  He has his obligations to you, and I have mine to my
princess.  Nothing comes before her."

Endymion smiled at me, as though there was something he knew that I did not.
I looked at him quizzically.

"Sailormars, when Serenity and I marry, we will live together in a majestic
palace somewhere, with both our guards present.  You and Jedeite will 
have plenty of time to be together, to fall in love." Endymion chuckled
and stood up.  "I believe I have monopolized enough of your time for this
day."

I didn't know until later that Endymion had left because he had a plan, nor
would I ever see the results of that plan.  It wasn't until the next life 
that I learned, through a vision, that Endymion had been setting things
up so that Jedeite and I would be forced to spend time together.  He had 
gone so far as to have Jedeite and I paired in their wedding reception and
ceremony, on top of my marrying them.  He had taken great lengths, and it
was all because Jedeite was as mesmerized with me as I was with him.  A
great love would have blossomed, if our worlds had not been destroyed.

That is the reason I 'dated' Mamoru in the next life.  I knew all along about
our past lives.  I knew Usagi was the Moon Princess and I pushed and pushed
her to be what she would have and could have been in her past life.  It took
me a long time to realize she would become that now, anyway, in time.  I knew
that Endymion would have loved Serenity greatly.  I believe he did love her,
solely from what I told him of her.  That was the only explanation I could
come up with for why he died for her.  I also believe that Serenity had
looked into his eyes, remembering what I had told her about him, and fallen
in love instantly.  She knew at that moment she couldn't live on with the
knowledge of the love that could have been.  It would have been too much
for her fragile soul.

When I realized that Endymion and Mamoru were one, and that Usagi and 
Serenity were one and the same, I vowed to get them together.  Mamoru and
I would sit in coffee shops for hours on end while I told stories of Usagi
and things she had done, things she liked and didn't like.  I would arrange
for us to run into Usagi on our dates, and often I would step away silently
so they could have their moment together.  I knew Mamoru lived for the
moments he spoke to Usagi.  I knew, because I felt the electric connection
between.  That was one of the reasons I was so intent on setting them up.

Had I known, that no matter how hard I tried, the two would not be rushed,
I still would have made the effort.  Serenity had always moved at her own
pace, never being rushed, but often rushing on her own.  I believe it was
worth the effort, because I love them both dearly, as siblings I never 
had.

Seeing them together now only brings a smile to my face.  I remembered the 
look of anticipation on Serenity's face as I spoke of Endymion and my trip 
to Earth.  I remembered the fleeting nervousness in Endymion's eyes
when King Damian had set the day of meeting for the couple.  I also
remember the way Endymion threw himself in front of the blade meant to take
Serenity's life and the way Serenity cried as she held her true love as he
died.  I remember the way she eagerly plunged onto the sword to join him
in death.  

Serenity and Endymion never had their chance.  Seeing Usagi and Mamoru
create their life together was enough for me, that I could wait another
lifetime to find Jedeite again, for I knew, that in another lifetime,
we would be together.

~~~