And So a New Dream Unfolds
Shall I wake to find you there, my dream maker, my guardian, my friend, my beloved husband?
But what of the stars that had fallen to the deep wells of space, the nightmares that entrapped our magical world in its darkened web?
Tell me, my love, what of our artists, songsters, minstrels, dreamers and wishers?
I long to meet you on the cusp of night and day, to ride, once again upon your back, your ivory wings carrying us upon the magical Winds of Elysian, as in times past.
My cherished dreams shall live on in this, my boundless contradiction, my existence.
But what of the maidens of temple and forest, of those beautiful creatures that dwell in the kingdom of sleep. Shall they rise anew?
Shall my gardens again be illuminated by your majestic countenance, my love?
The Pegasus, shall they return with you, my Helios, to a revivified realm of beautiful dreams and their dreamers?
I long to lie with you again, to bring forth our children to inherit this enchanted place, please come back to me now, my dearest love!
Queen Lorelei of Elysian
Moon Kingdom Mirror Universe
After the destruction of the Dark Planet Seed and Dark Serenity’s redemption and subsequent self-sacrifice, great sadness at the death of the moon princess had over-shadowed the feelings of relief and joy at the destruction of Chaos and his minions. They had come from near and far, many from across the cosmos, from stars within and beyond the Milky Way to pay tribute to the Lunarian princess. Silence fell upon the capital of Atlantari at the funerary rite that millions attended.
Serenity Moon wept as she said her good-byes to her first-born daughter. The face of the lovely young moon monarch was one of complete tranquility and repose. Serenity’s beautiful body lay upon a thick blanket of Lunarian Roses, her Affinity Moon Scepter in her delicate hands. Princess Serenity’s endless cascade of golden hair along with the skirts of her silvery-blue lace gown spangled with tiny crystal crescents poured over the edge of the ceremonial slab onto the sandstone terrace in a dazzling curtain. She seemed as though she were only sleeping, her golden lashes kissing her flawless cheeks as if at any moment, her eyes would flutter open and gaze upon this sun-splashed day and she would rise to greet the multitudes. But it wasn’t to be.
Serenity Moon cried out, “Moon Cosmic Power!”
Princess Serenity’s body then underwent an incredible metamorphosis. She began to glow, assuming the form of a transparent crystal girl. There was a blinding sapphire flash, and she was gone.
~*~
As night fell, as had many tears, Endymion and Setsuna spent quality time together talking long into the early hours of dawn with Serenity Moon and Lady Moon Cat, before they retreated to their sleeping chambers, exhausted emotionally and physically.
“We will miss you, Lady Moon Cat,” Serenity Moon said, kissing the other woman’s cheek, “I feel we’ve always known you, I hope you return to us soon.”
“I plan to, but I have unfinished matters to take care of in our universe, and of course, the new Fractious Realm. I am meeting with Queens Celestina, Floriana, and others to discuss all of these things. Your universe, I am pleased to say, is pure and free of the menaces my reconstituted universe must overcome. So I must prepare the ground. It will not be easy as the power of the Ginzuishou is depleted after the battle here. Our Serenity has a difficult task ahead of her when Beryl and her armies strike. But it is all in the weft of things and all will eventually be well in the end,” she said, with a sigh, “By the way, Cerciana, who you have already met, is my sister. Though she doesn’t display the Mauan physiology, she is of Mauan blood.”
“Yes, she is lovely and plays the flute beautifully,” Setsuna put in as an afterthought.
“Yes, I think your world would wish to keep her here, but alas, we must go,” Queen Mau stated.
“I know. Endymion spoke of a portal on the moon. I won’t speak of it beyond these walls of course, but we wish you safe journey and look forward to seeing you again,” Setsuna said, as a tear formed in Mau’s eye.
“I love you all and I promise I shall return to you when I am finished with my obligations. Who knows, Cerciana may wish to join me. But until then, we have the next few hours together after we rise before I must take my leave of you, my friends,” Mau vowed.
“We will spend that time together wisely, my friend,” Endymion said as all embraced and retired to their chambers.
~*~
Princess Reika slept in her grandmother’s bed, and didn’t care if she were too old to do this; finding herself enfolded within the security of Serenity Moon’s beautiful warm sky-blue wings, safely curled up in her arms was the best place in the world to be. Serenity Moon stroked Reika’s honey-gold hair and rubbed her velveteen kitten ears as the child fell into a deep restful sleep, purring contentedly. The Warrior Queen kissed the top of the little princess’s head as dreams claimed them both.
~*~
The days were abuzz with activity. The Kinzuishou and Ginzuishou were used to reclaim Elysian and restore it to its former glory and all its inhabitants were as they were before the scourge of darkness save the two Pegasus killed by Dark Serenity’s magic, these noble beings having moved onto the Crystal Nexus to live and serve the Affinity weft with love and wisdom.
“Welcome Lady Lorelei and Lord Helios, all is in readiness for the feast,” Iacocia, a new acolyte to the Solar Temple announced.
“Thank You child, Lorelei answered, and smiled at the royal guests from the moon and Terra as the girl skipped away, a spring in her step.
“Ah, it’s good to have things back to normal, sad for our two priests, but they are serving Amaterasu now and are frequent visitors,” Helios said, breathing in the fresh Elysian air. “It is good to see you again Endy and Setsuna, and Lady Moon Cat, you look wonderful as do you, Lady Luna.”
Both women blushed, thanked Helios for the compliment, and gasped at the sight of the herd of Pegasus that had just arrived at the Temple complex. “I never fail to get excited by the sight of Pegasus,” Mau gushed.
“Well, I think we will leave you good people for now and join you in the dining hall later this evening, come on everyone, let’s greet the Pegasus and do a little exploring shall we,” Endymion said, catching the wink from Helios as the group moved on towards the botanical park.
After they had gone, Helios smiled and took Lorelei in his arms and kissed her with a passion she knew so well, pressing his hand to her breast, its familiar warmth and shape beneath the soft cotton robes, she knew was prelude to his invitation to bed, her giggle gladdening his heart.
”Now, time for loving, my husband; it has been much too long since we have shed our raiment and invested in a little… intimate contact,” she purred, hugging him and they kissed once more and walked to their chambers.
“Much too long,” he breathed.
Serenity City Moon Palace (Mirror Universe)
ten Years Later
Time had flown by so fast, and yes, there were many changes on Terra. Princess Persephone married iolite, and Gaea fell for a Mauan Shitennou by the name of Kinjo Neko and the couple was betrothed.
Queen Serenity Moon held her granddaughter’s hands and smiled, “I know you didn’t expect her to do this, but you really do deserve it you know darling.”
“But Queen of Myola…? I didn’t expect that. Demeter has relinquished her throne for me because she wishes to live in Andromeda?”
“Yes, she and Lord Orion go back a long way and shall be conjoined in a Lunarian rotation, and his sister has also chosen a new mate and moved on, too. You know the Lady Amaterasu, she is like the Oberisku no Shoujo, she spends most of her time in the Crystal Nexus and so her twilight existence is better served by deferring to another, and so Orion has taken a new bride in Demeter and she shall rule in her stead. The Incarnadine Throne is a lofty position and she gains far more than she is giving up on Terra, so be not concerned child. You have earned it and I and all of us are most proud of you.”
“Grandmother...?” Gaea said, arching an eyebrow.
“Yes, child,” she replied, grinning, anticipating Gaea’s next question.
“When will she be born?”
“Galatea-Dawn is due in just over eleven Lunarian revolutions, and Luteolous is beside himself at the prospect of fatherhood,” she laughed, “He’s scarcely gotten used to becoming king of the Moon Kingdom with yours truly keeping him on his toes and he keeps me young,” she winked, as she had looked not a day over sixteen years.
“Oh I am so happy for you Grandmother!” she hugged Serenity Moon, almost knocking her off her feet. Both women laughing, “All right then, after that uplifting news, down to details. I will need help with the coronation feast and… the pyro-holo and other programs… so much to do,” Gaea sighed, detransforming, and straightening her short white shift and pushing her mane of gold behind her ears as she sat to tea with her grandmother to plan for the gala event.
Terra Eastern Kingdom Millennium Palace (Mirror Universe)
After Atlantari fell beneath the waves, only Myola remained as the sole super continent straddling both hemispheres of the planet.
The new capital was beautiful to behold, the smoldering volcano in the background providing a haunting beauty both Endymion and Setsuna appreciated and were in awe of as they gazed upon the city of spires from the palace balcony, finding the view incredible. King Endymion and Queen Setsuna now had three children: Persephone, Onyx and Eliza.
Setsuna, Endymion thought was as lovely as the first day he’d met her. She moved away from the marble rail of the balcony and sat upon the loveseat. She was still as alluring and pretty as ever, wearing a short baby-pink summer dress. She crossed her long tanned legs, closed her eyes and lost herself in thought. He loved the way she’d chew her bottom lip while stroking her long emerald braid. Endymion sighed with the sheer pleasure of her exquisite bronzed body and drank in this welcome sight with relish.
Opening her eyes she broke the silence, “We have so much of which to be thankful. I miss our lives on Atlantari,” she mused, “But this is a new beginning for us all, here in the Eastern capital. The children are happy here and Persephone’s upcoming conjoining shall be a joyous occasion, and Onyx, he has joined Lord Kunzite’s cadets and Eliza has excelled in her art,” she said, opening her eyes and rose, standing beside her husband.
“I cannot believe they’re growing up so fast. Although…” he chuckled, smacking Setsuna on the behind, raising a delighted squeal from his wife now giving him the ‘come hither’ look and he winked and was more than glad to take her hand as she led him into the bedchamber.
She slid her hands up the solid musculature of his chest, stepping up on tiptoe and kissed him long and hard as he pulled her to him, their hearts thumping with anticipation and love. She stepped back, untying the cord at her waist and disrobed, as had he. Soon their warm bodies met in a scintillating embrace, flesh on flesh, hearts beating in concert . He picked her up in one fluid movement and carried her to their bed.
As they explored each other’s bodies and pleasured one another, finally they gave themselves to the oldest dance between two people in love. Their cries and whispers of need, adoration and tender endearments accompanied by birdsong, the laughter of children from the palace gardens below and the warmth of the welcome breeze caressing and cooling their naked bodies as they made love long into the afternoon. Life was good and all was right with their realm.
Ukihiro Province within the Fractious Realm
Myolan Excavation Team Report: day 358
Crystal Kingdom 3021 SE (Sulean Epoch)
Doctor Samantha Tamie sat on the limestone ledge sketching the statue of the petite Mauan princess, her white lab coat flapping in the warm breeze, her calf-length light-weight cotton skirt dancing about her legs as she studied her notes on the crystal notepad and continued to sketch on the larger crystal tablet with a virtual stylus.
Sailor Hathor, also known as Princess Reika, a Mauan, she thought so lovely. The young woman resembled another Senshi by the same name and although that Sailor Hathor was not a Mauan, Samantha was convinced they were aligned to the same Affinity Stream.
When the pretty raven-haired scientist came here with her friend, Conrad Tomak, they pegged the site and followed all conventions one would find at any other typical archaeological dig, setting up camp and gradually unearthing the strange community, a shrine to a subspace past with records cast in stone, a cache of crystal pods and other recordable mediums to decipher. But above all, this place was especially unique, as a kind of outpost, or colony of a mirror universe still existed and continued to evolve beyond the Ninth Gate. Samantha was able to ascertain their universe, had evolved out of another. In short, one world slips into a cocoon, emerges as their universe, and the other, continued along its path unimpeded. She was just dying to take her team there to see how much it differed from their own.
Lord Janus and his wife, the Lady Amydarainia had scanned the site. Janus, the Guardian of Time confirming that evidence of two parallel civilizations would be found here. He didn’t say how he knew. But there was a glint of secret knowing she had observed in his violet eyes. Amydar-chan wasn’t letting any cat, Mauan or otherwise, out of the celestial bag. Samantha was convinced they knew more than they were letting on, but she didn’t press the matter and didn’t have any desire to do so because she loved uncovering a mystery herself.
(What was a mystery if it were laid out for you without the fun and welcome toil of discovery?)
The jigsaw puzzle would gradually unfold piece by ancient piece as the site was assiduously excavated.
Meanwhile, they would continue to catalogue and gather artifacts and more besides. Ostensibly, the Fractious Realm was chiefly left to the Lords of the Scimitar to protect and patrol with the Terran Shitennou and Senshi to act as back-up and explore these boundless dimensions. The rippling streams within the Fractious Realm were almost incalculable and one had to venture here with extreme care and know what they were dealing with.
Far too many had become lost in the endless inter-dimensional labyrinth, most of the missing found, but some never returned. The mapped and safe territories of the ‘Fractious Octagon Region’ were the relatively safe portion of the realm. Thousands had migrated to these sub-worlds and explored the lands and the heavens of these alternate universes and often returned to visit friends and loved ones. Others were taken on specially arranged guided tours. But to venture beyond the port of the Ninth Gateway, was off limits to unqualified civilians.
~*~
The statue of Lady Reika was originally embedded within a slab of blue crystal several thousand meters across and 400 meters in height, it took several days, even with the power of the Shitennou and Celestial Senshi to unearth and secure the site in case of dark magic tags or curses, there were none.
Samantha had called upon experts in the fields of anthropology, and related sciences to come to the site. Soon a small encampment and laboratory facility was established inside the ancient settlement. Holo-photographers were busy at work, linguists and restoration experts and others milled about continuing their painstaking work. She loved this work with a passion that never ran dry.
King Endymion and Neo-Queen Serenity couldn’t help themselves either; they were frequent visitors as was the Queen of Myola, Aki and King Shingo and their families.
“Finished the sketch, Sami?” Conrad asked, adjusting his sun hat, the skies overhead a rich deep blue and the daystar a golden hand grasping the apex of the expanse above, bestowing the Myolan lands with warm sunshine.
“As a matter of fact, my good sir, yes, now, what about that lunch date you promised me, hmmm?”
“I have it all set, come, let’s go. I must say, she is amazing.”
“Reika, or me?” she said, giggling as she put on her silver-rimmed sunglasses, and grabbing her carryon.
“Yeah, she looks like Hathor, the girl we also know as Bianca. Oh, and of course, you’d look sexy in a fuku like that, and with kitten ears and tail…” he said, jumping back as she rushed at him and tickled him, “Whoops! But I would love to see you in a fuku!”
“If you behave, I just might wear one to the dance later this month for the festival,” she said, in a teasing tone, blushing at his leering grin as he looked her up and down, likely imagining said fuku on her lithe body.
“Okay, I can wait and I will be extra nice, just to get to see a lot more of that golden flesh of yours, Sami my sweet!” he laughed.
He paused and studied the notes she handed him as they walked. She was still snickering under her breath as they got closer to the tent and their friends.
“Seriously though Conrad, I am beginning to think there is something written in the fates about all this, the site, its secrets and the fact that mirror realm is the hub of a perpetual labyrinth of alternative realities, each unique and mysterious!” she breathed, and they entered the marquee for some shade and welcome refreshment.
“Looking forward to the expedition to that realm, have you heard the news yet?” She stopped him dead in his tracks and spun him around. He laughed, “Don't tell me you haven’t heard, Sami?”
“No you great git! Why didn’t you tell me!” she growled and then burst out laughing, “I should have known Xiao would have asked you to keep that secret from me! Of course I am going, by the Kamis, I wouldn’t miss it for all the gold in the world… I mean worlds and you’re coming with me so I can keep an eye on you, mister!” she laughed.
“Got it booked, Sami my love,” he smirked, “It is a whole new frontier out there, and we are starting on a whole new adventure, all of us: the Senshi, Shitennou, civilians like you and I… and where it ends, the circle, nobody knows!” he said, philosophically.
“Wherever it leads us, you and I will be there – right there!” she grinned, handing him a freshly squeezed cup of orange juice.
