The Integral Dream
“We are all longing to go home to some place we have never been — a place half-remembered and half-envisioned we can only catch glimpses of from time to time.
Community:
Somewhere, there are people to whom we can speak with passion without having the words catch in our throats. Somewhere a circle of hands will open to receive us, eyes will light up as we enter and voices will celebrate with us whenever we come into our own power. Community means strength that joins our strength to do the work that needs to be done. Arms to hold us…”
Starhawk
Mariners of the Stars
The concentric circles of silvery light pulsed from the translucent massive Silver Star, the new designation for Black Lady’s former flagship. The Lords of the Scimitar reported this ship was actually an Incarnadine Wanderer, a military City Ship, used in ancient times to shuttle colonists between galaxies.
The star-fairing vessel was a beehive of activity as Crystal Kingdom scientists left no portion of the massive craft’s archives untouched. Much was gained from the experience. The archives were being downloaded into crystal pods. Historians, anthropologists and archaeologists left no stone unturned preserving the legacy left by their forebears. However, for now reflection and analysis was called for.
Repose
Crystal Palace clinic
She woke refreshed and with the memory of her self-integration still fresh in her mind. Serenity looked around her and gasped in surprise, all her friends and family were present and smiling at her.
“Hi guys!” she raised a hand in greeting and blushed. She felt a surge of happiness beginning to overwhelm her. She began to cry, smiling as Helios held her hand. He too with tears of joy in his eyes.
“Welcome back, darling,” he said, kissing her hand.
“And welcome back to you! Oh, my wonderful husband!” she sniffled, laughing as she gratefully accepted the tissue from Ami and blew her nose. “How was your stint in the Crystal Nexus, I loved mine. It was very interesting to say the least. Oh, I remember seeing you there, too! I remember visiting Crown Arcade!”
“You visited Crown in the Nexus?” Luna cut in, smiling.
“Yeah, I certainly did. Oh, the Pleiades, are they’re here?”
“Yes, but they’re touring the city with Pan, Kunzite and the Shitennou. The girls are most impressed with the city and are planning to stay a while before returning to the Nexus.”
“This is so amazing!” she said, as the tears began once more.
“Royal trumpet!” Artemis commented, and everyone laughed as Serenity blew her nose and she winked at the white Mauan, the lighter moment easing the tension in the room. Everyone was nervous up until this point, not sure, if she would be all right after her ordeal. But Serenity was glowing.
Mamoru and Usagi looked at one another and stepped up. Helios kissed her hand, “There’s somebody keen to see you, my love,” he grinned, looking to his friends: Endymion, in his midnight blue uniform and Neo-Queen Serenity in a maroon gown holding hands as they approached the bed. Usagi’s hair was untied and she wore a glittering diamond circlet atop her head. She looked great Serenity thought.
She grinned at her daughter, “To answer your first question, it is my new look. But the odangos come back on my days off. Hey! I need a change,” she chuckle, giving her daughter a hug, remembering how they’d sparred years ago over Chibi-Usa’s odangoes.
“You look fantastic mother!” she gushed, “I’m hungry, and where’s my favorite girl!” she cried as a beaming serenity Dawn flew into her mother’s arms and then hugged her father, Lord Helios.
“Oh I love you so much, mother. I was so worried. But you are glowing,” she said, hugging her once again, “Literally… It is a new day and such a beautiful start to the Cherry Blossom Festival. I think that is worth a walk in the palace gardens after Ami discharges you from the clinic after breakfast. Now mother, eat!” she giggled as Makoto brought in a platter of delicious breakfast faire.
“Keep this up and I will take up residence here in the clinic!” she laughed. “Thank you everyone, I know things are going to be fine and I feel a peace within my heart and the Nexus that I had not felt before and I know mother, you feel it too as do you, Sere,” she smiled at them both as they nodded.
~And here am I, the mother, Sere the maiden, and mother dearest, Wise Woman – the triple Goddess of the Ginzuishou as one, reunited~
“Well, less talk daughter, and more action. See you after breakfast and we’ll walk off all that fine food!” Usagi giggled as Mamoru pulled her into the hall and the others followed.
“It is good to be back,” she told Ami.
“It is good to have you back, Sere!” Ami hugged her then and a sapphire tear trickled down her own cheek.
The Planets
The Lords of the Scimitar and Celestial Senshi returned to their respective worlds. From within the Crystal Palace within the Moon Temple, the three daughters of the Ginzuishou joined hands, and with the help of the Terran Senshi, all generations present, the Ginzuishou and Kinzuishou had healed those war torn worlds and regenerated their atmospheres so its peoples could safely return.
The alliance had resettled the huge populations of misplaced peoples. The Crystal Kingdom had entered a new era of prosperity and growth and as the weddings of Paris and Serenity Dawn had taken place, Janus and Cassie had celebrated the birth of twins, to start their family account: a girl, Cassiopeia and a boy, Triton.
The houses of Orpheus and Crystal Tokyo within the weft of the nexus had found equilibrium and so too had the Fractious Realm.
As the years went by, the Crystal Kingdom had spread beyond the Milky Way. The future was unscripted for the most part. The new adventures for the next generation would unfold and a new page would turn. Destiny in its inexplicable way would weave a tapestry for those returning to the womb and re-entering the terrestrial plane to learn again.
As stars lived and died, the ebbing and flowing tides of infinity never rested, nor tired. Yet the story lives on as it must and the bards sing their new songs and bring a fresh retelling to the wide-eyed children of a new age.
End
