Author's Notes I've got a lot of quotes today, *hehe*. Unfortunately, none are from anime. "Don't try and understand love (or Sailormoon). You'll just end up really confused, like me. (And probably writing a huge fanfic, too.)"ÑME Almost-Anime Quote(s) of the day:"I want to die when you die! I'm no unicorn, no magical creature, I'm human like you are . . . and I love you."ÑLady Amalthea to Prince L’r, The Last Unicorn. "There aren't any happy endings, because nothing ends."ÑSchmendrick to Molly, The Last Unicorn. Okay, now the DISCLAIMER: Sailor Moon belongs to Takeuchi Naoko, Nakayoshi, Kodansha, Bandai, Toei Co. Ltd., Buena Vista, D.I.C., The Program Exchange, etc. Copyrighted 1992. I am getting no money out of this, please don't sue. Moonlight Densetsu is copyright somebody 1992. However, this is an original work by ME, and the original song, "ANGEL LIGHT" (COPYRIGHT 1997) is MINE. Please ask permission first if you wish to use it. Thank you. P.S. Read the Afternotes, 'kay? (Shut up! They're not *that* long!) ENDURING LOVE For this part, (I had to make sure you read is so I didn't put it in the Author's Notes, *hehe*) there is no end song. (There's no beginning song either, just forget it.) Also, the majority of this Part is in poem formÑsort of, kind of, maybe. Anyway, I simply wanted it to be in *images* not in prose, which is the reason for the rotten poetry. Just pretend that a really *really* long version of Angel Light is playing in the background and the verses of the poem are all just still pictures, say manga style or really well drawn or whatever. (For example, Fushigi Yuugi's ED or the ED of the last episode (#200) of Sailor Moon. If you have no idea what I'm saying, just forget it and read the Part.) Arigato! And so we come to the end . . . *Crystal Tokyo* Rei, Minako, Ami, and Makoto sat perched up on top of the towering pillars that stood around the huge gates of the crystal city as they oft times did. Travelers passing beneath them on their way into or out of the city often commented on how the Inner Senshi always seemed to be searching for something, while the Outer Senshi pursued other interests. Neo-Queen Serenity would smile distractedly and say that they weren't searching, but waiting for someone. Or more accurately, *someones*. Those who heard her would wonder what she meant, but soon it was forgotten. Except by those who waited. They never forgot. We were four Living to serve Devoted to one Who was the meaning of our lives. You were four Living to serve Devoted to one Who was the meaning of your lives We were like Drawn to like Our princess Drawn to your prince Their love was bright with innocence Enduring. Us You Drawn to each other Our love blossomed The scent was heady Our love endured Or did it? My Jadeite Your blue eyes They drew me into their depths Purple-blue centers of inferno flames You were fiery with youth I was fiery with life Both of us unquenchable fires Hot-headed were we Red-hot your lips on mine Our passionate natures Blazed with our determination Our love set us afire Our love burned like an immortal flame Hot, bright, and pure. My Nephrite Always gentle Kind and sure You treated me as though I *I*, the strongest Would break And I loved you for taking some of the weight From my shoulders Fierce were we both on the outside Loving on the inside I saw only you I could love no other like you Our love was lightning and thunder Strong, bright, and pure. My Zoisite Your intelligence matched my own Your wit and charm They made me laugh in spite of myself And together we lived Alive Apart from books, and facts, and intelligence I was myself with you Just that, nothing more You expected nothing else But did not regret loving me as I was Our feelings evident Our love was solid like crystalline ice Shining, bright, and pure. My Kunzite You were the one that drew me Fierce warrior with steady eye and rational mind Yet when you looked at me I knew that I was nothing you had planned But that you would fight Not just for your prince But for me as well Because I was a goal you set yourself And someone important to protect You made me love myself again In loving you Our love was love Loving, bright, and pure. My fire My lightning My ice My love. My Jadeite My Nephrite My Zoisite My Kunzite. We pledged to each other Our undying love Eternal Enduring. But one day You came With forces to destroy And kill. We looked at you with love You looked at us with hate. We ran to you You pushed us away. Our hearts They broke At the looks in your eyes We knew The truth. You were not you. You were dead. Your bodies were there Your souls were gone Your hearts as well Our love did not shine. You came to kill That which we loved Above ourselves Above even you. Our princess Your prince. Betrayers Traitors Victims Were you. We cried for you We cried for us But we had a duty Even above our love for you. For our princess For our people For our souls For our loves Forgive me. I called upon my fire I called upon my lightning I called upon my ice I called upon my love. As you fell The light in my heart ÑOur hearts Died. My fire was snuffed My lightning was stopped My ice was crushed My love . . . my love was killed. No! Our love Undying Eternal Enduring. We continued to fight For our princess For your prince But, in the end, we failed We all failed. We welcomed the blackness that came Perhaps, we would be Together. * * * * * * * * * A light It shone And we lived Again. We forgot Our lives Our loves. Our loves? No. A part of us Remembered. New lives Same duty New loves New loves? Same loves. When we met again Your faces Were unknown to us But our hearts knew. We knew The truth. You were not you. You were dead. Your bodies were there Your souls were gone Your hearts as well Our love did not shine. You came to kill That which we loved Above ourselves Above even you. Our princess Your prince. Betrayers Traitors Victims Were you. We cried for you We cried for us But we had a duty Even above our love for you. For our princess For our people For our souls For our loves Forgive me. I called upon my fire I called upon my lightning I called upon my ice I called upon my love. As you fell The light in my heart Our hearts Died. And so too Did we die a second time. But this time . . . Something changed. Our princess Brought us back And we fought And we won! My fire My lightning My ice My love. My Jadeite My Nephrite My Zoisite My Kunzite. * * * * * * * * * Light shines on a crystal city Blazing beauty Pure and bright. But . . . My heart is empty. It aches For you. Every day, we wait. We have kept our vigil Throughout the years The centuries. We wait For you Our loves To return. We have had other loves But when we knew the truth We let them go And they drifted away. We know the truth. No one can fill the void in our hearts Our souls But you. We pledged our love Undying Eternal Enduring. Our love Endures Through space Through time Through life Death Rebirth. It endures. At the end of a day's long vigil, We turn away From the sun sinking beyond the crystal spires. A tear, It falls. A flash of light from behind, I do not turn. But then . . . A touch, Barely more than that of a breeze on the trees. But the touch . . . It is familiar. I am startled. We are all startled. We turn, Confused. <> Someone stands, The light of the setting sun is bright I cannot see the face. It is shadowed. But suddenly A hand reaches out . . . To touch . . . My face. . . . And I know. I fling myself into your arms. We have waited so long And finally . . . You are here. You are reborn! My Jadeite My Nephrite My Zoisite My Kunzite My fire My lightning My ice My love. I smile Though my tears flow more than ever Two currents Bathing my face in joy. I know too Why you are here. Our love It shines. Four stones Four souls Four lives Four loves. A crystal shines on them all Sweet, pure, clear is the light That gives you your lives, Our loves. Somewhere . . . She smiles at us And I know This miracle Is wrought by her. Her joy Was ours. Our joy Is hers. She We loved Above ourselves Above even you. But we She loved Above herself Above him As well. Perhaps. Her gift to us Is for our happiness To shine So we can love for ourselves So our hearts can be as full of love as hers. Thank you Serenity Usagi My princess My friend. Arigato. I look at you My fire My lightning My ice My love My Jadeite My Nephrite My Zoisite My Kunzite I am safe in your arms And I will never . . . Let you go. And as the light fades behind the crystal city The light in my heart It shines. Our love Endures. *A long time later* It has been written that everything comes to an end. Nothing is eternal. But just as death comes with life and an ending comes with a beginning, there is a greater truth. There are no endings, no beginnings. Existence is a circle, and *it* is eternal. And sometimes, so too is love . . . "I love you . . ." Serenity sighed softly, sweetly, her arms wrapped around him. King Endymion held her in his arms, her head cradled against his chest, his tears dripping unheeded onto her face. Their daughterÑgrown nowÑcould just be heard murmuring "Mama, Papa." Serenity lifted her head tiredly for a kiss and Endymion obliged, their lips meeting and locking as though they would never part. <> Endymion thought desperately. <> Still, the words "never say never" rung harshly in his ears. "We shan't," she whispered, discerning his thoughts. "I will love you throughout all eternity, Mamo-chan." "And I you, Usako. And I you." A smile touched her lips as she murmured, "Mamo-chan . . ." and as her last breath faded, so too did his. <> In the shining of the light that greeted him, she smiled and held out a hand that he took in his. Together they walked into the light, secure in their love, and were greeted by Queen Serenity and her King. The Senshi too, and their lovers, gone before, had been waiting for them. Smiles blossomed on everyone's faces and the only thought that was heard was when Mars, with a wry little smile, even in the gentle radiance of that perfect light, thought, <> Shining with the light of their love, the couple reached out and took everyone's hands . . . Then they were bathed in silver light and they stepped out . . . . . . and were reborn. And so their love endured, throughout the ages, throughout all time, their love lived on. ~THE END or THE BEGINNING~ P.S. Setsuna smiled. Afternote: Hey, it's done! Yay! Waah! Boy, the ending was bittersweet and depressing. It sure depressed me, and I wrote it! I was going to keep it sweet and light, but then the whole thing was just so much fluff. It's gotten waaaaay longer than I intended. Ah well, 'cest la vie. (No, not Sailor V!) Anyway, I also came up with a kind of wacky ending, but I liked this one better. It fit the mood. Oh, but I personally believe (it's my fondest dreamÑfor them anyway) that they lived forever and ever and ever, happily ever after. Um, I'm juvenile and a hopeless romantic, SO WHAT?! (I'm also *very* defensive, ne?) Okey dokey, well I hope you enjoyed the ride and since this is *finally* over, at least for you, I assume, since this is da da da dum "THE END". I now have time to do other things. And so do you! Seriously, I really enjoyed writing this fanfic and I hope that it was enjoyable for you too. For reference's sake, the legend I'm working from is the old Chinese one about the guy who shot down nine of the ten suns with a bow and arrows (yup, there used to be ten of the things) and was stopped from shooting down the last one by a peasant girl (smart girl, huh?) whom he married. Then he went bonkers, turned into a tyrant and decided to live forever. After acquiring the Elixir of Eternal Life (another version said it was a pill), it was stolen from him by his wife, who knew it was a bad idea and drank both his share and hers. She turned into a fairy(explains the wings, doesn't it?), got really lightÑfrom the overdose, y'know?Ñand floated up to the moon, where she now lives all alone, with only a rabbit for a companion. I basically made the rabbit a reference to her (odangos=rabbit ears) like Naoko Takeuchi intended and had her take her Court with her and thus was the Silver Millennium born. *Pant, pant*. Anyway, that's the basis for the first part, if you were wondering. Usagi and Mamoru's second "meeting" and "rescues" was inspired by Fushigi Yuugi. Been watching *too* much of that! I already mentioned that this epilogue was inspired by Monica Shin's "Duty, Choices." If you haven't read it, go and READ already! Well, I guess that's it. Maybe not. I suppose that I should tell you that I've been toying with the *best* idea for a fanfic. It's kind of an alternate, what if . . . I'll give you a hint. It involves the popular "do Usagi and Mamoru really love each other, or was that just the past?" question. Also *completely* alternate timelines, old and new faces, a couple of villainsÑTHAT'S ME, MWAHAHAHA!ÑPyrolusite get out of there, you weirdo!Ñand a reworking of some Sailor Moon elements. Well, that's more than a hint, but you get the drift. (Eager nods. Lots of smirking.) Sorry boys and girlsÑand all you would-be flamers tooÑit might be a loooonnng time in coming. The thing is, I have to finish *this* first, and then mid-terms are coming up . . . Well, as to that fanfic, let's just wait and see who likes this one. If enough people want me to, I'll go back and write the backstory to my backstory. (It's *all* about reincarnation.) Oh yeah, my humorous piece, "Kisses", should be out sometime. Other things I'm working on are a 'fic about Luna and Artemis, one about Sailor Venus, a couple of side-stories to my new 'fic, and one about Mamoru's starwatch (from the manga). Yes, I'm writing a story on the *watch*. What is your point?! (I hearby claim that idea in the name of the Moon Kingdom, thank you.) Um, if you actually *liked* my poetry, I sent out a collection of poetry entitled Sailor Moon: Poetry. I'm *so* original, ne? Anyways, you haven't heard the last of me! THE END or THE BEGINNING (AGAIN) Ja ne, Fushigi Kismet