Hi, another chapter already! I'm on the ball. *yawn* I stayed up late last night, and now I'm feeling the effects. Serves me right. Anywho, I still don't own Sailor Moon, but I do own all the characters metioned in this story, so please don't take any of them. Thanx. Oh, when you're done feel free to compliment or flame as you please, my address is lildragon@snet.net.
-Pretty Sammi

Sixth of the Dream-Moon, 24 of the Rain Moon, 17 of June in standard, year 3058

I for some reason cannot accept the events of the past few days. Saffron is extremely worried about my depressed condition. I'm not only lost to my friends, but I am also lost to myself. Sophia is acting strangely also. You can tell because she isn't talking much any more. She used to be such a chatterbox. And she doesn't wear her long brown hair up in two French braids as she used to, Sophia just lets her hair hang down. Sagittarius always seems happy when she shouldn't be; I guess that the glass is half full for her.

Saffron is a very different story. She has tried to cheer me up, but her attempts have been miserable failures. Saffron seems oblivious sometimes, and I really don't know how her mind can handle so much stress. Even though, I heard her crying last night. I know it wasn't Sophia; she was sound asleep. Saffron was sobbing like a child who lost its mother. She wasn't as oblivious as I previously guessed.

And now Saffrom and her sister Sophia. I promised I would explain, and now is a good time. The oracles predicted that Saffron would have a twin sister, so they were supposed to be the Sailor Gemini Sisters, but they had made a misprediction; her twin was a still born baby. Luckily two years later her mother had a second daughter, and so she replaced Saffron's lost twin and initiated as Sailor Gemini Minor. Now that this matter is cleared for my records, I can move on to other events.

As I sat at the pool with the unicorns this morning and brushed my white-blonde hair, I stared into my own blue eyes I began to dig deep into myself; seeking to truly understand my feelings. That is exactly what I found. I guess I had been living in a dream, and the pool, or perhaps the gentle unicorns, brought me back into reality, so to speak.

The plans have been set. Tomorrow my companions and I will leave the hospitality of Sailor Sagittarius and go to Sappho. I will miss the dream-plane, and miss my true home even more.

One of the more interesting points of out visit here is Sophia's bonding with the unicorns. The unicorns are kind, but do not seem to accept someone as a new "member" of the herd for a bit. They have taken to Sophia very quickly, and even as I look out there now I see her talking to them. She describes to them what the palace was like, and of the entire vast, green, flower filled fields that covered the surface of our home. A tear rolls down my cheek as I think what the Dark Zodia Dragons are doing to my beautiful planet.

Epona came and brought news of the invasion. As she tells me, the Dragons have planted their seeds of destruction all over. She says that they are focusing all the dark energy from the trees and creating it into a gem strong enough to open the gate into the dream-plane. My greatest fears have come true, for they will not simply stop when those wretched Dragons break into the dream-plane. They will replace the endless green medows and woods with forests of their evil seeds. If they can gain enough energy from the dream-plain the will move on to use this dark gem's powers to control the universe. None will be able to stand in their way.

Although I do not believe that we will be with out hope entirely. My mother once told m of a jewel called the Imperial Silver Crystal. It was - is - the one most powerful thing in the universe. Now t is lost somewhere in space, buried in the ruins of an undiscovered planet perhaps. I, as my mother, bless her soul, think that the last owner of the Imperial Silver Crystal took it to the grave with her to protect it from being stolen. I don't mean buried with her either. She would have absorbed it into her being before she passed away. If by some slim chance another Sailor Zodia can get her hands on that crystal we will be able to save the entire universe.

For now I must not focus on such big matters, but I must think of the days to come and take every measure possible to make it safely into the hands of Princess Mercedes on Sappho.

The warm air blows through Sagittarius's small house, so now I must leave my journal to go and freely run in the fields and stretch my wary limbs properly, for the wind calls me to do so.

-Princess Serenissima, Sailor Zodia Aries

Serenissima let out a deep sigh as she closed her journal. Before she set out to the fields, she paused to pull the front of her hair back into two cylinder-like buns, one on each side of her head and leaving the back hang down.

She quickly descended the narrow stairway of Sagittarius's small house and ran out into the warm, sunny fields. "Sophia!" she called. Sophia looked up from her position on the ground. She had been holding one of the small foals, and its mother was looking affectionately over Sophia's shoulder.

"Hi," Sophia said.

"How are you doing?" Serenissima asked.

"I'm Ok. This is Snowdrop," she said. The little foal neighed sweetly, and he reminded Serenissima very much of a snowdrop with his silky white coat.

"How do you know?" Serenissima asked.

"I can't explain it. The unicorns sort of," Sophia paused and tried to think. "They send you expressions, so to speak."

Serenissima giggled. "I'm bored. Can I play with you're hair? Please?"

"Alright." She sat down behind Sophia and began to make several tiny braids throughout her hair.

"It's so good to see the princess active again," Saffron sighed as she looked out the window from the kitchen. Her tan hair was held back with a braid that she had wrapped around her head a few times.

"She's really like a little sister to you, isn't she?" Sagittarius asked.

"I guess you could put it that way," Saffron said. "I've known her since she was a baby, and seen her grow up with my sister. It's really hard to not like Serenissima."

"I understand. Are you sure you want to leave tomorrow? You would be putting yourself in extreme danger. The king and council of Sappho are very likely to turn you over to the Dark Zodia Dragons if they find out who you really are. They would do almost anything to keep from involving their planet in a war."

"We're in danger here too. The Dark Zodia Dragon warriors could find a way to enter the dream-plane any day now. It's less of a risk to be right where they wouldn't guess us to hide; right in front of their noses," Saffron explained. "Besides, if Serenissima trusts Princess Mercedes than I trust her too."

"I'm glad that you know what you're doing."

"Me too."

~*~*~*~*~

The two suns of the dream-plane began to set, and the sky turned bright green in the fading light. Serenissima was wearing her nightclothes when she silently slipped out of the house.

She ran out into the fields to a small area behind a hill carpeted with flowers and out of view of Sagittarius's house. She sat down and quietly waited. Soon a bright glowing erupted from the ground near by her, and a small black foal with mane that reflected all the colors of the rainbow materialized before her eyes.

Serenissima began to cry. "Epona," She sobbed. The foal trotted over to Serenissima and tenderly nibbled her ear. "I won't see you again after tonight."

"Don't worry," Epona said, projecting the voice of a young child with her mind. "It won't be for forever, but it might be a long time. I can visit you dreams when I can't see you."

"But it isn't the same!" she wailed as she threw her arms around Epona's neck. "I want to be with you every day! You've become a part of me that can't ever be replaced. I'm a part of you too, and you know it."

"Yes, Serenissima, but you must be strong. We both must be strong. Now go back to sleep. You need your rest for tomorrow morning."

"No! I don't want to," Serenissima pouted like a child. "I want to spend as much time as you before I have to leave. You're the mother that I've lost, you've seen me through everything. I don't want to miss you yet!"

"Please, you must listen to me. It is vital to your survival. You need to be in top condition for tomorrow."

"You've got to promise that you'll visit m every night. I never want to forget you."

"You won't ever forget me. Now go to sleep."

"Fine," Serenissima sighed.

As Epona disappeared, she said, "Goodbye, princess." Serenissima ran back to the house under the dark, starlit sky, and she cried the entire way.