Third Time's the Charm

By Bashfulglowfly

Chapter Fourteen

Debris from the explosion pelted the ground and the people trying to shelter themselves from it. Despite the choking smoke and dust, Jadeite could be heard cursing and Mars was heard scolding him for his language.

Finally the debris stopped pelting them and the dust cleared. Everyone cautiously got to their feet and looked around, ready for an attack to come out of nowhere. In the middle of the street was a crater about 20 feet across and at least 10 feet deep. Serenity began walking towards it but Endymion held her back. He waved at the Senshi and the Shitennou to take the first look. Nephrite was the first to get to the edge and looked over. Jupiter joined him and the pair turned to their friends and signaled the "all clear."

Endymion held one hand of Small Lady while Serenity held the other. They walked to the edge of the crater and looked down. At the bottom was Demando, his tattered uniform barely covering his body. His breath rattled laboriously in his throat.

"Foolish princeling." Sneered a hollow voice from above.

The group looked up in time to see the Wiseman floating above them fling a dark lance of power into the dying Prince of Nemesis. Demando gave an agonized gasp as the power hit him then his body seem to crumple in on itself leaving only a darkened husk of what used to be a man.

Serenity and Small Lady gasped and hid their faces in their hands. Endymion drew his sword and stood in front of them while glaring at the Wiseman.

"You think you can stop me with that sword, boy?" The Wiseman's voice still held that sneering quality. Endymion had the irrational thought it must be his normal tone of voice.

"Probably not. But I will protect the ones that I love and this world of ours."

"Brave words from another foolish princeling."

"Brave words and true words, Wiseman." Serenity moved from behind Endymion's sheltering body to stand at his side. "We will not permit you to harm this planet or any other ever again."

The Wiseman appeared to grow in size. "You dare?!"

"We dare!" was chorused back at him. And the battle was on.

Energy screamed. Water roared. Fire raged. Lightning struck.

Finally, the Wiseman made a mistake. Serenity took advantage. She gathered the energy of her Senshi, the Shitennou, Small Lady and Endymion and with the help of the Ginzuishou, she attacked the Wiseman.

The Wiseman's scream echoed off the buildings and pierced their ears, forcing them to cover their ears with their hands. The explosion of Wiseman's destruction threw them to the ground.

There was only deafening silence.

Nephrite broke the silence with a moan. "Damn, I don't think I could fight off a baby waving a breadstick."

"That's an image." Said Zoicite as he sat up.

Venus coughed then blinked the dirt from her eyes. "I was thinking that a three-legged 2-week-old puppy would win."

Weary chuckles came from all around as the Senshi and Shitennou, helping each other, staggered to their feet.

Mercury looked around and she froze in horror. Endymion was rocking the limp body of Serenity back and forth while Small Lady looked on, tears running down her dirty cheeks splashing on the soiled fabric of her dress. "No. Oh, no!"

The others followed their eyes. Mars grabbed onto Jadeite as her knees buckled. "Noooo!" she moaned. "We looked for her for so long and she's dead?! It's not FAIR!"

Endymion moved Serenity's head to his shoulder and carefully stood up. Small Lady stood with him and, clinging to his belt, walked with him to the others. Endymion's face was drawn and weary. "Using all of that energy took a lot out of her." He smiled faintly. "I have a feeling that she'll be sleeping for a couple of days."

"Sleeping?" Jupiter felt like her mind was moving through frozen syrup.

"There no way to handle that amount of power without using a lot of your own reserves. Which she did." Said Pluto. "She is sleeping. I promise."

Endymion raised an eyebrow at the Senshi. "You thought she was dead?" They nodded numbly. "Huh, you may not have as much of your memories back as we thought." He shrugged. "Doesn't matter as long as you remember what's important."

Venus raised her own eyebrow back at him. "And what's that?"

Endymion smiled. A real smile. "Who loves you." He turned to Uranus, "Will you carry Small Lady for me. She's almost asleep on her feet."

Uranus smiled and picked up the young girl who promptly laid her head on Uranus' shoulder, yawned and fell asleep with the rapidity and bonelessness typical in young children.

"Pluto, a favor. A task, actually." Pluto inclined her head to the Prince and listened. "Please gather Demando's body and return it to his people. They deserve that much. Let Neo-Queen Serenity and King Endymion know before you do. They might want to give you more instructions but I think they'll let this decision of mine stand."

Pluto nodded. "I think that they will as well." She walked over to the crater where the unlamented Prince lay. Her Garnet Rod glowed and Demando's body disappeared. Pluto also disappeared.

Kunzite stifled a groan. "Let's get out of here. I, for one, don't want to be answering any questions in my current condition."

The others chuckled wearily in agreement. Suddenly the street was empty except for the crater, debris and the ocassional sheet of paper that drifted by.

Chibi-Usa slowly climbed the hill that overlooked her home. At the top stood a group of people patiently waiting for her. She stopped and dipped into a curtsey but before she could rise again, she found herself in her mother's arms, being squeezed to death. "Mommy, I can't breathe!"

Neo-Queen Serenity loosened her grip on her daughter…a little. "Oh, my Darling, I've missed you so very much!"

King Endymion ran a hand down her pink hair then wrapped his arms around his wife and oldest daughter. "I've missed you too, baby."

Chibi-Usa sniffled. "I've missed you too!" She raised her head and looked at her aunts and uncles. "I've missed all of you so much!"

"Hand the kid over!"

"Yeah, we've missed her too!"

"You can hold her all you want tonight!"

Chibi-Usa laughed through her tears as she was handed from person to person, hugged and kissed, praised and scolded. She didn't mind being scolded for once. After all, she was home. Where she belonged.

Finally she was put on her feet and she looked at the other group standing behind the adults. Her siblings and her cousins.

Mitsuo grinned and yanked on a lock of her hair. "That's for not taking me with you."

Masanori rolled his eyes at that then leveled a glare at her. "I can't believe you lied to Mom!"

Chibi-Usa stared back at him. "I didn't lie to Mom? When did I lie to her just now?"

"Not right now, stupid! Back in the past! I can't believe that you told Mom you were 900 years old!" Masanori poked her repeatedly in the middle of her forehead as he spoke.

Chibi-Usa scowled as Masanori dodged her kick "Well, it was her fault for being stupid enough to believe it."

One of the Rips spoke up "I wanna go see my mommy in the past. It's not fair that Usa could go and we couldn't!"

"Yeah." chorused her sisters.

Serenity leaned against Endymion and gazed happily at her daughter who was rolling around in the grass pulling the hair of Mars' daughter who had her teeth sunk into Chibi-Usa's arm while the other children either shouted encouragement, cried or fought with another of their cousins. "Isn't this great! Things are back to normal!" she said happily.

Endymion winced at a particularly ear-piercing shriek. "Whatever you say, my love. As long as you are happy."

Serenity leaned up and kissed his chin. She looked out over Crystal Tokyo which was slowly regaining it's previous beauty.

"I'm very happy."