This isn't as long as I had hoped, but I'm kind of in hurry to eat lunch and I wanted to put this up before I went to the amusement park.

It was a nice sunny day on Earth. It wasn't too warm, but it wasn't cold. In fact, according to the prince of Earth, it was the perfect day, not only for the weather, but because of what would be going on inside the palace that night. It was a day to be celebrated throughout the whole planet, and it wasn't a holiday.

In fact, Endymion thought, it was a day to be celebrated throughout the Solar System. All royal families had arrived for Endymion's twelfth birthday.

Endymion didn't feel very happy though. Kunzite, Zoisite, Nephrite, and Jadeite were his friends, but they also worked for the palace. They had things to do before they could stop by, even if it was his birthday—almost because it was his birthday.

"Aw, look! Endy's all alone!" Venus said, pointing quietly to Endymion while Mercury and Mars watched. "Uranus and Neptune have better things to do now. Endy has no friends! Endy has no friends!"

In truth, the fifteen-year-olds were helping set up the boy's birthday party, but no one was inclined to tell him that.

Mercury peered quietly at the boy sitting by himself. She felt kind of bad for him. Venus was being kind of mean. But he was a boy! She didn't want to be anywhere near him, even if it was his birthday. Venus could say whatever she wanted to. Ten-year-old Mars smiled at her twelve-year-old friend and joined in the teasing.

Endymion glared at her. "Why would I want to be friends with a bunch of girls anyway?"

Venus tossed her hair and stuck her tongue out. "Come on. Let's go get Jupiter."

Princess Jupiter was on the other side of the castle, playing with Saturn. Actually, they weren't playing. Saturn had recently decided that they were too old to play. They were discussing a book they had both read. That was what grown-ups did. Jupiter and Saturn were not children by any stretch, and they would prove it.

"Jupi! Satah!"

The brunette and the black-haired girls turned to the voice. The little four-year-old beamed at them and held out two dolls. She looked at her fellow princesses and back at herself. She must have miscounted.

"Wait here," Serenity said. "I go get another dollie."

"We don't want to play dolls, Serenity." Saturn shook her head and looked at Jupiter. She whispered, "Children. They're so hard to get rid of."

"Sorry, Sere," Jupiter said without much remorse. "So what did you think of the death scene?"

Saturn's eyes lit up. "I loved it."

Serenity sighed and let her body droop so much that her pigtails dragged across the floor. She pulled her dolls to her chest and toddled off to find someone else to play with. She spotted a group of three giggling and walking down the hallway. She ran up to them happily. She needed two more dolls now, but that was fine!

"Mer, Vee, Mahs! Play dollies!" The moon princess jumped up so she could see their faces.

"We're busy, Serenity!" Mars snapped.

"Have you seen Jupiter?" Mercury asked politely.

Serenity nodded and pointed to the door she'd just exited. "She there. With Satah."

The trio suddenly looked less eager to go in there. Serenity's spirits lifted.

"Play dollies now?"

"No!"

Serenity sniffled, but kept her head high. She walked to the ballroom where the party would help.

"Uri! Nep! Dollies?"

Neptune stopped ordering and looked at the little princess. She shook her head. "I'm sorry; we're busy."

"Alright," Serenity sighed. Who else could play with her? Pluto was too old. She didn't play dolls fun. She'd already asked Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune. The only other person here was Endymion, and Serenity definitely didn't want to play with Endymion. That prince was just mean!

Queen Selene saw her daughter walking off sadly. She picked her up. "Hello, dear. Do you want to something extra important for me?"

Serenity grinned. "Uh-huh!"

"Prince Endymion"—Selene could hardly keep from laughing at the laughable glare from her daughter—"is really excited for his birthday, but the celebrations are a little behind. Why don't you go give him your present to cheer him up?" Serenity blinked in confusion. Selene added, "The locket you picked out."

"Oh!" Serenity squealed. She raced to get it. "Mama! Where you put it?"

Selene handed the package to her daughter.

"I got a mission!" Serenity cheered. Selene laughed. That girl was just too funny.

Endymion walked into the library. Maybe he could find a book that would distract him from his horrible birthday. He saw a flash of silver and looked down at the little girl. He smiled. Teasing Serenity would cheer him up. "Oh, look! It's Odango!" Serenity's face trembled and she wore her glare. Endymion laughed.

"My name is not Odango!" she shrieked. "For being mean, you don't get anything."

The prince froze as her words sunk in. Get anything?

Serenity smirked and held out her hands. "See? I got this for you, but you don't get it! Mean! Mean! Mean!"

The princess's reflexes were not up to par. Endymion snatched box from her tiny fingers and turned it over in his hands. There was a pitifully tied green bow—Serenity was in her all-by-herself phase—around dark blue paper. Serenity proudly told him that she picked it out because it matched his planet.

"Can I open it now?" the black-haired boy asked eagerly.

"Mm-hm!" the little girl chirped.

He tore off the ribbon and paper and opened the little box. He looked at a small golden star on chain. Was it a necklace? Surely even someone as little as Serenity knew that boys didn't wear necklaces. Or was this just some trick? He wouldn't put it past her, but on his birthday?

Serenity gave him her toothy grin and gingerly touched the center. "It opens."

At her touch, the circle popped up. A pretty tune fell on deaf ears while Endymion watched the phases of the moon pass.

"This is for a girl!" he snarled even as it tucked it in his pocket.

Serenity couldn't refute that. "I picked it out! It's pretty! Thank me!" she demanded.

"No!"

Ten years later, Endymion woke up. He reached over to the nightstand and felt the locket. It was still there. It was from his princess.

Serenity is four here because Endymion had to be twenty-two before she turned fifteen. The last scene is before Queen Selene died.