A really short author’s note this week.  Thanks to everyone who has taken the 

time to write me about this story.  I love getting mail!  It always makes me so 

much better after the kind of days I’ve been having this week.  Also, will 

someone out there please read "Gates of Time"?  Just to make me happy, okay?  

Thank you.



As I said, mail makes me happy so write to me at Mearari@aol.com.  And remember 

to be kind.  The good you do comes back to you but bad karma is forever.



Standard disclaimer:  I don’t own Sailor Moon.  <sigh>  Figures doesn’t it?



<<<<<>>>>>



"Royal Wedding"



    A Sailor Moon story in six or seven or… Oh heck, a bunch of parts!



                                  By Meara



             Chapter Five – "Facing Facts" or "Reality Bites!"







This was the moment Mamoru had dreamed of for over two thousand years. It

all seemed strangely familiar as he made his way out of the church with his

bride. There was sunshine and cloudless, blue skies. All in all it was a

perfect autumn day as he and the new Mrs. Chiba made their way out to face

the admiring crowd. Champagne, Don Perignon 1956, had been chilled to

perfection and he saw the corks flying from bottles as they were opened.



He could hear voices in the large throng murmuring. "So beautiful." "They

look so happy." "She looks just like a princess!" His heart swelled with

pride. He was the luckiest man on the planet today and everyone knew it. As

they approached the front of the gaping horde, Mamoru smiled and waved at

them. He knew what they really wanted to see.



"Kiss the bride!" someone yelled.



He laughed and turned to his one true love, the woman he had bound himself

to, body and soul, forever. Slowly, Mamoru lifted the sheer veil that

obscured her face. With endless joy, he looked down into the face of his

eternal love…



…His fifth grade teacher, Mrs. Wang?



Something wasn’t right, he knew. As his mind struggled to try and figure it

out, Mamoru had a sudden burst of clarity. Looking down, he saw that he was

standing in front of the large crowd totally and completely naked. A giggle

went up from an anonymous person way in the back. It spread like wild fire

and soon everyone present was laughing hysterically.



He turned to his bride, but Mrs. Wang had grown. She towered over him,

favoring him with an accusing look. In slow motion, she raised one, long

finger at Mamoru. Finally, her mouth opened to speak. The words traveled

down that long, pointed, index finger striking him like a sack of wet

oatmeal. He could see her head shaking back and forth as if she was

disappointed in him.



"Chiba Mamoru…" the voice thundered as it pronounced judgement, "where is

your book report on ‘Tom Swift and His Electric Grandmother’?! Your final

grade depends on it!" The laughter swelled at his failure to produce the

report.



"OKAY – THAT’S ENOUGH! STOP THIS RIGHT NOW!" A booming voice smothered the

laughter that held him frozen in place.



Everyone and everything around Mamoru vanished in a thick, gray fog that

sprang from nowhere. Relief rolled over him faster than a two ton truck. It

was short lived, however, as Mamoru became aware of a shadow moving toward

him. "Who’s there?" he called "Who are you?"



The fog grudgingly parted to reveal an obscured figure of a man. There was

confidence in the man’s step that Mamoru wished he possessed. Although the

mists no longer veiled him, it took Mamoru a long moment for his mind to

identify who exactly it was. When the knowledge finally filtered into his

brain, he gave a gasp of astonishment. He stumbled over the words that

spilled from his mouth. "You! You’re…you’re…"



"You." Replied Endymion, Crown Prince of Earth. "At least, I was you a

while ago." He paused to look at himself, checking to make sure he had the

correct number of arms and legs. "Hey, I got it right on the first try. Not

too shabby for someone hasn’t had a body for the better part two thousand

years."



Mamoru was still in shock. "How is this possible?"



Endymion shrugged his shoulders. "Two reasons actually. One – you’re

dreaming. And two – I have a very important question for you."



"Dreaming?" repeated Mamoru dumbfounded.



Endymion rolled his eyes, throwing up his hands. "Of course this is a

dream, you dolt. Do you normally get married without any clothes on?

Speaking of which – would you please get dressed?"







A red blush crept up the current King of Earth. It took him only a moment

to decide what to do. Mamoru produced one of his patented mystic roses. He

was rather pleased that his tuxedo appeared at once.



"Well, it’s not the black armor" said Endymion, "but I guess it’ll do." He

reached into the fog in back of himself and pulled a chair out of the

mists. In one, fluid motion, he settled into it and then looked up at

Mamoru. "Okay, here’s that very important question, so listen carefully."

He paused to make sure he had his present self’s attention. "Just what

exactly is it with you and that badly dressed Ken doll, Jameth, anyway?"



To cover his lack of a response, Mamoru looked around. "Don’t I get to sit

down?"



"Make your own chair, cape boy, and don’t change the subject. In case you

haven’t noticed, I’ve taken up residence inside your head. This means that

I can bug the living hell out of you until you give me a good answer." The

last Crown Prince of Earth turned to a table that had just appeared by the

chair and took a snifter of fine brandy in his hands. "Two thousand years,

boyo. That’s how long I waited to be with my Serenity and you’re screwing

it up! I’m not going anywhere until this mess is straightened out." An

ottoman came into existence under his feet and he propped them up.



Tuxedo Kamen replied in a calm voice. "Jameth is bothering Usagi. It’s my

job to protect her from weirdo’s like that. Everything I did was to keep

her safe and sane."



The late prince swallowed his drink and did a reasonable imitation of a

buzzer. "AAANNNGGGHH! Wrong answer, try again." He leaned over the table,

searching. "I see that this could take a while. Do you have any pretzels

around here?"



Mamoru was beginning to get ticked off. "Look, that moron was singing under

our window at her. He sends her presents…"



"Expensive presents" chimed in Endymion, "Which she sent back, but not

before you made sure that you’d given her a better one. And you got Setsuna

to do your dirty work for you. Don’t get me started on how you took

advantage of Makoto."



"Expensive presents." Mamoru allowed, "And the guy doesn’t know when he’s

beaten. I did everything but rub his nose in the strawberries like a bad

puppy but he’ll keep coming back! I don’t have to put up with this! I’m the

King for pity’s sake!"



The chair, ottoman and brandy vanished as Endymion got to his feet. "I" he

said, "I,I,I,I,I. Are you listening to yourself? This isn’t about Serenity

at all. It’s about you getting your tender little ego bruised isn’t it?"



He came forward to remove the white domino mask from Mamoru’s face. "What’s

the matter, feeling a little inadequate? Would that be the reason you’re

dressed as Tuxedo Kamen right now? Not brave enough to face some hard

facts. You’d rather hide behind this mask."



The black and white garb faded into the jeans and black sweater that Mamoru

used wear back in high school. Endymion still held the mask as Mamoru

looked at the way he was once, so long ago. The way he wanted to be now,

but (in his own mind)could never seem to manage.







"He’s prince." Sighed Mamoru. "A real prince with a castle, jewels and the

whole nine yards. And I’m just some doctor wanna-be that throws roses at

the bad guys. Hellfire, I wouldn’t even be King if it weren’t for Usagi.

I’m a nobody and Jameth reminds me of it, okay? Are you happy now?"



His past self did the very last thing Mamoru would have expected under the

circumstances. He smiled. "It’s a start." He reached out and put an arm

around the young man’s shoulders. Together they began to stroll through the

fog in Mamoru’s mind. "Keep reminding yourself that your Usako loves you

and things just may get better. Also remind yourself that if you keep

acting like a.." he paused, groping for the right word. "…What was it

Serenity called you?"



Mamoru’s shoulders slumped. "A ‘jackass’."







"Thank you" said Endymion, "keep acting like a ‘jackass’, and you’ll find

yourself sleeping with the petunias on a regular basis." The former prince

royal of Earth punched his present self on the shoulder with his free hand.

"Now wake up and go make amends before it’s too late."



That said, Endymion started to walk away, Mamoru called after him. "How do

I do that? Usagi locked the door and I can’t get in. "



The self assured man in the black armor stopped and turned to look back. A

sly smile played across his handsome face. " Relax. My education included

lessons from a preeminent thief. For some reason father thought it best for

me to able to pick any lock I came across. You never knew when someone

would stuff you in a dungeon in those days." He winked at Mamoru as he

faded away. "And as for making amends? By doing what we do best, my boy –

romance.



                                <<<<<<>>>>>



Usagi had not slept very well.  Without Mamo-chan in the bed it had been just 

too quiet to sleep.  Who would have thought that she’d miss his cold feet, 

blanket stealing and snoring? Usagi sighed and rolled over to face the spot 

where her beloved should have been.  Her mind steeled itself to face the cold 

and empty half of the bed.  But as she turned prepared to see nothing, there was 

most definitely a something there.



On Mamoru’s pillow was a single, perfect, red rose.  The rose he’d promised to 

give her each day as they awaited the birth of their child.



The Queen of Earth squinted one eye in concentration.  It was hard to think 

first thing in the morning.  "I know I locked that door." She mumbled. That 

thought quickly faded away when she picked up the flower and inhaled its 

seductive perfume.



If Mamoru had been able to get into the room to leave the rose, then he could 

have climbed right into the bed she’d denied him last night.  The knowledge he 

hadn’t thawed her heart a little.  That in itself bothered Usagi somewhat.  She 

had very good reasons to be angry with him that one rose wouldn’t change.



Tossing off the blankets, she stumbled out onto to what should have been a bare, 

wooden floor.  Instead her feet registered the incredible sensation of something 

wonderfully soft.  Looking down, Usagi saw that there was a path of rose petals 

that led to the door she’d slammed in Mamoru’s face last night.  The perfume she 

so loved flowed up to her with each step.  The path led, of course, to the door.  

Pausing only to slip on a robe, she found herself following it against her 

better judgement.



As she approached, the door swung open by itself.  In the garden was a small 

table set with a fine, white, linen cloth.  Simple but elegant stoneware place 

setting adorned it as did the silverware.  Peering carefully around the corners 

of the door, Usagi ascertained that Mamoru was no where in sight.  Her mind told 

her to go back inside only until  the smell of fresh bread came to her nose.  In 

the battle between mind and stomach, her brain had yet to win.



As she settled in one of the two chairs at the table, Mamoru seemed to appear 

out of nowhere to stand at her right elbow.   "May I join you?"  he whispered in 

her ear.  "Please?"



There were still sparks in her eyes as she turned to look at him.  "Bribing me 

with good food won’t work this time."



In truth, it almost always worked and Mamoru knew that.  Whoever had suggested 

that the way to strictly a man’s heart was through his stomach had never met 

Usagi.  He was bright enough not to point that out, however.  "I know that 

Usako.  It just occurred to me that if I had to eat my words, it’d be impolite 

to make you just sit there and watch me do it.  One of us might as well enjoy 

their breakfast."



This caused a smile to flicker briefly on her lips.  "Well, Ami did tell me that 

I should make sure to keep my nutrition up because of the baby.  So yes, I’ll 

have a little something."



Instead of leaping into the other chair, Mamoru took the pitcher of fresh orange 

juice and poured her a large glass.  The bread was still hot from the oven and 

he hissed as it scalded his fingers lightly when he placed it in front of her.   

He put the butter and strawberry (it just has to be strawberry, he mused 

grimly)preserves within her easy reach.  As Usagi slathered both on the bread, 

he made his apology.



"You are absolutely right to be mad at me.  I’ve been acting like a jerk."  He 

sighed with sincere regret.  "Jameth isn’t the problem, I am.  The truth is that 

I don’t feel worthy - not of being King or of your love.  I guess I was trying 

to prove to myself that I was better than Jameth by humiliating him.  But I was 

the one who ended up playing fool and worse still, I ended up hurting you."  His 

eyes pleased with her for forgiveness.  "I’m so very sorry Usako.".



"And what brought about this change of heart?"  she asked, trying to keep from 

her face the fact that her anger was melting faster than the butter on the warm 

bread.



"Let’s just say that I had a long talk with my conscience last night. It forced 

me to face a few very unpleasant facts about myself.  So, can you forgive me for 

being such a jackass?"



Usagi swallowed the mouthful of bread, nearly choking.  She took a quick sip of 

juice and coughed once.  "Oh Mamo-chan, you may be a jackass, but you’re my 

jackass!"  She went to him and they embraced.  "I shouldn’t have yelled at you 

like that.  It seems you weren’t the only one behaving badly yesterday.  Can you 

forgive me?"



They exchanged a long and passionate kiss for the better part of a minute.  

Mamoru moved up to place light, butterfly kisses on her eyes and brow.  "Shall 

we be bad together then, my sweet love?"



She leaned against him purring, "I hate to fight with you, but Lord have mercy, 

I do so love to make up!"  He was working his way down her neck and onto her 

shoulders.  "Umm" she said before she lost the ability to think completely, "But 

what do we do about Jameth?"



Mamoru laughed softly and it tickled the nape of her neck.  "Who?"



Usagi began to giggle too as they left the table and headed back inside.  The 

door closed behind them and remained locked this time as breakfast grew very 

cold indeed.



<<<<<>>>>>



It’s odd, mused Setsuna, Senshi and Princess of Pluto, the things some people 

take for granted.  Doors, for instance.  Hardly anyone gave them a second 

thought as they plowed right through them so many uncounted times each day.  But 

doors held a special fascination for Setsuna.



Over the thousand years she waited for Serenity and her Court to be reborn, she 

rarely used one.  In order for her to live long enough to be of use when the 

appointed time came, the Senshi of Pluto had stayed in the timeless space of the 

corridor of eternity.  As a result, on those infrequent occasions she actually 

ventured forth into the "real" world, a portal to and from the time corridor had 

served her needs quite nicely.  At one point Setsuna actually sat down and 

figured out that it had been over three hundred years since she’d last gone 

through a door.  It was then that her visits to her mother’s people, the S’Eyre, 

had become a little more frequent. That is to say more than only once every 

hundred years. Setsuna had noticed that her conversational skills tended to 

wither if she didn’t use them at least every decade or so.



Just how badly those social skills had eroded became evident the first time 

Lorilei had dragged her into a karaoke bar.  Setsuna wondered if the man she’d 

tossed through the window ever did get all that glass out of his back side.



The Senshi of Pluto had just about decided that perhaps she should go back to 

designing clothing.  Fashions surely changed but, appropriately enough, the 

timeless elegance of her designs appealed to people.  Setsuna was actually 

considering opening a small shop if things went well with the royal wedding.  

One with a nice etched glass front door.



So it was with a smile of real pleasure that Setsuna turned to cut crystal knob 

on the large, oak door that led to Usagi’s private study. The conversation was 

lulled as she entered, most likely due to Ami’s taking the opportunity to give 

Usagi a quick check up.  The petite Senshi of Mercury shushed her patient as she 

tried to get an accurate blood pressure reading.



"Usagi-chan, please stop talking for a minute."  Ami asked every so sweetly.



The Queen did as she was asked, but popped yet another grape into her mouth.  

Ami slapped her hand as Usagi reached for more.  "And stop eating.  I can’t hear 

the diastolic through your chomping."



The others didn’t make any comment at that, though it was clearly killing Rei to 

be silent.  Setsuna moved softly to join them.



"Hello Setsuna." Said Ami with a small wave.  She removed her stethoscope from 

her ears.  "Usagi-chan your blood pressure is 120 over 60 – excellent!  All 

though, with the amount of fructose you seem to be ingesting I’d better screen 

you for gestational diabetes."



"Please, please, don’t make fill one of those little cups today.  I told you I’m 

doing fine, Ami." replied Usagi as she reached for the rapidly dwindling supply 

of red grapes, "I couldn’t have high blood pressure if you lit my pants on 

fire."



Rei’s hand darted in to steal one of the sweet treats, "That may be the only way 

to get you away from the fruit bowl."



The Queen of Earth stuck her tongue out her the revered Shinto Priestess, who 

returned the gesture.



Mina noticed that Setsuna had what looked like a portfolio tucked under one arm.  

"Ooh!  Are those the dress designs Setsuna?  I can’t wait to see what you’ve 

come up with!"  she nearly squealed with delight.



Setsuna blushed modestly as she nodded, uncomfortable as always with praise.   

The large leather case was opened and a dozen exquisite pen and ink rendering 

were produced.  Each one featured not only a bridal gown, but the maids dresses 

as well.  Setsuna’s age had taught her the need for symmetry and harmony in all 

things – especially weddings!



"There are a number of different themes – traditional eastern and western, a 

more sophisticated look as well as a more modest one.  I also did a few modified 

period styles." Said Setsuna.  "Are you sure you don’t want to go to one of the 

major fashion houses, Your Majesty?  They could give you even more choices."



"It’s Usagi, Setsuna.  The Queen isn’t home right now, so relax."  A welcoming 

smile crossed her lips.  "And why would I go to anyone else?  You do wonderful 

work and you know me.  With my luck I’d go to one of the big fashion moguls and 

end up wearing some new age horror!"



Mina had picked up a couple of the designs and was scrutinizing them.. "These 

are really good, Setsuna, and I mean that.  This one though," she passed a 

sketch to Usagi who looked at with Ami peering over one shoulder, and Rei the 

other,  "is perfect."



The design featured a modified gowns reminiscent of the 1930’s.  It was a satin 

creation that clung to the upper torso, then from the waist, flowed softly to 

the ground.  The neckline was draped in the front below the collar bone.  Small 

satin roses pulled the material well out onto the shoulders then plunged half 

way down the back.



Mina nodded her head in approval.  "I love the silk roses on the shoulders.  It 

allows the material to drape well down Usagi’s back, but remains basically 

modest.  Still, it will give the men in the audience a little something to dream 

about!"



Mako leaned over Ami to get a good look at the gowns.  "There’s nothing wrong 

with a little mystery.  If nothing else, it always keeps them coming back for 

more."



"I don’t know about that Mako-chan. " sighed Usagi, "Keeping them away has been 

more of a problem lately."



"If you mean, Jameth, Usagi, that’s one problem that should be fixed shortly."  

Setsuna had a knowing look in her eyes.  "Right after I leave here, as a matter 

of fact."



"Fixed how?" asked Rei.  She all ready knew how the problem of Jameth could be 

solved – with a flaming arrow.  "Are you sure that it’ll work?"



Setsuna gave a very small smile.  "Jameth doesn’t know it, but he’s not in love 

with Usagi.  He thinks he’s in love with Serenity – last Princess of the Silver 

Millenium.  The tactic I have in mind will be very persuasive.  The truth 

usually is.  It’s all a matter of perspective, you see."  The blank look on the 

other faces told her she had completely lost them.  Perhaps she needed to work 

on those social skills a little harder.  "I can personally guarantee that Jameth 

will, at the very least, listen.  As for how it turns out– only time will tell."



Usagi sighed to herself as they went back to looking at the sketches.  Maybe 

time would tell, but Setsuna surely wouldn’t.  Well, what ever she had in mind, 

Usagi prayed that it would work.  There were only twenty days until the "wedding 

of the millenium".



<<<<<>>>>>



Next – Chapter 6 – "Picture Perfect" or "A Plethora of Pretty Princess’s"