"No! I can't! Not so soon after Eudial's death!" sobbed Usagi.
Mamoru kissed her on the cheek: "Come on, Usagi. You have to be strong. You and the girl must come to the ball. Even Silver assented to come..."
"What?! Silver? I thought he was desperate..."
"Now, he looks more worried than desperate. When I told him about Eudial, he seemed deranged by sorrow, but, when he came back home he seemed much relieved..."
"That's strange! Maybe he cannot fully realize what's happened, yet..."
"Probably you're right. Another weird thing is that he seems to wait the day of the ball anxiously..."
Usagi didn't answer "Is it possible that he didn't love Eudial so much, after all?" she thought.
Usagi came back home. She was feeling guilty. In the last days she hasn't been very kind with Yuuko.
That girl was so similar to Eudial, but, in spite of this, Yuuko used to act in a so childish way that Usagi yelled at her many times.
"It's horrible, but sometimes I thought that it would be better if Yuuko was dead instead of Eudial..." Usagi said to herself "Poor Yuuko, it's not her fault if she's not brave and strong as Eudial. I have to apologize for my behavior, tomorrow..."
Eu-chan and Chibiusa were in Usagi's room playing a videogame. The sailor senshi preferred let the two children to believe that Eudial was still alive.
Usagi smiled at the sight of the two little girls "I must be strong for them. Tomorrow I'll go to that ball and I'll try my best to look happy..."
The day after, in the evening, Mamoru came with his car in front of Usagi's house to take the girl to the ball.
"Mamo-chan, you don't mind if we go and take Yuuko with us, do you?"
"No problem. I'm happy you decided to come. Now you have to do your best to seem serene and happy. I know it won't be easy, but we must try. We can't tell Yuuko the truth..."
Usagi nodded: "Oh! We're arrived. That's Yuuko house."
The girl ringed the bell and Yuuko went out of the house. She was wearing a black cloak over the evening dress.
The ball-room of the castle was huge and enlightened by a big chandelier.
A butler took the girls coats and Usagi and Yuuko entered the room.
Usagi was surprised: that black dress looked perfect on Yuuko and was giving her an enchanted and fanciful appearance.
"And she looks more serious than usual too. She still didn't whine or say anything silly..."
The two girls noticed Rei, Ami, Minako, Makoto and the witches and joined them.
"Look there!" Rei said "Even Haruka and Michiru are here. Wow! Michiru is very nice in that violet dress!"
"Yes, but look at Yuuko..." Ami replied "She's even more beautiful than Michiru, this night."
"You're right!" Cyprine and Pikuroll giggled "You see, Yuuko, we were right to tell you that you had to buy this dress!"
"Yuuko, are you listening at us?" Tellu asked.
Yuuko was just staring at the other side of the ball-room.
Mimet smiled: "She seems lost in her dreams...I think that she's in love with someone..."
Yuuko startled and blushed: "Oh! What are you saying, Mimet?!"
Minako slightly mocked her: "I think Mimet was right...Who's the lucky person?"
"Come on, Minako, don't annoy her...Oh! Silver is over there!"
"But...how is he dressed?! I thought he was in mourning..." Viluy gasped.
The man was dressed in a white suit with a red rose in its buttonhole.
Silver walked towards Yuuko and slightly bowed in front of her: "May I have the honor to dance this waltz with you, my sweet flower?"
Yuuko smiled at him and took his hand. Silver stuck the red rose on the girl's dress and drove her towards the center of the hall.
All the girls stared at him.
"I...I can't believe it! He should be crying over Eudial's death and he's happily dancing with another girl!" yelled Usagi.
"Don't be so hard on him." Rei said "Maybe he wants to have the illusion to dance again with Eudial..."
"But he knows well that she's Yuuko! How can he betray Eudial in this way!"
Eudial grabbed Silver's hand. "I'm so happy to be here with you, this night...I remember that in our past life in Silver Millennium, we used to go often at balls..."
"So am I...It's weird. This is actually the first time I dance with you...in this life, at least!"
Eudial laughed: "I'm sorry for Usagi and the girls, but I can't feel unhappy today!"
"Yes, I can see it: your eyes are shining like stars, tonight! Don't worry for the girls. I can feel that your powers are growing up quickly and soon we can defeat your brothers and you can tell them the truth!"
"You're right. Now I can keep the Doom's Warrior's transformation for a longer time and I can use some of the new powers. Soon I'll be able to fight against Sarcolite and Dioptasio!"
"Please, don't talk about them, this night. I want you to think only about our love...The music is beginning, let's dance now!"
Silver put a hand on her waist and they began to dance.
Soon the other dancers stopped and looked at Silver and Eudial.
They seemed to fly and everyone could feel the strength of their love.
Eudial and Silver were unaware of the other people in the hall, they could almost see the ball-room of Silver Millennium's royal palace.
Eudial looked deep in Silver's eyes: "Lord Aster..." she whispered "Now I can remember well...You're my beloved Lord Aster..."
"Lady Ombra...Now I know why I always loved you. Our love withstood to death..."
The waltz ended and they came back to reality.
"I want to give you a thing, Eudial..."
He took a little ring of silver with a white transparent stone set on it and slipped it on the witch's finger.
Eudial stared at him.
"Look at the gem..."
"It...it's a quartz!"
"Yes." Silver smiled sweetly "I don't want you to forgive him. That ring is made of silver and quartz. I'm sure it will protect you..."
"Oh, Silver..." Eudial hugged him and they kissed.
Usagi rushed trough the hall and stood in front of them.
"I can't believe it! Silver, I thought you loved Eudial!" the girl slapped him, then turned towards Yuuko and looked at her in rage "And I won't let you take the place of my friend!"
Usagi ran away.