AN: Sailor Moon doesn't belong to me (I wish it did).
š › : Memory
* : Thoughts
Road to the Ultimate
Chapter 1: Meet Angel
šHer deep
auburn hair seemed to glow in the soft moonlight, just like the rest of
her. She smiled, pale pink lips parting to show bright white teeth.
"It's ok, honey," the woman whispered.
Darien, a small and scared Darien, backed
away, tripping over a tree root. The woman gasped and pointed to
the patch of dirt below him. What would have been a painful landing
was cushioned by plush green grass.
"Its me, Darien. Mommy."
The tiny prince opened his mouth in surprise.
"But you can't be my mommy," he said indignantly. "My mommy's not a Sailor
Scout."
The strange Sailor Scout only smiled as
she removed the golden rose broach from her dark grey ribbon. A flash
of gold light hid her from view for only a second before revealing a beautiful
woman dressed in a simple silk gown.
"Mommy?"›
Darien grumbled in his sleep, tossing and
turning like a mad man. Beside him lay Serena, starring worriedly
at her lover. His raven hair was sweat soaked
and his feet were all tangled up in the sheets. Softly, she brushed
a bit of hair from his face, feeling him shuddering from what ever he was
dreaming. *Darien,* she thought, *What's wrong?*
šHe was much
older now. In long strides, he ascended a mighty staircase, trying
to keep up with the young woman in front of him.
"Mother gave me the Gem just before she
died," the girl called back to him.
"Why didn't I know of it?"
The girl stopped and turned to look into
his eyes. She was much younger than she appeared, her nearly black
hair in curls framing her face. Her eyes were blue like his but much
deeper in emotion.
"Darien," she whined, annoyed that he didn't
understand, "Only females of the Golden Kingdom can control the power of
the Earthen Gem. It is my destiny to command its power. Just
as it is your destiny to control the power of the Golden Crystal.
You must understand." Darien did, though he was still
mad no one had informed him of the importance of the Gem. "Ok.
So now that I grasp the concept of the Gem's importance, care to tell me
why we are running around here looking for it?"
The girl continued up the stairs, wheeling
into a large hallway.
"Angelin! Are you even listening
to me," the prince yelled.
"The Gem is gone!" Suddenly, she
collapsed, breathing deeply. Her eyes glowed a dull golden color.
"What's wrong, sis," Darien asked.
"I sense evil. Brother, if we don't
find it, there may be more trouble than just you and that Golden Crystal
could ever hope to handle. Even if you have mastered its abilities!"›
His eyes opened wide with surprise, startling
Serena. His breaths came in gulps as if he had been under water the
whole time. Sweat poured down his forehead.
"Darien? What's the matter," Serena
asked.
"It's...it's," he tried to speak, but he was
too stunned to. The young woman sighed and held him tight, whispering
words of comfort. Beneath her warm touch, Darien shook.
"Don't worry about it, love," she murmured,
"It was just a dream. Why don't you go get ready. Daddy wants
us to be there early."
~The smell of barbecue reached the gangs noses
even before they turned the corner. Serena was excited to have everyone
together. Susan, Michelle, and Ammara had been on vacation for the
longest time. Helen was spending most of her time with her father.
They all just needed time to relax.
"So, who all's gonna be here," asked Lita.
Serena only shrugged her shoulders.
"Oh come on," chided Ammara, "You gotta know."
The blonde smiled and flicked her pig-tails
from her shoulder. "I don't even know why Daddy is having this barbecue."
Her eyes became sullen as she looked to her feet. "I think he is
having trouble with my moving out so soon." *They were expecting
me to stay just a little longer,* she thought, sighing, *I'm an adult now.
I can't rely on my parents anymore. I know they will try to convince
me to stay, but I can't leave Darien, not after what happened this morning.
He needs me.*
Someone slapped her back, waking her from
deep thought. It was Mina, a worried expression barely visible on
her face. Serena straightened, noticing that everyone appeared concerned.
"You ok girl," Ami inquired.
"Yeah, I'm fine. Just thinking."
Both Susan and Helen sighed, resting hands
on Serena's back. *They always know better,* she thought turning
to them. They smiled weak smiles, eyes brimming with worry.
"If you need to talk," mouthed Helen.
Serena nodded, walking into her parent's front yard.
The front door shot open as Serena's mother
barreled out of the house. "Oh, my little baby," she cried, arms
open. The gang noticed that their friend sighed, looking as if she
were ready to run away. "We've missed you so much! It's just
not the same without you here." Tears fell from the mother's eyes
as she embraced her daughter. "Oh, look at me, blubbering like a
fool. Come on, I'll take you out back!"
~The back yard was decorated with lanterns,
though it was still light out. Neighbors stood in small groups, exchanging
the latest gossip. Serena took notice that both Molly and Melvin
were there. She would have to talk to them; it had been so long.
Most of the neighbors, though, she did not recognized. The neighborhood
was constantly changing.
Darien put a hand around her waist, smiling
when she looked up. "There are a lot of new faces," muttered Serena,
almost disappointed.
"Well," spoke Darien, "At least your
friends are here." He turned his gaze to the group in a far back
corner. There they all stood. Lita, Mina, Ami, Rei, Susan,
Helen, Ammara, and Michelle. They had all been through so much, and
some how they had all come out alive. Her friends, her allies, her
loyal subjects. For once things felt right. *This is how its
suppose to be,* Serena thought, *No worrying about Pharaoh 90, or Galaxia.
No wondering if the next battle would be the last. Everyone's happy
and safe.*
"Hey Serena, Darien," hollered the girl's
father from beside the grill, "I want you to meet someone!"
A young woman, around Serena's age stood talking
to Serena's father. She was unusually tall, with curly black hair
and deep blue eyes. For a second, Serena thought she looked something
like Darien, but only laughed the thought away.
"Hi," said the girl, "You two must be Darien
and Serena. I'm Angel."
~ Buried below the sewers of Tokyo sat a large
palace made entirely of white stone. Only a few broken pillars and
caved in walls could be found amidst the ruble of what had once been the
most beautiful castle, second only to that of the Silver Millennium.
It had been the home of generation after generation of Earth Royals, keepers
of the Golden Crystal. It was also home to the generations of warriors
that commanded the fabled Earthen Gem. But the war against the Negaverse
and suffering that followed made the people forget about their glorious
heritage. And so, the once magnificent castle sunk below the dirt
like a shamed animal. Even its beloved Prince and Princess had forgotten
of its existence.
"It's a shame," breathed a dark shadow, mouth
twisting in a weird grin. "Such a handsome piece of architecture
neglected." A second shadow appeared, wrapped tightly in a grey cloak.
She too smiled, twisting a lock of her soft blue hair around her finger.
"It will be perfect, Master Battin.
From here, it will be so easy to find those brats."
The man, Battin, shifted to see the
woman. His smile now was gone, replaced by a look of annoyance.
Bony hands clenched each other with white knuckles as he moved towards
her. "Don't think that, Cora. That is where Beryl and the others
failed miserably. Never underestimate the powers of the Sailor Soldiers.
Should Angelin discover who she is, and if she remembers about the past,
this shall be a hell of lot more difficult. The plan is hard
enough as it is." Cora recoiled, frightened by her master.
*Don't anger him, Cora,* she thought, trying to keep up with him as he
ran. *Remember the others.*
~They shook hands like good neighbors, though
Darien, Serena noticed, was a little apprehensive. He examined the
new girl, a faint air of surprise and terror moving across his face.
Serena wondered if there was something wrong with the girl. Curious,
she did the same. Nothing appeared out of place. Like everyone
else, she wore jean shorts (though they were a bit too short) and sandles.
Her shirt was just a simple grey tube top that darkened her already dark
features. Everything seemed alright, so what was wrong with Darien.
Angel smiled and placed a pair of sunglasses
on. "I'm new here so I feel a little out of place-" Serena took note
that the girl was constantly fingering a small rose charm weaved into her
hair "-Could you introduce me to some people?" Darien blinked, also
noticing the charm.
"Oh, uh, sure. Serena, why don't you
go acquaint her with the girls."
His girlfriend began to walk in the direction
of her friends when he grabbed her arm and bent down to whisper.
"Tell Rei to meet me at her Temple. Now. It's important."
Serena was confused by his request but decided
not to ask questions. If she needed to know, Darien would tell her...right?
~Rei found Darien kneeling before the Sacred
Fire, a dejected expression on his face. Even as she walked in, he
sat, starring deep into the fire as if to find the answers to all his problems.
She thought he didn't seem right when they met at his apartment that afternoon,
and this only confirmed things.
"What did you need to see me for, Darien,"
she asked in a low whisper. The Prince of Earth, gaze still fixated
on the dancing flames, motioned for her to sit. "Is it another bad
dream, like what King End-"
"No," he interrupted, "I...I need you to ask
the fire something. I need to know the truth about Angel."
The priestess began to answer, but again,
Darien interrupted.
"But what ever happens in here must never
leave here. Understand? No matter what we see. You can
not tell the others." There was a tone of sorrow in the man's
voice that wrenched at Rei's heart.
"Not even Serena," she asked. The Prince
shook his head.
"If I must, I will tell her myself.
Now, please, get on with it."
"Oh, Sacred Fire," Rei chanted, "Show us the
truth behind Angel. Please." Sparks erupted from the blaze
in a dull roar. The flames turned in on themselves, creating a dim
picture.
šA young
woman stood at the doors of a large palace. Her hair was dark, like
her eyes. Beside her stood a man, not much taller than she, wearing
shinning silver armor. Both held glowing crystals; one gold, one
a blue-green.›
The picture faded and churned forcing itself
to change into a completely different image.
šA woman,
a Sailor Scout, appeared in a courtyard, surrounded by white roses.
On her shoulder she carried a bow, but no quiver. In the opposite
hand, she held a delicate red rose. Her outfit was like all the others,
only the bows were dark grey and the skirt an even dark shade of blue.
She wore grey high-heeled shoes, strapped all the way to her knee with
ribbon of the same color; like a ballerina's slipper.›
*The woman, from my dream,* Darien thought,
watching the image die in the crimson flames. *It has to be.*
"Darien? I don't understand," Rei choked,
"That was you in the first image. But the girl...who was she?"
Darien stood and sighed. "I can't tell
you. Not right now."