Chapter Two- The Anger Side

Serena spent the next few days focusing on containing her emotions. It was easier said than done for Serena was prone to fear and anger more than any other emotions, save for sadness. Her preoccupation with her emotional control did not go unnoticed by her friends and the Sailor Scouts, minus Raye. When Amy asked if anything was wrong, Serena calmly replied, "No, nothing."

Serena was pleased with how she was keeping a lid on her emotions. It seemed all she had to do was stay calm no matter what the situation. As long as I'm calm, the wolf won't come out. Yes, I can do this.

She continued focusing and keeping to herself for another week until her friends grew concerned and asked Luna to tell Serena that they wanted to see her at the temple the next day, which was Saturday.

"A meeting?" Serena said, her calm veneer starting to crack.

"They're just worried about you," Luna stated. "I think it's time you told them what's going on."

"No! I-I can't! What if they hate me or-or-," Serena broke off her sentence and Luna spied two wolf ears sticking out of Serena's head!

"Serena, calm yourself! The wolf is trying to take over!"

Serena gasped, closed her eyes, and took deep calming breaths until her fear had subsided and the ears retracted. "Luna," she stated calmly. "I don't want them to know. This is my own fight and there's nothing they can do to help."

"All right, Serena. If you don't want to tell them, then you don't have to."

But I'll stay close by and once Serena leaves the meeting, I'll come out and tell the girls myself, the black cat thought.

Serena mounted the temple steps the next day, feeling nervous and noting that the wolf didn't react. Okay, being nervous isn't the same as fear. So, I won't tell them; I'll just say that I'm starting to grow up. Yeah, that's it. She reached the top to find her friends on the steps to Raye's fire-reading room as usual. They all looked up as she approached. "Hi, guys," she said as she sat on the bottom step.

"Hi, Serena," Amy said. "We haven't seen you around last week, except for school."

"Yeah and you usually hang around the arcade," Lita added. "What are you been up to?"

"I'm…trying a new hobby," Serena invented. "I'm, uh, meditating. You know, finding peace and calm."

"Meditating?" Mina repeated. "That doesn't sound like you, Serena."

"It is now. I'm starting to grow up, be more serious." Serena nodded firmly, to underline the point.

The four of them exchanged looks. Amy shook her head. "Serena, I get the feeling you're not telling the truth."

"Wouldn't be the first time," Raye muttered to herself.

"No, I really am meditating," Serena insisted.

"Come on, Serena," Mina said. "We're your friends. You can tell us."

I can't, she thought. They wouldn't understand. They would hate me. Serena felt fear welling up inside her as well as the wolf stirring. No, I will not change into a wolf. No fear, no fear, there is no fear here. Serena took deep calming breaths and felt her fear subsiding somewhat and the wolf within settled down. Serena nodded to herself. Yes, she could do this. All she had to do was never show fear or anger again until there was a way to break the curse, even though she hadn't started looking for one. She was more focused on controlling her emotions, particularly the ones that could trigger the change.

"Serena! Hey, Meatball Head, you in there?" came Raye's irritated voice. Serena scowled at Raye. "Don't call me that, Raye," she snapped.

"And why not? Your buns look more like meatballs, you know."

Serena growled at Raye's digs and was unaware that the wolf took advantage of her weakened defenses. This time, the change came suddenly and quickly and the four girls ran into Raye's fire-reading room and bolted the door, but not before Raye stuck warding scrolls on the door. Serena threw herself at the door and then yelped at the sting that came from the scrolls. She growled as she sat down in front of the door and waited for her victim to come out.

"What just happened?" Mina asked. "How did Serena suddenly change into a wolf and a vicious one at that?"

"I don't know," Raye said. "But maybe a fire reading can tell us the answer."

"Or I could tell you," spoke a voice in a window. The girls looked up to see Luna who leaped down to the floor. Her nose took in Serena's wolf scent on the other side of the door.

"Luna, how did this happen?" Lita asked.

"Beryl cursed Princess Serena the day she attacked the Moon Kingdom. I don't know why she chose to do this, Serena didn't say. She had managed to suppress it all this time, but a couple of days ago, the curse resurfaced. It appears that when Serena feels fear or anger, the curse activates and she turns into a vicious wolf. I believe sleep is what changes her back to normal."

"So, this is Beryl's doing. Poor Serena, she can't control herself in wolf form, can she?" Raye asked.

"I'm afraid not and that was probably what Beryl wanted. Now that you girls know, perhaps you can help figure out how to break the curse or to keep Serena from transforming again." Luna's nose twitched again. "I believe she's fallen asleep while waiting for you to come out, particularly you, Raye."

"Me? Possibly because I made her angry?"

"Most likely. It seems that the wolf knows which emotion Serena is feeling and is able to determine the cause of it and focuses its vicious nature toward it. She told me that the first time it surfaced, she was Sailor Moon facing a leftover Cardian. She felt fear that triggered her change and the wolf attacked the Cardian and destroyed it. So now, she's experiencing the anger side but still intent on eliminating the cause. I should also point out that the first change was painful and destroyed her clothes. This time, it seems the clothes melded with her body."

"It didn't look like Serena was in pain when she changed," Amy pointed out.

"She didn't? That's interesting, but that could be bad. She may be getting comfortable changing when angry or scared."

"Is there a chance that Serena may change into a wolf permanently?" Mina asked tentatively.

"I hope not. Right now, it seems sleep brings her back to human form. Her fear and anger fades away slightly when focused on destruction, but gone completely when asleep and the wolf sleeps too." Luna sniffed again and smiled. "Serena's human again. I suggest waking her and assuring her that you'll help her."

The girls nodded and slowly opened the door to find Serena fully clothed and fast asleep. Her body was curled up in a ball and her blond hair was loose and draped over her. Mina knelt down and gently shook her. "Serena, time to wake up."

"Hmm," Serena murmured as she opened her eyes and blinked several times at her friends. She quickly sat up, took in her friends again, and bowed her head. Her shoulders shook and then she buried her face in her hands and cried.

"I-I-I so sor-sor-sorry," she sobbed. "I don't want to hurt anyone, but I can't control it. I wish I could, but I can't."

"Shh. It's all right," Mina said, taking the crying girl in her arms. "Luna explained everything. Beryl's the one at fault, not you and we'll do all we can to help you and break this curse."

"Serena, why would Beryl curse you in the first place?" Luna asked. "You never said why."

Serena took a shaky breath. "She wanted me as a servant and said my gentle, kind nature was unsuited for the kingdom she would rule. She wanted a servant who would obey her without question and could be vicious toward her enemies."

"Of course," Amy said. "It makes sense. What could be more devastating to the Moon Kingdom than seeing their princess participating in its downfall? We know how Beryl likes to see others suffer. It's my guess that Beryl would have wanted Queen Serenity dead and would have ordered you to kill her once you were under the curse."

"Why didn't you just tell us?" Mina asked.

Serena sat up, sniffling slightly. "I thought you would hate me or wouldn't understand. I mean, I turn into a vicious wolf."

"Serena, we could never hate you!" Lita said. "And of course we would understand."

"I didn't mean to anger you, Serena," Raye apologized.

"I know. You didn't know what would happen."

"I appreciate that and I want to help. It'll take some time but I think I can find a binding scroll to keep the wolf under wraps."

Serena felt hope bloom inside. "You mean a way to keep me from changing?"

"That's the basic idea. You can feel fear and anger, but the binding ward will prevent the wolf from taking over."

"Oh, Raye!" She seized the priestess in a tight hug. "Thank you, thank you, thank you!"

"Whoa there, Serena," Raye said, untangling herself from the blonde. "I said I was going to look for a ward. I didn't say I had one."

"Serena, when you said you were meditating…that was true?" Mina asked.

"Kind of. I was focusing on keeping calm and not feel fear or anger."

"According to Luna, you've only completely changed once before due to fear. This time was anger. I think you should keep focusing on keeping calm," Amy suggested.

Serena nodded. "I'll do that."

"Wow, poor Serena," Lita said after their leader left the temple. "She kept this to herself 'cause she thought we'd hate her for her curse."

"There's more to it than that," Luna said. "She was convinced that this was a personal fight and that you girls wouldn't be able to help."

"Well, we can help," Raye stated. "I need to see if there is a ward I can use and if there is one, we'll need to come up with a plan in case Serena transforms before I can place the ward."

"You look for the ward, Raye," Amy said. "We'll work on a plan. Actually, see if you can find wards to protect us from attack. Serena is technically a werewolf and she could curse us if she bit us and we survive the encounter."