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Chapter 2

Darien lovingly picked up the picture frame that rested next to his bed, which held him, his beloved princess holding his arm and Rini smiling her biggest smile. My family, he sighed. He was surprised how much Serena had changed. She was still a meatball head with a huge appetite and having a tendency of always running late and sleeping in. However, when it came to saving the world or needing someone to depend on or just needing a friend, Serena was always there. That was one of the many reasons he loved her so much. But she had changed. She was less clingy and her eyes still held something that seemed to hurt her. It worried him. Yes, he'd rather her not attaching herself to his side all the time, but there was a small withdrawal in her eyes worried him. It seemed like there was a part of her that she hiding and it was impossible for Serena to hide anything from him. He wondered what was wrong. Anytime he tried to probe, she would look at him clueless and then give him one of those loving smiles, telling him she was all right. He knew he was the only one who noticed, for he tried approaching the girls about it and they all claimed she seemed normal. My dear Serena, please heal, Darien thought, somewhat sad. He wished he could find out what it was that was bothering her. Even Luna said there was nothing wrong. He wished he could be sure. It was like the final battle had done something to her or why else would she have needed to keep asking him how much he loved her. He might have been making it all up. Or was he?

Darien sighed helplessly. Maybe she can see into the future? He laughed at that. That was Rei's gift. Serena couldn't see past a meal, let alone into the future. Maybe I'm trying to find something wrong so I can protect her, Darien reasoned to himself. Then he laughed at himself. I don't need something wrong in order to protect her. She says I make her feel safe. I guess I'm just looking for problems when there aren't any. That seemed right. His phone rang just then. He picked up and smiled as Serena started talking. She was perfect!—in her own unique way—but still perfect. And I love her completely.

"Oh Luna, I'm so excited!!!" Serena cried with joy. "Darien said he'd spend all of Saturday with me!"

"Oh boy," Luna exclaimed somewhat exasperated. "What about your work?"

"My work can wait since I have Darien!!! Ohhhh I love him sooooooooooo much!"

"I wish he weren't so distracting for you," Luna told her. But Serena wasn't listening; she was going crazy, calling up Rei and the others and telling them that she was going to spend a whole day with Darien.

Saturday came none too soon and Serena was extremely excited.

"Oh boy! Darien and I get to spend a whole day together!" Serena exclaimed to Luna for the thousandth time.

"Don't I know," was Luna's reply. Luna and Serena caught site of Darien. "I think I'll leave you now, Serena."

"Darien!" Serena cried as she threw her arms around him. "What are we doing today?"

Darien smiled. "You know that carnival that just opened?"

"Oh goody! Let's go." Serena attached herself to Darien's side and off they went.

Serena and Darien were looking at their reflections in the house of mirrors, when a thought occurred to her. "Darien, do you think that…"

"Do I think what?" Darien prompted.

"Do you love me?" She looked at him earnestly.

"Always."

"Darien?"

"Yes?"

"How far away is the future?"

"What do you mean?" Darien was confused.

"You know, Rini and our future selves."

"Well the future is the future until we make it the present and past."

"How close will the future be?"

"Why?"

Serena's eyes started to shine. "Please. How far away will the future be?"

"Not too far, I promise."

"Really?"

"Truly."

Serena sighed and that reserve in her eyes seemed to dissipate. "Darien, I love you."

"Oh Serena," Darien grinned. He reached for her and she met him half way. "I love you too. I always will." Her eyes shined as brightly as the sun as they kissed. Darien broke off the kiss and led Serena out of the room of mirrors.

He leaned back against a tree as Serena watched him lovingly; then all of a sudden the ground dropped out from beneath him and he started to lose his oxygen fast. He cried out, groping helplessly for air. He fell to the ground and Serena ran to his side babbling how much she cannot lose him. She rested his head in her lap and began stroking his hair.

"Darien, don't leave me!" Serena began to sob.

"Serena!" He cried as he felt the negative energies begin to surround them. "Watch out!" Darien lurched to his feet as the negative energies began probing for their energies and life forces and literally threw her out of the way. She flew into the tree and began to lose consciousness. Serena fought onto consciousness as her precious Darien fell to the ground. The negative energies wrapped around his body and began to pull him beneath the earth's surface.

"DARIEN!!! NOOOO!!!!" Serena cried as tears streamed down her face.

"Be careful, my love. I—the future—" but he was unable to finish his sentence as the negative forces pulled him beneath the earth's surface.

Serena let go of consciousness and her world faded before her eyes.

"I think she's waking up," Luna said.

"Serena!" Rei cried. "What happened?"

"I…" She started as she began to sit up. Then she remembered. "Darien!!! Oh no!!! They took Darien! He's gone!"

"Serena, start from the beginning," Lita said, eyes flashing.

Serena told them everything she had witnessed.

"So Darien protected you, even though he was about to die?" Mina inquired.

"We have a new enemy?" Ami asked.

"My head hurts," Lita claimed.

"Not again," Luna sighed.

"Girls, we must be on full alert," Artemis warned.

"He's right," Ami seconded. "We don't know who this enemy is, but they took Darien. The enemy must be formidable."

"My Darien…" Serena moaned.

"Serena?" came the inquiry voice from around the corner. The voice belonged to

Michelle, as the Outers walked up to them.

"They took Darien!" Serena cried as she ran into the arms of Amara.

Amara's eyes flashed. "A new enemy?" She stroked the Moon Princess's hair.

"It appears so," Trista replied. "We must be on guard."

"I think we should warn the other planets," Hotaru stated.

"I'll do that," Ami volunteered.

"I thought we had rid the world of the negative forces," Michelle murmured.

"Apparently the forces never rest," Amara replied. "We have our work cut out for us."

The message came as a shock to Princess Kakyuu of Kinmoku. Oh dear, she thought sadly. We had rid the world of Chaos and now? Will the world ever be truly at peace?

I must tell my protectors.

Seiya sighed as he remembered his time on the earth. "Another star shine has gone out," Yaten stated.

"Is it…?"

Yaten nodded an affirmative.

"In times like these I wish she was here," Taiki said sadly.

"She might be near us."

"We have to hurry." Yaten said sincerely.

"We don't have much time," Seiya told his friends.

Lounging comfortably in the sun, away from all those fans, Seiya heard someone creeping by. Annoyed, Seiya said, "From that point there is no admittance."

A girl started talking really fast seeming really embarrassed. "I'm sorry! I didn't mean it! Well, I…wanted to see Alice…from close up."

Seiya sat up agitated. He looked at her and immediately lost all his annoyance. It's her, from the airport, Seiya thought in awe. She's beautiful. That blonde hair wrapped like odangos, and those earnest blue eyes that hold the world. Oh, and that smile that lights up the night sky. "I'm terribly sorry!" She was saying.

"You…are the one from…" Seiya started.

The beautiful blonde looked at him clueless.

"I guess you don't remember," he said flirtatiously as he turned his head away.

"Well…did I meet you somewhere?" she asked, confused.

Seiya looked up in shock. "You…don't recognize me?" He asked surprised, turning toward her. She shook her head. "Well I guess I'm not as popular as I thought." He looked up at her.

"Oh, I got it! It's a new way of approaching girls," she exclaimed. Seiya looked down flustered. "Funny girl."

"What? You're rude. From that point there is no admittance except on business!"

"I'm here on business! See you, Odango."

He was minding his own business lost in thought. Not paying attention to the fact that someone might be around the corner, he accidentally crashed into someone. "Oh, sorry!" Seiya cried. "Are you ok?" "I'm ok…" The girl said, sitting up. "You again, Odango-hair." Seiya said, half pleased. Later, when they arrived at the school, Seiya spotted Odango in the crowd. "Hey! Odango-hair!" he called. "You go to this school, too?" "You're one of the Three Lights?" She asked, somewhat confused. "You want to be classmates, don't you? See you later!" He called as he walked away.

"I'll take this one," Seiya said, satisfied that the seat was right behind Odango. "Take it easy, Odango." "My name is Serena Tsukino," she snapped. "Oh, 'Tuskimi' Odango," he replied teasingly, watching her seethe.

Seiya always felt like showing off around her. She was just… Seiya shrugged, unable to pinpoint it.

"Odango! Let's show them our love-love power!" He called toward her as he watched Serena become speechless. He did want to win the softball tournament and he knew that Ijuhin Sonoko would not rest unless her team faced them. He loved spending time with Serena, and he didn't want to lose that.

After practicing, he bought Serena and Chibi Chibi some drinks and sat down on the bench beside them. Serena, Chibi Chibi and Seiya watched the stars. They started talking about the shine of the stars.

"Shining star?" Serena asked him.

"A legend in a far away country…" Seiya replied softly. "Everyone has one… You and me, too, Odango."

"Chibi Chibi?" Chibi inquired.

"Of course you have one as well, Chibi!" Seiya replied fondly, as he patted her on the head. She giggled, really happy. Seiya smiled at her, and then continued as he looked at Serena. "The stronger the light, the more they shine. Yours looks very shiny."

Serena looked at him embarrassed. "Is that how you approach girls?" She asked turning away. "I'm serious," Seiya stated.

"Are you approaching me seriously?" She asked nervously, starting to lean away from him.

"Listen to me seriously!" Seiya snapped, sliding next to her, placing Chibi Chibi on his lap. "Hey! I like your light! So, I don't want to lose this game."

"FIGHTER!" Yaten called, peeking into his room, breaking through his reverie. "The Princess needs us! She has something urgent to tell us!" Seiya forgot about the past as he rushed out of his room with Yaten to the Princess's chambers.

"Princess?" Taiki inquired as the Fireball Princess motioned them to sit.

"We have news from Earth," Kakyuu stated. Seiya's eyes widened. "Sailor Mercury has sent us a message, informing us of a new enemy. She says it is extremely powerful, for it caught the Earth Prince off guard and swallowed him."

"What?!?" Seiya cried as he flew to his feet.

"Fighter, be seated," the Princess asserted and Seiya sat down with a thump, looking sheepish. "It is my feeling that we must help Earth, so we do not have a repetition of the past. I need you, Fighter, Maker, Healer, to go to Earth and help the Moon Princess and the Sailor Scouts in finding the enemy and ridding the world of it, once and for all. I will not repeat the past." The Fireball Princess's eyes blazed at her last comment. "I need you to make sure the enemy is defeated."

"We will go!" Yaten said firmly. "For you and for our planet!" Taiki stated.

Seiya nodded an affirmative, but his mind was running at 100 miles an hour. She's there. What will I do? Serena must be in pain! Her Darien is gone. I have a chance! Oh, horrible thought, she hurts. Odango must be in agony. What should I do?

"Ready yourselves," Kakyuu said. "And be careful. I will meet you there in two weeks. Send a message to the people to be hopeful and to love."

"Are you saying we should become the Three Lights again?" Taiki asked.

Kakyuu nodded. "You must understand. The people need to be reminded to have faith. They need to hope and they need to love."

Yaten nodded. "That should not be a problem. We can resume being idols. I'm sure Fighter will enjoy that, won't you?" Yaten elbowed him in the ribs and Seiya grunted.

The Fireball Princess smiled. "Leave at night. You have few hours before leaving." The Star Lights got up to leave but Kakyuu held out her hand. "Fighter, tarry a moment." Yaten and Taiki shrugged and left the Princess's chamber. "Fighter, will you be ok?"

"What do you mean, Princess?" Seiya asked innocently, even though his heart clenched.

"The Moon Princess. You seemed to have taken a fancy to her."

Seiya shrugged. "I'm fine. It's no big deal."

"Then protect her. She is in pain. Her friends can only ease her pain so much, but she is hurting."

"I—" Seiya started and paused. "Is it safe for me to help her? I don't want her to hurt more."

"Make your own judgments. Just be wary. The enemy must be formidable in order to take the Earth Prince unaware. She has lost her loved one. She still has the Sailor Scouts protecting her, but the enemy is powerful. You and the other Lights have the power to help them."

"I understand."