Hey guys! Thanks for putting up with me during all this. As you'll probably guess things are starting to come together now for the first major twist to our tale! It'll be a doozy I promise! You'll never guess in a thousand years *laughs at little pun* not even Trista/Pluto knows what it is. *said senshi scowls at me and I simply shrug*.

StrataLight: I would be honoured if you would give me that info. I'm glad you're enjoying the story so much. You're right, Trista will get into a lot of trouble later on, much to Amara's dislike. *evil laugh*. Sorry but I couldn't think of any other way to tell you; couldn't message you so . . . Hope you don't mind x

Thanks as well to my regular reviewer; I'm so glad you're enjoying this too. I need encouragement else I'm likely to let this story drop. I'm great at starting them but terrible at finishing them lol. Hope you enjoy the 3rd chapter as much as the first two!

On with the show people! STAGE ON! ~Eb~

The girl swept down the deserted corridor and through the half-destroyed door at the end. She wore a tunic and trousers of some softly shimmering black material and two twin daggers hung in a belt around her small waist. The heels of her black leather boots made a dull click against the stained marble of the floor. She was determined.

The room beyond the door was in ruins like the rest of the kingdom; much of the Sirius Constellation was destroyed but it was slowly being rebuilt. It had taken a thousand years to get this far and its few rulers that had survived the tragedy were focusing more on the citizens than themselves. Now that their high princess had returned the work went faster. The white stone was blackened with long-burned-out fires and the dust that accompanied time lay all over the floor. Half of the domed ceiling was missing, opening the room to the elements. Elaborate whorls and eddies that had once occupied the space on the magnificently decorated walls and ceilings of the palace had faded and the walls were now cracked.

She ignored the desolation and continued to the open end of the room, where two more girls waited for her. Both dressed in similar uniforms.

"Lady General, we received your message and travelled here immediately to answer your call." the taller of the two said as they both knelt before her. The Lady General watched them indifferently as they stood again and watched her back. The one that had spoken had long purple hair and yellow eyes, dressed in the same uniform but of a deep indigo colour. A long sword hung from her right side. Her companion looked several years younger, with short pale blonde hair and eyes a lighter brown than the Lady General's, dressed in a uniform of pale silver-green, an archer's bow and quiver of arrows slung over a shoulder.

"I have become interested in the events taking place on Earth." the Lady General began without waiting for or exchanging other greetings. "Things there appear to be taking a turn, whether or not for the worst is yet to be seen. They are . . . unsettling."

"And we are to go and watch over these events, as always, am I right?" asked the blonde. Her voice was gentle in its indifference, sounding like wind chimes in the dawn, the first sweet music of the new day.

"That is partially correct. Both yourself and Silavnus are to stay alert for any more changes. if things get too drastic you are to call me straight away. I must go to the realm I guard and consult someone there."

The two girls nodded and disappeared, one in a silver shimmer the other in a soft exhalation of solar winds. The Lady General waited for these warm and gentle currents to disperse, the winds ruffling her hair. When she was quite sure that her orders were being followed she turned and left the way she had come.

Those threads she had seen, they troubled her as much as they interested. She sensed something looming on the horizon. Something she knew boded no good will.


"Still nothing." Serena murmured as she replaced the phone in its cradle and placed both hands on either side. She took a deep breath and looked at the phone. She hadn't heard from Darien in a week.

'Maybe I should go see him today. I'm pretty sure it's his day off.' she thought as she stared at the phone. She glanced at her wrist watch for something to do, absently noting the time as one in the afternoon.

With another sigh she turned to go. Two steps later the phone rang, making her spin round.

"I wonder who that could be?" she muttered as she walked the couple of steps back and picked up the phone. "Hello?"

"Hey, Serena."

"Darien!" she said happily. "I just tried calling you how are you?"

"I'm fine. I heard the phone ring just as I got through the front door and didn't get to it in time."

"How come you went out?"

The was a pause on the other end of the line. "Went shopping." another pause. "Look, Serena, I'm sorry we haven't spent as much time together as we'd like. It's just I've been so busy at the hospital and everything that I haven't had much time to myself."

"That's ok, I knew you were probably busy so I tried not to bother you too much." she smiled with a sudden idea. "Hey, I know, why don't we go out tonight for a meal? Lita found this amazing restaurant the other week and she says that the sushi is to die for."

"Yeah, sure. Sounds great. Listen I got to go. I only called because I wanted to apologise for my behaviour."

"So soon? You haven't even asked how my vacation was." she frowned.

Another hesitation. "So how was it?" he sounded tired.

"It was great! The weather was beautiful and the resort was fantastic. We went-"

"Serena, I'm sorry. I've really got to go. My mobile's just gone off and it looks like the doctor I report to at the hospital. So I'll see you tonight yeah?"

Serena sighed. "Yeah of course. See you later Darien."

"I'll pick you up at seven?"

Now Serena paused. "Yes, seven is fine. Bye. I love you Darien."

"Love you Serena. See you later meatball head."

The line went dead.

Serena replaced the phone and looked at it for several long moments. She was finally getting to see Darien again, her boyfriend whom she loves very much, after two weeks with barely any contact. So why wasn't she smiling?

She shook herself and walked into the kitchen to get a glass of water. No matter. She would see him later. The closer it got to seven the more excited she would be, she knew it. She stared out the kitchen window at the garden and his name escaped her lips in a saddened sigh; "Darien."

From behind the kitchen door Ikuko listened sadly. Something was very wrong between her daughter and Darien lately. She could feel it, but she didn't know what it was or how to help. It saddened her to think that her daughter could be in trouble and she couldn't help her.


The knock on the door sounded and Serena looked at her bedroom door expectantly. It was a little past seven it was true, but she wasn't going to berate him too much over five minutes. She'd been much later she knew.

She used the last minute available to her to check over her appearance. She'd chosen a long floaty cream-coloured dress for the evening, and matched it with a pair of cream sandals with a small wooden heel and a cream purse with a gold chain and a filmy cream-white shawl.

The knock at the door proved to be her mother. "Sweetheart, Darien's here."

"Thanks mom, I'll be down in a minute." her mother nodded and smiled at her daughter's appearance as the girl patted herself down and made sure she had everything she'd need. "Purse, money, phone, lipstick, tissues . . ."

Serena walked downstairs after her mother a few minutes later. Darien was standing awkwardly by the phone in the hall. She frowned; why hadn't he sat in the living room?

"You're ready?" he said casually. She nodded and made the frown disappear. 'Silly Serena, you're barely out the door and already you're spoiling this.'

"You two have fun now ok. And Serena, I want you home by eleven ok?" Serena nodded and smiled at her. "You look after my girl Darien ok." Darien nodded with a guarded smile and they left together.

"So where are going?" asked Serena after they'd gotten into the car.

"To that restaurant you mentioned earlier. I looked it up and it sounded nice." he was focusing on the road, but now he looked at her briefly. "You look nice. New dress?"

She nodded. "Me and Mina went shopping last week and I saw it then. You know Mina; she insisted that I have accessories to match."

"What about your allowance? I didn't think you got too much."

"Dad raised it when I pulled my grades up. I have a part-time job now as well remember, so I can afford more." she frowned. He'd been here just after she'd gotten the job so he should remember that.

"Oh yeah, sorry. It suits you." he added as he glanced at her again. "So my Serena is becoming an independent woman now?"

She gazed out the window. Was she becoming independent? She didn't know. She knew that in terms of society and money she was. She was saving up to go on a trip to France with Mina. She lived away from home usually; she was back at her family's house for a few months while their flat was being re-decorated. Washing machines and loose change do not mix, apparently. Mina had left loads in her pockets and it had flooded. Until the repairs were finished they couldn't live there so all the girls had ended up back home.

But if she were to think in terms of time and destiny she supposed she wasn't. Her future had been set in stone. She would return to the moon with Darien and the senshi in a few years as their powers grew at an alarming rate and the earth would freeze over. She would be frozen in crystal with the others as her strength grew and when the crystal disappeared she would no longer be Princess Serenity of the Moon Kingdom. She would be Neo Queen Serenity of the Earth and Crystal Tokyo, wife of Endymion, King of the Earth, mother to Small Lady, ruler of the Silver System. Her destiny was planned. She should be happy.

Strange how she wasn't looking forward to it as much as she used to believe. Most people would kill to know their destinies. More and more lately she had been wishing to reverse the flow of time.

"I suppose in more ways than one." she said eventually. She was becoming independent of thought as well.

"So how are the repairs at the flat?" he knew what had happened. Darien had had to be on hand like the outer senshi to help transport valuable things out before they'd become to damaged.

"The furniture we got out is more or less ok. Some of the floorboards need replacing but most of those are done now. The carpets definitely need to go. New dishwasher, new washing machine, new tumble dryer, some new cupboards. We're not sure we can afford it all." she thought for a few more minutes.

"But you girls had insurance right?" Darien sounded wary.

"Yes," she nodded, "We do. But we're not sure that our security deposit on the house will cover the damage. Plus we're all in part-time jobs. Still students, remember. Students are broke."

"It'll sort itself out, I suppose. Things for us tend to work out for the best."

Did they? She supposed they did but wasn't so certain as he.

The car pulled over and they got out. It was a lovely restaurant and Lita was right about the sushi. The meal passed uneventfully with light chat and good food. Again Serena felt that something wasn't quite right.

"What on Earth's going on over there?" said Darien suddenly, looking past her to the entrance.

Serena turned and saw only a pushing crowd of reporters. Usually this would spark her interest but she was too busy trying to examine what exactly was a little off with the evening when her mobile rang. The tune of the Three Lights' last song played quietly until she answered it; the caller ID showed Amara's name.

"Kitten, something's not right. Be on guard." Amara's voice said almost as soon as the call was answered.

"Amara what on Earth is wrong with you?" Serena frowned and not-so-playfully pushed Darien away when he leaned closer to listen. "There's nothing wrong and hasn't been for three years." she added dismissively.

"Princess, listen to me." Amara's tone was gentler now. It had been warning before. "Something's not right. Trista and Hotaru both feel some sort of disturbance and they can't pin point it at all. And that disturbs me. We only know it is linked to you so please be careful tonight."

"Oh Amara you worry too much. Seriously, tonight has been as uneventful as most of the others. There was more excitement when the washing machine decided to regurgitate water over everything. What could possibly-"

"Odango?" the male voice behind her sounded as shocked at the sight of her as she felt at hearing it. Serena was aware that she had frozen and that Darien was staring moodily at the voice's source. She was aware of Amara calling her name before Serena apologised and hung up. She made herself turn around slowly to face the man she knew was standing there.

Seiya was wearing trademark red, his hair as dark and long as ever, although he himself appeared a little thin and pale. Though that could have been to do with the fact that he was in total shock. Behind him stood Taiki and Yaten, both wearing light yellow and blue respectively. They appeared less shocked, though still affected, and awkward. They nodded their greetings to her and glanced nervously at Seiya, Yaten chewing his lower lip. The young woman next to them, however, was the most serene person Serena had ever seen and one she had seen before. It was Blaze Phyre. But now Serena knew where the feeling of déjà vu had come from.

Serena had met her before.

Blaze Phyre was Princess Kakyuu of Kinmoku.

"Seiya, Taiki, Yaten, Kakyuu . . . How . . . Why?"

"She's in shock." Taiki said as he turned to Yaten.

"But I'm not. What are you three doing here?" Serena glanced at Darien as the angry words came from him. Why was he being so hostile? She'd thought he'd not minded the Three Lights. At least, not as much as Amara.

"Reasons of our own." said Yaten pointedly. He moved to take Seiya's arm to try and lead him away. Seiya didn't budge. Serena thought he looked depressed now after Darien's words.

"That didn't answer my question." Darien said as Serena's mobile vibrated on the tabletop. Amara had sent a text; Koneko-chan, you are so dead for hanging up on me like that! What the hell is going on there?

"None of your business Shields." Yaten repeated. This time he succeeded in pulling Seiya away. Serena frowned more deeply. Seiya's eyes were dark, almost black. Depression didn't suit him at all. Why was he depressed?

She was dimly aware of both Taiki and Kakyuu greeting her as they walked past towards their own table at the far end of the room. Serena didn't look at them or acknowledge them in any way; she was too busy staring at Seiya Kou, and wondering what terrible thing had happened to make this man, who usually shone as bright as the sun and an ego the size to match it, broken.