Disclaimer: I do not own Sailor Moon.

Please review. The more reviews the better.

Chapter 3

"And the message has just been brought in," the radio said in the background as the Inner Scouts lounged in Rei's temple. "Mina, turn up the volume," Rei cried. She raised the volume and the Scouts listened intently to the radio. "The Three Lights are regrouping and will perform live…"

"Oh My!" Mina cried. "They're back!"

Serena looked up at her friends sadly. "Who?"

"You mean you weren't listening?" Lita asked gently.

"Oh Serena, you're so spacy," Rei chided lightly.

"The Three Lights are back!" Mina cried with delight.

Serena sighed and rested her head in her hands. "That's great."

"Serena?" Rei inquired gently. "Are you ok?"

"I want to see Darien," Serena said sadly. "I miss him so much."

Her friends came over to her and gave her supporting hugs.

"We know," Rei said sweetly.

"But think! The Three Lights are back!" Mina said, trying to cheer her up.

Serena shrugged and laid her head on the table. "You should go see them. I need to rest."

"Are you sure?" Ami asked.

"Yes, I'm sure. I just need to be alone for a little bit, that's all." Serena stood up and waved bye to her friends. She left the temple with heavy steps and sad eyes.

"Poor Serena," Rei said sadly.

"I wish I could do something for her," Lita said, frustrated.

"I think we need to let her be for a little bit," Ami said.

"Poor Serena," Mina echoed.

Darien, Serena thought up into the sky. Why did you leave me? You said the future was so near and now you're gone. What can I do without you? I told you I'd be waiting for you, but how can I get you back? The negative forces have you. You might not even be alive. How can I go on? Oh Darien, what about Rini? How can I live on without you by my side? Darien! Serena started crying. She ran blindly home and threw herself onto her bed. "Darien!" She sobbed. "Darien, come back to me!" Serena sobbed her heart out on her forgiving pillow, drenching her pillow with no care. Luna came up beside her.

"Serena?" She inquired.

"Luna, I'm so alone!"

"Oh Serena, you're stronger than that. What about the girls? Ami, Rei, Lita, Mina? What about Hotaru, Trista, Amara and Michelle? Are you saying they don't matter anymore? What about me?"

"Luna! They matter and so do you; but what about Darien? He was my destined love! He was my true love and now he's gone!"

"Serena, I just don't know," Luna said sadly, watching her Moon Princess cry her heart out, feeling completely helpless. "Serena, we believe in you. I know you can get through this. I have faith in you and I love you. The girls love you. We all love you. Can't you live through our love as well?"

"Oh Luna!" Serena hugged her cat as the tears poured down her face. "I'm so scared."

About a week passed before the Three Lights put on their performance. It just so happened that the whole concert hall was packed full. It shocked and delighted the Three Lights.

Seiya looked through the crowd from stage, while singing. Immediately he spotted Rei, Lita, Ami and Mina, but where was Serena? Was she ok? The song ended and the Three Lights went backstage. The girls were there waiting.

"Hi guys!" Mina and Ami called.

"Did you miss us?" Lita asked humorously.

"Back so soon?" Rei teased.

Yaten laughed. "We didn't miss you. We could hear your balking from all the way in outer space!" Mina balled a fist at him.

"Where's Serena?" Seiya asked.

"She's off on her own," Mina said dismissively.

"I'm worried," Ami murmured.

"She's been so sad lately," Lita added gloomily.

"Because of Darien?" Taiki asked.

Rei nodded. "She is not her usual self. She even skipped some meals."

Taiki's eyes widened. "That's a first."

"Poor Serena," Seiya said.

Seiya sat down and looked up at the ceiling. Serena is in so much pain, he thought sadly. He thought of Serena…

"What? I won't forgive you! You talk big words! If you leave what will happened to Sailor moon?" He cried angrily to Sailor Uranus.

"Fighter, what you're trying to protect isn't space, peace and the future, is it?" Uranus said softly. He looked at her with shock, and then opened his heart to hear the rest. "From now on you want to protect her…" Realization hit him hard. He didn't even bother trying to deny it and he wished with all his heart that he could save Uranus and Neptune, to spare Serena any more pain.

"…but when I saw the rose I remembered him!" She cried.

"Odango…"

"I just can't stand being by myself!

"Odango!"

"I want to see you…I want to see you Darien!" She sobbed. She fell to the ground. Seiya got down on his knees and gripped her shoulders.

"Am I not good enough?" he asked earnestly. She looked up at him. "Am I not good enough?" She flushed, eyes shining.

"About yesterday, I meant it!" he said sincerely.

"Seiya…I…actually…" she started sadly.

"Don't feel bad that I'm in a one-sided love!" He leaned over to her to whisper in her ear and her cheeks turned red. "I'll carry you off right after the concert," he whispered. She looked shocked and her eyes began to shine. "I'm joking," Seiya said as he straightened. "But I've fallen in love with you without realizing it." Serena leaned slightly toward him. "I wanted to tell you my feelings because Seiya's time is short."

She clenched her hands over her heart. "Seiya," She said sadly.

"Now I can do the final concert with all my might!" He blinked. "I hope you can get together with your boyfriend soon." Her eyes widened and she looked down sadly, as tears began to form. Serena looked back up. "I'm sorry…"

"You don't have to apologize! Odango…" He leaned towards her and she leaned back slightly. He placed a delicate kiss on her cheek and Serena smiled, tears forming in her eyes. "I wish I could've met you earlier, Odango."

"Seiya…" Serena said softly as her eyes glistened with tears.

"Odango! I'm glad you got your boyfriend back."

"It's because of you, Seiya. It's because of you, Seiya, that I was able to hang in there."

"Odango!" She looked up at him and he blushed. The eyes that he looked into held the world, a world full of love and justice. "I'll never forget you!"

"Yes! We'll be friends forever!"

"Darien. Protect her. It's some words from some guy."

"I understand," he replied.

So much for protecting her, Seiya thought. You broke her heart. He wondered where she was and decided to look for her.

"Seiya? Where are you going?" Taiki asked as he got up to leave.

"For a walk," he replied. "I need some fresh air."

"It will be futile in looking for her if she does not want to be found," Yaten said.

"I'm just going for a walk." With that he walked out the door.

"Luna, do you think that we can find the new enemy?" Serena asked as she walked along the park's path.

"I do think we need more clues," Luna responded. "We need to believe in Ami and hope she and Artemis can locate the enemy."

Serena nodded and sat down on a bench. "Luna, do you think…"

"Do I think what, Serena?" Luna prompted.

"Do you think that the future will remain the same since Darien is gone?"

"I think," Trista started as she rounded the corner and looked into her Princess's eyes, "that someone may have altered the future."

"Will Rini still be there?" Serena asked clenching her hands over her heart.

"It's too hazy to tell," Trista replied sadly. "I do hope that Rini will be safe, but I cannot be certain."

"Trista?"

"Yes, Princess?"

"Was there something I could've done in order to save him?"

Trista shook her head. "He wanted to save you. He knew that he would not come through, but he knew you have a future ahead of you and a new enemy to defeat. He loved you a lot."

"Trista?" Serena asked, as her eyes began to glisten with tears.

"Yes?"

"Will I be able to find him?"

Trista sighed sadly. "Even though I am the Guardian of Time, I do not know. It is too hazy to tell if he is alive or not and that is frightening. Someone must be really powerful in order to block me from stepping into the future. Or the future is too confused to play out properly, so I can't step into it. I'm sorry for not having a definite answer, Serena." She looked up, hearing footsteps. "I think I should leave you now."

"Trista—" Serena started, but the Guardian of Time left her.

"Odango?" a familiar voice inquired.

Serena turned around and there stood Seiya. He hadn't changed a hair. "Welcome back," she said softly, having a million different feelings flitting through her at the moment.

"Odango—" Seiya started hesitantly. "I missed you."

"Yeah. I think I missed you too. Glad you're back."

Seiya stood there awkwardly until Serena laughed at him and threw her arms around his shoulders, giving him a big hug.

She's changed so much, Seiya thought. She seemed a tad wiser and an ocean sadder. Those bright eyes were not as bright as usual and she looked like she went through an emotional tornado. Is this what happens when you lose your love? Seiya thought sadly. She held herself in reserve, not as talkative as usual, but that did not mean she was not talkative. Serena was always talkative, but a tone in her voice made the world seem gloomy. There seemed to be something missing in her normal warmness.

"Serena? Are you ok?"

She looked at him and he realized he had made a monomial mistake, for the shutters came down and she immediately hid her vulnerability. "Why wouldn't I be fine, Seiya? You worry too much." After that, she started asking questions about his home planet, and to be honest, Seiya was frightened. Serena was different. What happened to that happy face with cheerfulness that shined love to the world? What happened to his Odango?

Seiya insisted on taking her to get some food, knowing that was something that cheered her up. They went to the Crown Arcade and he bought her a huge chocolate milkshake and a blob of some odd food that smelled delicious and was highly recommended. She inhaled the food at a slightly slower rate than her usual self, but that did not mean she ate her food at the same rate as anyone else. She bypassed everyone by far.

"Odango, how have things been?" Seiya asked for the sake of conversation.

"Things have been…" Serena started but trailed off. "Bearable. I think." She added belatedly. She forced her sadness away and grinned up at him that light up his world. "What about with you? How's your Fireball Princess been? I hope you haven't decided to lose her again." She said her last phrase in jest and he laughed at her.

"We've been great. Our planet has flourished over the past year and we have everyone back. The Princess Kakyuu sends her regard."

"That's great!" Serena said but immediately stopped as she heard a huge scream from outside. "Oh no! It's…"

Serena shot out of her seat and bolted out the door. Seiya was a fraction of a second behind her. They immediately transformed into Sailor Moon and Star Fighter. Sailor Moon activated her tiara as a big monstrous hyena darted after an unfortunate child who happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. The child shrilled his fear just as Sailor Moon's tiara hit the hyena full force and it disintegrated into dust.

"How dare you attack an innocent child who just was looking for his mother! I stand for love, and I stand for justice! I'm Sailor Moon! And in the name of the Moon I shall punish you!"

A cackle broke through the chaos. It was a cackle that sent shivers down Sailor Moon's spine. "How nice of you to drop by, Sailor Moon," a dark, frightening voice called out.

Just then the rest of the Scouts and the other Lights appeared on the opposite end of the street. They all looked up to see who the voice belonged to.

A dark clad, black eyed woman, who stood to be about as tall as Darien had been, glared down at all the Scouts. "I have waited so long to face you again, Sailor Moon and Sailor Scouts. Ah, and the Starlights are back as well? How interesting. I've been bidding my time well. We shall meet again, but please meet my minion, Aki Hoshi; he will be your new 'playmate'." Aki Hoshi appeared beside the dark clad woman. He stood about a head shorter than the menacing woman, with brown eyes that shot evil glares at the Scouts, and shoulder-length copper hair that reflected the sun's harsh glare. The woman and Aki Hoshi disappeared, but in their place was a half bear, half eagle, orange skinned beast that held itself like a human.

"I want to take your Flower!" It cried, voice rasping. It immediately set off after the unfortunate child. With a frightening speed, it lunged the boy and black, negative energy engulfed the boy. The boy whimpered and lost consciousness as a flower came from his heart area.

"No good!" The monster rasped. "It's a tulip!" The monster swung a claw to shatter the flower but was stopped.

"Jupiter Thunder Clap!" Jupiter cried. It hit the monster full force and it flew back from the child. Sailor Moon ran to the child's side and tried to figure out how to put the flower back into the child's heart.

"Mars Sniper Attack!" "Venus Love and Beauty Shock!" Mars and Venus' powers melded together as it hit the monster full force. As the dust receded, the monster stood up, unharmed.

"I want the Flower!" It cried and lunged for the Scouts. Star Maker jumped in front of the Scouts.

"Star Gentle Uterus!" Star Maker cried as an explosion of lights hit the monster. The monster flew backward and landed on it's back. It shrieked its anger and raged after Star Maker.

"Shine Aqua Illusion!" Mercury shouted. Her power hit the monster, but to no avail. It just bellowed its anger and fixed its course so that she was to be the next victim.

Sailor Moon placed the child's Flower over his heart and the Flower sank into its appropriate place. She stood up and brushed the dirt.

"How dare you attack my friends," Sailor Moon cried. "I'll show you what happens to those who try taking my friends! This is payback from you taking my Darien away!"

She pulled out her scepter. "Silver Moon Crystal Power!" She cried as the beautiful light hit the horrible creature. The creature flew backward but did not die!

"What?" everyone cried in shock simultaneously.

"That puny power won't touch me!" hollered the evil creature. It stood up, trembling but prepared itself for the next lunge. "You're no match for my power!"

"Neptune Deep Submerge!" "Uranus World Shaking!" "Pluto Deadly Scream!" The Outers cried from a top a building. Their power's combined and hit the monster dead on. As the dust was clearing, the monster stood up, wobbly. "You still can't kill me!" It shrieked. The Outers looked at the monster in fear and in confusion. "It must be extraordinarily powerful," Neptune murmured.

It grabbed onto a telephone pole and ripped it off the ground, hurling it at the Outers and the Outers jumped out of the way.

"What do we do?" Sailor Moon pleaded up into the sky as the fiend charged at the Scouts.

Hey guys! Please review. It'll give me an incentive to write faster and post quicker.