Episode Two: Promises and Unspoken Decisions
When they got to the temple Raye immediately started a fire reading. Luna looks at Serena and is troubled as a tear rolls down her cheek. Serena didn't notice Luna's concerned face; she was lost in her thoughts. She was thinking about all the battles she and the scouts fought against the Negaverse. There was always so much for her to lose. She had lost everything and everyone she loved three or four times to the Negaverse. As she thought about that she decided then and there that no matter what happened to her nothing would happen to those she loved again. As she vowed this that same feeling hit her again. This time she knew what it was…the welcoming of her destiny. Could that have been the destiny Sailor Pluto spoke of? Serena felt someone watching her, when she opened her eyes she saw Luna staring at her. Then she felt the tear on her cheek. She quickly wiped it away and looked to Raye who was still concentrating on the fire. "I am flame, flame is light, I am fire, fire is sight. Sacred fire, please tell us what the Negaverse is after."
Nothing appears in the fire, but a familiar feeling pierces Raye's soul. She could feel herself becoming in tune with this new Negaverse energy. As quickly as it began something hit her hard and knocked her back from the fire. Serena said with concern "Raye! Are you ok?"
Raye dusted herself off "Yeah, I'm fine."
"What happened?" Luna asked.
"I was able to tune into this new Negaverse energy but before I got any farther something very powerful blocked me and knocked me out of the negarealm. You and Darien should go alone tonight. I'll go to the four sister's apartment and see if they know anything. Make sure you tell Darien what happened. We all need to be on our guard now." That said Raye went back to the fire.
Serena with a depressed look "What are you going to tell Chad?"
"Something came up I guess. I'll call you." And she went back to concentrating. Serena knew that was her cue to leave.
Luna stayed behind to help Raye. As Serena drove home she began to cry. She had tasted freedom and now once again she had to hide who she was and what she was doing from her other friends and family. School would no doubt suffer, her job, her friendships, good-bye peaceful life, enter the Negaverse. She had no idea how she made it home but she pulled into the parking garage and quickly composed herself. She went inside to get ready for her night with Darien. Almost immediately after she closed the door to the apartment, Darien returned home.
"Hi Hun, are we meeting Raye and Chad here?"
"It's just going to be us tonight." Serena closed the bedroom door and locked it as she felt fresh tears.
"What happened?"
"Raye had to take care of something."
"Ok." Darien put his bag down and took off his jacket. When he tried to go into the bedroom he was surprised to find the door locked. Serena never locked the door.
"Are you sure you're ok? Why is the door locked?"
"Oh…the door has been sticking lately remember. I'm fine. I'll be right out."
Serena had lied. Darien had fixed the door earlier that day. There was more to the story but he decided to leave it alone. As Serena was getting ready she looked at herself in the mirror and then to the broach by her side. Once again she began to cry. Tears came faster then she could wipe them away and decided to stop trying. She wished this was some kind of strange nightmare, she would wake up tomorrow next to Darien and put this all behind her, she knew better. It was real life, her life, a life she no longer wanted. Half an hour went by and Darien wondered what was taking Serena so long.
As he knocked on the door "Serena, are you ok?"
Serena swallowed her tears and answered quickly "Just putting on makeup. Be right there."
Serena went into the bathroom and quickly washed her face. She put on make-up to try and hide the redness from her tears. She decided to leave her hair down and it fell to the floor like a golden river. Instinctively she put her broach in her purse. Serena walked out wearing a white spaghetti strap dress that was almost as long as her hair. Darien looked at her, nothing could describe her but breathe taking. He felt underdressed in his black slacks and light blue polo shirt. Then he looked into her eyes and they give her away. She had been crying. He hated when she cried but somehow it was worse to know that she had been crying alone and felt she had to hide it. He would give anything to keep tears from staining her beautiful face. Again he decided not to push, she would confide in him when she was ready.
He smiled at her "You look beautiful."
"Thank you. You look quite handsome yourself. Sorry about the door. I guess I pushed the lock by mistake."
"Since it's just us what do you want to do tonight?"
"Could we just go for a walk in the rose garden?"
"Sure, is something wrong?"
"No, I thought it would be a nice change. We don't go there as often as we used to."
"Ok, let's go."
They walked to the park and made their way into the rose garden. Serena was quiet and just walked with him. She thought about whether or not to tell him about today's events. Then she remembered what Raye said, Darien needed to know. But how did she start? She didn't have to think about that long. Darien noted how quiet she was and decided it was time to find out what was really wrong.
"Are you sure there's nothing wrong? You seem quieter than usual tonight."
"Actually, there is something wrong."
"What is it?"
"Well, today I had to do something that I haven't done in a long time."
"You're beginning to scare me. What happened?"
"I had to transform into Sailor Moon."
Darien stopped mid-step and turned to look at Serena. He always felt when she transformed. Why hadn't he felt it today? Had it just been too long?
"Are you hurt?"
"No, I'm fine. I was at home talking to Raye about tonight when my communicator started beeping. It was Luna telling us to come downtown. When we got there a negamonster was draining energy from the crowd.
"After four years?"
"That's what I said." Serena let go of Darien and walked over to a bench and sat down. Darien followed and kneeled in front of her.
"Serena, I don't understand. We've dealt with the Negaverse before. Why are you so upset?"
"Well the monster hardly fought with us and then it hit us from behind and disappeared but the real problem is...I thought I said good-bye to that part of my life. For Raye it was "Yay, I'm Sailor Mars again." For me it was good-bye normal life."
"Serena, Sailor Moon is who you are." Serena got up and started to pace angrily. She stopped and looked at Darien with a serious stare.
"Sailor Moon ruined my life more than once. I lost you being her; I lost my friends, my life! I can't do it again."
"You are not going to lose anything. Sailor Moon isn't a job it is your destiny. No…it's our destiny we are supposed to help the world together."
"I need you to promise me that we will always be together. Even if the worst happens, you promise me we will find each other."
"I promise you."
They kiss and Serena curled into Darien and they sat together to watch the sun set. Meanwhile Raye is on her way to the four sister's apartment. When she opened the door it was dark, she turned on the lights and that's when she saw it…the four piles of ashes, one for each of the four sisters.
"My God! I guess the world hasn't seen the last of the sailor scouts after all. I better call Serena and Darien for a scout meeting."
She pulls out her phone and calls Serena.
Serena answered in a serious tone. "Hello."
"I need you and Darien to come to the temple."
"We'll be right there."
Serena hung up her phone and got up. Darien felt her mood change. "What's up?"
"Don't know, Raye just said meet her at the temple."
They head to the temple where Raye, Luna, and Artemis are waiting. In her globe, Terra watches as her EG secretly drains energy from the people. So far it hadn't alerted the scouts. She was lucky to have detected that psychic snoop; she could have ruined everything. She was so close; soon she would unleash her power. At the temple Serena and Darien arrive, Raye begins to tell them what she found at the four sisters apartment.
"I opened the door to the apartment and it was dark like no one had been there in days. When I turned on the lights I saw four piles of ashes…"
Serena gasped "Oh my god! What do you think happened?"
Raye shrugged "I don't know. Whatever it was definitely didn't want the four sisters telling us anything. I did another fire reading but got nothing."
Artemis looked to Luna who nodded and he approached Serena "You now have an important decision before you."
"What?"
Luna walked up to her "If we should call back the rest of the sailor scouts."
Serena answered almost immediately shaking her head "No, Raye and I can handle this. I don't want their lives disrupted as well."
Raye nodded "I'm with Serena."
Darien turns Serena towards him and looks at her seriously.
"If the Negaverse is back in full force I don't think you, Raye, and I could handle it alone."
Serena stood up and stepped back from Darien "NO! I won't be the one to take away their peace and that's it."
Serena turned on her heel and ran with tears in her eyes. Her world was turning upside down and no one understood, not even Darien.
"Serena wait…"
Luna echoed Darien's thoughts "You better go after her."
Darien ran after Serena; he didn't understand what was going on with her. It was unknown territory for him. From the connection they shared he usually always knew what Serena was feeling and he understood it. This time he could feel that she was devastated but part of her was happy. It was all so confusing. At the temple, Luna and Artemis continue to talk to Raye about the rest of the scouts.
Artemis looked at Raye "You have to know we wouldn't suggest this unless we felt it was necessary."
Raye was setting up the fire again "I know Artemis. You guys just need to give her some time. We'll approach the subject again tomorrow."
Luna and Artemis go home and Raye closes up the temple to keep trying to read the fire. Darien finally catches up with Serena in the rose garden. He approaches her slowly so she doesn't run again but she already knows he's there.
Serena tries to speak in between sobs "Please…don't…I want… to be alone."
Darien approached her and kneeled in front taking her hands in his "Serena…"
"Darien, you don't understand."
Darien put his hand to her face and wiped away tears. He stood up and sat next to her on the bench she was on. He put his arms around her waist and turned her to him so he could look into her eyes.
"Make me understand."
"I wished so hard that we were finally free to have a normal life. I started to plan a future for us. Today all those plans were gone because as Sailor Moon my future has no guarantee. I want the rest of the girls to have theirs."
"Serena their future is with you, just like mine."
"Oh, Darien."
She falls into his embrace. As she looks into his eyes tears begin streaming down her cheeks. He wipes them away and holds her close. He feels her start to calm down; he brings his lips to hers and kisses her softly. As they part he looks at her "That's not the only reason you ran off is it?"
Serena shook her head and cuddles into Darien "I am so afraid that we will be pulled apart again. We have fought so hard to be together and find each other again and again. We are so close and now it could all be ripped to shreds."
Darien put his hands on her shoulders and looked into her eyes "We won't be pulled apart; you have to put that fear out of your mind. Now why don't we go home so you can get some rest?"
Serena nods and they walk home hand in hand unaware that they are being watched. In her palace, Terra watches in shock as she realizes who the two people she was watching were…the reincarnation of Princess Serenity and Prince Darien. From the exchange she had witnessed she knew where to hit the scouts the hardest, her lips formed an evil smile. "Prince Darien was Beryl's downfall in this world as well. This could not be more perfect."
A woman approached Terra with an apprehensive smile "What do you have in mind?"
Terra turned to face her "I'll wait until they aren't expecting it and then strike where it will hurt their leader the most. Faith, take Soundesign, Kala Kala, and Curas to separate them, when the princess is alone have Kala Kala sneak up and grab her."
Faith went to carry out her mistress's orders and when she got to the doorway turned "What do you plan to do with her once she is here?"
Terra waved her away "Patients. All will be revealed soon enough."
As Terra sets her plan in motion, she is informed that Kala Kala has collected more than enough energy to upgrade the power of the pods. They would be ready and awake in twenty-four hours. Then the Sailor Scouts would regret being reborn.
