Author's Note: This is from an AN I posted up--Hey all,
I'm really sorry about not being up to date with First Circle. ;-; I have no excuse other than procrastination, laziness, and responsibilities in 'real-life'. Anyway, I just wanted to put up an Author's Note to let you all know that I've written about 3/4ths of the fourth chapter and I'd like to thank everyone who has stayed with this fic (and even the ones who have left FFnet after... two years XD). All of your reviews and urgings have helped me as a writer (both with my writing and my own confidence in my ability to complete a fic).
I'll do my best to finish up the fourth chapter and get back into the habit of writing. :D For some more info, check back on my profile if you're interested in knowing what it is I've been up to recently. -sheepish- Thanks for your patience and understanding! Today is Thursday. I'll do my best to have at least SOMETHING out for you all by the weekend (Sunday at the latest). My best friend is also a fan of this, so she's been egging me on for the past two years to just sit down and type. XD; I hope to make this as great as she and all of you hope it will be. :)
- LM R, 11/01/07
And for the new chapter--
Okay, so here's chapter four. xD; I hope you all like it! As per usual, my replies to your comments will be at the bottom. :3 I don't know if I should say that I'm incredibly sorry for the long wait, or what, but here's the fourth chapter, so be merry, won't you? XD;
x-x-x-x-x
Serena shivered in the darkness. Her pupils were dilated as she swung her gaze all around her, trying her hardest to see what was beyond the sheet of obscurity that seemed to be in front of her eyes. She didn't need light to know that her knuckles were white with tension from wringing her hands together hard enough to bruise. The blonde girl shifted her eyes everywhere – up, down, left, right and behind her – trying to gauge what it was that she was in with only the beat of her heart drumming slowly and strangely calm in her ears; she had no recollection of how she got there and she couldn't remember what had happened last and why she was standing in a room of utter black.
Wrapping her arms around herself, Serena felt a cold sliver of sweat slip down her back while more of it beaded on her forehead. Her body was tense as she stood alone, afraid to even move. She felt minimal relief when whatever room she was in began to lighten. It was a gradual transition from blind to hazy to bad picture quality, and as she squinted at whatever was in front of her, she noticed that blurs of color began to take shape. Blurs of colors that were moving with increasing speed.
Her Senshi emerged from the blurs, and as she recognized them, her eyes zeroed in on the vivid hues of her friends' attacks as well as the murky black – funny, how that color seemed to stand out dramatically from the rest – of the youma's power they were rushing to counter. They were too busy dodging the youma's hits, shrieks and grunts that were muffled kept floating to her ears, when Serena started for a moment as it looked like Makoto was about to get hit full-blown from one of its attacks. Her fingers were poised to call out for her power when a rose sliced through the air, its magical properties desisting the youma as its gaze flew up to the man in a tuxedo.
The moon princess's steps faltered as she drew herself back from the scene that seemed so far away, yet was achingly close to her heart. The hand that had been ready to call the moon locket from its subspace pocket clenched itself between her breasts, trying so hard to subdue the pain that always followed with one hint of remembrance, one thought of him. Chiba Mamoru.
Once upon a time, that rose had been for her. Once upon a time, that rose had been her protection.
Steeling herself against the onslaught of emotions that she should have been used to when her thoughts took on an 'Earth prince' course, Serena continued to watch over her Senshi. She didn't admit it to herself when her gaze slipped over to the man who also watched the group of girls grappling with the youma and parrying with their own attacks. Even as this went on, Serena realized that although she could see and vaguely hear them, they could not see, much less hear, her. It was as if she was watching them from another plane of view rather than as if she were with them.
Serena narrowed her eyes at the youma as it hesitated. Finding hesitation in any creature of the Dark Kingdom seemed odd, and the hairs on the back of her neck prickled as she mentally inquired about its actions. Baffled and wrenching herself further back into what was left of the darkness, pain shot into her body as the monster jerked its glare right at her. As if it could see her.
She lost focus.
x-x-x-x-x
Laughing haughtily to herself, Calamita gazed down at the teenagers as they scrambled to carry the unconscious girl and the energy-deprived innocents off the ice and out of the building. The redhead watched from her stance upside-down, her feet resting on the ceiling, legs crossed at the ankles. Her arms were crossed under her breasts, her blood-red lips curled at one corner in a small smirk. She wore a black skintight suit that was a tank top and leggings with a dark red jacket. Her steely gray eyes followed the last of the group out the doors that had led into the ice rink.
Those silly fools. Earth's children could never defeat the powers of the Dark Kingdom.
Although, that blonde one was curious, indeed. She had emitted a strong burst of energy before reappearing above the ice, and that was something worth noting. This was the first day that Calamita had been assigned to this city, and seeing this small group of rebellious children made her want to giggle herself silly. Honestly, children against the Dark Kingdom? Who could fathom it? Those had been her initial thoughts when she had first seen them skate onto the ice, but her belittling insults had soon vanished as her eyes had narrowed in appreciation for their own magical skills. They weren't as powerful as the Dark Kingdom – they could never be that – but the young blonde one had power in her that seemed far too pure, even for a human. It was like a white glow that surrounded her, something that protected her, and Calamita wasn't sure she knew what it was.
And that was cause to be wary.
Annoying pests, she thought as her lips curled in distaste.
Calamita felt the magic in those eight leave before she flipped down from her perch on the ceiling. She stood in the air, floating, the mass of red curls falling to her waist as she hovered in her spot. Her black-gloved hands ran through her hair, smoothing it down. An evil grin passed her lips as she called her youma to her. She couldn't wait to bring the nest of energy back to the Dark Kingdom. They would be able to feast on it for a week, at least, before another had to be sent back out to capture more energy. As the youma left to return to the Dark Kingdom, and Calamita opened a portal, she felt a spark of life; it was dark and tainted – and it called to her.
Casting her gaze around the bleachers behind the rink, Calamita found a short man amidst the bleachers off to the side of the rink, quietly making his leave.
A small smile spread across her lips as she descended upon her last piece of prey.
The darkness was so very delicious.
x-x-x-x-x
Serena floated in a void filled with white light. Her body felt weightless and there was a peaceful sensation. Vaguely she could hear voices speaking in the distance. She felt her own consciousness floating towards the noise, and in doing so found that her body was beginning to feel heavier as well as very sore.
"Let's just let her rest for the rest of the night –" Brendan's whisper was the first coherent thing Serena heard.
"Eve, Aaron, let it go for now." Keira worried voice had Serena wondering what was bothering the curly-haired girl.
"No, Eve and Aaron are right. We have to know if this girl is someone we need to be careful about—"
"Nelle, you don't even know her. She's a sweet thing, and I can't imagine her harming us. At all." Kyle was so defensive, Serena thought.
"We can't fully trust her. There's too much we don't know," a deep voice spoke with a level-headed authority that had Serena wondering if that's how she sounded when she was in her few moments of Princess-ness.
Her eyes fluttered open.
It dawned on her that the conversation she was hearing was about her, and that the previous nightmare had been just a dream. Thank God.
The rest of the Circle sat around her bed in her room. Keira and Kyle were at the foot of her bed while Nelle and Eve were on stools that they must have dragged in from elsewhere. Aaron and Ryan were by the door, leaning against the wall while Brendan was standing by her dresser. She blinked as they stopped their whispered conversation and stared at her intently.
Brendan look was speculative; Keira's was reproving; of course no emotion showed on Eve's face; Nelle and Ryan were people she'd never encountered and didn't know how to even begin to read their facial expressions; and Aaron was pissed off. Somehow that failed to surprise her.
No one spoke and she felt awkward with everyone gazing at her as if she'd chopped off her own head.
Serena sat up slowly, her entire body aching and the pain brought back the entire day's events at the rink. The group had put her down on her bed, not bothering to cover her up, but she had noticed a change in clothes. She was in her PJs, and she felt her face flush with heat when she realized that someone must have done it for her.
It came to her with a sudden realization that she had basically transformed into Sailor Moon while at the rink. In public. In front of them. How long had she been in that transformation and who else had seen it? Did they recognize who she was now? The Senshi were a pretty popular topic in Japan.
Her hands clutched at the blankets as she worried herself over what to do. Should she come out with the truth? Or wait a little longer? She wished so hard that Ami were with her so she could ask the ingenious girl what she would have done.
Silently, she tried to appear as if nothing out of the ordinary had happened. She was alone here. She had to be strong and solve her own problems. She had to. Lips pursed in a line, she lifted her chin and faced the Circle.
"Y-you appeared out of thin air!" Kyle's sudden outburst startled a few of the others and Serena herself. She glanced at Eve who was watching her with a not altogether friendly look.
"What?" Serena's mind was whirling, trying to figure out what she could tell them as to how she had teleported from underneath the ice back onto solid ground. "I did what?" She stared at them, trying to place an expression of shock and naiveté on her face so that they would think she hadn't realized what she'd done.
Serena glanced at the boy – Ryan – she had yet to meet properly. His eyes were narrowed, examining the girl before him, but he kept quiet on whatever opinion he had.
Aaron's furious gaze caught hers as he accused, "You appeared out of thin air, Serena. And you faded from this sailor-swimsuit looking outfit into your normal clothes. Serena, normal people don't do that. Who – no, what – are you?"
Serena's attention shifted among the people sitting around her. Guiltily, she wondered what was she going to say. Honestly, it wasn't as though fighting against the Dark Kingdom and having energy blast from their hands was all that normal, either. But she kept quite about that.
"W-would you believe if I don't know?" Her shoulders lifted slightly and dropped. She looked to Brendan, the least hostile of them all. She could deal with him. He was always very sweet and considerate with her. Serena smiled hesitantly. No smile was returned. Okay, never mind.
At the faces she got with that remark, she mentally sweatdropped. How was she going to explain that she was a Sailor Senshi? Could she explain?
God, she finally found what it was that could break the comfortable atmosphere she had felt she'd established in this new setting. Serena had thought she could become a new person, grow up, and yet the same problems just kept coming back. There were always people wanting to know more, have her be more than what she was, or disappointed with who she was. Being a Senshi really wasn't all that great, Serena thought glumly.
Debating with herself about what to do with the tense situation, she glanced at Keira and sensed her disappointment. Oh, God. Was she really going to always be a cause of disappointment? Her hands clenched tightly on the comforter she was sitting on. Did leaving for America change nothing? She hung her head in front of this small group of friends that had accepted her (well, some of them had), and tried her best not to let her eyes overflow with the pain of what was and what seemed to be forever present with her. Disappointment. She should have known better, she thought woefully.
But, Serena thought, she was made of sterner stuff. She had been – still was – the Moon Princess, highly regarded as well as revered. She may not be the same as she was then, but she still held pieces of that dignity that came with being a princess. Right?
The blonde lifted her head, her eyes steeled for the worst. After all, an explanation was due to them, she supposed. After being present in a fight like that, she could not argue their sanity anymore. It was clear that the Dark Kingdom did target other areas other than Tokyo. And it was clear that she should tell them about herself, her past. Everything. She hesitated. Perhaps not everything, but at least about her duty and responsibility as a Senshi. All she feared was that she trusted too soon and too easily. Back home, Rei and Luna were always telling her that she believed too quickly in other peoples' good intentions. She hoped she would not be making a mistake by telling them about herself.
"Well, I guess I should tell the truth." Although she felt unsure, her words were firm. Good. That's what she needed.
Keira was nodding at her with encouragement. When Aaron snorted Brendan kicked him in the butt. Serena smiled briefly at that. At least it didn't seem as though everyone was in a state of dissention. Everyone else just sort of leaned forward.
"Aaron was right. I am part of a Circle."
A contemptuous smirk flitted across Aaron's face. He knew he'd been right, that something was off with the blonde girl. He locked eyes with Kyle and nodded arrogantly as if to say, 'See? I told you so.'
Serena felt guilty as Kyle turned back to her, his expression worried. He probably thought she was a liar and some kind of horrible disappointment. She wondered about telling that she was the Moon Princess. That was vital information. If the wrong people found out about that bit of information, it could be detrimental for her and to the rest of her own Senshi back home. Serena had to remember that the other Senshi weren't here to protect her, and that even she was not invincible to everything. Even with new friends to back her. She glanced at the twins and at Brendan, then at the hostile look on Aaron's face and blank expressions on the 'leaders' she had yet to meet. Okay, some new friends to back her.
She got up off the bed to stand, trying to appear more confident that she really was. Her sore body protested, but she braced her shoulders and took a deep breath.
"Yes, I suppose I am a Healer. And I guess my secondary Caste does make me a Cleanser, but I swear that I never knew about any of this." Serena nodded her head to emphasize what she was saying. "Honest! I mean, I knew I had my powers, but I didn't know the terms or whatever it is you called it. At home we just called ourselves the Senshi. We were needed to help fight off the Dark Kingdom, and we did our best with that. I definitely didn't know there were others with powers like ours." She looked around her, trying to will them to believe her and see that she was, really, just like them.
A couple of doubtful looks were sent her way from Nelle and Eve. Serena looked pleadingly towards Aaron, who was always suspicious of her, and to Keira and Kyle. She looked towards the twins especially because she didn't want them to think their trust had been misplaced. Her eyes fell to the carpet, filled briefly with the pain of that thought, and when she looked back up she was surprised to see that Ryan was watching her with near-identical smiles of support.
Keira came to stand next to her and held out a hand for her to hold. "Please go on so that we can understand you more," she said quietly. She hadn't thought that the blonde was in any way someone they had to worry about. Keira wasn't sure why she felt that way aside from the fact that something in her trusted Serena, even if the girl had obvious secrets. Everyone had secrets, and she wasn't about to begrudge the obviously hurting girl a few secrets.
"Why the clothes change, then?" This came from Kyle, and it surprised and hurt Serena. She knew that they were all questioning who she was, and what she was, but it was odd having to defend her 'purity' in this situation. She was keeping secrets about herself, yes, but she was still a good person. She was still the Serena that had laughed with them when Kyle was joking around, had comfortable – even content – times when they would eat together, like a family. She realized suddenly that with Keira and Kyle, Serena felt quite at ease, and it pained her that something had broken their trust, and perhaps even their easy closeness together.
"It's part of my transformation. As I said, I'm a Senshi." At that last word, everyone turned confused looks to one another and then back to her. "Er, well, Senshi means… soldier? I think that's the direct translation. Anyway, we've never done things the way you have. And, honestly, I don't even know if I'm allowed to tell you these things. It's been a rule amongst us to lay as low as possible regarding this. You guys could understand that, right?"
Having kept quiet during the entire situation since the unfamiliar blonde woke up, Ryan had watched and observed the girl. She was definitely not one for lying, he thought, as her emotions played out over her face. Hesitation and indecision, followed by fear – fear of what, he wondered. Even though she presented an odd case to his Circle, he didn't feel any Darkness from her or even harm. If anything, she felt like a white light, something pure.
Ryan pushed off against the wall where he'd been leaning against, and walked towards Serena.
"I was told that Keira told you our own secrets. So, perhaps you could fully share yours. Having secrets like this will only make us doubt you and have problems with each other." He nodded his head towards a scowling Kyle and Aaron. "As you can see, there are some who would like to believe in you and others who are not as ready to do so."
He stopped in front of her, looking down at her slight frame with a soft smile. "Your secret is safe with us, so please don't be afraid."
She opened her mouth to say something, closed it, and glanced up at him. He backed up a step when he felt as though he could lose himself in the depths of those blue eyes.
A new voice cut in – Nelle was speaking up. "What I don't get is why you didn't just tell everything when the rest of us were telling you who we really are." She tapped a manicured nail against her chin. She didn't seem as though she was being accusatory, just wondering.
"Well, I wasn't altogether sure that you guys weren't lying to me, or a bit, you know, crazy." The blonde licked her lips tentatively before going on. A nervous tic, Ryan thought.
"We access our powers through a kind of alter ego. We transform to attain this alter ego." Serena started, her voice soft.
Kyle had arched an eyebrow. "That's just weird. It's like you're Bruce Wayne and you need to change into your bat-suit before you can become Batman."
At her blank gaze, he shrugged while Keira rolled her eyes at his lame Super-Heroes analogy.
"Basically, we just want to know who you are and why you're here. I gather you're no longer just an exchange student if you were part of a Circle?" Keira's question got Serena thinking. Did she leave because there was another reason on some kind of a subconscious level? That couldn't be right. She left because she wanted a new Usagi to take home to the girls. A better leader. A better Princess.
Wait.
Was Serena even part of the Circle back home? Is that what it was? She had briefly thought about it, but that couldn't be right. There were nine Senshi back at home. She thought of all of them, mentally counting them. Rei, Minako, Makoto, Ami, Haruka, Michiru, Setsuna, and Hotaru. That was eight already.
Her gaze flew up and locked with Ryan's as dread filled her. Only eight per Circle to make it whole, they had said. But, who was the odd woman out? It couldn't be her. She was the princess. They needed her just as much as she needed them. Wasn't that right?
"Keira, can a Circle have nine people?" Serena asked, a note of desperation in her voice. It couldn't be. The group had bothered her so much about being part of their Circle – no, it couldn't be. She belonged to the Senshi, and they with her.
"No, that's impossible. Every person needs a second one to work with. It's the way it has been in our Circle and in every other Circle we've encountered." The dark-haired girl studied Serena's uncertain expression. "Is there something wrong?"
Serena thought briefly about Mamo-chan. Her heart felt like it went through a brief body-numbing spasm. Mamoru. He was the Earth Prince, so maybe he was her partner…? But he wasn't working with her at all. In fact, he was spurning her, she thought frantically. It felt as though she was indeed the odd one out.
The blonde girl just shook her head. "To tell you the truth, I came here to get away from Tokyo. I needed a new change of pace. I had to learn to forget…" Her voice trailed off as tears welled up in her eyes. She looked up and she caught Eve's gaze. The redhead's hard eyes softened and she shifted uncomfortably at the blonde's evident sadness. Serena's expression was such a reflection of pain that Ryan took a step towards her, but her net words halted him.
"Is that so wrong? I wasn't running away. I just needed a different atmosphere." A tear slipped down her cheek as she roughly brushed her arms across her eyes, mentally scolding herself for crying. She had been trying so hard not to be the Crybaby Usagi she had been at home.
Brendan's tone was comforting as he said, "It's okay. Look, we'll talk more about it tomorrow. Let's go get some sleep, you guys. It's been a long day." Everyone got up and shifted, stretching and nodding.
The tall boy started to drag a few of the guys out of the bedroom. The rest of the troupe began to follow quietly, murmuring amongst themselves when Serena spoke again.
"No. Please stay. I will tell you my story."
She was strong. She could make her own decisions and she would not put herself, her Senshi, or even the few people she had learned to love, in this very room, at risk from being hurt. From the Dark Kingdom or from her.
"I don't know how else to begin my story, so I guess I'll start from the very beginning. This might take a long time, but to understand where it is I come from, you have to understand my history."
"Don't worry. It's still summer and we have all the time in the world," Nelle said.
Mentally preparing herself for whatever may come, Serena told them her biggest secret.
"I'm the Moon Princess." She closed her eyes for a second, then opened them where she was met with incredulity.
Stares. Disbelieving stares.
Kyle got up from the carpet he had been sitting on, pushed his hand against her forehead, and mused slowly, "Are you well, my dear?"
Keira chortled as Aaron finally rounded on Serena with a resounding, "Just tell the truth, damnit. No more of these inane lies, please."
"But that is! I'm serious. If you're going to understand me, you have to understand where I'm coming from." Serena paused to look at them all. "Oh, stop it. I'm not in need of psychiatric care." She glowered in response to their expressions.
"Just sit back. It's a long story, and you probably won't believe it, but it's the truth."
She explained, in detail, what it was that had made her what she was. She had been born in another time and era, and was not of their beloved planet, Earth. She was of the Moon – a princess, being brought up in the footsteps of a Queen.
And there were dark times as well, what with the Dark Kingdom fortifying its own and bringing its forces down upon the tranquility of the Silver Millennium.
An entire peaceful treatise among the planets, and the Moon, destroyed. But, there was always hope, and Queen Serenity, Serena's mother, threw up that hope to Earth in anticipation that one day her daughter and her court would reawaken to realize what it was they were, who they were meant to be, and to have the final battle between the Dark Kingdom and the Moon Kingdom.
The rest of the Circle watched Serena shrewdly as she spoke. What she said had nothing to do with them at all. They could not understand it. They dared not to. A kingdom, on the moon? That was ludicrous. And yet, she had powers. That, they could not deny.
But, was it all a fluke? A lie? A façade? A cover, so that she could spy on them? These were the questions that needed answers. And this was what Aaron pondered.
"Is there proof of what you say? You said that you've been fighting with your… Senshi… against the Dark Kingdom back in Tokyo. These girls are your Circle. They must be. But you are saying that your mother, from another life, sent forth you all to be reincarnated along with the Dark Kingdom? It seems implausible." Eve cocked an eyebrow as she studied the self-declared Moon Princess in front of her.
"Even you have to agree that this all sounds way too out there," Brendan agreed.
Wringing her hands, Serena was unsure of what to do. How could she convince them? Should she transform into Sailor Moon, or the Moon Princess?
"I have no proof, other than the fact that in order to use my own powers, I need to transform into my 'alter ego', Sailor Moon. That's why my clothes had changed when I teleported out from underneath the ice."
Ryan leaned forward on his elbows. His tone was gentle, but it held command. "Show us."
"W-what?" Serena stared at the group before her. "You want me to… what? Transform in front of you?"
"Yes. We've never had to transform to be able to use our powers. It just seems so time-consuming and strange to need to transform just to use our powers. It's an innate thing, I would think. Not something that can only be used through a medium." This came from Nelle, who had been quiet the majority of the time. It was disconcerting.
Lovely. Wonderful. Purely awesome. Serena wanted to bang her head against the wall for letting out this entire secret. Not to mention how toast she would be if the Senshi found out. A sweat broke out over Serena's brow.
"I don't suppose I could ask the boys to leave, could I?" Serena bit her lip as a blush rose to her cheeks. When there were fights, transforming was not usually one of the reasons why she hesitated to head into battle. But, here, where they would all be scrutinizing her and observing every small detail, she was reluctant to be reduced to her nude form in front of them.
Kyle's eyebrows raised. "Why, whatever for?"
Serena mumbled something in return. Eyes widened and the boys were immediately tossed out by the girls, much to their displeasure.
"Hahaha, I'm not sure if we should have be the eighth member of our Circle. Instead of fighting, the boys would be gawking if you had to get naked to transform every time you needed to fight," Keira teased.
A small smile played around Eve's lips as she said, "Well, I suppose we'll have to train her to use her powers without having to transform."
x-x-x-x-x
Kyle banged on the door, wanting to be let in.
Aaron smirked at the boy's antics.
"Oh, come on girls! Do we at least get to see what she looks like after the 'transformation'?" Kyle whined to the door.
"You know, it's hard to believe that you get any, Samour. With the way you act, I would think that most girls get chased off." Brendan grinned cheekily at his friend.
Kyle turned around and struck a pose, looking all 'hott' as he leaned against the door. "I can't help it if I exude charm, boys. The girls just love me."
The boys rolled their eyes as one, then laughed when the door opened and Kyle fell backwards.
They looked up and eyebrows went up in shock.
Serena was standing before the group of seven, clad in some kind of creamy white material that flowed softly around her as if touched by a gentle breeze that they couldn't feel. It was a simple dress, caught tight right under the bust and then loosening outwards from there. Her eyes were closed and a silvery aura pulsed around her as she stood with her arms stretched out over her head, a jewel of some kind floating above her raised hands. She had no makeup on, no jewelry save for a golden-pearl bracelet on her right wrist, crescent moons at her ears, and barrettes in her hair. Strange, her hair had re-done themselves up into their 'meatball' fashion, although the length was considerably shorter. An insignia in the middle of her forehead shone brightly, an upturned crescent that flashed gold.
Her eyes opened and they were a dark black ringed by sapphire-vibrant blue, the pupils dilated to the point of nearly taking over her irises. It was as if she could see everything, even into their souls.
The blonde princess lowered her hands, cupped the Silver crystal in front of her, and emitted an intense powerful silver glow. At once, the group in Serena's room and outside of it in the hall was hovering out in what seemed like outer space, except they weren't in any kind of physical body. It seemed as though they were being projected out over the Moon as Serena led them down slowly to the surface of the Moon. Looking closer, the group saw what looked like a city's ruins. Pillars, columns, rundown buildings, fountains, and more lay in debris and wreckage from a war wrought a millennia ago.
"This was my home, once upon a time."
Seven pairs of eyes faced away from the destruction and turned to the voice that took a serene and timeless quality to it.
"This is what is left of who I used to be and of the Silver Millennium."
Serena – or was it Princess Serenity? – turned her desolate stare from her old kingdom to the rest of the Circle.
"Is this proof enough?"
"You know, I wish I could wear that awesome dress to senior prom."
x-x-x-x-x
"Prom, Nelle?" Keira grinned, slipping her sunglasses down her nose as she flicked her hazel-eyed gaze toward the brunette in question.
"What? It was the first thought that came to my mind after, 'Hey, Sere, nice rack you've got there,' you know?" Nelle smiled at Sere as the blonde's cheeks colored at that remark.
The girls were lounging outside in the backyard of the Samour's house, clad in bathing suits as they waded in the large swimming pool. It had been a couple weeks since the incident where Serena had to prove herself to the rest of the Circle. There was still some inkling of doubt among some of them, but for all it was worth, they trusted her now. It also helped that they had, had her transform into Sailor Moon as well to display some of her attacks. It also didn't hurt that they could sense evil of sorts, and she was obviously not there bearing evil intentions, but good.
She was still faintly confused about how things worked among this new group of friends, but she was slowly adjusting. The biggest problem she was facing, at the moment, was learning to harness her powers without the need to transform. There had been a few fights since the Night of Proof, as Kyle jokingly called it, and it honestly was embarrassing to face the boys after transforming right in front of them the first time.
Ryan had stared and kept quiet, but his eyes had seemed almost smoldering as they watched her during the battle. It was uncomfortable, and something in Serena's heart wasn't sure how to take the response. Brendan and Aaron were easier to deal with as the former jokingly told Keira that she should get a similar outfit and how he wouldn't mind seeing her naked form, while the latter only muttered an 'again' to Brendan's comment and quickly re-focused back on the youma they were fighting. The girls had done well by trying to block other people's sight of her change. Nelle, as a Keeper, had employed something similar to Mercury's mist of bubbles to help hide Serena's transformation into Sailor Moon, except she did it without having to speak. It was more of a vibration of the molecules that caused things to blur like a picture with no lines, where all the colors had run into one another.
After that, things fell into a kind of systematic schedule where the girls would get together and hang out. It was very similar to what she used to do at Rei's temple with the rest of the girls.
Serena felt comfortable with the Circle, especially with Keira's teasing comments to help smooth things with her and Eve, who was by nature quiet. Keira had gone back to her normal self, joking around with Sere at home, taking her out, and showing her the 'ropes' so to speak – the 'ropes' being the city and the malls that dotted the city and how to get around.
Nelle, on the other hand, was not at all what Serena had thought she'd be. The girl was infectious with her bubbly wit. She was more like an older sister, but she was always very blunt with the way she spoke. Things just came out of her mouth as soon as they filled her head, which absolutely stunned Serena since it seemed that Nelle had never gotten in trouble for it. Or at least, not that she knew. She wasn't one for serious conversations and tended to remark on tense situations with ditzy comments to help break the tension.
And Eve had warmed up slightly to her, which surprised Serena. She was less quiet when she was with Serena, although Eve still gave off the impression that she was the classy, quiet sort.
There were a lot of things Serena still didn't understand both with the Circle and the individuals that comprised the group, but she figured that things would explain themselves as time went along. Certainly, it was much more fun to live life day to day with this group of people than wondering the mechanics of this Circle.
"Ugh, I can't believe school starts soon," Nelle groaned as she slumped against the cold tiles on one side of the shallow end of the pool.
It was amazing, Serena thought as she lounged on her inflated, floating chair, with her fingertips grazing the surface of the water. These girls were utterly awesome.
Everyone had sort of just come to accept her over time, even prickly Aaron. She had begun forming a bond with all of them, and they had taken the initiative to begin the arduous task of helping her tap into her powers without the use of a transformation of any sort. It would be exhilarating, she thought, to be able to use her powers without so much as a "Moon Power, Make Up!" The girls back home would be astonished.
Her brows furrowed together as she thought about how she had yet to confess to the Senshi that she had told the Circle here about her secret alter-egos. At least she hadn't really mentioned them. She'd only given the bare basics when she told the Circle of how she had her own "Circle" at home who were her friends and protectors. Oh boy, she thought. She was definitely putting telling that off as long as she could. Serena could just imagine the way that Luna and Rei would overreact, but she knew she would have to tell them soon. In the meantime, she would enjoy herself, she thought.
"Did you guys get your schedules, yet?" Eve's question brought Serena out of her thoughts. The redhead had gotten out of the pool and was now lying on a reclining chair and getting some sun in.
"Schedule? What do you mean, schedule? Why would we need schedules?" Serena asked, confused.
"Er.. you know, class schedule? Which classroom with what teacher and what subject?" Nelle suggested.
"You mean, you have more than one classroom?" Serena's eyes rounded. "At home we only stayed in one classroom. We had only one teacher for the whole year. That was it."
"That's so weird. Over here, we pretty much switch up teachers for every class," Keira said.
Serena boggled at the thought. She'd totally get lost! It was bad enough having to get used to the area, but now she'd had to get used to a new school and where everything was in there. At least, if there was only one class she had to stay in, she wouldn't have to deal with getting to know her way around the school all at once.
"So, is there any chance that I may have a class with one of you guys?" Serena wondered aloud, hopefully.
"Well, we're in different grades. Kyle and I are both juniors. Oh, and so is Brendan. Nelle's a senior along with Ryan and Aaron, and I guess that leaves you and Eve in sophomore year," Keira ticked off the names and grades with her fingers.
Surprised, Serena looked at Eve. Eve gave off the impression that she was the oldest among the girls, not one of the youngest.
"As for schedules, I got mine in the mail, but I assume that Serena'll probably get hers in the office at school. They'll probably babble to her about the school and what's expected, and then send her off as usual." Nelle rolled her eyes. "It's utterly silly 'cause then we can't show you around to your classes beforehand. Also, --"
She was cut off when Kyle came barreling outside from the inside of the house, followed by Ryan. He had a sheet of paper in his hand and he was waving it around with a broad grin on his face.
"Unless, of course, Serena's one and only God, and not-at-all-egotistical mooii, picked it up from the school today." He stood at the edge of the pool, and paused for a second as his eyes swept by Eve, and stopped. A low whistle emitted from him and he jokingly growled and went after her.
Rolling his eyes, Ryan put his foot against the backside of the six-foot track star and pushed. The girls laughed as one as he let out a scream and tumbled head first into the deep end of the pool, fully dressed in his black polo and plaid blue-black shorts.
Spluttering as he came back up from the water, Kyle glared at Ryan. "Great, leader-boy, now her schedule's all wet." His glare turned into a grin as lifted himself out and lunged for Eve, who was still on her chair, picked her up, and jumped back into the pool.
Serena's chortle of laughter filled Ryan's ears, and his own pensive expression turned into a small smile of warmth as he watched the silvery-blonde.
x-x-x-x-x
Dennis watched with eyes wide in fright as he attempted to make a run from the freakish red-haired woman who was hovering over the bleachers in front of him. With his camera in hand, he dashed as fast as he could. Grubby hands reached towards the doorjamb as his thoughts were overtook with only ways of escape from who he would later learn was a general of the Dark Kingdom's forces.
Calamita watched with an icy gaze that glittered with a dark satisfaction. The darkness in this pitiful human was great, and it was the proper kind of dark energy that she could harness into an even greater youma.
Her nails sharpened and lengthened as she let her prey get within hope's wish of an escape. As soon as the all too familiar light in his eyes gleamed with the promise of a complete escape, she swooped down from where she had been hovering and clenched his neck in her tight grasp.
Mortals, she thought scornfully. They were such dismally weak creatures, and yet so compatible with her own powers of physical alteration.
The pleasure she reaped from the man's scream as it filled her ears had her lips curling up.
"Become my underling," she cooed softly into his ear. With one hand around his neck in a vise-like grip, she used her other, ripped his camera from around his hands and crushed it.
His scream morphed into a growl as he transformed into a product of the Dark Kingdom. Opening a portal back to the Dark Kingdom, Calamita ordered the newly transformed youma to follow her.
She licked her blood-red lips in anticipation of the fresh energy she would receive with yet another newly created youma.
x-x-x-x-x
OH MY GOD. I am done with this chapter! I am so excited. I finally finished, and I was eager to meet my self-imposed deadline, so I haven't really edited any spelling/grammar mistakes that may litter this chapter. I will do that soon and re-edit this, but in the meantime, here's your promised chapter. Anyway, please leave comments and critiques. I would greatly appreciate it:) I am doing my best to continue writing, and I hope you guys will continue to enjoy it all! I'd reply to everyone's reviews, but that might take forever, so forgive me for not doing that. But yes, reviews are my friend! REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW PLEASE! ;)