Author's Note: Like I promised, Chapter 6
Thanks for all the reviews for chapter 5, and please don't forget to review this chapter.
Disclaimer: I do not own Sailor Moon!
Chapter 6: Serena Agrees with Darien!
Serena looked at Darien as he set her on the bed. She knew she was in trouble when he glared at her. He loomed over her bed with his arms crossed over his chest, and in a near shout, he said, "Serena, we discussed this!"
"No," she replied, "as usual you gave orders."
He scowled. He took a deep breath, and paced away from her towards the door. He whirled back towards her, "Serena, do you know how worried I was when I saw you faint?"
"…" she didn't know what to say; he'd always seemed so in control of his emotions- cold, remote, and stoic. This Darien was enraged; his blue eyes were as hard as sapphires, glaring at her. She drew back, suddenly afraid, and looking in his eyes, she whispered, "I'm sorry."
He blinked, seeing Serena sitting as far away from him as possible. Her light blue eyes were fearful, and her bow shaped lips trembled. His knees weakened; he lowered his head, looking at his shoes. He walked away from her and at the door, he paused, "Lita and the girls will stay with you until you are well. Don't transform and don't go to any more battles." He walked out and hearing a sound from near his feet, he looked down and saw Luna glaring up at him, reproachfully.
"Don't you think you were too hard on Serena?" Luna asked.
"Going to battles is killing her. She is too ill to handle a battle without fainting after using her strength to destroy the creature. She hasn't even been able to rest for a full day since she got sick, and when she uses the tiara or the wand, she is zapped of energy for a large part of the day. I am not going to stand idly by and watch her slowly kill herself when she goes to battles. She needs to stay home for at least two or three more days, and no more fighting." Darien said, walking downstairs, lecturing Luna, then feeling silly for talking to a cat, then realizing that the other scouts could hear him talk to Luna, which made him even more embarrassed. His eyes flashed stormy blue while speaking and he glared at the friends of Serena slash Sailor Moon. He repeated, "No more battles until she gets well."
He walked out the front door, towards the front gate, and at the front gate he paused. He looked back, up at Serena's balcony, and whispered, "Serena, please, it's for your own good."
*V*V*V*V*
Serena grimaced when she stood up. Her body ached and she was cold. She shivered, her skin crawling with goose bumps. She knew that she would feel like this for a few hours, even more if she didn't get some food into her body. She needed some of Lita's special soup, and a hot bath, she decided, and she turned towards the door. Five heads were peeking around the doorjamb, Ami, Lita, Rei, and Mina, with Luna's head closest to the floor. She sighed, "I guess he told you guys that I needed babysitting for the next few days."
They nodded, feeling a tantrum coming on and knowing the best way to keep Serena calm is to avoid agreeing with Darien.
"He's right," Serena said, sitting on the edge of her bed. She glanced over at her friends, all of whom had collapsed on the floor in surprise when she agreed with Darien. She laughed as they untangled themselves from the floor outside the door, "Come on, guys, I agree with Darien sometimes."
"Not often," Rei said, and she came further into the room, and sat on the floor near Serena's legs. The other three scouts followed her example, while Luna leapt onto the bed and curled up next to Serena's thigh. Serena set her hand on Luna's head and petted her while looking at each of her four friends.
"Well, unfortunately, he's right in this case. I am too sick to fight in battles. I shouldn't even transform, because that takes some energy even just using the Moon Prism. And I need to let my body rest."
Ami nodded, and said, "I don't remember you ever being sick since we met." The others nodded, and Serena got a thoughtful expression on her face.
"I don't think I've been sick since I became Sailor Moon," Serena said, and looked at Luna, "Is that why I haven't been sick? Because I am Sailor Moon?"
"If that's the case, why are you sick now?" Luna responded, not knowing much about the powers of this set of Scouts. The queen Serenity had erased most of her memories, she wasn't completely sure why, but she remembered that Sailor Moon had not existed in the Silver Millennium. It was something the Alliance had suggested, and they had debated for years, but only a royal member of the Lunarians could possess and use the powers granted by the Silver Crystal, and that would have put the Princess in danger. But Luna remembered that the Queen had told her that she found a young woman to become Sailor Moon in the future, and that girl would also be able to use the Silver Crystal. That girl was Serena. And Luna was supposed to guide them and help them find the Princess and the Crystal. Luna sighed, "I'm sorry, girls. I still only remember bits and pieces of the past. I think Queen Selenity wanted me to get to know you as the girls you are now, and not who you were in the past."
Ami and Serena glanced at each other. Only Serena and Ami were aware that Serena was Lunarian. And that she might be the Princess. It was something they both kept a secret from the others, but Ami wanted to share what she knew with the other scouts very badly. Ami said, "I'll scan Serena and find out why she is getting sick now. Maybe there is something we can do to speed up the process."
Lita stood up, "I'll go make some food for everyone. I'm starving, and I bet Serena needs an energy boost." Serena nodded in response, and looked at Mina and Rei.
"Rei, do you think you can check the spiritual fires? Maybe there is an answer there for Serena's illness?" Ami said.
Rei nodded and stood up, "If not, I can at least pray for Serena's good health returning."
Mina stood up too, "I'll help Lita get ready for dinner," Mina said, wanting to give Ami and Serena some privacy and peace while they used the scanners on the Mercury Computer.
Finally, it was Serena, Ami, and Luna alone in Serena's bedroom. Luna gazed at both of the girls, and she said, "I get the feeling that you need to talk to me about something."
Ami and Serena glanced at each, and finally, Ami said, "Silver and golden hairs have been showing up in Serena's hair since the beginning. We've been hiding them with a special dye I made, and I scanned Serena to see why the strands have been showing up."
"It's because she's Lunarian," Luna said. The girls looked at her in shock and she sighed, "It was something that had to be done. The Silver Alliance never meant for there to be a Sailor Moon, but after the Princess was killed, and the Moon attacked, Queen Selenity imbued one of the Lunarians with the power to become Sailor Moon in the future. She used some of the Princess' blood, and her own to make the young noblewoman have royal blood, because only a royal could handle the Silver Crystal. She then sent everyone to be reborn on Earth, and made it so that the young woman who would become Sailor Moon would be activated as a Lunarian as soon as she touched the Moon compact."
"So I'm not the Princess," Serena whispered, shutting her eyes. She wasn't sure if it was in relief, or grief, but she could feel something inside her stirring at being able to use the Crystal.
Luna stood still in shock for a moment, "I never thought about that." What if Queen Serenity did that instead? What if she overruled the objections of her council and the Silver Alliance and made the Moon Princess into Sailor Moon after all? After all, Luna didn't actually witness the Queen increasing the ability and the power of a Lunarian noblewoman. And the Princess had been killed. And she still couldn't remember what the Moon Princess looked like. "I suppose it's possible. However, that would mean that the Queen went against the Silver Alliance and her council. If they are ever revived, that would put you in greater danger than ever."
There was silence in the room. This was the most information that Luna had ever given out or speculated upon since they'd met her.
"Luna, how would being the Princess put Serena in danger?" Ami asked.
"The Silver Alliance and the Queen's Council both agreed that giving the Princess the powers to become Sailor Moon would make her stronger than all of them combined. The Princess is the holder and the protector of the Silver Crystal, but giving her scout powers would increase that power tenfold. Or even more. The scouts from the other planets were noblewomen, and warriors, but even all of them put together wouldn't stop the power of Sailor Moon if Sailor Moon and the Princess were the same person. And there could not be a Sailor Moon if she could not use the Silver Imperium Crystal."
"Do all the planets have crystals?" Ami asked, having thought about the question earlier in their lives as scouts.
"Yes. But their power is only as strong as the individual using it, and its power will be only increased if the user is able to wield its power. The Silver Crystal of the moon was always the most powerful- on its own and it was able to draw power from the other crystals."
Serena and Ami gaped at Luna, and again, it was plain that this was the most information Luna had ever shared with Serena and any other Sailor Scout. Luna continued, "If Queen Serenity did make the Lunarian princess Sailor Moon, the Alliance and her councilmen were not aware of this decision. Or if they were, they never planned for Sailor Moon to be activated. Sailor Moon would be too powerful and would be difficult, if not impossible, to defeat if she were the Princess." Luna shook her head, "We need to keep this amongst the three of us. I am not sure how much the other scouts are beginning to remember, but all of the other planets' royal families (the Alliance) and the advisors were against the princess and Sailor Moon being the same person. They argued for years and years and only agreed for a young woman of Lunarian nobility to be able to become Sailor Moon and be able to use the Moon Crystal because they hoped to use her when the Negaverse was reawakened. And the Queen told them of the decision only moments before she used the crystal to destroy the Negaverse and send everyone else to a distant future."
"So the only thing we are sure of is that Serena is of high lunarian birth," Ami said, quickly summing it up in one thought, "and if the members of the Silver Alliance are reawakened, they might be angry that Selenity overruled them in making the Moon Princess Sailor Moon."
"Yes," Luna said.
"Arrggh," Serena said, "it doesn't matter anyway. If I am the Princess, I will still protect the universe, and if I am not, I will protect the universe and I will be loyal to the Princess. Either way, we are not going to find out if I am the Princess tonight. I am hungry, tired, and we still haven't figured out why I am so sick."
"Right," Ami said, returning to her scans from the last couple of days, reading the declining signatures in Serena's vitals. She began to mutter incoherently about pulse rates being too high, temperature skyrocketing, needing to look in textbook, and about wishing to know more about Lunarian blood.
"Dinner!" Lita announced, walking in with a tray of three steaming bowls of soup, Mina behind her with another try with rolls, and another bowl of soup. They slurped the chicken soup made with rice, veggies, and a lot of chicken, and chewed through several whole grain multi-grain rolls. Serena's stomach full, and her eyelids drooping, she slurred, "Could one of you tell Darien, I am really sorry? I wish I had listened to him in the first place…" she trailed off into a gentle snoozing pattern.
*V**V*V**V*V**V*V**V*V**V*V**V
Darien's POV (AN: sort of)
Darien paced in front of Andrew's counter, running his fingers through his already mussed hair. He scowled down at the sparkling, just clean floor, and alternated muttering about letting of his temper "like that" and "stubborn meatball-headed Serena."
Andrew watched in amazement and when Darien finally sat on his usual stool, poured him a cup of coffee. Darien hung his head, his body bent over slightly, and his hands on his knees in a gesture of abject apology, and he looked at Andrew.
"Everything all right, buddy?" Andrew asked, glancing over at the door of the arcade. He'd locked the door and turned the sign, at Darien's request, but it was long before closing time and it was after all prime business hours for an arcade.
"I have to tell you something," Darien started, then stopped, not sure where to begin.
"What, Darien?" still concerned, because Andrew had never seen Darien like this- not even after discovering Darien crashed out on his couch in the apartment over the arcade.
"I'm in love with Serena," Darien blurted out. He looked around waiting for her friends to pop out and yell, "What?!"
"I know," Andrew said, simply, "I've known since the first time I have seen you two together."
"But I don't know how to love anyone, Andrew. And I don't know how to show her how I feel. I just used to tease her because I loved watching her face get so pink and pretty and I thought she was so cute when she was mad. And from the first, I thought she disliked me. But my teasing got out of hand, and I couldn't figure out how to reverse it. I thought helping her this week, it was starting to help mend the bridge between us," Darien said, "And today, I think I scared her."
"Darien, I haven't seen you try so hard to get a girl's attention, ever. And the way you have taken care of her this past week is a start to showing your softer emotions." Andrew said, pulling off his apron, and walking around the counter to put his hand on Darien's shoulder. "I'm sure that whatever happened this afternoon, you can solve it with a sincere apology."
"I wish," Darien said, "But there is something else I have to confess."
Andrew kept silent, a supportive hand on his friend's shoulder.
"I'm Tuxedo Mask," Darien said, "And Serena and her friends are the Sailor Scouts."
Andrew started laughing, "Darien, I figured out those secrets months ago."
"What?"
"Yeah, you left one of your masks on the couch that one time, and one of your top hats a few weeks ago. And as for Serena being Sailor Moon, she accidentally transformed in the alley by the arcade's back door when it was open. She didn't notice me standing there, and I decided not to talk about it. Plus I have heard too many whispered conversations from their booth not to notice their abrupt departures right when a monster shows up. "
Darien looked worried for moment, "I wonder who else put two and two together and figured out our identities."
"No one else, I don't think, not here anyway. I would have noticed."
Darien finally sipped his coffee, visibly calmer, grimaced, "this coffee is cold."
Andrew laughed, and pulled out two more mugs, pouring another coffee for his friend and one for himself.
**V**V*V**VV**V*V**V*V**V*V**V*V**V
Serena's eyes popped open suddenly. She looked outside her window- the curtain was still open and she could see the silver moon glowing in the midnight blue sky. Then she glanced over at each of the friends who had stayed over and now slept in the darkened room. Mina was asleep on a beanbag chair from Sammy's room, and Lita's head lay on the little table by the bed, while Ami curled up on the floor, using a pillow from the unused guest room. Luna was curled up by Ami's head, and purring. Serena lay on her bed and tried to figure out why she had suddenly awakened when a soft footfall sounded down the hall. She tensed, sensing- not sure what she was sensing, but not liking the sensation of not knowing who would enter her home so late without ringing the doorbell.
She carefully slid out of bed, and picked up the cane Darien had left behind in his rush to leave her side. She crept to the door jamb and realized the door was open a crack. She opened the door and peeked down the hall. She jumped when a white form slipped past her. "Artemis, you scared the crap out of me!"
"Sorry, Serena," he apologized, "but when Mina didn't come home, I thought I would come and check on all of you. I heard Mina's snoring from outside and no lights were on, so I thought I would just slip inside, quietly."
"Oh, I thought a burglar was entering the house." Serena whispered. Her friends were still asleep. "Artemis, come downstairs, I need to talk to you about something important. About the Silver Millenium."
He nodded and let Serena lead the way to the family room. She sat on the couch and motioned for Artemis to come sit beside her. "Artemis, is it true that Queen Selenity used the power of the crystal to create a Sailor Moon from her and the princess' blood and a member of Lunarian nobility?"
Artemis nodded, "That's what Luna told me. I don't remember, but Luna and the Queen were closer than advisor and queen, they were like sisters and she was often involved in decisions the Queen made or thought about before the other council members. She may remember a conversation better too."
Serena thought for moment, "So I didn't need to keep my gold and silver hairs a secret from everyone?"
"Nope," Artemis said, almost cheerfully, "the gold and silver strands are just a sign of being Lunarian."
"Okay," Serena leaned back, and for some reason, she felt assured. "Artemis, I haven't been sick since becoming Sailor Moon. Why do you think I am so sick now?
He shrugged his little cat shoulders, "Luna and I will try to find out for you, and I bet between all of the scouts, and Darien, we'll figure it out. In the meantime, rest, and follow Darien's order- don't fight."
Serena sighed, "I know. I was foolish earlier."
"Earlier?" Artemis had somehow missed the battle and the aftermath.
"Yeah, I fought in a battle this afternoon, and Darien yelled at me a little. He's right, I probably shouldn't transform. The girls will have to just use concentrated attacks until I am better."
Artemis nodded and didn't say anything for a moment. "I've been thinking," he started, "Maybe we should call your parents back home."
"Absolutely not," Serena said, "they need this time together. And I won't make them come back home just because I am sick. The girls and you and Luna are perfectly capable of making sure I get well."
"Wow, Serena." Artemis flicked a paw under his eyes, tearing up a little, and wondering what made one of his charges so unselfish. "Okay, we won't make them come back early, unless you end up in the hospital. They'll be home in a couple of days anyway."
"Oh Artemis," Serena sighed, "don't cry, you'll mat your fur." She picked him up, something she did only rarely (AN: not sure why, but noticed this in the anime), and carefully rubbed away the small tears leaking out of his eyes.
"Back to bed," Artemis ordered, "I'll stand guard down here."
Serena nodded, and headed back to her bed. She left the door open, and curled back under the still warm sheets and blankets. She was fast asleep in no time.
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Author's Note: And so will I, as soon as I post this chapter. Sorry it took me so long to update, and sorry the ending feels awkward. Tired now, but hopefully , Chapter 7 will be better. And I will try to update another story by the end of next week.