Really happy with the positive feedback, hope you enjoy this chapter, a new perspective is introduced. I want to know how you feel about that, if it should continue to make appearances or if you think she should take a different side? let me know x


(Serena's POV)

I once again woke up exhausted, but this time with a burning sensation on my left cheek. Luna sat upon my chest nonchalantly, daintily licking her paws. She had woken me up with a scratch of those feline paws then. I rolled my eyes and swung out of bed, checking the clock on my bedside. 6.00 pm the glaring red numbers declared. I toddled downstairs slowly, not bothering to talk to Luna. What was there to say?

I didn't have to leave for about half an hour, so I turned on the TV, flipping the channels until the theme tune for 'Sailor V' filled the air. I closed my eyes and laid my head back on the sofa, just listening and completely relaxed. Until the doorbell rang.

Muttering under my breath, I got up to answer it. Out the corner of my eye I saw Luna sit up from her spot near the radiator, pricking her ears up in interest. As I yanked the door open harshly, I realized I was in a terrible mood- the usual smile on my face was replaced by a harsh scowl. I pondered this for a moment until I registered the hand waving in front of my face, connected to the boyfriend on the front porch.

I shook the cobwebs from my brain, cracked a smile and invited him in.

"What are you doing here? I'm not even late yet…" I said checking my watch; 6.20.

"Thought you'd like a ride," he said smiling. We sat on the couch and Luna immediately jumped onto his lap. He scratched behind her ears and she purred appreciatively. I smiled and made a move to go and get my jacket but a hand on my knee stopped me. I looked to Darien questioningly and found he wasn't smiling anymore.

"What is it?" I said as his hand fell limply into his lap.

"I just… doesn't matter. Go get your coat moon head " he said, giving me a weak smile.

A twang. A sharp, ugly twang on the cord that tied us together. That's the only way to describe how his perfectly normal words felt. It stopped me mid way between sitting and standing and made me draw in a sharp breath, and my hand flew to my left ribs- right where my heart would be. Right where the cord tied on.


(Darien's POV)

I wanted so badly to say something to her. Ask her what she would say, how she would handle this meeting. How she was feeling. It was scaring me that I couldn't tell what was going on with her. She was always an open book. In just that one minute- when I stopped her from getting up, she felt so far away from me.

But I didn't ask her. Something stopped me from getting the words out. A kind of fear. I didn't want it to sound like I didn't trust her to handle it right.

"I just… doesn't matter." I got that horrible feeling as soon as I said it. Right under my left ribs. I put my hand to the area and saw Serena pause- just for a second to do the same. Then she was grabbing her coat and we were in the car, driving towards god knows what.


(Mina's POV)

I unfortunately arrived at the same time as Rae and was forced to share breathing space with her while we walked through the entrance to the arcade. It was 'closed' officially but Andrew agreed to let us use the space for our meetings. She tried to make regular conversation, but I couldn't stand to talk to her.

"Sailor mars, enough. I don't take kindly to anyone trying to hurt the princess in any way. And that means anyone. Don't try to be my friend right now, because I am not yours." I said coldly. She stood still, shocked, as if she expected me to act completely normal. I turned and made my way inside, where I could see Lita had set up a small feast of deserts. All Serena's favourites. I smiled and thanked my lucky stars that Lita was our friend (and that her right hook was good enough that Rae appeared to have a nice black eye under layers of concealer). Just behind us, Amy trailed in- her eyes on the ground and her shoulders hunched. There was silence.

I can't say I understand the full story. But what I understood was that Rae had said terrible things to Serena, and Amy had somehow played a part. In this, the scouts were divided and now awaited their leader to either unite them, or make the division permanent.

And then the princess of the moon arrived with the prince of the Earth by her side, more regal and in control then I had ever seen her. I had the urge to bow, and followed it, greeting her by her title; Queen Serenity. Lita immediately followed, then Amy and after a moment's hesitation and a scowl- Rae.

"Thank you for coming. Take a seat and we'll get this over and done with". And so it began.