FHOE-S2-C8
Reminder: I do not play "Is Haruka a boy or a girl?" game. I actually like to think the main characters are smart enough to tell the difference.
Chapter 8
"So Serena doesn't have to go school anymore?" Rini asked the next morning as they sat down to breakfast. She was surprised to see Serena up so early.
Ellen shook her head. "No sweetie, your grandfather had offered to tutor her. Your mother is obviously far too intelligent for her old teacher to do any good."
Serena smiled at her mother, glad for the encouragement. She hoped she could live up to that expectation. Rini stared at her, clearly in disbelief. "What? It's not my fault that Ms Haruna was able to keep up with my superior brain."
Rini laughed. "Superior brain? Next thing you'll be claiming to be smarter than Ami. Like that could ever happen."
Serena's face fell but her father came to her rescue. "You never know little one. Sometimes, it's harder for someone to learn, not because they are UNintelligent or stupid but rather because they are so smart that traditional school can't compensate. They become bored or disinterested."
Rini looked skeptical. "Can Grandpa teach me too?"
Serena's parents looked to her. She understood that it was her job to decide her daughter's education. "Well, um, let me talk to your dad about it okay. This is something we should decide together. Right?" She looked at her parents who nodded in agreement. "Are you having trouble in school Rini?"
Rini shook her head. "No, I still wanna go to school Mommy. When would I see my friends if I didn't. I just want Grandpa to teach me too."
The family laughed at the pink-haired little girl who would take any opportunity to see her grandfather.
"Darien, this is absolutely amazing!" Loofy squealed as she looked out the window. "How are we so high? How did they tame this large bird?"
Darien laughed at his wife and ignored the looks they were getting from other passengers. He understood her curiosity as she had been trapped in the ancient past for 5000 years. Now her country was back in the time stream for good. It had taken a few months but now her home was back on track and he could take her home. Oh, they would return at least once a year but now they could just be Darien and Loof Merrow Chiba. They had thus teleported to the Polynesian islands where they spent a week just being newly weds. In a short nine hours, they would be home and he would be carrying her into THEIR apartment.
"It's called a jet Loofy," he explained. "It stays in the air because of the engine and the lightweight metal. It uses something called jet propulsion to move us onward."
Loofy gazed in awe at him. "Wow! What else am I going to see? I can't wait!"
Darien pulled her to him. "Neither can I. Neither can I."
Serena looked with dismay at her darkened crystal. She didn't know why but it's light was completely gone. She couldn't become Sailor Moon without her crystal. How could she fight? How could she protect her friends? She'd almost lost Rei the other day. She had asked Luna what was wrong with the crystal but the cat didn't know. Now she sat alone on a bench in the park contemplating the problem.
A shadow covered her as she sat deep in thought and a hand rested itself on her shoulder. She looked up to see Diamond standing there.
"Here you are. Luna told me you were feeling a little depressed," he said by way of explanation. "What's wrong?"
She showed him the crystal. "I don't know what's wrong with it but in the last fight the crystal stopped working and I can't become Sailor Moon without it."
Diamond examined the crystal. "Well, I don't know anything about crystals myself, but Wise Man does. He'll know what to do."
Serena wanted to kick herself for not thinking of that herself. "Really? Do you really think he can fix it?"
"Sure he can," Diamond replied as he pulled her up off the bench. "And even if he can't fix the crystal, I'm sure he can at least figure out a way to keep you Sailor Moon. Come on."
"Hmmm," Wise Man held the crystal locket open under his crystal, using it to get a closer look into the magical stone. "Well the answer is easy. It's lost its power."
Serena gasped. "What? That's impossible."
"Nothing is impossible, especially since you've been relying on this thing for how long now? How many battles?" Wise Man asked leadingly. "Think of this crystal like a battery. After so much use, it dies."
"Can it be fixed?" Diamond asked as he held Serena to keep her from panicking.
"Of course it can," Wise Man said as he took the crystal over to the brightest window in the workroom. "We just have to recharge it, simple as that." His gaze became hard as Serena's became hopeful. "However, you need to learn not to depend on it so much."
"But it's the moon's crystal," Serena protested. "Without it I can't become Sailor Moon and if I can't become Sailor Moon," she trailed off thinking about the implications.
Wise Man's eyes took on a cynical tone. "The Moon's Crystal? Who told you that?"
"Queen Serenity," Serena replied.
Wise Man nodded in understanding. "That explains it. Now child, what stones are associated with the moon?"
Serena fought to remember what Luna had been teaching her. "Umm...I know Moonstone and Pearl."
"Exactly," Wise Man held up the crystal. "Is this a Moonstone?"
"No."
"Is it a pearl?" he asked.
Serena shook her head. "No."
"Then how can it possibly be the Moon's crystal?" Wise Man finished. "Queen Serenity may have thought it was but it isn't. This stone is merely a power amplifier. It made your powers stronger. That's it."
"But...then...why did I need it to transform?" Serena asked.
"Because you were told you needed it," Wise Man answered in a logical tone. "You were told and you believed it. Do your friends use crystals to transform?"
"No," Serena answered. "Does that mean I can too?"
"Naturally," Wise Man nodded. "You simply need something that will act as a focus for your powers, like your friends have their power sticks. Diamond fetch my scissors if you will."
Diamond nodded and went over to Wise Man's worktable to hunt for the scissors.
"What do you need scissors for?" Serena asked.
"Simple, I need a sample of your DNA. The DNA will act as an encryption program allowing only you to use the transformation device I am going to build for you," Wise Man explained, taking the scissors from Diamond. "Just a lock of your hair will do." He picked up one of her tails and snipped off just a tiny bit, doing the same to the other tail to keep them even. "Extra hair will allow me room to experiment and see which combination of materials work best."
"What about the Silver Crystal?" Serena asked.
Wise Man sent a glare at the charging stone on the windowsill. "If I have my way, you will never need to use that thing again. Rule number 1 child, never use a magical item that is completely light or completely dark. They might seem all-powerful but the power can be very dangerous. And that crystal is completely light without a trace of darkness in it. Almost makes me wonder how it can even exist. I will have your new device ready in a few hours. Diamond why don't you take her out for a nice meal. When you come back it should be nearly ready."
Diamond smiled, always happy for an excuse to spend time with his girlfriend (although he never really needed an excuse). "Shall we, milady."
She glared playfully. "Don't start," she said referring to his habit of descending into formal speech.
A few hours later the two returned to the wizened wizard's workroom. He was bent over his table, intently working on the object.
"Ahh, you have returned. Just in time," he sat up and showed her the finished product of his endeavors; a beautiful locket in her favorite color, pink with a gold border. In the center of the locket was the crest of her family, the crescent moon, surrounded by tiny jewel studs, each of the four colors of her closest friends. "The brooch-style suits you for some reason. Inside the locket," he opened it and inside was a beautiful, shiny prism. "When you give the password to activate it, your own power will reflect and resonate off the prism and you will transform. Simple."
"And what is the password?" Serena asked admiring the artistry.
"That is up to you. You need to be the one to set it so that it can also recognize the voice summoning it," Wise Man explained. "I added a few more protections on it to be sure that only you can use it. So you can choose whatever password you wish provided it is at least three words ending in Power."
Serena thought. She wanted the password to be meaningful, to represent not just her past but her present and future as well. "Hmm, I know. Moon Cosmic Power!" The locket glowed for the briefest of moments, as though absorbing the words and her voice. "Wow. Thanks Wise Man."
"Without Sailor Moon, the Sailor Team would be incomplete," Wise Man stated as though that explained his aid. "However, you still must not rely on the magic alone. You must learn to be a warrior without the magic. Just as your friends do."
"But how? I'm not a warrior, I'm barely a Sailor Soldier," she looked down. "What good can I do?"
Diamond put his arms around her. "You underestimate yourself. Think back on all of your battles with Rubeus, the Four Sisters and all of their droids."
Serena sighed. "But all I did was the finishing move. The others did everything else. All I was good for was screaming." She pulled away from Diamond's comforting embrace. "Thank you for trying and thank you Wise Man again, for this, but let's face it. I'm not soldier material." Depressed Serena left the room.
Diamond wanted to follow after her but Wise Man stopped him.
"She has much to think about and much to learn about herself," Wise Man told him. "You cannot help her now."
"I know..." Diamond admitted. "But it's hard. She's hurting and I can do nothing to heal the hurt."
"You can do more than you know, Diamond, just by supporting her and loving her," Wise Man replied. "Continue to show her that she is worthy of that love and support, she will figure the rest out on her own."
Diamond sighed "I'll talk to her friends too. They may be able to help."
Serena went to the arcade in her depressed state to take out her frustrations on the newest Sailor V game.
"Hey Serena," a young voice called to her, getting her attention.
Serena turned around. "Oh, hi Emma. School out already?" She looked at her watch. "Oh wow!"
"You alright?" Emma asked as she settled into a game next to the older teen. "You seem to be standing funny."
Serena giggled. "Yeah, I fell the other day and crack a few ribs. I already got them taped up and it makes it hard to stand at the game."
Emma chuckled with her. "So, where's Darien been? I haven't seen him in months. Did he move?"
Serena shook her head. "Nahhh, he got married and went on his honeymoon. I can't imagine he'll be gone too much longer."
Emma smiled big. "He got married! How exciting!"
"I know! We went on that cruise you know for my birthday," Serena explained. "And he and this girl really hit it off. By the end of the week, they were walking down the aisle." She enjoyed remembering the event. It had been an odd week to be sure. Assuredly not what they had expected but it still ended up being the best vacation she'd ever had.
"Hey, wanna race me?" Emma asked going over to the race game when her last man died.
Serena gladly followed the girl. She wasn't really paying attention as she walked into a tall figure. When her chest made contact with the other person, she gasped with the sharp pain.
"Oh my god, are you alright?" A deep, yet clearly female voice asked. A pair of arms braced the pained teenager.
Serena nodded. "Yeah, sorry..." She looked up into deep teal eyes.
"No, it's my fault," the young woman said. "Are you sure you're alright?"
Serena stood as best she could. "Yeah, I'm sure. I just bumped a sore bruise that's all."
Emma came over. "Serena? Are you?"
"Yes, I'm fine! I swear!" Serena was tired of the question. How many times did she need to say it? "Let's just race okay? Sorry for bumping into you again." She bid farewell to the pixie-hair blonde.
Haruka watched Serena walk painstakingly to the race game, a hand wrapped around her chest. She hoped the girl really was alright.
"Haruka-chan," a woman with aqua hair said putting an arm through the other woman's. "You coming?"
"Yes, Michiru, I'm coming."
AN: A lot happened this chapter. Darien and Loofy are on their way home. Serena got her new locket. And we formally met Haruka and Michiru in this incarnation. Please review and hopefully I'll post more tomorrow.
