Chapter Ten

Treed

A few weeks after the Cherry incident Starla was in the Control Center looking at the attacks that had happened in the past few months. She knew that it was connected to something but she couldn't figure out what it was. Suddenly there was a sound of someone walking in and Starla turned to see Luna Artemis and Shadow walking in with a strange twig.

"Starla good you're here."

"What is it Shadow?"

"This thing was in Serena's hair and it's alive." said Luna "can you examine it?"

"Sure." said Starla and she bent down to pick it up. However as soon as she touched she sensed the darkness and the negative power flowing through it. She knew then whatever it was it was dangerous. "Luna where did Serena say she was before school?"

"She said she went to Ann and Alan's to get them." said Luna "Why?"

"Because that thing is from the Negaverse." said Starla

"So that confirms that those two are from there as well just like you had originally thought." said Luna

"Yeah. Luna Artemis go get the Scouts we have to track this thing. Shadow go find Dusk and Aero. We're going to need everyone."

"Gottcha." said Luna and she left with Artemis

"Starla…"

"I know Shadow." she said. Starla had felt it the first time she had met Yukiko but had been denying it. Now however it was obvious that she was the one that they were looking for. "Go get Raven and tell him to watch Darien."

"Alright." said Shadow and he left the Star Princess alone.

"I hope I know what I'm doing." she said and she left to gather the gem Scouts

Raven stood outside the building where he and Darien lives with Kunzite and Antuari while Shadow filled them in on what was happening. Raven could tell that Kunzite didn't like what he was hearing one bit and if Raven was honest to himself neither did he.

"This isn't good." said Antuari and Raven knew exactly what he meant even if Shadow and Kunzite didn't.

"You think?" asked Shadow

"No its just Darien had just left to see Ann because she was supposedly sick." said Rave

"That's bad." Kunzite repeated. "Raven you should gather the rest of the Mages. I have a feeling that this is going to be the final battle and the Negaverse will put up a fight."

"Maybe the last battle with Ann and Alan but not the last of the battles with the Shadows." said Raven. Then he turned to Antuari and some kind of understanding passed between them. "Antuari you go get the others and stay with the Starlights. Kunzite you had better gather Darien's guard and wait in the command center. If what Starla saw in the stars is true then Darien will be back after this battle."

"What about you?" Antuari

"I'm going to try and help the Sailor Scouts." said Raven

"I hope you're right about Darien, Raven. We miss him." said Kunzite

"You're not the only one, trust me." Said Raven and he ran off after his brother

"What did he mean by that?" asked Antuari

"I guess he meant Serena." said his brother and the two left to do what Raven told them

Meanwhile Serena and Darien were both at Anna and Alan's when they were attacked. Ann full of jealousy toward her "brother" acted around Serena and the fact that Darien had shown nothing more than a passing glance to Ann when she was there pushed her into the room where they kept the Doom Tree. The tree sensed Serena's pure energy it attacked her and then the tree went out of control also grabbing Darien.

"Let us go!"

"Serena!" shouted Darien reaching out to her.

"Darien I can't reach."

"Don't give up we can do this I know it." And that jogged something in Serena

'Could he be remembering?' she thought. 'Of course it had to happen now of all times.' That always seemed to be her luck when her or her friends were in trouble that was when they had remembered their true pasts.

But Ann and Alan had other things in mind and ordered the tree to drain their energy. Finally the tree let the two of them go and just as Ann and Alan caught them Starla and the Scouts got there.

"Let them go." growled Starla.

"Look who it is." cackled Ann

"Sailor Saps." said Alan and they were attacked causing Serena to get mad. Enough was enough. They had attack her and Darien and now they were targeting her friends

"That's it. NO one bullies my friends and family." said Serena and she held up her compact and shouted 'Moon Crystal Power!'

"No way Serena can't be Sailor Moon!" Alan denied shocked, but because she transformed in front of them he had to accept the fact that his crush was his enemy.

"That blonde air head no wonder she such a klutz." said Ann

"So you think I'm a klutz? Well this klutz is going to teach you a lesson. I stand by my friends and family and I won't allow anything to hurt them. In the name of the Moon."

"Alright."

"Hold on Ann."

"Why cause you got a crush on her? That dimwit is the leader of the Sailor brats and the best way to get rid of them is to get rid of her."

The two continued their argument but Serena wasn't paying attention to them. She was kneeling at Darien's side hoping that her transformation had jogged something. It was the first time since they fought Beryl that she transformed in front of him and he didn't know her. But Serena didn't care she wanted him back. "Darien can you hear me? It's me Serena." that seemed to stir something in Darien because he raised his hand and she held it close to her. "I will protect you I promise." But that cause Ann to become enraged and attack the two of them.

"Stop them!" shouted Lita

"They're helpless!" Starla shouted and she saw the four Gem Scouts come down to help.

Serena saw them as well but she knew that she had to do this on her own. So when she saw Starla's friends and the Gems Scouts try to enter the battle she told them through Starla to stop. 'I have to do this alone Star.'

'Alright.' and the Scouts backed off.

Just then Darien started to stir and Serena held his hand again. "Darien are you okay? It's me Sailor Moon."

"Meat-ball head?" he asked groggily and Serena was extremely happy. It had happened just like she hoped but she had to be sure.

"That's right do you finally remember us?" she asked "Oh do you remember about the Moon Princess and the Moon Kingdom?"

"Yes my sweet."

"I promise Darien just like you were there for me I'll fight to defend our Kingdom and we'll be as happy as we were back then. Do you remember?"

"Yes I remember everything now." said Darien and Starla was thrilled for her sister but she was also worried. Now that Darien had his memories back it meant the Shadows were closer than they had thought.

Ann however wasn't as thrilled as Serena that Darien had chosen her over Ann. Enraged she shouted that if she could have him then she wouldn't allow anyone to have him and she attacked Serena and Darien plus the Moonlight Knight, who had criticized Ann for not understanding Serena and Darien. However just then the tree started to attack everyone in the area including Ann and Alan

Then something happened that none of them tree went to attack Alan. However Ann threw herself in front of him and hurt in the process. Shocked Serena didn't want to see anyone else get hurt, so when the tree started for Alan again she had had enough.

"Stop this now." she shouted. "Save them!"

"You think so Sailor Moon?"

"You can talk to?" asked Serena shocked

"Let me tell you my story." and Serena learned the truth about Ann and Alan; and Alan learned why no matter what they did they could revive their tree. It needed positive energy, love and kindness.

"We failed." said Alan holding Ann

"No Alan you were failed. No one should grow up without experiencing love the way you did. You behaved like anyone would given those circumstances. But luckily people learn and you two have finally found the answer Love."

"Love." Alan repeated holding Ann even closer. 'But it don't do me any good now. Ann is gone.'

"Sailor Moon a favor?"

"Yes?"

"Please rid me of all the negative energy I have been poisoned with all these years."

"Sure." she said then using her scepter to free it but it disappeared. "Oh no I killed the tree."

"No Sailor Moon you saved it."

"Moonlight knight? I thought you disappeared."

"Sailor Moon Serena Moon Princess."

"You know all that?" asked Serena

"Yes and now it's time you learned who I am." he said pulling down the cloth he had kept his face hidden under revealing himself to be Darien.

"Darien? But how can that be?"

"I'm not Darien but the courageous soul of Darien that fights the negaverse."

"What do you mean?"

"In the battle with Queen Beryl Darien lost all of his memories of the Moon Kingdom. But deep down he knew he must always protect the Moon Princess, his true love, form the forces of the Darkness. Therefore I was created to fulfill that mission. I exist to protect you Sailor Moon, and help the Sailor Scouts." he said. "However there's no longer any need of me now that Darien has his memory back.

"You're leaving?"

"It's Darien who needs me now Sailor Moon. He's too weak to sustain me much longer. Farwell my Princess I'll never forget you"

"Sailor Moon, are you there? Sailor Moon!" Darien said shaking Serena hoping to get her to awake. If he lost her now he didn't know what he would do. He had just gotten his memory back; he didn't want to lose her. Just then she started to come to and Darien smiled

"Darien? Is it really you?"

"Sure is, and it's sure good to be back Meatball head."

"Oh Darien its perfect. Everything's okay." said Serena then she threw herself into his arms and started crying. "Oh Darien I thought I was going to lose you again."

Just then the two heard Alan call out shocked. "Ann you came back."

"Oh Alan I would never leave you." she said and Serena smiled. It looked like both her and Ann got what they were looking for. Just then she saw something that made her even more happier.

"Look the tree."

"Look Ann it's growing. We have another chance."

"Yes we can start again this time the right way. Built a place of our own filled with light and love."

"They've been healed."

"Yeah." said Darien and the two got everyone and they all left. Darien wanted to be alone with Serena but she said that they had another problem to deal with.

"Serena go with Darien. We'll meet at the arcade about five this evening okay?" Starla asked and Serena knew what her sister meant.

"Okay thanks Starla." said Serena and the two left.

"Come on you guys lets go get the others." said Mina smiling. She Knew that Serena was going to be a lot happier now that she had her true love back.

Later that evening Kunzite and the other reunited with Darien and everything was explained to him about the Shadows that always seemed to appear at the same time Ann and Alan did but weren't connected to them. That surprised Serena and Starla knew that it was time that they heard the full truth and not just parts of it. Starla knew that her sister knew about her connection to the Shadows but Serena didn't know the whole truth.

"It looks like we have a lot to talk about." said Darien and Starla explained about the other Scouts that had been showing up unknowing that they were being watched.

Meanwhile in the Shadows Trite was enraged about the betrayal of Flowera Darka and Firera. It was bad enough that she lost Snowra to the Guardians of the White Moon but now she had lost the rest of her guard.

"It seems that you must fight the White Moon Kingdom on your own." said the Shadow behind her.

"Yes I can't trust anyone besides you Hanuone." said Trite. "It's time I face them myself."

"And you shall My Princess." said Hanuone. 'And I shall finally have my hands on the White Moon and Star that I have been coveting since the beginning of time. And once I have them you shall have no longer any use to me.'

However there was one warrior that Hanuone didn't expect to counter him and it was the one that may be able to bring the blue Star back.

'You won't get your way if I can help it.' Thought a figure in black and she lowered her hood. Leto stood no far from her princess and the demon but was concealed from their senses. She had to find her counterpart in order to safe her princess. But she didn't know where to look. Then she saw in the image where Trite and Hanuone were watching the White Moon people. It was when she saw the girl Starla that she saw the familiar mark of her clan. 'Smart hiding inside the Star Princess.' and she left to locate the White Star.