L O V E H E X A G O N S
by Moonlight Eternal edited by Dragonborncrystal
Hey, guys, it's the end!! Hope it wasn't too obvios.
Disclaimer: sniffle I didn't make up Sailor Moon. Now for a thought of the day: do the right thing. You'll earn the respect of some and get to laugh at all the others' astonished faces.
Chapter 10 In Which They Were Bound by Duty And The Story Begins
It hadn't happened, he told himself. None of it was real. Azura was still there, alive, well, with him as it should have been. Nothing had happened. Their system hadn't been destroyed by their own hands, the Earth hadn't fallen under the spell of doom Desdemona and Chaos planned. None of it had happened, so naturally it wasn't his fault. It hadn't happened... IT HADN'T HAPPENED!!
"Alexander!"
But even though it was true, the inevitable was upon them. He couldn't do it without her...! It was selfish, but sometimes you must be selfish. Wallowing in self pity was good for a person from time to time...
"Azura!" He cried gently.
"Alexander, look!"
Look at what? The possessed body of the only women he ever had and could ever love, walking around without a soul and without a heart? What was there to feast his eyes on but cold death, the death he'd brought her. "Why couldn't I hold on...just a bit longer..." Alexander's broken voice spoke aloud in a dead whisper. He'd long since fallen onto his knees, and now stared intently at the ground as droplets formed on the cold stone. Droplets of what? Blood? Sweat? It was of the same content of what he knew it was...salty, bitter, stinging tears. Tears of what, though? Were there words to explain the feeling tearing through him? None passed through his mind...a shrill cry barely reached his ears; he'd become deaf to everything outside himself.
"CHAOS!!"
Yes, his mind was in utter chaos. Thank you for the words. A gentle push on his shoulder gave him the great motivation to breathe.
"Alexander, look!" a childish voice spoke in his ear. Whose child was it? What child was it? He glanced up, for no particular reason. And before him was Azura's body, writhing around in agony.
"Alexander, her soul was near enough to the body that she's reentered. But now-" Sailor Moon was interrupted as Desdemona rushed her.
"You've taken my servant! How DARE you!" Before Alexander could even move an inch, Tuxedo Mask was prying Desdemona's figure off Sailor Moon. It wasn't an easy job; the woman was still conscious and was determined to do as much damage to the woman before her as possible. The other sailors that formed Sailor Moon's party blasted the queen in an attempt to aid the tuxedoed man.
But Alexander's attention had already moved, it was now focused on the woman he loved. He crept towards her squirming body, unable to move at any greater pace. It was already too fast for his reeling mind to comprehend. She was alive, she hadn't left him forever, he hadn't lost the final precious thing in his life to some foolish mortal weakness!
"Azura's attempting to force Chaos out, Alex," he heard Sailor Moon gasp from behind. "It's taking all of her to do it and then some. Help her, Alexander-" a cry of pain interrupted. Alexander didn't even turn back around, it was obvious Desdemona was putting up a fight. But in the end he knew who'd come out on top. How could she not, with her ability to love and hold love.
Still going at his sluggish pace, Alexander finally met Azura's body. It still flopped around like a floundering fish deprived of water, a couple of limbs shooting his way and forcing him to duck. With all the strength within him, Alexander held Azura's body. It became stiff and immobile, but eyes that were now a swirl of amber and sapphire dashed around in the face, focusing on nothing.
"Azura, I don't know if you can hear me, but baby,I love you. I've said that to you since the first time we met. I know, I know...and you could never quite believe me. I say it with a new conviction now: I love you with every part of me. I used to think that to love was just that, to love," tears began to fall from Alexander's green eyes.
"But it isn't. To love is to like and lust and to love is to be a part of someone, to only live through them with them alongside you. That is true love. A good heart has a great capacity for love; it can love any number of beings and any number of people. But there is only one person in the whole of a universe a person can find as their match. And they share their souls. It's called soul mates. It isn't some trifle bond under one God, it's a bond under all Creators and all Creations. This is what I've found; I am you and you are me. There is no way I could survive another second without you. I would die the instant you did. I'll follow you, be it to life or death. So please...fight with me!" The eyes had now stilled in the white, although their colorings remained the same. Blankly, they gazed at Alexander's face. A face of remorse.
Tears dropped from his eye onto her still face. She was gone, he'd lost her for good.
"Alex..." Azura murmured hoarsely. Alexander began to smile through tears.
"Azura?" He whispered hopefully, not daring to believe, that maybe, she was okay. Azura too smiled, salt water trickling as rivers down her own cheeks. The two embraced. Neither had seen what everyone else in the room had.
"Sailor Moon, what was that?!" cried Sailor Masquerade, for once out of answers. Moments prior, as the sailors and knight had watched the scene between Azura/Chaos and Alexander take place, they had seen all too clearly Chaos's defeat. Azura's soul had overpowered it, and therefore forced the being out of her body. Like a formless dark shadow, sickening to watch without a body attached to it, Chaos had leapt from the blue-haired girl's body.
Hovering only briefly, Chaos instantly chose its new host who was writhing as her own soul was taken over.
"Whoa, what did you guys do to Desdemona? Sailor Venus announced the arrival of the distraction team.
"What TOOK you guys so long?" asked Sailor Mini Moon jumpily. She might have been a scout, but she felt timid in the shadow of her enemy. Physically, Desdemona hadn't grown. But any human nearby could feel their instincts switch from fight her to run away. The dark feeling swirling around the room was giving the smaller scout goosebumps.
"Hey, don't complain pink girl. We got here as soon as we could. Your fearless leader forget to mention directions..." Sailor Star Healer answered in her usual sardonic fashion. A quiet "oops" was muttered from the eternal sailor.
"Well, now that we're here..." Sailor Jupiter began, looking back at Sailor Uranus, who in return cracked her knuckles skillfully, "Let's kick some Desdemona butt!"
"That won't be necessary."
"Huh?" every single head in the room (save Desdemona's, which was still not controlled by herself, although had she had control of her body she might have turned her own head as well) swiveled around to stare blankly at the newly instated Azura.
"V-babe, have any victory music for us?" Sailor Moon added, turning to receive looks from her sailors. She'd gone craz!┘
"Um..." Obviously, the sailor of love was confused in a large way.
"Do you think she got hit too hard on the head?" Mars asked.
"Don't you see?" Sailor Moon pleaded with the crowd. "This is what Desdemona wanted, what Chaos wanted!"
"Uh...exactly. They're even STRONGER now, so don't we HAVE to take them out? It's our duty as sailors."
"No, you don't understand..." Sailor Moon was given glares of Well-maybe-you-should-start-explaining-then. "They wanted this from the beginning, but yet they didn't. It's one of those love-hate situations. You see, back when Queen Serenity sealed away Metallia, who was infected by Chaos, she sealed away Desdemona, although not for as long as us. We were sent to the 21st century, Desdemona was sent to when the human race began again. Chaos and Desdemona had never met, per say, but they too have intertwined destinies. Chaos wreaks havoc, Desdemona wreaks chaos. Together they work together to ensure that the citizens of earth and now other places never have everything going perfectly, lest they relax and become potential victims of real evil. The mixture of Desdemona's almost laid-back calamity causing and Chaos's skills AT ultimate chaos becomes a less deadly and more annoying combination when combined because now Chaos has an assigned spot in the universe, a niche. A job."
"Serena, has this love pentagon turned you ABSOLUTELY and TOTALLY inside out?!"
"It's TRIANGLE, Venus! Honestly! However, I think I might actually have to agree with V here. Just because the combination is less dangerous doesn't make it safe. The ambitions could grow to enough magnitude that Chaos might push for the Earth, or the Galaxy." Sailor Mercury pointed out.
"I don't know about Desdemona, but Chaos-"
"No, you don't know Chaos either, nobody here does. Before everything, before the entire destruction of the Silver Millenium, Chaos was part of Desdemona. Originally, Chaos was a part of us all. Only after my mother sealed it away did it become a full-fledged creature. Previously, Chaos was the shadow of doubt in everyone. It still remains there today, it always has. Chaos is nothing more than the negative parts of humanity. It is only as bad as humanity it's self."
"Then how can it still manage to be the creature Chaos?" Sailor Star Maker asked pointedly. She didn't buy this.
Sailor Moon turned from the group and stared long and hard at Desdemona's now unconscious body, lying on the stone floors. Her voice echoed in the silence with a boldness and also a thoughtfulness only she could manage. "Chaos isn't a creature really, more like a being of the darkest thoughts. Chaos doesn't think for itself, it really isn't an 'itself'. Chaos is a nothing that has been shaped into a something by human thoughts, a form designed to let us cope with the idea of what it is. For example, when Chaos took over Galaxia, it did not force her to be what she became. Chaos only amplified her negative emotions. Chaos did not place the ideas for universal domination into Galaxia's mind, those were Galaxia's deepest and darkest imaginings of the worst brought forth. Chaos, by becoming one with Desdemona, a person who does not wish to own the galaxy, just push it further into despair, has in a way trapped itself. Now, it will be separated and manipulated into a tool to place fear and sorrow into all people." Sailor Moon looked around to her companions, compassion in her eyes. "But that is life."
"So...if you kill Desdemona, you almost seal the Pandora's Box?"
"Almost...but killing Desdemona would be to also kill the human spirit. Without bad, there is no good. As unfortunate that it is, evil exists to assist the good. There is no way for one to live while the other does not."
"No light without the dark, even as the light creates the dark." Tuxedo Mask murmured.
"Yeah." Sailor Moon smiled. "That's right."
"Um...if Desdemona really was completed by Chaos, why is she out cold?"
"Her soul may have been ready, but that does not mean her body was. She'll be out cold for some time. Let's enjoy what little time we have away from pandemonium."
Sailor Moon, Azura, assisted by Alexander, Sailor Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Sailor Neptune, Sailor Star Maker, Healer, Fighter, Sailor Masquerade, Mini Moon and Tuxedo Mask in time turned around as quietly as possible to leave the Queen of Darkness to her lair.
Once again trudging through relentlessly monotonous sands, everyone had grown quiet. The somewhat anticlimactic "end" to their battle seemed to have silenced even the pettiest of the group, though Serena was sure that Healer and Mars would be arguing soon and with the trees of Elysian drawing closer, she could feel that this companionable silence would soon be shattered.
Serena walked beside Darien at the head of the group. Somehow, it seemed he'd won over Seiya, although the fact was already clear who Serena had chosen. That fact had been made clear long before...
Glancing sideways more out of a hope to see something green than a moment of worry, Serena found her gaze falling on the younger Tranquility. Her eyes were downcast and she seemed quite despondent and a lone tear ran down her cheek.
"Lily?" Serena whispered quietly. Somehow, over the whistle of the wind, the child heard. Her head snapped up, and then turned towards Serena. The elder blonde signaled for Lily to approach. All eyes were now on the little girl. Her moving figure was something to witness instead of tiny grains of sand moving in the air.
"Yes?" Lily asked upon her approach.
"What's wrong?" Serena answered with a question. Lily drew nearer and linked hands with Serena's. Darien moved back to be with the elder daughter, who was feeling a bit left out, and put an arm around her. Rini smiled up at him.
"It's just that...well, because Azura, Alexander, and Desdemona are all still alive, doesn't that mean that you, well, my mother...is still dead?"
"Well," a small smile slid over Serena's mouth. It wasn't a happy smile, only an understanding one. "it may be the future was changed even still. And who knows? Perhaps your mother didn't die after all."
"But...she was encased in some weird stuff and she LOOKED dead, Serena!" Lily cried. "I came here as quickly as I could, as soon as Rini told me I should. For sure she's-" the 5 year old shuddered. Serena pulled Tranquility into a hug, then picked her up and began carrying her as she spoke.
"You can never lose faith, Lily. Keep your mind open. Always remember that your mother loved you more than life, and if her own meant yours, she gladly gave her life to you for you. My own real mother, long ago, gave the very same thing for me. I never was able to thank her properly, as it happened too long ago for even the moon to remember her, but each and every day I thank her by living my life happily." Tears had now formed in the smaller child's eyes.
"A day will come when all of this makes sense, Lily, even if it doesn't now. And I know kind words may not bring your mother back, but they do her thoughts and her wishes." Serena kissed Lily's forehead and hugged her close. Lily held on tight and sniffled slightly.
"Why wasn't Serena that nice to me?" Rini couldn't help but ask her future father.
"She's grown up..." Darien answered, a strange look crossing his face.
- -
"Considering that you all are here, I trust everything is in order?" Sailor Pluto asked in her ethereal voice, once the mists of the Door of Time had parted to reveal her lone figure. The dark and enigmatic eyes were on her future queen.
A slight nod was enough of a signal for the elder sailor. She smiled down at her godchildren and motioned them forward.
"Did you really have to ask?" Rini asked, hugging Pluto around the waist. "You know everything!"
"Not quite everything, Small Lady," the twinge of a smile was apparent on Pluto's lips as she released Rini from the hug. "Well now," she turned to look at the entire group of detransformed senshi. Although in the time portal, they had been given the luxury by Helios to remain in civilian form for the journey. "Is everyone ready to return to their time?" Vivacious nods answered the question.
"Very well, I shall send you first to most everyone's original time, and then those of you who've strayed-"
Serena felt Tranquility's grasp around her wrist tighten. Serena squeezed the child's hand in response. Whatever waited in the future, Serena promised she of the past would help. Lily was her own flesh and blood, but even if there had been no bond between mother and daughter, this duty to help a child would surely have been evident. And secretly, Serena wanted to make sure that everyone else was okay, even if it meant finding out she herself was dead.
"Um, Pluto?"Serena's voice rang out in the silence as she interrupted the sailor. "I was wondering if perhaps you could permit us to drop Rini off in her time, and then Tranquility. If we promise not to stay too long and not to meddle."
The dark garnet eyes stared into Serena's for a couple of moments, then a smile crept across her face. "This once, I'll allow it. But what about Alexander and Azura?"
The couple looked a bit startled to be addressed. They looked at one another, hands interlocked, then Alexander replied. "If we might, we were thinking of travelling to what's left of the Arukas System. But we would first like to return to Earth with everyone else." The elder senshi nodded her assent, then turned and began to chant the incantation. Time's Doors began to squeak open. Rini walked forward confidently, letting the light from beyond them stream over her.
Darien stepped closer to Serena as the doors of time swung open. "Do you know what to expect?" he whispered, taking his hand in hers and holding tight.
China blue eyes turned to his face briefly before looking forward again. "No, that's why it's the future."
"I love you." He whispered quietly to her.
"I know."
Together, the group walked through the bright light and into the future that would someday be their own.
Shielding her eyes for a moment, Serena blinked and found herself staring into the blearing lights of Crystal Tokyo's palace. It was just past dusk, and the lights were shockingly bright by comparison to the dark time continuum.
After a moment of readjustment to the lights and to the fact that the everyone had managed to stay upright as well as a safe distance from one another (scout sandwiches were not evident!), King Endymion's pacing figure came into view. Walking back and forth in the palace garden, something seemed to be stressing the King, enough that he was talking to himself and running his fingers through his hair. He'd also managed to erode a hole in the lawn with his trips back and forth between the two trees.
At the same time that the group spotted him in front of the majestic palace doors, the king's gaze rose up to see everyone in the distance. He began a brisk walk towards them. The king met them halfway.
"Papa!" Rini cried in an uncharacteristically childish voice, running to hug her father. The king bent over with a smile on his face, although all elder sailors noticed the worry creases still marking his forehead. It didn't stop him from picking her up and twirling her round, while Rini shrieked with laughter. "What's wrong?" Rini asked when she was back on the ground.
"Where's the queen?" Amara asked, looking around. Serenity normally came to meet them too...
"Serenity's in labor as we speak," Endymion stated, standing and grasping his daughter's hand. The scouts relaxed. So that was why he was so worried. "Please come back to the palace. There's still some time, I believe, for refreshments if they interest any of you."
"In labor? Is she that far along?" Amy seemed surprised. "How long has it been since we last saw you?"
"A couple of months. Remember, the time frame is different here than in your time. But even so, the delivery is coming a little earlier than expected."
"And you're worried, that much is clear," Serena stated. Everyone had picked up the hurried pace accompanying the king.
Darien frowned. "Why aren't you with Serenity?"
The King blushed. "I..was thrown out. Something about my pacing being too annoying..."
"Then why not stop pacing?" Darien persisted.
The King glared at him. "It's not that simple."
"How is it not simple? You just lock your legs in place."
"Because," the King said through gritted teeth, "without the pacing Seiya and I started going at each other, which resulted in me being kicked out anyway."
"SEIYA'S THERE?!" Darien exploded.
"Don't remind me."
Mina noticed that the stick Endymion had broken off a tree had been turned to powder in his hands. She reflected that it was probably a good thing he was choosing to hide far in the back with the other Starlights, as she wasn't sure how much of one, let alone all three of them, the King would be able to tolerate before Seiya and perhaps the two others resembled the stick.
"King!" Helios came running out of the castle.
"What? Has something gone wrong?" Endymion changed from forced relaxed, to VERY worried
"Whoa!" Helios slowed down. "Stop panicking. I was sent to tell you everything's fine."
Endymion breathed a sigh of relief. "Then don't give me a heart attack!"
Helios caught Darien glaring at him and started to fidget.
"Hey King." Darien started, still watching the increasingly nervous Helios. "While I'm here there's something we need to have a little chat about."
"Yes?" Endymion looked up at his past self.
"Hmm." Grabbing Helios, who had started inching away, by the back of his robes Darien held him out to the King. "Did you know he and Rini have a thing going on?"
"WHAT?!" Several mountains away a flock of birds took flight in fright.
"Hearing..." Yaten whimpered.
Endymion rounded on Helios. "Helios, you're supposed to be a priest!"
"That's what I said." Darien glared at Rini. "Of course, we had the utmost assurances that you knew and approved."
"Rini!!" The livid King turned to his daughter, then back to the priest Darien still held by the cloak.
"Don't kill him Daddy!" Rini whimpered.
"You're 10!!" He sighed. "I had hoped that I wouldn't have to start threatening boyfriends until you were at least 14..."
"So it's alright?" Rini perked up.
"No." Her father trashed her hopes instantly. "You're grounded, Elysian is off limits again, and I might remind you that-"
"No boyfriends until your 16, I know." Rini mumbled. "But Daddy-"
"No buts young lady." The King then rounded on Helios. "I trust you have an explanation Helios?" He asked mildly.
Helios bowed his head. "I wasn't planning on telling her for another few years... but..."
He gave a nervous glance at Serena. Endymion followed his gaze, then rolled his eyes.
"Don't tell me, Serenity's been playing matchmaker."
Helios didn't say anything, but did glare at Darien.
"I'll deal with you later." Endymion motioned for Darien to let Helios go and started massaging his temples and muttering about sympathizing with someone whose name sounded remarkably like Ken.
"You took that well." Raye remarked.
"Not really." Came a voice from behind them. Pluto stepped through a portal. "He just channeled his anger into something other than words."
"Huh?" Mina looked confused.
"You see that smoke over there?" Pluto pointed into the distance where an orange glow lit the horizon. "He started a fire the size of Tokyo."
Endymion groaned and waved his hand and the orange glow disappeared. "Great. This means five hours of sitting there and watching trees grow." He turned to the scouts. "Would you like to come in for something to eat?"
"Unfortunately, we promised neither to meddle nor to stick around to long." Moans and groans from the crowd around caused Serena to stop and look around. "Guys, we simply CAN'T! We have to go on to Tranquility's time now. We've alrady been here too long." she reminded everyone. Turning to face the king, she thanked him for his offer. "Say hello to Serenity for us!"
"We wish the new baby good health!" cried Raye.
"Enjoy the rest of your spring!" Lita waved.
"Who's the father?!" Mina cried. The rest stayed silent as they disappeared, Sailor Pluto having moved them on Serena's command.
"I'll come visit you again, Serena!" Rini waved back, tears welling up in her eyes. It was a sweet sorrow to return to her own time as well as to leave the other...but there were more adventures to be had.
"Beware of Ken Tsukino! Whatever you do Darien, do not stay over Serena's on the night of the..." were the last words of King Endymion before everyone melted away into a swirl of bright lights then landed once more in Crystal Tokyo.
Back in Crystal Tokyo, Endymion scratched his head. "I hope he heard all of that..."
Tranquility was silent as they approached the castle. Unlike previously, where dusk was just beginning, nightfall had long won over in the land of Tokyo. A sliver of moonlight lit the midnight sky, but apart from that no lights blazed in the city.
"Well, this is a change," Raye mumbled from the back of the procession.
"All lights are turned out at the death of royalty," Lily murmured quietly in response. She said it in barely a whisper, but the entire entourage heard. Once again, Darien and Serena allowed their gaze to meet for a brief moment before both of them turned their sights back to what would be their future daughter. Serena's thoughts were all on her child's feelings, but Darien's had turned to her words. Death...did that mean that Serenity really had been killed? That Serena... no, it wasn't possible. Fear clenched his heart. Was he fated to know that his love would die, no matter what he would do? After all this time, would he still fail her?
As the Crystal palace loomed in the distance, a dark figure caught the keen eyes of Amara, Michelle, Raye, and Lita. All four silently halted the group. The shadow was moving.
Stepping out of the dark created by the palace, what seemed to be a severely matured neo-princess emerged. Rini no longer was a child of 10 at the most, but a stately young woman of 16 or so. Everything about her had grown in proportion. A gentle smile graced her face, as she held her arms out in welcome.
Her voice resembled that of Serenity's as she spoke. "Good evening to you all. Please, follow me inside." Without another word, Small Lady Serenity, although not so small any longer, bent over and held a hand out towards her little sister. Tears in her eyes, Lily accepted it as a gesture of a full out hug.
"Rini!" she cried, running into welcoming arms. Serena smiled warmly; Rini grew up to be a second mother to her sister. This was good to know...
"Lily, Lily...everything's fine," the elder sibling cooed, petting the dark head of her sister. Lily linked her arms around the back of Rini's head, tears falling on her sister's bare shoulders.
"But Mama...Mama...!" Rini hugged her sister close, picked her up, then stood as well.
"On behalf of Crystal Tokyo I bid you entrance to our palace." She turned on her heel, and walked indoors. Unsure of what else to do, the others followed.
"Sister, sister...what am I going to do with you?" asked Rini into Lily's buried head.
"Mama..."
"She's fine, Sweetie. You can go see her," Neo-Princess Serenity answered. Lily, as well as the following soldiers, gawked. "She's in through those doors." Rini gestured down a hall, and a door at the far end of the corridor. Lily ran a few steps and then stopped and looked back. "Papa?"
Rini smiled. "He's in with her. Go on."
Tranquility did not need further instruction, she ran at top speed for them.
Neo-Princess Serenity turned from the sight of her happy sister to the remaining group, who were all shocked and showing it. The princess's face fell away into a grave one. "I'm speaking, obviously, for my mother and father," she smiled towards Serena and Darien. Serena was having troubles seeing Rini at an age approaching her own. It was somewhat┘intimidating. She was so much more mature than the impish young girl they had just dropped off. "While Tranquility... Lily, I'm sure, told you about the attack on the Queen, she was not aware of all the details. Of course, I'm not allowed to tell you them."
"But-" Mina was interrupted before she got anywhere.
"Would you rather have your minds erased?"
There were no takers. Their memories were quite fine as they were, everyone agreed.
"But so that you all basically know the facts, Neo-Queen Serenity was struck directly as my sister saw, by Azura. Had she been without her crystal, the blow would have been fatal. However, the Silver Crystal did save her. Unfortunately, she lost the child she was carrying," Lady Serenity looked grieved mostly by this fact. "I sent Tranquility to you all on a gut instinct. I didn't know what else to do with her, and I guessed that it would be the best place for her to train as well as be protected like I was. I'm sorry if I forced you into any unnecessary-"
"Rini," Serena stepped forward and brought what she knew to be what to expect for her daughter into a hug herself, "you KNOW you did the right thing. And even if it wasn't the best idea, we'd never hold it against you. I am blessed to have been given the right to meet my children before I've had them." Serena kissed her forehead, then stepped back. "NOW we can drop the formalities! It's unnecessary."
"I was about to say that I'd forgotten this was when you grew up...but I suppose not," Rini sighed.
"Rini?" A voice came from behind her. The scouts looked behind to see a young man, around twenty years old with silver hair and a crystalline horn in the centre of his forehead.
"Helios." Rini smiled as he kissed her gently on the mouth. She grinned and looked directly at Darien, who was gritting his teeth and glaring daggers at that man. "I can assure you that this time my father does actually know and approve."
Darien smiled, and said (thought not without some effort), "As long as you're happy."
"Thank you." She mouthed.
"I've got to go help with some healing, but your parents want to see you." Helios smiled at the rest of the group and walked out another doorway.
"I've got to go now," Rini said. "Anyway, Pluto should be sucking you back to the 21st century any second-"
After another quite embarrassing sailor scout pile up (and they'd thought there wouldn't be another...), departure took place.
"So, what are you guys going to do?" Serena asked of Michelle. Amara and Hotaru lurked back near their car, parked in front of Serena's apartment building somewhat hazardously. "Will you go back to the U.S. or stick around here for a while?"
"Forever worried on the cases of others, aren't we?" Michelle chuckled a bit. "I'm not quite sure yet, but we'll keep in touch Princess."
"Can I never convince you to call me something else?"
"I doubt it." Michelle said, turning away. "But you can always try I suppose."
"And remember, Prince." Amara cracked her knuckles. "Try to leave, and I will surface faster than you can apologize."
Darien gulped.
As Serena reentered her apartment, she was met with faces of sorrow and desperation from everyone around her. "Oh no, what now?" she asked, backing away.
"Now you know how I feel..." Darien said, leaning against the wall and smirking.
"I have an inkling that YOU planned this, Darien," Serena said, still retreating.
"Me? Now what would give you THAT idea..."
"CAN WE CRASH HERE?!" came the question of the night.
"WHAT?!"
- -
"Serena..." Darien whispered, drawing her body close to his. Alone in her room, lights dimmed, it almost seemed like they were alone in the apartment as well. Almost...
"RAYE, that was MY muffin!!"
"You already had three, Mina! I haven't had one yet!"
"First come, first deserve!"
"That's 'served', Mina..."
"Has anyone seen my toothbrush?"
"Was it the green one?"
"Yes!"
"...Oops."
"WHAT HAVE YOU DONE WITH IT?!"
"He he he..."
"Where's the bathroom?!"
"Down the hall to the right...no not LEFT!" CRASH
...bang...
"That would be my closet, and all of its contents falling out..." Serena murmured, pulling out of Darien's reach unhappily. "I guess I'd better get back out there before there isn't an apartment left."
"Stay a while..." Darien murmured into her ear.
"You know I can't. But if you'll just wait..."
"You expect me to go home?"
"I only thought you might, considering all the other people here."
"That's exactly why I'm STAYING!"
"Oh yeah, make my work load lighter. Thanks Darien."
"You can suffer this once," Darien answered her sarcasm smiling.
"And why are you suddenly so intent on staying, may I ask?"
"I already said why."
"This isn't about Seiya, is it?" Serena asked, turning around from her way to the master bathroom. At Darien's obvious discomfort, she retreated back to stare him straight in the eye. "Right? Darien..."
"I just don't trust him, Serena." Darien answered finally, after catching her hand, and staring at it, refusing to look up into her eyes. She was about to leave the conversation for later and leave the room. But what he had to say had to be said sometime.
"For Luna's sake, he's not some mass murderer. All I'm doing anyway is going to the kitchen to fix up something. I don't want everyone killing one another over the scraps of food I've left out. And usually my refrigerator doesn't up and attack me so I'm not too worried about my safety..."
"I wasn't talking about refrigerators. Seiya has legs, I don't think it'd be too hard for him to step into the kitchen after you and..." Darien didn't dare voice what came after the and as he could already feel anger and annoyance coming off Serena.
"As much as you dislike Seiya," Serena said, turning to look Darien square in the face, "please try to accept that he's a dear friend to me! Honestly, I'm surprised at how open and yet still closed you're being about your jealousy."
"I am NOT jealous, I'm only worried!" Darien answered, a bit disgruntled.
"What has Seiya ever done to make you think so ill of him?" Serena asked, eyeing her fiancИ skeptically. "All he has EVER done is cared about me, and thought of my own good as a friend."
"No, it's because he's in love with you," Darien said through gritted teeth.
"Don't be silly," Serena waved this off with her hand, then turned back to the door. "You're overreacting, as usual. Actually," Serena turned back around again, wearing a thoughtful face, "dying this last time must have altered your personality. Before it seemed you were always underreacting."
"You're trying to turn the conversation to me and off of you, Serena," Darien eyed her suspiciously, his voice rising slightly. "Why are you avoiding-"
"This really is bothering you, isn't it?" Serena said, looking a little stunned.
Darien looked at her in shock. "YES!"
"Fine,""Serena said, turning back to the door. "We'll talk. But not now."
"Why-"
"You DO realize Mina, Lita, Raye, and quite uncharacteristically, Amy too are all listening through the door?"
"...I thought it was strangely quiet out there!" Darien said, raising his voice even more.
"Well, we only thought it was strangely quiet in there!" Mina's voice echoed through wood.
"Mina, shut up!"
"But they already know we're here-"
"They wouldn't have had any PROOF if YOU hadn't opened your mouth!"
"Guys, this is SO wrong. We're invading their privacy!"
"Amy, we didn't even have to DRAG you along this time. You're only having problems now because we've been caught."
"Don't we always get caught?"
"You didn't need to point that out, Mina."
Serena, rolling her eyes, opened the door. Four inner planetary guardians landed spread eagle in her room. "Excuse me, guys, I have to go make dinner," Serena said, stepping carefully over her protectors by moonlight, gossipers by daylight.
"Dinner?" Mina perked up right away.
"I'll help you, Serena, as soon as I disentangle myself from this heap," Lita called from the ground as she attempted to push someone's leg off her. "Mina, OW, get your hand out of my face!"
"Gotcha, Lita," Serena waved, moving into the kitchen through the main room. Seiya got up from his place on the couch and followed her through the swinging doors, much to Darien's horror and anger. As he made his way towards the doors himself, he found Mina stopping him.
"Let her decide, Darien."
"Mina-"
"Darien, she has to choose or the two of you will always have it between you. Just relax, she'll make the right choice for her, and if you love her, you're just going to have to respect whatever that is." Darien groaned at the words, and only made the move to listen in on the conversation. "Don't forget that treaty..." Mina warned.
"What treaty?" Darien asked, turning back to Mina in bewilderment.
"The one you made with Seiya: no beating one another up until Chaos was destroyed."
"Um, Mina, I think you've lost a couple screws. Chaos WAS defeated."
"Ah, yes, defeated, not destroyed. There's a difference."
Silence...
"SHE DID THAT ON PURPOSE!"
- -
Serena stretched up on tiptoe to grab the bowel on the very top cabinet. Unfortunately, her reach didn't seem to go that far.
"Allow me," Seiya's rich voice said softly, as he retrieved the bowl himself.
"Thank you, Seiya," Serena said chipperly. "I think I'll make some sort of casserole...how does tuna sound?"
"Just great. Do you have all of the ingredients?"
"Yep. Could you get the egg noodles out of the pantry for me, though?"
"Sure, Serena." As Seiya turned towards the pantry, he took a deep breath. Then, without another second, he turned back around and brought Serena into a close embrace, his lips close to her own, before he finally turned his head to the side and let it rest on her shoulder.
"S-Seiya!" she cried in alarm. "What are you-"
"It's the closest thing I can give you to a kiss."
"W-What?" Serena asked, dumbfounded.
"Why did you ask us to come here? To help you? You have wonderful senshi, guardians who protect you. And you have your prince charming as well. What could we...could I possibly offer you?"
Serena drew away from him, staring up into his dark eyes with her own baby blue. "Seiya, I just feel more comfortable with you around. Your help in that battle with Galaxia was means more to me than anything you could give. Knowing you are there with me, helping me, that makes me feel sounder in every occasion." Her heart was beating fast in her rib cage.
"Serena..." Seiya said in a strained voice. She was just out of his reach.
"Hmm?" she asked, smiling.
"Serena, come with me."
"Huh?"
"Come back with me. Stay with me..."
"Seiya," Serena said, smiling, but unclasping his hands from her own, "my place is here, on Earth, with Darien. How can you doubt it after what you saw earlier? I love him more than anything."
Seiya nodded in numb understanding. "I needed to at least try." Serena nodded with her own understanding, still smiling, but making no further comment. Lita soon joined the kitchen, and she and Serena chattered as if nothing had happened. Seiya found himself pulled into the mindless talk as well.
If it made her happy...
- -
"Serena, we need to talk. Now."
Serena, having just returned home, shut her apartment door, startled. "Darien! Aren't you supposed to be at-"
"It's my day off."
"What day is it?" Serena asked, holding her head with a smile.
"Did you just get back from seeing everyone off?"
"Yeah...why didn't you come?"
"Serena," Darien stood up, and cornered her. "Am I just not reliable enough?"
"What?" Serena asked, shaking her head. What was he going on about?
"I heard you talking with Seiya last night!"
"Well, that's no shock. I guess everyone else heard it or at least knows about it, considering Mina was in the apartment," Serena answered.
"Quit avoiding the topic, Serena! Am I not helpful enough that you'd have to have HIM instead?"
Serena opened her mouth to comment on how Darien made HIM sound when something struck her. Darien's eyes, the only part of him that really betrayed him, were worried. Worried and hopeful and despairing and...sad...all at once. Her own face softened at the look he wore when his eyes came into the picture.
"Darien, Seiya is just my friend. The entire thing is actually really complicated..." Serena realized suddenly that she didn't WANT to talk to Darien about this, that she was scared of his reaction.
"I have all the time in the world," Darien gestured to Serena's own couch. "Tell me." To prove that he wasn't leaving, he picked up an apple from the fruit bowel and bit into it, his eyes on Serena's face. Slowly Serena sank onto the other end of the couch and slipped off her shoes.
"Well...I realized, when you were gone during Galaxia just how much I really rely on you, Darien. I guess this all starts there. There is not one person in the universe who could ever fit better with me than you. You're my soul mate. But, well... after you left, I tried not to lean so heavily on you and our relationship. I really did try. But I started to fall apart after a while...When Seiya came into the picture, I was still adjusting to being alone. And he helped me through more than I think even he realizes. He didn't and never could fill the gap you left me with, but somehow he helped me deal with it. He was someone else I could hold onto, another rock in the storm.
"At first, I think his presence confused me, because I wanted with all my heart to stay loyal to you and only you. But you left me, and we never had any contact..."
"I was dead," Darien said, in surprised defense. What exactly had gone on with these two? He bit his lip as he wondered suddenly if maybe he should make her go with Seyia. He hated the thought, but if she felt more secure with Seyia than with him... as Mina said, if he loved her, he had to be able to let her go.
"I know that now, but I didn't then. I was trying to stay true to you but at the same time, it seemed you'd forgotten me. At night I used to have dreams of you wrapped in the arms of another woman, and I'd wake up crying, not wanting to believe them, but slowly it became harder and harder. Whenever I seemed to feel my lowest, though, Seiya was always there. When I finally fell apart...have I ever told you this?"
Darien shook his head numbly, apple forgotten. "You fell apart?"
"Yes...I did. Strangely, it wasn't in front of Lita, or Mina, or Raye, or Amy. I lost all my will to keep a smiling facade, and in fact almost any will I had left to keep on going, in front of Seiya. He listened to me, and I know he hurt for me too. Now, his absence from my life has given me a new gap to deal with. Don't take it that way I don't mean it like that, Darien." Serena stated, seeing Darien's jaw fall. "You're the only one for me. Seiya's like my best guy friend. You are my best friend and my love all rolled into one. Its different. Whatever I can't tell you, I can tell him."
"What can't you tell me?" Darien asked, licking his lips nervously. This conversation just got better and better...
"Well, for example, if I needed advice on a present."
"Serena, that's a sorry excuse for an example."
"That's only because I know you won't like the other alternative...okay, let's say I got pregnant-" Darien leapt in the air at the word and held the pillow in front of him like a sword.
"WHAT?! But we haven't-"
"HYPOTHETICALLY, Darien! If something like that happened, I wouldn't be comfortable talking with any other male about it than you and him. And considering you'd be the LAST person I'd want to speak with on that matter, at least not if I wanted to see the outside world for my pregnancy-" Serena glared at Darien after that comment, and Darien briefly wondered if maybe he should be more lenient during her pregnancy.
"Serena, PLEASE promise me here and now you won't do that to me?"
"Do what?"
"Keep something that big a secret!"
"We'll see, Darien." Darien sunk down into his chair in horror. "Anyway, Seiya, even since he returned to Kinmoko, has still always been there for me which, as much as I love you, I cannot say about you. You almost LEFT me again," Serena stated, a little bitterness ebbing its way into her voice, a slight tremor shaking her hands.
"Do you know WHY he was always there?! He is in LOVE with you, Serena!"
"So are you, Darien, and I can't say the same about your loyalties," a lone tear stroked its way down Serena's soft cheek.
"Don't cry, Serena...I am sorry. You know I'm not good at being a team player..."
"But Darien, I love you. You love me...can't you trust me? I can only keep trying."
"I'm sorry, Serena! I am." Darien hugged his fiance tightly as a few more tears fell away from her eyes. "But how can I trust him if I know that he secretly loves you-"
"It isn't a secret, Darien. I know he loves me. I knew before I even fought Galaxia."
"But..." Darien was almost at a loss for words. "If... if you know, why are you just leading him on? Is it to get me jealous, because if so, it's working."
"Darien, I can't believe you just accused me of that. I would NEVER get close to another man JUST to do something spiteful to you, or to anyone for that matter!" Serena would've been even more offended if she had the inkling Darien might say something like that. And anyway, this conversation wasn't about making new arguments, it was about settling old ones that had been bubbling under the surface for quite some time. "And Darien,
I'm not marrying Seiya, I'm marrying you! For me, there is ONLY you!"
"But-"
"Darien, I am yours. You are mine. Seiya understands this; he's understood for a long time now. Before he even met you, he came right out and told me he loved me. I was about to say something, anything, to take it back. He said 'I know I'm in a one-sided love, and it wasn't my plan to be here. I fell in love with you without even realizing it.' By now, Darien, he has accepted this. And he's never tried anything either, apart from words, since I know you want to know. Well, once he figured out I wasn't going to forget about you..."
"What do you mean, ONCE?"
"You worry too much. Before that, he attempted to whisk me off my feet. Let's just say it didn't work to an extent. But I admit to you now, Darien, if you'd actually stayed dead and never come back to me...if I'd been left all alone on this Earth...there's only one other man I can think of in this entire universe who could even have a chance of coming close to filling your wake, it would be Seiya."
"You know, if you hadn't just said that last thing, I might have forgotten all of this..." Darien murmured, his head buried in his hands.
"No, you wouldn't," Serena smiled towards his figure. "That's why I'm telling you the all-out truth. But Darien, just remember that YOU are the one. Even if I'd met Seiya first, I promise we'd still have ended up like this, together. I love Seiya, Darien," Darien almost fell flat on the floor after the admittance, "but I'm not in love with him."
"So..." Darien said, standing slowly. "You're telling me this doesn't matter. That I shouldn't worry or care..."
"Exactly," Serena said, drawing the love of her life into a kiss.
"I don't know if I can promise that..." Darien said, breaking it off.
"Try, Darien..." Serena whispered, nearing his lips again. "Just try..."
"WAIT a second, you LOVE him?! I can see him loving you, but vise versa?" he said, drawing away from her. Serena rubbed her temples tiredly.
"Darien, with both you and Rini gone, I felt alone."
"You had the scouts."
"They weren't the same. Believe me, Darien, I never lost sight of you. I tried to be strong the whole time you were gone, tried no to stop smiling. The same as what I tried to do with you this time around as well. Except the scouts had no idea. The only reason they every clued into anything was because of Seiya. Something about Seiya finally made me crack, finally broke me. When I realized I'd been lying to myself the entire time about not caring about your lack of communication with me, it wasn't with the others, or at home with Luna. It was on my school rooftop in the rain, with Seiya there, watching. That was the same time I realized that he loved me. But Darien, not for a second did I sway. You have my heart entirely! And I wish you would just trust me on that."
"I do trust you, Serena, I promise." Darien smiled, and bent to kiss Serena's forehead. "You know, I never asked what happened while I was, well, dead. I didn't dig deeper from the small summary you gave me the first time. I should have. If there's one thing I've learned from this entire experience, besides that I'm not the only one to keep things inside and besides that I dislike Seiya-"
"Darien..." Serena, against her will, cracked a smile.
"Hey, I'm entitled to my own opinion. I appreciate him being there for you. I don't appreciate him falling in love with you. That's the other thing I've realized, that I am not the only one who has or who will fall for you. I guess I'll just have to get used to sharing your light..."
"Don't worry, Darien, one day it'll be different and..." Serena stopped.
"And?" Darien asked.
Serena closed her mouth and didn't answer, but from the way her hands closed around her engagement ring, Darien guessed.
"And you won't have to worry about me leaving you." He got up and went over to the window.
"Darien..." Serena walked over.
He sighed. "You're right, don't try and explain."
Serena gently lifted her finger up and traced the line of his jaw. "I'm sorry, but you do leave me. Whenever I feel like everything's going alright, you suddenly turn around and break up with me, or change countries, or something."
"I've always had reasons." Darien whispered quietly.
"Not last time you didn't." Serena murmured, staring outside. Darkness had long since fallen, and she watched the moon sparkle.
Darien stared out at the moon, then back at Serena, and then back out again. "I had a reason." He eventually said.
"School." Serena nodded. "I know it's important to you."
"No." Darien shook his head. "I had another reason." He took a deep breath and avoided her gaze. "About a month before this thing started I started having dreams again, like when Rini came the first time. You were lying on the bed, and the shadow crystal was draining all your energy. Desdemona appeared, and killed you right in front of me. And every time I knew it was something to do with me being there. The entire thing revolved around me being there. So I decided to leave, so it wouldn't..." His voice trailed off. He smiled wanly. "Thankfully it didn't even though I was here."
Serena turned to him. "Darien, did you ever consider the problem was that you weren't there. That the reason I was in trouble is because you had left and I was alone, without you."
Darien raised his eyes to meet hers. "But then...why would I get the dream? I would never have considered leaving without it."
Serena smiled. "Maybe as a warning? I don't know. But why didn't you tell me?"
"You had enough to worry about. At first I wasn't entirely sure myself, and then you got sick, and...I never got round to it."
"Promise me you won't leave me anymore." Serena insisted.
"I can't." Darien whispered. "If it comes down to me or your safety, I will leave. I would never let my presence bring you more danger."
Serena's hand slipped from his cheek to her side, and her eyes returned to the floor.
"I'm sorry." Darien whispered. "But your life comes first."
"And what about my happiness?" Serena choked out.
Darien raised her head up. "Hopefully I'll never have to choose between the two again."
Serena walked into his waiting arms and they rested there for a few minutes.
"I'm positive we all have a soul mate out there in the universe. Seiya will find his own somewhere in some galaxy. And besides, someday he'll see me and realize I'm not worth holding onto."
"Oh really?" Darien asked, taken by surprise. He'd thought that they'd left that topic of conversation behind, but obviously Serena hadn't finished yet. He grinned as he lead her back over to the couch and picked up his abandoned apple. "I'll always think you're worth holding onto, and much more than that┘When will this miracle occur in Seiya?"
"When I'm old, or I suppose even when I'm just pregnant...oh, fatness..."
"Actually, I thought you were just as beautiful then as now, you were absolutely glowing Serena. You might have been even more beautiful then...or will be, I guess..."
"Really?" Serena smiled. "You think so?"
Darien brought her closer to him, inches away. "Yes."
"Then maybe we could start down that path now..." Serena gave a devilish grin.
Before either of them knew what was what, they were stretched out on the couch, tasting one another in beautiful darkness. And beautiful solitude┘
SLAM
"Serena? I had the strangest dream the other night, and I just got off work so I though I'd stop...by and tell...you..."
"3..." Darien began the countdown.
"2..." Serena continued it, sighing.
"1..."Darien winced.
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!"
THE END OF THE BEGINNING
- -
YAY! I finally finished my VERY FIRST FAN FIC!! Many more on the road to being finished as well. I'm not quite sure which one I'll put up next. I'm thinking of I Was Loved By You as well as the second part of Love? What of It? which was co-written with dragonborncrystal. But there are others I'm working on as well,
so I suppose I'll just have to see what the next couple of months bring...
Please review this story, I'd really like some ideas on how I can improve (as well as what I shouldn't change -)!! Until we meet again,
Moonlight Eternal