Disclaimer: I do not own Sailor Moon.
A Past Imperfect
Chapter 21
The next morning, Serena hid in her bedroom until she heard Amara leave with the girls and her clone. As soon as she heard the front door close and the engine of Amara's car turn over, she opened her bedroom door, grabbed her suitcases, and quickly made her way out the back door and down the street. The cab that she had called was there waiting on her and she climbed into the backseat. The driver asked where she wanted to go without even looking at her. Serena informed him to take her to the airport.
About six hours later, Serena was slowly making her way through the early afternoon Boston traffic heading towards Ami and Harvard. As she sat in the traffic, she couldn't help thinking about the last time she had seen Ami and the other girls.
*Flashback*
Serena ran up the stairs that lead to the Cherry Hill Temple. She opened the door to the temple, knowing that her raven haired friend would lecture her as soon as she arrived.
"You are always late!" Raye fumed at Serena as she sat down near Ami.
"I'm sorry, Raye, I couldn't…" Serena began, but was cut off by Mina.
"What is the excuse this time, Serena? Lost track of time playing video games at the arcade?" Mina teased the princess.
"Ah, come on, Mina, it is too early for her to be at the arcade. It is just now noon. She probably just forgot and woke up late." Lita chimed in; laughing along with Mina, but Serena could see the anger in her eyes.
"Come on, guys, Serena is here now, let's just start the meeting." Ami interrupted calmly, wanting to get back to her studies for her first semester of college that was starting soon.
Trista and Michelle came into the room then, carrying trays of drinks and snacks that Raye had prepared earlier. Amara was close behind them, carrying a tray of cold cut sandwiches.
"Nice to finally see you, Serena." Michelle said sweetly, secretly wanting to yell at the girl for making them wait yet again.
"Hello, Michelle, Trista. Hello, Amara." Serena said without looking at any of them. Amara watched the princess as she brought her knees up and rested her chin on her knees. Serena closed her eyes to try and hold back the tears that were threatening to fall. She didn't want to show how many her "loyal" guardians' comments hurt her.
"Princess, are you all right?" Amara asked as she sat the sandwich tray down on the coffee table. Serena didn't respond as she continued to stare at the floor. Amara knelt down in front of the blonde haired princess. "Serena?"
"Oh, don't mind her, Amara. She is just upset because Raye got on her case about being late again." Lita explained to the tomboy. Amara looked back at Serena, who flinched when Amara put a hand on her arm.
"Serena, are you all right?" Amara asked again. This time, Serena looked up at the scout long enough to respond.
"I'm fine, Amara, thank you." Serena replied quietly, smiling softly, trying to reassure her friend. But Amara could see the unshed tears in the princess' eyes. She sighed, rose to her feet, and went to sit next to Michelle across the room. She didn't take her eyes from Serena as the meeting started.
"There, you see, Amara, she is fine. Let's get this meeting started. I have to violin practice later this afternoon and Trista needs to pick up Hoturu from school at 2." Michelle complained. Amara glared at her lover for a moment before turning her attention back to the meeting and Serena.
"Trista, is there anything about our future that you can tell us that we don't already know?" Raye questioned the Guardian of Time. They had called the meeting because the Inner Scouts had recently graduated from high school and would be starting college soon and thought it was time to talk more about the future.
"No, Raye, I'm sorry, I can't. The future has to unfold on its own." Trista answered.
"Well, I am guessing since Galaxia has been defeated that it won't be too many years before Crystal Tokyo is formed." Lita observed.
"I suggest we all just live out our lives until whatever major event that triggers the future happens." Ami commented.
"I don't know, Ami." Raye countered, but was quiet for moment as she thought about how to say what she wanted to say next. "I agree with the living our lives part, but I don't agree with the future part."
"Raye, what are you talking about?" Trista asked. Raye rose to her feet.
"Just listen to me for a moment, please. Are we all sure that we want Serena to be the leader of the universe? I mean, she can't even manage to be on time for a scout meeting." Raye explained. The entire room was silence for a few moments as everyone thought about what Raye had said.
"Raye is right is some aspects. From what we have all heard from Rini, Serena doesn't change very much from how she is now." Mina added.
"Sometimes, I wonder how Darien can continue to put up with all of her childish ways." Lita said.
"Ladies, I am sure Serena will grow out of her childish ways soon." Ami jumped in.
"Ami, why are you defending her now?" Michelle spoke up, surprising everyone. "I have heard you more than once complain about the way Serena is."
"This is getting us nowhere." Trista said quickly, hoping to intervene before the conversation got out of hand.
"I agree. We can't change the future. Serena is destined to be Neo-Queen Serenity." Amara replied.
"But the future can be changed." Raye stated firmly. "Trista has stated many times that the future isn't set in stone."
"Yes, I have said that, but without Serena and Darien taking the throne, the peaceful era of Crystal Tokyo will cease to exist." Trista informed all of her fellow scouts.
"I am sure Darien can bring an era of peace without the power of the Silver Crystal if he had to." Raye said to Trista.
"Raye, Trista is right, we shouldn't be talking about changing the future. It is too dangerous for all of us. Besides, you are all acting like you don't want to protect Serena anymore." Amara announced. Serena, who hadn't said a word during the entire conversation, quietly stood up.
"I think that is exactly what they are all saying, Amara." Serena said with no emotion in her voice or tears in her eyes.
"Serena, I don't think…" Amara began, surprised by the cold look in the princess' crystal blue eyes, but Serena held up her hand to stop her.
"It is all right. If you will all excuse me, I have to get home now or I will be in trouble." Serena walked out the door of the temple without once looking back.
*End Flashback*
Serena sighed as the memories faded away again. She was not looking forward to what she was about to do. Finally, after an hour of creeping through traffic, the Harvard campus came into view. No one tried to stop her as she scanned her newly created student identification card to be able to get into the student parking lot to park her car. After she parked her car, she gathered up her suitcases and headed for the honor students' dorms. She had enrolled herself as a transfer student for the medical degree program. As a fourth year student, she was going to be in all of Ami's classes.
Serena had to laugh at the fact that she had arrived two days before the fall semester started. She was still thinking about that as she stopped in front of her dorm door. As the key rattled in the lock, the door swung open. Serena looked up to find Ami standing in front of her.
"I am sorry; I think I have the wrong dorm. I was told that I didn't have a roommate." Serena struggled to sound normal. She had not expected to run into Ami that soon.
"If you are Serene Martin, then you do have the right room. Are you Serene Martin?"
"Yes, I am." Serena shook her head, trying to remember to respond to the name change.
"Well, welcome to Harvard. I am Ami Mizuno, your new roommate. There was a last minute change in the room assignments; at least that is what I was told. Come on in." Ami moved back from the doorway so Serena could enter the room.
After a few seconds of shock, she picked up her bags and entered the room, closing the door behind her. The dorm room was a decent size, with two beds, desks, dressers, and closets. It had a small kitchenette to one side beside a small living room and its own bathroom.
"Welcome to our new home for the next year." Ami said as she sat down on the sofa.
"Thanks. Which bed have you claimed?" Serena asked, trying to keep the conversation neutral for now until she could get to know Ami again.
"I haven't claimed anything yet. I haven't been here that long myself so I figured I would wait until my roommate arrived. Do you have a preference?"
"Not really, no. I am pretty flexible." Serena looked around the room. "If you don't mind, I will take the bed by the window."
"No problem. Shall we unpack and then I will show you around the campus?" Ami suggested.
"Sure. I need to purchase my books from the bookstore and I have no idea where that is located." Serena replied as she open her suitcases and began to unpack. She knew she probably wouldn't be staying for more than a few days, but for now she needed to look like normal student starting another year of college. Ami began to do the same now that she knew where to put her things.
"If you don't mind me asking, why did you decide to switch schools in the near the end of your program?" Ami questioned as she opened her first suitcase.
"Well, it is kind of a long story, so for now let's just say I needed a change of scenery." Serena said slowly. She hasn't really thought about her backstory. In saying what she had, she hoped it bought her time to come up with a story in case she needed one.
"Personal, got it." Ami looked away like she was embarrassed for even asking.
"Ami, I don't want you to think I am some kind of stand-offish snob. It really is a long story. It is personal, but I will tell you all about it soon. I want us to be good friends, especially since we will be living together for the next year and will probably have many of the same classes." Serena hurriedly tried to explain to smooth things over. Ami stopped her unpacking and looked at Serena.
"I am sorry Serene, I didn't mean to make you think I was angry. I would like for us to be friends too." Ami stopped talking and looked back down at her suitcase, but to Serena, it felt like Ami had more that she wanted to say.
"What's on your mind, Ami?" The other girl looked up in surprise at Serena's question. "You looked like you wanted to say something more." Serena explained, shrugging.
"I was going to explain that I have had problems in the past with people not being totally honest with me about things and I get very cautious around people when I feeling like they are hiding something." That statement made Serena stop moving. Did Ami know the truth about who she was?
"Ami, I am sorry you had to go through that. I know what it is like to have your friends betray you." Serena forced a smile onto her face. "I am sure things can only get better from here." She tried to get the conversation on a more positive note. She wasn't very worried about Ami recognizing her. Her hair was very different and she didn't look the same as she hard three years before, but she didn't want to dive into the emotional stuff quite yet. Ami just smiled and continued her unpacking as they both thought about the past.
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