Author's note: Thank you so much for your ongoing support. I love to read your reviews so please continue to let me know what you think. This chapter is coming late, thanks to many late working days but I do hope you enjoy it. I look forward to hearing your thoughts. The next couple of chapters will be exciting for me to write as I feel I'm getting closer to the end. There's still more to reveal and still some fun to explore!
Chapter 29
"What do you think of this?" Lita asked, holding up a long green gown.
Raye turned around with a simple black skater dress on the hanger in her hands and cast her eyes over the dress. Then an amused smile spread across her face.
"Did you intend to pick a dress that reminds you so much of your time as Princess Jupiter?" she snorted.
Lita blinked. She glanced at the dress and back at Raye, turning back to the dress again with a speculative expression on her face. She contemplated the sweetheart neckline, the roses at the nipped in waist, the long-layered skirt that split in two above the knee, tumbling to the ground in a sea of shades of green ruffles. She momentarily pulled a face and put it back on the line.
"Everything alright?" Raye checked, pausing her musing on the dress she was holding.
"Yeah," Lita replied, shaking her head. "I guess you're right. I need something new. What about something like this?"
She picked up a bright blue mini dress, prompting Raye's nose to wrinkle up in distaste.
"Sure, if you're looking to star in Pretty Woman," came the sarcastic response.
"Perhaps not."
Lita turned back to the racks of dresses, pondering on colour.
"So, where are you guys going tonight?" Raye pried.
"Neal wants to go fine dining," Lita sighed. "Hence the gown shopping today. Then he wants to move to the music in the lounge."
"Fancy," Raye observed, raising her eyebrows. "I wouldn't have thought that would be his thing."
"To be honest, I wasn't sure either," Lita shrugged. "I guess it made me realise that we don't really know the guys as well as we thought."
"Well, they died before we got the chance to," Raye said drily.
Lita gaped at Raye.
"What?"
"Raye, please," Lita murmured, a pained expression on her face. She held up a maxi dress featuring a V neckline sequinned top with a flattering nipped in waist and frill detail on the skirt in pearl pink. "What about this?"
Raye nodded in approval.
"I'd try it on first," she advised, "though, I suppose you have the height to pull off a dress like that, unlike some of us shorties."
"Yes, I must admit I'm glad I can just about not need to have my dresses adjusted," Lita smirked. "I'll be right back."
Raye turned back to the racks of dresses in front of her while Lita disappeared to the changing rooms and pondered between the simple black skater dress and a three-quarter sleeve dress that fell to above the knee. She decided on the latter and crossed the shop floor to pay. It was then that she heard a scream and she glanced out of the window, her violet eyes widening at the sight of a tentacle wrapping around a young girl, dragging her out of view. She dropped the dress on the floor and fled the store, disappearing down the side of the store out of sight and transformed into Sailor Mars.
"Lita? It's Mars," she shouted into her communicator once it connected. "Meet me outside. It looks like we have company."
She rounded the corner and found two people passed out on the sidewalk, others fleeing the immediate area and a young girl in the grasp of the Croatoan, a boy tied up in more tentacles reaching out from the Croatoan's chest cavity. The Croatoan's mouth was opening, baring its teeth at the girl menacingly. Mars brought out an ofuda, held between her index and middle finger.
"Akuryo Taisan," she cried, bounding through the street murmuring, "Rin, Pyou, Tou, Sha, Kai, Jin, Retsu, Zai, Zen," and placing the ofuda on her enemy's head, immobilising it momentarily in place. "Burning…" she yelled, rotating her left arm once in a clockwise direction, with fire gushing out of her hand. The fire condensed into eight balls of fire around her, and she then directed the fiery balls at the Croatoan's form. The young girl screamed. "Mandala!" The balls shot out at the Croatoan in the form of fiery hoops, slicing the tentacles that took hold of the young girl and the boy being dragged towards the monster that had them, freeing them.
There was an angry screech from the Croatoan as it felt the pain of Mars' attack but unable to react to it. Mars caught the girl and leaped out of the way with her in her arms, setting her down a good twenty feet away.
"Are you okay?" she asked. The young girl was unable to form words but merely shook her head unsteadily. "Stay here." She turned back to get the boy to safety and in one bound reached the boy and kneeled down to see if he was alright. "Can you walk?"
The boy looked up and his eyes widened in horror. His mouth opened and closed like a goldfish, but his terror stopped him from voicing the words he needed. It was then that Mars felt a sharp pain down her back.
"Ah," she groaned. She glanced back to see the Croatoan raising its hand again to strike her, the light catching on the sharp claws at the end of its fingers. Without hesitation, she grabbed the boy and pushed him out of the way.
"Jupiter oak evolution!"
The charged green oak-leaf blasts of electrical energy struck the Croatoan in a bullseye hit, taking off the lethal claws from the end of its fingers. Jupiter appeared at Mars' side, pressing her lips together at the sight of the claw marks down Mars' back, the blood seeping through her uniform. She helped her up and they leaped out of the way, her communicator already in her hand.
"Hello?"
"Amy, quick, remind me how you got rid of the Croatoan," Jupiter demanded.
"Absolute honesty is the key to survival," came the answer. "The Croatoan seeks secrets. If you give it yours, it will have no need to be there. One secret will do. It'll be enough to get rid of it for a time."
Jupiter thanked her, hanging up. She felt Mars shrug under her hold.
"I'm sorry, I have nothing to help you with this one," Mars admitted.
"Seriously, nothing?"
Mars shrugged. They watched as the Croatoan strode towards them, moving in a ghostly manner, its robes billowing in the breeze. It produced its acid-like saliva and shot it towards them. Mars brought her hands together with her two index fingers pointing upwards. A fireball formed at the tips of her index fingers as she concentrated.
"Fire soul!" she exclaimed, the fire ball shooting forward, engulfing the acidic attack, promptly saving them from a painful fate had it come into contact with them.
Jupiter left her side and stepped forward, missing the errant tentacle that flailed in response to the force of Mars' fireball, catching her on the shoulder.
"Ouch!" she complained, as she registered the pain in her shoulder where the tentacle caught her off guard. She shot her hand out, flower petals swirling around her. She spun around and cried, "Flower hurricane!" The flower petals, charged with her planet power, took on a sharp appearance, the light catching the deadly sting on their edges. They shot at the Croatoan, immobilising it in its place. "I wish I was normal," she confessed. "I wish none of us had regained our memories of the Silver Millennium or our destiny as sailor guardians. I don't want to fight. I don't want to be in love with someone who was influenced by evil, someone I had to kill in the name of my mission. I wish I could find a way to just… stop."
The Croatoan gazed at Jupiter with unseeing eyes for a long moment, turning momentarily to rest its stare on Mars. Mars swallowed, looking away. With a blow of the wind, the Croatoan faded away.
Jupiter frowned, letting out a quiet sigh. She turned to Mars.
"Are you alright?" she asked. "Your back."
"Yeah," Mars replied. "Help me back to the shrine though? I should probably bandage this."
"I'll help you," Jupiter promised, wrapping her arm around Mars' waist. They saw an ambulance crew running toward them. "There are people in need of hospital care," Jupiter informed them, nodding behind her. "We've done what we could."
"Thank you," one of the paramedics nodded. "Thank you!"
They continued on their way down the street, turning down a deserted street.
"Want me to carry you back? Might be quicker."
Mars rolled her eyes.
"That won't be necessary," Mars grumbled. "Come on." They continued to walk in silence, but Jupiter could feel the cogs turning in her brain. "Was that true?"
"What?" Jupiter responded absently.
"You know what I mean," Mars said impatiently.
Jupiter sighed.
"A lie wouldn't have got rid of it," she said flatly.
"I get it," Mars told her.
Jupiter looked down at her raven-haired friend, pursing her mouth, seeing that Mars did indeed understand how she felt.
The celestial light always looked warm to her. Standing in its heavenly glow, looking down at the marble planet, she couldn't deny that this was home. She recalled how much she used to long for Earth but right now, she couldn't wish for anything less. The moon was the epitome of serenity and she couldn't ignore that she felt at peace here. The dominant part of her that worried for her friends and yearned for Darien was somehow hushed by something greater. She wondered if that something had something to do with the peaceful heavens that the moon provided. She knew that they were okay. She felt everything that they were experiencing but she was surprised to find that she didn't feel weaker for it. She smiled at the colour the Earth provided. It was the only planet in the solar system that offered such a view, a vast array of life. The irony didn't escape her that the one person who protected such a planet that thrived with life was unable to live his own.
Elsewhere, Darien tossed and turned in bed. He was faintly aware of the gentle breeze blowing over his bare arm coming in through the open window. In sleep, he pulled his bedsheets tighter around himself and turned over once more to settle down, at least in body as his mind was buzzing more than it ever was.
"Endymion, kill the princess," Queen Beryl ordered, looking down at the ebony-haired man bent by her side with her hand at his lips.
He stood before her and said, "as you wish," turning to Sailor Moon and leaping in the air above her, drawing his sword.
Sailor Moon leaped out of the way and brought out her moon stick, screaming, "moon healing escalation!" pointing in Endymion's direction, a blast of pure moonlight sweeping over him. She gritted her teeth in the effort to keep the power flowing.
"It's useless," Queen Beryl stated, "you are not a full-fledged princess. Even if you use the Silver Crystal, you will not be able to remove Queen Metalia's dark energy from Endymion's body." She laughed, mocking her. "Stop wasting your time and hand me the Silver Crystal!"
Sailor Moon groaned and gritted her teeth harder. Then she gasped as Endymion jumped out of the flow of moonlight radiating over him, only to land next to her and swiped his sword at her. She was thrown across the ground, landing in a painful heap. She groaned as the moon stick fell from her grip.
"Sailor Moon," Endymion said, summoning a black rose in his hand. "Die," he flicked the rose at Sailor Moon which instantly wrapped thorny stems around her body and black roses appeared at each twist of the stems, which then overwhelmed Sailor Moon with dark, painful energy. She screamed.
"Darien," she mumbled as the stems disappeared in a flash, leaving her to fall to the ground. Her eyes filled with tears as he stood over her and kicked her, hard. She found herself dangling in the air, being held at her neck in a death grip, suddenly overwhelmed again by a powerful energy emanating from Endymion.
Queen Beryl laughed, entertained by the star-crossed lovers. "Soon, the sun will be covered entirely by sunspots and Queen Metalia will be revived." Sailor Moon groaned under the strain of keeping herself conscious from the onslaught of negative energy penetrating her pure soul. "That's enough, Endymion," Queen Beryl said. Endymion threw Sailor Moon across the floor, awaiting further instruction. "Cut off the princess' head," she smirked.
Sailor Moon reached for her moon stick. "It's no use," Queen Beryl stated. Darien raised his sword. "Soon, Queen Metalia will be revived. When she fills this world with her dark energy by using the Silver Crystal, she is certain to utilise its power to the maximum. Everything you have been doing will have been meaningless."
Sailor Moon's eyes widened, and she gasped, furrowing her brows. Images of her fallen sailor guardians flashed through her mind and she was reminded of what she was fighting for. She got up as Endymion raised his sword above his head and a bright light shone from Sailor Moon. She turned and threw her tiara at Endymion, causing him to grunt in shock. He fell to the ground, as did her tiara, leaving Sailor Moon breathing heavily.
Endymion got up, holding his side, gasping for air. "Endymion has dark energy within him. You will not be able to defeat him so easily." Sailor Moon's eyes glistened with unshed tears and she stared at her brainwashed lover, gritting her teeth.
He threw his sword over his head, ordering her to die as she yelled at him to stop. He then paused as she held the star locket out in front of her. "Please remember," she begged. "I am Serenity. In the distant past, we swore to love one another. I am Serenity of the Moon Kingdom."
Endymion frowned deeply, a great strain passing over his face. "Anyone who opposes the Dark Kingdom must die!" he snarled.
"You are just being corrupted by the bad energy," Sailor Moon argued, unshed tears evident in her bright blue eyes. "Please, regain your gentle heart. I don't want to. I don't want to fight you!" Endymion's arms came down to his sides as he leant forward, closer to Sailor Moon. "So, please," she said, the star locket still outstretched to him. His hand came forward and touched the locket.
Instantly, Endymion was enveloped by a bright pure light which caused Queen Beryl to raise her hand to cover her eyes. "W-what?" she exclaimed. Endymion's memories came flooding back: his time as Prince Endymion of Earth, his civilian life as Darien Chiba and finally, as Tuxedo Mask fighting alongside Sailor Moon. He dropped his sword and fell to his knees in front of Sailor Moon.
Darien groaned, frowning in his sleep as he dreamed. He turned over onto his side and sighed.
A dark cloud descended on the Moon Kingdom, an army racing forwards with swords drawn, the significant sight of the evil being behind it looming over them all.
"It's terrible! It's terrible!" the lunar cats cried, running through the crowds of people. "The people of Earth are attacking us!"
Lightning struck the palace grounds and an explosion drowned out all other sounds of the ball that was occurring deep in the palace. Buildings crumbled upon the impact and the distinct sound of the sailor guardians springing into action could be heard as they used their planet powers to defend the kingdom. Water, fire, electricity and beams of light shot back at everything that was came at them, but it had no effect on the evil that struck them. The impact was devastating but Queen Beryl relished in it.
"Starting today, I will rule both Earth and the Moon!" she declared with delight, her fiery red hair blowing in the wind. "I will not allow anyone to defy me! Our beloved Metalia, this is the birth of the Dark Kingdom!" She raised her staff, a beam of horrific light filling the area, the deadly energy cackling in the air.
The echo of cackling laughter could be heard over the sound of the screams of the lunarian people scattering in every which way direction. He looked up to see the Shitennou hovering over the crumbling area, the dead citizens and the panic, revelling in the chaos that they had rained down on the Moon Kingdom.
Darien mumbled, gripping his sheets in his fist, his knuckles white with the strength he put into the action. He scrunched his eyes tightly, fighting against the nightmare. He rolled over onto his front.
He squinted just a little way ahead of him, certain he could see a petite figure. He stepped forward to approach whoever was standing there but he was halted by a voice.
"Darien come back to me," a gentle voice whispered, almost begging.
He recognised a long flowing gown that fell to the floor in delicate skirts, a bow tied at the waist, leaving the ribbons to tumble down the back of the dress. Long, long tresses of pale hair were tied up into two bunches, her face out of view as she kept her back turned from him.
"You must remember," she urged. "Come back to me. The Earth is suffocating without you. You're needed more than you know."
He was needed, he pondered. Why would she need him?
"A part of you knows that this is wrong."
Darien's eyes shot open and he sat up, his breathing laboured. Serena?
"Darling?"
Serena turned at the soft voice to find Queen Serenity with a faint frown pushing at her delicate eyebrows watching her carefully.
"Mother?" she returned, cocking her head slightly to one side.
"You were interfering again, weren't you?" the lunar queen accused.
"I was just watching," Serena defended herself.
"I told you what consequences that could have," Serenity reminded her, almost impatiently this time. "The prince and you share a telepathic connection. You could push the wrong memories into his already confused mind, which means he may refuse to accept his birth right as the protector of the Earth. You must be careful, Serenity."
Serena's eyes widened at the use of her Lunarian name and bit her lip with a nod. She just hoped that he heard her voice. A voice, she hoped, that would offer him contentment and peace, as the love they shared offered her.
Amy shook out her damp hair from the shower and cast her eyes around the natatorium, easily spotting the long blonde hair tied back in a ponytail shooting down the length of the swimming pool. She pressed her lips together and dropped her towel at the poolside, carefully stepping across the wet tiles and jumping into the pool, the rush of chlorinated water giving her a little thrill as she felt the water brush over her skin. She felt her inner smile and pushed off from the wall and took off down the lane, her arms slicing through the water. She swam a couple of lengths and reached the deep end of the pool, deciding to come to a stop. She spotted Zane swimming towards her in the next lane over and her eyes flickered around the swimming pool, considering the other swimmers in the pool. She figured that no one was paying her any attention while they were swimming laps, chilling and playing with friends. She needed to get Zane's attention and she realised that there was only one way to do it. She dipped her head under the water's surface and shot her hand towards him, feeling the chill emanating from her hand as the column of water dropped in temperature. In her civilian form, her powers were significantly weaker, but it was enough. She watched as Zane felt the impact and he looked forward, his eyes widening as he spotted her. She swam back up, taking in a lungful of air, brushing her hair away from her face and turned right as Zane appeared at her side, also brushing wet hair away from his face.
"Amy," he said, "what are you doing here?"
"Swimming," she stated, as if that was obvious, which it was considering where they were conversing.
"Yeah, I can see that," he said flatly, "but it's Tuesday. Don't you usually have your computer programming class at this time?"
"Yes, but I'm ahead in the curriculum and I really wanted to talk to you," she told him. She blew air into her cheek, looking down shyly. "I needed to talk to you."
"Okay," he responded. She looked up to find his eyebrows lodged in his hairline. She shook her head. "Well, you found me, so shoot."
She swallowed, already finding the words lodged in her throat. She looked back up at him and sighed. She shrugged.
"Look, I heard you," she told him. "We both know that we didn't get a story but it's a story that I still wish had happened. I'm…" she hesitated, "terrified of being close to you. I mean love letters literally bring me out in hives. How could I possibly be close to you?"
"You can try," he murmured, his cat green eyes seeking out her own sky-blue gaze.
She rubbed her lips together uncertainly, a wave of sadness coming over her. She felt his fingers catching her hand underwater and her eyes met his.
"It's not an unwelcome invitation," she whispered, just loud enough for his ears only.
"So, would you run away if I tried to kiss you?"
Her breath hitched in her throat and she pressed her lips together, looking at him uncertainly.
"No," she replied.
He brought his hand up to her temple, caressing her softly there. She watched him carefully, licking her lips, hearing her heartbeat in her ears. He brushed his fingers through her blue locks, resting his hand in the crook of her neck.
"The beauty about our lives is that it's no exaggeration when I say that I've literally waited a thousand years for you to admit you love me," he said.
Confusion crossed her face as she considered his words.
"I didn't tell you I love you," she remarked.
"I can read between the lines," he smirked, bringing his hand under her chin, running a finger over her lips affectionately.
"And what about you?" she breathed, feeling the thumping strongly in her chest.
She was starting to wonder if the butterflies in her stomach was going to make her fly out of the swimming pool with the force of the flutter of their wings.
"I gave you the invitation," he smiled, his eyes softening, referencing the last words he'd spoken to her the day before.
The unmistakable sound of guitars could be heard down the corridor which only got louder once one approached Darien's apartment front door. Jackson nodded his head along to the riff he was playing alongside Darien, both of them a guitar in hand. He'd forgotten what it was like to just let his mind drift. Music was a part of himself that he didn't reveal to the world, including the guys. He was surprised when Darien reached out to him to ask if he wanted play music. It made him smile because Prince Endymion was always so perceptive of people. It was like a sixth sense he possessed. His empathy was something else. Their strumming came to an end and Jackson sat back with a smile.
"That was fun, man, thanks," he grinned.
"No problem," Darien replied, resting his guitar against the sofa. "I don't know why you don't admit that you're musical. I really don't think the guys would rib you for it."
"Have you not met Neal?" Jackson retorted, raising an eyebrow. Then he shrugged. "I don't know. I guess it's just a personal thing, you know what I mean?"
"Yeah," Darien sighed. "I really do. Don't worry. I won't tell. You should swing by and we'll do another session. It will make sure I practice anyway. I don't spend near enough time playing as I should. Mina puts me to shame."
"Mina is a stage hog," Jackson corrected with a chuckle.
"Well, it certainly endears her to Killian at any rate," Darien mused.
"You have no idea," came the reply. Jackson reached for his glass of water and drank a long throatful then peered at Darien. "So, are you alright?"
Darien looked surprised.
"Sure, why not?"
"No offence, mate, but you look dire."
"Cheers," Darien laughed, raising his glass to him.
"I know we're not the girls and talk about stuff, but you'd tell us if anything is bugging you, right?"
Darien raised his eyebrows, his hand pausing in the air as he made to take a drink from his glass.
"Just not sleeping, that's all," Darien shrugged. "No big deal. I go through these phases."
"Alright," Jackson said, letting it go. He idly brushed his fingers across the strings, letting the sound of the guitar fill the room with its vibrations. "Up to much this week?"
"Studying with Killian tomorrow," Darien answered. "Then Neal wants to join me for a run the day after. And Friday, Zane invited me to a swim meet as he wants to grab a drink after." He frowned. "If I didn't know any better, I'd say none of you wanted to leave me alone."
Jackson laughed nervously in response but shrugged.
"We've been friends forever," he explained. "It feels like you're one of us. We aren't joined at the hip, but I guess we don't think about it like that. You're part of the group now."
Mentally, he clapped himself on the back for explaining away their overwhelming presence in Darien's life. Darien frowned with humour and shook his head, reaching over for Jackson's now empty glass and turned to go to the kitchen. He got ice from the dispenser in the door of his fridge-freezer door and filled up the glasses with lemonade. He still brought it in out of habit for Serena, another reminder of her absence. It pained him. He opened the fridge and brought out a plate of cake and opened his cutlery drawer for a knife. His hand halted when he spotted the old star-shaped locket that he thought he'd lost a long while ago. All thoughts of the cake had gone from his head and his hand came out to touch it. He picked it up and examined it closely, opening it up to see the perfect face of the clock that lay inside, the sight of the crescent moon and stars on the face of the clock. But that was when the familiar music started.
She nuzzled her cheek into the palm of his hand, a delicate blush on her cheeks as she sighed contentedly at being in his company. She took his hand in hers and pulled him closer to her, breathing in his earthly smell. It made her heart sing. He was always awestruck by the ghostly white complexion of her skin, in contrast to his deeper skin tone. Her platinum blonde hair with the pearl barrettes clipped to the top of her head with the familiar and endearing buns that tied it back into two long tresses made his heart warm as he held her close against him. There was an ache that they shared and they both refrained from saying the words that scared them so much. It was coming and he wasn't sure if he would be able to protect her. But at all costs, he knew he would try. He tightened his hold on her small frame and knew he would die to keep her safe.
Jackson felt a warmth radiate through him, immediately recognising the power of the Earth prince and leaped to his feet, the warmth shocking him. The energy called to him and he brought out his hand to reveal the Jadeite stone. The delicate jade shade of the crystal was glowing, and he could feel the energy's vibrations. It was powerful. He could feel the other Shitennou stones reacting, and he knew they would be glowing with the power to, but why?
Darien clutched his head as he groaned with the pain that went through him. What did he just see? Who was she? Why did he feel an overwhelming affection and love for this person? He knew she needed him but usually this knowledge was only known to him in sleep. This was new. He'd never had such a vivid image of her before. It was like she was in front of him. He closed his eyes tight to stave off the migraine that threatened at his temple. He felt a warmth growing in his chest. It was hot. So hot. Uncomfortable.
But that was when he saw her.
Serena slept soundlessly, without movement. Her eyes closed and her hands rested on her stomach. To anyone else, she was merely resting peacefully. But to his eyes, he knew she wasn't. He felt it. It was like he was in the room with her… a room that wasn't familiar to him, though he somehow knew where this room was. She was asleep in the Cherry Hill Temple, a place she knew so well, but he didn't. How strange. Her breathing was shallow but steady and he yearned to take her hand and let her know he was there.
His eyes opened in shock and he stared at the wall. He was vaguely aware of Jackson's presence behind him.
"Hey, man," he exclaimed, "are you okay? What's going on?"
Darien whirled around and stared at Jackson in shock.
"Oh, n-nothing," he stuttered. "It's nothing. Sudden headache. I was just grabbing us a snack. Want to join me?"
"Sure," Jackson frowned, his eyes flickering to the locket that lay abandoned on the kitchen side.