I do not own the rights to any of the characters in this fanfic, nor do I claim them. The idea, however, is mine. Enjoy!
AN - This is mostly a filler chapter, but I still want those reviews! Tell me what you think, and your opinions of what, exactly, you think is going on.
This Time Around
Chapter 10
"Rini," Serena exclaimed as she wiggled free from Darien's grasp. "You guys, where did she go?"
"Relax, Serena," Rei said. "She just went upstairs. You didn't see her leave?"
"No, I didn't," Serena replied.
"Here's your food, Miss Serena," Yuli said, handing her plate to her. She smiled her thanks to the boy as he took Kento his plate.
"Thanks, Yuli," Kento commented happily as he dived right into eating.
"Yuli, did Rini say anything to you in the kitchen," Serena asked. "It's weird that she just left without saying anything to anyone."
"No, not really," Yuli replied. "She said she was sleepy, though."
"There's no need to worry, Serena," Sai commented. "She probably was just tired."
"Is Rini that pink-haired little girl," Darien asked. "There seems to be something different about her… Something undoubtedly familiar. She was looking at me strangely."
"Yes, that's Rini," Serena replied. "She's the one we were sent here to look for."
"Why were you so concerned about her, Serena," Darien asked. "And why does she look like you?"
"I . . . don't know, Darien," Serena replied quietly. Sailor Pluto noticed how upset Serena was getting, and frowned angrily towards Darien.
'It's too soon to tell them of Rini's true origin,' Pluto thought silently. 'But I can't let Prince Darien badger the Princess like this!' As she was about to say something, Kento cleared his throat.
"Serena was sent here to find Rini and protect her," he began. "I'm sure whatever Serena is feeling right now, it's just genuine concern."
Darien looked over towards Kento and frowned slightly. "Excuse me, but I was talking to Serena," he retorted. "Just who are you, anyway?"
"Darien, be nice," Serena scolded. "You probably don't remember them, but these five guys are the Ronin Warriors. We helped them get home when they were stuck in our world," she continued, crossing her arms. "The guy you were so rude to is Kento."
"I suppose I was being rude," Darien replied. "I apologize. Any friend of the Scouts is an ally of mine as well."
As Serena introduced the rest of the Ronins to Darien, Lady Kayura stepped forward and turned towards Serena. "Princess, is there anything you need? We must prepare the Nether Realm for the merging of the two worlds," she said, gesturing towards the former Warlords.
"Did you just call me Princess," Serena asked, shocked.
"Well, yes. That's what we'll regard you as, now," Kale replied. "Once our two worlds join, we will serve the Moon Kingdom, as well as the Nether Realm."
"Are we going to serve the Moon Kingdom, too," Ryo asked.
"Yes, Wildfire, however that will all be explained later," Kayura said. "We must go, now, but is there anything at all, Princess Serenity?"
"Well actually, there is something," Serena said thoughtfully. She looked towards the Scouts and smiled slightly. "This will also answer your questions about what happened between me and Kite."
"I was wondering when you were going to talk about that," Lita commented.
Serena smiled sheepishly, and then cleared her throat. "Well, while I was fighting Kite, she used the power of Anubis' armor," she explained.
A soft gasp came from Mia's direction as she dropped the mug she was holding. "I-I'm sorry," she stammered when everyone turned and looked at her. As she cleaned up the mess she had made, Kayura put a hand on her shoulder. Mia smiled at the other woman as she sensed Kayura knew how she felt. Mia finished cleaning up her mess as Kayura turned back towards Serena.
"Please continue, Princess," Kayura said calmly. "What happened after that?"
Serena looked towards Mia briefly and then sighed. "His symbol appeared on Kite's forehead, and his armor momentarily appeared over her body," she continued. "She even had his weapon. Before I knew what was happening, she threw the weapon towards me, and chains wrapped around me and began taking my energy. She was about to use his special move, however when she yelled out the words, she was hurt by the attack instead. I must have fainted shortly after that, because the next thing I knew, I was back in my room."
"I'm sorry I wasn't there to protect you, Serena," Darien said.
"I don't need to be protected, Darien," Serena said angrily. "If Kite hadn't pulled that dirty trick, I would have defeated her easily!"
"You know what I meant," Darien replied in a hurt voice.
Serena immediately softened her tone. "Oh Darien, I'm sorry," she began. "I didn't mean to take my anger out on you. I just wish Rini hadn't been there when all this happened. She looked so scared."
"I understand better now, Serena," Mina exclaimed. "No wonder Rini was crying when I found you guys! But how did Kite catch up to her? I told her to run and she should have hid as well."
Serena smiled, but a frown quickly replaced it. "One other thing I remember was that before I passed out, Rini told me Kite had used an illusion to make herself look like Sailor Venus, Mina," she added. "So it's possible that Kite can also use the powers of the Armor of Illusion."
"Damn it all," Dais exclaimed angrily. "Kayura, how is it that this Kite can use the power and sure-skills of our armors?"
"Dais has a point, Lady Kayura," Sekhmet added. "The armors were crafted for each of us to use, as well as Talpa, were they not?"
"You are right, Sekhmet. I don't know how Kite can use the armors, but I do have my suspicions," Kayura replied. "Thank you, Princess Serenity. The information you shared will surely help me tremendously. We must go now, however we will return soon."
As the Scouts, Ronins, Mia, Yuli, and Darien watched the four Nether Realm Guardians leave, Sailor Pluto cleared her throat. "We must still make a decision about where Yuli will stay," she began. "But there is something I must tell you all, first."
"What do you mean, Sailor Pluto," Yuli asked. "I'm going to stay right here with my friends!"
Sailor Pluto frowned slightly as she watched Mia walk over to Yuli and kneel down next to him. 'You don't realize how right you are, young one,' she thought sadly.
"Yuli, I'm afraid it's going to be more difficult than that," Mia began gently. "The Ronins and I aren't going to be here for very much longer."
"You're moving," Yuli asked. "Where are you moving to?" Mia sighed, as she was at a loss for words.
"Yuli," Mia began.
"Yuli," Sailor Pluto interrupted, "perhaps you should take Luna and Artemis into the kitchen to get them something to eat. I'm sure they'd like that very much."
"Oh, alright," Yuli replied as Luna and Artemis stood next to him. "Come on, kitties."
Luna looked at Sailor Pluto questioningly, and nodded her head at the silent message passed between them. "I'm Luna, Yuli," the black cat said. "And this is Artemis."
"Wow," Yuli exclaimed. "You really can talk!"
"Yes, we can," Artemis replied. "The girls wouldn't lie about that." As Yuli continued talking excitedly with the two cats, and the trio disappeared into the kitchen, Mia turned towards Sailor Pluto.
"Sailor Pluto, why did you have Yuli leave," she asked, confused. "We still needed to talk to him about everything, and explain the situation to him."
"I have my reasons, Mia," Pluto began. "Yuli shouldn't be present when I tell you what I have to say. He should hear it from someone he knows well."
"This sounds serious," Rowen commented. "What happened?"
"Please, everyone, have a seat," Pluto said. She sighed wearily as everyone did as she asked. "About an hour ago, a terrible accident happened not too far from here. There were two casualties."
"That's horrible," Amy exclaimed. "But how do you know this, Sailor Pluto?"
"I . . . foresaw it before we arrived," she replied, gesturing towards Darien and herself. "But the reason I'm telling you this is because the people that died were Yuli's parents. In fact, they were on their way to pick him up." As an eerie silence filled the room, Pluto smiled sadly. "I suppose it should go without saying that Yuli will go with us."
"If you foresaw it, then why didn't you stop it from happening," Mia exclaimed forcefully. Pluto looked at her and shook her head.
"By the time I realized who they were, it was already too late," Pluto replied.
"Well you have the powers of time itself, don't you," Mia demanded angrily, raising her voice slightly. "Can't you do something about it, then? Turn back time and stop this from happening, for Yuli's sake!"
"Yes, I am the Guardian of Time, however there are some things that even I can not use my powers for," Pluto said. "And what you're suggesting is one of those things!"
"You can't do anything at all, Sailor Pluto," Sage asked hopefully. She sadly shook her head.
"What kind of Guardian are you that foresees something, yet does nothing to stop or prevent it," Mia asked angrily as she stood in front of the woman and glared at her. Sailor Pluto raised her hand and smacked Mia soundly across her face. As the brown-haired woman reeled back slightly, the others gasped in shock.
"Do not question my integrity," Pluto said calmly. "The Laws of Chronos strictly forbids such actions as what you're asking me to do, Mia. If I could have saved Yuli's parents, then I would have."
"Mia," Yuli said in a small voice, stepping back into the room. "Mia is everything Sailor Pluto said true? Are my parents dead?" Mia shook her head slowly, and both she and Yuli began to cry.
"I'm so sorry, Yuli," Mia said as she comforted the young boy in a tight hug. "I'm so sorry this happened!"
As Darien watched the two with a solemn look on his face, he was remembering how it had felt when he learned his parents died. "Yuli," he began. "You know, I lost my parents in a car crash when I was your age. I know exactly how you feel."
"You do," Yuli asked, wiping away his tears.
"It's true, Yuli," Serena said gently. "It took Darien a long time to open up to me about his parents. You would really feel better if you talk to someone about what happened."
"Would you like to talk with me," Darien asked.
"Or you could talk with me, Yuli," Lita offered as she rested a hand on top of the boy's head. "I lost my parents when I was young, too."
"It might be better if he talks with Darien, Lita," Mia said. "You guys need to discuss a plan of action. We still don't know when Kite and Lotus will strike again."
"That's fine with me," Darien said. "But let's go talk somewhere else, so they can make their plans."
"Will you come too, Mia," Yuli asked.
"Of course I will, Yuli," she replied. Yuli allowed himself to be led away, and as the three passed Sailor Pluto, he stopped.
"I don't blame you for what happened, Sailor Pluto," Yuli said. "Even if what Mia said made you sad, I'm not mad at you." He gripped Mia's hand as she looked towards the ground guiltily.
"Thank you, Yuli," Sailor Pluto replied, giving him a small hug. "I see why Small Lady is so fond of you." He smiled sadly, and as he, Darien, and Mia left, Pluto turned towards the Ronins and Scouts.
"What do we do now, Sailor Pluto," Lita asked with a faraway look in her eyes.
"Gather around me, and I'll explain what we have to do," Pluto began.
* * * * * * *
Rini was laying down in bed, thinking to herself. She was in Serena's room because she felt an urge to sleep in there instead of her own room. She sighed as she rolled over onto her side. 'Why was Serena acting so strangely around Darien,' she thought to herself with a loud yawn. 'I was happy to see him, but she didn't seem like she was.' She yawned again, and then stretched slowly. "Why am I so tired," she wondered out loud, slightly annoyed.
Suddenly, the doors to the balcony flew open, and the cool wind of the night air gently blew into the room. Rini jumped at the sudden noise, however she relaxed once she realized it was only the balcony doors. "That was strange," she mumbled.
Rini climbed out the bed, and made her way to the balcony. She momentarily stared out at the view, and saw three figures walking towards the lake. She squinted her eyes to try and make out who they were, however they were too far away. She shrugged her shoulders, and then moved back into the room and shut the doors. As she turned around, a figure was standing behind her, and a hand clamped over her mouth as she was about to scream.
"Shh . . . Be quiet, Rini," the figure said in a deep, masculine voice. "If you promise not to scream, I'll remove my hand from your mouth." Rini nodded her head in silent agreement, and he slowly moved his hand. "There, that's much better," he said as his hands moved to her shoulders.
"W-who are you," she stammered. She tried to get away from him, however his grasp was firm.
"Surely you remember me, Rini," he retorted. He brushed aside a lock of his blonde hair, revealing a black, upside-down crescent moon, and locked his blue eyes onto her red ones.
"You're Lotus," she exclaimed.
"That's right, Rini," Lotus replied. "I'm glad you remember."
"What do you want from me," she asked as her eyes began to brim with tears.
"Now, now, none of that," he said, wiping away a stray tear that fell down her cheek. "I haven't come here to hurt you. I simply need your help."
"Then why does your partner always hurt me and my friends," she asked, not quite believing what she was hearing.
"You must mean Kite," he replied. "She has a different way of going about getting what she wants, that's all. She wouldn't intentionally hurt you, either."
"You're trying to trick me," Rini exclaimed. "You're a liar! You want to hurt me, too!" As she tried once again to get out of Lotus' grasp, an angry look flashed across his face.
"I would never lie you, Rini, ever," he exclaimed. He cupped her face in his hands, and smiled gently. "And I would never hurt you, Lotus Blossom." She gasped inwardly, and tears began to fill up her eyes again. "So, you truly know who I am now," he asked.
"Yes," she replied. "Only my . . . But why did you . . ."
"Rini," Lotus interrupted, releasing his hold on her, "will you come with me now? No harm will come to you." He moved back slightly, however she didn't move at all.
"How do I know who you really are," she asked. "How do I know you're not a fake? You look too different."
"Rini," he began, irritation creeping into his voice. "It's difficult to explain, but I am who you think I am." He studied her, and glanced towards her neck as the limited lighting caused the necklace she was wearing to sparkle. "You're wearing the necklace I gave you for your birthday, Rini." She met his eyes momentarily, and then walked over to the balcony doors, followed closely by Lotus.
"Oh," she said absently, gazing to the ground below. "It was Yuli, Mia, and Darien that left earlier. They're back now, and Lady Kayura is with them." Lotus narrowed his eyes, and made sure he stayed in the shadows.
'My time is running out,' he thought to himself as he watched the small girl. 'If my Master's prophecy was right, then Kayura is here to help the Ronins . . . the traitor.' He shook his head, and stared down at Rini. "If you will not go willingly, then I will take you, Rini," he told her. "What is your decision?"
To Be Continued . . .