Chapter Fourteen
Darien awoke. He was back in the room with the scouts. Then he remembered what had happened. He quickly rose. Diamonds body was gone and the dome was dark. Serena didn't move. She looked very pale. Darien quickly threw the darkened glass down with a crash and picked up Serena. Tears streamed down his face.
" Oh, my love. Serena!" he cried, " You can't be dead! Serena, came back to me!" The scouts began to cry. Then a low rumble could be heard and the room began shaking. Suddenly, the ceiling started to cave in.
" The labrynth is falling apart!" Mars yelled over the noise(AN: Oh, you think, Mars??), " We've got to get out of here!"
Heading for the entrance, they ran, dodging falling debris. They made their way through the corridors and finally out through the main entrance of the labrynth as everything came crashing down behind them.
As the dust settled, the scouts crowed around Darien. His prince uniform appeared again as he held Serena.
" Oh, Serena. I'm so sorry," Darien wept. His tears fell on her face as he kissed her. Suddenly, she began to glow. The scouts moved away as Serena was enveloped in a bright light. There was a flash and everyone gasped because of what happened next. Images flashed through their minds: a dark battle, death of the moon, Serena in a senshi fuka, a dark woman, earth, Serena and Darien killed, Queen Serenity sacrificing her life for her daughter and kingdom, a bright flash, and then nothing.
They stared at each other in utter silence. Then Serena stirred. Darien anxiously watched. Slowly her eyes opened. Darien cried joyfully, " Serena! You're alive!" He clutched her, weeping for joy. Serena weakly smiled. He pulled away and gently kissed her. They held each other lovingly.
The scouts cried for joy. Suddenly a glow grew in front of them. " Well done. You all have done well."
Jupiter stepped forward, " Sailor Pluto, what are these images we have been seeing? Are they from this future?" she asked worriedly.
Pluto looked sad, " Yes, I'm afraid they are." Jupiter grew shaken, " But the future can't be death. There must…"
" We must not talk about such things," Pluto interrupted, " Are you ready to return?"
Darien stood, carrying Serena as she lay her head against his shoulder. He noticed the black ring on her finger that Diamond had gave her. She gasped as it vanished and the ring Darien gave her appeared. She smiled contentedly.
" We are ready, Sailor Pluto," Darien said. The scouts stood to attention behind him. Pluto raised her staff as it glowed. They were suddenly in a place of mist, in front of a large door. Pluto stood beside it. " Here is the place of time. But you will remember nothing of this enemy or where you have been. All you will remember, scouts, is the power you have. You will need to be trained and become better fighters. You also will remember nothing of the future you have seen. It only happened because of the effects of being in the future. I am sorry, Prince Darien, but your transformation and power will not be remembered either. One day though, you will use your power of roses once again. You all will also not remember this place. Has everything I have told you made sense?" (AN: *scratches her head*)
They nodded.(AN: Well, I'm glad they know 'cause I'm lost.) Pluto waved her staff and the door was opened and the inside glowed. " Through her. One day, we shall meet again."
Darien went through first with Serena and the scouts followed. Mist whirled around, then a flash and they were in the Moon Palace throne room.
Serenity stood from her throne and ran to them. Darien let Serena down and she ran to her mother. Tears streamed down their faces as they embraced. " Oh, my daughter. I am so happy you've been returned!"
" Mother, I've missed you so!" Serena said. She pulled away gently, " But where have I been?"
The generals were looking at the scouts strangely. " Where are the princess'?"
The scouts giggled, " Silly!" Lita laughed, " It's us!"
The generals looked at them harder. " You know," Zoicite said, looking at Mercury, " She does have that unmistakable hair of Princess Ami."
" Yeah," said Jadeite, turning to Mars, " and she has that kind of look that says, ' I'm dangerous'."
Mars came up and punched Jadeite playfully in the arm. " Hey! I resent that!" she said
Jadeite laughed, grabbing his arm in mock pain. " Yep! That's her!" Then all the Generals grabbed for each of their loves, laughing. The scouts' fuka's changed back into the princess' dresses.
" But you do not remember where you've been?" Malachite questioned.
" No," they each said. " But," Ami said, " we remember a power we all have."
" Then you will need to be trained," Artemis said.(AN: *jumps from her chair* Whoa! Where'd that cat come from? Didn't realize he was there!)
" I am very happy at the return of my daughter," Serenity said, " and there will be a celebration tonight."
Serena walked over to Darien as the others left the room. " Should we tell them?" Serena asked.
Darien held her lovingly, " No. Not yet. Your mother will want time with you. We can announce it in a few months, my dearest."
Serena smiled, " I am happy to be home, my love. Even though I do not remember where I was." (AN: Sorry for repeating myself. Just making sure I get the point across.)
Darien flicked his hand and a rose appeared. Serena was amazed. " How did you do that?"
" I do not know." Darien handed it to Serena. " For you, my sweet."
She took it and smiled, " To many happy years."
They leaned in for a kiss as the stars sparkled over them.
~%@~%@~%@~
Somewhere, on a dark moon, a man glowered at the image of the happy couple he saw in his table top. He was gingerly holding ice to his injured eye but nothing could help his injured pride.
" I shall have you yet, my princess!" he angrily mumbled, " Sooner or later, I will win!"
" Do not fret, Prince Diamond," A voice said behind him from the shadows, " There is yet another who will help in accomplishing our task. You must give up this frivolous task of chasing an impossible dream."
" I do not ask your opinion, Wise Man!" Diamond said angrily. Wise Man disappeared. Diamond looked back at the table, then at a hologram on another table of a beautiful woman wearing a crown. She seemed to be kneeling so lovingly. Diamond looked at it intently.
" Soon," he said quietly, " You will be mine, Neo Queen Serenity!"
*%@*%@*%@*%@*
Darien awoke. He was back in the room with the scouts. Then he remembered what had happened. He quickly rose. Diamonds body was gone and the dome was dark. Serena didn't move. She looked very pale. Darien quickly threw the darkened glass down with a crash and picked up Serena. Tears streamed down his face.
" Oh, my love. Serena!" he cried, " You can't be dead! Serena, came back to me!" The scouts began to cry. Then a low rumble could be heard and the room began shaking. Suddenly, the ceiling started to cave in.
" The labrynth is falling apart!" Mars yelled over the noise(AN: Oh, you think, Mars??), " We've got to get out of here!"
Heading for the entrance, they ran, dodging falling debris. They made their way through the corridors and finally out through the main entrance of the labrynth as everything came crashing down behind them.
As the dust settled, the scouts crowed around Darien. His prince uniform appeared again as he held Serena.
" Oh, Serena. I'm so sorry," Darien wept. His tears fell on her face as he kissed her. Suddenly, she began to glow. The scouts moved away as Serena was enveloped in a bright light. There was a flash and everyone gasped because of what happened next. Images flashed through their minds: a dark battle, death of the moon, Serena in a senshi fuka, a dark woman, earth, Serena and Darien killed, Queen Serenity sacrificing her life for her daughter and kingdom, a bright flash, and then nothing.
They stared at each other in utter silence. Then Serena stirred. Darien anxiously watched. Slowly her eyes opened. Darien cried joyfully, " Serena! You're alive!" He clutched her, weeping for joy. Serena weakly smiled. He pulled away and gently kissed her. They held each other lovingly.
The scouts cried for joy. Suddenly a glow grew in front of them. " Well done. You all have done well."
Jupiter stepped forward, " Sailor Pluto, what are these images we have been seeing? Are they from this future?" she asked worriedly.
Pluto looked sad, " Yes, I'm afraid they are." Jupiter grew shaken, " But the future can't be death. There must…"
" We must not talk about such things," Pluto interrupted, " Are you ready to return?"
Darien stood, carrying Serena as she lay her head against his shoulder. He noticed the black ring on her finger that Diamond had gave her. She gasped as it vanished and the ring Darien gave her appeared. She smiled contentedly.
" We are ready, Sailor Pluto," Darien said. The scouts stood to attention behind him. Pluto raised her staff as it glowed. They were suddenly in a place of mist, in front of a large door. Pluto stood beside it. " Here is the place of time. But you will remember nothing of this enemy or where you have been. All you will remember, scouts, is the power you have. You will need to be trained and become better fighters. You also will remember nothing of the future you have seen. It only happened because of the effects of being in the future. I am sorry, Prince Darien, but your transformation and power will not be remembered either. One day though, you will use your power of roses once again. You all will also not remember this place. Has everything I have told you made sense?" (AN: *scratches her head*)
They nodded.(AN: Well, I'm glad they know 'cause I'm lost.) Pluto waved her staff and the door was opened and the inside glowed. " Through her. One day, we shall meet again."
Darien went through first with Serena and the scouts followed. Mist whirled around, then a flash and they were in the Moon Palace throne room.
Serenity stood from her throne and ran to them. Darien let Serena down and she ran to her mother. Tears streamed down their faces as they embraced. " Oh, my daughter. I am so happy you've been returned!"
" Mother, I've missed you so!" Serena said. She pulled away gently, " But where have I been?"
The generals were looking at the scouts strangely. " Where are the princess'?"
The scouts giggled, " Silly!" Lita laughed, " It's us!"
The generals looked at them harder. " You know," Zoicite said, looking at Mercury, " She does have that unmistakable hair of Princess Ami."
" Yeah," said Jadeite, turning to Mars, " and she has that kind of look that says, ' I'm dangerous'."
Mars came up and punched Jadeite playfully in the arm. " Hey! I resent that!" she said
Jadeite laughed, grabbing his arm in mock pain. " Yep! That's her!" Then all the Generals grabbed for each of their loves, laughing. The scouts' fuka's changed back into the princess' dresses.
" But you do not remember where you've been?" Malachite questioned.
" No," they each said. " But," Ami said, " we remember a power we all have."
" Then you will need to be trained," Artemis said.(AN: *jumps from her chair* Whoa! Where'd that cat come from? Didn't realize he was there!)
" I am very happy at the return of my daughter," Serenity said, " and there will be a celebration tonight."
Serena walked over to Darien as the others left the room. " Should we tell them?" Serena asked.
Darien held her lovingly, " No. Not yet. Your mother will want time with you. We can announce it in a few months, my dearest."
Serena smiled, " I am happy to be home, my love. Even though I do not remember where I was." (AN: Sorry for repeating myself. Just making sure I get the point across.)
Darien flicked his hand and a rose appeared. Serena was amazed. " How did you do that?"
" I do not know." Darien handed it to Serena. " For you, my sweet."
She took it and smiled, " To many happy years."
They leaned in for a kiss as the stars sparkled over them.
~%@~%@~%@~
Somewhere, on a dark moon, a man glowered at the image of the happy couple he saw in his table top. He was gingerly holding ice to his injured eye but nothing could help his injured pride.
" I shall have you yet, my princess!" he angrily mumbled, " Sooner or later, I will win!"
" Do not fret, Prince Diamond," A voice said behind him from the shadows, " There is yet another who will help in accomplishing our task. You must give up this frivolous task of chasing an impossible dream."
" I do not ask your opinion, Wise Man!" Diamond said angrily. Wise Man disappeared. Diamond looked back at the table, then at a hologram on another table of a beautiful woman wearing a crown. She seemed to be kneeling so lovingly. Diamond looked at it intently.
" Soon," he said quietly, " You will be mine, Neo Queen Serenity!"
*%@*%@*%@*%@*