AUTHORS NOTES
DISCLAIMERS: Rights to Sailor Moon are owned by Naoko Taceuchi, Kondansha Publishing, Toei, DiC, Optimum Productions, Cloverway...am I forgetting anything?
This story is supposed to provide an alternate story line to the Sailor Moon series. It starts after the Sailor Moon R series ends (the Death Phantom is destroyed and Rini goes home to Crystal Tokyo). The next events are of my own creation and do not relate to the Sailor Moon S series (at least not intentionally).
I finished this fanfic over a year ago, before the S and SuperS seasons were dubbed in America. Please excuse any attack names that are DiC-ish, because that is what I had to work with at the time. ;) This story, after looking back, seems a cross between Japanese and American references. So, please excuse the term "Negaverse" as opposed to "Dark Kingdom", because the story focuses on Jedite.
Anyway, please enjoy the story!
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CHAPTER 17
The time read two o'clock in the morning. However, to Irene, it seemed weeks. First, the burglar came in and gave everyone a scare. Now, Serena hadn't come home yet. At first, Irene didn't think anything about it. She went on these disappearing spells often, usually home before dinner. But that night, she didn't come home for dinner, or home period. Irene became worried.
She had called the police at eleven o'clock to report her missing. The officer said he would call if anything turned up, but that was it. Now she waited by the door, half asleep, waiting for her daughter to return home.
Serena's father walked up to Irene, with a grim look on his face. "Irene," he said putting his hand on her shoulder, "are you still waiting for her?"
Irene sighed. "Oh, Ken," she replied, "what if it's because of me?"
"What's because of you?" asked Ken.
Irene's head lowered. "That she hasn't come back," she muttered.
Ken took Irene's hand. "I know it's hard," he said, consoling her, "but we shouldn't blame ourselves. She's out there somewhere, and I know she's gonna come back safe."
"I'm just so afraid," Irene said plainly, finally sitting down on the sofa. "Like you said, she's out there somewhere, but we don't know where. She could have joined a gang, or could've been kidnapped, or something worse! Where could she be? I'm so worried."
"I know what you mean," said Ken, sitting down next to her. "But Serena's got a good head on her shoulders, even though she doesn't choose to use it that often." Irene managed to bring a smile to her lips, knowing this all too well from experience. "She's street-smart, and she knows how to stay out of trouble."
Irene felt some reassurance pass through her as Ken spoke. What he said was true Serena was street-smart and she did have a good head on her shoulders. Yet, something was eating at Irene from the inside. "You're probably right," she said. "I mean, she did just turn fifteen two weeks ago. And they say wisdom gets stronger with age. But…" she stopped suddenly.
"But what, Irene?" asked Ken.
"It's…it's just this feeling I have," Irene responded. "I can't explain it. I just feel like something's wrong."
It was then that both parents heard footsteps coming down the stairway. It was Sammy, rubbing his eyes. "What's goin' on?" he asked groggily. "What are you two still doin' up?"
Ken was the first to respond. "Well, your mother and I were just up for a while…talking."
Sammy could see past this a mile away. "You're both waiting for Serena, aren't you?"
Irene smiled. "You're a smart boy, Sammy," she remarked. "How did you know?"
"Well," Sammy began, "both of you are up in the middle of the night, and Serena's missin', so I kinda gathered."
"Where do you think she is, Sammy?" Ken asked. "I just want your opinion."
"I remember checking the arcade earlier," Sammy remarked. "I asked the guy that works there, Andrew, if he's seen her, but he didn't."
"Did you check anywhere else today?" asked Irene.
Sammy tried to remember the events from earlier in the day. "Oh yeah," he suddenly remembered, "I forgot to tell you! I checked one of her friend's houses. I didn't say anything, 'cause I didn't think it was important."
"What happened?" asked Ken.
"Okay," Sammy started, "well, I went to…um…what's her name? It began with an A…"
"Amy?" asked Irene.
"Yeah, that's it! Anyway, I went to her house. I asked Mrs. Anderson if she was there, but she said that Amy was missing, too!"
"This is peculiar," remarked Ken.
"We should check in with Serena's other friends in the morning," added Irene.
Ken stood up. "Anyway," he started, "we should all try and get some sleep. We're not going to get anything accomplished sitting in our pajamas."
"Your right," said Sammy. "Besides, when she does come back, she'll probably have half a cupcake in her mouth and already be out the door again!"
Both parents chuckled slightly as they made their way upstairs, knowing Sammy was trying to shed some light onto the darkness of the situation. As they we're climbing the stairs, Ken noticed something else. "Say, has anyone seen Luna around lately?"
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Sammy entered his room and closed the door, satisfied with his performance. With his mom and dad, he acted as if he was consoling them. But the truth was, he needed some consoling of his own.
He couldn't sleep the entire night. Mostly because of the burglar scare, but still, as much as he hated to admit it, he missed his sister as well.
He opened a desk drawer, removing a picture. It was from when he and Serena were on vacation. She had done one of her many movie star poses, while Sammy had put bunny ears on her. He sighed. "Hey, Meatball-head," he said aloud. He was looking at the picture, but talking to Serena, where ever she was. "Man, you really did it this time. Now everyone's lookin' for you. Look where ever you are, whatever you're doin', do us all a favor and come back." He hung his head low as a tear fell upon the picture. "I…I miss you."
Sammy put the picture down and fixed his gaze upon another object. It was the Sailor Moon doll that his friend, Mika, had made for him. Sammy picked up the doll, and looked into it's eyes. "It's times like these that I'm glad that Sailor Moon's around," Sammy remarked. "If Serena's ever in big trouble, Sailor Moon'll save her…" Sammy stopped for a second. Something clicked in his mind. "Wait a sec'," he thought aloud.
He picked up his picture of Serena and held it next to the Sailor Moon doll. He then began to compare the two. "Hmmm," he thought to himself. "They do look a lot alike. The eyes, that goofy hair style…"
Within a moment, he had made a connection. "The hair!" he said aloud. "No one except Serena could come up with the same goofy hairstyle! I should have known. Serena's Sailor Moon!"
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CHAPTER 18
(Author's Note: For all you Darien lovers out there, this chapter could also be titled: "Too Much of a Good Thing.")
A wave of dizziness passed over Darien, just like Artemis said. As it passed, he checked the surrounding area. It was pitch black; no light could be seen. "Where am I?" he asked himself. "I can't see a hand in front of my face."
Within a few moments, he could hear voices. Two to be exact. Following the sound, he walked toward to approximately where the voices were.
"Are you sure it's him?" asked the first voice.
"Yes!" responded the second voice. "Prince Endymion has arrived!
"What's he doing here?"
"That's what I'm trying to find out! He's not supposed to be out of time like this!"
"You don't think I know that?…Do you think he was expected?"
"Believe me, no one is invited unless they are expected."
"And the Master expects all who enter here."
"Should we check with him?"
"Yes, we should. Maybe he'll clear up the confusion we have."
"Maybe we should turn on the lights as well?"
"Yeah, that too."
And then there was silence. With a moment, Darien could hear footsteps walking away from him, and a door slamming in the distance. "Who's the 'Master' they were talking about?" he thought. "And why did they refer to me as Prince Endymion? This isn't making any sense."
As questions began to flood his mind, light began to filter into the place where he stood. He appeared to be in a small hallway. Doors appeared at both ends of the hall, and some along the walls as well. "Well, at least I know where I am," he said aloud. "The question is, where do I go from here?"
Suddenly, he heard a mysterious, yet familiar voice cry out to him. "Darien!" it boomed.
Somewhat startled, Darien looked to see where it was coming from. "Who's there?" he shouted. "Show yourself!"
"All your questions shall be answered in time," the voice boomed again. "For now, however, time is of the essence." A small ball of light appeared in front of Darien. "Follow the light, and you will know."
The light floated in front of one of the doors. Before Darien followed it, however, he took some time to think. "I know that voice," he thought. "I just can't place it." After a few moments of thinking, he decided the best thing to do was follow the mysterious light ball…
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It seemed like hours as Darien's journey continued. The light he followed took him through several dozen rooms, hallways, and corridors. He was getting tired and winded as well. However, a strange feeling crept over him as he traveled through the halls. He felt as if he had passed through here before. He felt a feeling of security pass through him, as if this was his home…
The light ball ceased it's movement in front a pair of double doors. Darien deduced that this was the place he needed to be. This was confirmed when he heard a voice coming from the other side. "Help me!" the voice screamed. "Somebody!"
Darien recognized the voice right away. "Serena?" he said aloud. "Serena! Hold on! I'm coming!"
With a rush of adrenaline, Darien thrust the doors open with his bare hands. He walked into a dark room, much like when he first entered the portal. However, there was one part of the room that was lit. A spotlight was shown on Serena, chained to a wall twenty feet in the air. From what Darien could see, she wore the dress of Princess Serenity, a shimmering white dress with current moons laced into the fabric. "Serena!" Darien called out to her.
Serena looked down upon him. "Darien?" she asked in disbelief. "Is it really you?"
"Yes, Serena!" Darien shouted back. "Hold one for one second and I'll get you down from there."
"Are you sure you're not a clone?" she shouted back.
There was a long pause before Darien answered. He was confused. That question came far out of left field. "What do you mean?" he asked.
"Nothing, never mind," said Serena, a bit unsure of herself. "Uh, can you still change into Tuxedo Mask?"
"Not at the moment," he said, not knowing where this conversation was going. "I thought you knew!"
A sigh of relief passed through Serena's lips. "It is you!" she shouted with joy. "I'm sorry, but I just had to make sure."
Darien smiled. "It's all right," he shouted back. "I'll get you down, somehow."
"You're going to have to do it fast before 'they' come back!" she remarked.
"Who are 'they'?" Darien asked.
A look of fear appeared on Serena's face. "On no!" she shouted. "They're right behind you! Duck!"
Darien heeded Serena's warning, crouching down low. Three objects whizzed over his head and punctured the wall in front of him. When the threat was over, torches throughout the room burst into flame, sending light throughout the room. Standing up, Darien went to expect the objects now protruding from the wall. They were three roses; one black, one white, one red.
Darien turned to the opposite direction, facing three shadows. "Who are you!" he demanded.
"You should know us Darien," cackled one shadow.
"You are us," remarked the second.
"And we are you," boomed the third.
The shadows stepped more into the light, making them more visible to Darien. The first was the most familiar, donning a black tuxedo with a white shirt and black top hat. However, he had a black rose clutched in his hand, signifying he was the evil Tuxedo Mask.
The second figure appeared much different. He wore robes of white with an Arab hood pulled over his head. A small dagger was strapped to a brown belt around his waist. In his hand, he held a white rose. He was the Moonlight Knight.
The third's appearance also differed from the first two. He wore a royal suit with a sword strapped to his side. The suit itself had a violet tone to it, with a red cape hanging from the back. He clutched a red rose in his hand. Darien knew that he represented Prince Endymion.
The Prince stepped forward, ahead of the other two. "We are your past, Darien," he said. "You must conquer us if you want to save your girl." The Prince made a couple hand gestures to the other two clones, preparing them to attack.
Darien shifted into a fighting stance. "You may be my past," he shouted towards them, "but you're can't harm me. My past has never harmed me!"
"Uh, I wouldn't be to sure about that!" shouted Serena, loud enough so all could hear.
"You should listen to the lady!" cackled Tuxedo Mask, throwing his rose toward Darien.
Using his instincts, Darien dodged the rose, and the battle began. The other two clones threw their roses as well, hoping to strike the intended target. Darien performed a forward somersault, out running and out gunning the two warriors.
The Moonlight Knight then began to charge at Darien. Darien managed to catch the Knight with a sweep kick, sending him flat on his back.
Then it was Tuxedo Mask's turn to charge. Darien tried the same maneuver, but Tuxedo Mask evaded. He jumped over the kick and managed to spring off a nearby wall as Darien rose. Tuxedo Mask was ready, kicking Darien in the stomach, and knocking him down with a fist to the face.
With Darien down, both Tuxedo Mask and Prince Endymion stood over him. The Prince unsheathed his sword and prepared a final strike. Darien, seeing the sword was over his neck, countered this the only way he knew how: a low blow. The Prince, once the blow hit, staggered back in pain. Sweeping Tuxedo Mask off his feet with another sweep kick, Darien made an escape from the deadly situation.
It was about this time that the Moonlight Knight came back to his senses. Realizing that brute force just wasn't enough, he reached for his dagger. Darien didn't see it coming as the Knight threw it at him.
The dagger pierced the shoulder of Darien's jacket, pinning him to the wall. Luckily, the dagger didn't pierce the shoulder itself. Temporarily disabled, he noticed the three roses protruding from the wall beside him. An idea began to form in his mind. "If the white and black roses represent good and evil," he thought, "what would happen if I used them on their opposites?"
Cautiously slipping out of his jacket, he made his way toward the three roses and grabbed the black one. He turned to face the clones, noticing that only two were making advances toward him. the Moonlight Knight seemed to be frozen in his tracks. Darien decided to use this to his advantage, throwing the black rose toward the fearful knight. The rose struck the knight's arm as he cowered in pain. As he did, both the Moonlight Knight and the rose vanished into the air.
"Interesting," Darien remarked. "Symbols of good and evil cancel eachother out."
The other two warriors started to charge at him. Darien took the white rose from the wall and concealed it as he performed more defensive maneuvers.
Tuxedo Mask pulled out his cane and began to use it like a sword. Darien kept being pushed back as Tuxedo Mask made violent swings at him. Eventually he was backed into a corner with nowhere left to run.
Tuxedo Mask held the cane close to Darien's neck. "Face it!" he cackled. "I'm the better man!"
Darien only smiled. "That attitude will cost you your life," he muttered, revealing the white rose. Tuxedo Mask, realizing the danger he was in, took a few steps back. Darien grabbed his arm and thrust the rose into it, causing the clone to fade away.
Darien had noticed that Tuxedo Mask's cane was still left behind. He decided to make good use of it as he headed toward the final clone.
Prince Endymion, sword still in hand, began to thrust at Darien. Darien used the cane to parry. A practical sword fight erupted as both men tried their best to catch eachother off guard.
Eventually the two locked their weapons, neither one of them budging. Darien saw this as the perfect time to get the edge. He kicked the Prince's sword out of his hand, sending it clattering to the floor. Kicking Endymion in the stomach, Darien scrambled to pick up the sword. He was the first to grab it, using it to corner the Prince.
Darien breathed hard as he held the sword to the Prince's neck. "Let Serena go!" he muttered through his teeth.
Prince Endymion looked into Darien's eyes. "You love her, don't you?" he asked.
"I'll give my life to protect her," he muttered once again.
Prince Endymion smiled. "In that case, I've seen enough."
With that said, the whole room began to glow in front of Darien's eyes. He took a few steps back, not knowing what was going to happen next. The walls around him seemed to dissolve into a crystal material. The torches vanished as well, seeing the crystal produced it's own natural light. Darien was amazed by the change. Even Prince Endymion had undergone a metamorphosis. He had changed into a different man in a grayish-blue suit. A mask covered his eyes, as did Tuxedo Mask's.
Darien recognized him from memory. Surprise and anger washed over him at the same time. "King Endymion?!?" he shouted. "All right, what's going on here!"
King Endymion raised as a hand, as if to signal Darien to stop talking. "Before you draw any conclusions, Darien, please let me explain," he said in a calm voice. "The main computer had detected a temporal rift in the fabric of time. When I checked it out, I noticed that the past was altered somewhat when your new enemies had taken your powers. Seeing the Sailor Scouts were traveling through the portal to the final tests, I modified it from the thirtieth century to bring you here."
"You mean I'm in Crystal Tokyo again?" he said in disbelief.
"Yes, Darien," Endymion continued. "you're in the Crystal Palace. Anyway, since there was no official test for the powers of Tuxedo Mask, I wanted to test you myself and see if you worthy for new powers. And you have passed, just as I thought you would."
"Thanks, I guess," said Darien, still somewhat unsure of himself. "It sure didn't look like the Crystal Palace when I came here."
"We had to disguise the walls and objects to avoid any suspicion," Endymion explained.
"I also heard a couple of voices when I came here," Darien remarked. "Who were they?"
"They're just a couple of guards stationed around the palace," Endymion explained. "Don't be concerned."
Then a voice from above began to speak. "Uh, excuse me, 'dearest'," she said, "but could you please get me down from here?"
Darien looked above him, seeing the girl still chained to the wall. "Neo-Queen Serenity, right?"
King Endymion started to snicker. "Right," he said. A control panel rose out of the floor from where Endymion was standing. He punched in a code, sending Neo-Queen Serenity back to ground level. "Sorry, sweetheart," he apologized.
Serenity smiled as the shackles were removed. "It's all right," she said reassuringly. Once she was released from the shackles, she turned toward Darien. "It's an honor meeting you for the first time," she remarked.
Darien smiled. "The honor is all mine," he said.
Before she said anything else, she walked toward the last remaining rose sticking out from the wall and plucked it. She then brought it to where Darien stood. "I'm sorry, Darien," she apologized, "but I was on this little 'charade' as well. Rini wanted to be here, but it is well past here bedtime. She has really taken a fancy to her 'Tuxedo Mask'." She took the rose and held it out to Darien. "Take this," she said. "You earned it."
Darien took the red rose that Neo-Queen Serenity had. The rose began to glow, and once again, Darien was clad in the familiar tuxedo. However, subtle differences could be distinguished from his old costume. His cummerbund was a golden color, and so was his lapel.
"I feel more powerful than before," Darien remarked. "I don't know how to thank you."
"Yes, your new rose does give you higher powers than the first one," said Endymion. "But there is no need to thank us. It is we who should thank you. It is the Sailor Scouts and yourself who saved us from certain doom. Please take these items of gratitude."
Three items appeared in front of Tuxedo Mask's eyes. Endymion held up the first one. It was a special sword with a rose inscription upon the hilt. "This is the Rose Sword," he explained. "There is a button upon the sword's hilt that will turn it from sword to staff." Tuxedo Mask nodded, testing out his new weapon, changing it from sword to staff to sword again.. After a few minutes of practice, he strapped it to his side.
Neo-Queen Serenity held the second item. "This is the Moon Lunar Staff," she explained. "Give this to my…counterpart. This is a thank-you gift from us for all she's done." Tuxedo Mask smiled as he held the weapon.
"The last item is a message sphere," Neo-Queen Serenity explained. "It contains a special message for the two of you from the three of us."
Tuxedo Mask smiled once more, picking up the dick-like object and placing it into his coat. It didn't seem look like an actual sphere, but maybe there was more to it than just it's appearance. "Thank you," he said. "I'll cherish these always."
After the gifts were given, a new portal opened in front of Tuxedo Mask. "You must go now," said Endymion. "You have it ceremony to attend."
Tuxedo Mask was confused. "A ceremony?" he asked.
Endymion smiled. "Everything will be explained when you get there." After all the good-byes were said, Tuxedo Mask stepped through the portal. "Good-bye, my friend, and good luck," wished Endymion as the portal closed.
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NEXT TIME...
A ceremony? What can this ceremony be about? Well, before we answer that question, it's Serena's turn to face the most important Guardian Trial of all...
DISCLAIMERS: Rights to Sailor Moon are owned by Naoko Taceuchi, Kondansha Publishing, Toei, DiC, Optimum Productions, Cloverway...am I forgetting anything?
This story is supposed to provide an alternate story line to the Sailor Moon series. It starts after the Sailor Moon R series ends (the Death Phantom is destroyed and Rini goes home to Crystal Tokyo). The next events are of my own creation and do not relate to the Sailor Moon S series (at least not intentionally).
I finished this fanfic over a year ago, before the S and SuperS seasons were dubbed in America. Please excuse any attack names that are DiC-ish, because that is what I had to work with at the time. ;) This story, after looking back, seems a cross between Japanese and American references. So, please excuse the term "Negaverse" as opposed to "Dark Kingdom", because the story focuses on Jedite.
Anyway, please enjoy the story!
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CHAPTER 17
The time read two o'clock in the morning. However, to Irene, it seemed weeks. First, the burglar came in and gave everyone a scare. Now, Serena hadn't come home yet. At first, Irene didn't think anything about it. She went on these disappearing spells often, usually home before dinner. But that night, she didn't come home for dinner, or home period. Irene became worried.
She had called the police at eleven o'clock to report her missing. The officer said he would call if anything turned up, but that was it. Now she waited by the door, half asleep, waiting for her daughter to return home.
Serena's father walked up to Irene, with a grim look on his face. "Irene," he said putting his hand on her shoulder, "are you still waiting for her?"
Irene sighed. "Oh, Ken," she replied, "what if it's because of me?"
"What's because of you?" asked Ken.
Irene's head lowered. "That she hasn't come back," she muttered.
Ken took Irene's hand. "I know it's hard," he said, consoling her, "but we shouldn't blame ourselves. She's out there somewhere, and I know she's gonna come back safe."
"I'm just so afraid," Irene said plainly, finally sitting down on the sofa. "Like you said, she's out there somewhere, but we don't know where. She could have joined a gang, or could've been kidnapped, or something worse! Where could she be? I'm so worried."
"I know what you mean," said Ken, sitting down next to her. "But Serena's got a good head on her shoulders, even though she doesn't choose to use it that often." Irene managed to bring a smile to her lips, knowing this all too well from experience. "She's street-smart, and she knows how to stay out of trouble."
Irene felt some reassurance pass through her as Ken spoke. What he said was true Serena was street-smart and she did have a good head on her shoulders. Yet, something was eating at Irene from the inside. "You're probably right," she said. "I mean, she did just turn fifteen two weeks ago. And they say wisdom gets stronger with age. But…" she stopped suddenly.
"But what, Irene?" asked Ken.
"It's…it's just this feeling I have," Irene responded. "I can't explain it. I just feel like something's wrong."
It was then that both parents heard footsteps coming down the stairway. It was Sammy, rubbing his eyes. "What's goin' on?" he asked groggily. "What are you two still doin' up?"
Ken was the first to respond. "Well, your mother and I were just up for a while…talking."
Sammy could see past this a mile away. "You're both waiting for Serena, aren't you?"
Irene smiled. "You're a smart boy, Sammy," she remarked. "How did you know?"
"Well," Sammy began, "both of you are up in the middle of the night, and Serena's missin', so I kinda gathered."
"Where do you think she is, Sammy?" Ken asked. "I just want your opinion."
"I remember checking the arcade earlier," Sammy remarked. "I asked the guy that works there, Andrew, if he's seen her, but he didn't."
"Did you check anywhere else today?" asked Irene.
Sammy tried to remember the events from earlier in the day. "Oh yeah," he suddenly remembered, "I forgot to tell you! I checked one of her friend's houses. I didn't say anything, 'cause I didn't think it was important."
"What happened?" asked Ken.
"Okay," Sammy started, "well, I went to…um…what's her name? It began with an A…"
"Amy?" asked Irene.
"Yeah, that's it! Anyway, I went to her house. I asked Mrs. Anderson if she was there, but she said that Amy was missing, too!"
"This is peculiar," remarked Ken.
"We should check in with Serena's other friends in the morning," added Irene.
Ken stood up. "Anyway," he started, "we should all try and get some sleep. We're not going to get anything accomplished sitting in our pajamas."
"Your right," said Sammy. "Besides, when she does come back, she'll probably have half a cupcake in her mouth and already be out the door again!"
Both parents chuckled slightly as they made their way upstairs, knowing Sammy was trying to shed some light onto the darkness of the situation. As they we're climbing the stairs, Ken noticed something else. "Say, has anyone seen Luna around lately?"
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Sammy entered his room and closed the door, satisfied with his performance. With his mom and dad, he acted as if he was consoling them. But the truth was, he needed some consoling of his own.
He couldn't sleep the entire night. Mostly because of the burglar scare, but still, as much as he hated to admit it, he missed his sister as well.
He opened a desk drawer, removing a picture. It was from when he and Serena were on vacation. She had done one of her many movie star poses, while Sammy had put bunny ears on her. He sighed. "Hey, Meatball-head," he said aloud. He was looking at the picture, but talking to Serena, where ever she was. "Man, you really did it this time. Now everyone's lookin' for you. Look where ever you are, whatever you're doin', do us all a favor and come back." He hung his head low as a tear fell upon the picture. "I…I miss you."
Sammy put the picture down and fixed his gaze upon another object. It was the Sailor Moon doll that his friend, Mika, had made for him. Sammy picked up the doll, and looked into it's eyes. "It's times like these that I'm glad that Sailor Moon's around," Sammy remarked. "If Serena's ever in big trouble, Sailor Moon'll save her…" Sammy stopped for a second. Something clicked in his mind. "Wait a sec'," he thought aloud.
He picked up his picture of Serena and held it next to the Sailor Moon doll. He then began to compare the two. "Hmmm," he thought to himself. "They do look a lot alike. The eyes, that goofy hair style…"
Within a moment, he had made a connection. "The hair!" he said aloud. "No one except Serena could come up with the same goofy hairstyle! I should have known. Serena's Sailor Moon!"
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CHAPTER 18
(Author's Note: For all you Darien lovers out there, this chapter could also be titled: "Too Much of a Good Thing.")
A wave of dizziness passed over Darien, just like Artemis said. As it passed, he checked the surrounding area. It was pitch black; no light could be seen. "Where am I?" he asked himself. "I can't see a hand in front of my face."
Within a few moments, he could hear voices. Two to be exact. Following the sound, he walked toward to approximately where the voices were.
"Are you sure it's him?" asked the first voice.
"Yes!" responded the second voice. "Prince Endymion has arrived!
"What's he doing here?"
"That's what I'm trying to find out! He's not supposed to be out of time like this!"
"You don't think I know that?…Do you think he was expected?"
"Believe me, no one is invited unless they are expected."
"And the Master expects all who enter here."
"Should we check with him?"
"Yes, we should. Maybe he'll clear up the confusion we have."
"Maybe we should turn on the lights as well?"
"Yeah, that too."
And then there was silence. With a moment, Darien could hear footsteps walking away from him, and a door slamming in the distance. "Who's the 'Master' they were talking about?" he thought. "And why did they refer to me as Prince Endymion? This isn't making any sense."
As questions began to flood his mind, light began to filter into the place where he stood. He appeared to be in a small hallway. Doors appeared at both ends of the hall, and some along the walls as well. "Well, at least I know where I am," he said aloud. "The question is, where do I go from here?"
Suddenly, he heard a mysterious, yet familiar voice cry out to him. "Darien!" it boomed.
Somewhat startled, Darien looked to see where it was coming from. "Who's there?" he shouted. "Show yourself!"
"All your questions shall be answered in time," the voice boomed again. "For now, however, time is of the essence." A small ball of light appeared in front of Darien. "Follow the light, and you will know."
The light floated in front of one of the doors. Before Darien followed it, however, he took some time to think. "I know that voice," he thought. "I just can't place it." After a few moments of thinking, he decided the best thing to do was follow the mysterious light ball…
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It seemed like hours as Darien's journey continued. The light he followed took him through several dozen rooms, hallways, and corridors. He was getting tired and winded as well. However, a strange feeling crept over him as he traveled through the halls. He felt as if he had passed through here before. He felt a feeling of security pass through him, as if this was his home…
The light ball ceased it's movement in front a pair of double doors. Darien deduced that this was the place he needed to be. This was confirmed when he heard a voice coming from the other side. "Help me!" the voice screamed. "Somebody!"
Darien recognized the voice right away. "Serena?" he said aloud. "Serena! Hold on! I'm coming!"
With a rush of adrenaline, Darien thrust the doors open with his bare hands. He walked into a dark room, much like when he first entered the portal. However, there was one part of the room that was lit. A spotlight was shown on Serena, chained to a wall twenty feet in the air. From what Darien could see, she wore the dress of Princess Serenity, a shimmering white dress with current moons laced into the fabric. "Serena!" Darien called out to her.
Serena looked down upon him. "Darien?" she asked in disbelief. "Is it really you?"
"Yes, Serena!" Darien shouted back. "Hold one for one second and I'll get you down from there."
"Are you sure you're not a clone?" she shouted back.
There was a long pause before Darien answered. He was confused. That question came far out of left field. "What do you mean?" he asked.
"Nothing, never mind," said Serena, a bit unsure of herself. "Uh, can you still change into Tuxedo Mask?"
"Not at the moment," he said, not knowing where this conversation was going. "I thought you knew!"
A sigh of relief passed through Serena's lips. "It is you!" she shouted with joy. "I'm sorry, but I just had to make sure."
Darien smiled. "It's all right," he shouted back. "I'll get you down, somehow."
"You're going to have to do it fast before 'they' come back!" she remarked.
"Who are 'they'?" Darien asked.
A look of fear appeared on Serena's face. "On no!" she shouted. "They're right behind you! Duck!"
Darien heeded Serena's warning, crouching down low. Three objects whizzed over his head and punctured the wall in front of him. When the threat was over, torches throughout the room burst into flame, sending light throughout the room. Standing up, Darien went to expect the objects now protruding from the wall. They were three roses; one black, one white, one red.
Darien turned to the opposite direction, facing three shadows. "Who are you!" he demanded.
"You should know us Darien," cackled one shadow.
"You are us," remarked the second.
"And we are you," boomed the third.
The shadows stepped more into the light, making them more visible to Darien. The first was the most familiar, donning a black tuxedo with a white shirt and black top hat. However, he had a black rose clutched in his hand, signifying he was the evil Tuxedo Mask.
The second figure appeared much different. He wore robes of white with an Arab hood pulled over his head. A small dagger was strapped to a brown belt around his waist. In his hand, he held a white rose. He was the Moonlight Knight.
The third's appearance also differed from the first two. He wore a royal suit with a sword strapped to his side. The suit itself had a violet tone to it, with a red cape hanging from the back. He clutched a red rose in his hand. Darien knew that he represented Prince Endymion.
The Prince stepped forward, ahead of the other two. "We are your past, Darien," he said. "You must conquer us if you want to save your girl." The Prince made a couple hand gestures to the other two clones, preparing them to attack.
Darien shifted into a fighting stance. "You may be my past," he shouted towards them, "but you're can't harm me. My past has never harmed me!"
"Uh, I wouldn't be to sure about that!" shouted Serena, loud enough so all could hear.
"You should listen to the lady!" cackled Tuxedo Mask, throwing his rose toward Darien.
Using his instincts, Darien dodged the rose, and the battle began. The other two clones threw their roses as well, hoping to strike the intended target. Darien performed a forward somersault, out running and out gunning the two warriors.
The Moonlight Knight then began to charge at Darien. Darien managed to catch the Knight with a sweep kick, sending him flat on his back.
Then it was Tuxedo Mask's turn to charge. Darien tried the same maneuver, but Tuxedo Mask evaded. He jumped over the kick and managed to spring off a nearby wall as Darien rose. Tuxedo Mask was ready, kicking Darien in the stomach, and knocking him down with a fist to the face.
With Darien down, both Tuxedo Mask and Prince Endymion stood over him. The Prince unsheathed his sword and prepared a final strike. Darien, seeing the sword was over his neck, countered this the only way he knew how: a low blow. The Prince, once the blow hit, staggered back in pain. Sweeping Tuxedo Mask off his feet with another sweep kick, Darien made an escape from the deadly situation.
It was about this time that the Moonlight Knight came back to his senses. Realizing that brute force just wasn't enough, he reached for his dagger. Darien didn't see it coming as the Knight threw it at him.
The dagger pierced the shoulder of Darien's jacket, pinning him to the wall. Luckily, the dagger didn't pierce the shoulder itself. Temporarily disabled, he noticed the three roses protruding from the wall beside him. An idea began to form in his mind. "If the white and black roses represent good and evil," he thought, "what would happen if I used them on their opposites?"
Cautiously slipping out of his jacket, he made his way toward the three roses and grabbed the black one. He turned to face the clones, noticing that only two were making advances toward him. the Moonlight Knight seemed to be frozen in his tracks. Darien decided to use this to his advantage, throwing the black rose toward the fearful knight. The rose struck the knight's arm as he cowered in pain. As he did, both the Moonlight Knight and the rose vanished into the air.
"Interesting," Darien remarked. "Symbols of good and evil cancel eachother out."
The other two warriors started to charge at him. Darien took the white rose from the wall and concealed it as he performed more defensive maneuvers.
Tuxedo Mask pulled out his cane and began to use it like a sword. Darien kept being pushed back as Tuxedo Mask made violent swings at him. Eventually he was backed into a corner with nowhere left to run.
Tuxedo Mask held the cane close to Darien's neck. "Face it!" he cackled. "I'm the better man!"
Darien only smiled. "That attitude will cost you your life," he muttered, revealing the white rose. Tuxedo Mask, realizing the danger he was in, took a few steps back. Darien grabbed his arm and thrust the rose into it, causing the clone to fade away.
Darien had noticed that Tuxedo Mask's cane was still left behind. He decided to make good use of it as he headed toward the final clone.
Prince Endymion, sword still in hand, began to thrust at Darien. Darien used the cane to parry. A practical sword fight erupted as both men tried their best to catch eachother off guard.
Eventually the two locked their weapons, neither one of them budging. Darien saw this as the perfect time to get the edge. He kicked the Prince's sword out of his hand, sending it clattering to the floor. Kicking Endymion in the stomach, Darien scrambled to pick up the sword. He was the first to grab it, using it to corner the Prince.
Darien breathed hard as he held the sword to the Prince's neck. "Let Serena go!" he muttered through his teeth.
Prince Endymion looked into Darien's eyes. "You love her, don't you?" he asked.
"I'll give my life to protect her," he muttered once again.
Prince Endymion smiled. "In that case, I've seen enough."
With that said, the whole room began to glow in front of Darien's eyes. He took a few steps back, not knowing what was going to happen next. The walls around him seemed to dissolve into a crystal material. The torches vanished as well, seeing the crystal produced it's own natural light. Darien was amazed by the change. Even Prince Endymion had undergone a metamorphosis. He had changed into a different man in a grayish-blue suit. A mask covered his eyes, as did Tuxedo Mask's.
Darien recognized him from memory. Surprise and anger washed over him at the same time. "King Endymion?!?" he shouted. "All right, what's going on here!"
King Endymion raised as a hand, as if to signal Darien to stop talking. "Before you draw any conclusions, Darien, please let me explain," he said in a calm voice. "The main computer had detected a temporal rift in the fabric of time. When I checked it out, I noticed that the past was altered somewhat when your new enemies had taken your powers. Seeing the Sailor Scouts were traveling through the portal to the final tests, I modified it from the thirtieth century to bring you here."
"You mean I'm in Crystal Tokyo again?" he said in disbelief.
"Yes, Darien," Endymion continued. "you're in the Crystal Palace. Anyway, since there was no official test for the powers of Tuxedo Mask, I wanted to test you myself and see if you worthy for new powers. And you have passed, just as I thought you would."
"Thanks, I guess," said Darien, still somewhat unsure of himself. "It sure didn't look like the Crystal Palace when I came here."
"We had to disguise the walls and objects to avoid any suspicion," Endymion explained.
"I also heard a couple of voices when I came here," Darien remarked. "Who were they?"
"They're just a couple of guards stationed around the palace," Endymion explained. "Don't be concerned."
Then a voice from above began to speak. "Uh, excuse me, 'dearest'," she said, "but could you please get me down from here?"
Darien looked above him, seeing the girl still chained to the wall. "Neo-Queen Serenity, right?"
King Endymion started to snicker. "Right," he said. A control panel rose out of the floor from where Endymion was standing. He punched in a code, sending Neo-Queen Serenity back to ground level. "Sorry, sweetheart," he apologized.
Serenity smiled as the shackles were removed. "It's all right," she said reassuringly. Once she was released from the shackles, she turned toward Darien. "It's an honor meeting you for the first time," she remarked.
Darien smiled. "The honor is all mine," he said.
Before she said anything else, she walked toward the last remaining rose sticking out from the wall and plucked it. She then brought it to where Darien stood. "I'm sorry, Darien," she apologized, "but I was on this little 'charade' as well. Rini wanted to be here, but it is well past here bedtime. She has really taken a fancy to her 'Tuxedo Mask'." She took the rose and held it out to Darien. "Take this," she said. "You earned it."
Darien took the red rose that Neo-Queen Serenity had. The rose began to glow, and once again, Darien was clad in the familiar tuxedo. However, subtle differences could be distinguished from his old costume. His cummerbund was a golden color, and so was his lapel.
"I feel more powerful than before," Darien remarked. "I don't know how to thank you."
"Yes, your new rose does give you higher powers than the first one," said Endymion. "But there is no need to thank us. It is we who should thank you. It is the Sailor Scouts and yourself who saved us from certain doom. Please take these items of gratitude."
Three items appeared in front of Tuxedo Mask's eyes. Endymion held up the first one. It was a special sword with a rose inscription upon the hilt. "This is the Rose Sword," he explained. "There is a button upon the sword's hilt that will turn it from sword to staff." Tuxedo Mask nodded, testing out his new weapon, changing it from sword to staff to sword again.. After a few minutes of practice, he strapped it to his side.
Neo-Queen Serenity held the second item. "This is the Moon Lunar Staff," she explained. "Give this to my…counterpart. This is a thank-you gift from us for all she's done." Tuxedo Mask smiled as he held the weapon.
"The last item is a message sphere," Neo-Queen Serenity explained. "It contains a special message for the two of you from the three of us."
Tuxedo Mask smiled once more, picking up the dick-like object and placing it into his coat. It didn't seem look like an actual sphere, but maybe there was more to it than just it's appearance. "Thank you," he said. "I'll cherish these always."
After the gifts were given, a new portal opened in front of Tuxedo Mask. "You must go now," said Endymion. "You have it ceremony to attend."
Tuxedo Mask was confused. "A ceremony?" he asked.
Endymion smiled. "Everything will be explained when you get there." After all the good-byes were said, Tuxedo Mask stepped through the portal. "Good-bye, my friend, and good luck," wished Endymion as the portal closed.
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NEXT TIME...
A ceremony? What can this ceremony be about? Well, before we answer that question, it's Serena's turn to face the most important Guardian Trial of all...