Finally, I'm able to type up the next part. Gomen to all ^^; and especially to my regular advent fans (you know who you are). I've been real busy and homework is heavy. I'm still writing up chapter ten. But without further ado, here's the next chapter.

*~SFS~*

Chapter Nine
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The Unknown/Memories
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Rei entered the building and headed for the elevator. She pressed the button, waited while thinking why Darien had asked her over. The door opened and she entered, hit a floor button and waited, again going over in her mind his call. It hadn't really made sense, only that she should come over, help him with something that was very strange and to hurry. Strange.

The door rang and opened. She walked a bit, went up a small flight of stairs and stopped suddenly at the top. She felt a very strange energy. As she continued to Darien door the feeling grew. Something was wrong. She rapped quickly at his door and it opened almost immedietly. Darien had a baffled look as she entered, "Rei, I don't understand what's going on with Serena and Adnama. They won't wake up."

"Who?" Rei entered the living room and saw the two girls, each laying on seperate couches. One was Serena with Luna beside her, but the other Rei had never seen before. Her hair was very long, draped over her body, a conflisting color of dark gold tinged red. There was a hue like moonlight but only for a moment. Her hair seemed dark beneath but light above where a glittering hair band held it back from her face, revealing the darker color. Darien blinked. Hadn't her hair been striped, sort of? He shrugged. Maybe she had dyed it the day before and he hadn't noticed till now. The cat from before lay beside her.

Rei walked up and knelt beside the couch of the strange girl, "This must be Adnama." Darien nodded, "She goes to my school. Freshman or sophomore, I think."

Rei looked closer and gasped. The energy came from this girl. She closed her eyes and reached out her hand, her fingers just centimeters from Adnanma's face, when there was something like a small shock. Rei jerked her hand back, opening her eyes. Frowning, she wondered if it had only been static electricity. Or not. She looked to Darien, "How long have you known her?"

Darien scratched his head, "Well, she moved here about a year ago from, hmmm, Canada I believe but she looks like she wasn't born there originally. Her Japanese is too perfect for that. I don't know much about her family but she usually keeps to herself and started going to my school about the time I returned from my, well, supposed trip to America. Too bad it never worked out."

Rei nodded, remembering how Darien's trip had been cut short by Galaxia. Then she started, "Hey, Darien. How did she get here?" she raised an eyebrow.

Darien rubbed his head, looking awkward and told her the whole thing. Rei chuckled a bit at Serena's quick exit, "She always was one to presume too soon. Now, how to wake them up." She noticed Luna glaring at the other cat who ignored her, "Luna?"

Luna jerked her head up, "Yes?"

Rei stared harder. Luna spoke, "What? Can't a cat look into space?"

"Funny how that space is taken up by another cat," Rei sighed, "Okay, Luna, how should we wake them?"

"I don't think they'll wake up here. They're too close." The others looked confused, "Well, I'd guess there is some kind of thing causing each of them to collapse. It makes sense." She told them when she had seen Adnama in pain and how Serena had nearly collapsed near the library." It happened each time they've been near each other."

"So what should we do?" Darien asked, "How much distance should they be from each other and how do we find out what's causing this reaction?"

"Darien, I'm no doctor. I'm not sure where to begin." Rei looked again at the girl. She seemed so strange, her face a mixture of sadness and confusion. For some reason, Rei felt pity for her though she didn't know why. 'Darien, Why don't you take Serena in your room. Maybe a wall will make a difference.

Darien nodded, took up Serena and went into his room, closing the door. Rei turned back to Adnama, "Now, let's see what's troubling you." Rei reached out again and placed her hand on Adnama's head. As soon as she touched a shot of images zoomed before her mind as well as sounds. Screams, shouts, an explosion, a child's laughter, a beautiful face, moonlight, stars, tears of ultimate sadness, a barren waste land, stingy energy, a bright light.

Rei jerked away. Something like a firewall had pushed her away. She felt dizzy, as if she had bee thrown against a wall. She became aware that Adnama had suddenly drew a deep breath and jerked up. She was scrambling into the corner of the couch, a scared and surprised expression on her face. The cat who had been laying peacefully, now stood arched, hissing, almost looking as if she were guarding Adnama. Rei drew further away, still sitting on the floor. Luna, who had been observing quietly now snapped at the cat, "Enough of that! There's no need to be so over protective!"

The cat growled at Luna and then sat closer to Adnama, no longer arched or hissing but still glaring at Rei and Luna. Adnama still seemed scared, her eyes wide, "Who are you?" she whispered, "What did you do?"

Rei seemed equally surprised and stuttered a bit, which wasn't like her at all, "I-I d-didn't mean to... I mean, it wasn't meant to... Luna?" She turned to the black cat for help.

Luna sighed, "Well, she already knows I talk." she carefully went foreword to Adnama. The tabby again raised her hair and growled at Luna. Luna grew impatient.

"Now look, Miss Kitty! Your snarl attitude is ticking me off! I'm not going to do anything." She sat in front of them. Mitts glowered but was quiet and Adnama relaxed a little.

"Now," Luna started, "What happened, I believe, is when Rei, that's her," gesturing to Rei, "tried to make a connection with your mind, she must have triggered something which in turn woke you, most likely painfully."

Adnama was more relaxed now and not so huddled, "Y-yes," she spoke shyly, "It hurt. I thought she was trying to attack me." She looked at Rei, "Are you... friends with Darien?"

Rei nodded, "For quite a number of years. I'm also Serena's best friend," she frowned a bit, "You're not trying to make a move on him, are you?"

Adnama blushed deeply, "Oh no. I-I'm just friends with him at school." she looked awkward, "I think Serena misunderstood that too." Then she looked around confused, "Where's Darien?"

"He took Serena into the other room."

Adnama looked surprised, "Did she come back when I passed out?"

Luna shook her head, "She passed out shortly after leaving. Then we found you passed out." Her eyes narrowed, "You haven't put this together yet, have you?"

Adnama looked bewildered. Rei explained their theory to her. "That does make sense," Adnama thought. She absently began petting Mitts who still eyed Luna carefully. ::Whatever happens:: Mitts thought to Adnama, ::don't give anything away. You know nothing.::

Luna looked suspicious, "Adnama, is your cat always this finicky?"

Adnama laughed softly, "Oh, I don't know. You should ask my niece. She had her longer."

"Oh," Rei perked up, "Does she go to school here?" Maybe Rini knew her from her previous visit to the past.

"Uh, no. S-she's kind of visiting." she nervously twiddled her fingers. Mitts automatically pawed at her hand, causing her to stop. "I, uh, don't think I can be anymore help and I really should be g-going." She rose, stumbling a bit and feeling tired, leaning a bit. Mitts looked concerned up at her.

Rei got up and took a step forward, "Are you feeling alright?"

Adnama absently nodded, her eyes half closed, "I-I'll be alright. Tell Darien 'thank you' for me. Good bye."

Adnama quickly left the apartment with Mitts close behind. She hurried down the hall and into the elevator. Mitts quickly went in as the doors closed. Adnama leaned against the wall after pressing the ground floor button, and sighed.

"You looked pale in there, Adnama," Mitts said worried.

"I think it's passing," Adnama felt her forehead, "What is wrong with me. I don't think I'm catching anything and I've never been known to faint before."

"I believe that those two may have been right."

"You make it sound like I'm an allergy to her or something."

Mitts eyes furrowed, "Now, just that there's something, I don't know what, about that girl. The dark haired one. She had a strange power, very strong. Something caused you to awake and I'd like to know what."

* * *

Serena was dreaming again. At least, she had to be but everything around her felt so real. She was skipping along a marble hallway, humming. She was wearing her white gown but something felt different. Glancing at a passing mirror, she was surprised to see herself six years old, her hair in the same style, dragging a bit on the floor and a rosy expression on her face. Again, she felt she was just along for the ride in the back of her past life's mind. But she had never remembered this far back before.

For some reason, she felt she wasn't in the moon palace. She was somewhere else, yet it was familiar. Her body stopped as some regal ladies passed and Serenity walked politely and lady-like. Then when they were out of sight, she ran.

She soon came outside to a lovely garden with birds singing and flowers everywhere. She gazed up and Serena was startled to see rainbow nebulas in the sky, glittering. Also, she could see a large blue planet, not much different from Earth and yet the continents were shaped differently. Serenity, Serena's body, was not surprised to see this and seemed to love it. Looking down again, she saw a beautiful marble fountain with a faerie centerpiece. Serenity ran to it and laughed joyfully at the little rainbow colored fish swimming. Then she heard another child's happy laughter. Looking around the fountain she saw another six-year-old girl, long strawberry blond hair that went to her heels, flying freely. She wore a soft blue medieval gown with long sleeves that opened into drooping cuffs, and a silver belt that hung from her waist down the center. She also wore rather loosely a sliver circlet that sat at a messy angle on her head. She was dancing about with some very small winged creatures. Faeries, Serenity's mind said.

Then, the girl stopped and saw Serenity. The faeries disappeared quickly as the girl squealed with joy as did Serenity, "Ser!"

"Adna!"

The two girls laughed and ran to each other, hugging and laughing for joy.

"Oh, Ser! I've missed you! It's been so long since you came last."

They pulled apart and Serenity was beaming, "I know. We had some trouble but mamma took care of it. But I've missed you, Adna." The two girls walked hand in hand through the garden, chattering about new things, games they could play and old memories.

"Oh," Adna jumped, "I've gotta show you a new secret place!"

Ser giggled, "Auntie 'Gelica would be disappointed with you grammer. As my tutor always says," she cleared her throat and mimicked the deep voice of her teacher, "'It is 'strocious for a princess to speak in such an un-lady like manner'." The two of them burst out laughing and ended up rolling on the grass. Serenity again mimicked her tutor on how a princess should not roll on the ground like a dog and they laughed again until tears came from their eyes. In the back of Serenity's mind, Serena sighed happily. She liked this dream. It was the first in days that she had a nice one.

Soon, the girls helped each other up again, giggling now and then as Adna ran leading Ser to the "Secret Place". It was a grove of trees surrounding a beautiful meadow and a long pond entering in. They were beyond the palace grounds as Adna had found a small enclave to squeeze both herself and Ser through and into the Enchanted Woods. Ser gasped, "Oh, Adna, it's beautiful!"

Adna beamed, "And look here." She led them to the pond and kneeled beside it, touching its glass top water. It rippled and sparkled as images of another world appeared. Ser gasped in delight, "How did you do that?"

"I don't know," Adna whispered, "When I was playing here I was going to take a drink but when I touched the water, that showed up." she leaned in, "I think it's Endora."

"Endora?"

"The big planet in the sky. I've always wished to see it but I'm too young," she sighed, "So, I watch here."

They saw suddenly another small girl, a bit older then they, running down a hallway and into an older boy, giggling.

"I think they are the prince and princess there."

"How can you tell?" Ser asked.

"Their clothes. Very royal looking. I saw their dad once. I guess they lost their mom."

"Oh," Ser said sadly. She knew how it felt. She had never known her father and felt that absence in her heart. She leaned in and her hair fell in, causing it to ripple again, changing the image. Now it was a different place and Ser saw a dark haired boy. He looked a bit silly with a smudge of dirt on his face and wild hair but by his clothes, he looked royal too.

Adna giggled too, "I've never seen him before."

Ser giggled, "That's Prince Endymion. He lives on Earth. I met him once when mamma took me to visit Earth. He's kinda mean sometimes, teasing me but sometimes he's nice when there aren't other boy's around."

Adna giggled, "Does he always wear mud on his face?"

The girls set off laughing until Ser saw something behind Endymion. She paused and leaned in. It was a girl, a bit away, looking kinda upset and yet, her eyes looked possessively at Endymion. Ser leaned in closer until all of a sudden...

Splash! Adna stopped laughing and got scared, "Ser! Ser, oh no!" But soon, Ser came up with a lily pad sitting on her head. Adna tried not to laugh, her lips twitching until she couldn't help it. She rolled on the ground laughing. Ser glared at her until her lips turned sly, "Oh, Adna?"

Adna got up, still chuckling, tears rolling down her face, "Yes?"

Ser crooked a finger for her to come and Adna slowly did, giggling and suddenly Ser grabbed her and pulled her in. Adna came up sputtering and glared at Ser who was laughing. Soon they began an all out water fight.

Later they ran, giggling, dripping wet and dirty, through the palace gardens. "We better change before our mamma's see us," Adna whispered.

"Too late!" The girls stopped in their tracks, inches from the palace steps and slowly turned.

"Oh dear," Ser whispered. In Ser's mind, Serena was surprised and yet happy to see her mother. There was another lady with her, the same height and hair length. The lady's hair was a shimmering silvery white blond, done up in a large bun with a braided tail reaching the ground and a silver circlet, with a small emerald faerie on the front, encircled her head, so that the faerie was dead center of her forehead. She wore a forest green dress, much like Adna's with a silver belt and all, but also tiny jewels encrusted on the belt and edging her low collar. Her silvery blue eyes stared hard on Adna as Ser's mother did on her.

"Serenity, how in all the Universe did you get soaking wet?"

"It was my fault, Auntie Serenity," Adna stepped forward meekly, "We were playing and I accidentally pushed her into the fountain." She wasn't about to say that she had broken rules and left the palace grounds.

"And as for you, Adna. How did you get wet?" her mother asked.

Ser meekly joined Adna, "I kinda pulled her in."

"Kind 'of', Serenity," Queen Serenity corrected, "What would your tutor say?"

Ser began mimicking under her breath again as Adna's lips twitched with amusement.

"Princess'!" They stopped and stared forward, "You two go and change. It wouldn't do for the court to see you like this. Go now."

"Yes, mother." "Yes, Aunt 'Gelica." The two grabbed hands and scurried away but stopped suddenly when they saw Adna's father, King Fiore, standing behind a pillar and chuckling. He winked at them and gestured for them to leave, setting them giggling as they ran.

Then suddenly, Serena found herself standing and watching them go as she stayed. She looked in the garden where her mother chatted. Serena sadly sighed as she saw the girl's giggle and run. It seemed to her that she could faintly hear the sounds of explosions and battle, cries of terror, a scream of agony of someone losing a loved one. It startled her, seeing nothing and yet it sounded like Ser's aunt who was screaming a name she couldn't quite hear. A sudden cry jolted her and she felt ripped away.