The Class Act: Chapter 4
The Continuation of The Class Act:Chapter 3.....
Enjoy
Again, for notes, see chapter 1
It had been several hours since Rubeus and Sailormoon disappeared. Tux, the Scouts and Scott where all hanging around the site, waiting and trying think of their next move.
'Why didn't I do something? Why didn't I help?' Tuxedo Mask questioned and blamed himself.
'Because she asked you not to.' his mind argued.
'THAT'S NO EXCUSE'
'Serena's a trooper, she may not seem like it, but she is. You know that. She's stronger than all of us.'
'I'm supposed to protect her,' Tux buried his face in his hands. 'It's my duty to protect her from any harm.'
'Well, you hurt her more than any evil could....'
Tux tried to banish these thoughts from his mind, but it didn't work: 'You lied' his mind, or was it his heart, gave up the futile attempts to make sense of this. The voice had become honest, brutally. 'You lied to her'
'It was for her own good' Tux tried to convince himself.
'You could have told her the truth. She would have understood.'
'She would have never gone along with it'
'OK, you're right there. She doesn't care what happens to her.'
'EXACTLY.... I still hurt her, though.'
'Yes you did.' the voice agreed. The sane part, well, sort of, let him know the harsh truth: 'You're crazy, you know. Arguing with yourself like this.'
"Shut-" he said aloud but was interrupted by Sailor Mercury's voice.
"Darien, are you OK? You look kind of sick."
"No, I'm not OK," he looked away, ashamed of the tone he'd taken on. "I shouldn't have let him take her. I should have..."
"We all 'should have'" Jupiter's tear choked voice caught his attention. They looked over at her. She was facing the wall. "It's our duty to protect her and ... and we failed." She slammed her fist into the wall. The earth rumbled and the plaster cracked.
"Jupiter!" Mars's voice was urgent.
"Sailor Scouts," Rubeus appeared, Sailormoon hung limply in his arms. "I return her to you."
"What did you do to her?" Mars screamed.
"Silly girl, she's fine. She's of no use to us. You can have her back now." Rubeus dropped the Scout leader.
Tuxedo Mask's heart lurched. She fell into his arms. 'Serena please be OK.'
"Serena!" The Scouts sprinted over to where he laid her body.
"Serena!" Mars knelt over Sailormoon unconscious form. "Serena, wake up!"
"How is she?" Tux heard Scott's voice from behind. Tux had forgotten he was there.
"She's been drained," Mercury stated. "She's not breathing..."
Scott knelt by Sailormoon and the Scouts moved away. Scott put a finger to her pulse. Tuxedo Mask felt a jealous rage through him as Scott put his lips to hers and began CPR. After a few minutes, Sailormoon began to splutter and choke as she pulled air into her lungs. Scott helped her sit up. She hugged him close before each scout took her turn in an embrace with their leader. Her eyes finally settled on Tux. She drew in a shaky sigh at the sight of him.
They all watched as she de-transformed; the rest followed suit. She was helped to her feet only to sink to the ground.
'Oh no! What's wrong?' Tux's heartbeat wavered.
"It's alight. I'm just weak, that's all"
'That's all?' Tux thought. 'Could've fooled me.'
"I just need to get some sleep." Serena assured her friends.
"I'll take you home." Scott volunteered.
'Oh, I'm so glad your services could be available' Tux thought sarcastically.
"We'll talk later, 'K guys?" Serena looked at her shaken friends. "Everything will be all right, you'll see." Scott scooped her up over-the-threshold-style. She clung to him as he carried her away.
'I could have done that.' Tux told himself. He could see the sun peeking up on the horizon and decided it was time to go home.
"So what happened last night?" They were at Amy's house, Raye had to stay late at school and wasn't around to play hostess.
"Luna, I honestly don't know what to say. I don't remember ANYthing. I' m sorry..."
"It's all right, Serena, no pressure." Amy was looking at her mini-computer. "Well, I don't see any traces of negative energy… I think everything will be OK."
"That's great!" Serena said happily. "Can I go now? I still have stuff to do." She yawned.
"Yeah, I guess so" Luna sighed as the blond left the room.
"You all right, Luna?" Artemis asked.
"Well, I don't know. I've got the feeling something with her is very off. "
"Yeah... "Amy agreed.
"It'll come to her," Artemis soothed Luna.
"Artemis is right Luna, she just doesn't remember ," Mina put in. "It must have been a very traumatic experience. She's just suppressing it."
"Lita are you all right? You seem kinda out of it," Amy asked, looking towards the brunette sprawled over Amy's bed. She hadn't said a word since they'd gotten there.
"She seems worried or on edge or something. She's, oh, I don't know, like she's always looking over her shoulder or something... She's different, she was almost RUDE," tears began to well up in her big greeneyes. "The Serena we know would never have said or done anything like the girl who just left did. There is definitely something wrong."
"Do you think Rubeus did something to her?" Mina moved to comfort her friend.
"But I scanned her, she's clean!" Amy argued.
"Are you sure you did it right?" Lita asked.
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"Just what it sounds like!" Lita spat.
"Girls, girls, "Artemis interrupted. "Calm down. You tired andcranky- "
"-and irritable" Luna mumbled.
"-and you should go home and rest."
Lita sighed: "I'm sorry Amy. I need to go home."
"We should get going too." Mina picked Artemis up and followed Lita out the door.
'He just left her. He didn't kill her or take the Crystal or...'Amy thought. 'That's odd...'
Days went by and there was no sign of Rubeus or the four sisters.And Serena continued to act differently. Darien spoke with Amy, Mina and Raye often after the "event", asking about Serena. He always made sure she was all right, physically anyway.
Lita refused to speak to him. She was angry with him for reasons he could not comprehend, being of the weaker sex and all. He suspected it had to do with the breakup, the "event" and her loyalty to Serena. Darien just stayed out of her way. Lita was strong, probably not as strong as him, but he dared not take ANY chances.
He saw Serena at the arcade, sitting by herself, avoiding everybody: Andrew, Scott, the scouts, Luna and Artemis, Molly and Melvin even her family, according to Amy. It was rare that she was seen with anyone. That's what scared him so much. She was never alone, well, until the "event" that is. He was worried about her. He had a feeling it had to do with Rubeus.
How right he was.