Chicago
Aneresa found herself in a subway station. She was feeling faint and famished and wasn't sure how long she could go on. Baka, eat something already! Serena yelled at her. Anseresa was too tired to fight her anymore; she surrendered to Serena, finding a refuge in some part of her mind where she could finally rest. Serena was now in control. It was as though she had been trapped for a long time. Serena looked around in confusion for a moment, not recalling just what was going on. However, two thoughts fought for supremacy. One was to get to Darien; the other was her stomach. The stomach won.
Tokyo
Darien called Luna back. He was certain Serena was in Chicago somewhere. No one thought to question his intuition. After all, should Serena truly be in trouble, it was inevitable that she would go to Darien and that he would feel her presence. It only served to confirm their fears that something was indeed wrong and that Amethyst, the latest villainess, was involved, although they had no proof for it. Rini would take Serena's place in a Sailor teleport to Chicago. The cats would have to travel by far more conventional means. Since no one had any money, Luna and Artemis would suffer the degradation of travelling in the cargo hold of a ship. They would all join up in a week. Until then, the girls would search on their own with the help of Darien. Chicago was a far more dangerous place than Tokyo, so they wouldn't be able to go out at night. Rini had used her P-ball to convince their parents they were on a long school trip. It was a good plan with only a few rather large obstacles. For one, only Ami could speak English fluently. If she hadn't been so apprehensive about Serena, Ami would have looked forward to the opportunity to study a new culture and practice her linguistic skills. They also didn't have passports, so if they were caught, they would have trouble of a different kind. Another difficulty lay in the fact that they had little money and would have to find a place to stay. Darien lived in a very small apartment near the hospital, but could squeeze only two of them into the place. They decided to worry about the last two when they got there. Luna and Artemis begrudgingly entered the box that would be their home for a week. Then all things were as settled as they were going to be.
Rini was momentarily dizzy after the quick trip. Traveling by time wasn't as disorienting as that had been. They de-transformed and looked at their surroundings. The hospital lay in the foreground with other large buildings nearby. The air was chilly since the hospital was by Lake Michigan and the wind blew from off the lake. Darien, whom they had used as a sort of homing beacon, ran out to meet them. The search had begun.
Serena didn't have trouble finding food. She was so thin and, at that moment, pathetic, that people passing by literally threw food to her. With her stomach quieted, she had time to think. In the back of her mind, she could feel someone else translating the English, and some Spanish, into Japanese for her, but didn't understand who it was. She was still in the subway station and having trouble getting out. The place was a labyrinth. Serena felt something draw her deeper into the place without ever thinking about it. She was about to enter an old abandoned tunnel when a security guard spotted her. He thought she was another juvenile delinquent or was perhaps going out to some subterranean gang hideout. She found herself back outside on the streets. Nothing was familiar; she had no idea what was going on, and couldn't tell where Darien was even though she knew he was near. The feeling that had been drawing her into the tunnel had disappeared, but with it had gone all sense of direction and purpose. The buildings seemed to press down on her. Serena felt desperation mingle with panic. She ran, trying to escape the feeling, looking for some place with fewer people and open air.
The wind off the Lake was cold but reassuring. Getting over Lake Shore Drive was difficult, but then she collapsed before the beach. It was the dreary sort of day that keeps even the most dedicated joggers away. Serena fought off tears. Depression was a foreign thing to her, or at least, before she had always none the cause. She still had the small suitcase she didn't remember packing with her. With no where else to go, and no clue as to what was going on, she ransacked the bag and pulled out her broach. The crystal inside was a sickly grayish color, which matched the sky. She clutched it to her. A tear fell and stuck its surface and the beach suddenly disappeared in sudden light. Serena found herself half-floating, half standing in the middle of nothingness. She heard the soft rustle of skirts and turned. Queen Serenity - her mother - stood before her, concern etched in her eyes.
"I'm sorry," she said softly. Serena was filled with dread.
Next time: I think I'll try to end this in a few more chapters. Anyway, for what could Serenity possibly be sorry? Will the scouts find Serena? Can Tokyo survive without their protection? Is there something hiding in the sewer? Will Rini get contacts and die her hair so she isn't so darn pink-n-cute already?