(Chapter Six)

(Chapter Six)

Hi again! More Darien bashing in this chapter for sure! And more of me. I don't appear, but I'm still in it! Disclaimers: look in prologue. Oh yeah… another thing about Darien… he's a real jerk in most parts of it.

~*~*~*~

Neptune looked in confusion at her lover… wearing a evil smirk on her face. "Um… okay…" she said slowly looking at the evil glares aimed at Tuxedo Mask. "Ohhhh." She said.

::I knew you'd figure it out! How do you think of the idea of showing Tuxedo Mask… something in that mirror of yours?::

You're evil aren't you?

::Yup.::

I'm in. I can't think of another reason to get back at him. He's acting like such a baka, even I have to admit it.

::YAY! Now only Pluto's left.::

Good luck.

Tuxedo Mask feels another evil glance coming from Neptune, and has the heebie-jeebies scared out of him by a look from the relatively calm Senshi of the Ocean.

Pluto noticed as well. And she smiled indifferently. "So… authoress, what am I supposed to do?" she whispered softly.

::Yay! That wasn't so hard!::

You know it… Serena deserves more than what he's showing her.

::I know. You and Neptune are going to scare the heebie-jeebies out of him by showing him… some things in your Garnet Orb and her Mirror.::

Deal.

"Tuxedo Mask… we have something we need to speak to you… in private." She intoned in her most I'm-the-mysterious-guardian-of-time-and-I-know-whatever-is-going-to-happen-to-you-so-you'd-better-damn-listen-or-else-you'll-be-in-trouble voice and she gestured to Sailor Neptune. He came over warily, looking around for any more mallets and/or Silence Glaives aimed at his head. "OW!" he yelled glaring at Sailor Uranus who had 'accidentally' spun around to quickly and knocked the back of his head quite hard with the hilt of her Space Sword. "Watch it! You'll get your head chopped off if you continue to do that!" she snapped at him.

"Look in the Garnet Orb." Said Pluto loudly, reverting his attention back towards the Time Staff and the red gem glowing softly. As he stared, he saw a scene unfolding before his eyes, Serena with the Dark Lord, her head lifted up to his in a passionate kiss (AN: Pluto, Neptune and I all found this cruel, but what else does can we do to convince him?) and he gasped in horror. "You mean… she'll fall for… him?!" he exclaimed. Neptune nodded soberly showing him her mirror, another scene unfolded… Serena leaving him behind standing alone, staring after her open-mouthed and speechless as she walked away from him.

"This is what is to happen if you are to continue to treat her as you are now." Said Pluto soberly. Tuxedo Mask nodded slowly. "Thank-thank you." He said a little shakily. As soon as he was out of earshot and his back was turned did the two (and did I mention) OUTER senshi bent down double and began to laugh their heads off. Uranus noticed and wished that she had brought along a camera. Seeing the Guardian of Time laugh so hard was priceless.

Darien thought of the horrifying scenes he had seen. This would happen… if I continue to act like a jerk towards Serena? He thought inwardly sighing. They had been traveling for several hours now and there was still no sign of any negative activity.

"What exactly is this going to do?!" asked Tuxedo Mask impatiently. Heero gave him one of his famous 'Omae o korosu' glares. "Just quit your whining why don't you? I'm getting sick and tired of seeing Relena getting so worried about her cousin thanks to you." He said grimly.

::I LOVE YOU HEERO! YAY! Another person has the same opinion as me!::

What are you talking about?!

::I'm thinking you think he's acting like a stuffy, know-it-all dork am I right?::

You're the one writing the story aren't you?

::Uh yeah… but still, come on, he belongs with Usa but GOD he can be such a dork at times!::

Who's Usa?

::Serena's Japanese name, Tsukino Usagi.::

Oh. Well, what was the point of this?

::Heehee. A little revenge. All the other scouts… except Sailor Moon who is oblivious are on my side…::

I'm thinking this is an offer.

::Yup.::

Mission Accepted.

::Woohoo! Now… darn I'm going to give away the plot… oh well, you think you've learned enough from Relena to brush up on your matchmaking skills?::

Wrong pilot. Duo's the one who can do that.

::Yes… but Relena doesn't love him… in that way. Come on! Please?!::

What does Relena have to do with this?!

::She'd do anything for Serena. And we need your help!::

What do I need to do?

::Okay, well I'm thinking that if he doesn't find out he loves her on his own, he'll need a little help. You and Relena are going to give him that extra push.::

Fine.

Tuxedo Mask glared straight ahead although no one could see. "We're there." Sailor Moon announced quietly. "What are you talking about?" he asked, not unkindly. "I said we're there. This is the center of their power." She answered distractedly. Tuxedo Mask looked around. "What do we do?" he asked. Uranus laughed. "URANUS WORLD SHAKING!" she yelled smashing her attack against the ground creating a huge hole that opened up. "I call that an invitation." Said Sailor Tranquility nervously.

::Relena? Favor?::

Yes?

::How 'bout a little revenge on Darien for being such a major prick?::

But that would kill Serena!

::I know… you'll just be the back up in case he's too dense to realize that he loves her okay?::

Deal.

::Heehee. Thanks!::

Sailor Moon took a deep breath and leaped down into the darkness first. "Sailor Moon!" cried Tuxedo Mask before he could stop himself. "Can you be any more reckless!" he muttered. "You mean brave you retard." A voice came from behind them. "SAILOR MARS?!" they all cried as they saw the transparent vision of the red Sailor-suited soldier. "Yes… in a way, I am the real persona of the Sailor Mars that will always protect her princess." She said softly. "Follow her." She commanded. Sailor Tranquility didn't hesitate, but she jumped down into the darkness. Heero went after her as well as the other scouts. But Sailor Mars stopped Tuxedo Mask before he could follow. "If you hurt her… I swear I'll break every bone in your body." She warned him, her eyes narrowing.

"She is hurting herself. She should know better than to fall for a man like me, now and then." he answered. She glared at him "She loves you. And yet she deserves so much more. But Princess Serena is bound by destiny and her feelings have been written in the stars for all to see. Yet you do not follow the path that destiny has created for you. You don't deserve her at all in my opinion. Your Dream Princess? She is nothing. Nothing except a hidden persona of Princess Serena. And if you hurt her in any way, you'll regret the moment you were ever born. I swear as the protector of the princess." The cloudy form drifted down into the darkness of the pit leaving Tuxedo Mask in shock.

The illusion that had sustained him all his life in his dreams… was none other than the whiny, test-failing meatball head that he had traded insults with since the first moment he'd met her? She was the princess that had stayed by his side, beckoning for him to come to her? And yet… he'd totally rejected her… made her feel like an empty shell void of her heart that she given but would not take back.

He jumped in after her as quickly as he could. He would fight by her side… and nothing would stop him. The fall was long. And dark. A million lost souls fell with him, grasping at him, slithered through him. He heard a yell, before realizing it was his own. Then there was a loud thump and he landed hard on his feet. "Sailor Moon? Senshi? Heero?" there was no answer. The dark cavern was silent. He stood up and leaned up against a wall. From what it felt, he was alone in an underground tunnel. He walked down the tunnel, following the wall, so that he could keep a relative direction of where he was going. He was going nowhere fast.

Suddenly, a flare of light entered the tunnel, showering green light before his eyes, lighting his path. Sailor Jupiter suddenly appeared before him. "Thanks to you, Princess Serena has been led to paths unknown. This hole that you have dropped in has been corrupted due to your failure of your destined path." Tuxedo Mask jerked. "How could anything happen to her just because I don't care for her?!" he yelled at the semi-transparent figure of Sailor Jupiter. She glared at him. Sailor Jupiter snorted in absolute disgust. "You're the perfect guy indeed." She said sarcastically, "No wonder Serena always ends up coming home sobbing into her pillow after she meets up with you during our past battles. You're a jerk Darien… and being so, you might destroy her utterly." The light emanating from her disappeared and he was plunged into darkness again.

~*~*~*~*~

Serena winced as he yelled the words. The others had told her to stay here, hidden to hear the words spoken. Well, staying hadn't helped much had it? He'd simply yelled it out, loud enough for even the Gods of Death to hear wherever they were. She choked back a sob, but could not stop the tears that began to flow effortlessly from her eyes although she attempted to stop them. She found herself being hugged by someone, looking up; it was Sailor Uranus, a different, more compassionate smile on her face. "It's going to be alright… you're the future Queen of Crystal Tokyo, and he's destined to be your king… he'll love you no matter what." She said in a different tone altogether.

Smiling and wiping her eyes, Sailor Moon nodded. "Yes… I must seem such a failure as a leader if I have to fight my own friends and cry because the one who supposed to be in love with me is a total disappointment." Neptune came up from behind her lover. "It's alright, Sailor Moon… he'll love you… I know he will." She said comfortingly. Sailor Moon looked up, her eyes haunted. "But can I wait forever just for him to say those three words?"

Relena looked sadly at her depressed older cousin. She held the power of the cosmos at her fingertips… but the one thing she truly wanted… Relena couldn't help now… Heero slid his arm around her shoulders, hesitantly and she gasped, looking up in surprise. He gave her a small smile, one she could barely see… but her face brightened incredibly as she hugged him. "Sailor Moon, what are you doing?!" she heard Saturn cry and she whirled around to see Sailor Moon walk out of the hidden wall they were in towards Tuxedo Mask.

"Why would you continue to protect me… if you don't care for me at all?" she asked sadly, her blue eyes dark. He looked down at her. "So you were listening weren't you?" she nodded. "Because. You're a mission I must complete." He said coldly. Heero's eyes widened in the shadows, Those are the exact words I once spoke to Relena! But… I love her… it was all just a façade I had to put up… Sailor Moon's eyes grew cold, colder than his own. "Well congratulations. You've just been released from your contract." She said grimly. A flash of light erupted from the locket and Darien fell to the ground writhing in pain as the transformation disappeared… as if wrenched from his being… as it had. A rose appeared in Sailor Moon's gloved hand… the source of his transformation. Another flash of light from her locket and Darien disappeared completely from the dark chambers.

"Sailor Moon! What have you done?" cried Relena as she ran to her cousin. "If all he cares about it protecting me as he would some precious gem, then he no longer has to care." She said softly. "Where is he now?" asked Sailor Tranquility, her voice as soft as her cousin's. "He's back at the mansion, with the others." She answered dully looking at the rose in her hand. Holding it up, it disappeared into a million multi-colored sparkles. Sighing, she let the sadness slide from her body. "Let's get moving." She said finally. Her cousin nodded silently and understandingly.

The others came out from their hiding place. Pluto stared silently after the saddened princess. She loved him… and he felt nothing for her in return… I never knew this side of Endymion before… she though sadly.

(Authoress breaks into the story with her ramblings.)

::GAHH!! This is going way over my head! I want Darien to be sweet he ends up acting like a major prick! Will this keyboard ever do as I say!!::

::blink::

::Oops. (Smiles innocently and continues on with story)::

They continued on in a subdued silence. Soon they reached a sort of glow. "Do you think that's it?" Pluto looked confused. "No… it's radiating power… but the power's not evil." She murmured. "Hello Princess Serenity." A familiar voice said softly. "Venus!" cried Sailor Moon rushing towards her friend but passing right through her. "I can only talk to you my Princess." The image said softly. "I am like Mars and Jupiter before me, we can only guide you partway. Don't give up on Darien… he does love you… he just doesn't show it." She said softly. Sailor Moon sighed. "I doubt it. Venus, you may be the senshi of love, but he doesn't love me, not if he considers me only a mission to complete." Venus shook her head slowly. "Believe what you wish Sailor Moon… but it will not help you grow strong if you don't believe." She faded into darkness once more.

Sailor Moon sighed. Why then? If he loves me, then why won't he show it? If I'm nothing more than a simple mission he has to complete, then shouldn't this make him happy? she thought glumly. Somehow knowing that he'd been fighting at her side seemed so much better than now… but if he thought of her in this way, then she'd given him the freedom he'd wanted. A freedom she herself would never attain. As the small group walked silently, their ears perked for any little noise. Suddenly, color exploded in front of their eyes without warning, blinding their eyes, which had grown accustomed to the darkness. "Well, well, well. So the all-too-famous leader of the sailor senshi has returned to her 'loyal servants' as she fondly calls us." A voice snapped from the light. "Amy?" gasped Sailor Moon blinking away the white lights from her eyes. "No… that mortal name no longer fits the Warrior of Mercury that I have become." The cold voice said as the female form appeared in front of them.

"What are you doing with them? You wanted to grow up to be a doctor, and learn to save others' lives!" cried Sailor Moon. "Not anymore. I have the power to destroy all those pathetic people down there, I refuse to even think of saving them." She replied. "SHABON SPRAY!" she yelled, the familiar bubble attacks flying at them. "SILENCE WALL!" yelled Saturn, her attack forming a shield around them. The bubbles smashed harmlessly against the shield disintegrating. "Okay. Now I'm pissed!" yelled the normally calm Mercury. "MERCURY AQUA RHAPSODY!" the attack slammed against the "SILENCE WALL!" that Saturn had put up, but being a stronger attack, Mercury's made Saturn's wall finally disappear. "MARS FLAME SNIPER!" a voice yelled as a torrent of fire spewed down on them. "JUPITER OAK REVOLUTION!" yelled Jupiter leaping into sight. "VENUS LOVE AND BEAUTY SHOCK!" yelled Venus coming into view.

The inner senshi stood in line against the outers, Sailor Moon, Sailor Tranquility and the Dragon's Flame. "SPACE SWORD BLASTER!!" yelled Uranus, her Space Sword in hand. "Ahh!" cried Mercury as she was struck by one of the blasts. "Keep going! We'll handle them!" yelled Pluto spinning her Time Staff. "Dead Scream." She (yes she does this) whispered. The purple planet-shaped attack slammed towards the Inner senshi. Giving them one last glance, Sailor Moon nodded. "Let's go. They can't go up against the Pluto brothers. We can." Sailor Tranquility nodded. "Forget pacifism. That won't save the world." She said shakily. Heero gave her a look. He above all others knew how hard she had fought for total peace. Now she was forcing herself to fight against all she had worked for.

"Are you sure? This is all-" she shook her head silencing him. "No… you were right Heero… I guess there will always be battles."

"And I thought I was smart." A voice commented. "Amy!" cried Sailor Moon looking around. "Right here, Princess." Said Mercury appearing. "Congratulations Relena. You've found out who you are… and now you're brave enough and smart enough to understand that above all else, the Sailor Senshi must fight to preserve the peace of the entire Earth." She said softly. Turning to Sailor Moon, she executed a small frown. "That was not a very nice thing to do to Darien, Serena." Sailor Moon's face crumpled. "If all I am to him is a *beep* mission, then I don't want him to bother." She said. "But you love him… it's plain on your face and it's written in the stars that you will both be together." Amy argued gently.

"And I doubt you're simply a mission to him." Heero's voice unexpectedly broke in. "What do you mean? How would you know?" asked Sailor Moon. Relena looked up into Heero's face and her eyes lighted up in sudden comprehension. "He said that to me once." She told her cousin. "He said I meant nothing more to him that a hindrance in a battle." Sailor Moon nodded. "I can guess that." she said softly. "But I didn't mean it… I was to cowardly to admit to her… and myself that I loved her. But she gave me another chance… and I think Darien is the same way." He told her bluntly. Sailor Mercury smiled. "I know you'll figure out your tangled feelings soon, my Princess. We'll all be here when you need us. Count on it." She faded into the darkness.

~*~*~*~*~

Darien opened his eyes; his vision blurred before sitting up disoriented. Finally focusing, he looked up to see a face looking down at him. "You're awake I see." Lady Une said from where she was sitting beside him. "What? Where am I?" he asked looking around the room. "You're back in Quatre's mansion. The others left to follow your friends." She said softly. Darien groaned. Every movement he made hurt. "What happened?" he asked. "You tell me."

His eyes widened as he remembered. "Oh no… I've got to go back!" he cried scrambling up. Lady Une looked at him. "What happened? You simply appeared here and I brought you in here." He gasped in pain, "Sailor Moon. She took away my power… because I told her she meant nothing to me but a mission to complete." Lady Une's eyes widened in comprehension. "Well, I'm coming with." She said helping him to his feet. "Who said you were coming?"

She looked at him from the corner of her eye. "I fell in love with Mister Trieze… when he died, I was devastated. And now that he's back… I might be able to see him… at least one last time." She said firmly grabbing her car keys. "Come on. Since I'm not one of the Sailor Senshi, I can't teleport, but you can definitely use the seatbelt." She said as she slammed on the gas pedal of her car and they were off in the direction where Quatre had pointed them to… him being an empath after all.

"That's it!" cried Darien as Lady Une slammed on the brakes. "What? Where?" she asked looking around. "That clearing is exactly the place where the tunnel is!" he said getting out of the car. Lady Une followed suit and she looked down at the ground suspiciously. "What are we supposed to see?" she asked raising an eyebrow. "Lady…" her eyes widened suddenly as the voice suddenly spoke. "Mister… Trieze?" she asked looking around. Darien looked at her, shocked by the voice. "Please… help me… free me from this evil." The voice pleaded and she stepped towards the now opened darkness of the pit. Darien ran after her and they both disappeared into the darkness and it swallowed itself up, looking for all the world like another clearing… with a car parked in it.

~*~*~*~

Well, this chapter wasn't as long as the others that I've written before it right? Well? Was it okay? So I made Darien act like such a creep… but I really meant for him to be as sweet as Heero is to Relena. And if you've read my ranting earlier, there's no need for me to repeat it. i_heero_yuy@hotmail.com is my email and hopefully you'll spend a few measly moments of your time to criticize a girl's work. J