Title: Apples & Oranges
Author: Marie J.W.
Chapter: Five / Storm
Rated: PG
Email: angellady41@hotmail.com

Okay! I hope everyone is enjoying this story so far!


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Serenity sat up as a gust of wind flew through the window. The air was cold
and moist as it hit her legs. The princess stood up and walked slowly to
the window. She gasped as a heavy wind blew over her. The sight of the dark
gray clouds and the full wind scared her. What was this? Serenity back
away. Whatever it was, it was NOT good! Serenity turned around and ran for
the door. She started banging on it, "Let me out!"
The howling wind passed the window before a thick sheet of rain fell. Now
a mixture of rain and wind poured into the royal chambers, soaking the
drapes and furniture.
Serenity pounded harder on the door. Afraid of the unknown.
"Help! Someone please!" Serenity cried.
Thunder and Lightening scared Serenity stiff. She started wide-eyed, as
the lightening seemed to zoom past her window. She couldn't move if she
wanted to!

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Darien closed the window tight. There's wasn't going to be any
sleeping tonight.
The Prince ran to the door and flung it open. Maids and servants were
all running towards the cellar. Darien's heart tightened. He grabbed one
of the servants by the collar before he could pass, "What's going on?"
"It's a hurricane! It's coming!" he shouted and struggled to pull
away.
"Does the King know?"
"I have no idea. Let me go!" he demanded. The servant was obviously
frightened out of his wits.
Darien let go and the man scrambled off.
A hurricane? There hasn't been one in years! Darien ran down the hall
towards his father's chambers. He stopped and pushed the door
open.
The King and Queen were gone and the window was already boarded up.
I hope they're already down there.
Darien ran back towards his room to get what he could before going
down to the cellar.

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Lita, Ray, Mina and Amy were all pushed down into the dark basement of
the palace. All four girls were confused and had no idea what was going
on!
"Please, girls, remain calm." The maid who had hurried them down there
pleaded.
"Why are we down here? Is there an emergency?" Ray asked.
The maid nodded, "No time to explain, just continue down the stairs. I
have more to lead here." The woman took off. The girls continued.

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Darien ran down the halls, turning left then right, trying to remember
where everything lead to while in his panicked state.
A loud banging sound stopped him in his tracks.
"Get me out of here! I don't want to die!"
Darien looked at the door, confused before shaking his head and calling
himself a number of names. Someone was locked in there. He unlocked the
door and pushed it open. At first, he saw no one but then he looked down
to see the girl he insulted the other day on the floor. She jumped up,
"What's happening? What is that?" she pointed towards the window that
was wide open. Without answering, Darien quickly ran to the window, with
some effort pushed it shut, and locked it.
"Let's go." he grabbed her hand and pulled her out into the hallway.
"What's going on?" Serenity yelled at him.
"No time to explain. We have to get to the cellar."
"What's a cellar?"
"Never mind!"
Serenity tightened her grip on his hand and did her best to match his steps.
All she knew was that he was her only hope of surviving this strange
disaster.

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Nat was huddled in the corner with the King and Queen of the Earth. The
couple held each other's hands in worry as they stared up at the
ceiling.
"Why are we down here?" Nat asked, annoyed that he was hurried all the
way down here only to sit and wait for something.
The King looked at him for the first time, "It's a hurricane."
"What's that?"
The King stared at him for a second wondering if the boy was joking or not.
He then replied, "It's a mixture of rain and wind. It will surely
blow everything over."
Nat didn't see how that would be totally bad. Besides, if the man was
the king couldn't he just tell it to stop?
Taking one look at King Terren, he knew the answer to that.

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Darien pulled Serenity around the corner, almost sweeping her off her feet
in the process. She regained her footing just in time for them to round
another corner. Darien tried to remember the way but he felt very turned
around at the moment. All the halls looked the same in his hurry.
However, confused he was at the moment, he knew he had to keep going.
The palace was filled with an ugly howling sound as the wind beat
unmercifully against the palace. Noises Darien had never heard before
came alive and seemed to eat up the place. Plants were tipped over
from the crowd or the wind itself, and the palace seemed to be darker
then ever.
The hurricane was approaching fast and Darien could hear it by the
increase of deafening sound.
Serenity clung to Darien's hand until her own hand hurt. What was
going to happen to them? And where were they going?
Despite the windows being locked up, wind swirled around them, making
Serenity cringe at cold air.
Serenity's shoe slipped off in their flight.
"Prince Darien, wait! I lost-"
"No time!" he yelled back. Just then, they came to a dead end. A short
wall with a boarded up window greeted their view.
Darien swore, "Where are we?" This didn't look familiar at all.
Serenity looked behind them, down the long hallway, "What now?"
Darien looked at Serenity's worried frown, "We have to go back the other
way. I got lost some where," he admitted.
Serenity didn't reply she only looked at him fully trusting him.
Darien was surprised at her reaction to this dilemma. However, he didn't
have time to stand there and ask questions. He pulled her hand again and
raced down the hallway. They stopped every now and then to get a definition
to where they were.
'When I build my own palace, it's going to be small!' Darien promised
himself.
All of a sudden, one of the bigger windows flew open and a gust of wind
pushed them face forward onto the ground. Darien pulled his head away from
the floor and looked behind him to find the window wide open. He couldn't
leave the window open like that! It would destroy the whole palace!
Darien pushed himself up and against the wind. The hurricane whished past
the window, blowing Darien back. His muscles reacted painfully as he
finally made it to the window. Struggling he pulled it shut before
collapsing on the floor in exhaustion. His eyes stung painfully from
the intense cold wind that had been blowing in his face. He closed
them, trying to focus on something else. Something much less
painful...

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Mina bit her lip, "How long will this last?" The room was dark except
for some dim candles. Everyone was in the cellar and the doors were shut
tight, blocking any light.
Ray paced the small area where the girls stood, "Earth is known for so
many blasted disasters! Who would ever want to live here!"
Amy sighed, "Despite the disasters, it is a beautiful place."
Ray glared at Amy in the dark. Amy didn't notice.
Lita bounced her knee in nervousness, "Where's Molly anyway? I thought
she came down with us."
"She did but she went to find the Queen."
Lita smiled grimly, "I can't believe she made us tell her what general we
liked and why. Talk about a little nosey-body."
"Can you blame her? We looked pretty funny with our heads peeking through
the bushes." Mina giggled at herself.
"I hope everyone got down here okay." Amy thought, "I wonder if Nattian
is taking care of his little sister. It's amazing really, I never would
have-"
"Serenity!" Lita jumped up.
"What?" Amy asked confused.
"I left her in my room."
"I'm sure she got out in time."
"No... I locked the door..." Lita added with regret.
All the girls looked at each other with worry. What would happen to
Serenity?

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Serenity opened her eyes. The hall was abnormally quiet as well as dark.
What happened? Serenity searched around the darkness. Where was the Prince?
He didn't leave me did he? The Princess pushed herself up into a
sitting position and looked around the dark hall.
A figure slumped against the wall under the closed window startled
her. Serenity made herself calm down as she told herself that it was
only the prince. She crawled over. Was he dead? Fear rose in her heart.
He can't be! She placed a hand on his forehead before trailing it down
to his nose to see if he was breathing.
The prince groaned.
Serenity gasped, "He's alive!"
She placed one hand on each side of his face, "Prince Darien, wake up!"
She shook him slightly.
His eyes fluttered open and he looked up in the dark to see two sky blue
eyes looking down at him with worry, "Are you okay? Are you hurt?"
Prince Darien looked at her confused. Where did she come from?
"Are you hurt?" she tried again, when he didn't answer, "I have no idea
where we are and... it's dark here. Do you know where we are? You aren't
hurt are you? Can you still lead the way? Do you know where we are?" The
girl babbled.
Darien stopped her. All those questions were making him dizzy. He put a
hand on her shoulder, "I'm okay..."
Serenity let out the air she had been holding in relief, "Thank
goodness."
Darien looked around, "Why is it so... quiet and... dark?"
Serenity looked around the hall as well, her hands slid down to rest on
his chest, "I don't know. Is that thing supposed to do that? Is the
hurricane thing over?"
Darien listened intently. Was it possible that it was over already?
"Let's get up." Darien decided. Weather it was over or not they both
needed to get to the cellar and see if his parents were all right.
Serenity helped him stand, "How are we going to get anywhere in this
darkness?"
"We will." Actually, he had no idea where they were. He had to admit he'd
never been to the cellar. What an idiot he was right now. I can't even
find my way around my own palace.
Serenity held onto his arm, ready for him to lead the way.
The couple walked down the hall, Darien searching for something familiar
or a clue to which direction he needed to go and Serena keeping a good ear
on the sounds and air. For some reason, she felt like the storm was
actually waiting for them to trust it before blowing them to bits.

Darien hated the silence that followed them down the halls. It made him
feel tense and paranoid that something was going to jump out at them.
"Serenity... that's you're name, isn't it?" Darien asked.
Serenity looked up at him surprised, "Yes, it is."
"Where did you get that name?"
"I... uh, I don't know. I have a step-mother, she never told me who my
real mother was."
"Oh."
Silence.
"What about you, where did you get the name Darien?"
Darien guided her around a tipped over plant that was the size of a large
banana tree.
"Darien is part of a name of a country here. I guess my parents liked it
and that's what they started calling me. But Darien isn't my given name."
"What is it?"
"Endymion."
"Oh."
Silence.
Serenity glanced up at him in the dark. He was concentrating on their
footing as well as their direction. He seemed very alert. I guess it comes
with his training.
Nat had training for a while until he just skipped out on it, deciding
he didn't like it and that it had no purpose. Of course, Beryl was enraged.
She had plans for him to be one of her Generals.
"Did you go through training?" Serenity wanted to know what his thoughts
were.
"Yes... when I was twelve I started."
"Did you like it?"
"No... not always. But it had its benefits."
"Like what?"
"What makes you so curious?"
Serenity stiffened, "I have a brother who went through training. He didn't
like it very well."
"Really? I suppose that's not a surprise. Many men go into training only
to find it too hard for their tastes."
Serenity nodded.
"How come you're not with him?" He asked, his voice echoed quietly
throughout the empty halls, "You live with Maggie, don't you?"
"Um, yes." Serenity didn't like where this topic was going.
"Well?"
"I ran away..." her voice was barely audible.
"Ran away..." he mused, "from where?"
Serena didn't answer.
Darien looked down at her. She was still very short. Her Meatballs bobbed
as she stared at the floor, walking beside him.
"Do you have any brothers or maybe some sisters?" Serenity asked. She
hadn't noticed any and the princesses hadn't said anything about them.
"No, I'm an only child. But my generals kind of make up for the loss."
he smiled to himself, "They're a pain as much as they are a friend."
Serenity giggled, "Yes... they're a funny bunch of soldiers."
"Do you... have a lot of brothers? You mentioned one."
"I have a step-brother and sister."
"Then you know what I'm talking about."
"Hardly. I have more bad times then good."
"Are they gone often?"
"No."
"Then what's the matter?"
Serenity sighed tired, she really didn't want to go through the mental stress
of talking about her brother and sister.
"Are you okay?" he stopped them in the middle of the hall.
Serenity kept her eyes on the floor. She didn't want him to know how much
she hated her brother. She didn't want him to know anything.
"Let's move on."
Darien stared at the top of her head. Why wouldn't she look at him? Did he
say something that insulted her? She was taking it awfully well if he did.
She wasn't crying, was she?
Darien put a figure under her chin and made her look at him. Her eyes were
sky blue and they shimmered in the dim light. His throat caught. She
was beautiful.
Despair, loneliness, anger, fright, and a dozen other negative emotions
passed through her eyes like a living picture.
He'd never seen so many feeling in one person all at once.
Serenity was staring up at his searching eyes. What did he see? She felt
like an open book as he stared down at her. She wanted to pull away but
neither her feet nor her hands would move. She stood stock still, staring
back into dark blue eyes.
"Are you sure you're okay?" his voice was soft and caring.
Serenity started, "Um... yes... I'm fine." she pulled her eyes away and
looked down the hall, "We better...better go."
Darien nodded. She wouldn't tell him what was bothering her or what made
her so lonely. He didn't blame her, after all why would she want to trust
him after what he said to her the other day. He was terribly wrong in his
first assumptions that he knew. However, how do you tell a girl that when
you don't even know where to start?

They continued down the halls. Finally, Darien pulled them to a halt.
"What is it?"
"The dinning room." Darien looked behind them then in front, "The kitchen
has to be around here somewhere."
"You've never been to the kitchen?"
Darien gave her a sensitive smile, "No..."
Serenity smiled. Instead of rubbing it in, she pulled Darien along, "Well
then, it's about time you had."
Darien was about to let her lead the way when that awful howling sound
started again. It was barely loud enough to hear but it caught his
attention none-the-less.
Darien gripped Serenity's hand and pulled her back towards him. Serenity
gave a little yelp as she was hauled back, and pulled against him
chest.
"Shhh... listen."
Serenity looked around and kept her ears open, "What? I don't-" she
stopped.
"Let's go!" Darien pulled her down the hall, quickly throwing doors
open searching desperately for the kitchen.
Serenity ran behind him, once again, trying to catch up.
Darien knew this time, the hurricane wouldn't be so light on them. It was
coming and it was coming fast! The howling persisted until it got louder
and louder. The rain readily beat on the roof, drowning out any sound that
they made.
Serenity let out a scream as she stubbed her toe hard on a knocked over
table.
Darien never stopped.
The beating become harder, until it sounded like hammers hitting against
the wood shades.
Serenity wanted to cover ears but Darien still held one of her hands
tightly within his own.
Finally, the dam broke loose. The windows flew open and fell to the floor.
The wind blew Serenity and Darien forward at least ten feet into the hall.
Air and rain swirled around them. Somehow, Darien and Serenity still held
hands. Darien pushed himself over to her, "We have to find somewhere safe!"
Serenity couldn't hear him but she knew what he meant. She nodded.
Darien tried to look around, stay put, and still hold Serenity's hand at
the same time.
He noticed a door swinging open and pointed towards it. Serenity crawled
with him to the door. The wind lifted Serenity's skirts over her head,
making it hard to see exactly where they were going.
Darien managed to get to the door first, he pushed it open all the way
before turning around to see if Serenity was still alright.
She crawled up next to him.
A blast of air and rain lifted them off the floor and forward. Serenity
screamed silently before hitting something hard.
Darien rolled, his hand coming loose from Serenity. His side rammed
against something solid, causing him to curl up and squeeze his eyes
shut. Darien opened his blue eyes just long enough to see a giant
something come flying at him and knock him over the side of the head.

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"How could I just leave her out there?" Lita paced in front of the girls.
Ray was finally sitting down and relaxing.
"I'm sure she's fine." Mina tried to reassure her friend, "Someone must
have known she was in there."
"Yes... Nattian did."
"Maybe he let her out and brought her down."
Lita started to relax but still there was this fear did within. 'I won't
be sure until I see her safe.' Lita bit her lip and sat down next to
Ray.
Ray stretched and yawned, "At last we get to sleep."
Amy's head rested on Mina's shoulder, "The storm should be over soon.
It's already been three hours."
"How do you know?" Mina asked.
"I've been counting."
"That long?"

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Natia hated her brother for ditching her! Here she was on planet Nemi and
he just left her here! 'Once I get my hands on him, he'll be dead! Brother
or no brother, he deserves it!' Natia walked swiftly to the portal.
A buff looking man stood in front of it.
"I'm Princess Natia, from the Dark Planet. Let me pass."
The man looked at her, "Do you have ID?"
"Excuse me?" Natia couldn't believe this man doubted her.
"Do you have ID?"
"YES, you imbecile! Look at me! I'm the Princess of the Dark Planet! Do
I look like anyone else to you?"
He looked a bit ruffled, "No ID; no pass."
Natia glared at him, "When my Step-Mother knows what you've done she'll
barbeque you! Do you hear me?"
"Loud and clear. You have no ID."

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'Mommy! I can't find my slippers!' a three-year-old Serenity walked into
the room, 'Nanny says I can't go out until I find them.'
'Now that's not like my little girl.' Queen Serenity smiled and took
her daughter up on her knee, 'Now where did you leave them last?'
'On my bed.'
'Did you ask Nanny where she put them?'
Serenity shook her head.
Queen Serenity stood up and placed her daughter on the floor, 'Let's
go ask, shall we?'
Serenity giggled, 'Alright, then can I go out?'
'As long as you stay near Luna.'
'Luna's a fat Cat.'
'Serenity!' Queen Serenity gave her daughter a warning look.
'Sorry.'

` ` ` `

'I have a garden, a lovely garden, one that I love to see.' Queen Serenity
laid next to her daughter singing her the song that her own Mother once sang
to her, 'One day you'll have a garden, a lovely garden, one that will love
you, you see. It will be your garden, all your own garden. But you will
still love me.'
Serenity snuggled into her covers, 'Next time... Mommy, I'll sing
too...'
Queen Serenity smiled, 'Good... Goodnight, my moon bunny.'


(To be Continued...)

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Well, I hope everyone liked it!

Thanks for read'in minna-chan!