Innocence Lost
Chapter 4
Genre: First Season
Rating: PG
Author: Moonchild DJ
E-Mail: moonchilddj@yahoo.com
Disclaimer: *wails* I don't own Sailor Moon! Naoko-sama and others own
the wonderful Odango Atama, not me, no matter how much I wish
otherwise! All I can do is pay homage to them and make fanfiction. I DO
own this fic and its plotline, so, onegai, don't take anything from it
or attempt to make it your own. Domo arigato. Oh, and if it sounds like
anything anybody's wrote out there, gomen nasai, I'm not copying or
plagarizing, honest.
Author's Notes: Well, kon'wa, minna-chan! Moonchild DJ here again with
Chapter 4 of this ficcie! I'm very glad you all like it! ^_^ It's my
baby, and the very first SM fic I did, so I'm thrilled it's getting
praise. Domo arigato for reading and reviewing it, it means a lot to
me. Please don't be afraid to review, I love hearing from you what you
think! Keep it up, and enjoy the story!
********
Malachite stifled a laugh at the former Princess of the Moon
serving his--*their*--Queen's orders. 'Not quite so proud, are we,
Moon Brat?' he thought nastily.
The blonde head turned, and cold blue eyes glared at him. *Proud?
That's more your style, along with arrogant!*
Malachite gasped, pale blue eyes widening at the mental voice of the
girl in his head. "My Queen, she--!!"
"I know. Her mental capabilities have increased dramatically. This is
incredible--and so very useful." Beryl smiled, then motioned for Serena
to rise. "How do you feel, my child?"
Serena winced, rubbing the back of her head. "Truthfully, my head
hurts. And I can't remember what happened before now..." She winced
again, a look of confusion marring her pretty features.
"Our Enemy did this to you. They tried to brainwash you and bring you
to their side, but we managed to save you in time before they could do
any lasting damage."
"'They'...?" Serena questioned, a blank look dulling her luminous eyes
for a moment. Beryl chuckled softly. Her plan had succeeded--the girl
had no memory of her former life as the Champion of Justice, Sailor
Moon. She could make the girl over as she saw fit...
"The Sailor Scouts and their Guardians--their leader, Venus, Jupiter,
Mars and Mercury, Luna and Artemis of the Moon. They tried to capture
you and take you away from me, I, who have been a mother to you since
your true mother abandoned you so long ago..." She put a pale arm
around Serena and gave her what she figured was a motherly smile.
Malachite choked back a laugh at the sight. Beryl glared at him
warningly, then turned back to the confused girl. "She who bore you
gave you the moon symbol that adorns your forehead, but I gave you a
place to belong, a life to live. You are my greatest weapon, my loyal
heir and diciple to the Negaforce. My gift to the world--Dark Moon,
who shall cover the light and bring the reign of Darkness." She grinned
and twisted the knife more firmly into the Scouts' back. "They also
tried to take away your beloved, my Champion Warrior, Darien."
"Darien...?" Serena whispered, eyes widening in horror. While the
previous words her Queen spoke held no meaning, thanks to these Sailor
Scouts, 'beloved Darien' brought her world crashing to a halt. Darien..
he used to tease her, calling her 'Meatball Head'--the familiar memory/
nickname drew a confused blank at the moment--they were mortal enemies..
until he was hurt in a battle. She couldn't remember how he'd been
hurt--perhaps against those evil Sailor Scouts--but she remembered
being terrified of losing him again. Again...? It made her realize just
how important he was to her, how much she loved him. She had vowed to
never lose him again...but she somehow had...so many lost memories..she
glanced up at Beryl.
"Is he all right? Please tell me he's okay!" she whispered fearfully.
"He is hurt, but nothing life-threatening. He will recover. I think it
will help having his dear one by his side." 'And it will keep him with
me, if the one who holds his memories is also in my possession...'
Serena nodded slowly, fingering the dark moon-shaped wand strapped to
her side. "I understand, my Queen."
"Serena...that weapon around your waist..." Beryl murmured, struggling
to not just reach out and take it. The Moon Wand was oh so close...if
only she had it in her hands...
"This?" Serena asked, holding up the now-ebony-hued moon weapon to the
light. "It's my Dark Moon Wand..."
"May I see it?" Beryl purred, holding out a slightly-trembling hand.
"I..." Serena hesitated. What was wrong with her? Why was she not
obeying the command her Queen gave her? Why did she feel like running?
Pushing back the strange notions, Serena hesitated once more, then slid
the weapon into Beryl's palm.
Beryl's amber eyes widened in disbelief, hardly daring to acknowledge
that the powerful weapon of Queen Serenity, passed down to the Moon
Princess, her daughter, Serena, was now curled between her long
fingers. She smiled, then murmured the incantation to harness its
power.
"Cosmic Moon Power...!" she chanted, holding the wand high, expecting
any moment for the desired power she had dreamed of for a thousand
years to burst into being.
Nothing happened. Beryl's eyes narrowed in anger.
"What the...? Why isn't it working?" she hissed.
"My Queen...the wand only works for me. No one else can tap into its
power." Serena replied softly so as to not anger Beryl further. She
tapped thoughtfully at the moon symbol on her forehead. "Something to
do with the moon emblem, maybe..." She didn't know how she knew this,
but it whispered of the truth. She watched Beryl take gulping breaths,
nostrils flaring with suppressed anger.
She handed the weapon back to Serena, cursing her luck. She finally had
the wand in her hands...and the blasted denizens of the Moon still
overruled her plans. At least she had the little princess. She
attempted to remain calm, smiling stiffly.
"Go now, child, see to your beloved. When I have need of you, you will
be summoned with he and Malachite."
Serena bowed her head, disappearing into the shadowed halls of the
Negaverse. Malachite frowned, then turned to Beryl. "My Queen...can she
be trusted?"
Beryl frowned, slamming her mystical staff into the ground. "The little
Moon twit is mine, now, Malachite. The oh-so-royal Highness of the Moon,
Serenity, can do nothing to save her daughter this time. The fate of
the girl rests in my hands...and she shall serve me well." She
brightened, her clawed fingertips curling around the globe of Nega-
darkness as she summoned its scrying abilities. "In the meantime, let
see what our foes are doing--you keep an eye on the child and our
Champion."
Malachite nodded, blending into the shadows. Now, to find the Moon
Child and her Prince...
******
Luna hissed softly, then took a deep breath as Artemis supported
her swaying form. "She's alive...but so changed! She feels so
different...dark...confused. Beryl has indeed brainwashed her, infusing
her with dark energy. She has been turned against us, like Darien. I
can't feel her goodness, her light...perhaps if I was stronger, I might
be able to do more..." She sighed, bowing her head as feelings of
helplessness overwhelmed her. She was Serena's Guardian--she was
supposed to protect her. Thanks to her weakness and inadaquacy, Serena
was in grave danger. There was nothing she could do...
"Luna..." Artemis' low voice murmured softly. She glanced at the white
cat beside her, Venus' Guardian. His blue eyes stared intently at her,
as if to physically make her believe his words. "It is NOT your fault
that Serena's lost to us. We *will* rescue her, Darien too. You have
not failed her or slacked in her training as a Sailor Scout. She is
strong. Her heart and mind are still clear--they're just hidden behind
a dark moon. She will come back to us. You have to believe that."
Luna keened softly, fearful for her charge. "How? How can I believe
that when Serena's in Beryl's clutches, when that witch has twisted her
soul-self so easily to make her a Negaverse warrior? When she's
forgotten her true self and it's engulfed in darkness?" She stumbled
away from the warm comfort of her fellow Guardian, staring beseechingly
up at the pearl-white full moon. Tears glittered against amber eyes and
black fur, caught in the moonlight.
"Queen Serenity!" she cried to the spirit-goddess who once ruled so
happily in the Silver Millenium, in that peaceful time. "Please, guard
and guide your daughter! She needs you, now more than ever! Protect our
Moon Princess from the Darkness..guide her path back to us, to her
rightful life. Don't let her be lost to us--the world needs her
goodness, her light, against our Enemy. Please help her, Lady..don't
let all our hard work and sacrifice be in vain.." She closed her eyes,
feeling Serenity's ethereal touch.
*--Do not fear Guardian of the Moon. My daughter was made and re-made
for far more than Beryl's evil. She is not alone.--*
Luna smiled, feeling a ghostly hand brush away her tears.
*--Go with Artemis-you have far more than Serena's well-being to worry
about...--* the soft inner-voice said dryly. Luna sighed, nodding in
thanks and acceptance as she walked with Artemis.
'Yes, far more,' she thought to herself. 'How to tell Serena's family
the latest trouble their 'double-persona''d daughter and sister was in
now...this is *not* going to be pretty...'
******
Inside the Tsukino household, Raye, Mina, Lita and Amy were
attempting to do just that--with less-than successful results. Sammy,
Serena's little brother, flat out laughed his head off.
"MY big sister, clumsy, wimpy, food-and-sleep-crazy Serena, Sailor
Moon?! What planet are you from?"
"Why, you little...!" Raye growled, prevented by Amy from scorching the
boy with her fire power.
"Mr. and Mrs. Tsukino, please, you must believe us!" Ilene Tsukino
shook her head at Amy's plea.
"Amy, you are a very intelligent young lady, so you must know this is..
a little hard to swallow!"
"In normal cases, yes, but..."
Darkhaired, bespectacled Ken Tsukino gently embraced his wife. "In *any*
case, Miss Mizuno! Our little Serena is just a normal young lady in
junior high, like all of you. Even if it was true, she would NEVER keep
secrets from her family. It's not her nature."
Lita shook her head. "Serena's had to do a lot of things she wouldn't
normally do since becoming Sailor Moon, including keeping secrets from
family and friends. She never wanted to *not* tell you, but she was
only protecting you from danger! The way things have turned out, it was
time for you to know."
Remembering all the times that her daughter was so tired or weak, quiet,
moody or scared for little reason, Ilene clenched her husband's hand
with sudden clarifying fear. "What danger? Is my little girl all right?"
The quartet glanced at each other in worry. Mina awkwardly cleared her
throat as she shoved a hand through her long blonde hair absently. "We..
we really don't know. Last night, we were in a battle and one of our
enemies sortakinda disappeared with her. We haven't seen her since,
but..well, she may be in terrible trouble."
Husband and wife gasped as one, holding on to each other for strength.
Sammy glanced up at them, then crossed his arms in a mixture of
desperate denial and instinctive fear.
"This is a bunch of bull! Serena isn't super-hero material, much less
have th' guts to be Sailor Moon. Her friends are playin' some sort of
trick, or maybe Serena herself." He nodded, emitting a sort of
whimpering laugh as he cupped his hands around his mouth. "Okay, Serena,
we give! You can come out now! Joke's over!"
When his big sister failed to show, Sammy's shoulders hunched as he
wiped away a terrified tear. A gentle, understanding hand clasped his
shoulder. He glanced up into Amy's tearful eyes.
"I know this is hard to believe, Sammy, but Serena's in danger. She
couldn't tell you her secret because she was afraid that our enemies
would use or hurt you to make her do what they wanted. She hated lying
to you, but it was the only way for you to remain safe if you didn't
know."
Sammy pulled away as he dashed the tears from his eyes. "Am I the only
one who hasn't gone nuts in believing this lie?! Serena isn't...she
can't be...!"
"I'm afraid she is, Sammy. It is her destiny, good or bad..."
The group gathered turned, seeing the family cat that bore a strange
moon mark upon her forehead pad into the room, followed closely by a
white cat with the same symbol. Luna's tail lashed anxiously around her
feet as she sat down. Her intelligent amber eyes glanced sadly at
Serena's family.
"I wish it didn't have to be like this...I wish you could've found out
under more pleasant circumstances...but what's done is done."
Sammy blinked as he was joined by his stunned parents. "Th-the cat...
Luna TALKS...?!" he squeaked.
********
~End Chapter 4~
Chapter 4
Genre: First Season
Rating: PG
Author: Moonchild DJ
E-Mail: moonchilddj@yahoo.com
Disclaimer: *wails* I don't own Sailor Moon! Naoko-sama and others own
the wonderful Odango Atama, not me, no matter how much I wish
otherwise! All I can do is pay homage to them and make fanfiction. I DO
own this fic and its plotline, so, onegai, don't take anything from it
or attempt to make it your own. Domo arigato. Oh, and if it sounds like
anything anybody's wrote out there, gomen nasai, I'm not copying or
plagarizing, honest.
Author's Notes: Well, kon'wa, minna-chan! Moonchild DJ here again with
Chapter 4 of this ficcie! I'm very glad you all like it! ^_^ It's my
baby, and the very first SM fic I did, so I'm thrilled it's getting
praise. Domo arigato for reading and reviewing it, it means a lot to
me. Please don't be afraid to review, I love hearing from you what you
think! Keep it up, and enjoy the story!
********
Malachite stifled a laugh at the former Princess of the Moon
serving his--*their*--Queen's orders. 'Not quite so proud, are we,
Moon Brat?' he thought nastily.
The blonde head turned, and cold blue eyes glared at him. *Proud?
That's more your style, along with arrogant!*
Malachite gasped, pale blue eyes widening at the mental voice of the
girl in his head. "My Queen, she--!!"
"I know. Her mental capabilities have increased dramatically. This is
incredible--and so very useful." Beryl smiled, then motioned for Serena
to rise. "How do you feel, my child?"
Serena winced, rubbing the back of her head. "Truthfully, my head
hurts. And I can't remember what happened before now..." She winced
again, a look of confusion marring her pretty features.
"Our Enemy did this to you. They tried to brainwash you and bring you
to their side, but we managed to save you in time before they could do
any lasting damage."
"'They'...?" Serena questioned, a blank look dulling her luminous eyes
for a moment. Beryl chuckled softly. Her plan had succeeded--the girl
had no memory of her former life as the Champion of Justice, Sailor
Moon. She could make the girl over as she saw fit...
"The Sailor Scouts and their Guardians--their leader, Venus, Jupiter,
Mars and Mercury, Luna and Artemis of the Moon. They tried to capture
you and take you away from me, I, who have been a mother to you since
your true mother abandoned you so long ago..." She put a pale arm
around Serena and gave her what she figured was a motherly smile.
Malachite choked back a laugh at the sight. Beryl glared at him
warningly, then turned back to the confused girl. "She who bore you
gave you the moon symbol that adorns your forehead, but I gave you a
place to belong, a life to live. You are my greatest weapon, my loyal
heir and diciple to the Negaforce. My gift to the world--Dark Moon,
who shall cover the light and bring the reign of Darkness." She grinned
and twisted the knife more firmly into the Scouts' back. "They also
tried to take away your beloved, my Champion Warrior, Darien."
"Darien...?" Serena whispered, eyes widening in horror. While the
previous words her Queen spoke held no meaning, thanks to these Sailor
Scouts, 'beloved Darien' brought her world crashing to a halt. Darien..
he used to tease her, calling her 'Meatball Head'--the familiar memory/
nickname drew a confused blank at the moment--they were mortal enemies..
until he was hurt in a battle. She couldn't remember how he'd been
hurt--perhaps against those evil Sailor Scouts--but she remembered
being terrified of losing him again. Again...? It made her realize just
how important he was to her, how much she loved him. She had vowed to
never lose him again...but she somehow had...so many lost memories..she
glanced up at Beryl.
"Is he all right? Please tell me he's okay!" she whispered fearfully.
"He is hurt, but nothing life-threatening. He will recover. I think it
will help having his dear one by his side." 'And it will keep him with
me, if the one who holds his memories is also in my possession...'
Serena nodded slowly, fingering the dark moon-shaped wand strapped to
her side. "I understand, my Queen."
"Serena...that weapon around your waist..." Beryl murmured, struggling
to not just reach out and take it. The Moon Wand was oh so close...if
only she had it in her hands...
"This?" Serena asked, holding up the now-ebony-hued moon weapon to the
light. "It's my Dark Moon Wand..."
"May I see it?" Beryl purred, holding out a slightly-trembling hand.
"I..." Serena hesitated. What was wrong with her? Why was she not
obeying the command her Queen gave her? Why did she feel like running?
Pushing back the strange notions, Serena hesitated once more, then slid
the weapon into Beryl's palm.
Beryl's amber eyes widened in disbelief, hardly daring to acknowledge
that the powerful weapon of Queen Serenity, passed down to the Moon
Princess, her daughter, Serena, was now curled between her long
fingers. She smiled, then murmured the incantation to harness its
power.
"Cosmic Moon Power...!" she chanted, holding the wand high, expecting
any moment for the desired power she had dreamed of for a thousand
years to burst into being.
Nothing happened. Beryl's eyes narrowed in anger.
"What the...? Why isn't it working?" she hissed.
"My Queen...the wand only works for me. No one else can tap into its
power." Serena replied softly so as to not anger Beryl further. She
tapped thoughtfully at the moon symbol on her forehead. "Something to
do with the moon emblem, maybe..." She didn't know how she knew this,
but it whispered of the truth. She watched Beryl take gulping breaths,
nostrils flaring with suppressed anger.
She handed the weapon back to Serena, cursing her luck. She finally had
the wand in her hands...and the blasted denizens of the Moon still
overruled her plans. At least she had the little princess. She
attempted to remain calm, smiling stiffly.
"Go now, child, see to your beloved. When I have need of you, you will
be summoned with he and Malachite."
Serena bowed her head, disappearing into the shadowed halls of the
Negaverse. Malachite frowned, then turned to Beryl. "My Queen...can she
be trusted?"
Beryl frowned, slamming her mystical staff into the ground. "The little
Moon twit is mine, now, Malachite. The oh-so-royal Highness of the Moon,
Serenity, can do nothing to save her daughter this time. The fate of
the girl rests in my hands...and she shall serve me well." She
brightened, her clawed fingertips curling around the globe of Nega-
darkness as she summoned its scrying abilities. "In the meantime, let
see what our foes are doing--you keep an eye on the child and our
Champion."
Malachite nodded, blending into the shadows. Now, to find the Moon
Child and her Prince...
******
Luna hissed softly, then took a deep breath as Artemis supported
her swaying form. "She's alive...but so changed! She feels so
different...dark...confused. Beryl has indeed brainwashed her, infusing
her with dark energy. She has been turned against us, like Darien. I
can't feel her goodness, her light...perhaps if I was stronger, I might
be able to do more..." She sighed, bowing her head as feelings of
helplessness overwhelmed her. She was Serena's Guardian--she was
supposed to protect her. Thanks to her weakness and inadaquacy, Serena
was in grave danger. There was nothing she could do...
"Luna..." Artemis' low voice murmured softly. She glanced at the white
cat beside her, Venus' Guardian. His blue eyes stared intently at her,
as if to physically make her believe his words. "It is NOT your fault
that Serena's lost to us. We *will* rescue her, Darien too. You have
not failed her or slacked in her training as a Sailor Scout. She is
strong. Her heart and mind are still clear--they're just hidden behind
a dark moon. She will come back to us. You have to believe that."
Luna keened softly, fearful for her charge. "How? How can I believe
that when Serena's in Beryl's clutches, when that witch has twisted her
soul-self so easily to make her a Negaverse warrior? When she's
forgotten her true self and it's engulfed in darkness?" She stumbled
away from the warm comfort of her fellow Guardian, staring beseechingly
up at the pearl-white full moon. Tears glittered against amber eyes and
black fur, caught in the moonlight.
"Queen Serenity!" she cried to the spirit-goddess who once ruled so
happily in the Silver Millenium, in that peaceful time. "Please, guard
and guide your daughter! She needs you, now more than ever! Protect our
Moon Princess from the Darkness..guide her path back to us, to her
rightful life. Don't let her be lost to us--the world needs her
goodness, her light, against our Enemy. Please help her, Lady..don't
let all our hard work and sacrifice be in vain.." She closed her eyes,
feeling Serenity's ethereal touch.
*--Do not fear Guardian of the Moon. My daughter was made and re-made
for far more than Beryl's evil. She is not alone.--*
Luna smiled, feeling a ghostly hand brush away her tears.
*--Go with Artemis-you have far more than Serena's well-being to worry
about...--* the soft inner-voice said dryly. Luna sighed, nodding in
thanks and acceptance as she walked with Artemis.
'Yes, far more,' she thought to herself. 'How to tell Serena's family
the latest trouble their 'double-persona''d daughter and sister was in
now...this is *not* going to be pretty...'
******
Inside the Tsukino household, Raye, Mina, Lita and Amy were
attempting to do just that--with less-than successful results. Sammy,
Serena's little brother, flat out laughed his head off.
"MY big sister, clumsy, wimpy, food-and-sleep-crazy Serena, Sailor
Moon?! What planet are you from?"
"Why, you little...!" Raye growled, prevented by Amy from scorching the
boy with her fire power.
"Mr. and Mrs. Tsukino, please, you must believe us!" Ilene Tsukino
shook her head at Amy's plea.
"Amy, you are a very intelligent young lady, so you must know this is..
a little hard to swallow!"
"In normal cases, yes, but..."
Darkhaired, bespectacled Ken Tsukino gently embraced his wife. "In *any*
case, Miss Mizuno! Our little Serena is just a normal young lady in
junior high, like all of you. Even if it was true, she would NEVER keep
secrets from her family. It's not her nature."
Lita shook her head. "Serena's had to do a lot of things she wouldn't
normally do since becoming Sailor Moon, including keeping secrets from
family and friends. She never wanted to *not* tell you, but she was
only protecting you from danger! The way things have turned out, it was
time for you to know."
Remembering all the times that her daughter was so tired or weak, quiet,
moody or scared for little reason, Ilene clenched her husband's hand
with sudden clarifying fear. "What danger? Is my little girl all right?"
The quartet glanced at each other in worry. Mina awkwardly cleared her
throat as she shoved a hand through her long blonde hair absently. "We..
we really don't know. Last night, we were in a battle and one of our
enemies sortakinda disappeared with her. We haven't seen her since,
but..well, she may be in terrible trouble."
Husband and wife gasped as one, holding on to each other for strength.
Sammy glanced up at them, then crossed his arms in a mixture of
desperate denial and instinctive fear.
"This is a bunch of bull! Serena isn't super-hero material, much less
have th' guts to be Sailor Moon. Her friends are playin' some sort of
trick, or maybe Serena herself." He nodded, emitting a sort of
whimpering laugh as he cupped his hands around his mouth. "Okay, Serena,
we give! You can come out now! Joke's over!"
When his big sister failed to show, Sammy's shoulders hunched as he
wiped away a terrified tear. A gentle, understanding hand clasped his
shoulder. He glanced up into Amy's tearful eyes.
"I know this is hard to believe, Sammy, but Serena's in danger. She
couldn't tell you her secret because she was afraid that our enemies
would use or hurt you to make her do what they wanted. She hated lying
to you, but it was the only way for you to remain safe if you didn't
know."
Sammy pulled away as he dashed the tears from his eyes. "Am I the only
one who hasn't gone nuts in believing this lie?! Serena isn't...she
can't be...!"
"I'm afraid she is, Sammy. It is her destiny, good or bad..."
The group gathered turned, seeing the family cat that bore a strange
moon mark upon her forehead pad into the room, followed closely by a
white cat with the same symbol. Luna's tail lashed anxiously around her
feet as she sat down. Her intelligent amber eyes glanced sadly at
Serena's family.
"I wish it didn't have to be like this...I wish you could've found out
under more pleasant circumstances...but what's done is done."
Sammy blinked as he was joined by his stunned parents. "Th-the cat...
Luna TALKS...?!" he squeaked.
********
~End Chapter 4~