Title: Dream Diary
Rating: PG
Written by: Raseyu & Mistic
laceyp311@home.com & misticlady@hotmail.com
Chapter 3
~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~
"What on earth am I doing here, " Darien asked himself
softly.
Bewildered and confounded, Darien gazed dazedly into
the lush courtyard of Juban Junior High School. His eyes
never really focused on the gray stone benches or the grand
trees that stood before him in the silent splendor of that April
afternoon. Instead, he had found himself paying more
attention to the gentle breeze that tugged playfully at his ebony
locks. The smells of his ancestral homeland filled his senses,
soothing his distraught nerves.
At first, Darien had not even noticed his surroundings,
but a slight tug at his heart had forced him to open his eyes
and take in everything that surrounded him. Shock numbed
his senses as he took into account that the only thing keeping
him from the one he loved was a fence, this lush courtyard that
had lulled his senses like a siren's call, and four stone walls
that would seem almost impenetrable to any normal human.
"Love," Darien mused gently, still slightly dazed as he
placed his hand on the fence that stood before him. His eyes
closed as if in prayer as his musing probed further inward,
closer to his heart, beyond the walls, until finally he knew and
yet was confused by all that he saw. Unwittingly, Darien
conjured the image of a young woman's smiling face, and his
fist clenched around the iron chain-link fence as if on reflex.
His knuckles turned white as his grip tightened until finally his
eyes opened, and he whispered softly, as if to the wind, "Do I
really love her?"
"What do you think, Einstein," a small voice taunted
from somewhere deep inside-a place almost forgotten to the
young man, who they said was made of stone.
"She's pretty-"
"Beautiful," the little voice corrected softly, a smile
edging its way into the gentle word.
"Gorgeous," whispered a distracted Darien, whose
eyes unfocused once more, causing the courtyard before him
to become nothing more than a blur, "drop dead gorgeous..."
"OHH! Darien-baka thinks someone's-and I quote-
'drop dead gorgeous,'" an unmistakable voice cooed from
Darien's side, "So, who is she-hmmm?"
"HUH! MEATBALL HEAD!!!!" Darien squeaked, nearly
jumping through his skin at the sound of her voice, "WH-what
are you doing here?"
"Humph...and I thought you were an honor student,"
Serena sniffed slightly miffed at Darien's accusatory tone, "I
expected a better comeback than that from the Great Darien
Shields."
"Well, uh-that is to say-tee-hee..." Darien just
shrugged his shoulders as he tried to quell the burning of his
cheeks as quickly as humanly possible; however, from the
gleam in Serena's eyes, he knew it was not working-at all.
"Okay, I give; I'll play along," Serena stated mock-
seriously, "we wouldn't want your crush finding out that you
like her. It might embarrass you-wait-on second thought, it
might embarrass her more!"
"Hey! That's not fair!" Darien snapped, his eyes
flashing dangerously in the brilliant sunlight, "you just haven't
gotten the chance to know me yet. Unlike someone, I know, I
actually have some good qualities that I rather like to keep to
myself. My life isn't all roses you know-well-on second
thought, it kind of is, but you get the point. Now, if you don't
mind, don't you have somewhere else to be-like school-or
better yet, detention?"
"Yes, I do mind, and no, I don't have a better place to
be as you so delicately put it. I rather like it right here where I
can annoy you," Serena puffed, her depthless azure eyes
locking with sapphire pools of liquid ice.
"So familiar..." Darien's heart whispered into his
clouded, "just like hers..."
"Like whose?"
"Her...the Princess," the voice whispered, "just like
her-the haughtiness, the slight concern, the mischief-it's all
the same."
"No, it can't be," Darien cried inwardly, his eyes closing
in defiance for but a moment before once more locking on
Serena's, "she can't be..."
And with that thought, Darien forcibly tore his gaze
from Serena's, confused and slightly angry with himself. Was
his heart right? Was this child the Princess he had searched
so long for? It couldn't be-could it? She was too young, too
full of life.
"Wh-what are you staring at?"
"Huh?"
"You were staring at me-oh no! My dad's going to kill
me," Serena exclaimed horrified as her gaze fell the wrist
watch so near to her face, "I was suppose to be home half an
hour ago!"
Darien chuckled as he watched Serena's face scrunch
up in terror-all other thoughts disappearing with that look. He
could not explain it but that look always made him want to
smile-she was just so cute!
"What are you laughing at, you lout? This is all your
fault! If I hadn't of been arguing with you, I would be home
right now instead of argu-i-n-g--with-you-oh no! I've done it
again!" And with that, Serena spun on her heel and landed flat
on her face much the same as Darien had done earlier that
day in the arcade.
Laughter burst forth from Darien's throat as he gazed
upon the young girl sprawled out on the ground. The irony of
her words and her current situation were too much for him.
What were the odds that she was fall over just as she called
him a lout? He did not know, but they could not have been all
that great, which made the situation all the more hilarious.
"Ohh! Shut up, you jerk!" Serena yelled as she
scrambled to her feet-only to fall flat on her stomach again.
"I'm cursed," Serena muttered trying to regain her balance only
to fall again, "I'm cursed, and it's all his fault."
Laughter fell away to solemn civility as Darien hauled
Serena to her feet and steadied her so that she would not fall
again. Electricity tingled along the length of Darien's spine as
his fingers brushed Serena's bare mid-drift. Never in the
whole year he had known her could Darien remember ever
holding her this long or this close before. New sensations
traveled throughout his lean body as he noted just how
perfectly they fit together-like two puzzle pieces. Silently, he
revelled in this newfound warmth until finally-shocked by a
similar reaction-Serena pulled away.
"I-I have to go," Serena mumbled, struggling to form
coherent thoughts and sentences, "M-my father's waiting..."
"Serena, wait-"
"I-I'm s-sorry, b-but I have to go," Serena stuttered,
brushing aside Darien's comforting hand, her eyes pleading for
understanding, "I-my dad grounded me and now I'm late-pl-
please, let me go."
"But, I have your diary-"
"It does not matter; I have to go."
"Then go."
A bright, watery smile greeted Darien's bewildered
eyes before Serena turned and fled down the street. Her
golden pigtails flashed in the light of early dusk as she
gracefully sidestepped collision after collision with a newfound
grace that astonished him to no end. Since when was the
Queen of the Klutzes so graceful-or so warm-so familiar?
When had her eyes become so familiar that that panicked look
paralleled another's. More than slightly perplexed, Darien took
to wandering down the sidewalk.
"I've seen that look before," Darien whispered under
his breath, "I know I have, but where?"
"Last night."
"Huh?"
"Sailor Moon," the voice whispered gently, "she had the
same frightened look last night when you confronted her."
"But how's that possible?"
"I don't know," the voice sighed, "but I wish I knew...
Her eyes are fathomless; I could drown within their depths..."
"You dork," Darien scowled inwardly, "You don't even
know who she is or what you feel for her or Serena-"
"Yeah, but I can still think she's pretty... looks kind of
like Serena... Hmm... I wonder-"
"Don't even think it," Darien nearly shouted to the
world, gaining more than a few confused and concerned looks
from passing pedestrians. A blush lightly stained his cheeks
as Darien realized just how stupid he must have looked and
sounded to the "sane" people around him. With a quick
mumbled, "sorry," Darien ducked his head and hurried down
the sidewalk in hopes of blending in with the crowd and
escaping the questioning eyes of concerned spectators.
"Serena, is not-I repeat-is not Sailor Moon," Darien
bit out harshly to his heart, his mind unwontedly putting two
and two together without his consent.
"Think about it-"
"I don't want to think about it."
"Oh, but you have seen it before... The same hair
style-"
"Serena's a fan; you know that."
"But who had it first?"
"Serena-"
"Good boy. Now what does that mean?"
"Sailor Moon's a fan of Serena's hairstyle," Darien
stated, smirking mentally at his heart.
"You are *so* dense! How on earth--rather when did
you become such an idiot?"
"Long time ago-you know-you just called yourself an
idiot."
"So," Darien's heart challenged, "you are an idiot."
"No, I'm not."
"Yes, you are."
"Am not."
"Are too!"
"Am not!"
"Are too!"
"Ugh! Get to the point already," Darien yelled mentally,
tired of fighting with himself in such a childish manner.
"Well, if you're going to be like that..."
"You do know that I don't have to listen to you."
"Yes, but then who would you talk to?"
"That was low," Darien muttered under his breathe as
he journeyed down the sidewalk, hands in his pockets and a
dejected look on his face, "That was really low."
"Yes," his heart sighed wearily, "but you know it's true.
You shut me away far too often and block everyone out,
except her-"
"Who? Sailor Moon," Darien cried incredulously in his
head, "but we don't even know here!"
"You don't, but I do; however, that's not who I meant,
and you know IT!"
"Sorry."
"You better be. Now, where was I when you so
*rudely* interrupted?"
"You were talking about-"
Pain exploded through the back of Darien's mind,
permeating throughout his entire being. Urgency flooded his
senses, sending him to his knees with the force. Nothing short
of transforming and following the link would release him of this
pain and Darien knew it, but he had to fight in order to regain
control, at least for a moment. It would not be good for his
alter ego to overtake him on a public street where someone
might see him and exploit his secret...
~ * ~
Clad in a tuxedo and cape, a figure hastened toward
an unknown destination. Urgency permeated his very being,
urging him on and leading him to her. She was always there,
a part of his very being, but only when she transformed did he
feel her presence so acutely that separation caused him pain.
"I wonder if she feels something similar," Tuxedo Mask
mused hopping from roof to roof in search of a young sailor
suited teenager. "Where is she? I should have found her by
now..."
"AHHHHHH!"
"Damn," Mask whispered under his breath, "Can't that
girl stay out of trouble for one night-nah-how 'bout just one
fight? One fight. That's all I ask!"
"You know you would miss her-having the chance to
hold her small frame close and know that she trusts you with
her heart and her life if only for a moment..."
Tuxedo Mask leaped from the edge of a three-story
complex and, catching the arch of a steel light pole, swung
safely to the ground below. Within seconds, his black clad
figure gracefully leapt from one parked car to another,
masterfully crossing the street with stealth and grace that had
pedestrians and drivers alike wondering at the legitimacy of
what they thought they had seen. Swiftly, the figure moved
into the cover offered by the trees of the Azabu River Park
where he continued to move with stealth that only cats
possess.
Fear and urgency where Tuxedo Mask's only guide in
his journey across town-and pain-a pain that ached dully in
the pit of his stomach and more harshly above his right eye. It
was another's pain-Sailor Moon's pain-which he felt, and he
could not help but curse himself for being so far away.
Because of that distance, she had already been hurt-not
badly but still-she had been hurt and it was all because he
was not fast enough.
Tuxedo Mask cursed as he ran, allowing his link to
Sailor Moon to guide him deeper into the park, closer to the
river and the site of battle. He knew where she was now.
How-he was not sure, but he knew and that made him run
faster than before. She would not be hurt again-that he
promised.
Suddenly, the urgency faded and the pain dissipated,
leaving Tuxedo Mask crumpled on the sidewalk less than a
hundred meters from the site of battle. He clutched at his
head-the pain intensifying tenfold before vanishing almost
completely, taking the tuxedo, cape, and all the other
accessories of Tuxedo Mask with it, and leaving only Darien
behind.
Had he failed? Was Sailor Moon alive and well or
hurt-even dying somewhere because he had been too slow?
Were the others with her? Was anybody with her?
"Oh, God! What have I done?" Darien asked himself
miserably as he clutched his head in shame.
"D-Darien," a weak voice murmured as though upon a
wind.
Startled, Darien looked up and gasped.
There before him stood Serena looking pale and
incredibly weak. Her limbs trembled and cutes and bruises
practically covered her entire delicate frame. Blood trickled
gently from a gash above Serena's right eye, and she held her
hands as though they had been burned. She looked, for all
the world, like a solider fresh from battle.
"Hel-help me..."
~ * ~
Mistic: Should we continue?
Raseyu: I don't know...
Mistic: Let's think about it for a moment...
Raseyu & Mistic: hmm...
Mistic: I've got it! Why don't you write for a time?
Raseyu: ?
Mistic: What's that supposed to mean? Are you going to write
or not?
Raseyu: ?
Mistic: Come on! Answer me! ^^; Please? Raseyu!!!!!!
~~A few days later~~
Raseyu: I don't feel like writing right now...
Mistic: Guess I'll just have continue this chapter *clears
throat*
~ * ~
In an instant, Darien materialized beside her; his lungs
burned from internal fire fueled by adrenaline. Swiftly, he
swept Serena off her feet as her legs gave way beneath her.
Instantly, a wet stickiness coated Darien's hand causing him to
inhale sharply and glance down to assess the extent of
Serena's injuries.
"Bloody he!!" Darien exclaimed, at the sight of her red
stained side. Blood saturated the once white fabric making it
sticky and slick all at once. Yet something was unsettling
about the stain. There was not tear in the material-no
entrance or exit point, and yet the wound existed, bleeding
profusely.
"Da-Darien," a weak voice choked, drawing Darien's
attention from the mysterious wound to pain-clouded azure
eyes. For a moment, Serena's eyes fluttered rapidly, trying to
focus on something but nothing ever became concrete. Only
black and half formed blurs existed in her vision. "Da-Darien!
I can't see!" And in that moment panic set in as fear clutched
at her heart, and she reached out for anything that was
familiar. "D-Darien-please-speak to me---please... I-I can't
see..."
"Shush, Serena. I'm here; I'm not going to leave you...
shhhh..."
"Darien, I'm so scared..."
"It's going to be okay, Serena. I promise..." Darien
cooed gently as he scooped the scared girl up into his arms,
cradling her as though she were an infant. "It's going to be
okay..."
~*~
If asked later, pedestrians would have sworn he had
flown on angel's wings and others that he ran like the hounds
of Hell were after him, but no one could ever really be sure.
All that they knew for sure was that they had seen a caped
shadow moving swiftly into the embrace of the dark night...
~*~
Minutes passed like eons to the young intern as he
hurried to his apartment, which-thank God-was close by.
Carefully, Darien slid open the door to his balcony, thanking
his lucky stars that he had not locked it before leaving that
morning, and crept into the dark apartment. Moments later, he
deposited Serena's body gently on his bed, wincing as a sharp
shock of pain ran unexpectedly through his own side as
Serena moaned in her slumber.
Hesitating for but a moment, Darien exited his bedroom
in order to find a bowl of water and medical supplies, all of
which resided in his bathroom. Being Tuxedo Mask did have
its pitfalls, the occasional wound that his healing powers could
not fix without help, but in this case, his stash of medical
supplies would be an advantage, and he thanked his lucky
stars that he had them.
"Serena, Serena," Darien cried softly, shaking Serena
slightly trying to wake her. However, she would not awaken,
which left Darien with no choice but to remove her shirt and
pray that-she wore a bra (Mistic: ^^; sorry 'bout that)-err,
rather-that the damage was not too extensive.
"Holy s***!" (Raseyu: OHH! Mistic said a bad word-
well almost) (Mistic:^^;)
The wound was long and very deep. Blood crusted
around the edges of torn flesh but did nothing to inhibit the
river of fluid rushing forth from the opening. Smaller scratches
paralleled the largest one, but they did not draw Darien's focus
for very long. Instead a stream of colorful curses filled the air
and a bowl of water went crashing to the floor, breaking into a
million pieces. Yet, Darien never noticed the fallen object;
instead, he focused totally on Serena and her life-threatening
wound.
"Forgive me..." Darien muttered softly as he gently
placed his hands on the gash marring Serena's pale skin.
Darien winced as a moaned pierced the silence of the room,
but he made no move to remove his hands. Instead, sapphire
eyes closed in concentration as Darien prayed to his mother
planet for the strength to heal. Normally the strength came
naturally but never before had he tried to heal another. And,
he had no idea whether it was possible to transfer his energy
in that way, but something forced him to try.
Slowly, golden light began to pulsate from Darien's
hands, growing in intensity with every passing second, fueled
by the yearnings of his heart. Brighter and brighter the light
grew until it touched the entire room and then, just as suddenly
as it appeared, the light dissipated leaving an exhausted
Darien nearly passed out on his knees.
"Please, please, Lord, let it have worked," Darien
pleaded silently; hardly daring to open his eyes for fear that his
exertion had been for naught.
Slowly, one eye opened and then another. Then, they
both snapped shut. Again, one sapphire eye opened,
disbelieving what his quick survey had offered his over taxed
mind, and then another. Again, he saw what he thought he
had seen, and ever so slowly, a smile etched itself into his
strained features until he was nearly jumping for joy.
The wound was no more. Only a light scratch
remained where a gash once existed and the smaller
scratches were nothing more than scars, which would fade in
due time. In fact, the only wounds that remained where the
ones that Darien had totally neglected to take notice of until
now.
~ * ~
To be continued...
~ * ~
Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon are
(c) Naoko Takeuchi, Bandai, Kodansha,
Toei Animation, etc.
Rating: PG
Written by: Raseyu & Mistic
laceyp311@home.com & misticlady@hotmail.com
Chapter 3
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"What on earth am I doing here, " Darien asked himself
softly.
Bewildered and confounded, Darien gazed dazedly into
the lush courtyard of Juban Junior High School. His eyes
never really focused on the gray stone benches or the grand
trees that stood before him in the silent splendor of that April
afternoon. Instead, he had found himself paying more
attention to the gentle breeze that tugged playfully at his ebony
locks. The smells of his ancestral homeland filled his senses,
soothing his distraught nerves.
At first, Darien had not even noticed his surroundings,
but a slight tug at his heart had forced him to open his eyes
and take in everything that surrounded him. Shock numbed
his senses as he took into account that the only thing keeping
him from the one he loved was a fence, this lush courtyard that
had lulled his senses like a siren's call, and four stone walls
that would seem almost impenetrable to any normal human.
"Love," Darien mused gently, still slightly dazed as he
placed his hand on the fence that stood before him. His eyes
closed as if in prayer as his musing probed further inward,
closer to his heart, beyond the walls, until finally he knew and
yet was confused by all that he saw. Unwittingly, Darien
conjured the image of a young woman's smiling face, and his
fist clenched around the iron chain-link fence as if on reflex.
His knuckles turned white as his grip tightened until finally his
eyes opened, and he whispered softly, as if to the wind, "Do I
really love her?"
"What do you think, Einstein," a small voice taunted
from somewhere deep inside-a place almost forgotten to the
young man, who they said was made of stone.
"She's pretty-"
"Beautiful," the little voice corrected softly, a smile
edging its way into the gentle word.
"Gorgeous," whispered a distracted Darien, whose
eyes unfocused once more, causing the courtyard before him
to become nothing more than a blur, "drop dead gorgeous..."
"OHH! Darien-baka thinks someone's-and I quote-
'drop dead gorgeous,'" an unmistakable voice cooed from
Darien's side, "So, who is she-hmmm?"
"HUH! MEATBALL HEAD!!!!" Darien squeaked, nearly
jumping through his skin at the sound of her voice, "WH-what
are you doing here?"
"Humph...and I thought you were an honor student,"
Serena sniffed slightly miffed at Darien's accusatory tone, "I
expected a better comeback than that from the Great Darien
Shields."
"Well, uh-that is to say-tee-hee..." Darien just
shrugged his shoulders as he tried to quell the burning of his
cheeks as quickly as humanly possible; however, from the
gleam in Serena's eyes, he knew it was not working-at all.
"Okay, I give; I'll play along," Serena stated mock-
seriously, "we wouldn't want your crush finding out that you
like her. It might embarrass you-wait-on second thought, it
might embarrass her more!"
"Hey! That's not fair!" Darien snapped, his eyes
flashing dangerously in the brilliant sunlight, "you just haven't
gotten the chance to know me yet. Unlike someone, I know, I
actually have some good qualities that I rather like to keep to
myself. My life isn't all roses you know-well-on second
thought, it kind of is, but you get the point. Now, if you don't
mind, don't you have somewhere else to be-like school-or
better yet, detention?"
"Yes, I do mind, and no, I don't have a better place to
be as you so delicately put it. I rather like it right here where I
can annoy you," Serena puffed, her depthless azure eyes
locking with sapphire pools of liquid ice.
"So familiar..." Darien's heart whispered into his
clouded, "just like hers..."
"Like whose?"
"Her...the Princess," the voice whispered, "just like
her-the haughtiness, the slight concern, the mischief-it's all
the same."
"No, it can't be," Darien cried inwardly, his eyes closing
in defiance for but a moment before once more locking on
Serena's, "she can't be..."
And with that thought, Darien forcibly tore his gaze
from Serena's, confused and slightly angry with himself. Was
his heart right? Was this child the Princess he had searched
so long for? It couldn't be-could it? She was too young, too
full of life.
"Wh-what are you staring at?"
"Huh?"
"You were staring at me-oh no! My dad's going to kill
me," Serena exclaimed horrified as her gaze fell the wrist
watch so near to her face, "I was suppose to be home half an
hour ago!"
Darien chuckled as he watched Serena's face scrunch
up in terror-all other thoughts disappearing with that look. He
could not explain it but that look always made him want to
smile-she was just so cute!
"What are you laughing at, you lout? This is all your
fault! If I hadn't of been arguing with you, I would be home
right now instead of argu-i-n-g--with-you-oh no! I've done it
again!" And with that, Serena spun on her heel and landed flat
on her face much the same as Darien had done earlier that
day in the arcade.
Laughter burst forth from Darien's throat as he gazed
upon the young girl sprawled out on the ground. The irony of
her words and her current situation were too much for him.
What were the odds that she was fall over just as she called
him a lout? He did not know, but they could not have been all
that great, which made the situation all the more hilarious.
"Ohh! Shut up, you jerk!" Serena yelled as she
scrambled to her feet-only to fall flat on her stomach again.
"I'm cursed," Serena muttered trying to regain her balance only
to fall again, "I'm cursed, and it's all his fault."
Laughter fell away to solemn civility as Darien hauled
Serena to her feet and steadied her so that she would not fall
again. Electricity tingled along the length of Darien's spine as
his fingers brushed Serena's bare mid-drift. Never in the
whole year he had known her could Darien remember ever
holding her this long or this close before. New sensations
traveled throughout his lean body as he noted just how
perfectly they fit together-like two puzzle pieces. Silently, he
revelled in this newfound warmth until finally-shocked by a
similar reaction-Serena pulled away.
"I-I have to go," Serena mumbled, struggling to form
coherent thoughts and sentences, "M-my father's waiting..."
"Serena, wait-"
"I-I'm s-sorry, b-but I have to go," Serena stuttered,
brushing aside Darien's comforting hand, her eyes pleading for
understanding, "I-my dad grounded me and now I'm late-pl-
please, let me go."
"But, I have your diary-"
"It does not matter; I have to go."
"Then go."
A bright, watery smile greeted Darien's bewildered
eyes before Serena turned and fled down the street. Her
golden pigtails flashed in the light of early dusk as she
gracefully sidestepped collision after collision with a newfound
grace that astonished him to no end. Since when was the
Queen of the Klutzes so graceful-or so warm-so familiar?
When had her eyes become so familiar that that panicked look
paralleled another's. More than slightly perplexed, Darien took
to wandering down the sidewalk.
"I've seen that look before," Darien whispered under
his breath, "I know I have, but where?"
"Last night."
"Huh?"
"Sailor Moon," the voice whispered gently, "she had the
same frightened look last night when you confronted her."
"But how's that possible?"
"I don't know," the voice sighed, "but I wish I knew...
Her eyes are fathomless; I could drown within their depths..."
"You dork," Darien scowled inwardly, "You don't even
know who she is or what you feel for her or Serena-"
"Yeah, but I can still think she's pretty... looks kind of
like Serena... Hmm... I wonder-"
"Don't even think it," Darien nearly shouted to the
world, gaining more than a few confused and concerned looks
from passing pedestrians. A blush lightly stained his cheeks
as Darien realized just how stupid he must have looked and
sounded to the "sane" people around him. With a quick
mumbled, "sorry," Darien ducked his head and hurried down
the sidewalk in hopes of blending in with the crowd and
escaping the questioning eyes of concerned spectators.
"Serena, is not-I repeat-is not Sailor Moon," Darien
bit out harshly to his heart, his mind unwontedly putting two
and two together without his consent.
"Think about it-"
"I don't want to think about it."
"Oh, but you have seen it before... The same hair
style-"
"Serena's a fan; you know that."
"But who had it first?"
"Serena-"
"Good boy. Now what does that mean?"
"Sailor Moon's a fan of Serena's hairstyle," Darien
stated, smirking mentally at his heart.
"You are *so* dense! How on earth--rather when did
you become such an idiot?"
"Long time ago-you know-you just called yourself an
idiot."
"So," Darien's heart challenged, "you are an idiot."
"No, I'm not."
"Yes, you are."
"Am not."
"Are too!"
"Am not!"
"Are too!"
"Ugh! Get to the point already," Darien yelled mentally,
tired of fighting with himself in such a childish manner.
"Well, if you're going to be like that..."
"You do know that I don't have to listen to you."
"Yes, but then who would you talk to?"
"That was low," Darien muttered under his breathe as
he journeyed down the sidewalk, hands in his pockets and a
dejected look on his face, "That was really low."
"Yes," his heart sighed wearily, "but you know it's true.
You shut me away far too often and block everyone out,
except her-"
"Who? Sailor Moon," Darien cried incredulously in his
head, "but we don't even know here!"
"You don't, but I do; however, that's not who I meant,
and you know IT!"
"Sorry."
"You better be. Now, where was I when you so
*rudely* interrupted?"
"You were talking about-"
Pain exploded through the back of Darien's mind,
permeating throughout his entire being. Urgency flooded his
senses, sending him to his knees with the force. Nothing short
of transforming and following the link would release him of this
pain and Darien knew it, but he had to fight in order to regain
control, at least for a moment. It would not be good for his
alter ego to overtake him on a public street where someone
might see him and exploit his secret...
~ * ~
Clad in a tuxedo and cape, a figure hastened toward
an unknown destination. Urgency permeated his very being,
urging him on and leading him to her. She was always there,
a part of his very being, but only when she transformed did he
feel her presence so acutely that separation caused him pain.
"I wonder if she feels something similar," Tuxedo Mask
mused hopping from roof to roof in search of a young sailor
suited teenager. "Where is she? I should have found her by
now..."
"AHHHHHH!"
"Damn," Mask whispered under his breath, "Can't that
girl stay out of trouble for one night-nah-how 'bout just one
fight? One fight. That's all I ask!"
"You know you would miss her-having the chance to
hold her small frame close and know that she trusts you with
her heart and her life if only for a moment..."
Tuxedo Mask leaped from the edge of a three-story
complex and, catching the arch of a steel light pole, swung
safely to the ground below. Within seconds, his black clad
figure gracefully leapt from one parked car to another,
masterfully crossing the street with stealth and grace that had
pedestrians and drivers alike wondering at the legitimacy of
what they thought they had seen. Swiftly, the figure moved
into the cover offered by the trees of the Azabu River Park
where he continued to move with stealth that only cats
possess.
Fear and urgency where Tuxedo Mask's only guide in
his journey across town-and pain-a pain that ached dully in
the pit of his stomach and more harshly above his right eye. It
was another's pain-Sailor Moon's pain-which he felt, and he
could not help but curse himself for being so far away.
Because of that distance, she had already been hurt-not
badly but still-she had been hurt and it was all because he
was not fast enough.
Tuxedo Mask cursed as he ran, allowing his link to
Sailor Moon to guide him deeper into the park, closer to the
river and the site of battle. He knew where she was now.
How-he was not sure, but he knew and that made him run
faster than before. She would not be hurt again-that he
promised.
Suddenly, the urgency faded and the pain dissipated,
leaving Tuxedo Mask crumpled on the sidewalk less than a
hundred meters from the site of battle. He clutched at his
head-the pain intensifying tenfold before vanishing almost
completely, taking the tuxedo, cape, and all the other
accessories of Tuxedo Mask with it, and leaving only Darien
behind.
Had he failed? Was Sailor Moon alive and well or
hurt-even dying somewhere because he had been too slow?
Were the others with her? Was anybody with her?
"Oh, God! What have I done?" Darien asked himself
miserably as he clutched his head in shame.
"D-Darien," a weak voice murmured as though upon a
wind.
Startled, Darien looked up and gasped.
There before him stood Serena looking pale and
incredibly weak. Her limbs trembled and cutes and bruises
practically covered her entire delicate frame. Blood trickled
gently from a gash above Serena's right eye, and she held her
hands as though they had been burned. She looked, for all
the world, like a solider fresh from battle.
"Hel-help me..."
~ * ~
Mistic: Should we continue?
Raseyu: I don't know...
Mistic: Let's think about it for a moment...
Raseyu & Mistic: hmm...
Mistic: I've got it! Why don't you write for a time?
Raseyu: ?
Mistic: What's that supposed to mean? Are you going to write
or not?
Raseyu: ?
Mistic: Come on! Answer me! ^^; Please? Raseyu!!!!!!
~~A few days later~~
Raseyu: I don't feel like writing right now...
Mistic: Guess I'll just have continue this chapter *clears
throat*
~ * ~
In an instant, Darien materialized beside her; his lungs
burned from internal fire fueled by adrenaline. Swiftly, he
swept Serena off her feet as her legs gave way beneath her.
Instantly, a wet stickiness coated Darien's hand causing him to
inhale sharply and glance down to assess the extent of
Serena's injuries.
"Bloody he!!" Darien exclaimed, at the sight of her red
stained side. Blood saturated the once white fabric making it
sticky and slick all at once. Yet something was unsettling
about the stain. There was not tear in the material-no
entrance or exit point, and yet the wound existed, bleeding
profusely.
"Da-Darien," a weak voice choked, drawing Darien's
attention from the mysterious wound to pain-clouded azure
eyes. For a moment, Serena's eyes fluttered rapidly, trying to
focus on something but nothing ever became concrete. Only
black and half formed blurs existed in her vision. "Da-Darien!
I can't see!" And in that moment panic set in as fear clutched
at her heart, and she reached out for anything that was
familiar. "D-Darien-please-speak to me---please... I-I can't
see..."
"Shush, Serena. I'm here; I'm not going to leave you...
shhhh..."
"Darien, I'm so scared..."
"It's going to be okay, Serena. I promise..." Darien
cooed gently as he scooped the scared girl up into his arms,
cradling her as though she were an infant. "It's going to be
okay..."
~*~
If asked later, pedestrians would have sworn he had
flown on angel's wings and others that he ran like the hounds
of Hell were after him, but no one could ever really be sure.
All that they knew for sure was that they had seen a caped
shadow moving swiftly into the embrace of the dark night...
~*~
Minutes passed like eons to the young intern as he
hurried to his apartment, which-thank God-was close by.
Carefully, Darien slid open the door to his balcony, thanking
his lucky stars that he had not locked it before leaving that
morning, and crept into the dark apartment. Moments later, he
deposited Serena's body gently on his bed, wincing as a sharp
shock of pain ran unexpectedly through his own side as
Serena moaned in her slumber.
Hesitating for but a moment, Darien exited his bedroom
in order to find a bowl of water and medical supplies, all of
which resided in his bathroom. Being Tuxedo Mask did have
its pitfalls, the occasional wound that his healing powers could
not fix without help, but in this case, his stash of medical
supplies would be an advantage, and he thanked his lucky
stars that he had them.
"Serena, Serena," Darien cried softly, shaking Serena
slightly trying to wake her. However, she would not awaken,
which left Darien with no choice but to remove her shirt and
pray that-she wore a bra (Mistic: ^^; sorry 'bout that)-err,
rather-that the damage was not too extensive.
"Holy s***!" (Raseyu: OHH! Mistic said a bad word-
well almost) (Mistic:^^;)
The wound was long and very deep. Blood crusted
around the edges of torn flesh but did nothing to inhibit the
river of fluid rushing forth from the opening. Smaller scratches
paralleled the largest one, but they did not draw Darien's focus
for very long. Instead a stream of colorful curses filled the air
and a bowl of water went crashing to the floor, breaking into a
million pieces. Yet, Darien never noticed the fallen object;
instead, he focused totally on Serena and her life-threatening
wound.
"Forgive me..." Darien muttered softly as he gently
placed his hands on the gash marring Serena's pale skin.
Darien winced as a moaned pierced the silence of the room,
but he made no move to remove his hands. Instead, sapphire
eyes closed in concentration as Darien prayed to his mother
planet for the strength to heal. Normally the strength came
naturally but never before had he tried to heal another. And,
he had no idea whether it was possible to transfer his energy
in that way, but something forced him to try.
Slowly, golden light began to pulsate from Darien's
hands, growing in intensity with every passing second, fueled
by the yearnings of his heart. Brighter and brighter the light
grew until it touched the entire room and then, just as suddenly
as it appeared, the light dissipated leaving an exhausted
Darien nearly passed out on his knees.
"Please, please, Lord, let it have worked," Darien
pleaded silently; hardly daring to open his eyes for fear that his
exertion had been for naught.
Slowly, one eye opened and then another. Then, they
both snapped shut. Again, one sapphire eye opened,
disbelieving what his quick survey had offered his over taxed
mind, and then another. Again, he saw what he thought he
had seen, and ever so slowly, a smile etched itself into his
strained features until he was nearly jumping for joy.
The wound was no more. Only a light scratch
remained where a gash once existed and the smaller
scratches were nothing more than scars, which would fade in
due time. In fact, the only wounds that remained where the
ones that Darien had totally neglected to take notice of until
now.
~ * ~
To be continued...
~ * ~
Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon are
(c) Naoko Takeuchi, Bandai, Kodansha,
Toei Animation, etc.