Pale Beams
Chapter #2
Dreams and Fears
Standard Disclaimer: Sailor Moon and all associated characters are the property of Takeuchi Naoko, Toei Animation, and DIC.
Rated 'R' for strong language.
Dariens' questioning look turned to horror and he ran to catch his love before she
hit the ground. He grabbed her just in the nick of time. Lifting her weight easily he turned
to his future daughter." Come on sweetie, you can stay at my house tonight, I'll call and
tell your mom that I'm Amy's father, if that's all right with you?"
Reenie nodded, her lips still trembling. There was silence on the way to Dariens'
apartment. Reenie kept looking back on Serenas still form in the back seat. It will be
okay, Dariens' a doctor and he always makes everything O.K.. She grabbed on to
Serena's hand and held tight the rest of the way home.
Serena hadn't seen her collapse coming. She had only felt Dariens' strong arms
catch her as she fell. He always caught her. Then there had been a dark void for a time but
now she was having terrible dreams. She could feel another presence in the dream with her
but she couldn't place the familiar light. It seemed to be near her but not near her at the
same time. The dream was a nightmare. The scouts were in danger and she couldn't help
them. Amy lay far at the end of a battlefield her scout uniform covered in blood; her blue
hair covered her face. Rae lay opposite of her fallen comrade, her ravens hair matted close
to her head with her own blood, her arm was bent at an impossible angle above her head.
Lita was spread eagle with a sharp piece of metal protruding from her stomach. Her forest
green eyes were open and staring listlessly at the night sky. Mina was the only one still
alive. Being the captain of the guard she was the most resilient scout. She fought with all
of her might. The monster laughed at her pitiable attacks and swung a might arm at her
felling her to the ground.
'Why Serena! " Mina yelled.
"Why did you run? We needed you!"
I didn't run. Serena thought "Mina!! I'm right here, Mina!! Don't give up; I know you
can do it. I'll help you. Moon Gorgeous Makeup!"
Nothing happened. Why didn't she transform. She tried again.
"Moon Gorgeous Make Up!"
Still nothing. She looked frantically around for a weapon. Wait a minute! What was
that Herself? What was she doing crying behind that tree?
Get up she thought.
"Get up, FIGHT DAMMIT!" They're dying because you aren't fighting. You're Sailor
Moon. FIGHT!!!!!!" She screamed at herself. She heard a loud cry of pain and turned
swiftly around.
"NNNOOOOOO MINA!"
The Yuma had cut down Mina. Her stomach was open and bleeding. Her neck lay at an
angle, crushed.
"Oh God Mina!" Serena ran over to her friend. "Wake up, please God wake up. Don't
leave me!" She looked around at all of her best friends in the whole universe. "Please any
one wake up. Do not leave me my friends. I need you. Please.... Please don't go." Her
whole world had been crushed she felt empty and barren.
"I-i-i-i-is it over yet?" asked a small voice. Serena looked up from her blood stained
friend to see herself wiping tears from her face and looking hopefully around the
battlefield.
"You. Why didn't you fight?" Serena asked in a whisper.
"I was scared, her clone replied, so, is it over yet can I go home and sleep now?"
" Why Didn't You Fight?" Serena was yelling now looking at all of her fallen comrades
soaked in blood. She looked back at 'herself" she screamed, over and over.
"WHY DIDN'T YOU FIGHT?????!!"
Darien had placed Serena on his bed Reenie had curled up as close as she could to
her and had fallen asleep there. She was still sleeping. He thought Why didn't she
wake up? It had been two hours now since he had found her in the park. What had
happened to her? He thought back to earlier that day. He had gotten off of the plane in a
cheerful mood. He had missed his 'bunny' and had wanted to see her as soon as possible.
He could imagine her jumping into his arms with her usual energy and squeezing his neck
in her enthusiasm. He loved this greeting and had gotten used to expecting it whenever he
saw her. He planned to take her and Reenie out to dinner, God knows he couldn't take
only one of them out, that would be setting himself up for a fight between them. He still
couldn't understand their competition over him but he loved them both so he got used to
that to. He had decided to go grab flowers for Serena when all of the sudden he had
doubled over in the street and clutched his back. The golden string that attached his soul
to Serenas had trembled and shaken violently. He was shocked, it had only pinged once
while he was away and had stilled just as quickly as it had started. He had wondered at it
but figured that it was only a bad grade or something trivial if it hadn't hurt him much or
lasted long. But this one had hurt like hell. Telepathically he had searched for his love and
found her on the park ground in agony alone except for Reenie. She called out to him
then.
"Darien... Please I need you."
As soon as he could walk again he had stumbled to his car and raced at the park. He kept
hearing her voice scream in pain and then calling him "Darien, Please, I need you." Over
and over again pitifully. He had never heard her sound that sad and hurt since the fight
with Queen Beryl and Wiseman. Coming back to the present he shook himself. What in
the Moon had happened? "Darien! Come quickly! It's Serena." Reenies frightened voice
came from his bedroom. He rushed in to find a violently thrashing Serena Screaming and
sobbing in his bed. An equally terrified Reenie looked up and stared at him with big
red-rimmed ruby eyes at him.
"Darien? " she whispered. "We had a nightmare."
Pausing slightly at the 'We' Darien rushed over to the bed and quickly grabbed his love by
the shoulders and shook her.
"Serena! Serena! Wake up!" When there was no response he shook her harder.
"Serena, Please wake up! You're going to hurt yourself!" He was terrified for her
physical safety with the way that she was trashing around. Still there was no response, no
indication that she had heard him. She cried out again, an anguished cry that shook him to
the core. He had no choice; he was going to have to do this. Wincing and bracing himself
for the consequences of his actions he raised his hand and slapped her.
With a start Serena sat bolt upright and gasped. Holding her cheek she looked
around with big blue eyes. Seeing where she was she lurched into Dariens' arms and
sobbed.
"Shhh, It's all right." He whispered soothing words and stroked her hair. Reenie wiggled
her way between them and Serena opened her arms to clutch tightly to Reenie. Darien
rocked them until Reenie fell back asleep and Serena's cries had turned into hiccups. He
tilted her chin up.
"Serena? Honey, what happened? What was the dream about?" Serena's gaze lifted and
Darien found himself looking into red-rimmed eyes, red rimmed eyes that held a dark
terror in their depths. Dear God, What did she dream about? And why did Reenie say
we?
"Please Darien I'd rather not talk about it." Serena whispered and lowered her gaze again.
Sighing and thinking tat he would find out what it was that was troubling her he simply
held her closer and rocked back and forth until she had fallen asleep. Laying them both
down in the middle of his bed he gazed at them through worried eyes. They both looked
so small and angelic. Serena slept with her hair disheveled and flowing around his pillows
and spilling onto the floor. She still clutched Reenie close to her as if she was Serenas only
lifeline. Reenie didn't seem to mind though for she held on tight to Serena even in her
sleep. Darien sighed again and settled down next to his future family. Pulling them close to
him he fell asleep still asking questions in his head. What had happened?
Nubius smiled cruelly at the picture displayed in front of him. Small children were standing
clustered in a group looking in fear at the Yuma that he had sent down to Tokyo.
Inwardly he wondered why he had chosen Tokyo as his victim, and then he remembered,
the readings of course. Nubius shuddered in cold, Damn, even in this blasted inferno of
the volcano it was still cold. Why could he never be warm? Soon, he thought Very
soon he would find her and then his revenge would be complete, and he could finally rule
as he was intended to do for so long. He would have too, if not for that small girl. Queen
Serenity's moon child from the Silver Millennium. That little moon brat had thwarted him
somehow in their last meeting. How he would never know, she was such a wee thing only
about ten years old
. He had expected no trouble from her at all. He had gone in for the kill, not noticing that
she was in the room until a blinding flash of light suddenly threw him out of the palace and
even out of the moons own orbit. He gingerly touched his face. The scar was still there; oh
that brat was going to pay for this very dearly. He had only to find her and then... destroy
her. She was the last remnant of the Moon Kingdom, Queen Beryl had taken care of the
Queen and all of her loyal subjects, but somehow the brat had escaped. The brat and those
sailors, funny though, he didn't remember any Sailor Moon or Chibi Moon, but they had
all escaped, every one of them. Fled to this planet. He could feel her awful light coming
from this city, it made him want to puke.
"Darling, how did the search go?" Procellarum, his Queen walked into the sweltering
chamber. Long black hair covered her body in a cloak. Her beady black eyes stared at him.
What a bothersome menace to me. Nubius thought.
"Proc! I thought that I told you to leave me alone until my work was done." he hissed.
"Oh, I know darling, but I just got so lonely eating dinner by myself again. Spiders are no
fun unless there is another person to eat them with you know." she pouted. That evil and
yet simple minded pout that scared him and yet annoyed him at the same time. There was
something behind that simple mad look that nagged at him but he couldn't quite figure it
out. (It almost frightened him, he shook it of as his imagination and told her to get out and
stay out. She pouted some more and silently left, almost as if she didn't touch the floor. He
glared thinking that he would have to get rid of her soon. Speaking of getting rid of...his
thoughts wondered back to the screen where he saw that that Sailor Moon girl sat all
alone. He smiled maliciously and silently patted himself on the back for a job well done.
Sending those dreams to the rest of the scouts and intensifying their doubts about their
leader until they blocked out all but her mistakes, blinding all of their reason, that was a
great idea. And it had worked on all of them but that strange pink haired one. He had and
idea as to why it had had no effect on her. Now they had ditched the dumb girl and soon
very soon he would have that Moon Sailor, or who ever she was, tell him where the little
blond princess was. He sent out another dream to Sailor Moon hoping to break her down
some more. Oh yes, she would talk. It couldn't be that hard to find the child, could it?
The next day was a school day unfortunately so the girls had to get up. Unfortunately
Darien was having a hard time waking either of the girls form their slumber. Finally he
gave up hope of waking them the easy way and went into the kitchen. Coming out with a
pitcher of cold water he even had the audacity to smile. Placing two cotton balls into his
ears he hoped that the landlord wouldn't throw him out for disturbing the peace, of the
entire city. Taking one last look at the two girls spread out across his bed his last thought
before hurling the contents of the pitcher at them was that he was going to have to dry his
sheets, and how much he was going to absolutely love this. Sure enough both Serena and
Reenie woke up on an earsplitting shriek of indignation. Their mouths became huge
gaping pits and one of Dariens' vases tumbled off of the table in the other room. At the
sound of glass shattering the girls ceased wailing and looked around to see what had dared
to disturb their sleep. Both of their eyes locked onto Dariens' smiling face and seemingly
at once they both started yelling at him. Not hearing a word that they said due to the
cotton in his ears he told them to get ready or they would miss breakfast. And he had
made their favorite. Pancakes so they'd best get hopping. With that he smiled turned
around and left the room, heading for the kitchen.
Serena and Reenie looked stunned that their wailing had not disturbed him at all.
" Maybe he finally got used to us. " Serena commented.
"Yea, or he finally went deaf." Reenie giggled and hopped out of bed and went over to the
bottom drawer of the dresser. All of the girls had made it a point to keep an extra pair of
clothing in each other's house. Dariens' apartment was no exception. Rummaging around
Reenie found her outfit and Serenas' and brought them over to the bed.
"Do you want the shower first Small Lady?" Serena questioned as she swung her legs
over to the side of the bed.
"No that's O.K., I'll go help Darien with the breakfast and you can have it first." Reenie
pushed her tumbled hair out of her eyes and looked at her mother.
"Mommy, your hair is so long, I've never seen you with it all down before. Will I have hair
that long when I grow up?" Reenie asked this wishfully as she stared at her mother.
Serena also looked at her hair and smiled. She loved her hair; it was almost as long as her
mothers had been in the Silver Millennium.
"I'm sure it will honey." Serena went to stand up and found that she had to sit back down.
Her legs felt like they were on fire.
"Are you O.K. Serena?" Reenie crawled across the bed to Serenas side.
"Uh. Huh, I think that I just need that shower more then I thought. "
" But your legs hurt a lot. Maybe I should go get Darien." She had already jumped off of
the bed and ran into the kitchen when Serena opened her mouth to speak. She came back
in with Darien trailing behind her, she was telling him of what had happened the night
before with Jupiter's attack.
"How do they feel Serena?" He asked in that doctor's tone of voice that was almost
distant, as he went down and started to rub them. Serena grimaced and spoke in a tight
voice.
"Fine, it's just that, well, you know when your feet fall asleep and then the feeling
returned to them? Like a bunch of pinpricks?"
Darien nodded.
"That's what they feel like, only the right one still feels numb mostly."
"Well from what Reenie told me then they're going to hurt an awful lot for a while. Just
don't try to run for a couple of days." Darien looked up and she saw the relief in his eyes
that it wasn't that serious. "I guess you do heal faster then most people do. Even the rest
of the scouts would take at least a day to get back on their feet after that. But you should
be O.K.." He stood up kissed her and asked if she needed any help getting to the
bathroom.
"No thanks, Muffin" She smiled. "I can manage. "
Father and daughter left the room and Serena grabbed her clothes off of the bed.
Wincing she stood up and slowly inched her way to the bathroom. Turning on the water
all of the way up she shed her clothes and stepped into what had to be the best shower in
her life. The hot water did wonders for her back and legs and she steppe out feel8ing
refreshed and energized. Climbing into her school uniform and stepping over to the mirror
she combed her long hair and painstakingly put it into her odango style. Combing it took
about ten minutes, styling it took only two since she was so used to styling it this way. She
went out into the kitchen where delightful aromas were pouring out the door and quickly
sat down to eat. A pink blur sped past her and the bathroom door slammed shut.
"Well, The munchkin sure does eat fast." she exclaimed.
Darien smiled and told her that she had absolutely no room to talk. Quickly she finished
her breakfast and went in search for her shoes. Finding them she put them on just as
Reenie came out of the shower.
"Darien." she whined.
" Serena used all of the hot water and I had none for my shower."
"Oh, hush you fungus I needed the water more then you did and besides I'm older
anyhow, so there." Serena stuck her tongue out at Reenie who in turn stuck hers out at
Serena. This started a tongue of war between the two. The war ended five minutes later,
with both of them laughing hysterically at each other.
"Come here little one." Serena pulled out her last two hair ties and some bobby pins and
started to fashion Reenies hair into two cones.
"I swear, I just don't understand how your hair does this, I keep trying and trying to fix
them into buns but they always end up in cones."
Serena had given up on fixing Reenies hair a long while ago and just started to fashion
them into cones for lack of aggravation. Besides the little spore looked better in cones
then buns anyhow. Darien took them both to school in his car and promised to pick them
up after school so that Serena wouldn't have to walk as much. She kissed him good-bye
when they arrived at the high school and slowly climbed out. Seeing Mina and Amy she
waved, but they didn't wave back. Disappointed she walked in to the school.
"What's wrong with us you guys." Amy asked. "I feel so wrong about this, we shouldn't
distance ourselves from her this way."
Amy felt worry and anger at herself for how she had acted the previous night.
"Amy, you know that if we talk to her then she'll want to fight with us and she might hurt
someone again." Lita looked sad also about the way she had behaved.
"I don't know guys, she looks so sad and lonely, and I've never seen her this down and out
before. And did you notice the limp she had? Maybe she was hurt."
Mina said this as she watched a dejected Serena walk slowly into the building.
"What? Serenas not hurt, she would have told us if she was."
Rae stormed her way into the conversation. "She probably fell on the way to school."
"No Rae, Darien dropped her off, I saw him." Lita thought for a minute that means that
if she is hurt then it mast have happened after the fight last night, or during it. No, they
would have known.
"Well let's keep our distance for a while so that she doesn't try to fight with us." Mina
said this slowly as if undecided. "I'm going to hate doing this to her, she always so happy,
its hard to stay away from that."
All of the girls nodded and made silent vow to themselves that they would watch
Serena and see if she really was hurt. And may the Goddess Selene help who ever it was
that had hurt her if she was.
The day went slowly for Serena; there was still a sub in Mrs. Harukas' class. She must still
think that she's sick, Serena thought this dismally. Molly was her only savior. She kept
Serenas' mind off of her predicament for most of the day. AT lunch Serena sat next to
Molly and Melvin who happily talked of one thing or another. Both of them had noticed
Serenas' limp and inquired after it.
" Oh, you know me, I just fell down and twisted my ankle. Nothing more than that."
Serena managed a wan smile and went back to her lunch. Melvin exchanged a glance with
Molly who nodded worriedly. Serena was not her self. They tried their best to cheer her
up a little but gave up when the bell rang for fifth quarter. Somehow Serena managed to
get all of her homework done and was outside waiting when Darien pulled up in his car.
" Hey, gorgeous, want a ride." Darien teased as he held the door open for Serena. She
smiled, her heart suddenly lightened and climbed in. Darien went to pick up Reenie and
drove them to their house. When they got out he promised to come get them again in the
morning.
"But Darien, there's no school tomorrow!" They both exclaimed.
He grinned, "I know, I am going to take you somewhere special tomorrow." With that he
closed the door and sped off. The two stared after the car and then looked at each other in
puzzlement. Where were they going? They shrugged and then Reenie declared that the last
one in the house was an Odango atama. Yelling that she couldn't run Serena laughingly
hobbled to the door after her daughter. Unfortunately Serenas dad was positioned right
inside the door, so they ran into the house and straight into Kenji.
Uh oh Serena thought as her dad looked sternly down at her.
"Where have you two been all night?" He bellowed.
"Dad, we were at Amy's house." Serena said.
"Amy's house? Why didn't I hear of an Amy's house?" He wasn't yelling now but still had
the stern look in his face.
"Dear calm down I approved it." Serenas mom came into the room at that point and
smiled at the girls. "How was school today?" she asked.
"Well you could have told me." Kenji grumbled.
"That is all Reenie, you can go." Reenie stuck her tongue out at Serena and blew a
raspberry. Then she skipped away. Little weasel Serena thought and looked at her dad
ready to also be dismissed, life however wasn't that easy.
"Who was that boy that dropped you off young lady?" Kenji was almost bellowing again.
Serena winced and though of how she would love to be Reenie right now.
"Oh Kenji, it was just her boyfriend, do calm down dear." Serenas mom snagged her arm
and dragged her safely into the kitchen.
"BOYFRIEND!!!" Kenji's bellow followed the laughing females into the kitchen.
Serena's mom had noticed a change in her daughter's demeanor and was worried over it.
Her daughter had always been so vibrant and full of life; it seemed that now there was a
sparkle missing from those crystal blue eyes.
"Sweetie, is there something that you want to talk to me about? Trouble with your
friends, or that nice young man you have?" Hoping to get some answers Ilene turned to
her only daughter.
"No mom, nothing." Ilene wished that she could believe that but her mother's instinct told
her that this was definitely not nothing.
"Come on honey, you can tell me anything, I won't tell a soul you know that. "She
watched as Serena struggled internally with whatever was bothering her and knew that she
had won this battle when Serena gave a defeated sigh and sat down at the table. Sitting
down next to her Ilene smiled and placed her hand over her daughters.
"Go ahead dear." Serena opened her mouth and Ilene knew that she was in for a long
heart to heart. "Well you see, meandthegirlsgotintoafightand..."
" Whoa, honey slow down a little." Serena stopped seemed to gather her thoughts and
began again.
" Me and the other girls got into a really bad fight and they said that... that they..." Serena
was pausing and seemed to be thinking about something.
" They said that they didn't want to be around me anymore because I was irresponsible and
clumsy and that I was never going to be a good...daughter.and then they just walked away
and they wouldn't talk to me today."
At this Serena took a shaky breath then looked at her mom. Tears were shinning in her
eyes and Ilene just wanted to hold her and rock away all of her worries. She did that just a
few seconds later.
"Oh mommy..." at this Serena let loose on all of her hurts and lunged into her mothers
waiting arms. Ilene could have sworn she felt her heart breaking at that moment, and she
wanted so very much to have just one minute alone with her daughter's friends.
"Hush sweetie. Hush" Ilene stroked her daughter's hair fondly and brushed the tendrils
that had escaped from Serena's hair do tenderly from her wet cheeks. She wished to god
that she were Serenas real mother. Oh yes, she had known since Serena was about two or
three that she was not her real daughter. No one else in either her or Kenji's family had
blond hair or that shade of blue eyes. She knew it even more as Serena grew up into a
mature woman. She was simply not Serenas' biological mother. Still she loved the girl
more than life itself and treated her as if she was her daughter. Serena would always be her
little girl and right now her little girl needed her mother.
" Now honey, it will be all right it may seem as if they don't like you know but they will
get over whatever it is and they will still love you. I am so proud of you my little one.
You're all grown up and I think that you are the most graceful, smart, wonderful person
that I have ever met. I hate to think that I am losing my baby, but I'm not, I'm gaining a
friend, and confidant and a bigger person to love. And I bet you that they think so as well.
Why don't you go see if you can talk this out with them, hmmm."
Serena stood up and wiped her tears away. She smiled a brilliant smile at her mother and
said in a cheerful tone.
" Yes I think I'll do that right now." And as she watched her baby girl walk out of the
room she smiled to herself.
Oh yes sweetheart I am so proud of you. Her daughter had grown up, and into a fine
woman at that.
Serena was in a glorious mood as she walked to Raes' house. It would be much better if
she talked to Rae first. Even though it seemed like they were always fighting over one
thing or another, they only did it for show, like her and Reenie did. It was all fun and
games. Although she did sometimes feel like Rae was actually mad at her. They were the
best of friends but Serena always tried to do better to make Rae think that she was a good
leader. Upon reaching Raes' temple Serena took the stairs slowly, as if it were her death
sentence.
"Hi, Chad, is Rae here?" Serena smiled at the man sweeping the steps.
"Uh yea Serena she's' in the great Temple at the fire again. Wonder what she sees' in that
dumb fire anyway, haha." Chad nervously laughed and his cheeks took on a red tint as he
thought of Rae.
"Thanks." Serena took off towards the middle of the temple where the 'great temple' was.
Just outside the door her communicator beeped, she heard another beep from inside the
room and knew that it was Raes' she flipped hers open to see what was going on.
"You guys, we have to get to the baseball game at the little league park! There's a Yuma
attacking." Minas face appeared at the vid window
"I can take care of it till you get here." she made a V sign and signed out. Rae came
barreling out of the room and held out her hand to transform.
"Oh, Serena, I didn't see you there. She made a face that seemed to say that she really
wanted to talk to Serena but didn't have time to at that moment. They stared at each other
and then Rae startled Serena by saying, " Gotta book it to the park, w...want to come?"
Serena smiled and agreed. They transformed and headed to the park. When they arrived
the Yuma had Mina tied to a tree with some sort of vine.
"Mars!" she exclaimed.
"S..Sailor Moon?" She gave Serena a weird look. Mars and Sailor Moons focus was on
the monster and they saw that it seemed to be looking for something.
"Hey, You! What are you looking for you Negatrash?" Sailor Moon called out. The
monster seemed to not be paying any attention to the Sailor Scouts.
"Where is she?" He growled.
"If you're looking for me, you've got me!" Serena rushed toward the monster ready to
give it a Sailor kick. He flung out a vine and trapped her arms to her sides. Thrown off
balance Sailor Moon fell to the ground, in the process hitting the bleachers with her lower
back. She grunted in renewed pain.
"OOF!" Not you, you meddlesome Sailor Stooge." He snarled.
"I'm looking for that Moon Brat Princess Bunny, or Sereny, or Serenity, or what ever her
name is. Where is she?"
Serena however couldn't move or breathe for that matter. All the Sailors could do was
stare in shock. Moon Brat? Princess Serenity?
So how is it sounding? I'm so nervous that no one will like this, its like slow torture
waiting for comments!
I haven't ate, I haven't slept, all I can do is worry won't any one tell me how it is going?
Crystal Wings
Chapter #2
Dreams and Fears
Standard Disclaimer: Sailor Moon and all associated characters are the property of Takeuchi Naoko, Toei Animation, and DIC.
Rated 'R' for strong language.
Dariens' questioning look turned to horror and he ran to catch his love before she
hit the ground. He grabbed her just in the nick of time. Lifting her weight easily he turned
to his future daughter." Come on sweetie, you can stay at my house tonight, I'll call and
tell your mom that I'm Amy's father, if that's all right with you?"
Reenie nodded, her lips still trembling. There was silence on the way to Dariens'
apartment. Reenie kept looking back on Serenas still form in the back seat. It will be
okay, Dariens' a doctor and he always makes everything O.K.. She grabbed on to
Serena's hand and held tight the rest of the way home.
Serena hadn't seen her collapse coming. She had only felt Dariens' strong arms
catch her as she fell. He always caught her. Then there had been a dark void for a time but
now she was having terrible dreams. She could feel another presence in the dream with her
but she couldn't place the familiar light. It seemed to be near her but not near her at the
same time. The dream was a nightmare. The scouts were in danger and she couldn't help
them. Amy lay far at the end of a battlefield her scout uniform covered in blood; her blue
hair covered her face. Rae lay opposite of her fallen comrade, her ravens hair matted close
to her head with her own blood, her arm was bent at an impossible angle above her head.
Lita was spread eagle with a sharp piece of metal protruding from her stomach. Her forest
green eyes were open and staring listlessly at the night sky. Mina was the only one still
alive. Being the captain of the guard she was the most resilient scout. She fought with all
of her might. The monster laughed at her pitiable attacks and swung a might arm at her
felling her to the ground.
'Why Serena! " Mina yelled.
"Why did you run? We needed you!"
I didn't run. Serena thought "Mina!! I'm right here, Mina!! Don't give up; I know you
can do it. I'll help you. Moon Gorgeous Makeup!"
Nothing happened. Why didn't she transform. She tried again.
"Moon Gorgeous Make Up!"
Still nothing. She looked frantically around for a weapon. Wait a minute! What was
that Herself? What was she doing crying behind that tree?
Get up she thought.
"Get up, FIGHT DAMMIT!" They're dying because you aren't fighting. You're Sailor
Moon. FIGHT!!!!!!" She screamed at herself. She heard a loud cry of pain and turned
swiftly around.
"NNNOOOOOO MINA!"
The Yuma had cut down Mina. Her stomach was open and bleeding. Her neck lay at an
angle, crushed.
"Oh God Mina!" Serena ran over to her friend. "Wake up, please God wake up. Don't
leave me!" She looked around at all of her best friends in the whole universe. "Please any
one wake up. Do not leave me my friends. I need you. Please.... Please don't go." Her
whole world had been crushed she felt empty and barren.
"I-i-i-i-is it over yet?" asked a small voice. Serena looked up from her blood stained
friend to see herself wiping tears from her face and looking hopefully around the
battlefield.
"You. Why didn't you fight?" Serena asked in a whisper.
"I was scared, her clone replied, so, is it over yet can I go home and sleep now?"
" Why Didn't You Fight?" Serena was yelling now looking at all of her fallen comrades
soaked in blood. She looked back at 'herself" she screamed, over and over.
"WHY DIDN'T YOU FIGHT?????!!"
Darien had placed Serena on his bed Reenie had curled up as close as she could to
her and had fallen asleep there. She was still sleeping. He thought Why didn't she
wake up? It had been two hours now since he had found her in the park. What had
happened to her? He thought back to earlier that day. He had gotten off of the plane in a
cheerful mood. He had missed his 'bunny' and had wanted to see her as soon as possible.
He could imagine her jumping into his arms with her usual energy and squeezing his neck
in her enthusiasm. He loved this greeting and had gotten used to expecting it whenever he
saw her. He planned to take her and Reenie out to dinner, God knows he couldn't take
only one of them out, that would be setting himself up for a fight between them. He still
couldn't understand their competition over him but he loved them both so he got used to
that to. He had decided to go grab flowers for Serena when all of the sudden he had
doubled over in the street and clutched his back. The golden string that attached his soul
to Serenas had trembled and shaken violently. He was shocked, it had only pinged once
while he was away and had stilled just as quickly as it had started. He had wondered at it
but figured that it was only a bad grade or something trivial if it hadn't hurt him much or
lasted long. But this one had hurt like hell. Telepathically he had searched for his love and
found her on the park ground in agony alone except for Reenie. She called out to him
then.
"Darien... Please I need you."
As soon as he could walk again he had stumbled to his car and raced at the park. He kept
hearing her voice scream in pain and then calling him "Darien, Please, I need you." Over
and over again pitifully. He had never heard her sound that sad and hurt since the fight
with Queen Beryl and Wiseman. Coming back to the present he shook himself. What in
the Moon had happened? "Darien! Come quickly! It's Serena." Reenies frightened voice
came from his bedroom. He rushed in to find a violently thrashing Serena Screaming and
sobbing in his bed. An equally terrified Reenie looked up and stared at him with big
red-rimmed ruby eyes at him.
"Darien? " she whispered. "We had a nightmare."
Pausing slightly at the 'We' Darien rushed over to the bed and quickly grabbed his love by
the shoulders and shook her.
"Serena! Serena! Wake up!" When there was no response he shook her harder.
"Serena, Please wake up! You're going to hurt yourself!" He was terrified for her
physical safety with the way that she was trashing around. Still there was no response, no
indication that she had heard him. She cried out again, an anguished cry that shook him to
the core. He had no choice; he was going to have to do this. Wincing and bracing himself
for the consequences of his actions he raised his hand and slapped her.
With a start Serena sat bolt upright and gasped. Holding her cheek she looked
around with big blue eyes. Seeing where she was she lurched into Dariens' arms and
sobbed.
"Shhh, It's all right." He whispered soothing words and stroked her hair. Reenie wiggled
her way between them and Serena opened her arms to clutch tightly to Reenie. Darien
rocked them until Reenie fell back asleep and Serena's cries had turned into hiccups. He
tilted her chin up.
"Serena? Honey, what happened? What was the dream about?" Serena's gaze lifted and
Darien found himself looking into red-rimmed eyes, red rimmed eyes that held a dark
terror in their depths. Dear God, What did she dream about? And why did Reenie say
we?
"Please Darien I'd rather not talk about it." Serena whispered and lowered her gaze again.
Sighing and thinking tat he would find out what it was that was troubling her he simply
held her closer and rocked back and forth until she had fallen asleep. Laying them both
down in the middle of his bed he gazed at them through worried eyes. They both looked
so small and angelic. Serena slept with her hair disheveled and flowing around his pillows
and spilling onto the floor. She still clutched Reenie close to her as if she was Serenas only
lifeline. Reenie didn't seem to mind though for she held on tight to Serena even in her
sleep. Darien sighed again and settled down next to his future family. Pulling them close to
him he fell asleep still asking questions in his head. What had happened?
Nubius smiled cruelly at the picture displayed in front of him. Small children were standing
clustered in a group looking in fear at the Yuma that he had sent down to Tokyo.
Inwardly he wondered why he had chosen Tokyo as his victim, and then he remembered,
the readings of course. Nubius shuddered in cold, Damn, even in this blasted inferno of
the volcano it was still cold. Why could he never be warm? Soon, he thought Very
soon he would find her and then his revenge would be complete, and he could finally rule
as he was intended to do for so long. He would have too, if not for that small girl. Queen
Serenity's moon child from the Silver Millennium. That little moon brat had thwarted him
somehow in their last meeting. How he would never know, she was such a wee thing only
about ten years old
. He had expected no trouble from her at all. He had gone in for the kill, not noticing that
she was in the room until a blinding flash of light suddenly threw him out of the palace and
even out of the moons own orbit. He gingerly touched his face. The scar was still there; oh
that brat was going to pay for this very dearly. He had only to find her and then... destroy
her. She was the last remnant of the Moon Kingdom, Queen Beryl had taken care of the
Queen and all of her loyal subjects, but somehow the brat had escaped. The brat and those
sailors, funny though, he didn't remember any Sailor Moon or Chibi Moon, but they had
all escaped, every one of them. Fled to this planet. He could feel her awful light coming
from this city, it made him want to puke.
"Darling, how did the search go?" Procellarum, his Queen walked into the sweltering
chamber. Long black hair covered her body in a cloak. Her beady black eyes stared at him.
What a bothersome menace to me. Nubius thought.
"Proc! I thought that I told you to leave me alone until my work was done." he hissed.
"Oh, I know darling, but I just got so lonely eating dinner by myself again. Spiders are no
fun unless there is another person to eat them with you know." she pouted. That evil and
yet simple minded pout that scared him and yet annoyed him at the same time. There was
something behind that simple mad look that nagged at him but he couldn't quite figure it
out. (It almost frightened him, he shook it of as his imagination and told her to get out and
stay out. She pouted some more and silently left, almost as if she didn't touch the floor. He
glared thinking that he would have to get rid of her soon. Speaking of getting rid of...his
thoughts wondered back to the screen where he saw that that Sailor Moon girl sat all
alone. He smiled maliciously and silently patted himself on the back for a job well done.
Sending those dreams to the rest of the scouts and intensifying their doubts about their
leader until they blocked out all but her mistakes, blinding all of their reason, that was a
great idea. And it had worked on all of them but that strange pink haired one. He had and
idea as to why it had had no effect on her. Now they had ditched the dumb girl and soon
very soon he would have that Moon Sailor, or who ever she was, tell him where the little
blond princess was. He sent out another dream to Sailor Moon hoping to break her down
some more. Oh yes, she would talk. It couldn't be that hard to find the child, could it?
The next day was a school day unfortunately so the girls had to get up. Unfortunately
Darien was having a hard time waking either of the girls form their slumber. Finally he
gave up hope of waking them the easy way and went into the kitchen. Coming out with a
pitcher of cold water he even had the audacity to smile. Placing two cotton balls into his
ears he hoped that the landlord wouldn't throw him out for disturbing the peace, of the
entire city. Taking one last look at the two girls spread out across his bed his last thought
before hurling the contents of the pitcher at them was that he was going to have to dry his
sheets, and how much he was going to absolutely love this. Sure enough both Serena and
Reenie woke up on an earsplitting shriek of indignation. Their mouths became huge
gaping pits and one of Dariens' vases tumbled off of the table in the other room. At the
sound of glass shattering the girls ceased wailing and looked around to see what had dared
to disturb their sleep. Both of their eyes locked onto Dariens' smiling face and seemingly
at once they both started yelling at him. Not hearing a word that they said due to the
cotton in his ears he told them to get ready or they would miss breakfast. And he had
made their favorite. Pancakes so they'd best get hopping. With that he smiled turned
around and left the room, heading for the kitchen.
Serena and Reenie looked stunned that their wailing had not disturbed him at all.
" Maybe he finally got used to us. " Serena commented.
"Yea, or he finally went deaf." Reenie giggled and hopped out of bed and went over to the
bottom drawer of the dresser. All of the girls had made it a point to keep an extra pair of
clothing in each other's house. Dariens' apartment was no exception. Rummaging around
Reenie found her outfit and Serenas' and brought them over to the bed.
"Do you want the shower first Small Lady?" Serena questioned as she swung her legs
over to the side of the bed.
"No that's O.K., I'll go help Darien with the breakfast and you can have it first." Reenie
pushed her tumbled hair out of her eyes and looked at her mother.
"Mommy, your hair is so long, I've never seen you with it all down before. Will I have hair
that long when I grow up?" Reenie asked this wishfully as she stared at her mother.
Serena also looked at her hair and smiled. She loved her hair; it was almost as long as her
mothers had been in the Silver Millennium.
"I'm sure it will honey." Serena went to stand up and found that she had to sit back down.
Her legs felt like they were on fire.
"Are you O.K. Serena?" Reenie crawled across the bed to Serenas side.
"Uh. Huh, I think that I just need that shower more then I thought. "
" But your legs hurt a lot. Maybe I should go get Darien." She had already jumped off of
the bed and ran into the kitchen when Serena opened her mouth to speak. She came back
in with Darien trailing behind her, she was telling him of what had happened the night
before with Jupiter's attack.
"How do they feel Serena?" He asked in that doctor's tone of voice that was almost
distant, as he went down and started to rub them. Serena grimaced and spoke in a tight
voice.
"Fine, it's just that, well, you know when your feet fall asleep and then the feeling
returned to them? Like a bunch of pinpricks?"
Darien nodded.
"That's what they feel like, only the right one still feels numb mostly."
"Well from what Reenie told me then they're going to hurt an awful lot for a while. Just
don't try to run for a couple of days." Darien looked up and she saw the relief in his eyes
that it wasn't that serious. "I guess you do heal faster then most people do. Even the rest
of the scouts would take at least a day to get back on their feet after that. But you should
be O.K.." He stood up kissed her and asked if she needed any help getting to the
bathroom.
"No thanks, Muffin" She smiled. "I can manage. "
Father and daughter left the room and Serena grabbed her clothes off of the bed.
Wincing she stood up and slowly inched her way to the bathroom. Turning on the water
all of the way up she shed her clothes and stepped into what had to be the best shower in
her life. The hot water did wonders for her back and legs and she steppe out feel8ing
refreshed and energized. Climbing into her school uniform and stepping over to the mirror
she combed her long hair and painstakingly put it into her odango style. Combing it took
about ten minutes, styling it took only two since she was so used to styling it this way. She
went out into the kitchen where delightful aromas were pouring out the door and quickly
sat down to eat. A pink blur sped past her and the bathroom door slammed shut.
"Well, The munchkin sure does eat fast." she exclaimed.
Darien smiled and told her that she had absolutely no room to talk. Quickly she finished
her breakfast and went in search for her shoes. Finding them she put them on just as
Reenie came out of the shower.
"Darien." she whined.
" Serena used all of the hot water and I had none for my shower."
"Oh, hush you fungus I needed the water more then you did and besides I'm older
anyhow, so there." Serena stuck her tongue out at Reenie who in turn stuck hers out at
Serena. This started a tongue of war between the two. The war ended five minutes later,
with both of them laughing hysterically at each other.
"Come here little one." Serena pulled out her last two hair ties and some bobby pins and
started to fashion Reenies hair into two cones.
"I swear, I just don't understand how your hair does this, I keep trying and trying to fix
them into buns but they always end up in cones."
Serena had given up on fixing Reenies hair a long while ago and just started to fashion
them into cones for lack of aggravation. Besides the little spore looked better in cones
then buns anyhow. Darien took them both to school in his car and promised to pick them
up after school so that Serena wouldn't have to walk as much. She kissed him good-bye
when they arrived at the high school and slowly climbed out. Seeing Mina and Amy she
waved, but they didn't wave back. Disappointed she walked in to the school.
"What's wrong with us you guys." Amy asked. "I feel so wrong about this, we shouldn't
distance ourselves from her this way."
Amy felt worry and anger at herself for how she had acted the previous night.
"Amy, you know that if we talk to her then she'll want to fight with us and she might hurt
someone again." Lita looked sad also about the way she had behaved.
"I don't know guys, she looks so sad and lonely, and I've never seen her this down and out
before. And did you notice the limp she had? Maybe she was hurt."
Mina said this as she watched a dejected Serena walk slowly into the building.
"What? Serenas not hurt, she would have told us if she was."
Rae stormed her way into the conversation. "She probably fell on the way to school."
"No Rae, Darien dropped her off, I saw him." Lita thought for a minute that means that
if she is hurt then it mast have happened after the fight last night, or during it. No, they
would have known.
"Well let's keep our distance for a while so that she doesn't try to fight with us." Mina
said this slowly as if undecided. "I'm going to hate doing this to her, she always so happy,
its hard to stay away from that."
All of the girls nodded and made silent vow to themselves that they would watch
Serena and see if she really was hurt. And may the Goddess Selene help who ever it was
that had hurt her if she was.
The day went slowly for Serena; there was still a sub in Mrs. Harukas' class. She must still
think that she's sick, Serena thought this dismally. Molly was her only savior. She kept
Serenas' mind off of her predicament for most of the day. AT lunch Serena sat next to
Molly and Melvin who happily talked of one thing or another. Both of them had noticed
Serenas' limp and inquired after it.
" Oh, you know me, I just fell down and twisted my ankle. Nothing more than that."
Serena managed a wan smile and went back to her lunch. Melvin exchanged a glance with
Molly who nodded worriedly. Serena was not her self. They tried their best to cheer her
up a little but gave up when the bell rang for fifth quarter. Somehow Serena managed to
get all of her homework done and was outside waiting when Darien pulled up in his car.
" Hey, gorgeous, want a ride." Darien teased as he held the door open for Serena. She
smiled, her heart suddenly lightened and climbed in. Darien went to pick up Reenie and
drove them to their house. When they got out he promised to come get them again in the
morning.
"But Darien, there's no school tomorrow!" They both exclaimed.
He grinned, "I know, I am going to take you somewhere special tomorrow." With that he
closed the door and sped off. The two stared after the car and then looked at each other in
puzzlement. Where were they going? They shrugged and then Reenie declared that the last
one in the house was an Odango atama. Yelling that she couldn't run Serena laughingly
hobbled to the door after her daughter. Unfortunately Serenas dad was positioned right
inside the door, so they ran into the house and straight into Kenji.
Uh oh Serena thought as her dad looked sternly down at her.
"Where have you two been all night?" He bellowed.
"Dad, we were at Amy's house." Serena said.
"Amy's house? Why didn't I hear of an Amy's house?" He wasn't yelling now but still had
the stern look in his face.
"Dear calm down I approved it." Serenas mom came into the room at that point and
smiled at the girls. "How was school today?" she asked.
"Well you could have told me." Kenji grumbled.
"That is all Reenie, you can go." Reenie stuck her tongue out at Serena and blew a
raspberry. Then she skipped away. Little weasel Serena thought and looked at her dad
ready to also be dismissed, life however wasn't that easy.
"Who was that boy that dropped you off young lady?" Kenji was almost bellowing again.
Serena winced and though of how she would love to be Reenie right now.
"Oh Kenji, it was just her boyfriend, do calm down dear." Serenas mom snagged her arm
and dragged her safely into the kitchen.
"BOYFRIEND!!!" Kenji's bellow followed the laughing females into the kitchen.
Serena's mom had noticed a change in her daughter's demeanor and was worried over it.
Her daughter had always been so vibrant and full of life; it seemed that now there was a
sparkle missing from those crystal blue eyes.
"Sweetie, is there something that you want to talk to me about? Trouble with your
friends, or that nice young man you have?" Hoping to get some answers Ilene turned to
her only daughter.
"No mom, nothing." Ilene wished that she could believe that but her mother's instinct told
her that this was definitely not nothing.
"Come on honey, you can tell me anything, I won't tell a soul you know that. "She
watched as Serena struggled internally with whatever was bothering her and knew that she
had won this battle when Serena gave a defeated sigh and sat down at the table. Sitting
down next to her Ilene smiled and placed her hand over her daughters.
"Go ahead dear." Serena opened her mouth and Ilene knew that she was in for a long
heart to heart. "Well you see, meandthegirlsgotintoafightand..."
" Whoa, honey slow down a little." Serena stopped seemed to gather her thoughts and
began again.
" Me and the other girls got into a really bad fight and they said that... that they..." Serena
was pausing and seemed to be thinking about something.
" They said that they didn't want to be around me anymore because I was irresponsible and
clumsy and that I was never going to be a good...daughter.and then they just walked away
and they wouldn't talk to me today."
At this Serena took a shaky breath then looked at her mom. Tears were shinning in her
eyes and Ilene just wanted to hold her and rock away all of her worries. She did that just a
few seconds later.
"Oh mommy..." at this Serena let loose on all of her hurts and lunged into her mothers
waiting arms. Ilene could have sworn she felt her heart breaking at that moment, and she
wanted so very much to have just one minute alone with her daughter's friends.
"Hush sweetie. Hush" Ilene stroked her daughter's hair fondly and brushed the tendrils
that had escaped from Serena's hair do tenderly from her wet cheeks. She wished to god
that she were Serenas real mother. Oh yes, she had known since Serena was about two or
three that she was not her real daughter. No one else in either her or Kenji's family had
blond hair or that shade of blue eyes. She knew it even more as Serena grew up into a
mature woman. She was simply not Serenas' biological mother. Still she loved the girl
more than life itself and treated her as if she was her daughter. Serena would always be her
little girl and right now her little girl needed her mother.
" Now honey, it will be all right it may seem as if they don't like you know but they will
get over whatever it is and they will still love you. I am so proud of you my little one.
You're all grown up and I think that you are the most graceful, smart, wonderful person
that I have ever met. I hate to think that I am losing my baby, but I'm not, I'm gaining a
friend, and confidant and a bigger person to love. And I bet you that they think so as well.
Why don't you go see if you can talk this out with them, hmmm."
Serena stood up and wiped her tears away. She smiled a brilliant smile at her mother and
said in a cheerful tone.
" Yes I think I'll do that right now." And as she watched her baby girl walk out of the
room she smiled to herself.
Oh yes sweetheart I am so proud of you. Her daughter had grown up, and into a fine
woman at that.
Serena was in a glorious mood as she walked to Raes' house. It would be much better if
she talked to Rae first. Even though it seemed like they were always fighting over one
thing or another, they only did it for show, like her and Reenie did. It was all fun and
games. Although she did sometimes feel like Rae was actually mad at her. They were the
best of friends but Serena always tried to do better to make Rae think that she was a good
leader. Upon reaching Raes' temple Serena took the stairs slowly, as if it were her death
sentence.
"Hi, Chad, is Rae here?" Serena smiled at the man sweeping the steps.
"Uh yea Serena she's' in the great Temple at the fire again. Wonder what she sees' in that
dumb fire anyway, haha." Chad nervously laughed and his cheeks took on a red tint as he
thought of Rae.
"Thanks." Serena took off towards the middle of the temple where the 'great temple' was.
Just outside the door her communicator beeped, she heard another beep from inside the
room and knew that it was Raes' she flipped hers open to see what was going on.
"You guys, we have to get to the baseball game at the little league park! There's a Yuma
attacking." Minas face appeared at the vid window
"I can take care of it till you get here." she made a V sign and signed out. Rae came
barreling out of the room and held out her hand to transform.
"Oh, Serena, I didn't see you there. She made a face that seemed to say that she really
wanted to talk to Serena but didn't have time to at that moment. They stared at each other
and then Rae startled Serena by saying, " Gotta book it to the park, w...want to come?"
Serena smiled and agreed. They transformed and headed to the park. When they arrived
the Yuma had Mina tied to a tree with some sort of vine.
"Mars!" she exclaimed.
"S..Sailor Moon?" She gave Serena a weird look. Mars and Sailor Moons focus was on
the monster and they saw that it seemed to be looking for something.
"Hey, You! What are you looking for you Negatrash?" Sailor Moon called out. The
monster seemed to not be paying any attention to the Sailor Scouts.
"Where is she?" He growled.
"If you're looking for me, you've got me!" Serena rushed toward the monster ready to
give it a Sailor kick. He flung out a vine and trapped her arms to her sides. Thrown off
balance Sailor Moon fell to the ground, in the process hitting the bleachers with her lower
back. She grunted in renewed pain.
"OOF!" Not you, you meddlesome Sailor Stooge." He snarled.
"I'm looking for that Moon Brat Princess Bunny, or Sereny, or Serenity, or what ever her
name is. Where is she?"
Serena however couldn't move or breathe for that matter. All the Sailors could do was
stare in shock. Moon Brat? Princess Serenity?
So how is it sounding? I'm so nervous that no one will like this, its like slow torture
waiting for comments!
I haven't ate, I haven't slept, all I can do is worry won't any one tell me how it is going?
Crystal Wings