Chapter 15
India stood in darkness. Outlined by what little light there was, there stood the remains of the Moon Kingdom. Dust lingered in the air, almost smothering her. Ahead of her, loomed the palace, rubble was everywhere India looked. She turned to the reflecting pool with tears. Many memories came rushing back to her. All around her memories flooded her-growing up, the breakup. India threw a rock viciously in the pool of water.
"This is all your fault!" She yelled at it. "My love ended here, and so did the Moon Kingdom." India looked, and turned away from the pool with one memory slipping out, her last, of her with Endymion dead in her arms.
"India," a voice said, "you must use your powers to protect Princess Serenity. She is your sister. This time is difficult for you, but you must find the will to go on."
Startled by the voice, India turned around to see a figure standing in the darkness. It was a woman who was very familiar to her. She was silhouetted by shadows and darkness. Slowly, she stepped forward revealing herself to be India's and Serena's mother, Queen Serenity.
India let out a gasp. "Mother!" India cried running to hug her. When she tried, her arms went through Serenity's body. Serenity was transparent.
"I am sorry my child, but I am only an image in your dream. I am barely alive, yet I have watched you grow up into a wonderful, young lady. I have come to save you from a dooming fate. If you do not save Serena you shall kill yourself."
"What do you mean, Mother?"
"I know you are confused, but you must listen to the ones who love you. Soon, all of your loved ones will come forth and tell you the truth. You are being deceived by one of the people you trust most. I know you still love your sister, and even though there is much doubt that she does not love you, she does. Serena is the key that will save your life.
"You must not trust Nanashi. If you allow her to kill Serena, she will kill you, too. She knew you would be vulnerable and easily manipulated. She also knows that you are the only weapon that can defeat the Scouts, alone she will fail. Nanashi's motive is to get the Moon Kingdom, and only through you can she do that. You give her the power to kill Serena, and after she is gone, you will be in a weakened state that will give Nanashi the upper hand, being able to kill you."
"Why?" India asked. "Why would she kill me? I am the only person whom she loves. She has always been a second sister to me, and for that I am grateful."
"When you knew her, she was a good person, but within her was a great evil that we knew would one day come out. We did not imprison her on the Dark Moon, but gave her a place to stay where she would be wanted and not shunned for what she was. Like you, she would have been raised with Serena as an heir to the Moon Kingdom, but we could not take that chance of her inner evil coming out while she was on the Moon.
"You see, she and you have the Moon Power, so much you can barely control it. This power is what you needed to protect the Moon Kingdom. While you grew up on the Moon, there were incidents where you lost control of that power, hurting someone or destroying something. Then, your power was not nurtured, but even now, you still lose control at extreme moments of stress. Why do you think for the first few years of your life on the Earth you were home schooled, and had little contact with other children your age?
"We expected this, but you see, your heart was pure, whereas, Nanashi's was not. Each of you had trouble controlling your powers at young ages, but Nanashi learned early on how to control it. If she were to become evil while on the Moon, she could easily have done what Queen Beryl did, only much easier.
"What made you stronger was your pure heart. You made room for everyone and everything. You surpassed even the Outer Scouts and me as you learned how to control that power. Your love for Endymion only helped your power grow.
"Nanashi, on the other hand, decided her life was ruined because she lived on the Dark Moon. She is how Sailor Saturn was when she was controlled by Mistress 9, only Saturn could be saved. She had the potential to be a great ruler and Scout, but the evil in her heart prevented that. The only love she had was for you, because you were her partner, her sister, the one which she was created with. Darkness surrounded her heart over the years killing her good spirit.
"Soon her hatred became revenge, which she took by joining Beryl. She betrayed every kingdom in this solar system, our peace treaty, when she joined Beryl. She became Beryl's top soldier, planning to help her conquer the Moon Kingdom. Afterwards, she would have killed Beryl, ruling the Moon as a harsh queen."
"When did that happen?" India asked confused. "I never knew she did that."
"After your unfortunate break up with Endymion, she decided you did not care for her so she joined Beryl. You see, your isolation of everyone gave her the wrong idea causing her to seek the revenge she had been waiting for for years. No one knew, but me, that she had betrayed us. She did not fight during the final battle, but watched from the sidelines.
"I am afraid she failed to get her revenge and decided to take it in this life. Once Serena is dead, you shall inherit the Moon Kingdom and become queen. Her final revenge will be to take not only your life, but your love also, the person she sees as ruining her friendship with you. She has not been the happy person she once was for years. You must not only protect Serena and the Scouts, but you must protect your family as well."
"You know about Yukito and Meilin?" India asked surprised.
"Yes," Serenity admitted. "I have been watching all of your lives. If you do not do it for Serena or the kingdom, do it for your family, for your children. I am not saying what happens in the future is something that is accepted, but it is something that cannot be prevented because of destiny. As you and Serena are both my children, your destinies are intertwined, I am just sad at the way they are connected. I am happy that it is something done out of love, though. I love all my family and I do not want any of them to die.
"Nanashi is mine, but for the sake of many, many lives she must die, for if you let her live she will play out the horrible future she has planned. Every Sailor Scout, even you, will die at her hands, leaving the people unprotected. I want Crystal Tokyo to be a happy kingdom, like that of the Moon once was. Only you can save their lives, only you can protect the kingdom."
"But Nanashi is like a sister to me," India cried. "I cannot betray her, but I cannot betray the people I love, either."
"The Nanashi you knew is dead," Serenity said sadly. "She has been replaced with a cold, heartless person who will stop at nothing to get what she wants. It pains me to see someone I loved so much be destroyed by evil. Deep in your heart is the answer you are seeking to learn.
Look inside yourself and you will know what to do. If you do not believe me at the moment, more evidence of the truth will soon be out, if it has not shown itself."
"I admit I am very confused," India replied. "Serena hates me, Darien is wounded, and all this fighting is surrounding me. Mother, I have missed you so. I wish you were here to have prevented this whole mess."
"It must be this way, for if I gave you the answer you would never be the person you are destined to be," Serenity explained. "How I wish I could have been there to guide you and Serena through this new life. To have been there from the beginning, and watch you grow up over again would have filled my heart with enough joy for a million lifetimes. I want you to be careful, and to follow your heart."
"If only you would have been here, things would have been better," India said with tears in her eyes. "Little pleasure comes to my mind when I awake in the morning. All I can think about is what will happen in the days to come, or whom will I lose next. I am shrouded in darkness when I should be showered in light."
"You are not meant to lead this life," Serenity said. "Dry your eyes and look for the silver lining in the clouds. Only you truly decide what will happen to you in the future. You could go on to have a great life with Darien. Serena will eventually come around, but that is your choice. Darien truly loves you too much to leave you, especially at times like these when you need him most."
"I just wish you were here to lead me," India said. "I love you, Mother."
"I love you too, my child. You have brought joy and pride to my heart. I must go now. The fate of the kingdom is in your hands, follow your heart." A bright, white light began to surround Serenity. She stepped up to India with tears in her eyes and hugged her. India put her arms around her mother, she could actually touch Serenity. "I love you. Remember you have made me proud."
Serenity faded away, leaving India in the darkness to find her own source of light. If she would find it, that was yet to be seen or known. She had to open her heart and let the light shine through. If she did not, Nanashi would plunge the world into eternal darkness leaving no light to be seen. The Earth would die, killing Darien along with it.
India awoke in Darien's apartment with tears in her eyes. Her dream had revealed things that she would never have known. What would she do with the information she had been given? Why was she given this burden to bear? Could she and would she survive what was still yet to come?
"So you are awake now?" Darien asked, sitting in a chair near the bed. He looked exhausted, obviously he had fallen asleep in the chair. India wondered how much pain Darien could bear because of her. "Enough to die," Darien said, reading India's mind.
"Yes, I'm awake," India answered wiping the tears from her face before Darien could see, "but what about you? I feel that I could die for you, too. Also, I'm really sorry about what I did."
"I'm fine," Darien replied with a smile. It's okay, but what made you so upset in the first place?"
"Nothing," India lied. "At least, nothing you should be concerned with. I guess it's just all the problems and confusion going on right now."
"If you don't want to tell me, don't," Darien said. He could always tell when India lied, she was very good at it in the first place. "I just wish you would trust me enough to tell me."
"I'm sorry, I just don't think I should tell you now, but one reason is all the problems. Be patient with me, I don't think it's the right time now. Apparently, my trust is being misplaced and I want to make sure I can absolutely trust you."
"I understand," Darien said, "but I thought by now, after everything we have been through, done together since you have returned, would have let you been able to trust me again."
"It has, but I just want a little more time. Darien, are you sure you're all right?" India asked concerned.
"I'm no worst than before. But, I want you to watch yourself, from the position you are in anybody can take advantage of you-even the people you trust most."
"By that you mean Nanashi don't you?"
"Yes," Darien responded. "I haven't trusted her from the start, but I am not going to leave you unprotected against her."
"Thank you, Darien," India said. "I just can't give up on her at a time like this. I trust her too much, and I might be a fool for doing so. I am starting to see the truth, though, but it's going to take me time to see it all. Until then, please look after the Twins. I can't protect them if I can't protect myself."
"Don't worry, I'll protect you all," Darien promised. "For now, you should be safe, but if what I think is true, that won't be long. The person who needs the most protection at the moment is Serena, and through her is you."
"I know that, you're not the first person to tell me that."
"Who else told you?"
"The one person who watches over me always, my mother, Queen Serenity."
Darien walked over to India and kissed her lightly on the lips. "I shall watch you always and forever, too."
* * * * * * * * * * * *
"Where have you been?" Rei yelled as soon as Serena walked in the door.
"Out," Serena returned coolly. "Also, you don't have to yell. I have just been getting answers that I needed."
"What do you mean by that?" Ami asked.
"I mean I've gotten some of the answers that I needed. What else would it mean?"
"Maybe it meant that you were attacking people on the streets," Lita said.
"Who could I possibly attack?" Serena asked innocently.
"Maybe, India," Mina replied.
"What do you care if I did?" Serena asked. "She is the enemy."
"What do we care?" Rei asked, not even trying to hide her anger that was growing by the second. "How stupid could you be? Are your meatballs a little too tight today? We need her. We are going to lose if you continue to act like this. One minute you're too depressed to even get up, and the next you're going around attacking people whom you need to survive. Not to mention it was in front of thousands of people, probably exposing us as Sailor Scouts."
"Well, excuse me, Rei, if my life is too complicated for you and your schedule," Serena yelled back. "This isn't affecting any of you as much as it is me."
"Your life, your life! This isn't just your life you're playing with-it's all of ours, not to mention the lives of billions of other people. Yes, we're sorry you lost Darien, in a way we all did, but we found a way to go on. We pitied you and let you have your time of mourning."
"That's right, Rei. You did lose, Darien-you lost him to me. I bet all this time you've been hoping something like this would happen to me, because you had to settle for a reject like Chad."
Without notice, Rei slapped Serena across the face, giving no time for it to be prevented. "How dare you? You are acting like a complete bitch. I never stood in the way of you and Darien. I accepted the fact that you and he were together. Also, you had no right to say what you did about Chad."
"Stop it you two," Ami cried.
"Serena, Rei does have a point," Lita said. "You're only seeing this as your problem, but we're a team. Also, we are talking about the fate of the world if we lose this battle."
"I wouldn't want to end up like we did on the Moon Kingdom," Mina said. "I want to live out the life I have, and I'll fight like hell to keep it."
"If you would only try and be somewhat nice to India we could win," Ami said. "She could at any moment change sides, and defeat Nanashi, but only if she feels she can trust us, you mainly after today."
"I know somewhere deep inside you, you know we cannot win without India," Lita said. "She went through the same thing once a long time ago, but you aren't thinking about that. If you only give her a chance anything could happen."
"I know this is hard for you, but you can't let your own anger get in the way of what you have to do," Rei said. "If you don't do this for all those people who will die, do it for Rini. Fight for your daughter, Serena. Fight for what happiness you have."
"It's that easy, huh?" Serena asked coldly. "I mean, I just forget about all the pain she's caused me. I just go back to the way things used to be. That will never happen and you all know that-that will never happen without Darien."
"We do, Serena," Mina replied. "We're not saying go back to being sisters and friends, we're just saying give her a chance. Think about Amara and Michelle. They were basically our enemies. They attacked us and almost never helped us out in a battle, but you begged them to join our side when they never did. You gave them the benefit of a doubt, and in return they helped us. Things can be the same way with India."
"How do you know that?" Serena asked with tears in her eyes. "How do you know things aren't completely different?"
"We know because everyone says she will join our side," Rei answered.
"We know because she has a good heart and won't let Nanashi go through with her plans," Lita said.
"We know because she is one of us, always has been and always will be." Ami said.
"Once a true Sailor Scout, always a true Sailor Scout," Mina replied.
"We know because Darien won't let her be destroyed in the process, and the only way to do that is to have her join us," Rei finished.