Serena wanders down the street, tears streaming from her eyes. I can't do this anymore.
Everyone I meet ends up hurt. I know this isn't the way it should be. I'm supposed to protect
everyone, not endanger them. They might be better off without me. She sits down on a bench in
the park she had wandered into, sobbing heavily. A slight breeze picked up, swirling around her.
She shivers, standing up. I can't stay here. I have to get back to my friends. They'll be worried
about me. I have to shake this off. She sighs, wiping the tears away, and heads back towards the
hospital, not noticing the darkening sky. The wind begins to moan in warning, but Serena takes no
notice, lost in thought. The wind wailed louder as a flash of black lightning streaked across the sky,
heading for her. Serena's shrieks fill the air as it pierces her. She falls limp to the ground. A young
girl hears the screams and runs to her mother. "Mommy! Somebody needs help!" The mother turns
and sees Serena's lifeless form lying on the ground.
"Dear God...." She mutters and runs over to her, checking her pulse, and trying to get her daughter
to stop tugging her arm. Hearing the commotion, another woman comes over, and the mother yells
for her to call an ambulance. About five minutes later, it arrives and Serena is rushed into the ER.
**************************************
Darien fumbles around for the phone in the darkness of his dorm. After hitting his hand
on the side table and saying a few choice words he finds the receiver. "Hello?" He asks groggily.
A voice over the phone replies, confused. "Oh, sorry. Hello?"
"Yes, Hello? This is Darien Shields correct?"
"Yes, this is he. Who may I ask is this?"
"Susan Bracken. I'm a nurse at the Janelle Memorial Hospital."
"Is something the matter? Is this about Marie?"
"No, she's fine and sleeping like a baby. This is about a Miss Serena Tsukino."
"Serena?! What's the matter? Is she hurt? What happened?!"
"Sir, calm down please. She is here in the hospital under intensive care. We think she was hit by
lightning or something similar."
"What..." Darien nearly dropped the receiver. Oh no... It couldn't have been...
"Sir... Sir? Sir??" The nurse called over the receiver. "Are you still there?"
"Oh, yes sorry."
"She's supposed to make a full recovery, but has suffered a severe trauma, and right now is in a
temporary coma."
"Oh no ... Can I come see her?"
"Yes, but you won't be allowed in right away."
"Of course. Thank you."
"Your welcome." Darien hangs up and rapidly gets dressed, nearly tripping on Yaten, who was
sleeping in the same room on the floor along with Taiki, and Seiya. Yaten sits up. "What's going
on?" He says, sitting up. Taiki turns over and sits up as well. Seiya just burrows deeper under the
blankets. "Serena's in a coma at the hospital. They say they think she was hit by lightning."
"What!" Seiya shouts, springing up.
"Keep it down!" Darien hisses. "Get dressed quickly. I'll go wake everyone else up." They nod, and
quickly grab their clothes. Darien opens the door and steps out into the other room. He turns on the
light, the girls toss in their blankets. "Ugh... Darien? What's going on?" Lita asks, sitting up. The
others get up as well. "Serena's in the coma in the hospital. They say she was hit by lightning."
"Oh no..."
"I know. I think it might have been the new enemy. The sky had been clear when she ran off."
"Yeah..."
"Get dressed, we're going back." Darien says. Everyone nods, and Kara looks down to the ground.
Lita looks over to her. "Don't sweat it. You did what you thought was best."
"I know, but I still feel like I've done something wrong."
"You haven't." Lita says comfortingly, putting a hand on her shoulder. Kara smiles, and laughs a
little. "Now I know how she felt." She whispers sadly. "Come on," Lita replies, "We need to finish
getting ready, we have to go see her." Kara nods and finishes getting dressed.
**************************************
About an hour later everyone sits in the waiting room of the hospital once more, waiting
for the go ahead so they could see Serena. Raye paces back and forth across the floor, while
Mina and Lita watch her and make themselves nervous. Amy sits quietly reading a medical
magazine, while Amara and Michelle, whisper between each other. Trista holds Hotaru, who is
sitting quiet, but unsettled, and The Starlights and Kara all sit staring at the floor. Darien stands at
the window, looking at the clear night sky and wondering what could have happened. Serena... I
never should have left you alone... I promised I would never let this happen to you... As he thought
this, the sky started to darken. At that moment the nurse came in and announced it was alright to
see Serena. They charged the door, Raye getting trampled in the process, and crowded into the
hospital room, which coincidently was the same one Marie was staying in. She was awake and
standing by Serena's bed already. She looks at them. "Hey guys. Do you know what happened to
her? The nurse wouldn't tell me anything."
"They say she was struck by lighting or something." Darien answers.
"Oh no... Well, the nurse says she's okay, but she's in a coma. Says it's temporary. I hope she's
right."
"We all do," said Amy, "but for now all we can do is wait and hope."
"Umm... Do you mind if we stay with her alone?" Raye asks.
"No. Of course not." She says, squeezing Serena's hand and then walking out the door. "I'll be in
the cafeteria if anyone wants me."
"Alright." Raye sighs. "Can anyone think of a way to get her to snap out of it? Amy? You're the
one training to be a doctor. Can you think of anything?"
"Well," she murmurs, pulling out her computer. "I don't think this is any old coma, and that
lightning wasn't just any lightning."
"Okay, that we have pretty much established, but what do we do?"
"I'm working on it. That lightning did something to her, trapped her or something. I can't tell
exactly what, it's very complex."
"Take your time. We have a while." Michelle replies. Amy nods and types in a few rapid figures.
"It seems as if they've trapped her very soul in some sort of ..."
"What?"
"... bubble." Amy whispers, looking up. "It was an enemy. We have a new one and they got to
Serena."
"Great... What do we do?"
"Well, the shield can be broken, but I'm not sure how. It's based on feelings. It seems to feed off
of despair, misery, loneliness, and other feelings like that."
"Serena felt that she was endangering us, and everyone she got to know, so maybe that's what
attracted it!" Hotaru suggests.
"Yes, a guilty feeling. The problem is, unless Serena pulls herself out of this, I don't think there is
anything we can do. Also, if she doesn't do it soon, she may die."
"NO!" Almost everyone screams simultaneously. Amy nods sadly. "I'm afraid so. The shield will
continue to feed on her emotions until she loses her will to live, at that point ..." Amy's voice trails
off. Taiki puts a hand on Amy's shoulder. "Don't worry. She'll pull through. She always does. She's
to strong to give in to something like this."
"I know..." They all stand there in silence, watching Serena, worried about what was going to
happen to her, ... and them.
**************************************
Serena floats in an empty, black void. "Hello?" She calls out, uncertainty echoing in her
voice, which seems to be absorbed into the darkness. Where am I? She thinks, shivering. A dark
figure appears in the shadows. "Where all those who hurt people go..." It calls hauntingly.
"What are you talking about?"
"What am I talking about? About this..." The figure says, raising its hand. A light mist appears,
showing a scene like on a TV. Showing there was a hospital room, inside the nurse rushes about, the
heart monitor blaring a warning that the person's heart had stopped. Another doctor rushes in
bringing the paddles, and tries to revive them, but to no avail. The nurse turns away, and the
doctor sighs. "Time of death, 9:43, October 14th, 2002." The nurse holds back tears ad she
reaches for the cloth to cover the dead girl. The TV like fog zooms in and Serena gasps as the
nurse pulls the cloth over Marie's lifeless body.
"No..."
"Yes." The figure says coldly, and steps from the darkness. "You didn't save me. I died because
of you!" She screams spitefully.
"Noo..." Serena moans. "I ... The nurse said you'd be okay!"
"Did I look okay?" She asks, pointing to the screen. "Did I?!" She shrieks. Tears stream down
Serena's face as she falls to her knees. "No..." She squeaks, closing her eyes. "no.." Marie walks
up behind her, growing larger and larger by the second. "Yes, it's all your fault. It was your fault
that woman killed me! IT WAS YOUR FAULT!" Marie screams in her ear, power echoing in the
void. "My fault." Serena replies weakly, her eyes going black. It's my fault everyone gets hurt.
I'm the one who causes all these problems. If I were gone, everyone could be happy, live a normal
life, and stop worrying about whether or not someone was trying to attack the earth. It's my fault...
I'm sorry. This whole time the figure posing as Marie had grown to mythical proportions, and twisted
into a black blob like void of it's own. It formed a sort of long arm and grabbed Serena's throat. She
grabbed at the figure's arm, trying to pry it off, but it was slowly sapping her of the last of her
strength. No! I can't die! Something is wrong! I have things to live for! I can't die... I can't... no....
someone help.... help...... She starts to black out when a brilliant light appears, breaking through
the shell, and filling the whole area with its radiating light. Serena winces and looks up at it, feeling
the figure starting to release it's hold, but still clutching tight. "Serena..." The figure in the light
called in an echoing voice. "The world needs you, many love you, realize the truth and destroy this
falsehood..." And as it says this, the light intensifies to point where it nearly blinds her. Serena's
head starts to clear and she thinks back to what the figure said and opens her eyes wide. This
isn't Marie! Marie didn't remember what happened and didn't know that a woman had caused the
explosion or anything! This is all a lie!! The light from the figure dissipates, replaced by a shining
light from within Serena. "This is a lie!" She screams, and the darkness shatters, the figure
disappearing with an angry screech. Serena sits up rapidly to a dark hospital room, finding the
others sleeping around her, Darien with his head on her lap. She glances around, and looks rapidly
at the clock. "9:45." She says, quietly, slightly nervous, she turns to the calendar. The thirteenth
was crossed out, showing, "October the 14th?!" She gasps. Darien stirs and sits up. "Serena!
You're awake!" He hugs her and holds her tight. "Oh thank god..."
"Darien, listen to me." She says, pushing away from him. "Where's Marie?"
"She's over there." He replies, a confused look on his face. "Why?"
"No time, give me my brooch." She answers, hopping out of bed and standing next to Marie's.
Darien hands her her brooch and she touches Marie's hand. "Oh no... She's ice cold!"
"Serena what's going on?"
"I'll tell you in a minute." She takes Marie's hand and holds it against the brooch and closes her
eyes. The brooch glows brightly between their hands, warming up until it seemed to burn. Serena
held on to it tightly, wincing as it burned her. Darien tried to pull her away but she wouldn't let go.
Finally Darien managed to pull her off just as the room started to spin. "What are you trying to do?!
Put yourself back into a coma?!"
"No, she was dying!"
"What are you talking about?"
"She was dying! I saw it."
"Serena, I..." But Darien didn't get a chance to finish his sentence. Serena's brooch was floating
in the air and giving off an incredible light. Serena went to grab it, but was thrown back. She looked
at it confused, Darien just sat there, confused as well. Serena nearly screamed as her locket burst
into flames. "Oh crap!" She shouted, loud enough that everyone sat up, startled. "Serena? You're
awake... and what's going on?!" Mina declares as she notices the flaming brooch. "I don't know!"
She said, scared. The brooch had begun to spin, forming a ball of fire hovering about five feet off
the ground. Raye grabbed a pitcher of water to put it out, but the water evaporated the instant it
was thrown towards the fire. "What are we going to do?" Amy frets.
"Nothing." Hotaru says calmly.
"What?" Serena spins around to face her. "What do you mean?!"
"Exactly what she said." Kara says standing. "There is nothing to worry about."
"What are you..."
"Your locket is responding to something, a power or something. It recognized a scout."
"What?" She turns back to the ball of fire hovering above Marie, then looked down at Marie. "My
locket is... but that means... I'm confused."
"Your locket is responding to the potential power of a scout. You know when you found each of us,
our powers had activated themselves and showed the symbols of our respective planets?" Hotaru
asks, starting to explain.
"Yes, I remember, the symbols appeared on your forehead."
"Well, your brooch has found a scout who's power has activated, but not in the way ours does. It
has no way to manifest itself, and so it has not awakened completely. Your locket is creating a
way for it to awake completely. Watch." She says, pointing at the ball of fire that was splitting into
two. After this happened, Serena's locket fell to the floor, clattering against the cold tile. Serena
bent down and picked it up carefully, but it turned out to be as cold as the floor. She looks back
up to the second ball of fire that had formed as the fire died out, revealing a new brooch shaped
like a Greek drawing of the sun. It floats there a moment, shining golden, flashing different colors
around because of the rainbow jewels embedded in it forming a strange symbol no one recognized.
After a couple of seconds it floats down, and with a small flash of light, attaches itself as a small
pin on Marie's hair tie. Everyone stands there, rather speechless. Marie turns over, groaning
slightly. "Where's the license plate of the truck that hit me..." She mutters, and looks around.
"Hey Serena! Your awake! Good." Looks around again. "Why is everyone staring at me? Is there
something on my face or something? Well?" Serena turns to the others, they just shrug and she
sighs. " Umm... Have you ever heard of people called the Sailor Scouts?"
"If your talking about the movie, yeah."
"No, I'm talking about the real deal."
"Okay, is this some kind of joke?"
"No. This is no joke. We're all scouts, even you."
"Okay, now I know you're kidding."
"No. I'm telling you I'm not. Maybe I should show you."
"Serena." Darien turns to her. She looks back at him as he shakes his head. "Why not? She is
one. We have..." She starts to whisper, but Darien cuts her off. "I think she'll need to discover it
on her own." Serena looks at him, and nods. "Alright." She turns back to Marie and then sighs.
"Never mind, I guess I'm still out of it."
"Oookaaayy... I'm going to go back to sleep now alright? See ya in the morning." She turns over
and snuggles up in the blankets of the hospital bed. "Goodnight..." Darien points towards the door
and everyone leaves. They stand in the waiting room, and face each other. "Well, what are we
going to do?" Serena asks Darien. "How is she going to find out by herself."
"I admit, this is strange. The rest of us remembered our past when we awoke." Lita said.
"I can't understand why she would be different."
"Well, like Hotaru and Kara said, She wasn't awakening fully, so... honestly I have no clue."
Amy says.
"Well, when we awakened it was because we were in danger." Lita says. "Maybe she has to be in
danger for her to remember?"
"Maybe, but we can't put her in danger. We'll just have to wait, but we're going back to Japan, so...
I don't know how we'll keep an eye on her unless Darien stays here." Serena responds, frowning.
"So, what are we going to do?"
"Hey Darien," Amy says, suddenly smiling.
"What?"
"What is Marie getting a degree in?"
"She's majoring in Computer Science, with minors in Software Design, and teaching why?"
"It's perfect! This college offers a student teacher program right?"
"Yes, but I don't see where you're going with this."
"Eventually she'll have to go to a school and spend some time teaching a real class. Our school's
Computer Programming teacher just quit and they don't have anyone who knows about computers
to take her place so they're considering canceling the course, but, if they could get a student
teacher they could keep it open."
"So you're saying that after this semester when she has to apply for a student teaching job she
should take that one?" Mina asks. Amy nods. "That's the idea. That way we can keep an eye on
her, and she can still get an education."
"Amy, no offense, but you are too obsessed with education."
"I'll pretend I didn't hear that Serena." Serena sweatdrops and laughs nervously. Everyone sighs.
"So is that what we're going to do?" Trista asks.
"Yes. I'll tell her Amy's proposal, and I'm pretty sure she'll accept. She'll come back with us in a
week and then we'll watch and find out what happens." Darien answers.
Trista nods, "and I'll try and find out what's going on."
"Yeah, didn't you say that you put up a barrier? One that would tell us if it was heading to Earth?"
"Yes, something must have gone wrong."
"So, what do you know about it though."
"Just as much as you. Its main attack is a form of lightning that sends a target into a deep
depression, until it eventually destroys their soul. It has destroyed a planet parallel to ours, and
whether or not there were any survivors I don't know. It attacked Serena using someone it had
already taken. It can be overcome if the person can pull themselves out of it, like Serena did..."
"No I didn't. At least not on my own."
"What do you mean?"
"Well, I was in this void, like place, and I was still upset over Marie, when some figure told me to
watch a TV like fog thing. Anyway, it showed Marie's death. Then the shadow thing came over
looking like Marie and started saying that it was all my fault that she died. I was upset and, I'm
ashamed to say I believed it. It grew larger and larger and then tried to strangle me, and I was
trying to get out of it, but I was dizzy. It takes your energy when it feeds off your emotions. It
nearly took me, but another figure broke through the shield. There was a whole bunch of light
around it, and it helped gather enough energy to break free."
"Wait, is that why you freaked out when you woke up?" Darien asked.
"Wait, freaked out over what?" Trista wondered.
"When she got up she wigged out over Marie and started to transfer some of her energy to Marie."
"She was dying!"
"Wait, are we saying that this thing can also tell the future?"
"Maybe. I don't know. All I know is that when I woke up I ran over to check her and she had little
energy and was dying!"
"Alright hold up. Serena was captured, and lost most of her energy to some ... 'thing.' Then a
figure comes in and helps her get back enough energy to break free? No. That doesn't make
sense. The figure must have given her it's energy." Amara joined in.
"And that would mean that she was Marie."
"It would seem so..." Trista replied.
"Then another person's danger is what activated her power?" Taiki asked.
"It would seem so..." Trista repeated.
"Is that all you can say?" Seiya teased. Trista smiled. "It would seem so..." This brought smile to
everyone's face, at least for a moment. "So, then we just go back to Japan, bringing Marie with us,
and try and figure more out from there?" Amy asked.
"Yes, pretty much." Michelle answered, glancing around. Everyone nods. Kara looks at them.
"Come on. It's late. we should get some rest."
"Yeah."
"Uh-huh."
"That sounds good." And everyone agreed that they should get some sleep. They fell asleep in
minutes, and woke the next morning to glaring sunlight. They grabbed their things, and were
allowed to leave the hospital after another check up for Marie and Serena. Marie stretched in the
sunlight, yawning a little, and looks at them. "So, when are you heading back again?"
"Well, we're going back next week, at the end of Darien's last semester, and... "Serena turns to
the others hoping someone would help her out on this. It was Darien who bailed her out.
"... and we were hoping you'd come with us. You were talking about getting a student teacher job
in Japan and well, Amy's computer teacher quit, so they're looking for someone to take her place,
and we thought you might want it."
"No kidding I want it! That'd be great! Oh my gosh, this is so cool!" She grins. Serena smiles, as
does everyone else, and everyone looks at each other. "Well, then let's head back to campus
before Darien gets in trouble for another absence." Michelle says. "Right!" Marie grins and then
frowns. "Where's my truck?" Michelle looks at Amara and she looks off in another direction. "I
think it might have been caught in that explosion. We couldn't find it on our way out to take you
to the hospital."
"Oo.. fun. Who's up for a stop at your local ford dealer?" Michelle shrugs and they pile into
different vehicles, driving off to buy Marie a new car.
Everyone I meet ends up hurt. I know this isn't the way it should be. I'm supposed to protect
everyone, not endanger them. They might be better off without me. She sits down on a bench in
the park she had wandered into, sobbing heavily. A slight breeze picked up, swirling around her.
She shivers, standing up. I can't stay here. I have to get back to my friends. They'll be worried
about me. I have to shake this off. She sighs, wiping the tears away, and heads back towards the
hospital, not noticing the darkening sky. The wind begins to moan in warning, but Serena takes no
notice, lost in thought. The wind wailed louder as a flash of black lightning streaked across the sky,
heading for her. Serena's shrieks fill the air as it pierces her. She falls limp to the ground. A young
girl hears the screams and runs to her mother. "Mommy! Somebody needs help!" The mother turns
and sees Serena's lifeless form lying on the ground.
"Dear God...." She mutters and runs over to her, checking her pulse, and trying to get her daughter
to stop tugging her arm. Hearing the commotion, another woman comes over, and the mother yells
for her to call an ambulance. About five minutes later, it arrives and Serena is rushed into the ER.
**************************************
Darien fumbles around for the phone in the darkness of his dorm. After hitting his hand
on the side table and saying a few choice words he finds the receiver. "Hello?" He asks groggily.
A voice over the phone replies, confused. "Oh, sorry. Hello?"
"Yes, Hello? This is Darien Shields correct?"
"Yes, this is he. Who may I ask is this?"
"Susan Bracken. I'm a nurse at the Janelle Memorial Hospital."
"Is something the matter? Is this about Marie?"
"No, she's fine and sleeping like a baby. This is about a Miss Serena Tsukino."
"Serena?! What's the matter? Is she hurt? What happened?!"
"Sir, calm down please. She is here in the hospital under intensive care. We think she was hit by
lightning or something similar."
"What..." Darien nearly dropped the receiver. Oh no... It couldn't have been...
"Sir... Sir? Sir??" The nurse called over the receiver. "Are you still there?"
"Oh, yes sorry."
"She's supposed to make a full recovery, but has suffered a severe trauma, and right now is in a
temporary coma."
"Oh no ... Can I come see her?"
"Yes, but you won't be allowed in right away."
"Of course. Thank you."
"Your welcome." Darien hangs up and rapidly gets dressed, nearly tripping on Yaten, who was
sleeping in the same room on the floor along with Taiki, and Seiya. Yaten sits up. "What's going
on?" He says, sitting up. Taiki turns over and sits up as well. Seiya just burrows deeper under the
blankets. "Serena's in a coma at the hospital. They say they think she was hit by lightning."
"What!" Seiya shouts, springing up.
"Keep it down!" Darien hisses. "Get dressed quickly. I'll go wake everyone else up." They nod, and
quickly grab their clothes. Darien opens the door and steps out into the other room. He turns on the
light, the girls toss in their blankets. "Ugh... Darien? What's going on?" Lita asks, sitting up. The
others get up as well. "Serena's in the coma in the hospital. They say she was hit by lightning."
"Oh no..."
"I know. I think it might have been the new enemy. The sky had been clear when she ran off."
"Yeah..."
"Get dressed, we're going back." Darien says. Everyone nods, and Kara looks down to the ground.
Lita looks over to her. "Don't sweat it. You did what you thought was best."
"I know, but I still feel like I've done something wrong."
"You haven't." Lita says comfortingly, putting a hand on her shoulder. Kara smiles, and laughs a
little. "Now I know how she felt." She whispers sadly. "Come on," Lita replies, "We need to finish
getting ready, we have to go see her." Kara nods and finishes getting dressed.
**************************************
About an hour later everyone sits in the waiting room of the hospital once more, waiting
for the go ahead so they could see Serena. Raye paces back and forth across the floor, while
Mina and Lita watch her and make themselves nervous. Amy sits quietly reading a medical
magazine, while Amara and Michelle, whisper between each other. Trista holds Hotaru, who is
sitting quiet, but unsettled, and The Starlights and Kara all sit staring at the floor. Darien stands at
the window, looking at the clear night sky and wondering what could have happened. Serena... I
never should have left you alone... I promised I would never let this happen to you... As he thought
this, the sky started to darken. At that moment the nurse came in and announced it was alright to
see Serena. They charged the door, Raye getting trampled in the process, and crowded into the
hospital room, which coincidently was the same one Marie was staying in. She was awake and
standing by Serena's bed already. She looks at them. "Hey guys. Do you know what happened to
her? The nurse wouldn't tell me anything."
"They say she was struck by lighting or something." Darien answers.
"Oh no... Well, the nurse says she's okay, but she's in a coma. Says it's temporary. I hope she's
right."
"We all do," said Amy, "but for now all we can do is wait and hope."
"Umm... Do you mind if we stay with her alone?" Raye asks.
"No. Of course not." She says, squeezing Serena's hand and then walking out the door. "I'll be in
the cafeteria if anyone wants me."
"Alright." Raye sighs. "Can anyone think of a way to get her to snap out of it? Amy? You're the
one training to be a doctor. Can you think of anything?"
"Well," she murmurs, pulling out her computer. "I don't think this is any old coma, and that
lightning wasn't just any lightning."
"Okay, that we have pretty much established, but what do we do?"
"I'm working on it. That lightning did something to her, trapped her or something. I can't tell
exactly what, it's very complex."
"Take your time. We have a while." Michelle replies. Amy nods and types in a few rapid figures.
"It seems as if they've trapped her very soul in some sort of ..."
"What?"
"... bubble." Amy whispers, looking up. "It was an enemy. We have a new one and they got to
Serena."
"Great... What do we do?"
"Well, the shield can be broken, but I'm not sure how. It's based on feelings. It seems to feed off
of despair, misery, loneliness, and other feelings like that."
"Serena felt that she was endangering us, and everyone she got to know, so maybe that's what
attracted it!" Hotaru suggests.
"Yes, a guilty feeling. The problem is, unless Serena pulls herself out of this, I don't think there is
anything we can do. Also, if she doesn't do it soon, she may die."
"NO!" Almost everyone screams simultaneously. Amy nods sadly. "I'm afraid so. The shield will
continue to feed on her emotions until she loses her will to live, at that point ..." Amy's voice trails
off. Taiki puts a hand on Amy's shoulder. "Don't worry. She'll pull through. She always does. She's
to strong to give in to something like this."
"I know..." They all stand there in silence, watching Serena, worried about what was going to
happen to her, ... and them.
**************************************
Serena floats in an empty, black void. "Hello?" She calls out, uncertainty echoing in her
voice, which seems to be absorbed into the darkness. Where am I? She thinks, shivering. A dark
figure appears in the shadows. "Where all those who hurt people go..." It calls hauntingly.
"What are you talking about?"
"What am I talking about? About this..." The figure says, raising its hand. A light mist appears,
showing a scene like on a TV. Showing there was a hospital room, inside the nurse rushes about, the
heart monitor blaring a warning that the person's heart had stopped. Another doctor rushes in
bringing the paddles, and tries to revive them, but to no avail. The nurse turns away, and the
doctor sighs. "Time of death, 9:43, October 14th, 2002." The nurse holds back tears ad she
reaches for the cloth to cover the dead girl. The TV like fog zooms in and Serena gasps as the
nurse pulls the cloth over Marie's lifeless body.
"No..."
"Yes." The figure says coldly, and steps from the darkness. "You didn't save me. I died because
of you!" She screams spitefully.
"Noo..." Serena moans. "I ... The nurse said you'd be okay!"
"Did I look okay?" She asks, pointing to the screen. "Did I?!" She shrieks. Tears stream down
Serena's face as she falls to her knees. "No..." She squeaks, closing her eyes. "no.." Marie walks
up behind her, growing larger and larger by the second. "Yes, it's all your fault. It was your fault
that woman killed me! IT WAS YOUR FAULT!" Marie screams in her ear, power echoing in the
void. "My fault." Serena replies weakly, her eyes going black. It's my fault everyone gets hurt.
I'm the one who causes all these problems. If I were gone, everyone could be happy, live a normal
life, and stop worrying about whether or not someone was trying to attack the earth. It's my fault...
I'm sorry. This whole time the figure posing as Marie had grown to mythical proportions, and twisted
into a black blob like void of it's own. It formed a sort of long arm and grabbed Serena's throat. She
grabbed at the figure's arm, trying to pry it off, but it was slowly sapping her of the last of her
strength. No! I can't die! Something is wrong! I have things to live for! I can't die... I can't... no....
someone help.... help...... She starts to black out when a brilliant light appears, breaking through
the shell, and filling the whole area with its radiating light. Serena winces and looks up at it, feeling
the figure starting to release it's hold, but still clutching tight. "Serena..." The figure in the light
called in an echoing voice. "The world needs you, many love you, realize the truth and destroy this
falsehood..." And as it says this, the light intensifies to point where it nearly blinds her. Serena's
head starts to clear and she thinks back to what the figure said and opens her eyes wide. This
isn't Marie! Marie didn't remember what happened and didn't know that a woman had caused the
explosion or anything! This is all a lie!! The light from the figure dissipates, replaced by a shining
light from within Serena. "This is a lie!" She screams, and the darkness shatters, the figure
disappearing with an angry screech. Serena sits up rapidly to a dark hospital room, finding the
others sleeping around her, Darien with his head on her lap. She glances around, and looks rapidly
at the clock. "9:45." She says, quietly, slightly nervous, she turns to the calendar. The thirteenth
was crossed out, showing, "October the 14th?!" She gasps. Darien stirs and sits up. "Serena!
You're awake!" He hugs her and holds her tight. "Oh thank god..."
"Darien, listen to me." She says, pushing away from him. "Where's Marie?"
"She's over there." He replies, a confused look on his face. "Why?"
"No time, give me my brooch." She answers, hopping out of bed and standing next to Marie's.
Darien hands her her brooch and she touches Marie's hand. "Oh no... She's ice cold!"
"Serena what's going on?"
"I'll tell you in a minute." She takes Marie's hand and holds it against the brooch and closes her
eyes. The brooch glows brightly between their hands, warming up until it seemed to burn. Serena
held on to it tightly, wincing as it burned her. Darien tried to pull her away but she wouldn't let go.
Finally Darien managed to pull her off just as the room started to spin. "What are you trying to do?!
Put yourself back into a coma?!"
"No, she was dying!"
"What are you talking about?"
"She was dying! I saw it."
"Serena, I..." But Darien didn't get a chance to finish his sentence. Serena's brooch was floating
in the air and giving off an incredible light. Serena went to grab it, but was thrown back. She looked
at it confused, Darien just sat there, confused as well. Serena nearly screamed as her locket burst
into flames. "Oh crap!" She shouted, loud enough that everyone sat up, startled. "Serena? You're
awake... and what's going on?!" Mina declares as she notices the flaming brooch. "I don't know!"
She said, scared. The brooch had begun to spin, forming a ball of fire hovering about five feet off
the ground. Raye grabbed a pitcher of water to put it out, but the water evaporated the instant it
was thrown towards the fire. "What are we going to do?" Amy frets.
"Nothing." Hotaru says calmly.
"What?" Serena spins around to face her. "What do you mean?!"
"Exactly what she said." Kara says standing. "There is nothing to worry about."
"What are you..."
"Your locket is responding to something, a power or something. It recognized a scout."
"What?" She turns back to the ball of fire hovering above Marie, then looked down at Marie. "My
locket is... but that means... I'm confused."
"Your locket is responding to the potential power of a scout. You know when you found each of us,
our powers had activated themselves and showed the symbols of our respective planets?" Hotaru
asks, starting to explain.
"Yes, I remember, the symbols appeared on your forehead."
"Well, your brooch has found a scout who's power has activated, but not in the way ours does. It
has no way to manifest itself, and so it has not awakened completely. Your locket is creating a
way for it to awake completely. Watch." She says, pointing at the ball of fire that was splitting into
two. After this happened, Serena's locket fell to the floor, clattering against the cold tile. Serena
bent down and picked it up carefully, but it turned out to be as cold as the floor. She looks back
up to the second ball of fire that had formed as the fire died out, revealing a new brooch shaped
like a Greek drawing of the sun. It floats there a moment, shining golden, flashing different colors
around because of the rainbow jewels embedded in it forming a strange symbol no one recognized.
After a couple of seconds it floats down, and with a small flash of light, attaches itself as a small
pin on Marie's hair tie. Everyone stands there, rather speechless. Marie turns over, groaning
slightly. "Where's the license plate of the truck that hit me..." She mutters, and looks around.
"Hey Serena! Your awake! Good." Looks around again. "Why is everyone staring at me? Is there
something on my face or something? Well?" Serena turns to the others, they just shrug and she
sighs. " Umm... Have you ever heard of people called the Sailor Scouts?"
"If your talking about the movie, yeah."
"No, I'm talking about the real deal."
"Okay, is this some kind of joke?"
"No. This is no joke. We're all scouts, even you."
"Okay, now I know you're kidding."
"No. I'm telling you I'm not. Maybe I should show you."
"Serena." Darien turns to her. She looks back at him as he shakes his head. "Why not? She is
one. We have..." She starts to whisper, but Darien cuts her off. "I think she'll need to discover it
on her own." Serena looks at him, and nods. "Alright." She turns back to Marie and then sighs.
"Never mind, I guess I'm still out of it."
"Oookaaayy... I'm going to go back to sleep now alright? See ya in the morning." She turns over
and snuggles up in the blankets of the hospital bed. "Goodnight..." Darien points towards the door
and everyone leaves. They stand in the waiting room, and face each other. "Well, what are we
going to do?" Serena asks Darien. "How is she going to find out by herself."
"I admit, this is strange. The rest of us remembered our past when we awoke." Lita said.
"I can't understand why she would be different."
"Well, like Hotaru and Kara said, She wasn't awakening fully, so... honestly I have no clue."
Amy says.
"Well, when we awakened it was because we were in danger." Lita says. "Maybe she has to be in
danger for her to remember?"
"Maybe, but we can't put her in danger. We'll just have to wait, but we're going back to Japan, so...
I don't know how we'll keep an eye on her unless Darien stays here." Serena responds, frowning.
"So, what are we going to do?"
"Hey Darien," Amy says, suddenly smiling.
"What?"
"What is Marie getting a degree in?"
"She's majoring in Computer Science, with minors in Software Design, and teaching why?"
"It's perfect! This college offers a student teacher program right?"
"Yes, but I don't see where you're going with this."
"Eventually she'll have to go to a school and spend some time teaching a real class. Our school's
Computer Programming teacher just quit and they don't have anyone who knows about computers
to take her place so they're considering canceling the course, but, if they could get a student
teacher they could keep it open."
"So you're saying that after this semester when she has to apply for a student teaching job she
should take that one?" Mina asks. Amy nods. "That's the idea. That way we can keep an eye on
her, and she can still get an education."
"Amy, no offense, but you are too obsessed with education."
"I'll pretend I didn't hear that Serena." Serena sweatdrops and laughs nervously. Everyone sighs.
"So is that what we're going to do?" Trista asks.
"Yes. I'll tell her Amy's proposal, and I'm pretty sure she'll accept. She'll come back with us in a
week and then we'll watch and find out what happens." Darien answers.
Trista nods, "and I'll try and find out what's going on."
"Yeah, didn't you say that you put up a barrier? One that would tell us if it was heading to Earth?"
"Yes, something must have gone wrong."
"So, what do you know about it though."
"Just as much as you. Its main attack is a form of lightning that sends a target into a deep
depression, until it eventually destroys their soul. It has destroyed a planet parallel to ours, and
whether or not there were any survivors I don't know. It attacked Serena using someone it had
already taken. It can be overcome if the person can pull themselves out of it, like Serena did..."
"No I didn't. At least not on my own."
"What do you mean?"
"Well, I was in this void, like place, and I was still upset over Marie, when some figure told me to
watch a TV like fog thing. Anyway, it showed Marie's death. Then the shadow thing came over
looking like Marie and started saying that it was all my fault that she died. I was upset and, I'm
ashamed to say I believed it. It grew larger and larger and then tried to strangle me, and I was
trying to get out of it, but I was dizzy. It takes your energy when it feeds off your emotions. It
nearly took me, but another figure broke through the shield. There was a whole bunch of light
around it, and it helped gather enough energy to break free."
"Wait, is that why you freaked out when you woke up?" Darien asked.
"Wait, freaked out over what?" Trista wondered.
"When she got up she wigged out over Marie and started to transfer some of her energy to Marie."
"She was dying!"
"Wait, are we saying that this thing can also tell the future?"
"Maybe. I don't know. All I know is that when I woke up I ran over to check her and she had little
energy and was dying!"
"Alright hold up. Serena was captured, and lost most of her energy to some ... 'thing.' Then a
figure comes in and helps her get back enough energy to break free? No. That doesn't make
sense. The figure must have given her it's energy." Amara joined in.
"And that would mean that she was Marie."
"It would seem so..." Trista replied.
"Then another person's danger is what activated her power?" Taiki asked.
"It would seem so..." Trista repeated.
"Is that all you can say?" Seiya teased. Trista smiled. "It would seem so..." This brought smile to
everyone's face, at least for a moment. "So, then we just go back to Japan, bringing Marie with us,
and try and figure more out from there?" Amy asked.
"Yes, pretty much." Michelle answered, glancing around. Everyone nods. Kara looks at them.
"Come on. It's late. we should get some rest."
"Yeah."
"Uh-huh."
"That sounds good." And everyone agreed that they should get some sleep. They fell asleep in
minutes, and woke the next morning to glaring sunlight. They grabbed their things, and were
allowed to leave the hospital after another check up for Marie and Serena. Marie stretched in the
sunlight, yawning a little, and looks at them. "So, when are you heading back again?"
"Well, we're going back next week, at the end of Darien's last semester, and... "Serena turns to
the others hoping someone would help her out on this. It was Darien who bailed her out.
"... and we were hoping you'd come with us. You were talking about getting a student teacher job
in Japan and well, Amy's computer teacher quit, so they're looking for someone to take her place,
and we thought you might want it."
"No kidding I want it! That'd be great! Oh my gosh, this is so cool!" She grins. Serena smiles, as
does everyone else, and everyone looks at each other. "Well, then let's head back to campus
before Darien gets in trouble for another absence." Michelle says. "Right!" Marie grins and then
frowns. "Where's my truck?" Michelle looks at Amara and she looks off in another direction. "I
think it might have been caught in that explosion. We couldn't find it on our way out to take you
to the hospital."
"Oo.. fun. Who's up for a stop at your local ford dealer?" Michelle shrugs and they pile into
different vehicles, driving off to buy Marie a new car.
