Disclaimer: I don't own Sailor Moon.
White Lies
The warm liquid flowed down her dry throat. It tasted like honey, but not quite. She opened her eyes slowly as fuzzy images cleared up and she could distinguish the objects around the small room she was in.
Serena looked around the room. It was simple enough, but there was a mysterious air to it that makes the room more than what it seems. There was a window to the left of her that was decorated with simple, but yet, pretty curtains. To her right, there was a wooden door; she guessed that it probably led to the living room. Surprisingly, there were very few pictures hanging on the wall. The paintings that were on the wall were mostly abstract drawings of objects. A small lamp was sitting on a wooden night table beside her bed and a dull, yellow light protruded from it, spreading itself around the room.
Serena looked up to see her savior and was not surprised. The same ebony bangs brushing the same cerulean eyes, and the gentle smile that she could never forget.
Darien.
He gently brushed back wisps of stray hair from her face. "You're awake."
Serena could say nothing but nod.
"Need anything?" He asked her.
"Not really." Her hands shot up to her mouth. Serena was taken aback by her voice. Her usually soft voice was gone, replaced by an old, croaky, dry sound that was totally unexpected.
Darien chuckled. "Don't worry. You're just not used to talking after not saying anything for so long."
Serena slowly lowered her hand. "How long was I asleep?" Her voice wasn't getting any better.
"About two days." He replied. "I was getting worried."
At those words, her eyes widened. "You were?"
Darien blushed. Serena giggled.
"What's so funny?" he blurted.
"You're blushing!" she giggled even more.
That remark just made Darien worse and Serena couldn't stop her case of giggles.
"Y-you better finish this up before it gets cold." He tried to change the subject.
Serena stopped her giggling. "'Kay. I'm really hungry anyway."
She sat up, with a little help from Darien, and started the sipping the soup slowly. The warm liquid filled her up and replaced her strength and spirit until she decided to get out of bed. Darien objected, though
"You should rest a little bit more. You're not strong enough to get up and walk around!"
"Make me!"
Serena slowly stood up and walked around the room. Even though she wobbled a little, she stayed on her feet, with a little help from Darien. "See? There!"
Darien sighed. "Where do you want to go?"
"The place you found me. The garden."
Everything still looked the same in the garden. The different kinds of flowers and vines were still there, the creek at the same place. 'I hope the Prince don't find me here.' Serena prayed silently.
'What is the little bunny thinking?' Darien wondered.
"Darien."
Her voice startled him and he snapped out of his thoughts.
"Yes?"
"Let's go over there." She pointed to big patch of bare earth with just a sprinkle of soft green grass here and there. Darien agreed and nodded his head.
The two sat down with a little help from Darien. The patch of grass-dirt was facing the creek and, beyond it, small patches of flowers here and there. Above the patch was what you could call a tree dome. Three or four redwood trees, with their leaves and branches spread out, covered most of the sky, leaving you with only a few patches of sunlight that shone through the many leaves. It was a shady area all right, and if you lied down right then, you could see the many different formations of big, white, puffy clouds.
"So, Serena. Tell me about yourself. Are you a princess of some kind?" Darien studied her face closely, trying to find any clue or hint that will give him answer to the strange things she said a couple of days ago.
For a moment, he thought there was a flash of surprise and horror flick across her features but then, it was gone.
True, Serena was very shocked and she was also quite worried. She didn't know why and how Darien could think, or know, that she was a princess. But being a princess for sixteen years has given her enough times to practice hiding her emotions and that's what she did.
"What makes you think that I'm a princess?" She asked as calmly as she could.
Darien wasn't really expecting this question and wasn't prepared for it. "N-nothing. I mean… you said those words…" He quickly covered up his mouth.
'Great job, you idiot!' his subconscious scolded.
'YOU. Shut up.' He thought to his subconscious. 'Stop being so irony.'
'Me? You're the one who almost told her. Besides, she was probably just citing something out of a show or book or something.' His subconscious retorted.
Serena frowned. "What? What words?"
Darien shook his head quickly. "Nothing. I was just thinking about the way you were dressed and…" he trailed off.
'You're way too good at this stuff, aren't you? Huh, Prince Endymion of Earth?' his subconscious started tease him again.
'Shut up! And I thought I told you to quit on the irony stuff!' Darien was getting annoyed.
'If I'm being irony, then you are too, and also, if you're telling me to shut up, you're telling yourself to shut up! Because I'm you and you're me, so we're pretty much the same person. You're crazy, talking to yourself like that.'
'Huh?'
'Let's test your IQ, shall we?'
'All right. We'll see who's smarter.'
'All right. Here goes! How much wood could a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood?'
"WHAT?!"
"What?" Serena was surprised by the sudden outburst of the dark-haired man.
Darien's hand shot up to his mouth. He blushed.
'That hand of yours has a problem, doesn't it? I mean, it just keeps shooting up to your mouth. Maybe you should press it down, and you know, start looking weird.' His subconscious started teasing him again.
'Didn't I tell you to shut up?'
'Didn't I tell you that you're telling yourself to shut up?'
'Argh!'
'Argh!'
'Stop copying me!'
'Stop copying me!'
'I mean it.'
'I mean-- you really have a low IQ, you know that?'
'What do you mean?'
'You couldn't even answer my "How much wood could a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood?" question.'
'How am I supposed to know?'
'Well, according to calculus, the amount of wood that a wood chuck chucks is a--'
'Ok. Forget I ever asked.'
"Darien!"
"Yes?"
"You okay?" Serena was getting concerned.
"Yes. I'm fine. Sorry about that."
"That's okay." It was obvious, though, that she was still worried.
"So, where are you from?" Darien asked.
"Um… I'd rather not talk about it." Serena said nervously.
"Yea, sure."
'Well it wasn't a lie!' Serena thought nervously. "Where are you from?" She asked him.
"Me? I'm from The Sacred City, you know, where the palace is?"
Serena's eyes widened. "You're royal?" She whispered.
This comment startled Darien. "N-no. I just live there, like the villagers." He answered quickly.
"Oh."
Darien chuckled nervously. "Huh, why would you think I'm royal?"
"Well, for one thing, you remind me of someone--" She turned and looked at him.
Darien tensed when Serena said that for he was worried that she would find out who he really was.
"Someone… but I can't quite put my finger on it." Serena continued to look at him, as if that will help her remember.
Darien relaxed, but tensed again when he realised that she was still staring at him.
"What?" he asked, almost too nervously.
"Nothing." Serena turned away.
For a moment, there was silence, until Darien said something that surprised Serena, in a way.
"So, Serena, do you consider us as friends?"
Serena's head shot up. "What?"
Darien repeated his question.
"Yes, I guess, that is, if you want to be friends."
"Yeah, sure." Darien agreed.
"So, how long have you been here?"
"Been where?"
"Here, the Sacred City and that area around it."
"Oh… just a few days."
"Really? Were you lost before?"
"Yes." Serena replied hesitantly.
"Do you know what you passed out that day, Sere?"
"Um… hunger?" Serena smiled nervously.
Darien, though, had a serious look on his face. "You could have died, you know, Sere?"
Serena lowered her head. "I-I'm sorry… I just couldn't find any food and I didn't have… um… what do you call those paper things you use to trade for food?"
Darien looked at her strangely. "You mean paper bills?"
"Yea… sorry… I lost myself, you see, where I come from, there's a big test thing next week and everyone's cramming stuff into their brains." Serena chuckled nervously. "Heh… Heh… sorry."
"O-kay… well, where are you from? I mean, how can you forget what money's called?" Darien was still suspicious.
"I really don't want to talk about it, Darien."
"Oh… okay. Sorry about that, I forgot."
"That's okay."
There was another moment of silence between the two.
"Hey, how 'bout I take you into the Sacred City and show you around?" Darien asked.
"That'd be great! If you don't mind, Dare."
"No, not at all."
"Great! When do you want to go?" Serena asked enthuasically.
"Whenever you're ready, Madame."
Serena giggled. "Let's go tomorrow."
"Great! So it's all planned?"
"Yep!" Serena got up, with a little help from Darien, and the two headed back in to get ready for the next day.
~ Next day ~
"Whoo! That was fun, but I'm glad to be back here." Serena sat down slowly on a couch.
"Yea. Are you feeling okay? You look a little pale." Darien noticed.
"No, no, I'm fine! Just a little tired, that's all." She giggled nervously.
"Well, you should rest a bit." Darien stood up. "Do you need me to help you?"
"No, I'll be fine." Serena stood up too. "I think I'll go take a shower, if you don't mind, that is."
"No! Go ahead! I'll cook us some dinner." Darien walked towards the kitchen.
"Great!"
~
After her refreshing shower, Serena decided to take a stroll in the garden. She left a note telling Darien where she's going and left by the back door.
Stretching her arms, Serena yawned and instantly covered her mouth. Hearing a noise, she turned around, realising that it was just a squirrel. All of a sudden, she heard footsteps coming her way. In her hurry, she stood up and ran, as a wave of dizziness washed over her. She accidentally tripped on a pebble and fell down, hitting her head on a boulder-sized rock jutting out of the ground. The last thing she saw was Darien's frantic face as he found her. She murmured some words that she was taught to say in a time of danger unconsciously and then… darkness.
~
Not hearing any sounds from Serena, he decided to check on her in her room. Knocking on the door, he received no sounds. Concerned, he pushed the door open and saw no one in the room. Worried now, he checked on the bathroom to make sure it was empty and searched her room again. He found a note taped to her dresser explaining where she was.
Deciding to check on her, he walked out of the little cottage-like house and hurried towards the garden. He walked over to the creek and checked there first. Darien saw her stand up as he neared, with a frantic look on her face, so he started running towards her. Serena, though, started running and Darien watched in horror as she tripped on something and hit her head in a rock.
He started running towards her and again, as he reached her and held her up, she muttered those same words that terrified him four days ago.
"By the power of the Moon, heiress to the throne, I, Princess Serenity call…" She slipped into unconsciousness. Does anyone have good ideas about how I should continue this story? If you do, mail me or tell me when you review. Review!
