To hell with the disclaimer (Crumples up piece of paper) It's Takeuchi's. There, I said it, and I don't want to say it again.

Hey, I've just been reading my favourite authors stories, now my head hurts……………..

Chapter Three

Lost and found

~By Saki Midnight

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"Serenity!" Ami called softly, desperation present in her tone. She glanced around slowly, not sure of the direction the others went in. "Serenity!" She called again, starting forward. She walked quickly through the undergrowth, searching with her eyes, but finding nothing. She moved a little faster, looking this way and that. As Ami quickened her pace, her heartbeat sped up. What if she couldn't find the others? What if she couldn't get back to the wall? What if…what if she was completely lost, and would never find her way out of here? What if there were…other things in the forest? Things that Luna and Artemis had warned them of? Ami was running now, tears threatening to fall. Suddenly, she ran into something solid and began to fall. Hands quickly grabbed her upper arms, stopping her descent. "Oh!" she gasped out, as she stared up into the face of a young man, not much older that herself in years. His hair was blonde, with a tinge of aquamarine in the ends, most of which were tucked neatly behind his ears. For a moment he looked as scared as she was to encounter someone else in the woods, but he quickly recovered himself.

"Are you…okay?" He asked hesitantly, faintly, almost whispering. His eyes searched hers, and she almost forgot that she was in disguise, her Senshi form.

"Yes," she responded almost as quietly as he had spoken. "I just…I seem to have lost my way." She ended, glancing around, trying to determine her position.

"Well, I know this forest quite well; can I perhaps help you find your path again?" He offered politely. She nodded, not sure if she should trust this man. She really didn't have much choice though.

"My name is Jadeite." He said eventually, easing her suspicions.

"I'm the Senshi of Mercury." She returned, not thinking it wise to gift him with her other title.

Minako saw with a sinking heart that she was well and truly alone. She attempted to find her way back to a spot that she remembered, but was frustrated to find that she didn't recognise any of her surroundings. She shrugged, and closed her eyes, spinning on the spot. After a minute she stopped, and looked ahead. It looked the same as everywhere else, but nevertheless, that was the direction she took.  After all, she'd have to end up somewhere out of the forest, would she not? Then she could easily find her way back to the palace. She began to walk steadily, but faltered after fifteen minutes. What if the trees went on and on? She could end up miles away, with no means to travel back. She stopped, glanced around, then started off again, walking more slowly, and looking for signs of her friends. Then something dived out at her, making her scream very loudly. The something jumped six feet into the air.

"What the-"

Minako would have fainted, had she not been in her battle garb. She came face to face with an older person, a male, with long whitish-golden hair that looked green in the leafy shade. He leaned against a tree to catch his breath, and she scrutinised him, eventually coming to the conclusion that he was relatively harmless.

"You scared me!" He laughed shakily. "I thought I was being ambushed."

"By what, a Banshee?" Minako asked incredulously, amazed at the strength of her own lungs.

"My friends are a bunch of practical jokers." He answered dryly. "What are you doing out here, I've never met anyone wandering these woods?

"Ah, I just happened to stumble in here today, and was foolish enough to lose my way." She replied, careful not to admit that she wasn't the only newcomer into his territory today.

"Well. I suppose that I could try and help you find your way back home." He said thoughtfully. "I'm not the best navigator, but I'm good enough." He smiled when she nodded after a tense pause. "Well, my name is Malachite, and shall be your tour guide for today." He announced, making her giggle.

"You remind me of someone." She said, following him at a short distance.

"Really?" He looked around at her. "So do you. What are you called?" He queried, gazing at her bow.

"I'm Venus." She answered confidently. He frowned.

"As in the planet?" He watched as she nodded, then shrugged. "Fair enough. Where are we going?"

"To find a wall." Minako said cryptically.

Makoto looked up toward the sky. Maybe… She thought, and walked over to a low hanging bough. She hoisted herself onto it and began to climb steadily, hopping catlike from branch to branch. She was halfway up when she heard a shout from below. Thinking it was one of her friends, come to get her, she immediately began to clamber back down.

"I'm coming!" She called down.

However in her haste, she lost her footing, and began to fall. Oh hell…she thought, and closed her eyes, dreading what was to come.

"Oof!" Someone grunted, and Makoto found herself in his arms. She was filled with a huge relief when she realised she wasn't dead. However, this was quickly extinguished when she leapt up again, hoping to the gods that she hadn't squashed whoever had caught her, realising that she had embarrassed herself. A slow blush crept up into her cheeks.

"I'm sorry, are you okay?" She asked anxiously, looking the poor man up and down. His curly hair obscured his features, and she was amazed when he began to laugh. "What's so funny!" she demanded, annoyed that she seemed to be the butt of the joke.

"I was just remembering how, a few minutes ago, I was wishing for a maiden to drop into my arms!" He chuckled, looking pleased. Makoto made to grab his grey tunic, but he danced out of her way easily. He stood out of her reach, regarding her, head cocked to one side. "You know, my sister used to always fall out of trees. She would return home with leaves in her hair, a bunch of flowers in her pocket, eating wild berries." For a moment, Makoto's mind went back to a similar time in her life, when she and her elder brother would go off all day, and explore the terrain. A sudden bout of homesickness assailed her, and she stared about uncertainly.

"Where are we?" She asked herself.

"Good question," her company returned. "Where are you supposed to be?"

"Are you familiar with these woods?" She said to him this time, he nodded.

"Could you help me, I seem to have misplaced myself…" She gazed around to prove her point.

"Tell me your name, and I'll help you."

"Miss Jupiter." She stated, not trusting him with her other identity. He sighed, knowing full well, that it was the only answer he would receive.

"Very well. I am Zoicite." He headed off. "Let's go." He handed her the flower crowns that she had dropped, and took her hand, smiling at her own head band. Makoto suddenly felt foolish.

                Rei was lying on the forest floor, her eyes closed. She had been searching for the others for half an hour now, and was resting, using her meditation to discern how far from the palace she was. This exercise proved fruitless though. There was some sort of magical disruption in the air. She relaxed, going into a deeper state of trance…

A shiver shot up Rei's spine and her eyes flew open. She sat up, glancing around. Someone was out there, prowling just on the edge of her consciousness, hovering just out of her reach. Who are you? She asked the space in her mind. Whoever in was, they were not going to risk entering her mind. Where are you? She demanded, probing the edges of her mind. She stood, and looked intently at a spot in the trees.

"So you can sense me." A voice remarked, laced with mild surprise. "Interesting…"

"Show yourself!" Rei, shouted, angered that someone would have the nerve to speak to her that way.

"And why should I?" The voice, Rei discerned, was markedly male. "How do I know that you're safe to approach?" He asked calmly. This heightened her temper.

"Are you a coward?" She asked, trying to goad him.

"A...coward?" He sounded puzzled. "Why, young lady," He began to laugh. "Should I be scared of you?"

"You obviously are, if you won't reveal yourself to me." She shot back spitefully. It worked. He snorted, and materialised out of the darkness beyond the clearing's edge. Rei was looking at nothing more than a mere teenager, with dark curly locks that hung down his back, and chocolate brown eyes.

"Have you gotten lost?" He asked, seemingly sincere. Now it was her turn to snort.

"No." She scoffed. "I know exactly where I'm going." She began to stride determinedly off in a direction.

"If you're looking for civilization," He called casually towards her back. "You're going the wrong way." Rei stopped and stiffened, a terrible cold feeling crept over her. What if he's right? She asked herself.

"What makes you think that?" She asked, a churning beginning in the pit of her stomach. "You don't even know if I live alone or not."

"Ah, but you contradict your actions, my lady." He replied with a small smile. "If you were alone, then why are you worried about who I am? It shouldn't bother you that I am no one you know."

She growled in frustration, hating the man more and more with each passing moment. Rei decided that she didn't care whether or not she got back to the palace; she just wanted to be away from this infuriating boy. She spun on her heel and stalked off into the trees.

"Where are you going?" He shouted after, panic in his voice.

"Away from you!" She spat at him over her shoulder, and carried on walking, she was pleased that she had rattled him.

"You little idiot! You're going to get yourself killed!" He yelled, and started after her. She stopped and rounded on him, glaring at him. He halted and stared warily at her.

"I can take care of myself!" She claimed stubbornly. "I don't need a silly little self obsessed man to help me!"

"Self obsessed!" He exclaimed indignantly. He closed the distance between them in a flash and threw her over his shoulder, spinning around and marching back in the direction they had come, unfazed by Rei beating her small fists against him. He walked for quite while, before finally setting her down. "Listen to me!" He shouted. Rei found herself silenced by the power of his voice. "I know this forest like the back of my hand. In exchange for you promise to shut up, I will take you wherever you want to go." Rei nodded. "Okay, where did you come from?"

"The palace grounds." She answered, realising that this was probably her one chance to find the others. He looked puzzled for a moment, and then his face cleared, as if he remembered something.

"I can get you as far as the wall bordering the grounds, miss…"

"I am the Senshi of Mars." She declared. He raised an eyebrow. "The wall will do fine." She said primly.

"A bit long winded, don't you think?" He mocked lightly. "You may call me Nephrite." He gave a quick bow, then spun around. "The spot you seek is this way…" He began, leading her back towards the palace.

                Serenity was terrified. She had led all of her friends into the forest, and lost them. She'd looked in every direction, hoping to at least run into one of them, but to no avail. She was completely and utterly alone…

A twig cracked, and Serenity jumped. She couldn't transform and defend herself against anything that chose to pursue her, as she had left her henshin wand back in her bedroom. Not that she was any good at fighting. Serenity held back a rush of tears, glancing miserably around. Her friends were gone, and it was all her fault. She began to cry softly, knowing that no-one, save the girls, knew where she was. Another twig snapped, and she gasped, looking up. She was shocked to see a man with a sword standing in the distance, staring at her. Instinct took over, and she froze like a rabbit. As soon as he took a step forward, she shot off, darting through the undergrowth. The man was going to find her, and kill her. Her breath caught in her throat as she ran, barefoot. She remembered vaguely that her slippers were somewhere behind her, buried in the green grass.

"Wait!" A voice called desperately, but Serenity ploughed on, leaves brushing her tear streaked dirty face, fearful of her pursuer. She jumped over a fallen bough and streaked into the trees, hearing him behind her. Suddenly her foot came down on something sharp, and Serenity tumbled to the ground, sobbing with pain and despair. She tried to get up, but was forced back down by a shooting pain that went straight up her leg. She tried again, but fell to the ground a second time, barely making it two steps. She looked behind her, and saw him slow, noticing that she was on the floor, immobilised. But he halted a few feet away, as a voice cried out. "Stop!"

Another man came skidding into the path in front of her. He wore grey, and had silvery white hair that fell past his shoulders, and came halfway down his back.

"You've scared her senseless!" He exclaimed, walking slowly towards her. Serenity cringed back. He halted when he saw her reaction, and glared at the other one. "She's terrified!"

"I'm sorry." The other one replied softly. "I just…she saw me, and I wanted to talk to her." His voice came a little closer. "Who is she?" He asked, sounding stunned. Serenity's foot began to really hurt, and she whimpered quietly.

"It's the Moon Princess!" The silver haired boy replied, in alarm and horror. "What in the universe is she doing out here!

"A princess…" The other boy repeated, unable to conceal the wonder in his voice. He circled around her and knelt before her. She looked up and was met with a pair of dazzling midnight blue eyes, peeking out from amongst a shock of black hair. He looked genuinely concerned, and unrestrained regret lurked there as well. "I didn't mean you any harm, really." He offered softly.

Any words that she had thought of, died on her lips right then, as pain coursed through her foot. Fresh tears fell down her cheeks at the renewed pain. "What's the matter?" He asked in worry.

"Didn't you see her fall, stupid!" The silver haired man answered for her. He seemed angrier at the other boy than concerned for what was going on. He managed to keep his temper leashed though, to Serenity's relief. She had a feeling that he knew a lot more about the situation than he was letting on. "She's hurt herself!"

"Oh…" The dark eyed teen replied softly. His eyes strayed to her foot, and he picked it up tenderly in his hands. She sucked in a breath as knives stabbed the arch. She watched in curiosity as the man removed his glove, and went to inspect her foot with his hand.

"DON'T TOUCH HER!" The silvery boy yelled, and knocked the other one aside. He slid his arms under her shoulders and her knees and lifted her bodily, striding away with her in his grip.

"Kunzite!" The other boy called after them in anguish. "Let me help her!"

The one carrying her stopped, and spun to face him.

"No." He said shortly. "You are not to touch her." He turned again. "You have given me your word that I can override your decision in this Darien, and I will. Don't think for a moment that I'm going to let you risk yourself like you do so foolishly time and time again. I will not see you sacrificing yourself like that. Do you hear?"

Darien pulled his glove back on and kept pace with them silently. His eyes kept straying to Serenity though and eventually Kunzite ordered him to follow behind. The temptation must have been too great though, because he began to beg and plead with his superior.

"Please, Kunz, for the Gods' sake, let me help her! I can't just stand here and watch like this. She's in pain; I can feel it, let me take it away. I can't bear it!" he pleaded, but Kunzite ignored him completely.

"Jade!" Kunzite shouted, his voice carrying. "Zoi!"

Moments later the two appeared nearby. They stopped at the sight before them. Kunzite tipped his head back, beckoning them closer.

"I don't believe it!" One of them exclaimed in disbelief. "Serenity."

"Who?" The other replied unwittingly. He was rewarded with a slap over the back of his head. "Ow! Jade!"

"The Moon princess, stupid!"

"Stop acting like idiots and get over here, the both of you!" Kunzite hollered. "Keep him away." He tipped his head towards Darien, who was fighting to stay sane. "Where's Neph?"

"Here." Another voice greeted. A curly haired boy entered the small clearing. The other two were by Darien, and by some miracle, they had him on his knees between them. His sword was gone too.

"Right." Kunzite said. "Neph, do what you have to, but he's not to go anywhere, understand?"

Neph nodded smiling.

"My newest solution." He said. "Watch." Neph went over to where Darien kneeled, and put a finger to his forehead. Something happened when he did, some transfer of energy. Darien gasped, and then passed out, sliding lifelessly to the floor.

"What did you do to him?" Serenity cried in horror.

"Kept him from killing himself." Kunzite replied in all seriousness. He walked away from the small group of people alone, with her in his grasp. He seemed to carry her somewhat tenderly, as if afraid that he would break her. They came to the wall bordering the palace grounds, and he strode alongside it, until he was just out of sight of the gate. Serenity saw the Senshi standing by it, looking worried. Kunzite set her down on the ground gently.

"I dare not take you any further." He said softly. "I'm sorry for my friend's foolishness, he is a bit…misunderstood." She stared at him. He was obviously trying to say something to her, but was having trouble forming the words in his mouth. Finally, he decided against it. "As much as I know that you should not venture into the forest, as you don't know it very well, and it's dangerous," A slight smile graced his features. "I would be happy to meet you again."

"Maybe tomorrow?" She asked hopefully. He nodded slowly.

"Maybe, tomorrow. If your foot is any better." He again almost said something, but stopped himself. Serenity was sure that she had met him before, somewhere. They stared at each other for a moment longer, then, to her surprise, he swept a quick bow, and disappeared. She waited, then shouted to her friends. They heard her cry and came hurrying over to her side. By the looks on their own faces, she knew that they'd had similar encounters to her own.