I'm sooooo sorry! I really am. I'm really glad that you guys are
all so patient with my lazyness in getting chapters out. I know that I
broke my promise to have this chapter out within a month, but school
sort of took over my life. It's now the day before my Christmas holidays
and I'm doing my best to finish this story! Thanks for waiting and I hope
this chapter was worth it! ^_^
Turn Back Time
Rating: PG
By: Bunny-chan19
Serena strained her eyes as she peered off the balcony. The two
figures drew closer and she felt her heart speed up. It was Darien! And..
another girl who looked strikingly similar to herself. Darien had his arm
around the girl's waist and was half dragging her as they stumbled toward
the palace as fast as they could go.
"Darien!" Serena cried, leaning forward, and he looked up with a
start. "Darien! Up here! Hurry!" The two had reached the garend wall and
they clambered over it and hurried through the rose gardens toward the
ivy covered lattice which clung to the wall beneth the balcony.
"Serena?" Darien gasped, and their eyes connected for the first
time. Serena was wearing a fancy pink dress, and a matching rose was half
falling out of her hair. She looked beyond stressed and frantically worried.
Moments later a tall man was at her side. His arms came around her and he
pulled her away from the edge.
"Serena!" Darien found himself shouting in fear and anger as she
suddenly disappeared from view. He grit his teeth against the headache that
was now pounding mercilessly against his temples and stared at the stone
balcony several feet above his head. Serenity slumped against his chest, her
breathing laboured and her eyes closed.
On the stone floor Serena struggled in Endymoin's arms. They lay in
a heap on the ground, he having just yanked her ungracefully away from the
edge. He kept his strong arms around her and refused to let her up.
"Endymoin..." Serena bit out in a rage, "Let...me...-go- this
second! He's my friend!"
"Serenity, I don't know who...*grunt*...you think that is, but...
*pant*...it's not safe for you to be standing out in the open! You're an
easy target!" Endymoin panted back. Serenity was giving him more of a fight
than he's bargined for.
At this time, Darien had managed to swing -his- princess over his
shoulder and tell her to hang on, then he began the climb to the balcondy
top.
As he neared the top he heard voices in an argument.
"Endymoin I mean it! I won't hesitate to let you have it if you
don't...*pant*....LET ME GO!"
Serena.
"You know...*pant* princess, I can't..*grunt*...do that! OUCH!" came
the male's voice. Darien's head came over the top of the balcony wall at just
that moment; just in time to see Serena sock a rather royal looking male in
the jaw.
Darien heaved Serenity over the ledge and climbed over himself.
Serena had gotten to her feet and now stood staring at him.
"D-Darien? Are you really here?" She asked, her voice choked and
somewhat distant in disbelief. He nodded.
Endymoin stood beside her, towering over her small form, but, of
course, matching Darien's height exactly.
"Who the hell are you knave? Answer me before I loosen your tongue
with steel!" Endymoin commanded in a somewhat arrogent, yet fiercely
protective, voice.
"What have you done to Serena?" Darien demaned in the same cold
voice, drawing Serenity up beside him. Both were out of breath.
Serena stared at Darien, hardly daring to believe that he was really
there, in this strange world, with her. Her gaze then fell on the girl lean-
ing onto his chest, his arms tight around her trembling form. She was like
a mirror image.
Darien and Endymoin glared at each other, neither one noticing Serena
as she reached out her hand to touch the golden child across from her. The
second her fingertips brushed the girl's white-blond hair Serena swooned, her
hand falling away. A red haze swam in front of her eyes and only Endymoin's
conditioned reflexes saved her from a nasty spill onto the hard marble floor.
Leaning against his chest, the Prince's strong arms wraped around her,
Serena gasped for breath. Slowly she opened her eyes and looked into Endymoin's.
He was staring down at her with concern. She turned her head slowly, so as not
to agravate the pounding in her head, and fixed Dariend with an intense stare.
"Darien..." She breathed, suddenly as out of breath as he seemed, "What
happened?"
Darien fixed Endymoin with an intense stare of his own before moving
closer to them.
"We can't stay close like this for long Serena. Not the four of us,
I mean. But I can ease your pain, just hold on for a moment longer." He
turned to Endymoin. "I'll need your help."
Endymoin gave him a cold stare and moved a few paces back,
carefully pulling Serena with him. "Why should I trust you?"
"Do you want her to suffer any longer than she has to?" Darien
asked pointedly.
Endymoin's icey expression melted a few degrees and he slowly
shook his head. "No, I do not."
"Then have you got any choice?" Darien panted, a red haze
beginning to swim in front of his own eyes.
"Alright, tell me what to do." Endymoin said at last, his voice
low and serious.
Darien stumbled forward a few paces again, so that they were
now standing only a few inches from each other.
"Give me your hand." Darien commanded. The Prince held out his
right hand and Darien grasped it firmly. "Now help me to join the girls'."
He added.
Serena dimmly felt Endymoin's left arm shift so that she was
still able to lean against his chest, but he gently took hold of her
wrist and lifted it so that it would be able to be pressed palm to
palm with the girl in Darien's arms. The moment their skin touched
a dazzeling white light exploded around the group and they all gasped
out as a feeling, not-unlike a thousand pins and needles, pierced their
bodies. When the light fadded, a girl with long blond hair was still
clasped in the arms of a dashingly handsome young man, but this time
there were only two figures clutching each other for dear life on the
stone terrance.
* * * * * * * *
Mars was the first to regain her balance and she turned immediately
to where the royal couple was standing. Or had been standing. She let out a
rather unladylike curse and wheeled about to face the other scouts.
"Dammit! Where'd they run off to? That Darien..." she trailed off
threateningly, but those who knew her well could tell that she was much more
worried than angry.
"They're going to the palace!" Venus' voice broke into her rant and
Rei turned to focus on her friend. Mina's hair was blowing about her in the
wind and her face had a new, mature counterence to it. Her eyes, however,
betrayed her natural youth and inexperience. Fear flickered through the silver
specked blue orbs for a moment before she blinked and her second nature took
over once again.
"Mercury! Jupiter!" She commanded, turning to see the two standing off
to the side, their teeth grit against the howling winds, and their eyes fierce.
"Darien's headed for the palace with the Princess! If we've met our
counterparts here then it's not a stretch to guess that our Serena and the
Earth Prince are waiting there."
Ami touched her earing and her visor materialized over her eyes. She
did a quick scan of the magnificant royal living quarters.
"We've got about 10 minutes before those ships have us completely
surrounded. We'd better hoof it!" A chorus of 'Right!'s echoed through the air
and Venus nodded. They all turned as one and began to race toward the ornate
gardens that surrounded the sides of the palace, on opposite sides of the great
fountain that stretched out in front of the tall Oak doors.
Each of the girls was feeling rather strange as she ran, as if two
personalities were dueling inside her head. By now, they had absorbed their
counterparts so closely that it was almost as if there never had been two of
them.
Venus' love-me chain janggled at her waist, slapping against her
theigh as she ran. Jupiter's lightening rod sent off little sparks in the
electricity-filled air. Mercury's visor was still down and sending off the
occasional 'beep' as they neared the waist-high stone garden wall. Rei lept
over it without a second thought; doing a one-handed vault like she had
learned in gym class. Ami, Lita, and Mina hopped over on her heels. Above
them a white light exploded and asorted cries accompanied it. The girls
skidded to a halt, throwing their arms over their eyes.
* * * * * * * *
The young girl barried her face deeper into the chest of the man
holding her close. She felt safe in his strong embrace. He held her gently,
his own face nestled in the hair on top of her head. Neither one wanted to
move from the tender embrace.
Slowly she lifted her head and and he shifted his arms so that he
could look down into her deep blue eyes. Slowly, a deep voice, almost not
his own murmered the words,
"Princess...is that you?"
She had stared at him, as in a daze, and answered, "Yes, my love."
in a vioce as soft as a dove's coo. And then he had bent his head and
swiftlyclaimed her lips with his own.
The kiss they shared was deep and passionate. She was clutching at
his chest with both hands and his strong arms were practically crushing her
slight form against his body as he attempted to pull her nearer than humanly
possible.
When, at last, they broke apart, both were gasping for breath. Some-
thing flickered in the young man's eyes and he blinked down at the young woman
who was panting for breath, and pressed so tightly to his person that it was a
wonder she could breath as it was. Her lips were bruised with the intensity of
his kiss and her eyes were wide with a sudden shock.
Darien blinked down at the surprised face of Serena Tsukino. Just why
was he holding her so close? And...had he just...kissed her?
Serena trembled in Darien's arms. She glanced around them and noticed
that Endymoin and the girl whom Darien had been holding were both gone. Her
confused mind, muddled over the words that Darien had spoken before.
'We can't stay close like this for long Serena. Not the four of us.'
It was then that things started to click together. The fact that Darien
and Endymoin were so much alike in looks and attitude. Why she had first made
the comment that the Prince remined her of her childhood nemesis, way back at
their first encounter at the rocks near the riverside. That was why the girl
in Darien's arms had looked so suspiciously like herself. Slowly she blinked
and managed to make her lips move.
"Darien?" she questioned slowly.
"Serena?" he answered back.
"Oh God..." she murmered, "You're him! And I'm..." she trialed off and
Darien slowly released her; only keeping hold of her hands. They looked at each
other for a few moments before Serena finished her sentence.
"I'm HER!" She lifted her head and looked Darien full in the face, her
eyes wide with shock and surprise and sudden understanding. She clutched at his
hands tightly.
"I'm HER, Darien! And you're him! He was right all along and I wouldn't
believe him! I feel like such a fool! All this time...." She suddenly stepped
closer to him and Darien started in surprise. She slowly reached up and gently
drew her right hand from his grasp and reached up to placed it tenderly on his
cheek.
"I'm sorry." She said softly, her eyes deep and serious.
Darien gave her an icreadelous look, intense emotions raging in his
own eyes; which had now changed into a blue so deep it was almost black.
"You're...uh...not going to slap me? For kissing you, I mean. I..uh...
thought you hated me..." he trailed off himself, suddenly extremely nervous about
Serena's closeness to his body.
"Slap you?" Her eyes registered confusion for a moment, then cleared to
reveal their natural sparkle. "Why would I want to slap you for that?"
She laughed slightly, which confused Darien even more. His meatball-head
was suddenly showing a lot more intelligence than he was and it was throwing him
off. What had she figured out that he hadn't?
"Wait a minute..." He began suddenly, pulling back from her touch. "What
did you mean when you said I'm 'him'? Who's 'him'? And who are -you- supposed to
be, if you're not Serena?"
Serena gave him a rather impatient look and sighed. "I'm still Serena,
Darien. But I'm also her. The...Princess." She added hesitently. "And you, Darien,
are the Prince of Earth; Prince Endymoin." He was staring hard at her and she
quickly rushed on.
"The girl that you had with you when you got here, however you managed that,
was the Princess of the past. I don't know how, but we switched places."
Darien was looking tired, and as if he had aged a few years in the last 5
minutes. They both sank to the ground and knelt in front of each other.
"You mean, the girl we all thought was you back in Tokyo, was really...the
women that I've been looking for, for the last number of years? But she's really
you? Only a you from a different time?" He rubbed pulled his other hand out of her
hold and rubbed it over his eyes.
"How did you get here Darien?" Serena asked suddenly, her eyes bright, yet
confused once again.
"The scouts teleported me." he began, but Serena cut him off.
"The scouts? MY scouts? They're here too?" She made a movement as if to run
to the balcony edge again, but stopped herself.
"Wait, how did they do that?"
"Er...I had the Princess in my apartment. I had met her on the street
outside the arcade, thought she was you, and was teasing her. She fainted, and,
because I couldn't see any of her --er, your-- friends around, I took her to my
apartment. Your friends somehow guessed that she was there and showed up with a
couple of older women, one with aqua hair and one with sandy blond --that one
wanted to break a few bones of mine for some motorcycle misunderstanding-- and
threatened to break the door down if I didn't let them in. Well...they..er...
found me in a rather awkward postion with the Princess and thought that I was...
er...compromising her honor." At this statement he turned a rather deep shade of
red.
Serena would have laughed at him if the situation hadn't been so serious.
"What -were- you doing?" She asked with a poker face, although it was
hard to hold and she quickly looked away least she laugh.
"I was putting her to bed! She had fainted!" Darien protested venemently.
"When the girls burst into my apartment minutes later, without giving me a chance
to let them in proper (my landlord's going to go through the roof when he sees
what they did to the door!), and then into my bedroom, they startled me and I fell
on top of her. I think Haruka was going to kill me!" He added with a shudder as he
recalled the blond woman launching herself at him on the bed.
"Uranus..." Serena breathed suddenly and Darien started again.
"You know who she is?"
"I--I don't --didn't-- know!" Serena said blinking as the thought regist-
ered itself. "It just sort of came to me!" Inside, however, she had realized some-
thing. The Princess's memories were beginning to become her own.
"Well, the girls were finally convinced that I hadn't deflowerd their
friend, and Haruka had been restrained by Michiru --that was the other women--
and then you --er, the Princess-- suddenly keeled over. I thought that your
fainting had somehow concocted a fever of some kind, because your --her-- fore-
head was so hot, but when I lifted her back...." He paused as he suddenly realized
the significance of the memory. "She had a cresent moon on her forhead..." He
breathed, suddenly finding Serena's own forehead increasingly interesting.
Slowly he reached out and brushed her bangs away. Sure enough, there, in
the middle of her creamy white skin, was a softly pulsing golden moon.
"And it was then..." He breathed slowly, "That I had a vision of a
dance..."
"You had to sneak into the palace...there was no other way to see me..."
Serena added softly, holding his gaze.
"And when I came to again, I was decked out in my Tuxedo Mask outfit and
Haruka was calling me 'Endy--', what was his name again?"
"Endymoin." Serena supplied without blinking.
"Right. Then there was a flash of light and all of your friends, and
the two otehrs, had suddenly transformed into the sailor scouts! That was
certainly a shock for me. Then there was another flash and suddenly a seventh
women was standing in the door to my bedroom. She called herself--"
"Pluto." Serena cut in, and Darien nodded.
"She called my Endymoin too. I had some strange feelings then, and I
acted weird too, rather like the man that was standing with you when I first
got up here. Anyway, we had a short discussion about the scouts and she told
me that you were the Princess. My tuxedo fadded away then, and I was wearing
this." He glanced down at the polished black armer he wore.
"Then we all got together and--"
"And here we are!" A voice sang out, cutting Darien off and drawing the
couple's attention to the edge of the balcony. Four girls, clad in multicolored
sailorfukus, sat puffing for breath on the stone railing; their legs crossed and
their faces slightly red from their run and the following climb. It was Mars
who had spoken.
Serena lept to her feet as she realized who was speaking. But, before she
threw herself at her friends, she paused and asked cautiously,
"Are you my Tokyo Scouts or my Moon Kingdom Scouts?"
Mercury laughed. "Figured it out, have you Serena-- er, Princess?"
She smiled. "We're both. We've merged with our past selves for our time here,
as I'm sure you and Darien have merged with the Prince and Princess by now,
am I correct?"
Serena broke out into a brilliant smile. "We have, Mercury. We've just
been discussing it."
With that she began to ran across the marble floor toward her friends,
having missed them so much while they had been separated. The scourts jumped
down off the ledge and held out their arms to gather their friend into a tight
group hug; all doing their best, and most failing, not to cry with relief and
joy.
Darien stood back for a few moments while Serena and her friends
embraced, but as soon as they let go he cleared his throat, his presence
suddenly commanding and mature, that of the Prince from the past was slowly
taking over his own body as well.
"I'm deeply relieved that this is all cleared up now, Scouts," He
addressed the girls, "But we have a battle on hand and not a moment to spare."
Serena swallowed hard and nodded. It was only then that she realized
she wasclad in a long, flowing white gown, with gold rings sewn along the
sleaveless top. The cresent moon on her forehead flared brightly and her eyes
shone with determination.
"We must get to the Queen." she said at once, and her eyes connected
with her love's. The raven haired man nodded, his own eyes flashing intensely.
He was no longer the quick-tempered Tokyo college boy, he was Endymoin, Prince
of Earth, and he was mighty ticked off.
* * * * * * * *
I did it! I made you wait sooooo long but I didn't forget this fic! I
promise! I know that I'm terrible at getting things done on time, and I don't
want to promise that I'll have the twelveth, and final, part down by the time
the Christmas holiday's are over, but I will do my very best to see that it's
done! I do want to finish "Duck & Cover" too, so I'll see which story gets
insperation first!
MERRY CHRISTMAS AND GOD BLESS YOU ALL!!!!!
E-mail the author at: angels_melody19 @ hotmail.com (You'll have to
remove the spaces in front and behind the "@" sign first.)
all so patient with my lazyness in getting chapters out. I know that I
broke my promise to have this chapter out within a month, but school
sort of took over my life. It's now the day before my Christmas holidays
and I'm doing my best to finish this story! Thanks for waiting and I hope
this chapter was worth it! ^_^
Turn Back Time
Rating: PG
By: Bunny-chan19
Serena strained her eyes as she peered off the balcony. The two
figures drew closer and she felt her heart speed up. It was Darien! And..
another girl who looked strikingly similar to herself. Darien had his arm
around the girl's waist and was half dragging her as they stumbled toward
the palace as fast as they could go.
"Darien!" Serena cried, leaning forward, and he looked up with a
start. "Darien! Up here! Hurry!" The two had reached the garend wall and
they clambered over it and hurried through the rose gardens toward the
ivy covered lattice which clung to the wall beneth the balcony.
"Serena?" Darien gasped, and their eyes connected for the first
time. Serena was wearing a fancy pink dress, and a matching rose was half
falling out of her hair. She looked beyond stressed and frantically worried.
Moments later a tall man was at her side. His arms came around her and he
pulled her away from the edge.
"Serena!" Darien found himself shouting in fear and anger as she
suddenly disappeared from view. He grit his teeth against the headache that
was now pounding mercilessly against his temples and stared at the stone
balcony several feet above his head. Serenity slumped against his chest, her
breathing laboured and her eyes closed.
On the stone floor Serena struggled in Endymoin's arms. They lay in
a heap on the ground, he having just yanked her ungracefully away from the
edge. He kept his strong arms around her and refused to let her up.
"Endymoin..." Serena bit out in a rage, "Let...me...-go- this
second! He's my friend!"
"Serenity, I don't know who...*grunt*...you think that is, but...
*pant*...it's not safe for you to be standing out in the open! You're an
easy target!" Endymoin panted back. Serenity was giving him more of a fight
than he's bargined for.
At this time, Darien had managed to swing -his- princess over his
shoulder and tell her to hang on, then he began the climb to the balcondy
top.
As he neared the top he heard voices in an argument.
"Endymoin I mean it! I won't hesitate to let you have it if you
don't...*pant*....LET ME GO!"
Serena.
"You know...*pant* princess, I can't..*grunt*...do that! OUCH!" came
the male's voice. Darien's head came over the top of the balcony wall at just
that moment; just in time to see Serena sock a rather royal looking male in
the jaw.
Darien heaved Serenity over the ledge and climbed over himself.
Serena had gotten to her feet and now stood staring at him.
"D-Darien? Are you really here?" She asked, her voice choked and
somewhat distant in disbelief. He nodded.
Endymoin stood beside her, towering over her small form, but, of
course, matching Darien's height exactly.
"Who the hell are you knave? Answer me before I loosen your tongue
with steel!" Endymoin commanded in a somewhat arrogent, yet fiercely
protective, voice.
"What have you done to Serena?" Darien demaned in the same cold
voice, drawing Serenity up beside him. Both were out of breath.
Serena stared at Darien, hardly daring to believe that he was really
there, in this strange world, with her. Her gaze then fell on the girl lean-
ing onto his chest, his arms tight around her trembling form. She was like
a mirror image.
Darien and Endymoin glared at each other, neither one noticing Serena
as she reached out her hand to touch the golden child across from her. The
second her fingertips brushed the girl's white-blond hair Serena swooned, her
hand falling away. A red haze swam in front of her eyes and only Endymoin's
conditioned reflexes saved her from a nasty spill onto the hard marble floor.
Leaning against his chest, the Prince's strong arms wraped around her,
Serena gasped for breath. Slowly she opened her eyes and looked into Endymoin's.
He was staring down at her with concern. She turned her head slowly, so as not
to agravate the pounding in her head, and fixed Dariend with an intense stare.
"Darien..." She breathed, suddenly as out of breath as he seemed, "What
happened?"
Darien fixed Endymoin with an intense stare of his own before moving
closer to them.
"We can't stay close like this for long Serena. Not the four of us,
I mean. But I can ease your pain, just hold on for a moment longer." He
turned to Endymoin. "I'll need your help."
Endymoin gave him a cold stare and moved a few paces back,
carefully pulling Serena with him. "Why should I trust you?"
"Do you want her to suffer any longer than she has to?" Darien
asked pointedly.
Endymoin's icey expression melted a few degrees and he slowly
shook his head. "No, I do not."
"Then have you got any choice?" Darien panted, a red haze
beginning to swim in front of his own eyes.
"Alright, tell me what to do." Endymoin said at last, his voice
low and serious.
Darien stumbled forward a few paces again, so that they were
now standing only a few inches from each other.
"Give me your hand." Darien commanded. The Prince held out his
right hand and Darien grasped it firmly. "Now help me to join the girls'."
He added.
Serena dimmly felt Endymoin's left arm shift so that she was
still able to lean against his chest, but he gently took hold of her
wrist and lifted it so that it would be able to be pressed palm to
palm with the girl in Darien's arms. The moment their skin touched
a dazzeling white light exploded around the group and they all gasped
out as a feeling, not-unlike a thousand pins and needles, pierced their
bodies. When the light fadded, a girl with long blond hair was still
clasped in the arms of a dashingly handsome young man, but this time
there were only two figures clutching each other for dear life on the
stone terrance.
* * * * * * * *
Mars was the first to regain her balance and she turned immediately
to where the royal couple was standing. Or had been standing. She let out a
rather unladylike curse and wheeled about to face the other scouts.
"Dammit! Where'd they run off to? That Darien..." she trailed off
threateningly, but those who knew her well could tell that she was much more
worried than angry.
"They're going to the palace!" Venus' voice broke into her rant and
Rei turned to focus on her friend. Mina's hair was blowing about her in the
wind and her face had a new, mature counterence to it. Her eyes, however,
betrayed her natural youth and inexperience. Fear flickered through the silver
specked blue orbs for a moment before she blinked and her second nature took
over once again.
"Mercury! Jupiter!" She commanded, turning to see the two standing off
to the side, their teeth grit against the howling winds, and their eyes fierce.
"Darien's headed for the palace with the Princess! If we've met our
counterparts here then it's not a stretch to guess that our Serena and the
Earth Prince are waiting there."
Ami touched her earing and her visor materialized over her eyes. She
did a quick scan of the magnificant royal living quarters.
"We've got about 10 minutes before those ships have us completely
surrounded. We'd better hoof it!" A chorus of 'Right!'s echoed through the air
and Venus nodded. They all turned as one and began to race toward the ornate
gardens that surrounded the sides of the palace, on opposite sides of the great
fountain that stretched out in front of the tall Oak doors.
Each of the girls was feeling rather strange as she ran, as if two
personalities were dueling inside her head. By now, they had absorbed their
counterparts so closely that it was almost as if there never had been two of
them.
Venus' love-me chain janggled at her waist, slapping against her
theigh as she ran. Jupiter's lightening rod sent off little sparks in the
electricity-filled air. Mercury's visor was still down and sending off the
occasional 'beep' as they neared the waist-high stone garden wall. Rei lept
over it without a second thought; doing a one-handed vault like she had
learned in gym class. Ami, Lita, and Mina hopped over on her heels. Above
them a white light exploded and asorted cries accompanied it. The girls
skidded to a halt, throwing their arms over their eyes.
* * * * * * * *
The young girl barried her face deeper into the chest of the man
holding her close. She felt safe in his strong embrace. He held her gently,
his own face nestled in the hair on top of her head. Neither one wanted to
move from the tender embrace.
Slowly she lifted her head and and he shifted his arms so that he
could look down into her deep blue eyes. Slowly, a deep voice, almost not
his own murmered the words,
"Princess...is that you?"
She had stared at him, as in a daze, and answered, "Yes, my love."
in a vioce as soft as a dove's coo. And then he had bent his head and
swiftlyclaimed her lips with his own.
The kiss they shared was deep and passionate. She was clutching at
his chest with both hands and his strong arms were practically crushing her
slight form against his body as he attempted to pull her nearer than humanly
possible.
When, at last, they broke apart, both were gasping for breath. Some-
thing flickered in the young man's eyes and he blinked down at the young woman
who was panting for breath, and pressed so tightly to his person that it was a
wonder she could breath as it was. Her lips were bruised with the intensity of
his kiss and her eyes were wide with a sudden shock.
Darien blinked down at the surprised face of Serena Tsukino. Just why
was he holding her so close? And...had he just...kissed her?
Serena trembled in Darien's arms. She glanced around them and noticed
that Endymoin and the girl whom Darien had been holding were both gone. Her
confused mind, muddled over the words that Darien had spoken before.
'We can't stay close like this for long Serena. Not the four of us.'
It was then that things started to click together. The fact that Darien
and Endymoin were so much alike in looks and attitude. Why she had first made
the comment that the Prince remined her of her childhood nemesis, way back at
their first encounter at the rocks near the riverside. That was why the girl
in Darien's arms had looked so suspiciously like herself. Slowly she blinked
and managed to make her lips move.
"Darien?" she questioned slowly.
"Serena?" he answered back.
"Oh God..." she murmered, "You're him! And I'm..." she trialed off and
Darien slowly released her; only keeping hold of her hands. They looked at each
other for a few moments before Serena finished her sentence.
"I'm HER!" She lifted her head and looked Darien full in the face, her
eyes wide with shock and surprise and sudden understanding. She clutched at his
hands tightly.
"I'm HER, Darien! And you're him! He was right all along and I wouldn't
believe him! I feel like such a fool! All this time...." She suddenly stepped
closer to him and Darien started in surprise. She slowly reached up and gently
drew her right hand from his grasp and reached up to placed it tenderly on his
cheek.
"I'm sorry." She said softly, her eyes deep and serious.
Darien gave her an icreadelous look, intense emotions raging in his
own eyes; which had now changed into a blue so deep it was almost black.
"You're...uh...not going to slap me? For kissing you, I mean. I..uh...
thought you hated me..." he trailed off himself, suddenly extremely nervous about
Serena's closeness to his body.
"Slap you?" Her eyes registered confusion for a moment, then cleared to
reveal their natural sparkle. "Why would I want to slap you for that?"
She laughed slightly, which confused Darien even more. His meatball-head
was suddenly showing a lot more intelligence than he was and it was throwing him
off. What had she figured out that he hadn't?
"Wait a minute..." He began suddenly, pulling back from her touch. "What
did you mean when you said I'm 'him'? Who's 'him'? And who are -you- supposed to
be, if you're not Serena?"
Serena gave him a rather impatient look and sighed. "I'm still Serena,
Darien. But I'm also her. The...Princess." She added hesitently. "And you, Darien,
are the Prince of Earth; Prince Endymoin." He was staring hard at her and she
quickly rushed on.
"The girl that you had with you when you got here, however you managed that,
was the Princess of the past. I don't know how, but we switched places."
Darien was looking tired, and as if he had aged a few years in the last 5
minutes. They both sank to the ground and knelt in front of each other.
"You mean, the girl we all thought was you back in Tokyo, was really...the
women that I've been looking for, for the last number of years? But she's really
you? Only a you from a different time?" He rubbed pulled his other hand out of her
hold and rubbed it over his eyes.
"How did you get here Darien?" Serena asked suddenly, her eyes bright, yet
confused once again.
"The scouts teleported me." he began, but Serena cut him off.
"The scouts? MY scouts? They're here too?" She made a movement as if to run
to the balcony edge again, but stopped herself.
"Wait, how did they do that?"
"Er...I had the Princess in my apartment. I had met her on the street
outside the arcade, thought she was you, and was teasing her. She fainted, and,
because I couldn't see any of her --er, your-- friends around, I took her to my
apartment. Your friends somehow guessed that she was there and showed up with a
couple of older women, one with aqua hair and one with sandy blond --that one
wanted to break a few bones of mine for some motorcycle misunderstanding-- and
threatened to break the door down if I didn't let them in. Well...they..er...
found me in a rather awkward postion with the Princess and thought that I was...
er...compromising her honor." At this statement he turned a rather deep shade of
red.
Serena would have laughed at him if the situation hadn't been so serious.
"What -were- you doing?" She asked with a poker face, although it was
hard to hold and she quickly looked away least she laugh.
"I was putting her to bed! She had fainted!" Darien protested venemently.
"When the girls burst into my apartment minutes later, without giving me a chance
to let them in proper (my landlord's going to go through the roof when he sees
what they did to the door!), and then into my bedroom, they startled me and I fell
on top of her. I think Haruka was going to kill me!" He added with a shudder as he
recalled the blond woman launching herself at him on the bed.
"Uranus..." Serena breathed suddenly and Darien started again.
"You know who she is?"
"I--I don't --didn't-- know!" Serena said blinking as the thought regist-
ered itself. "It just sort of came to me!" Inside, however, she had realized some-
thing. The Princess's memories were beginning to become her own.
"Well, the girls were finally convinced that I hadn't deflowerd their
friend, and Haruka had been restrained by Michiru --that was the other women--
and then you --er, the Princess-- suddenly keeled over. I thought that your
fainting had somehow concocted a fever of some kind, because your --her-- fore-
head was so hot, but when I lifted her back...." He paused as he suddenly realized
the significance of the memory. "She had a cresent moon on her forhead..." He
breathed, suddenly finding Serena's own forehead increasingly interesting.
Slowly he reached out and brushed her bangs away. Sure enough, there, in
the middle of her creamy white skin, was a softly pulsing golden moon.
"And it was then..." He breathed slowly, "That I had a vision of a
dance..."
"You had to sneak into the palace...there was no other way to see me..."
Serena added softly, holding his gaze.
"And when I came to again, I was decked out in my Tuxedo Mask outfit and
Haruka was calling me 'Endy--', what was his name again?"
"Endymoin." Serena supplied without blinking.
"Right. Then there was a flash of light and all of your friends, and
the two otehrs, had suddenly transformed into the sailor scouts! That was
certainly a shock for me. Then there was another flash and suddenly a seventh
women was standing in the door to my bedroom. She called herself--"
"Pluto." Serena cut in, and Darien nodded.
"She called my Endymoin too. I had some strange feelings then, and I
acted weird too, rather like the man that was standing with you when I first
got up here. Anyway, we had a short discussion about the scouts and she told
me that you were the Princess. My tuxedo fadded away then, and I was wearing
this." He glanced down at the polished black armer he wore.
"Then we all got together and--"
"And here we are!" A voice sang out, cutting Darien off and drawing the
couple's attention to the edge of the balcony. Four girls, clad in multicolored
sailorfukus, sat puffing for breath on the stone railing; their legs crossed and
their faces slightly red from their run and the following climb. It was Mars
who had spoken.
Serena lept to her feet as she realized who was speaking. But, before she
threw herself at her friends, she paused and asked cautiously,
"Are you my Tokyo Scouts or my Moon Kingdom Scouts?"
Mercury laughed. "Figured it out, have you Serena-- er, Princess?"
She smiled. "We're both. We've merged with our past selves for our time here,
as I'm sure you and Darien have merged with the Prince and Princess by now,
am I correct?"
Serena broke out into a brilliant smile. "We have, Mercury. We've just
been discussing it."
With that she began to ran across the marble floor toward her friends,
having missed them so much while they had been separated. The scourts jumped
down off the ledge and held out their arms to gather their friend into a tight
group hug; all doing their best, and most failing, not to cry with relief and
joy.
Darien stood back for a few moments while Serena and her friends
embraced, but as soon as they let go he cleared his throat, his presence
suddenly commanding and mature, that of the Prince from the past was slowly
taking over his own body as well.
"I'm deeply relieved that this is all cleared up now, Scouts," He
addressed the girls, "But we have a battle on hand and not a moment to spare."
Serena swallowed hard and nodded. It was only then that she realized
she wasclad in a long, flowing white gown, with gold rings sewn along the
sleaveless top. The cresent moon on her forehead flared brightly and her eyes
shone with determination.
"We must get to the Queen." she said at once, and her eyes connected
with her love's. The raven haired man nodded, his own eyes flashing intensely.
He was no longer the quick-tempered Tokyo college boy, he was Endymoin, Prince
of Earth, and he was mighty ticked off.
* * * * * * * *
I did it! I made you wait sooooo long but I didn't forget this fic! I
promise! I know that I'm terrible at getting things done on time, and I don't
want to promise that I'll have the twelveth, and final, part down by the time
the Christmas holiday's are over, but I will do my very best to see that it's
done! I do want to finish "Duck & Cover" too, so I'll see which story gets
insperation first!
MERRY CHRISTMAS AND GOD BLESS YOU ALL!!!!!
E-mail the author at: angels_melody19 @ hotmail.com (You'll have to
remove the spaces in front and behind the "@" sign first.)