Sometimes
by Phantasy Star
--------------------

Chapter Two


"Thanks for your help, Alan," Serena said with a smile.

"No problem," he said quietly, "Maybe I can help you out at the play
again some other time."

Serena nodded.

"All right, Serena, I'll see you around then."

"'Bye Alan!" she said with a cheerful wave.

Then she turned to walk back into the theatre. She came to the
doorway and was about to walk in when...

"Listen, Ann, I don't like you, okay?" Darien said angrily, "So let's
just get this kiss done and over with!"

Ann looked up at him in shock. He had always acted impatient towards
her advances, but never this badly.

Meanwhile, everyone stood around, quiet, staring uncomfortably.

"Hey guys!" Serena said quickly as she ran towards them, "I found
the props."

The others looked at her, still silent.

"It... it's almost noon!" Serena said, trying desperately to break the
awful awkwardness, "Time for lunch break!"

With that, she grabbed on to Amy's - who was closest - hand and pulled
her away, "Come on, guys!"

* * *

Darien and the girls sat at the arcade, Ann included. She still
looked flushed, surprised at Darien for yelling at her.

"Excuse me," Darien said as he walked to the counter to sit there,
where Andrew was.

When Darien was out of earshot, Mina put a hand on Ann's shoulder
sympathetically, "Don't worry about it."

"Yeah," Amy said, "He was just in a bad mood... He's been acting
strange ever since he came back from the props room to check on
Serena."

Serena frowned.

What could have happened?

Deciding that she needed to find out, she stood up.

"Be right back, guys," she announced.

"Too many milkshakes, Meatball Head," Raye muttered.

Ignoring her, Serena walked over to Darien and sat down on the stool
beside his.

"What's going on, Meatball Head?" he muttered.

"What did you think you were doing with Ann there?" she whispered
angrily, "Don't you know that she has a crush on you? I have no idea
*why*, but she does, but... How could you hurt her feelings like
that?"

"Listen," Darien said impatiently, "I-"

"And that time at the virtual theatre. You didn't have to be so mean,
you know," Serena said, turning away, "I mean, you should give Ann a
chance."

'But I want you.' Darien thought, then widen his eyes, 'Wait, what am
I saying?'

"Ann isn't that bad," Serena continued, "She's really put a lot of
energy into the play. The least you could do is be nice to her."

Darien frowned.

"Maybe you're right, Serena..." he said quietly.

"Of course I'm- Wait..." she paused, "Serena? Did you just call me
Serena and not Meatball Head?"

Darien smiled.

"Sorry," he said, "I meant... 'Maybe you're right, Meatball Head.'"

"That's better," Serena said as she rolled her eyes. Then she stood
up, "Think about what I said, 'kay?"

* * *

'Ugh, I shouldn't have done that,' Darien thought, 'Now Serena really
thinks I'm nothing but a jerk.'

He sighed, 'Maybe I am...'

Then he stood up from where he was sitting on his bed.

"Why should I care so much about what Serena thinks?" he said aloud.

He groaned, 'You're thinking about this way too much, Darien...'

* * *

Ann and Alan stood at the rooftop of the school, overlooking the city.

"Ann, we need more energy..." Alan said softly, "The tree isn't going
to survive if those Sailor Scouts keep ruining our plans..."

"And if the tree dies, we die!" Ann said, "What are we going to do,
Alan?"

"I guess we'll just have to send out another Cardian..."

"Right."

"So, let's get back to the tree and find us a powerful-"

"Hey guys!"

The two turned around to see Serena coming towards them.

"Ser-" Alan started.

But the cheerful blonde had grabbed Ann by the hand and was pulling
her away, "Come on! We've got detention, remember? Miss H. is going
to *freak* if we don't show up on time!"

* * *

"I can't be*lieve* Miss H. left and forgot all about us!" Serena
exclaimed as she picked up her bag, "I'm outta here."

"Darien's classes end at this time too," Ann suddenly spoke up.

Serena rolled her eyes and was about to say "So?" when she realized
that Ann was still obviously hung up over Darien.

"You still... like him?" Serena asked slowly.

"Of course I do!" Ann said.

"Even after... well, you know..."

"Ha!" Ann said, "I'm not the type to give up *that* easily!"

Serena nodded.

"I'm sure *you* want me to give up on Darien," Ann said, surprising
Serena.

"I don't even-" Serena began to protest.

"How about this?" Ann interrupted, "Whoever finishes this essay first
can keep going for Darien. The loser has to stop trying to snag him."

Serena thought about it.

"Okay, you're on."

* * *

'So, I'll let her win,' Serena thought, 'That'll convince her that I'm
not going for Darien anymore...'

Then she stopped herself.

'Am I making a mistake? Am I really over Darien?'

She frowned.

'He's a jerk. I know *that* much. And he doesn't care about other
people's feelings...'

She bit her lip, 'But... He grew up without his parents. So it's only
natural for him to be more careful around other people... And... He
*can* be pretty nice when he wants to be...'

She shook her head, 'I can't. I can't I can't I can't start liking
Darien again! I just can't-'

"Finished!"

Serena whirled around to see Ann smiling at her triumphantly, holding
her pencil up high.

Ann looked over Serena's shoulder to look at her work.

"Looks like I win then!" she said, frowning when she saw Serena's
empty page, "You've really got nothing down?"

Serena laughed nervously, "Um... Well... Uh... Writer's block?"

Ann gave her a weird look, then looked at Serena smugly.

"So I guess that means you've got to stop trying got snag Darien!"

Serena was silent for a second.

"'Guess so..." she said.

* * *

Serena sighed as she wandered down the streets of downtown. Looking
at a store window at her own reflection, she frowned, "So gorgeous...
but alone."

Meanwhile, Alan was following closely behind her.

'Now's my chance', he realized.

* * *

'Now's my chance', Ann thought as she saw Darien standing a few feet
away from her, reading a magazine named "Luna".

She would never have come into a boring bookstore if she hadn't seen
Darien walk inside.

"Hey, Darien! Funny running into you here!"

"Huh?" he said as he looked up.

* * *

'Oh well,' Darien thought, 'Maybe I should do what Serena said. I
guess it wouldn't be so bad being nice to Ann...'

She had latched herself on to his arm and was dragging him down the
street, "Come on, Darien! I know this great restaurant here. It's
just around the corner."

They walked for a couple more minutes when they arrived, and saw
Serena and Alan sitting at an outdoor table.

"Oh, hi guys!" Serena said cheerfully.

She suddenly felt a pang of jealousy when she saw the way Ann was
clinging on to Darien.

'Come on, Serena,' she thought to herself, 'You *told* Darien to go
for Ann. You *let* Ann have Darien. Don't go around feeling jealous
now...'

But she couldn't help having to fight down that bitter feeling...

Meanwhile, Darien was staring hard at her and Alan.

"Hi there, Meatball Head," he said, trying to sound casual, though
his mind was reeling with anger.

Who did Alan think he was? Taking out *his* Meatball Head for lunch?

The thought of him laughing with her, talking to her, holding her
close to...

'Arugh!' he cried to himself, 'Stop it, Darien! You're crazy...'

"Want... Want to eat with us?" Serena asked.

Ann and Alan looked surprised.

"Sure," Darien said.

* * *

"Anyway," Serena said as she smacked her hand on the table again and
again, "Miss H. made Ann read a piece of poetry, and Ann started
talking in this weird language - it was soooo funny!"

Ann smiled.

"I mean," Serena continued, "I would never have had the courage to do
that - Miss H. wasn't exactly in a good mood that day, ya know..."

"Didn't know you could be a class clown," Alan muttered.

Serena glanced at Darien, who seemed to be anywhere but at the table
listening to the conversation. Why did he keep staring at Alan like
that?

Every once in a while, she'd catch him looking at her, with half a frown
on his face.

"So, what are you guys doing after this?" Darien asked suddenly.

"Doing something?" Serena asked, confused, "Oh no, we have no plans. We
just bumped into each other, that's all."

She started laughing, while Alan blushed.

Darien let out a sigh of relief, puzzling Serena even more.

A scream interrupted them, followed by several cries of alarm.

Serena looked around to see a group of people running towards them,
running away from something that they couldn't see yet.

"Whoa!" Darien exclaimed as a woman ran past them and nearly knocked
his chair down.

Soon, there were dust clouds all around them. Darien found himself
in a coughing fit, and so were the others.

"Give me your energy!" a voice rasped out.

When Darien could see again, there it was - a monster with four faces,
one looking in each direction. It was spitting out pink petals that
drifted down and - to his horror - attached itself to the screaming
people, draining their energy.

"What's going on!?" Darien demanded.

Meanwhile, Serena had slipped away.

'Sailor business on a day like this...?' she thought, 'The enemies do
this on purpose, don't they?'

Darien looked around frantically for Serena. Finally, he saw her
rushing away down the street, into an alleyway.

"Serena!" he shouted, but she didn't hear him over all the noise.

'What's she doing?' he thought, hurrying after her, 'Better make
sure she'll be safe...'

He didn't notice that Ann and Alan had disappeared...

* * *

"Sorry I didn't tell you I let out a Cardian, Ann."

Ann looked away, "Hmph."

"I think this one might be the one who can save the tree... It's
*very* powerful."

Ann looked down from where she was standing, at the top of a nearby
building.

"Maybe you're right..." she said softly, a smile appearing on her
pale face.

* * *

"Amy, Raye, Lita, Mina," Serena said into her communicator, "Monster
downtown."

"Got it!" four voices answered.

'Who's she talking to?' Darien thought as he was about to show
himself, but decided to hide behind a large cardboard box.

He frowned in confusion when he saw Serena take out a locket.

What could *that* be?

"Moon... Crystal..."

His brows furrowed.

"Power!"

Ribbons surrounded her as her body turned a pink colour. A tiara
appeared on her forehead, and her clothes glowed bright before turning
into her Sailor outfit.

"Meat... ball... Head...?" Darien whispered to himself, his eyes
widening in shock.

His mouth dropped open as Serena finished transforming, and, in the
place Serena was standing a minute ago, stood Tokyo's heroine, Sailor
Moon.

"Time to kick some nega-butt!" Serena announced, before hurrying out
of the alleyway and back towards the fight scene.

A minute later, Darien stood up from the spot where he had been
hiding, still dumbfounded.

The wind blew a couple of scrunched up paper bags against his feet.

"Serena's..." Darien said incredulously, "Sailor Moon?"