Title: Welcome To Reality
Chapter Title: Welcome to Reality.
Summary: Serena Warren, now fifteen, graduates the tenth grade with honours and is offered a chance to go to Japan on a student exchange program. Here, she realizes that the reason her dreams seemed so real is that they were.
Author: Silver Sparklze
Reason For Writing: This story was written as a challenge set by Sage: The Dark Dryad.
Author's Notes: Back to just thee one POV again. I have tried to translate the Japanese next to the words, but even so, anything written in bold will be translated at the end of the chapter if not already translated.
~The Kitchen, Apartment 20A,Ryoori Gakkou Apartoo, Tokyo~
Lita placed another blanket over Serena's shoulders, much to the blonde's amusement, though she welcomed it. Her short stay in the Realm of Shadows seemed to have caused a strange chill to seep into her bones. Darien had arrived only seconds after the Scouts defeated the Shadowmancers. He'd stayed close to Serena's side ever since.
"Want some hot-chocolate, Sere-chan?" She asked, just as the doorbell rang. Lita hurried to answer it. Moments later to came back in, Helios beside her.
"Are you well, Your Highness?" Helios asked anxiously. Serena rolled her eyes. She wasn't used to so much concern over her well-being. Mind you, since she'd arrived in Japan she seemed to attract trouble.
"Quite well, thank you Hel-chan." She giggled. "And yourself?" The blonde-haired Guardian of Dreams looked horribly confused, and Serena giggled again. It was nice to be able to laugh.
"Enough," Amara said, obviously not liking the meaningless banter. "What is this story of yours we've all been waiting so anxiously to hear?" In response, Serena's stomach growled loudly. Serena blushed from the tips of her toes to the roots of her hair.
"Looks like you're not so different from Sere-ko after all." Mina said softly, sending Serena a warm smile for the first time since the two had met. Serena smiled back.
"Before I tell my story," she said, "I want to hear yours. What changed your minds towards me? Surely it wasn't the fact that I was in mortal peril. Because…been there, done that, silently begged you for help while you stood there and watched." She was deliberately flippant, wanting to disguise the hurt she'd felt at their actions.
"Lita gave us a good talking too, actually," Trista said. "She put into words what we should have known, but didn't, and made us see what we were doing. I, for one, am sorry. I beg your forgiveness, Princess."
"As do I." Amara agreed.
"Me too." Rei said.
"And me." Obviously Mina didn't want to be left out.
"What you did…it hurt." Serena said finally. "I can't forgive you…not yet. I hope I can one day, though. Until then…we can't be friends, because I don't trust you, but perhaps we can also not be enemies?" Serena smiled tentatively.
The renegade Scouts shared a look.
"Agreed." Amara said, speaking for them all.
"Now tell us your story already!" Rini urged, squirming in her seat. Serena laughed, and huddled further into her cocoon of woollen blankets, enjoying the feel of Darien's arms wrapped around her.
"Ok," she laughed. "I never had a mom and dad," she began, "I was abandoned on the doorstep of the Planet Orphanage, in New York, so called because it was endorsed by the Museum of Intergalactic Phenomena. I used to go there all the time when I was little; it was like magic to me, to see the planets through the big telescope, nestled among the stars. To be able to point out Venus, Mars, Neptune and the other planets was my favourite pass-time, and my greatest joy.
"I made up stories about my parents, who were exploring astronauts, fighting evil on every planet; unable to give me the safe care they wished. That was why they abandoned me," I told myself, "because they didn't want me to get hurt on one of their adventures. One of the other girls at the orphanage found me there one day, and laughed outright at my childishness. She told me there was no such thing as magic, or aliens from other planets. 'And your parents abandoned you because they didn't want you,' she mocked, 'no wonder, really.' I never got over that. It hurt more than anything.
"I stopped dreaming after that. I decided I wanted to become an astronaut, and to explore all the galaxies in the universe, and prove the girl wrong. It was around that time – I was four – that I started school. It was decided that I would skip a grade, and I did so. After that I was moved into the Galaxy Dorm, where I met my four closest friends in the whole world, Amelia Mickel, Rochelle Harvey, Louisa Kiki, and Matty Atkinson.
"The dreams didn't start until two weeks before my 13th birthday. Always, they were the same. Night after night I dreamt of the Moon Princess Serenity dying with her love, the Prince of Earth, Prince Darien. I always woke up as Princess Serenity died, screaming.
"It actually annoyed my friends a bit, because whenever I had a dream, they were inevitably woken up as well.
"On my 13th birthday, however, things changed. And not for the better. I began dreaming of another girl's life, a girl who shared my name and looks. Serena Tsukino.
"Dreaming of her first encounter with the Nega-Verse was…terrifying, at best," Serena admitted. "I was scared, even in my dreams, and when I woke up, I not only had to deal with Sere-ko's fright, but my own. I was convinced I was going mad. I think from the first I knew Darien-chan was not who he appeared to be. Likewise, I recognised Ami-san, Rei-san, Lita-chan, and Mina-san. You were all so familiar. You wouldn't believe how similar you look to Mia, Matty, Lou and Rochelle. Actually, I have pictures," Serena fumbled for her purse, and found the small snapshot of them all on photo day at the orphanage. She smiled fondly. They all looked so happy. How she missed them.
"Wow," Rini said, "you guys really do look like them." The four Inner Scouts nodded, murmuring their amazement.
"They're the best friends anyone could have. Especially Matty." Serena murmured. "But I'll get to that later. Every night, and sometimes during the day, I dreamt of Serena, and Sailor Moon. As I met each of you, you reminded me of your American counterparts, my best friends. Actually, I even knew a girl like Molly. Her name's Natasha Trix. I haven't spoken to her in a long time; she was adopted, and moved to Jamaica. I'm rather glad actually, she was the biggest klutz, always hurting herself."
The Inners giggled among themselves, and the Outers smiled, acknowledging that Molly was also good at getting herself into trouble. "Anyway. I followed your lives in my dreams, and they became so real to me I couldn't remember where I was half the time, and who I was. Eventually, I became rather sick, since I wasn't getting any rest in my dreams, and I couldn't eat because Sere-ko ate too much for me to even think about food.
"When I noticed how thin I was getting – and it took a while, I am rather dense – I decided to look some things up on the Internet. So I went to one of the many net-cafes in the area, and the closest one to the orphanage, since I didn't feel like walking far, and payed for an hour.
"I searched the web, but couldn't find anything on my Moon Princess. Then I thought about chatting to people. Often, they know more than websites, and just can't be bothered broadcasting their knowledge. It was there that I met MilleniumFire for the first time." Serena noticed Rei's indrawn breath, and smiled. "I thought it was you, Rei-san," she said, "some of the similarities were just too alarming. It was you who convinced me to search further, actually. It turned out all I needed to know could be found in the orphanage library, which I find rather amusing in retrospect.
"After I first met Rei-san, I met Marnie. She's a waitress at the net-café, uses all her wages to support her daughter, a heavenly little girl named Celina. Actually, we became really close. She's like a mom to me now. She calls me Rini." Rini gasped. "Yeah. Seems like even my 'mom' wanted this to happen. It's like destiny." Serena giggled, then sobered. "Things became more difficult after that. The dreams were getting even worse, and though I tried my hardest, I simply couldn't work up any energy to do anything. Imagine my surprise when I found out Sere-ko was the Moon Princess!" Serena couldn't help but laugh when she remembered her shock, but also her satisfaction. "I kept up with my studies, though," she continued at random, "never forgetting my vow. Guess I won't be an astronaut anymore, but at least I've proved 'aliens' exist.
"It was Matty who became my saviour. She was my – and I'm gonna sound really pathetic here – guiding star. She told me she knew something was wrong, and got me to talk. After that, I told her all about the dreams. I found them easier to bear. A problem shared is a problem halved and all of that." The Scouts frowned, trying to come to terms with what they were hearing, and in classic American babble. "But the final dram came all too soon. I dreamt of the battle with Queen Beryl, the final one. I saw you Inner Scouts die, one by one. I saw Darien die. And then, finally, Sere-ko died. That really scared me. When I woke up, Matty was right beside me. She gently comforted me in both Japanese and English – she did Japanese at school as her foreign language – and eventually managed to convince me that I was still alive.
"I had no more dreams 'til the night of my 15th birthday. Two years later. I was relieved, but it was the same old dream of the Moon Princess and her Prince. The next night, however, things changed. For the first time I dreamt I was in Selene's palace. Sere-ko was there, too. She spoke to me, told me she wanted to swap." Serena's eyes lowered. "I agreed. If I'd known what was to happen, I would have said no. Sere-ko died because of my decision. It was my fault!"
"No it wasn't, Sere-chan." Darien said softly, "Sere-ko was leaving anyway. She had to. Her parents were moving to America. You eased her worries, by taking on the responsibility she was never ready to handle. You helped her last days be the best of her life, by agreeing to take on the curst of being a Sailor Scout."
"Darien-kun is right, Serena-san." Amara said, in a gentle voice quite unlike her usual rough tones. "Sere-ko would have wanted this. To see you living up to the legacy she left behind."
"Thank you. It's nice you hear you say it." Serena grinned. "I must admit; it was a bit of a shock. Even more than that, was what Sere-ko said right before I woke up. 'See you in a few days' she said. Brazen as anything.
"So you can imagine my shock when my High School principal, Miss Jenkins, told me the very next day, at graduation, that I had been offered a scholarship at a Japanese school. I knew I had to go…so I did. At the airport I met up with Sere-ko for a few moments, and saw her for the first time. It was amazing. We were so alike…I felt like I was looking into a mirror, but my reflection had gone and changed clothes on me. She gave me a bag full of all the things I would need as Sailor Moon, and I can't help but say, I didn't realise what was happening then. It wasn't until almost a week later that I finally looked into the bag, and…I'm not sure remembered is the right term…everything that had happened since that first big battle.
"I remembered Alan and Ann, I remembered Rubeus and the sisters, I remembered the Wise Man. I remembered the Heart Snatchers, and the Dream Snatchers, and everything else. It was…just stupefying.
"My first battle as Sailor Moon is something I'll always remember, even if you guys didn't know who I was. My first meeting with Selene, Hecate, and Phoebe is also one of my more cherished memories, as is all the time I've spent with you guys. For the most part, you've been loyal friends, and I thank you for it."
"Aw," a voice sneered, "innit sweet? Doncha think 's sweet, boys?" Serena turned around in horror, to see Invisible-Man (well, not actually see him, but whatever) and a bunch of his minions.
"Not you again." She groaned.
"Yup. 'S me, pet. Why don' ya 'troduce me to yer friends?"
"Sere-chan?" Lita asked nervously. Serena didn't answer, simply taking out her transformation brooch.
"ETERNAL MOON POWER!" The other Scouts followed her actions, and it became clear that the henchmen and Invisible-Man (who had finally become visible) didn't like the new odds. "I think it's time for a wake-up call," Sailor Moon growled, as Helios turned into Pegasus with a whinny. "I am not your pet. I'm not your luv. Nor am I your poppet. And by the time I'm through with you, you'll never call anyone by those names again." She brought out her Kaleid Moon Scope, and twirled it expertly. "Moon Goddess Heart Ache! Selene's Silent Anguish! Moon Gorgeous Meditation! Planet Pyro Shower!" Thee other Scouts took care of the henchmen, as Serena fired every bit of magic she could think of at her own personal evil. Finally, Serena closed her eyes.
A strange music surrounded her, and she seemed to glow with an intense white light. Her fuku changed itself into the dress of Princess Serenity, and when Sailor Moon/Serena opened her eyes they were pupil-less. The Kaleid Moon Scope changed, becoming a sword encased in pink metal, pink jewels travelling down the end. Its blade was curved, like a scimitar, and even that metal was pink. "What made you think you could ever win?" Princess Serenity asked, holding the sword over the Invisible-Man's chest. She knew that this time, he would die. "Princess Moon Kiss." She sighed, plunging the sword in.
"NOOOOOOOOOOO!!!" Invisible-Man howled. A large wind blew up, whipping Princess Serenity's hair around her as she stood over her dead nemesis' body, emotionless. Slowly, the body crumbled to dust, and disappeared, along with the wind.
"Welcome to Reality, Invisible-Man." Princess Serenity mocked, before turning back into Serena with a flash of bright light, "you'll never win. Not so long as me at the rest of the Scouts are around."
*Finite*
Fuku: Uniform
More Author's Notes: Wow. I can't believe it's over…it's amazing. I really enjoyed doing this. It was so much fun.