Title: For Evermore

Chapter 2: We're not in Kansas anymore

Rating: PG Disclaimer: I do not own Sailor Moon or any character associated with Sailor Moon, but all other characters and Evermore are my own.

A special thanks to:

LK19- Thanks for the sweet review!

SunMoon, EarthSky- I will defiantly make sure there are wraiths in this story, just for you. And I hope my story turns out interesting too...

Princess-Cairo- I'm sooo sorry for the late update; I just couldn't get myself to write. As for my inspiration, I can't remember. I think it had something to do with Harry Potter and A Spell for Chameleon. I started this story six years ago, and I'm just now getting to it.

Krystal Khlear- Thanks so much for the inspiring review! I promise I will keep writing, just not sure how fast. I put a lot of time into each part so it takes a long time to get anything done...

Now on with the story

Chapter 2: We're not in Kansas Anymore

Tendrils of sunlight cajoled Serena into consciousness. Morning was not Serena's favorite time of day, so she chose to pull the quilt she slept with over her head. But as fate would have it, nothing would let her slip back into unconsciousness. Groaning, she threw the covers off and glanced at the clock. 8:32. What an ungodly hour.
Fifteen minutes later, Serena had dressed and applied a light layer of make-up. At the vanity where she sat, Serena combed her long hair before twisting it into small buns. The majority of her marigold hair fell in long streams down to her knees. It had been years since she'd worn her hair this way. For some reason, being at this place compelled her to do so.
The growling of her stomach put her thoughts at bay. It was time for breakfast. Serena stowed away to the kitchen, but no one greeted her there. The expected smells of pancakes and eggs were nowhere to be found, and the pristine order of the kitchen looked as thought it was ready to collect dust, not make a gourmet meal. A grandmother's kitchen was supposed to be a hubbub of cooking activity!
To say the lack of breakfast was a shock to Serena would be an understatement was no comparison to what happened next. Giggling brought Serena out of her daze and over to the window. In the yard were two ghost- like figures playing chase. One was a young boy with obsidian hair and the other a young girl with strange pigtails. Serena's mouth fell slightly ajar when she realized who the children were. Without any delay, she slipped on some sneakers and ran into the garden.

"Must we do this to them?"
"Iris, you know this has to be done. It's the only way they'll stop thinking about each other."
"I suppose you're right, Miranda."

The garden had not changed in nine years. Serena even wondered if the flowers had been frozen in time since she had last been there. A little pebble path wound through different orchards: sunflowers, periwinkles, and sweet pea blossoms. Colors that seemed unrealistic painted the large backyard. In the center of the flower maze was an old oak tree with a rotting rope swing. Serena's fingers drifted over the mildewed wood and she could almost hear the sounds of laughter from a distant memory.
Actually, she really could because the ghosts she's been followed decided to run past her. She followed to a large rose bush where the children climbed through an opening at the bottom. Ah yes, the old secret place, the one Darien had so lovingly named. Rose petals drifted past Serena's nose making her feel like she was in some cheap film. The large red rose bush loomed ahead. There was a small opening at the bottom that could place someone at the center of all the rose bushes, hence the secret spot. Her and Darien had recounted timeless tales of unicorns and damsels in distress. Serena stood at the gap and thought she still might be able to make it through.
And she did. Immediately she was overwhelmed with the sent of roses, closing her eyes to enjoy it. After a minute, Serena re-opened her eyes. The place looked exactly the same. Dandelions grew in the far right corner and the grass was over six inches tall and tickles her legs. However the large swirling vortex before her was new. It looked like a wet painting being swirled around by a paintbrush. Yet it was being superimposed on a painting of the rosebushes behind it. Serena leaned in to get a better look when she felt a push on her back. Before she could do anything, Serena tumbled into the portal.
In the distance Iris felt an overwhelming since of guilt that no ghost queen could ease as much as Miranda wanted to.

Brandy was not an ordinary girl even by Evermorian standards. Because of it, she lived on her own. Villagers feared and rejected her, and friends were few and far between. Her hair was strawberry colored and her eyes an ever-changing green. She wore a brown chemise and a red leather dress that came to her mid-thigh. Her skin was bronzed by the sun and her hands callused from hard work.
It was mid-morning and Brady was coming in from tending her small garden when a hawk landed on the windowsill. This wasn't particularly a rare occurrence. In fact the hawk often dropped by to give Brady the gossip of the town. Brady's ability was to talk with animals, sort of like Dr. Dolittle.
"What is it, Dagger?"
The hawk's head twittered from side to side.
"A girl in the forest? A stranger?" Brandy asked.
After a few movements of its head, the hawk chirped and flew off.

Waking up on the forest floor was not Serena's idea of comfort. However the fact she was in a forest failed to register. "It was all a dream, and I just fell asleep in the garden because I woke up too early..." Serena reassured herself. But glancing around immediately smothered the garden idea.
No, she was defiantly in a forest, an acid-induced forest. The trees were spread around and their bark was Crayola copper color. Teal shrubbery grew in random patches, and the rumbling of wildlife through the numerous dried leaves echoed in Serena's head.
Serena quickly stood up. She had no idea what kinds of drug-induced- creepy-crawleys were beneath those dried leaves. However her fear and annoyance of her surroundings quickly changed to curiosity. The leaves of the trees were a metallic green that reminded her of the Mardi Gras beads she'd received from her cousin once. She reached up and plucked one of the near-by leaves. As she held it in her palm, it quickly dried and lost its shimmer until it resembled the leaves on the ground.
Then out of nowhere, Serena heard a voice. "Who are you?"
Serena abruptly turned around to find a strange girl in leather. Deciding the girl was no stranger than her surroundings, Serena spoke. "I'm Serena. Who are you? And just where are we?"
"If you do not know where you are, you must have hit your head. We are just outside of Everly."
"Everly?" Well, obviously everyone knew where Everly was. Everyone except Serena.
"The capital of Evermore."
"Woah! Evermore? Man, I must be a dream. That's just a place my grandmother made up," Serena said more to herself than the woman.
"If Evermore is myth, then where do you come from?" the woman asked.
"Um," Serena thought for a moment. "I come from Earth. At least it was Earth last time I checked."
The strange girl paused for a moment. "Are you by chance related to Iris Strappletooth?"
"Um, my grandmother's name is Iris."

"Follow me." The woman turned on her heel and began walking back the way she came.
"Hey! Where are you going? And what do you know about my grandmother?" Serena huffed at the retreating figure. After deciding it was better to follow the stranger than be eaten by some mythical creature in some make-believe forest, Serena followed the girl.

Author's notes: Ok, ok, someone shoot me for updating so late. If you want a fast update, someone should just pester me with e-mails. Ok, for the Mardi Gras allusion, I'm from New Orleans and couldn't think of a better reference. So sue me. Anyway, reviews are nice, but not necessary and I'm going to try to a hastier update next time.