Well look it's Chapter Two already - wow do I write fast, almost like I did this once already. Anyway, to all readers thank you.

to those who reviewed a cookie with your thanks.

A Moonlight Legend

by Atchika

Chapter Two

Secret Garden

Waking slowly Darien takes in the darkness around him. Sitting up, he realizes he's not in his apartment anymore. Looking down he notices his clothes have also changed. In place of the clothing he wore to bed were black trousers, vest, and white shirt. All clean except for those areas that had been touching the dusty floor. Boots made of soft leather that fit as if made for him. This place seemed so familiar, but he was sure he had never been here in his life. Talk about déjà vu.

Single taper candles in holders along the wall cast a dim yellow glow. Another perfect end to another perfect day. He hung his head and sighed. This place was dark and deserted, but fit his mood. Lifting his head he wondered aloud, "How did I get here?" He had been in some odd situations in the past, but this was just too weird.

Standing, he reached out for one of the candles. Well, he thought, someone must be here, candles don't light themselves. He brings the candle nearer to himself. Looking around he decided which direction is most promising and started walking but after wandering through an endless string of hallways and rooms he sits and leans back cautiously on a dusty sofa. He's guessing but, at least two hours had passed since he woke and still not a sign of anyone. Looking around he thinks, this place was either very large or he was walking in circles. Absently he reached into his trouser pocket. He hadn't been expecting to find anything there. Instead he pulled out a neatly folded red paper rose. He held it up to examine it more closely in the faint light.

After leaving Sailor Moon, he had gone jogging in the park. He must have circled it five times. Not to get anywhere, just to get away, to stop the pain. Run until there was nothing left. Exhausted and drained, he headed home. He passed near an old man on the street hawking fortunes. Somewhere at the back of his thoughts he felt Serena's sadness. His own need for her, the growing emptiness he felt without her left him feeling increasingly angry. The urge to lash out and focus his rage outward for the unkindness of his destiny was almost overwhelming. He flooded his emptiness with that rage. It helped to calm him and quell some of his anger.

"Buy the future?" his harsh voice called out, "all predictions guaranteed!"

"Uh, No...Thank you," Darien said as the man moved to intercept him. Before he had taken three steps the aged man was in front of him again, saying "Buy your hope! Catch the Moon! Don't hide behind the mask of your past," this caused him to stop and look more closely at the old man. He was the same height as himself though a little bent and surely older than anyone he'd ever met. His white close cropped hair and scarred face told of a hard life. One eye blue, one white.

"Buy your future! Change your destiny!" His voice grated.

"Look old man, you some kind of nutbar?" He said evenly, "You can't change destiny..." as he looked absently up at the moon. "Believe me, I've tried."

"Have you now," he replied softly looking Darien over with questioning stare, "Well boy, the future's not set in stone. It can be, will be," he paused until Darien looked him in the eye, "and has been changed. Besides," he said pushing at Darien's shoulder with one finger, "if it's all that bleak couldn't you do with a change?" He offered in explanation a basket filled with several brightly colored pieces of paper all carefully shaped into animals or plants. When Darien hesitated the man shook the basket a little, "You can be pushed and pulled by the changes of fortune in your life or you can take control," he brought his other hand out of nowhere and produced a coin that he tossed and deftly caught, never once taking his eyes off him, "Then with luck and clear thinking you can decide your own destiny."

He could only stare as the man shook the basket again. The gentleness of that rasping voice, his seeming understanding for his situation and directness of his words, all took him by surprise. "Why should I believe you?" He said as he slowly reached into the basket careful to keep his eyes on the old man.

The old man's smile vanished and he fixed that eye on him and said in a serious tone, "Because it happened to me."

Darien opened his mouth then closed it realizing he didn't really have anything to say. He looked away from the man and down at his selection. A single red paper rose. As his head came up, the whole street seemed to warp around him and then settle back into place. He spun around, looking for a possible enemy, the old man was nowhere to be seen and he was alone in the street. Remembering the fortune he carefully unfolded the rose and reads it under the light of a street lamp.

Your happiness will be locked forever in a Crystalline Prison

If you continue to run from the past.

He looked at the other side

As though a rose should shut and be bud again

Asleep in lap of legends old.

A thing of beauty is a joy forever;

its loveliness increases; it will never

Pass into nothingness

Fate was laughing at him again he thought. Angrily he crumpled the paper and tossed it into a nearby waste basket, and made his way home.

Darien absently spun the fragile looking flower between his fingers. Who was that old man and why was he only remembering it now? His scarred features floated up in his memory. Oddly familiar. The gaps left in his memories of his past life after his capture by Queen Beryl were he thought all but mended. It was more than a little disturbing to realize he had not remembered it. Was it possible the old man knew he was Tuxedo Mask? It seemed unlikely, but he had learned the hard way just about anything was possible.

He carefully placed the rose back into his pocket. He sighed inwardly and ran his hand through his hair. He got up from the couch and noticed something he hadn't before, sunlight. While he was sure it hadn't been there before he had sat down, he decided to worry about that later. For now he headed for the light.

Blinking in the sunshine he stepped through an archway into a garden. Green growing things of every kind seemed to make up the very walls. The smell of a thousand flowers filled the air. Quite a change from the building he had just left. He wandered a while, no longer in a hurry to be anywhere. This was such a peaceful place he couldn't help feeling at ease and roses of every color and size. He wondered who had planted all these beautiful flowers.

"They are beautiful don't you think?" A voice said off to the left.

Darien nodded, turned and did a double take. Standing not three meters away was a woman. She was definitely older than he, with long flowing hair that could only be described as an odd shade of pale red and deep emerald eyes. She was dressed in clothes of similar to his own, but of a deep green that matched her eyes. She was only slightly shorter than himself. How had she gotten so close without his knowing? Then he noticed there were parts of her he could see through.

"You like the roses?" She said as she moved closer. Darien took an involuntary step back but was so dumbstruck he only nodded. Where did she come from he thought she did not appear to be a threat but he decided he would watch here carefully. "I always loved to tend them, and it's always good to have living things to care for." To herself she added "my but they've grown." Looking over at him she asked. "Have you seen the rest of the garden?" He shook his head. "Would you like to see the rest?" Darien nodded slowly. "It's been a long time but I'm sure I can remember enough to get by."

Since Darien said nothing she kept up a running monologue as she guided him through the garden. He watched and listened to her silvery voice. Something nagged at the back of his memory...something about her was very familiar. It was as if they had once known one another, he already felt totally at ease with her, and he didn't even know her name. She looked and spoke to him with an assurance that contradicted their having just met. Who are you? He wondered.

"So, you can speak," She turned so quickly Darien started, he hadn't realized he had spoken aloud. She was looking directly at him and it was very unnerving, "I was beginning to think maybe you couldn't talk. It really is kind of rude not to speak---"

"Excuse me?" He interrupted. Maybe she could answer some of his questions. "Do you know where we are?"

She looked around as if that should be obvious and said, "We're in the garden of course." that was helpful he thought with a sigh. "Don't be boorish Endymion."

"That wasn't exactly what I meant," He admitted slowly, "I meant where is this place, what is it called? Do you live here? You really should fire the maid. That place is a..." he hesitated when he saw the look his last comment generated and instantly regretted his words. She could be his only chance of getting out of this place. He decided not to mention the condition of the interior again. "Um, are you here alone?"

"No," She replied, "I am here with you."

He sighed again. Before he could ask another question she turned and continued with the tour. Darien followed after her not wanting to be left behind. He was only half aware of what she said he was more interested in solving the mystery of the familiar sound of her voice. It troubled him while she continued the tour. She stopped speaking briefly while she admired a particular plant. Her features reminded him of vaguely Rini. Now where did that come from? Another thought occurred to him then what if she was from the NegaVerse.

She frowned briefly "Rini looks more like her maternal grandmother, and no, I am not from the NegaVerse, I am of Earth.

His jaw dropped, this time he was sure he hadn't spoken aloud, "How do you do that?"

"Do what? " She asked looking confused.

"Answer questions I haven't even asked??!!"

"Of course you asked," she said defensively, "I couldn't answer you otherwise." he just stared at her, "I'm sorry Endymion but are you sure?" She asked in a concerned tone, "I can hear you plain as day."

Darien closed his eyes, he was starting to get that sinking feeling again. He still hadn't placed where they had met before, though he was certain that they had known one another well. "I guess ...I'm not sure...Look it's been a really hard day, I'm sorry if I seem rude but I have to know. Have we met before? You look so familiar, I really feel like I should know who you are but..." his voice trailed off. He looked over and noticed a marble bench and decided he had better sit down. Going over he sat and closed his eyes and tried to relax.

She looked at him without saying anything for a long time, "You really don't know do you," it wasn't meant as a question, "We have met, in fact our first meeting was one of the happiest times of my life," She looked away from him toward the stand of roses then sat on the bench next to him and took his hand, "I don't know exactly how it all works but," she said slowly as she gestured in the direction of the house, "This place at one time, was your home," he only stared at her. "Are you all right?" Darien groaned

"Yeah I'm okay, I guess but I still can't place you anywhere in my memory new or old," there were also many painful memories he did not wish to revisit. She said nothing only looked back with a sad seeming smile. Realizing she wasn't going to give him an answer he asked, "Can you at least tell me where we are?"

"More accurate would be when we are."

"When?" he shook his head in confusion.

"Yes, when. As I said this place used to be your home in the past. Your past."

"How far back?" he asked but before she could answer he was shaking his head saying "Oh no" Please tell me this isn't...." he could get the words out.

Finishing his thought she said "the Silver Millennium? I'm afraid so. But this is only a shadow of that time. Just like I am. The same as you Endymion."

"Please tell me this isn't happening" he said in almost a whisper. Endymion? She knew his name. He could feel the hair on his neck stand on end and Darien turned quickly to face her. "How do you know that name?" Without warning everything around him did another lurch and everything clicked into place. He knew why she seemed so familiar. Her smile, her face, the voice, the hair. It suddenly made sense. "Your my Mother."

"Yes I was," she said leaning closer "and you were my son. Prince Endymion."

Memories neatly folded and stored away during his imprisonment by Beryl shook themselves loose from their hiding places. His family. He'd survived so long without one he could hardly believe the images running through his head. All of a sudden his smile faded. "But your dead." He said pulling back a bit.

"Well, yes." she said nodding.

"Then how can I be talking to you?" she opened her mouth to respond but Darien held up a hand to stop her. "No. Never mind, I don't really want to know. I'll just have to face the fact that I've gone completely bonkers."

"You're not crazy at least I hope not. Remember, I'm really only a shadow of my former self. The strongest image of who I was." Darien looked back at her in total confusion well and thought well at least it was an agreeable madness.

"Endymion..."

"Please don't call me that anymore." he said closing his eyes "My name is Darien."

She frowned and said "You can't run from yourself Endymion." He gave her an angry look, which she returned and looked away. After a tense silence she relented "Very well then----" she said turning back to him. "Darien?"

"Hmmmm?" he had his face in his hands.

"Are you all right?"

He looked at her through his fingers and then lets his hands drop into his lap. "I'm right as rain."

"You look somewhat pale."

"Well, for someone who is talking to his mother who has been dead for at least a thousand years, I'm just great," he laughed to himself and looked up and saw the growing concern in her face. He sighed and added with a smile, "Don't worry I'll be fine. This is just a bit much to take."

"Darien, I know this is hard for you understand but something inside you called out to me. So when you came here, you brought me back as well."

"Are you real though? I sometimes wished for a mom when I was a kid growing up."

"This place and I are as genuine as you need us to be."

"But it's all in my head." he said with a smile.

"I don't really know but as you can see, I'm here, and I will help you any way I can.

He thought that over for a moment, then asked. "Did you bring me here?"

"No. I cannot bring anyone to this place."

"Do you know who did?"

"Maybe those of the NegaMoon or possibly even---"

"Rubeus or one of those four weird sisters?" he said not really listening

"No Darien, those in charge."

"But why?" he shook his head in frustration.

"Perhaps you have become a danger to their plans."

Darien nodded. But that would only make sense if they new he was Tuxedo Mask. That would certainly explain a lot of unusual goings on of late. "That makes sort of sense but why here?"

"Why not here."

"Do you know how I can get out of here? "

"Maybe, but, if you were not brought here by the NegaMoon you may have brought yourself here."

"How could I do that?"

"Are you running from something or maybe someone...?" she didn't finish. She seemed to sense his sadness, or maybe it showed plainly on his face. "What is more likely is that you have retreated within yourself to this place. A place you once felt safe and secure. You have come here in hopes of finding the answers to your questions within yourself."

He looked away from her then and toward a small stand of rose bushes. The blooms seemed to flash with an almost translucent quality. He stared at them only half listening. He was in the past there would be no one there to help protect Serena or Rini. Knowing where or when he was didn't seem to help his growing sense of anxiety. He had to get back.