So here goes number three, I hope you all like it

A Moonlight Legend

by Atchika

Chapter Three

Be careful what you wish for

Darien felt numb. This was definitely not turning out to be a good day. Was he going wacko? All the stresses of the past few weeks seem to bear in on him. Darien paced aimlessly for a few moments considering his options. He could try leaving the garden and returning to the house to find his way back by retracing his steps. Which would really shouldn't be a problem with all the dust in there. But the house had been deserted, the garden had been the only part of the outside world he had seen. He also wasn't real sure how much he could rely on the help of a spirit in the semblance of his mother either. Well, when in Rome....

"You said you may know a way out of this place?"

"Well yes, but.." she faltered.

"But what!? You either know how can I get out of here or you don't!"

She looked back at him as if considering her answer then said slowly. "You have to wake up. "

Darien's jaw dropped. "Wake up! You mean I'm asleep!?"

"Yes, but it's not a normal sleep."

"You're telling me this is a dream and your just a figment of my over tired imagination."

"Well not exactly." she said "You're in more like a deep hypnotic trance."

"Whatever...just tell me what I have to do."

"You have to will yourself awake."

"Will myself awake...great." he turned away then closed his eyes and cursed under his breath. Calming himself he turned back slowly and said "Okay, How do I do that?"

"First I need to explain a few things." he gave her an impatient look she ignored "Waking yourself up from this kind of dream can be dangerous. Most people never find their way out because they never realize that is all they need to do. But you have to be careful, if you try too hard you'll just end up in another variation of the same dream. Looping yourself back into the same scenes over and over." she said slowly she tapped her chin. She walked over to a small stand of rose bushes. "We need to avoid that," "These might help." She said looking back at him.

Darien's gaze followed where she indicated. They were the roses he had noticed earlier, but hadn't really looked at them. He walked over to the plant and knelt down to take a closer look. They were beautiful. He reached out to touch one and hesitated. Looking back at the spirit she nodded as if giving approval. Turning back he took a deep breath and picked one of the blooms. It sparked as it separated from the plant. He felt energized and could feel the dormant power locked in the flower.

"There's something weird about these roses." Darien held the rose up to the light. "I know they weren't crystallized like this when I was Endymion."

She knelt next to him "These flowers contain your life-energy."

He gave her a sidelong look, "My what?"

"Your life-energy, the part of your soul that is you. They also contain your strength and power."

"But how is that possible?"

"Endy..." She paused when she saw the frown on his face. "Darien, this stand of Roses has been here in this garden since the first King took the throne ages ago. They only crystallized after the fall of the Moon Kingdom."

"How can you know that? You died before any of that even happened." he said looking at her.

Returning his gaze she said quietly "I know a lot of things. You have a lot of unused knowledge in you head Darien."

"Yeah, well I've been a little distracted lately." he said looking back at the flower.

"True."

"What?" Darien stopped

"Your soul has been touched by the power of the Silver Empyrium Crystal. It was through it's power that I was able to hear you when you called. It also brought me to this place, but to get here I had to pass through your memory. All of it." It occurred to Darien then that she might know who was sending the dreams he'd been having. "No, the voice does feel familiar but I'm afraid I don't know who that is."

"Please stop doing that." he said. She only gave him a confused look. He sighed and said "You're answering questions I haven't asked again."

"I wasn't aware that I was. But now that you point it out I can see how that could be unnerving."

"That's an understatement"

"I certainly can't help what I hear."

"Well from now on could you at least wait for me to ask out loud?" she nodded. "If you know about that then you know --"

"Yes, I know you perished in the taking of Serenity's Kingdom, of your imprisonment by Beryl and your current situation with the Serena."

"Then you know why I need to get back."

"Yes, but you really must be careful. There are forces at work that could destroy you."

She sounded so much like his mother then he smiled and said reassuringly "Don't I know it. Don't worry I'll be careful." Hoping to change the subject Darien returned his attention to the flower. "Where does the glow come from." he asked examining it more closely.

"It is an after effect of the Power of the Silver Empyrium Crystal."

"But how can that be possible?"

"You are heir to the throne on Earth."

"I don't understand, I thought all that ended when the Moon Kingdom was destroyed?"

"It would have if your soul had not been captured by the Crystal. You are tied to it still." without looking at him she said "The Crystal is now in the possession of the princess and only she can release you from it." So while the flowers bloom you will continue to live. The people of the Silver Millennium lived a much longer time than the people of Earth do in the future."

"How much longer?" he asked absently.

"Probably five to ten times what would be considered the normal span. I don't really know." He looked at her in disbelief.

"That could end up being almost a thousand years."

"Darien, of all the planets, we of Earth have always had the shortest incarnations. You are human and your life-energy is held closely within you. This difference is most apparent in the strength of your soul. You feel that energy now within the rose."

Darien listened intently though his focus was on the flower itself. That weird connected feeling he always had when he was with Serena or even Rini for that matter. It helped explain so much of what had happened to him in the past few years. Why his energy took on the shape of roses. How he always knew when Serena had become Sailor Moon.

"They will continue to grow in power until you need them." She turned and looked directly into his eyes "But you must be careful if you deplete them too much you will die and not even the Empyrium Crystal will be able to bring you back

He turned and gave her a suspicious look. "I still don't understand. What would that have to do with anything?"

"Like these roses the Crystal holds the Moon Kingdom's rightful ruler's life-energy, power and strength. Serenity knew she would not survive she had used most the crystal energy to throw the invaders back into the NegaVerse. She could not bring her daughter back with the energy that remained so she did the next best thing. She sent her soul into the future, but to do so she had to send you all. She also knew it would cost you all your memories. That depleted the energy within the crystal set apart for herself." She held her hand out and he reluctantly handed her the flower. His hand brushed hers lightly and his mind was flooded then with a thousand images all at once. Startled he pulled his hand back quickly.

"You really are my mother aren't you." he said in almost a whisper. She said nothing for a moment. Looking sad she answered. "Darien, I can neither prove nor disprove my existence to you one way or the other. Look into your heart and you will find the truth of who I am or at least who I have been. Whether you believe me or not is irrelevant, for now I am your mother. This is a world of your creation. I meant it when I said earlier that you brought me back." she turned to face him. "No one else could have accomplished it. You are the only one of Earth from that time who still exists. The only one who still remembers me." She smiled again and threw the flower into the air. It hung there glittering with energy. Rotating slowly as if it were strung up by an invisible wire. Darien looked again at the spirit. He didn't doubt what she had told him. The impossibilities of it only made it that more reasonable. She herself had said she was unsure of her nature or exactly how she had come into being only that she had been called and had answered. Just one more complication to add to his life, he could feel the headache coming on. He rubbed his temples and asked "But, what if I've just gone crazy and I'm telling myself what I would like to hear?"

Darien considered her answer. He had so many questions to ask her. But couldn't quite reconcile talking to a dead person. Maybe he was just being paranoid. All that would have to wait. Maybe he could return and talk to her when things were not so crazy.

"What do I have to do to get out of this place?"

She placed her hands on his shoulders and turned him to face the flower. "Close your eyes and concentrate on where you should be."

Darien tried to focus his energy. His thoughts scattered.

"Find something familiar to focus on." she said quietly. Darien used the image of a rose. Catching and pulling his thoughts back proved to be harder than he thought. It was like trying to catch a leaf on the breeze, but with great effort he managed it. When he opened his eyes the garden began to waver, then everything went black.

......The music starts, and all heads turn to the back of chapel. His own are drawn to the figure slowly making her way up the aisle toward him. Her beauty transfixes him as her head turns slightly toward her father. Smiling himself he realizes he too is happy and at peace.

Finally she arrives. Her father places her gloved hand in his. She smiles warmly at him and lightly kisses his cheek. She then turns to face him, and gently squeezes his hand for reassurance. Anticipation is something they both feel. Lost in the love he sees in her eyes, he leans forward to kiss her...

...DESTRUCTION...CONFUSION...SORROW...PAIN...

He stands helpless as she is torn from his.......

"NOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!" the tortured cry rips from Darien's throat as he wakes thrashing. He picks up the picture of himself and Serena. Why? Darien looks at the clock. 2:42 am. It's late but he still had at least half the night to get through. He sits up and picks up the picture off the nightstand. He strokes Serena's face through the glass. Without warning the glass cracks and the image of Serena seems to fall over as if asleep, with that voice pounding in his head.

"...PRINCE ENDYMION THE PRINCESS IS IN GREAT DANGER ...THE FATE OF THE WORLD, YOUR SAFETY AS WELL AS THAT OF THE PRINCESS HANG IN THE BALANCE..."

Shaken Darien wonders what was that all about. He knew something very bad was about to happen, but had no way of knowing what. His hands shook a bit as he replaced the photo on the nightstand. He hadn't told anyone about his dreams, besides who would believe him? He just couldn't do it alone anymore he had to talk to someone. Maybe Andrew. Whoever it was he needed to do it soon. The dream and reflections of it were coming day and night now and it was starting to get to him. Exhausted he lies back to sleep and wondered if his mother really did have rose-colored hair and deep green eyes.

Darien made his way to the Arcade. Andrew's family owned it and he usually worked there in the afternoon. He had been avoiding this place for a while, he knew he was taking a chance of running into Serena; she really enjoyed playing video games instead of doing what she should be. Darien waited a little off to the side while Andrew made change for a customer. Andrew spotted him, smiled and waved. Darien waved back and went over to talk to him.

"Hi Andrew."

"Hi Darien, haven't seen you for a while. What's up?"

"Umm, not much really." Darien took off his sunglasses and rubbed his eyes, "I've just been really busy with work and school lately."

Andrew gave him that sidelong look he gave everyone he thought was lying. "No offense Darien, but have you been sleeping, you look awful."

"Thanks a lot mom."

"Hey, Your welcome." He moved a little closer and asked, "Is something wrong? I'm supposed to go on lunch in a few minutes. Stick around, we can go to the coffee shop and talk about it. I am supposed to be your best friend after all."

"Sure, sounds good."

Darien sat at one of the consoles popped in a token and began a game of Sailor V. He was still on his first player when Andrew came up and asked him if he was ready to go. Darien picked up his sunglasses and handed off his game to a young boy who had been watching him play.

At the coffee shop Darien ducked around the real issue of him and Serena. "Andrew, how do you get a girl to completely despise you?"

"Why would you want to do that?"

"There's this girl...she really likes me but I don't want to see her...you know?"

"Yeah, I know what you mean..."

The waitress came over to the table and smiled at him, "Hi Darien."

"Uh, hi," he shyly smiles back.

She smiles and turns to Andrew, "Hey Andy, do you think you could give me a ride home?"

"When Lizzie?"

"I'm off work in a few minutes."

"Sorry Liz but I can't leave for at least another hour or so."

"Rats, Now I'll have to take the bus and I am already late."

"Hey, Darien, could you give Lizzie a ride?"

"Sure."

"It's not out of you way then?" Lizzie asked hopefully.

"Not at all, as long as you don't mind motorcycles."

"Heck no, I love 'em."

As chance or fate would have it Darien was forced to stop his bike at a light and there set Serena with her friends. He revved the engine loud enough to get their attention. He pulled back the visor of his helmet. When Serena noticed Lizzie on the back of his bike she asked who she was. Darien knew that Serena had never met Andrew's younger sister. He simply let her come to her own conclusions. He then told Serena to get a life and sped away quickly when the light changed. As he raced along the highway, after impressions of the dream came at him again. He knew he had to find out the meaning of that dream quickly. Hurting Serena was like hurting himself he really didn't think he could keep it up much longer. Something was definitely going to give.