Darien walked into the Del Patton's office and sat down in the waiting
area. For an up class lawyer his office was simple but tasteful. He had
arrived early and decided to flip through the magazines on the coffee
table. Serena seemed different today. Watching her share all the events of
the past months made her seem older. Except for a few brief moments of
laughter she let through she was almost regal, more mature. She reminded
Darien of Neo-Queen Serenity, and the knowledge that he could never get her
back hurt to the core. The call from Del was enough to give him some relief
and he jumped at the excuse to leave. He needed time before he talked to
Serena tomorrow. "Mr. Chiba, Mr. Patton will see you now." Darien walked
into the office and saw Del getting up from his desk to shake his hand. Del
was in his early 50's and had some grey hair starting to show in his wavy
brown hair that he tried to keep cut short. After the accident Del found
Darien in the orphanage system and took his case. He was Darien's parent's
lawyer before and it had taken him close to 15 years to find Darien.
"Darien, I'm glad you could make it on such short notice."
"I came as soon as you called Mr. Patton..."
"Please call me Del, sit please. Remember I told you a year ago that I might have some information regarding your family."
"Yes, and you also told me not to put my hopes up."
"I know, it took some digging but I found out something you are going to like..."
Serena sat at the bench ringing her hands. On her lap she had the locket and she was hoping the slow tune would calm her nerves but it didn't help. Between her anxiety about talking to Darien and worry over not hearing from Sapphire she was a wreck. Fixing the white pleated skirt she tried to take her mind off her surroundings. She had no idea what she was going to say to Darien. Serena was so caught up in her thoughts she never noticed Darien walking up the path staring at her. Her obvious anxiety made him relax more and he touched her shoulder making her jump back into reality. "Hi Serena." "Darien! Hi, please have a seat." "Serena, is everything alright?" "Yes and no. I feel like I'm loosing control of the situation. Almost like some invisible force is pushing me in one direction and the more I try to get away from it the more it pushes. I know now what you meant by destiny and wanting to fight it. I just wish it didn't have to be this way. I've hurt you so much and there is no way for me to make it up to all of you." "What do you mean Serena?" "There's something at work in all this and it's bigger than all of us, I see that now. It was no mistake that I fell in love with you and Diamond, I don't know why but it just felt right. I know I sound crazy but it's true. The both of you shared something that made me complete, and now I'm never going to have that again." Tears silently fell down her face and Darien instinctively brushed them off her cheek. "I wanted to tell you that I am leaving Earth, I'm not going to let you guys talk me out of it." "Serena..." "No, please let me finish. I have to leave Earth. I'm not human anymore the dark crystal changed me somehow. Perhaps it's because it a moon crystal I don't know but as long as I am here I'm a threat to everything you stand for. I can't jeopardize the people I care about like that. I'm a walking time bomb who never knows when her darker half is going to come out. I'm loosing control of myself Darien." "This isn't the answer Serena, let us help you." "Don't you think I've considered that? Even if I could stay what happens when people find out? I'm sorry things didn't work out between us but no matter how much I love you things will never be as they were. That was the past, we have to live in the present." "Serena, you are going to hurt us as much by going than if you stay. We all love you and you are our Princess. I don't care if we don't have a future but don't do this the girls. They have been by your side since the beginning. Running away isn't going to make the problems go away. You have to face them." "I..." before she could even speak Serena felt a huge surge of dark energy in the air and it made every nerve in her body tingle. Getting up from the bench she walked to the sidewalk only to see a huge black tower of crystal rising in the middle of the city. The dread that had been eating up her came full circle "No!!!" Collapsing to the ground Serena hugged her knees and shuddered with tears and anger. Darien watched this with display with worry and tried to hug Serena to tell her it was alright but she only shrugged him off. Rising from the ground she wiped her eyes and hid her emotions under a cold mask. "Sapphire's dead...Wiseman is creating his portal to Nemsis. I have to go..." Before Darien could stop her Serena disappeared from the spot and Darien ran to the temple. Whether she was willing to admit it or not she was going to need their help.
Serena orbed to the tower as fast as she could. The force field around the tower had tried to slow her down but being a part of the dark crystal she was able to break through. In front of her the portal was wide open and ready for her to go in. Rage boiled in her as she thought of all the lives lost to get to this point. With a mental nod she removed her street look and was once again in her true form. Making sure no one had followed her she walked into the portal. The Scouts had run to the center of the city when they got the call from Darien that Serena had gone off to stop Wiseman by herself. Richie had insisted on going as well. When they met up in front of the tower they had arrived just in time to see Serena disappear into the black crystal. "Mercury, is there any way for us to get in there?" "There is still a portal where Serena walked in." "Fine," Jupiter cracked her knuckles "I'm going in. I will not leave her alone to fight this." With a nod they all walked into the portal. When they finally touched ground again they were in a mirror maze of black. For every turn there were three more options. Choosing to stick together rather than split up they started looking for stairs. There was only one way to go and that was up. As they got closer to the summit the dark energy around them grew thicker and their own powers were starting to feel weakened. When they finally did reach the summit they were welcomed with the site of Serena still standing and Wiseman was floating above her.
"Darien, I'm glad you could make it on such short notice."
"I came as soon as you called Mr. Patton..."
"Please call me Del, sit please. Remember I told you a year ago that I might have some information regarding your family."
"Yes, and you also told me not to put my hopes up."
"I know, it took some digging but I found out something you are going to like..."
Serena sat at the bench ringing her hands. On her lap she had the locket and she was hoping the slow tune would calm her nerves but it didn't help. Between her anxiety about talking to Darien and worry over not hearing from Sapphire she was a wreck. Fixing the white pleated skirt she tried to take her mind off her surroundings. She had no idea what she was going to say to Darien. Serena was so caught up in her thoughts she never noticed Darien walking up the path staring at her. Her obvious anxiety made him relax more and he touched her shoulder making her jump back into reality. "Hi Serena." "Darien! Hi, please have a seat." "Serena, is everything alright?" "Yes and no. I feel like I'm loosing control of the situation. Almost like some invisible force is pushing me in one direction and the more I try to get away from it the more it pushes. I know now what you meant by destiny and wanting to fight it. I just wish it didn't have to be this way. I've hurt you so much and there is no way for me to make it up to all of you." "What do you mean Serena?" "There's something at work in all this and it's bigger than all of us, I see that now. It was no mistake that I fell in love with you and Diamond, I don't know why but it just felt right. I know I sound crazy but it's true. The both of you shared something that made me complete, and now I'm never going to have that again." Tears silently fell down her face and Darien instinctively brushed them off her cheek. "I wanted to tell you that I am leaving Earth, I'm not going to let you guys talk me out of it." "Serena..." "No, please let me finish. I have to leave Earth. I'm not human anymore the dark crystal changed me somehow. Perhaps it's because it a moon crystal I don't know but as long as I am here I'm a threat to everything you stand for. I can't jeopardize the people I care about like that. I'm a walking time bomb who never knows when her darker half is going to come out. I'm loosing control of myself Darien." "This isn't the answer Serena, let us help you." "Don't you think I've considered that? Even if I could stay what happens when people find out? I'm sorry things didn't work out between us but no matter how much I love you things will never be as they were. That was the past, we have to live in the present." "Serena, you are going to hurt us as much by going than if you stay. We all love you and you are our Princess. I don't care if we don't have a future but don't do this the girls. They have been by your side since the beginning. Running away isn't going to make the problems go away. You have to face them." "I..." before she could even speak Serena felt a huge surge of dark energy in the air and it made every nerve in her body tingle. Getting up from the bench she walked to the sidewalk only to see a huge black tower of crystal rising in the middle of the city. The dread that had been eating up her came full circle "No!!!" Collapsing to the ground Serena hugged her knees and shuddered with tears and anger. Darien watched this with display with worry and tried to hug Serena to tell her it was alright but she only shrugged him off. Rising from the ground she wiped her eyes and hid her emotions under a cold mask. "Sapphire's dead...Wiseman is creating his portal to Nemsis. I have to go..." Before Darien could stop her Serena disappeared from the spot and Darien ran to the temple. Whether she was willing to admit it or not she was going to need their help.
Serena orbed to the tower as fast as she could. The force field around the tower had tried to slow her down but being a part of the dark crystal she was able to break through. In front of her the portal was wide open and ready for her to go in. Rage boiled in her as she thought of all the lives lost to get to this point. With a mental nod she removed her street look and was once again in her true form. Making sure no one had followed her she walked into the portal. The Scouts had run to the center of the city when they got the call from Darien that Serena had gone off to stop Wiseman by herself. Richie had insisted on going as well. When they met up in front of the tower they had arrived just in time to see Serena disappear into the black crystal. "Mercury, is there any way for us to get in there?" "There is still a portal where Serena walked in." "Fine," Jupiter cracked her knuckles "I'm going in. I will not leave her alone to fight this." With a nod they all walked into the portal. When they finally touched ground again they were in a mirror maze of black. For every turn there were three more options. Choosing to stick together rather than split up they started looking for stairs. There was only one way to go and that was up. As they got closer to the summit the dark energy around them grew thicker and their own powers were starting to feel weakened. When they finally did reach the summit they were welcomed with the site of Serena still standing and Wiseman was floating above her.