Millennium I
Secrets of the PuzzleBy Hikari Tsuki Chi
Chapter 4
Disclaimer- I do not own the shows that this story 'borrows' various elements from said shows. I DO own this story, so please ask me before you go take my storyline.
Note- I made a mistake between chapters 2 and 3. In chapter 2 I said that Serena was the daughter of the goddesses of the moon and destiny, but in chapter 3 I stated that she was the daughter of the moon and time. When I was typing up chapter 2 I think that I mixed up a part of the sequel to this story, Millennium II: Journey to the Past/Secrets of the Past, with who Serena was the daughter of. Go along with what I said in chapter 3, but to give you something to think and ponder and quite possibly rant about:
When the tsuki no hime comes of age as the sixth month sets, moon and destiny will come upon her, and she shall come into her birthright which was denied to her long ago in the age of Silver, and she shall find out the truth to the downfall of her ancestors' kingdom, and her trials shall begin, but she will at last find the one to whom her heart was bound to in the age of Silver long ago.
If you think you have the answer, tell me when you review this story. I'll state who was right at the beginning of Millennium II, when I get around to it.
Chapter 4
Serena arrived home about half an hour after Yugi got home. She was verbally ranting in her room when the noise drew Yugi to her room. After all, it IS hard to ignore the amount of noise she was surely producing when you are right next door to it. Yugi found her ranting about 'some && & who went and ruined his life' (I'll let YOU fill in the blanks 'cuz I'm not allowed cuss and I couldn't find one particular word I was looking for in my Japanese-English dictionary) "WHO are you talking about?"
Serena stopped ranting and looked at him. "Y'know the kid who I made friends with at the orphanage?"
At his nod she continued. "Well, I had heard that he and his little brother were adopted, and I just found out today that he is the current head of Kaiba Corp."
Yugi was in shock. "You mean… YOU were friends with Kaiba!"
Serena nodded. "He was planning to challenge Gozabaru to a chess game and win when he visited the orphanage, but I thought that I had talked him out of it. He's probably forgot about me, but I plan on reminding him of the past in Battle City."
"You're going to enter Battle City!"
"I got a letter to go to the plaza this evening, and that's how I found out about Seto. I would have gone to Duelist Kingdom, but I got the flu the day before the ship was due to leave. I have no plans about missing this tournament." She glanced at her alarm clock and said, "Don't we have school tomorrow?"
"Yeah, you're right. We'll go after school tomorrow to register. Oyasumi nasai."
"Oyasumi nasai. I've got to get a shower before bed, just so you know if you hear the shower running."
"'Kay." Yugi turned and headed back to his own room. Once there, Yami came out of the puzzle. Noting the look on Yami's face, Yugi said, "What's the matter Yami?"
Yami frowned, trying to put his thoughts to words. "That necklace your cousin was wearing… it felt like one of the Millennium Items."
"But there's only seven!"
Yami's frown deepened. "I know but… maybe there's another item out there… but how'd it end up with you cousin?"
Yugi fingered the puzzle, thinking. "Well… when we were eight, we were looking around in Grandpa's closet for the board games, when we find the Millennium Puzzle. There was a necklace with it, that Grandpa said was called the Millennium Crystal. He said that they were going to be his deathbed gifts to us, but he gave them to us any way. That's when he dared me to solve it. Serena was the only one who knew about the puzzle when we were growing. She had protected me back in grade school from bullies, but lately she's seems… distant isn't the word I'm looking for, but it will do… distant since she got here. I just wish I knew what was bugging her…"
"As she always been like this?"
"Well, she started growing distant after her baby sister was kidnapped when she was ten. She grew even more distant when we were twelve. But lately…it's like she's hiding something… but I don't know what."
"But you're doing the same thing, aren't you?" pointed out Yami.
"I guess so. But I'm not sure how she'd react to magic actually existing. But I THINK that she knows something. She had that look in her eyes, the kind a person has when they know something that you don't think that they don't know."
Yami looked confused. "Once more, with clarity."
"The kind of look a person has when they've learned something you didn't want them to know and they're just waiting for you to put the pieces together."
"Maybe she'll come around."
Yugi looked worried. "I hope so Yami. But she's not the kind of person who would mess around with fools, much less put up with one who can't put the pieces together."
"So it's a good thing that we're not fools then."
Finished with her shower, Serena began to brush out her hair, pondering various things. Yama appeared next to her in her 'spirit' form. Serena was secretly glad that Yama could still appear outside the crystal in her spirit form, in which only Serena could see her. Yama could talk to Serena via their link, but Serena was a complex mix of emotions currently that right now she wasn't even going to try and get through. "Do you believe what Ishizu told us?" questioned Serena. "'Sides, you're the one to whom this all depends on."
"I don't know. Even if it wasn't, that doesn't explain the flashes of memories I had today. But your explanation does make sense. Do you want me to try and re-establish that link to be sure?"
"We'd better not until we know for sure. The last thing we need is for Yami to think the enemy hacked into his head. But…" she trailed off, fingering her brooch, laying on her desk. "I wish you could help fight the youmas that are sure to come eventually, but you have to have a Sailor Crystal for there even to be a chance of you being on, much less becoming one."
No sooner had the words left her mouth, Sailor Pluto appeared in her room. "Geez, Pluto, ya tryin' to give me a heart attack!" exclaimed Serena, jumping slightly, clutching a hand to her heart. This is bad for my heart.
"I know how to enable your yami to fight along side you."
"Do you regularly eavesdrop on me, or do you find my life better than soap operas?"
It was all Pluto could do not to roll her eyes in a show of emotion, which would just add to the shock. She's certainly recovered well, considering what happened… "This has to do with preser-"
"-vation of the time line. I've heard the riot act before."
"If you would just let me finish, you'll find out what I mean. Yama-" nodding her head towards her, who since she had appeared, looked like some one who'd rather be else where right now. "-has an un-active Sailor Crystal."
"A Sailor Crystal can be un-active?" questioned Serena, looking surprised.
Pluto nodded. "Yes, some times Sailor Senshi don't come into their powers for a few re-incarnations, due to destinies or duties they have to do in that life, but they still have the Sailor Crystal in them, laying dormant until they are reborn in the life where their crystal have to be activated. I came to bring her brooch."
Pluto placed a brooch on the desk, and said, "I have to return to the gates." She disappeared.
Serena and Yama looked at the brooch, glittering in the light from her desk lamp. It bore the exact same symbol on it that was on the puzzle and crystal, the eye of wisdom. However in the center of the eye, where the pupil was, there was a pentacle carved into it, with another eye of wisdom in the center. The eye itself was in front of another pentacle, bearing two pairs of wings like on Serena's brooch. Yama brushed her fingers lightly on the top, jumping back when it opened. There was a hollow area in the center, right under the center of the eye on the top part of the brooch. "I guess the Millennium Crystal goes there, since it is your power source technically," said Serena, taking off the crystal and holding it up. "So you should probably take on your solid form for this to work properly."
Yama nodded, not really sure where this was going to lead to. To know that soon Serena would have to fight the fore coming battle alone… that was worth the sacrifice. She returned to her solid body as Serena placed the crystal in the hollow area in the brooch. "I've put sound spells on the room so Yugi won't hear, but you've better be careful, but hopefully Yami won't sense it, since this would be the kind of magic that he WOULD sense."
"O-okay." Truth be told, Yama wasn't sure what would happen if this doesn't work.
She picked up the brooch, feeling the magic pulse around it. It was similar to the feel Serena had when she was Sailor Moon, but it also had a tinge of shadow magic, which brought back memories of that never-ending darkness. She wondered if she had always used shadow magic, it seems like the boy from her flashes, the one who seemed like he was related to her, wasn't aware that she could use shadow magic. What does this all mean? I just wish I knew…why the shadow magic I use was a secret… Words formed in her mind, yet she whispered them, for some unknown reason or fear. "Ancient… Millennium… Cosmic… Make… Up…"
When the light subsided, Yama examined what she was wearing. It looked like Serena's, but the colors were a gold color, like the pulse that the Millennium Items give off, and a rainbow –mix, with a yellow/amber opal stripe of the kerchief/scarf with the same color opal in her tiara. She also held a naginta in her hands. The first words out of her mouth were, "Why is this skirt so short?"
Serena laughed as Yama tried to pull the skirt down a little more. "I think it's a diversion tactic. Most of the enemy's lackeys were guys, so I guess the theory was that if you flashed to them, they'd get a nosebleed and give you enough time to attack. Also it's easier to fight in it, you don't have to worry about your legs getting tangled in your skirt if its long. Besides, it's like one of those outfits they wear during gymnastics competitions. It's just basically a leotard with a skirt. It never really bothered me. But I've got to complain about the uniform skirts even though they're the same length. Yugi can't think that I actually like mini skirts!"
Yama smiled at Serena's statement. It felt good to have some one to laugh with, to cry with, to just have some one to share life with. If this was a second chance to live a full life, she was surely going to live it. Yama figured out how to de-transform back down, and disappeared back into the crystal. Serena settled down to get ready for bed, but not before she put on some music.
(I putting this in '98, but it has all the modern movies and stuff along with my favorite songs.)
She lay in bed, listening as one of her favorite songs came on. It was from the American film Daredevil.
How can you see into my eyes like open doors
Leading you down into my core
Where I've become so numb without a soul
My spirit sleeping somewhere cold
Until you find it there and lead it back home
(Wake me up)
Wake me up inside
(I can't wake up)
Wake me up inside
(Save me)
Call my name and save me from the dark
(Wake me up)
Bid my blood to run (I can't wake up) before I come undone
(Save me)
Save me from the nothing I've become
Now that I know what I've without
You can't just leave me
Breathe into me and make me real
Bring me to life
(Wake me up)
Wake me up inside
(I can't wake up)
Wake me up inside
(Save me)
Call my name and save me from the dark
(Wake me up)
Bid my blood to run (I can't wake up) before I come undone
(Save me)
Save me from the nothing I've become
Bring me to life
(I can live any life there's nothing inside)
Bring me to life
Frozen inside without your touch without your love
Darling only you are the life among the dead
All this time I can't believe I couldn't see
Kept in the dark but you were there in front of me
I've been sleeping a thousand years it seems
Got to open my eyes everything
Without a thought without a voice without a soul
Don't let me die here there must be something more
Bring me to life
(Wake me up)
Wake me up inside
(I can't wake up)
Wake me up inside
(Save me)
Call my name and save me from the dark
(Wake me up)
Bid my blood to run (I can't wake up) before I come undone
(Save me)
Save me from the nothing I've become
Bring me to life
(I can live any life there's nothing inside)
Bring me to life…
She kind of zoned out during that one, just relaxing, listening to the music, until the third one came on, Everybody's Fool indeed…
Perfect by nature
Icons of self-indulgence
Just what we all need
More lies about a world that
Never was and never will be
Have you no shame don't you see me
You know you've got everybody fooled
Look here she comes now
Bow down and stare in wonder
Oh how we love you
No flaws when you're pretending
But now I know she
Never was and never will be
You don't know how you've betrayed me
And somehow you've got everybody fooled
Without the mask where will you hide
Can't find yourself lost in your lie
I know the truth now
I know who you are
And I don't love you anymore
It never was and never will be
You're not real and you can't save me
Somehow now you're everybody's fool…
Serena had tried hard to suppress the memories of that night. Just the knowledge that he was still out there, working with the people who killed her family… it made her eager for him to burn in Hell. She remembered what Uncle-Father Mulcahy had told her, with comments from Uncle Hawkeye. Sinners go to Hell, and they certainly deserved to go there. She checked, Yama was asleep, so no worries about her sneaking in on her thoughts. That man who spoke to them in the museum… she knew that he was involved with what happened. The ninth song came on, and Serena closed her eyes, listening to the words.
Playground school bell ring again
Rain clouds come to play again
Has no one told you she's not breathing?
Hello I'm your mind giving you
Someone to talk to
Hello
If I smile and don't believe
Soon I know I'll wake from this dream
Don't try to fix me I'm not broken
Hello I'm the lie living for you so you can hide
Don't crySuddenly I know I'm not sleeping
Hello I'm still here
All that's left of yesterday…
It's true… she thought, beginning to fall asleep. The person I was is gone, well the person I played to those people in Tokyo. But she lingers still, in my mind, waiting until the day when her justice is served…
The next day at school, they told the gang about Battle City. Serena didn't really pay too mach attention to the conversation. Every one thought that she was too busy being happy that they were changing the girls' uniforms starting next semester. But really she was talking to Yama, discussing the possible results that would happen during Battle City. They knew that the Rare Hunters were going to be going after the Kami-no-Cardo that wasn't in their hands, God of the Obelisk. They also briefly debated card strategy, but Serena had to get back to class. After school they went to the place where they were supposed to sign up for the tournament, and get their duel disks that they would be using. Yugi and Serena qualified, but the guy said Joey didn't qualify… at first. He said that there was a glitch in the computer, but Serena read between the lines (and his mind) to know that Joey really didn't qualify, that the guy was really working for Marik, leader of the Rare Hunters. It was clear that they were after Joey's Red-Eyes Black Dragon, which he won from Rex Raptor in Duelist Kingdom.
Serena had heard about Serenity's operation from listening in on the gang's, or the Yugi-gumi as she called them, conversations while she 'pretended' to be engrossed in what ever book she had brought that day. Unknown to every one but Yama, she had worked a spell, to ensure that even if the operation failed, Serenity wouldn't lose her eye sight. Serena knew that surgery on the eyes and the optical nerve itself was like playing poker and balancing on a high wire, while trying to keep a perfect poker face. She just wanted Serenity to be able to see her brother dueling in Battle City.
Serena wasn't at the hospital the night of Serenity's operation. She was doing her version of preparing for the tournament. She went through kata after kata, empty hand and with weapons, mainly with the staff and the bokken. Serena 'pretended' not to notice Kaiba, who had come to the park for some peace and quiet before Battle City got started, and had seen her practicing and decided to watch. When she finished, she said, "I guess CEOs are exempt from invasion of privacy laws."
"It's a free park last I checked."
"This part of the park is only known to those who know where it is."
"So it's a crime to know where it is."
"I didn't say that."
"You did to."
"You're twisting my words."
"I know." he deadpanned.
With that Serena just cracked up, and after a few minutes Kaiba did too. At this particular moment Serena was glad that no one else was there. One, they'd probably die of shock. Two, he would never live it down. When they finally sobered up, she said, "I thought I had talked you out of that plan, Seto-kun."
"I did it for Mokuba."
"You're completely miserable, plus Yugi and his faithful Yugi-gumi and convinced that you have no heart and that you were born a complete shiseiji."
"I knew that I didn't miss your tact."
"That's what I'm here for."
"I didn't hear from after that day… even when I had a chance to look… where were you?"
"Three years ago I went back to Tokyo. It was around that time that I dyed my hair and started wearing colored contacts so my eyes weren't look purple. I guess what I taught you about ki-sensing stuck around in that head some where."
"One of the only things I'm glad I got from you." He said. "But… you've changed."
"So have you."
"That's not the point. You're different from the person you were back then. You're hiding something, I can tell. You're not the same."
Serena didn't look at him. She looked up at the moon, evasively answering the question. "People change, Seto-kun. Every one does. It's just that I've changed more than others. Besides, what I'm hiding I can't tell you or any one, not even Yugi, cuz I don't want them getting hurt by my past."
He tried to answer, but she cut him off, saying "I've gotta get home. See ya at Battle City."
Seto watched her leave, narrowing his eyes as he picked through her words. I wish you could tell me, because it's not good to hold every thing inside. He heard her call "I am not!" from halfway down the hill. He groaned. I wish I knew how she did that.
That night, after refitting her deck for tomorrow, Serena and Yama both had unusual dreams. Yama's consisted of running through a crowd with the boy from her flashes, going to this palace. Things that looked like Duel Monsters were fighting everywhere. The last thing Yama saw in her dream before it ended was the Pharaoh casting a spell that did some thing with his soul, saying that it was the only way to stop the Shadows. She was still confused as to where she got 'Pharaoh' from, it just the first thing that comes to mind when she sees that boy.
Serena's dream was a bit more confusing. She saw the Moon Kingdom and the Silver Alliance being destroyed, but Endymion and all the Senshi except Pluto and Saturn leading the charge. She saw herself committing suicide not because Endymion was dead, but because… some thing about him not getting her power? She also saw Yugi, dressed similarly to Endymion but in silver rather than black, lying bloody and burned from Mars' fire in front her. Serena also saw a little girl, her… sister? Stabbed through the heart by the Space Sword. She looked like she was only six. Lastly, she saw Pluto crying over the body of her mother, having promised to her in her last moments of life that she would 'watch over and protect their children?' Needless to say, this dream left every one with unanswered questions. But those two weren't the only ones plagued by strange dreams.
Yugi had a similar dream as Serena, only from his point of view, which greatly disturbed him, and Yami had the same dream as Yama, only with the word 'princess' coming to mind when he saw the girl. She was dressed in clothes only wore by royal women, and was wearing the same necklace that he had seen Serena wearing. She looked exactly like him, or at least that was what he thought she would look like if her eyes weren't shadowed over. He could sense unused Shadow Magic in her, even though it was a dream. He had a feeling of surprise from this, and was puzzled by it. Why shouldn't she have Shadow Magic? He had the feeling that he thought that she didn't have Shadow Magic or couldn't use it.
This left a bunch of confused people by morning. But they all had to push these dreams to the backs of their minds… for now. Battle City was set to start that morning, and the actors were due at their places, for the show must start…
Well… what do you think? You're probably in shock by now, because I've got out two chapters before the month is over. Before I start on chapter 5, I'm going to edit the first two chapters and possibly chapter three as well. So with that, Please Read and Review!