Chapter Four

Hi everyone. I know that is has seriously been forever since I update this or any story. I had a lot going on and I need to figure some things out in my life first and didn't have much time to update. So here is the next chapter. I will try very hard to update these as much as I can and a sincerely apologize that it has been almost years since I updated this. But thanks for reading and please please review! It will encourage me to continue especially now since I'm starting college and life will get hectic. And I love reviews!

Serenita

Disclaimer: Duh…I don't own them…geez

Chapter Four

Serena clenched the edges of the bench she was sitting on as she looked up to the full moon that shined high in the sky. She sighed as the memory of all her friends shocked and horrified faces came to her mind. She shook her head. They probably wouldn't understand her reasoning, even Amy. They just wouldn't understand. She looked down at her hands, as if they were dirtied by what she had done. She had done something most extreme for her status… stripping her guardians of their powers completely. They would only get themselves hurt…this was her battle. 'Her battle? Her battle against what?' She knew the answer to that question, why she kept asking herself that question as if she didn't know was unknown to her. She would die, eventually, when all the smoke had cleared. When her friends would stop talking to her, when her love would isolate himself from her, and when her parents would stop keeping such a close watch on her, that's when she would die…that's when she would end it all. Serena stood up from the bench and started to walk away. The hideousness of her plan sunk in. Was this the way to do it? Was this how it had to be done? Could it be done another way? And if she survived, would there be people left to actually acknowledge her? Would her friends still want her? Would Darien still…love her? She smiled slightly as she looked down at her moving feet. Her friends would always stick by her, and Darien would always love her…even if she pushed them away. She sighed, looking up helplessly at the moon above her.

"What do I do, mother?" She whispered.

Haruka walked aimlessly around downtown Tokyo that Sunday afternoon. Michiru was sitting at home, pretty much confused and lost. They had relied on their powers since they got them and now not having them they felt…normal. It was a very abnormal thing not to worry about the world ending, not having to hide their identity, since there wasn't one anymore. But what made Haruka personally confused is how Serena could actually so effortlessly and thoughtlessly just take away that which was most important to them all. To protect them? Ha…what bull. They were supposed to protect her. That was their purpose, their mission, their life. And Serena understood that. Yet still she did…this. Haruka wondered if the rest of the scouts…ex-scouts felt the same…lost, confused, approaching hopelessness. This had to be hard on Serena, Haruka could tell. How worrisome Serena's face had become the past months. And she had matured so much, obviously because of the crystal. But she knew that Serena was almost forced to do that, and the question that wracked her mind now was 'why'? Haruka looked around her. People went on with their lives, happily, not knowing that nine of the city's protectors were out of business. Not knowing that the leader of that group of hero's was probably in serious danger and devising a plan to save the world from whatever was attacking it now. Haruka sighed.

"Bunny…why this? Why are you killing yourself like this?" She asked to Serena although she knew that she wouldn't hear. And she got the answer that she had expected. Emptiness…and pain. Serena was in danger! She could see the darkness clouding her mind, closing in around all of her memories of Serena. She was being erased during her consciousness and there was nothing to stop it.

Soon, in those few seconds, all that was left of Serena in Haruka's mind was the smiling face of her friend who was perfectly safe, happy, and normal. Nothing remained of the past or the known future. Haruka stopped, wondering why she was out in the city so distraught while Michiru was at home alone. She shrugged and turned around, walking back to her apartment now confused. Something was still there, prying at her brain…what was it? Why did she worry about Serena now? Why would Serena be in danger? From what? Why did she feel that there was something she wasn't remembering… something very, very important.

Darien sat in the study of his apartment, his head resting wearily in his hands as his fists clutched his hair tightly in frustration. There was only silence that echoed darkly throughout the space. 'Serena, why are you doing this? Why my love?' He thought pleadingly, almost as if he willed her soul to hear him. 'I was born to protect you, to love you. Why would you deny me the only thing that gives my life purpose? If anything happened to you…' He suddenly swung his fist down with force on the desk making the sound echo around him.

"Damn it, Serena!" He hated that she blocked him from her mind, that she was pushing him away at the point of her life that held most turmoil. They were lovers, soul mates, destined to be together and unable to be any other way. Why would she fight this war alone? Why would she let herself die? He shuttered at the memory of watching her die, holding her lifeless body in his arms, hearing no heartbeat, feeling no breath, knowing that she was gone. He wouldn't let that happen again. He couldn't. He looked up suddenly knowing what to do. He would protect her, Tuxedo Mask or not he would. Even if he had to shield her with his own mortal body he would. He would not let her die. He would not.

He stood, moving to get his coat and go to see Serena in that instant. He would convince her to let him protect her or he would do it if she liked it or not. He started to place the coat around his shoulders when a feeling of dread came over him. The intensity of Serena's danger overwhelmed him and he suddenly found it hard to breath. He suddenly knew everything. He understood how and why everything was happening to Serena. A dark fear rose with in him.

"Serena…" He breathed before he felt his mind darken, his consciousness leave him suddenly. He felt all of the memories of their past and future melt away from his consciousness. "SERENA!" He screamed as he felt something precious ripped from him. He then stood clutching his head in his hands and was suddenly confused. What was he doing? And why did he have this fear of Serena being in danger? He thought hard and realized that there was no reason for him to worry about her, she would be fine. But even so, deep down and etched into his soul were memories lock up so tightly that he could barely notice them in his mind. They were there, and so was the fear… Something was wrong…but he just couldn't put his finger on it…

Mina, Amy, Raye, and Lita all sat in Raye's room at the temple discussing what to do about the stripping of their powers.

"Amy, can you find anything that can help us?" Mina asked. Amy shook her head sadly.

"I stayed up all last night trying to figure out a way to override Serena's actions and there is no possible way. She has the ultimate power and it's up to her discretion whether or not to have guardians." Raye slapped her palm down on the table.

"That baka can't just expect us to let her go ahead and do this to herself! She's killing herself every time she fights and she won't even let us help her find another way! Why does she have to wait until now to be a leader?"

"She can't help it, it's her destiny." Amy said softly. They all looked at her in surprise with wide eyes.

"What do you mean it's her destiny?" Lita asked. Amy looked down.

"The silver crystal was program to come into full working power a few months ago. The power Serena had been using in the past was only a quarter of the actual power the silver crystal possesses. What that means is that the silver crystals power overrides any other device that Serena uses, making it so she can only use the silver crystal."

"Are you saying that she was meant to use the crystal like this? Like she was destined to die?" Mina asked in shock.

"That is exactly what I am saying." Amy replied sadly.

"That is SHIT!" Raye yelled in anger. "Why would she have to die like this? For what purpose?"

"To prepare her body for her passage into Serenity." Lita said in a monotonous voice as she realized magnitude of the situation.

"Exactly." Amy said softly. The silence echoed around the room as the four took in what had been realized.

"Well," Raye said breaking the silence. "…she can't just shut us out of her life. We will be beside her through this, destiny or not."

"I agree." Lita said.

"So do I." Mina said nodding. Amy sat in silence for a moment.

"It's too late." She said softly. They looked at her in confusion.

"What do you mean?" Mina asked. Amy looked up through her tear filled eyes with a sad smile.

"She's stripping us of our memories." Amy said in a whisper. Raye opened her mouth to speak but suddenly all of them were taking over by a darkness and a heavy fear of Serena being in danger. They then felt their memories of being scouts slip away from them through their consciousness and soon they were left with the confusion of why they were upset and fearful for Serena.

"What were we talking about?" Lita asked.

"I'm not sure. For some reason I feel like it was about Serena's safety." Mina stated.

"Like that meatball head would ever been in danger. She's so crazy no one would ever try anything with her." Raye huffed and she shook her hair over her shoulder.

"I suppose. Let's get back to studying for exams." Amy suggested. They all did, but not without feeling a little uneasy and as if they were forgetting something very important.

One Week Later

Serena breathed labouredly as she dodged another one of the youma's attacks, nearly being hit by a razor sharp claw. It was the first youma since she had stripped the scouts of their powers and memories. It was only in this moment that she realized that she was truly alone.

She threw her tiara at it and in the moment of having it distracted she held out her hands in front of her and the silver crystal appeared. She held her hands high as if she were reaching for the moon to call upon the power. She stopped when she heard the youma chuckling. She glanced at it and confused surprise.

"Go ahead…use it…there is nothing you can do to stop the inevitable." It said in an evil voice.

"What are you talking about?" She asked fearfully.

"You are doing exactly as my master wishes. There is nothing you can do to stop it."

"Who is your master? What do they want?"

"I will never tell you." It hissed evilly and laughed as Serena called upon her power.

"SILVER CRYSTAL POWER!" It screamed as it took the blast head on and yelled to her as it died with a scream,

"You only have three uses of the crystal left before you will finally be dead!" Serena stared at the spot where the decimated youma once stood with wide eyes. She would be dead after three uses of the crystal. She knew the day would come but not this soon. A horrible pain then flared up with in her as if she was being ripped apart from the inside out. She fell to the ground breathing in gasps as she writhed in pain. She whispered 'healing power' as she felt herself fading. As she died she looked up upon a hill nearby and saw a figure standing there. They began to run to her as the world darkened around her. The last thing she saw before she slipped into her death was the face of Darien over her…as King Endymion.