Serena was running towards the park, there else she could go? Not at home, because Luna will be there. and sure not to Molly. She reached the park in the mere minutes, she passed the rose garden and lilies near the lake. She wanted to go to her usual bench next to the old oak tree. She usually went there after her battles with youmas and her mood become better. Now, than she had a battle with her best friends, will this tree make her fell better?
The bandages were useful so she untied them and threw them away; blood roughly rushing to appear on her school uniform, but than she saw the bloody print of Darien's hand on the white material of her uniform, she gasped, praying to all Gods she knew "No……He will find out…..no…no…no...please just don't let him find out."
"Don't let him what to find out, Usagi?" held the husky voice, she turned there he was. In all his pride, even if he was a little bit shaken from the all this running, stood tall and invincible Darien Mamoru Chiba. 'May be he didn't saw the blood, hey maybe I am just overreacting….Yes, that's right, he doesn't now!.. But why then he is here then his girlfriend is in the arcade…'
"Nothing, Mamoru-san, nothing……How did you knew where am I?" she almost whispered.
He clenched his hands angrily, unsure with whom he was angry…no… furious Serena or himself. She was lying to him; he was awful with her in the past.
"When people arguing together they learning more about each other than then they are dating. I was sure where I can find you, Usagi-chan…So...Are you OK, Usagi?" in his gaze was something new, something Mamoru hadn't showed before….worry, compassion….love?
Usagi manage to hide her surprise and make a bright and sunny, and fake smile. "I am great, Darien…..thanks for asking…and don't worry about all this….mess with the girls….they just a little bit angry. It will pass, and in the end it was all my fault."
"It didn't seem like 'a little bit', but you know better than I do….but I wasn't asking about the 'mess with the girls', Odango." he sighed softly.
"About what…." her voice sounded nervous and he interrupted her.
"Did you knew that you mustn't threw garbage in the park, Odango, it is damaging for the nature." he handed her the bandages she had fling. "Now, tell me, Usagi, what happened with you?" Usagi groaned quietly 'How I supposed to explain this now?
Darien looked at her better 'She is so pale…and she is trembling…what had happened to your Usagi? Tell me please I will help you. I am sure I can…..as Mamoru or….if it is necessary as Tuxedo Mask.'
"I fell down on some glass, Mamoru-san, but why I am telling you this you will just insult me again." sighed Usagi.
"No, Usagi-chan," she stared at him in amazement. "may be I was not so kind with you in the past, but do you remember I am student in the medical University, first of all I am a doctor…"
'That's why, I thought it could be because….' thought Usagi.
"and of course I am worried about you Usa." Serena looked at him in shock. "What did you say you were worried about me?"
"Yes, of course. You know, Odango, that what friends supposed to do." he said softly.
"Friends?" echoed Serena "I thought you teased me because you hated me…" she said.
Darien looked at small girl before him, wet hair - a little messed from the running, big blue eyes filled with tears staring on the black shoes she was wearing. He made his move and hugged her slightly, she tensed her muscles, but than relaxed, somehow it was familiar to her, like it had happened thousands times before. "Hey, Odango, 'hate' is big word, I never hated you, and than I tease you I definitely don't mean what I say, I just like to tease people in this case it is you. Can you forgive me for all the things I had ever said to you?" she raised her head, and her sky blue eyes met his - midnight blue.
'So….warm….so….familiar…' she felt dizzy, the wound was hurting like hell, but than she was like that in the arms of her prince nothing did matter for her. Another wave of pain hit her and dizziness attacked with new power, her legs trembled and collapsed under her, she was ready to hit the ground but Darien reacted very fast and caught her before she fell. 'Endymion…' it was Serena's last thought before everything went black.
It was black, dark and scary, but something ahead of her emerged. Something warm. It was a bright white light, and it had absorbed every blackness. It was so bright that Serena shielded her eyes with hand. She was not wearing her school uniform any more, she was wearing a strange white dress. In front of her appeared a figure of woman with two Odango's and same dress. Her face was covered with unseen shadows.
'What happened? Am I dead?' asked confused Usagi.
"No…..not yet." answered sad, but soft voice, coming from the elegant stranger.
"If I am not dead, than where am I ?" a pale hand with slim and long fingers touched slightly Serena's forehead.
"We are here" she said, taking her hand to her side . "Look I don't have so much time, that's why you must listen to me very carefully," her voice wasn't soft anymore, it was filled with worry and desperation, "Zoisite had poisoned the knife. The poison is from the Silver Millennium…you must find the antidote…the antidote is silver moon rose…they are not existing on this planet...if you can't find it…you must ask the Earth Prince to make one, it is your only chance…he is your last chance." she turned to leave but Usagi stopped her.
"Wait, who is this Earth Prince? Where can I find him?" whispered Serena.
"He is my fiancé, and he lived in Elysian many years ago…..I don't know where he can be now…Anywhere and nowhere…maybe he is dead…I don't know….but I didn't felt him die so it is sure that he is alive…yes, he is definitely alive. Try to find him in Elysian may be he is still there. Elysian, it is like a dream world….a Paradise…His name is Endymion, Prince Endymion." her voice was very sweet and melancholic in the same time in the memory of Elysian and her beloved. She started to moving away again, her silhouette started to fade in the air.
"Thank you….but who are you, tell me, please?" spoke softly Serena. The girl before her turned and looked at her. Shadows cleared from her face and Usagi looked at her in amazement. It was like her own reflection in the mirror. Before her stood Serena Usagi Tsukino in beautiful white dress, the only difference was that the girl had silver hair.
"Who are you?" demanded Serena.
"I am you…" her voice soft and mysterious, she turned and completely vanished but her voice continued to echoed in the light "or a memory of you."
"What?" whispered Serena "She can't be me, can she?" in the light started to perform pink spots, then they became red, then all the place became red.
"It is blood!….it is blood!" she started to scream and everything faded.
Mamoru lifted her and went to the oak tree. He carefully set her on the bench; then he tried to wake her he saw that her uniform had a red color on the side. She started to wake and her mouth escape a cry.
"It is blood!...it is blood!" she cried out, and tried to free herself from his hands. She slowly opened her eyes, they were wide.
"Do not move, you wound is very bad I will take you to the hospital, a doctor must see it." now it was not only the danger that Darien will find out the truth about her secret identity; now it is about a couple of doctors who can find out the truth and certainly they will not respect the privacy of the legendary soldier. And from the way she was handing this, they will say that Sailor Moon is a little clumsy kid and a cry-baby. And in the end what can they do? She will die even if someone will heal her injury, the poison is very strong. The only hope she has is to find a silver rose from the Moon, or this strange Earth Prince. If she goes to the hospital she will die there and doctors can't do anything for her, better die trying to find the antidote and do not make a fool of yourself like that.
"No!" she had waked up completely "Don't take me to the doctor please…..they are useful they can't do anything for me now!"
"What are you saying is out of place, doctors CAN make you better!" he almost screamed at her, do not realizing from there this anger came. She always does this to him, making him feel things that he couldn't understand. That's why he always teased her, because he couldn't understand his feelings for her, he knew it and it scared him.
"Don't you understand, you silly girl, you are bleeding and only doctors can make you better." he said more calmly now. She thought for a second and understood that better say it to Darien than tell it to complete strangers even if they are doctors.
"They will ask too many questions, which I can't answer." she sighed "You know, that I lied to you about what had happened to me, I saw it in your eyes, you had this expression 'You are lying Meatball head' but what could I do , say the truth? You would never believed me." she was trying to fight with dizziness that had overwhelmed her, her voice was shaken even if she was trying to sound like she is ok; but really she was frightening, in her blood was running poison, she would die if she will not find the Prince Endymion. She was thinking who is this mysterious girl in her mind? Is it really her? And what is about this fiancé? If this girl is truly Serena then this Prince is Serena's fiancé. But she didn't agreed to be fiancé to anyone, did she? No, of course not. And now Darien will want to find out the truth about her secret identity and all about the Senshi, and what had happened with Zoisite. And she will tell him, she wants to tell him. May be she was thinking that he was her nemesis, but now she knows that he is her friend. He told her so. She needs a friend now, now then all the others had abandoned her. Even if it was her fault, they could support her in this difficult time like all best friends do; but no, they didn't do that, they just thought that it would be better if she will give them her Senshi-locket. They even didn't ask if she was ok after the battle.
"What do you mean with that?" asked Mamoru, Serena snapped from her thoughts and stared at him. Finally, the time of the truth had come. How many times she had dreamed about this? To have a person to talk about her being a Senshi, who is not someone from her team, but someone who can hear her and understand her without telling her that she must trained more or worst to tell her to shut up because they already know how it feels and don't want to talk about it. All the Senshies thinks that the destiny that had been chosen for them is cursed, but they still love their 'jobs' because with the powers they have they can help people, protect the world and the whole universe. All them have dreams and hopes about their future but with the life they have, they don't know if they even have any future. The only future that must know a Senshi is death. They must be ready to sacrifice their life's for their world. Of course, may be they will live long enough to see their hair became grey, but nobody knows what will happen.
"Mamoru-san, I want to show you something, but you must promise me that you will not laugh or tell this to someone else." Mamoru looked at her his face didn't show any emotion but his eyes expressed surprise and worry. At first he wanted to tell her that it wasn't necessary, because he never would laugh at something that it seems like Usagi's life depend on and without any doubt he wouldn't tell this to someone else; but he looked at her pleading face and his heart melted.
"I promise." he said quietly. "Thank you." she murmured in respond, she was very tired but she could transform now, her Senshi powers will help her a little with her injury, and she will not need to explain everything to Darien, he will understand him self.
She took her locket and shouted "Moon Prism Power, Make up!" immediately her body enveloped in bright light, ribbons and feathers was flying all around her slender form. In few seconds before Mamoru Chiba stood the Senshi of the Moon.