CHAPTER TWENTYONE

"What your saying doesn't make any sense." Jedite barked "How could he have just got up and walked away from an attack like that? Theirs no way. Their has to be a reasonable explanation."

"Oh will you snap out of it already." Nephlite growled "What will it take for you to realize that he's not what he seems. He's something new. Something different. I cant explain it exactly. It's just a feeling I have. I've never really sensed anything like it before." the look he shot Jedite was one of impatience. "Beryl's attack hit him head on. And he reacted as if it were nothing more than a strong gust of wind. Normal people don't walk away from an attack like that without a scratch on them."

"And you call me paranoid." Jedite sneered "I think your sudden freedom has gone to your head Nephlite. Your finally starting to crack."

Nephlite shot up off the wall he had been leaning back against. "Fine." He snapped "Just remember that I warned you. Although why I even bothered is beyond me" he turned his back to him "But let me just tell this one last thing before I leave." He called over his shoulder "Where connected to him Jedite. Where connected to the Prince. I've always felt a strange pull whenever we meet in battle and since we've been resurrected the feeling has only grown stronger."

"What do you mean?" Jedite asked despite himself. He didn't believe half the nonsense Nephlite was sprouting but he couldn't completely deny that he had a gift. Call it second sight call it whatever but sometimes he could sense things that no one else could. Jedite always thought it was weird. Weird but useful.

"I don't really know" he answered his voice bewildered "It's as if we've all meet before."

Jedite snorted some of the tension easing. "Of course we've meet before. He was their during the silver millennium when we succeeded in destroying the Moon kingdom. He was there protecting his princess from Beryl. An act which sealed both of their fates." he stated with look of grim satisfaction.

Nephlite didn't respond. How could he explain what he didn't quite understand himself. Their was something lurking in the back of his mind just out of his grasp but for the life of him he couldn't reach it. But he had a feeling that what ever it was that he couldn't remember was important and that it had something to do with Prince Darien.

"It's the same thing this time around." Jedite continued "He sacrificed himself to save her and now he belongs to Beryl and the Negaverse."

As do we all Nephlite stated silently Than he went completely still. Beryl turned Prince Darien into the Dark Prince. She erased his memories so he would no longer remember his past. No longer remember who he was. If she could do it to him was it possible she could do it to someone else. Was it possible that she already had?

……….

The couple observed Serena leaving the temple with Luna and Raye giving chase.

"What's going on?" he questioned his tone wary

She looked at Serena wistfully and with complete understanding. "She's going to him" she whispered enviously

"What?" he gasped and turned to look at her. What he read in her eyes caused his to widen in alarm. "She can't."

She shook her head at him "We can't stop her."

His eyes narrowed with determination "We have to. The Dark Prince is in a dangerous mood. If she calls out to him and he comes to her theirs no telling what might happen."

"Don't call him that" she cried tears swelling at the sound of that awful name.

"Ah my love don't cry" he begged feeling completely helpless.

She blinked rapidly trying to fight them back but they still continued to fall.

"I'm sorry" he groaned kicking himself mentally for distressing her. "But can't you see that at the moment he's more far more dangerous than usual. Yes" he conceded before she had the chance to interrupt "she managed to reach him before but right now he sees her as his enemy and nothing more. He believes that she's been toying with his mind. His sense of betrayal cut him deep and the fact that he allowed himself to feel anything for her is only feeding his rage."

"Its all my fault" she sniffed tearfully "if I hadn't gone to see him."

"You had no choice" he assured her quickly wishing he could take her in his arms to comfort her. The need to hold her was great. And the pain he felt because he was unable to do so had him turning away to hide the gleam of his own tears.

"Theirs no way we can stop her right now anyway. She's acting on instinct. She's not aware of anything but her need to be with him."

"Where will she go?"

"She'll go to the park." She answered softly but with confidence "It was the last place she saw him and she senses that he's connected to it. She just doesn't understand how or why. But she thinks it has something to do with his connection to the Earth."

"Than that's where I'll go. I have to be there in case she needs me."

"I'm going to" she announced sternly preparing herself for an argument.

"No your not" he stated just as sternly while looking at her pale face with growing concern "Your still weak and by staying here your not only endangering yourself but her as well."

She stiffened her shoulders and stuck out her chin looking both stubborn and defiant. She knew he was just wanted to keep her safe but she had to be there. "She can handle it. Besides I wont let you face this alone. If things do go wrong you might need me."

He sighed knowing he was beat their just wasn't time to stand here and argue with her. The trio were already out of sight. "Alright but if you feel yourself growing weaker you'll return immediately"

She nodded in agreement. And he hoped he was doing the right thing by allowing them both to head into danger. If anything happened to either one of them he didn't know how he'd be able to survive it.

………………

Malachite starred at the Dark Prince and to say that he was confused would have been an understatement. The Dark Prince was demanding that he tell him everything he knew about Sailormoon and yet he didn't get the feeling that this had anything to do with getting the crystal from her.

"Her name" the Prince snapped bringing Malachite out of his thoughts.

"Serena." he said with some reluctance "Her name is Serena." He watched as the Dark Prince got a faraway look in his eye and wondered not for the first time if he remembered anything about his past. Why else would he be so interested in Sailormoon?

"Serena?" the Dark Prince repeated softly than pinned Malachite with his dark eyes. "What else can you tell me about her?"

Malachite decided to turn the tables on him "Why are you so interested in Sailormoon? Is it because she's the enemy or does your interest run deeper than that?"

"Your place is not to question me. My reasons are my own. Now if you value you life and that of Zosite you will cease playing games with me."

Malachite stiffened at the threat to Zosite. This wasn't the first time the dark Prince had threatened her but would he actually use her to get to me? What was he saying of course he would wasn't that how he trapped him in the first place?

"Leave Zosite out of this" he begged swallowing his pride and damning the chains binding him to this wall.

"Than tell me what I want to know." Darien retorted "I can sense that your hiding something. Tell me what it is and you have my word that I wont harm a hair on your precious Zosite's head."

Malachite struggled with his conscious. He had given his word not to speak of Sailormoon's or the Dark princes past but if he didn't tell him something he had no doubt that both he and Zosite would pay for his silence.

……….

Serena wasn't thinking she was just reacting. The need to see him again was a driving force that couldn't be denied. The emptiness inside her was like a yawing void that longed to find that missing piece. She was so tired of pretending. She lied to herself and to her friends for far too long. To the world she appeared to be the same old cheerful Serena when in reality she was dying inside little by little. But now all that had changed and she could no longer pretend anymore. They were her family and friends and yet she couldn't confide in them. All these months and she never told them that she was only pretending to be happy. And that the only time she had ever felt truly was while she slept. While she slept and dreamed of a man whose face she could never remember in the light of day. But who for a short time during those hours filled that aching void that had become so much apart of her.

Then she met him and everything changed. For the first time in such a long time she felt truly alive she no longer had to pretend to be happy because when she was with him she was happy. Instead of dreams of a faceless man she now dreamt of him. But with these dreams she paid a price. For these dreams she could remember with vivid detail and they felt real. And every time she woke up and discovered that it had all been a dream it was like a stake through her heart. She couldn't take it anymore. She wanted to be whole again.

She turned and headed for the park they were at earlier. She didn't question her decision. Something was leading her to the park some instinct and something else told her that when she arrived there that he'd come for her. Just the thought of it made her heart race. It was about time to speed things up.

…………..

Raye and Luna walked behind Serena observing her. They had already contacted the others who were on their way. Although they hadn't known exactly what to tell them so they just informed them that Serena was acting very weird and to come right away.

Raye thought about just grabbing Serena and demanding answers but past on the idea almost immediately. If they were going to find out what was going on with her than they had to follow this thing through to the end and see where it lead.

"Where is she going?" Luna wondered aloud

"I don't know Luna but something's been bothering her lately. I was trying to get it out of her tonight when this happened"

Luna looked up her sharply than back at Serena. Could she have missed something? She thought Serena had been acting peculiar but nothing to worry about. Or had that been just wistful thinking? With Darien back in the picture she couldn't take anything for granted.

Suddenly Raye came to a stop "Luna she's transforming."

Startled Luna looked over to Serena and sure enough she was in the middle of the transforming into Sailormoon. "Raye hurry and transform otherwise we'll never be able to keep up with her."

"Right" Raye cried and reached for her transformation pen

………….

Darien felt his control slipping he was running out of patience and if Malachite knew how close he was to death he didn't show it. Malachite appeared to have grown a back bone first he defied Beryl and now him. It was confounding. He stood their chained to a wall protecting his former enemy and he was protecting her. He could feel it he just didn't know what from. Was if from Beryl? What could he been hiding? What could be just as important if not more so than protecting Zosite?.

He could see that Malachite knew he wasn't making an empty threat yet so far he was willing to risk Zosite's well being to guard over this secret he carried. He decided that inflicting some pain might speed the process up and he was already reaching for malachite when an image stopped him. He could see her in his mind clear as day. Sailormoon. She was at the park they were at earlier and she was waiting for him. He didn't question how he knew this or why he didn't doubt what he knew he just reacted.

"It seems are conversation has been postponed. It seems my little moon goddess wants to play." he looked over at Malachite wearing a smirk. "It looks like I wont need you after all. I think it's time we said are goodbyes"

Malachite paled but stood his ground and faced the dark prince down. He wanted to live but he'd face his death with dignity dispute the fact that they had him chained to the wall like an animal.

Darien laughed and shook his head "No. I don't believe I will kill you now. I think I'll allow Nephlite some more time alone with you. I'll be sure to visit you again once I get back." And with another laugh chilling laugh he left.

……….

"I can't believe we lost her" Mars gasped

"She's around here somewhere she has to be." Luna stated anxiously looking around the park. "We'll wait for the others here and then look for her maybe Mercury's mini computer can pinpoint her location."

Mars agreed she only hoped that they'd get here soon she was really starting to worry about that meatball head.

……….

Sailormoon was pacing back in forth. He had to come he just had to. She tightened her arms around her middle. Her head was bent low and she chewed nervously on her lip. What if he didn't show up? What made her think he would? She pictured him again in her mind. Where are you? she cried silently

She swung around abruptly and slammed into a solid wall. "Ahhh" she cried as she felt herself falling back. One minute she hung in the air and the next she felt a strong pair of arms around her. Immediately she knew who arms they were. Once she was set firmly on her own two feet. She looked up at him. He looked down at her through half lowered lids.

"You came?" She whispered and raised trembling hands to his shoulders

He raised a hand to her face caressing it lightly with his finger tips. "You sound surprised. Isn't that what you intended?"

She shook her head in confusion.

He continued to caress her tenderly. "How else can you explain my being here? It's obvious that you lured me here with more of your mind tricks." His hand moved down her neck

"What?" She gasped she didn't know what he was talking about

He lowered his head and brushed his cheek against her. "Play times over" he whispered in her ear before he pushed her away from him.

Sailormoon cried out as she was suddenly flung from him. She looked down at herself in disbelief as she watched herself de-transform. She looked at him with dawning horror. In one clenched fist he held her locket and his eyes when they met hers were as cold and as hard as ice.

"It's time you learned what happens when you play games with me." he growled and then he started towards her.