Emotions
Chapter Seven: When Trouble Brews…
"Come to me, Sailor Moon," the voice was female, and cold.
Serena opened her eyes. All around her lay dead bodies, some her friends and family. On a bloody throne sat a woman.
Her hair was flame red, her skin snow-white. Her eyes matched her hair; cold and the color of blood. She smiled cruelly when Serena looked at her.
"You are Sailor Moon. You are the leader," she whispered, drawing her attention. "You control everything. Join me, and we can be unstoppable."
"Who are you?" Serena demanded, falling to her knees as tears splashed on Amy's body. Next to it was Raye, Lita, and Mina, all bloody and torn. Beside her was Darien.
"I am a friend," the woman replied. "Together, we can rule the world. Join me, Sailor Moon."
Serena bolted awake, gasping. She was trembling badly. She needed something, or someone. She needed Darien.
Grasping clothes, she dressed in the dark. Grabbing her keys, and Darien's special card, she rushed out her door and locked it. Stumbling down the stairs, she hopped on her motorbike, latched on her helmet, and started the engine.
Ten minutes later, Serena was in the elevator at Darien's apartment complex. She rubbed her hands up and down her arms, feeling the goosebumps on her skin. Who was that woman?
Serena put the special card in Darien's door. Entering his suite, she breathed a sigh of relief. Here, she was safe.
She almost fell onto the wrap-around couch. Grabbing a blanket, she curled herself into it and fell into a fitful slumber.
"Serena, wake up."
Serena drifted toward the voice. It was deep, masculine, and comforting. She opened sky blue eyes to see midnight blue ones.
Darien looked at her with worry. "Serena, are you okay?" he asked, sitting beside her on the couch. He grasped her hand.
She sat up and snuggled into him. He let her, feeling something was wrong. She laid her head under his chin and felt his arms around her waist.
"I had that dream again," Serena said quietly, feeling Darien breathe. "I saw everyone I ever loved dead, and that woman was asking me to join her to rule the world."
"How many times have you had that dream?" he asked her.
She shook her head. "I can't remember."
Ever since that battle with Malachite two weeks ago, Serena had been having nightmares of death. The woman wanted her to help control the world, and eventually the universe.
"Serena, I have some bad news," Darien remarked. Serena looked up at him. "Remember that internship paper I wrote?" She nodded. Darien sighed sadly. "I got accepted by the school holding it. They said that they would love someone with grades and an IQ of my standards to attend their four-year program."
She widened her eyes. Four years? He would be gone that long?
Darien, noticing Serena's silence, asked, "Is that all right?"
Serena nodded, a smile on her face. "I'm so happy for you. To be accepted…is an honor."
Darien smiled. "Good."
"Not again!" Raye exclaimed as she dodged the Youma's attack. The Youma aimed another attack at the scout of fire, and Raye's anger was starting to show. Her amethyst eyes smoldered, and her hands started glowing with fire.
Sailor Jupiter laid a hand on her shoulder. "Calm down," Lita said as her lightning rod came out of her tiara. Her emerald eyes were cold. Amy was typing away on her mini-computer, while Mina was on alert. Serena was nowhere to be seen.
"Where in the hell is she?" Raye demanded, eyes on the Youma darting in and away.
Amy shook her head. "I can't get her communicator signal."
Mina sighed, her tiara gem glowing as she called up her Love Chain. "She better get here soon!" she called as the Youma advanced.
Seconds later, the Youma had Mina and Raye by the throat. As they struggled, Amy and Lita were looking for weak spots when the Youma screamed. A light beam had hit its arm, and the Youma dropped the Scouts. All turned.
Sailor Moon stood on a streetlight, twirling the Moon Scepter idly between her fingers. Behind her stood Tuxedo Mask.
"Don't you know that it's wrong to mess with people?" asked Serena as she jumped. Aiming the Scepter at the Youma, she leveled cold eyes. Darien jumped behind her, throwing steel-tipped roses.
"Moon Princess Halation!"
A bright light filled the air when the beam touched the Youma. When the light dimmed, Malachite stood there, smirking.
"You destroyed one of my Youmas," he remarked. Serena braced herself as he came flying towards her.
Darien jumped in front of her, meeting the Commander. Their hands locked together as they engaged in a battle of strength.
"So," Malachite remarked as they strained, "Sailor Moon's so weak that she has you doing her battles for her?"
Darien growled and pushed down. Malachite was surprised when he was pushed under Darien. Malachite recovered and sent a black beam at Serena.
Serena twirled the Scepter, dodging the beam as she jumped out of the path of the Youma. Another beam followed the last, and caught Serena in the stomach.
She doubled over, gasping for breath. Her skin burned, and she looked down. A hole had been burned in her suit over her stomach, and her skin was red and scorched.
Mina drew herself up, and aimed her finger at the Commander.
"Venus Crescent Beam!"
Malachite grimaced as the beam caught his arm, and he clutched it with his other hand.
"Nice touch, Venus," he said through gritted teeth. "Let me show you one." He sent a beam identical to the attack he just received.
Serena jumped in front of Mina, intercepting the attack. "Sailor Moon!"
Serena fell, landing on her left side. Still gasping, she tried to get up. She couldn't even move her neck.
Darien looked at her, then at Malachite. "How dare you," he growled, shoulders trembling. Darien's eyes smoldered behind the white felt mask.
The Commander shrugged. "It's her fault. After all," he smiled cruelly, "it's not my mistake she's sleep-deprived."
Serena blinked. How did he know that? She had been having those dreams for two weeks. How could he possibly know?
Serena saw the pieces being put together. She saw the pattern the dreams had been following. First, they had started out with her friends dying. Then, as they continued, they included a handsome ebony-haired man in black armor, a beautiful blonde woman in white, a silver palace, and a fire-red-haired demon woman.
"You." Everyone turned at Serena's weary voice. Her face was raised, looking tired. "It was you, wasn't it?"
Malachite, shocked, numbly nodded.
She sighed, lowering her head. Her eyes were dull. "I just needed to know." To everyone's surprise, she placed her hands on the ground and pushed up. Staggering to her feet, she straightened, then winced as her skin throbbed, and laid an arm over her burned stomach. The Scepter sparkled in her other hand.
"And why do you care?" Malachite demanded sharply. Darien went to Serena and slung her arm around his shoulders. Serena lifted her eyes to clash with Malachite's.
"For two weeks, I saw the destruction of others. For days, I've been afraid of what I've seen. Now, seeing this, and the pattern," Serena winced again, "I know what I've seen. I've seen life itself."
Darien looked down at her. Where she learned that, he would never know.
Serena straightened and looked at Malachite. "And now, my best friend is going away, and he won't be here for when I dust you."
Malachite smirked. "Like you'll ever dust me, Sailor Moon," he replied, and disappeared.
Serena slumped against Darien's arm. "Let's go," she said before passing out.
Serena woke just before the alarm went off at 7:00 a.m.
A warm, strong arm claimed her waist, and a muscled chest was pressed against her back. Serena felt Darien's rhythmic breathing on her shoulder, and felt his heartbeat beating against her back.
She turned towards him. His ebony black hair was tousled, and some fell on his forehead. His expression was calm, but he stirred when she turned.
"Serena," he murmured sleepily. He was still sleeping.
Serena smiled and softly pressed her lips against his. He responded slowly, and his eyes were open when she pulled away.
"I can get used to waking up like that, you know," he remarked teasingly. She smiled at him.
"And I can get used to you being gone so I can have this big bed," she replied, putting a serious expression on her face. His mouth opened in an expression of deep hurt and sadness.
"You want me gone?" he asked, pouting a little.
She only responded with a deep kiss.
Serena winced as another body bumped into hers. The burn on her stomach was big, big enough that Raye had to wrap a few meters of bandages around her midsection. Yet, Serena persuaded the Fire Priestess to let her to go to school, and Raye had relented.
Lita caught up to her effortlessly as they headed toward the courtyard for lunch. "How's it goin'?" Lita asked her, her emerald eyes bright.
Serena smiled at her tall friend. "It doesn't hurt as much," she admitted. Together they sat under the tall sakura tree on the grass.
A loud roar diverted their attention to the road outside the gates. Serena looked up to see a shiny dark blue Kawasaki motorbike pull up next to the gate, and grinned happily. Lita grinned also.
The man who drove the bike took off his helmet and shook his ebony hair. Midnight blue eyes flashed as the man shouldered off his leather jacket, showing his dark blue University blazer. His faded jeans complimented his brown suede shoes.
Serena stood as Darien made his way over to her, hands casually in pockets. Girls he passed sighed longingly, and boys looked at him with awe and jealousy.
Serena walked over to him, grinning gently. He softly placed his arms around her waist and pulled her into him for a deep kiss. Girls huffed, boys open-mouthed.
When Serena pulled away, eyes sparkling, Lita waved Darien over to sit with them. With an arm around her waist, he sat under the sakura tree beside Serena.
"Why are you here?" Lita asked, mirth in her voice.
Darien shrugged, a grin spreading on his face. "It's my lunch break. I had the interesting thought of eating lunch with my beloved Bunny." Serena blushed.
As they ate, Serena and Darien kept sidelong glances on the surrounding teenagers. Serena kept her eye on the girls drifting closer to Darien, and Darien kept a stern eye on the boys starting to check out Serena.
When lunch was over, Darien said goodbye with a long, slow kiss. Serena returned it with the girls and boys alike watching with jealousy. Serena then had to jog up to Lita, who waited with Amy, as the bell rang. Darien walked back to his bike and drove off.
A few days later found Darien walking home. He sighed as he shifted his backpack. Serena had to stay after school to finish a project, and she couldn't pick him up. So he was walking.
Cars drove by, flashing in the corners of his eyes. In front of him was Tokyo, its many tall buildings glistening in the sun. The bright sparkles of light reminded him of Serena's eyes.
Serena. He smiled. He loved Serena, and it broke his heart that he had to leave when their growing relationship was steadily growing still. She had her own apartment, which eliminated bothersome parents, and her friends and Andrew approved of their relationship. They had said that after three years, it was finally time that they had gotten together. In truth, Darien wished that he had loved Serena sooner.
A royal purple Jaguar pulled up next to him. Darien looked as the driver took off her sunglasses. The warm red-brown eyes that looked him over were almost the same fire-red as her hair. Darien had to admit that she was beautiful.
She raised a coppery eyebrow. "Need a lift?" she asked.
This is the betrayal Malachite was talking about! Now it's getting good. Sorry it's such a short chap. - Also, Beryl has figured out the Scouts' identities!
PLEASE R&R!