Disclaimer: I don't own sailor moon
Misunderstandings, Truth, and Lies
by sdikanimefanatic
Chapter Three: A Past Serena
"How do I know? Maybe because I am her cousin," Andrew said in cold triumph, watching the varied expressions on their faces.
"You can't be her cousin, you aren't even related," replied Amy, her logical mind working swiftly.
"That's what you think, maybe not in this life but in our past lives. Trista knows what I'm talking about -- don't you, Pluto?" The blond Arcade owner asked Trista, giving her a disdainful glare.
She nodded her head silently and with a smirk that brought a feeling of déjà vu to them, he left, his shoulders thrown back and spine ramrod straight. The whole table was left in shock; several of the team looked at Trista and she sighed, "We should talk about this in a safe place."
That seemed to jar them out of their shock and several heads nodded in agreement; with quiet whispers they decided amongst themselves to go back the Outers' home and talk there.
"Andrew, are they gone now?" Elizabeth asked softly, her hands nervously wringing the cleaning cloth in her hands; when he was busy with their order, she began to clean tables to keep an eye on their location and to make sure none of them tried any snooping – when they left, she sighed in relief.
"Yeah, but I might have put my foot in my mouth," Andrew sighed, watching as the former friends and beloved of the reincarnated Moon Princess left the Arcade and walked down the sidewalk to disappear around a corner.
"Meaning you told them who we are and were?" The red-head asked with a cringe, whapping him on the forearm with the dishrag.
"Not exactly," The reincarnated General replied, shaking his blond head. "I told them were cousins and that I happen to know Serena a whole lot better than them. They asked me what I meant and if I knew what she is! I looked at Trista and I figure their going to ask to see what I meant if the way they left in such a hurry is all about."
"Andy, you screwed up," Elizabeth wailed in worry. "Now what if they see Serena? The real Serena, not the fake one they know!"
"We'll deal with it then," the blond reassured his younger sister with a tired smile.
"Now where is our dear cousin at?"
"She wanted to go release some steam so I told her to go back upstairs to the apartment and do whatever she wants," the young woman replied.
"Good," he sighed in relief.
"As long as she is away from them for a while..."
- Meanwhile at the Outer's home, the nine remaining Scouts and Earth Prince gathered in the massive living room, sitting in a circle arranged by planetary order.
"Trista, are you going to show us what Andrew meant now?" Raye asked of the Oldest Scout among them.
"Hold on, I need to concentrate to be able to show everyone. It's hard to explain," replied Trista with a sigh as she gathered the necessary energy. A soft glow of energy appeared around her and she nodded. "Alright, ready. Concentrate, clear your mind and relax."
Each closed their eyes, slipping into meditative trances, allowing their minds to empty of all distracting thoughts and focusing as Trista had instructed them to do. Each of them gave off a glow the color of their planet as an image began to form in their minds…
VISION
They were on the Moon, in what appeared to be the palace from the lavish, familiar décor – the location was not one any was familiar with but before them was four figures, an adult woman and three small children.
"Serenity, what did I tell you about running around the Palace and screaming. Adronis and Elzira you should know better." Queen Serenity scolded the three children before her.
"Sorry, Mommy!" Apologized the tiny form of Princess Serena as she clutched the fine white silk of her skirts.
"Sorry, Aunt Serenity," whispered the male of the trio of children, the second small female behind him nodding rapidly.
"Now I don't want to hear anymore of this understand," implored Queen Serenity.
"I had to come out of the peace meeting with the other planets to talk to you. By the way why aren't you three with the other children?"
"Mommy, I don't feel like being around people who call me whiny, a baby, and klutzy," Serena whispered softly, answering her mother.
"Yeah!" Agreed Adronis, his hands curling into fists of anger and outrage.
"We don't like the way they treat her," added Elzira.
"Don't let them get you down. How are you going to act when you must take over my place for the throne?" Queen Serenity asked.
"Oh, Mommy, you know I don't have to worry about that for a long while. Besides I'll have my two best friends on the Moon with me," answered an optimistic Princess Serena.
The scouts suddenly felt sad for the little princess Serena, knowing that she would die along with everyone else before she would ever have the chance to become queen.
Their surroundings suddenly wavered, melting into a different location. They were still in the palace, but in a corridor that led to the meeting rooms that passed by the side garden. An eight-year-old Serena came walking past them muttering something, kicking at the long skirts of her white and pink gown sullenly.
"I hate these meetings, why do they have to happen," as she grumbled this under her breath she heard sniffling; the tiny girl paused mid-step and looked around before following the source of the sound. They followed her out to the side garden where they saw her go toward a weeping willow tree. Beneath the massive tree was a huddled figure wrapped in a long dark cloak and they could see Serena head towards the crying figure. The small princess sat down next to it, a look of concern on her young face.
"Why are you crying?" Serena asked, trying to cheer up the small, sobbing figure beside her. "It can't be that bad..."
"I don't have any friends -- everyone thinks I'm evil," the morose figure replied, hiccupping softly.
"How are you evil?" The small Princess asked, seemingly wise and compassionate beyond her short years. You're only as bad as the things you do."
"All because I blew up a carriage…" The figure admitted and added softly, as though ashamed, "And because of where I come from."
"Where do you come from?" Inquired Princess Serena as she tilted her head to the side slightly, studying the shadowy figure beside her.
"Saturn -- I'm the Princess sent here to protect the Princess Serenity of the Moon," replied the figure, pulling back the hood of her dark robe to reveal a small, pale skinned girl with short purple-black hair.
Now the 'ghostly' spectators were completely shell-shocked -- this little girl was Hotaru, Sailor Saturn, Scout of Death and Destruction.
"That's why this is so familiar…" Hotaru whispered softly, speaking to herself.
Before any of them could ask what she meant, they sudden they heard screams, diverting their attention back to the two girls before them. A snarling beast came out of the bushes and aimed straight for the two girls; a Lunarian war-dog, trained from birth to act as part of the teams that patrolled the Palace ground with their handlers, this one had gotten free from the quarantine in the veterinarian clinic after it had been bitten by a small white snake. All the Scouts were on edge, forced to watch but unable to act.
The girls scattered in panic and the war-dog managed to get a hit on Serena with its sharp claws, cutting her as her billowy sleeves snagged on a tree branch; the snowy white fabric instantly became stained with crimson from her injury. As little Hotaru saw this, saw the kind-hearted girl who wanted so much to cheer her up, she seemed to become someone else; her eyes became pitch black, glowing darkly with power, and the symbol of Saturn on her forehead gleamed with purple-black energy.
The small dark-haired girl jumped in front of her new friend, her cloak billowing around her. She raised her arms before her, her fingers outstretched as she channeled the energies of her birthright; dark energies wrapped around the rabid war-dog and it was disintegrated into a fine black ash within seconds.
As soon as the danger was passed, little Hotaru turned around to check on her friend. Her eyes were once more normal as she sat in front of the small blonde girl and carefully took the wounded girl's injured arm in her hands; a soft purplish glow appeared around the Princess of Saturn's fingertips as she brushed the long cut with infinite gentleness. With in seconds the cut was gone along with the blood, leaving a gash in the white fabric of the blonde's billow sleeve.
"Sorry-" Hotaru started to apologize but was interrupted by the blonde girl whom held up a tiny hand, wordlessly commanding for silence.
"No. You don't say sorry for what you just did -- you saved my life and healed my arm. Before that war-dog showed up I was going to tell you I would like to be your friend. I have none as well, my cousins left me for a while," replied the small blonde.
"Why do you want to be friends with me? I'm evil," Hotaru was baffled at the strange girl's kindness.
"No you are not -- you protected me, a girl you just met and it doesn't matter where you are from. And blowing up a carriage isn't a bad act. And I want to be your friend because I can tell we'll be the best of friends don't you? What's your name?" Princess Serena asked.
In the whole discussion and fight they had never told each other their names.
"Hotaru of Saturn," the small, dark-haired girl introduced herself.
"I'm Serena, but most know me as Princess Serenity," Serena informed her new friend, much to the dark-haired girl's shock. "Come on, I want to show you the castle!" Hotaru of Saturn stared in shock until the little Princess of the Moon came up to her drew her hand and the two begun to skip away.
Once more the scenery changed again, and they found themselves in a corridor that was familiar to most of the 'ghosts' observing the past. A thirteen-year-old Princess Serena was walking down the corridor when she heard arguing echoing loudly from ahead. Her Scouts were to arrive today to take on the duty that their mothers before them did. When she arrived outside in one of the side gardens she saw what was going on – the Princesses of Mercury, Venus, Mars, and Jupiter were on one side as Princesses of Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto on the other, were arguing loudly.
"What's going on here?" Princess Serena asked, her arms crossed beneath her bosom and a blonde brow arched at the squabbling group.
They were stunned into silence at the sudden and silent arrival of the Moon Princess, all looking guiltily at each other. None of the guilty parties said a word.
"I hope this doesn't happen again, because you all will be working together as a team to help protect not just the peace of the Moon but of your own planets as well," Serena stated with authority, her present tone seemingly so foreign compared to her normally joyful and kind one.
"Yes Princess," was heard from all of the arguing Princesses in shaky unison.
"Now that we are done, why don't we all go do something together? Swim, train, talk, whatever you all want -- we're going to be around each other for a while and I would like for all nine of us to become friends to rely on one another for anything," the petite blonde informed them.
Slowly, reluctantly at first, they all began to follow her so they could bond to each other.
The scenery around them began to melt and reform once more, this time standing in the central gardens of the Palace, these used for formal occasions and diplomatic meetings between the respective planetary leaders. Standing beside Queen Serenity was a fifteen-year-old Serena, waiting to see the King of Earth along with his wife and son.
The Royal duo didn't wait long as the Earth's royal family appeared before them via a teleport.
"Serenity, so nice to see you again!" Exclaimed the Queen of Earth as she and Queen Serenity stepped forward to embrace.
They parted and the King of Earth bowed courtesy to the Monarch of the Moon Kingdom, who returned his bow with a delicate curtsey. The Earth Royal's nineteen-year-old son stood off to the side, appearing to be bored by the entire thing. As the adults talked to each other Princess Serenity and Prince Darien were looking each other over, having never been introduced to one another before now.
Suddenly, both were thrust forward and were introduced to each other by their respective parents.
"Hello. I'm Princess Serenity," she murmured softly as she gave an elegant curtsy to the visiting Prince.
"I'm Prince Darien," the foreigner said abruptly, his tone bordering on rude as he looked over the King of Earth.
"Father, may I please go now?" "No, you are either going to stay with us or you may walk around with Princess Serenity here," replied his father sternly. "Fine, come on," Darien said in annoyance as he dragged her away, his grip painful on her slender wrist and his long stride causing her to stumble several times over her long skirts.
"So where are we going?" Serena asked the foreign Prince as she struggled to keep up.
"We are not going anywhere! I am going to find someone my own age. I don't feel like being around girls who try to act like they're mature but are really just trying to flirt with me," he said coldly as he jerked on her wrist before letting go, causing her to stumble as she regained her footing as he walked off.
As she walked back into the palace she heard laughter. She went to go see what was going on and what she saw surprised her. Peeking around a column, she saw Prince Darien was flirting with Mina, Lita, Raye, and Trista. She felt anger well up inside her and decided to go to the gym to work off the negative emotions welling inside her.
The 'ghosts' were forced by the vision to trail her and they entered the vast gym that was specifically designed for the use of the Scouts and in there they saw her training. Fast and ferocious despite her small stature, she trained with her sword for a while, garbed in the workout gear that was normally worn by the female members of the Lunar Royal Guard, her hair in a long braid wrapped around her head. But while she did the exercises she didn't see Amara in the shadows of the gym, so caught up in the frustration and anger she felt.
After several long moments, she fell to a knee and began to take several calming, cleansing breaths before standing once more and moving through a calmer, cool down routine with her blade.
"She hid it all this time?" Amara whispered in shock from the shadows, her eyes wide. She always knew how to fight, why didn't you tell us…or me at least, Rena. I thought we were friends…"
The Scout of Uranus spoke so softly she didn't think she was heard when the petite Princess came out of her cool down exercises and looked straight at the tomboyish-blonde.
"Because it gives me an advantage to use against enemies when they think I am unable to defend my self; we are friends, sometimes I think of you as a sister, but my mother wished this to be kept secret and you must keep it yourself now," Serena told Amara solemnly and smiled softly when the taller blonde nodded her head in agreement.
By now they had gotten used to the sudden distortion the vision used to take them to another scene of importance they needed to see from their shared past. Before them was a scene so awful, one none of them believed to have existed. The stood inside the Moon Princess's own private bedchambers, watching the petite princess sitting curled up in the farthest corner garbed in a pair of loose white breeches and soft pink tunic, her long hair unbound from its traditional style and pooling around her.
Blood dripped onto the hardwood floor beside her tiny stocking-clad feet. After a few quiet, unanswered knocks to the massive bedroom door, Queen Serenity came in to see if her daughter was awake when she saw what her daughter had done. Immediately the distressed Monarch ran over and took the small silver dagger from her daughter's frail hand, tossing it aside with one hand and healed her daughter's cuts with her free hand.
"Serena, why?" Queen Serenity's voice broke on a soft sob as she laced her long, slender fingers in her daughter's long blonde hair, stroking her daughter's hair like she had done when her little girl was young and needed soothing over the slightest nightmare.
"I shouldn't be princess…" Serena's voice was so small and almost inaudible even with how close the Queen sat to her distraught daughter. "Who told you this?" The Queen demanded, her voice hardening as she silently planned the punishment of the one who hurt her only daughter so deeply.
"No one," the petite blonde lied softly, averting her eyes. "Tell me right now, Serena." Queen Serenity insisted angrily, her face a mask of righteous, maternal fury.
"The Scouts… Save for Amara and Hotaru…but they didn't disagree," whimpered the young Princess. "They told me I was useless and should have never been Princess -- even Darien said that and he's supposed to love me, supposed to become my Husband. Aren't love and friendship grand, Mother?"
"Oh Honey," Queen Serenity sighed as she took the fragile Princess in her arms, holding her like when she was a small child once more, stroking Serena's blonde hair.
"They'll find out soon." With a sudden jarring that was nauseous to those involved, the vision came to an abrupt halt, and they all found themselves back in the Outer's living room in despair.
All had one thought in mind: How could we have done this to her?
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Thanks again to Beka for beta-ing my chapters beyond my expectations. You went all out and I'm very honored to have you as a beta.