Author's Note
I don't OWN Sailor Moon…. Yet the story concept is mine…. Please don't take it without my consent…. PLEASE……….
How was that for a twin standard? Ha ha ha! I rule the world! Oh wait, that's OOC for the author… oops. Anyhow, this one took awhile to come out because it is exam week and they are ridiculously hard. I'd rather write more chapters for this than those exams any day. My brain is still reeling from the five page paper I was forced to write….well, go ahead and read on… And yes, this is a serious chapter title…
Serena or Catarina?
Chapter 6: We Hate Terrance
"I'm happy to hear that you all survived the assault. In fact, in some ways I'm sure Catarina feels responsible for what happened to you and your people," the guard explained. "She always was the very regal and overbearing at first sight, but honestly a very generous princess. Her mother never caught her, but she would always sneak food to the servants, especially the ones that were sickly or unable to work. You and her look exactly alike, you know. She had this amazing presence to her people. She would have been a great queen."
"What do you mean would have?"
"We lost contact with her after a transmission around the time of the fall of the Silver Millennium. Many feared her dead, but Terrance, the man who was in here, was almost too certain she was alive. Low and behold he sent Aspera to Earth, who returned with you. It seems like Her Highness truly has died."
"Don't say that," Serena replied, picking herself up, her body freezing now. "If she was alive and near my mother at that time, I have no doubt in my mind that she is well. In fact, I can feel it in my soul that she is."
"Well, um," he said, and produced a blanket. "It may not seem like much, but if you place that under your covers you will be much warmer tonight. I'll remove it when you wake, so that no one sees it."
"Wait, you want me to play along?" Serena asked.
"Well, you can stick with your story. But please don't remove all doubt. If there's still hope, they will not harm you," the guard replied sheepishly. "It's just we've never been too kind to strangers."
"How come you are? And what's your name?"
"I am Guard Thomas, as Aspera explained," the guard said, bowing quickly. "In fact, it's because of the princess that I understand. I watched over her ever since I joined the castle guard. She's read so many books and shared them with me, that it's almost like we have the same mind—or at least I thought we did. I tried to tell her about Terrance's inability to respect those beneath him, and she warned me to never speak in her presence or I should fear for my life."
"I need to warn Darien somehow of what's coming," Serena explained. "Otherwise he'll walk right into the fight with no one there to help him."
"I doubt you should worry about that," the guard said to her. "Just get some rest and we'll deal with it in the morning after your lessons."
"Lessons?" Serena wondered as she went to the closet, found a nightgown and changed. She then picked up the blanket which had been left folded neatly upon the ice, and went to the chilling bed. After getting in with the blanket wrapped around her body she found that it was indeed very warm... After a personal debate she wrapped her head up in the blanket as well and quickly fell asleep…
"So I'm leaving late?" Catarina asked Lita in her Serena voice. Lita shuddered a little, but nodded.
"Yes, and I'm staying with you for today so that you can adjust into Serena's lifestyle. That, and you'll need someone to explain her family to you."
"Family?" Catarina choked, as Lita laughed. "What?"
"That sounded exactly like her when it comes to tests. She's not married though. I meant her parents and her brother!" Lita replied.
"You said we were leaving about five minutes before the first bells?" Catarina asked, as Lita nodded. "We have about two minutes."
Lita came to life as she ran out the door and Catarina followed…
Serena awoke to the voice of Guard Thomas, who was gently shaking her.
"Quickly," he whispered, Serena barely awake. "Aspera is coming. You need to be in the closet before she arrives."
Serena jumped at the mention of her name and was in the closet before even he knew what had happened. She heard him remove the blanket, as he had promised, and leave the room. Swiftly grabbing a dress and throwing it on, she noticed that Aspera was in the room before she could even pull her hair up.
"Come my Lady, you must attend your lessons," Aspera said.
"But what about my hair?" Serena asked, as Aspera shook her head.
"That silly hairstyle is out of fashion anyhow. Just come along," she said, as Serena started to feel more spite for the woman who had been claiming to be her savior. But before she even reached the door, Aspera looked at her attire. "This will not do."
"What?" Serena demanded, as her brooch was taken and placed on the dresser.
"That was clashing with the rest of the outfit," she said simply, as the two stepped out of the room, Serena feeling something mighty close to rage…
"Serena!" Ms. H shouted, as Catarina shuddered. Amy was telling her what to do through a feed in her ear under the pretense of going to the bathroom. "This is only Monday! Can't you ever be on time? In fact, your little friend Molly has better attendance than you. Start learning from her about good time management!"
"Sorry," Catarina replied, bowing.
"Now sit out in the hall for the rest of class and if I hear you then you'll be in for detention. Understand?"
"Yes ma'am," Catarina replied, scooting out the door and standing in front of it. Down the hall Lita was just now exiting as well, and the two smiled at one another. Then everyone heard the shout.
"OH ENDYMION! LOVER OF SERENITY! COME OUT OR THIS BUILDING WILL BE FROZEN OVER!"
There was a split second of silence, then came the cries of panic as students ran out of the doors, and Lita grabbed Catarina by the arm.
"We have to go! They need—Catarina?"
"I know that voice," Catarina said, and ran of her own accord to the stairwell, fighting against the masses as she headed to the top. Lita barely caught up with her, as she grabbed her shoulder.
"Wait, we need you to look like Sailor Moon if you're going to run up there."
"She doesn't look the same?" Catarina asked, as Lita held the Lunar Disguise Pen. "I guess not."
"Say Lunar Disguise Pen, turn me into Sailor Moon," Lita said, as Catarina held the pen over her head.
"Lunar Disguise Pen! Turn me into Sailor Moon!" Catarina shouted, as she suddenly looked like a certain warrior of justice, a scepter included. Lita grabbed her transformation pen.
"You'll probably meet up with Amy at the top. She'll fill you in," Lita replied, as Catarina nodded and continued the climb to indeed meet with Amy.
"I'm Sailor Mercury now," she explained. "You're Sailor Moon, Lita is Sailor Jupiter. The others might show, they might not. Right now we have a catch phrase you need to learn really quick."
"A catch phrase?" Catarina asked, worried…
"Wow, it's even colder outside," Serena noted.
"I know. It's magnificent," Aspera replied, totally oblivious to Serena's obvious complaint. They arrived at a frozen lake, and Serena saw that there was a small crowd.
"What's all this?" Serena asked, afraid of the answer.
"Your first ice skating session in ages," Aspera replied. "You must remember at least the basics of ice skating."
"Not really," Serena admitted. "But I can try."
"That you will. We'll work on your favorite routine!" Aspera said. "Now follow me and do what I do."
Aspera started to skate to gather speed, which Serena discovered she was handling much better than the first time she had so long ago with Lita and Amy. Then came an unexpected spin and back flip, with which Serena was forced to oblige. As she started the flip, she saw that she was going to land wrong and right into the snow, as she prepared for the awkward landing, and avoided breaking bones. Aspera sighed.
"It seems we're going to be working on this for some time," she said. Serena, who was not too surprised, nodded.
"Look, I don't know how many times I have to tell you before you believe me, but I'm not Catarina. I'm Serenity," Serena said in response, as Aspera laughed.
"Still sticking to that story after surviving the night? Well, I guess we'll have to keep playing along. You Majesty, if you still don't remember this routine, we'll just have to work on it later. Let us retire to the study, were Professor Greenwich is awaiting your arrival."
"Professor Greenwich?" Serena asked, having a sinking feeling.
"Yes, your language professor. You always were fond of his lectures."
"Lectures?" Serena gasped.
"Yes, and I'm sure he'll be expecting nothing less than perfection, it being your first day back and all."
"Perfection…. Oh my God, how in heaven's name did they confuse me with Catarina?" Serena thought, looking up to the well-lit sky. An image of Darien popped in her mind. "Oh my love, please be careful. Don't let that man harm you for my error."
"Come Your Majesty!" Aspera said, as Serena reluctantly followed her to the professor…
Author's Note
Hey everyone… I've made a semi-forced decision (a friend of mine talked me into it this week as we ate lunch and all). I'm going to start updating every Wednesday (or at least attempt to). See you all next week!