Ok sorry for the delay, but it has been rough. Family Life. Sucks. People. Suck. Getting Dumped. Sucks So Bad. But hey, life goes on. Fortunately, I may be going on a cruise so I'm pullin for a good time there. So here is the next one. Man. You guys rock! Let me just say that. Each one of you guys are beyond awesome! So Thanks So Much! So here is the next one. Luv Yas!
I don't own Sailor Moon.
Collides With Beauty
By: Rini
Chapter 7: Something So Pure' Can you see it?'
Darien opened his eyes. He was on his back in a field of wildflowers. The ground was warm and soft beneath his prone form. He had to blink a few times to adjust to the light. He felt like he was floating, but also like he was completely grounded. He slowly stood to his feet; the white dress pants and shirt he wore ruffled slightly. Flowers. Beautiful flowers as far as the eye can see.
' Can you feel it?'
Darien heard the soft whisper and turned around. He gasped. There before him was a giant cherry blossom tree. It was nearly ten times larger than any blossom tree he had ever seen before. The flowers were a pale pink color and in the peak of blooming. The bark was a light brown color and wildflowers of cornflower blue grew around the base of the tree.
' Search for it.'
A sharp wind blew petals from the tree. Darien tried to shield his face as the petals flew all around him. As fast as the wind picked up, it slowed down again. Now there was just a soft breeze making the many blossom petals fall in a dance only the wind knew. He watched as a burst of light high above the tree started to float down towards him.
Petals fell through the light and became bright beacons themselves. He stared hard at the light and realized it wasn't just a light at all. It was a figure. It had long white wings that propelled it down. It was within his reach now and it extended its hand. Without thinking, Darien reached for it. Once he did, the light died away.
She was gorgeous. Her long flowing silver hair matched the silver in her blue eyes. Long blue ribbons floated out and her skirts swirled from the breeze. The glow came from her locket on her chest and inched its way through her whole being. Those eyes were so expressive. They showed compassion. They showed condemnation. They showed love. They showed hate.
But he knew those eyes anywhere. He knew this angel anywhere. She was Serena, or how he knew her now. It was Imperial Sailor Celestial Moon. The long strings from the ribbon on her back floated and grazed his arm. Her hair brushed his fingers as it drifted with each gust of wind. Her wings beat to keep her steady and her lips were a lush red.
' Open you eyes.'
Suddenly, the wings burst into an array of feathers that mixed with petals from the tree. Everything became a blur of red and white and Darien was forced to let go of her hand to shield his face. He felt a sharp stab of pain on his arms and something drip down. He opened his eyes from behind his arms and saw long cuts down them. They bleed a crimson color and stained his pure white shirt. It was the feathers. They were soft no more.
Another sharp blast of wind made the remaining feathers disappear. The petals stopped falling and Darien moved his arms again. He hissed as the movements tore at his wounds and caused more blood to drip down. Before him, the giant tree was dead. It was no more. It was a crystal column now. There were stairs that led up to a throne made of black quartz with dragons as the arm rests. The crest at the top was an inverted moon made of diamond.
' See the truth.'
A dark red light burst from in front of him. Large, black wings, much like a bat, opened up from around a being. It was a woman with long silver hair. Darien knew who it was, but he couldn't understand. It was Serena once more. The golden highlights in her hair were now dark red. Her dress was much like the one she wore as Princess Serenity. It was no longer the chaste white color, but a deep sinful red-black. There were no sleeves, but strings of black pearls much like in her Scout form. The gold trim at the top was now silver, but the white pearls remained. There was a silver chain around her waist. From it, hung beautifully crafted crosses and stars.
Darien gazed into her eyes. They were a glowing pupiless blue. There was no feeling behind them and they chilled his skin. There was nothing left of her to remind him of the Serena he knew and loved, but he felt her soul beat in his heart. What had become of her? Why wasn't she the angel she was just moments before?
' See the destruction.'
Her forehead glowed from a golden moon to a black inverted one. She extended her arm out and a sword appeared in her hand. She brought it in front of her and Darien could see it was only a few inches away from him. She brought it high above her head and he begged for her to stop. Swiftly, she brought it down and it slashed Darien across his chest.
Darien fell to one knee as his arms covered his wound. Blood splattered her pale porcelain skin, but she seemed unfazed. Her eyes stayed fixed on him. Those large blue orbs. There was nothing behind them now. There was no recognition from who she once was.
Darien stood up and tried to grab her arms, but he was pushed back. Someone stood up from the throne and walked down the stairs. He was a man with hair as white as snow. His white suit fitted him perfectly and his dark navy cape blew around him. He walked up to Serena and placed on her head a silver crown. He wrapped his arms around her waist and she wrapped hers up around his neck. His lips curved into a dark vicious smile.
Darien fought through pain to stand up. He tried to call out her name, but it fell on deaf ears. He tried to inch toward her to stop the man's hands from trailing over her body. The man whispered in her ears and she raised her sword once more. Darien took a step back and his feet splashed.
All around him, the floor was covered with blood.
' You alone have the power to stop this.'
The sword was brought swiftly down and Darien was thrown down to the ground. He opened his eyes again and thought he would be confronted with more blood. But he was back in the field of wildflowers. He sat up hurriedly and felt his arms for the cuts. Nothing was there. Even the slash on his chest was gone.
' Fate needs you.'
Darien saw the floating figure of Serena. She had large white-feathered wings and the bat-like wings as well. Her dress was back to the normal one she wore as Serenity, but the crown remained on her head along with the red in her hair. Her eyes were closed and the sound of the charms on the chain around her waist was the only sound. Petals fell around her like a light rainstorm.
' There are those who abuse power. He will try to use her for his own purpose. She will rise as a Queen and you shall choose her King. She will fall from grace before the war ends. The light will leave her, but only one can choose if it shall ever return.'
' How do I save her?'
' What you have seen is only a brief glimpse of what may come to pass. She has the power to save and he has the control to take it all away. She can walk this road of light or continue on this thin path of darkness. If he gets a hold of her, she will bring down the sword of silence. He will use his power to corrupt her. A river of blood shall flow.'
' How can I stop him?'
' By using the golden light you alone possess to penetrate the darkness that surrounds her. She will find it and return to you.'
' A golden light?'
' Fate has been altered. They will try to change Destiny. She has the potential of light and darkness. Only you can choose which road she takes.'
' Serena.'
' Listen my Prince. Destiny has changed, but the future hasn't been completely rewritten. There is still hope. Where there is hope, anything is possible. It is never too late to change what we might have been.'
' I won't let her fall into his grasp.'
' We all rely on you now. Please, rescue the Princess. Save our Salvation.'
Darien took a hesitant step forward. Was there really a potential in her to be both evil and good? Was he the only one who can bring her into the light? What if he failed? Darien reached for her hand and grasped it. It was as soft as the dress she wore. Oddly enough, it was warm. So many sensations ran through his mind.
' Will she let me save her?'
Behind Darien, a glowing entity appeared. The vague outlines of the figure showed it was a woman. Long hair was partially tied up and the rest flowed down and trailed on the floor in two streamers. Something bright glowed on her forehead and something else shone bright silver on her head. A long, thin white dress covered her slim body and crowded on the floor around her hair. Little else was able to be distinguished.
' Please protect her. She may believe now that she doesn't need it, but she is her most vulnerable. She will need all of you.'
Darien, still holding her hand, turned around and noticed the radiant woman.
' I will do what it takes. But tell me. Did you send me the last dream? The one of her death?'
' Protect the Queen.'
It was a downpour. A strong summer thunderstorm. The whole city stayed quiet and not a single person was outside. It was still warm from the encroaching summer heat, but the slight chill of the rain brought it to a comfortable temperature. There were no cars stuck in congested highways. There were no people walking the sidewalks. There were no animals even. Just a blissful silence.
Yet, for them, it was a dark foretelling of the silence coming.
Rain hit the ceramic tiles on the temple roof. It caused the breaking of the silence in the already too quiet abode. Water rushed down in waterfalls from the corners of the roof and made a nice display of colors where the light hit it against the bland white walls inside. The doors were left open and the hollow emptiness was filled with the sounds of rain struck wind chimes and splattered leaves.
" Where do we even begin?"
Raye sat on her knees, dressed in her temple robes, in the doorway to the fire room. Her hair was pooled around her and caught the embers of the fire burning in the room right behind her. Lita, in shorts and sweatshirt, had her arms crossed leaning against the pillar that held the outer awning up. There was a fierce look in her emerald eyes and her mouth was a thin line.
Amy sat with her back against the wall on Raye's right side. On her lap, the blue computer of Mercury, given to her what seemed like ages ago, was lighting up with different formulas and calculations, but not one of them seemed to provide an answer. Mina, with a skirt and a tank top on, sat on the ground near the few steps, directly in front of Raye and at Lita's feet. Her sandals were at her side and she let the rain drip down and soak her legs and feet.
" This is by far too confusing," Mina sighed, her eyes glued to the dark gray sky.
" This is just ridiculous. We should all be together," Raye added.
" Which is more of a reason why this is so ridiculous," Lita spoke a bit too aggressively.
" We just need to all calm down," Amy said peacefully," Let's start at the beginning and work from there. Can anyone remember anything about that man?"
" I remember," Raye began," that he held such deep spiritual power. There was this dark sinister presence that was controlling him. He held a purpose. He wasn't there to just show up for us. He came there for a reason."
" I can't imagine how my lightning powers had no effect on him. I mean that mirror. Where did he ever learn something like that?"
" But if he wanted to destroy you and me, Lita, he could have easily done it. I think he did this for show."
" But he took each of us down one by one. Why would he just do that for no reason other than to just impress us?" Mina asked.
" He told us his name, or rather, Serena did. Prince Diamond of the Black Moon Family," Lita spat.
" My computer has no information about him at all. It's either he doesn't exist in the past, somewhere far from here in the present, or in the distant future," Amy said.
" Well we have heard Emerald say she didn't want to be stuck in this time."
" Which means," Lita answered," They came from the future since we would have some memories of them from the past."
" But what I want to know is," Raye said softly," Why did they come back to the past? What's here they want?"
" That's easy. Rini," Mina answered.
" But didn't you hear Emerald and Rubeus yesterday? They had orders for Serena and us. They want something with us."
" They want us gone. All our enemies do," Amy replied halfheartedly.
" But that isn't all. You heard Emerald and Rubeus last night. They came for Serena. They came because of Diamond."
" You're right Mina. Also, they were afraid of disobeying Diamond. Obviously, he's in charge of everything."
Mina stood up and leaned against the pillar and sighed.
" What's wrong Mina?" Amy asked concerned.
" I was with Serena until the end, before Diamond knocked me out. I saw him take each of you down and Serena didn't lift a finger. I was the last one left with her before Diamond turned on me too. She left right when he was going after me. She just got up and left."
Raye stood up and shouted," So what are you saying?"
Mina turned around and frowned," I think she knew. I think she knew Diamond was coming and she didn't want to help us. I think there's more to what Diamond is up to. He wanted Serena alone for something and he was eager to get us out of the way. Besides, you saw how fast Diamond pulled her away after the dance."
" The dance," Amy sighed.
Lita punched the wall," I thought she was really going to be with us again. I thought we were going to be a team again. But then she goes and does this."
Amy stood up," I do think one thing is clear. Emerald and Rubeus will stop at nothing to attack any of us and they want Rini. Diamond wants Serena for some reason and we can't allow him to take her. We have our duty to protect Rini and Serena."
Mina smiled," You're right. Our duty is to protect our Princess."
Raye smirked," Even if she is being a royal pain."
" But guys," Lita started," You forgot one other person we have to worry about."
Darien pressed his hand against the cold glass door that led to his balcony. He leaned his tall frame against the enclosure of the glass door and rested his arm. He then watched all the streets empty of all citizens and how nothing was left beside dark storm clouds and pouring rain. He closed his clouded eyes and rested his head down to the glass.
His head pounded. His nights were plagued with horrible dreams of death and loss. But this new dream he had, he was unable to explain it all. He could remember the pure joy on her face and the warmth her hand caused soaked into his weary being. He seemed to just absorb her spirit into his self. Then there was the dark Serena. Those eyes haunted his dreams and he could still remember her drawing her sword against him.
Was this really the Fate for the Princess?
Was she really going to become this monster?
Then he opened his eyes once more.
' Protect the Queen.'
Was Serena really going to become Queen one day?
Was it really within his own power to shape the future?
Darien opened his eyes and gazed into the eyes of his reflection. He once prided himself on looking composed and reflecting inner calm. Dark bags were prominent under his eyes. His hair was a tangled mess and hadn't been combed since he awoke from his nightmare. He was mostly unshaven, but subtle stubble was barely even grown. He was thinner he noticed, from lack of eating. He was a real mess.
Yet, the one thing that could save him was absent. He needed the vibrant spirit he found in Serena. She had the glow that connected him to the world. He drew on her happiness to make himself smile. Her warm infectious energy pushed him to remove all negative thoughts. When he was with her, all things seemed possible. Nothing was beyond his reach. He could do whatever he wanted. He had her and he would do anything for her. But what about now? Where would he draw his strength from now?
Rain poured down harder now. It only seemed to mirror his inner turmoil.
" If something is going to take Serena away, I'll do anything to protect her. I love her and I refuse to let anyone take away her light. But this other dream. It warns me to stay away or else she'll die. If I have to protect her from everything, even myself, than so be it. If only to see her smile again."
It was getting colder out. It was day, but the rain blocked out the afternoon sun. She sat on the roof. Her left leg was stretched out long while her right leg was folded; her knee pointed up to the rapidly darkening sky. She was slightly hunched forward, her back making a slight curve. Her eyes were transfixed on nothing in particular, but absorbed in every detail around her.
Rain clung to her body like second skin. Her scout outfit was soaked through and clung uncomfortably to her. The curls in her hair were weighed down by the constant rainwater and dripped down her arms and on the roof. Water dripped down steadily from her nose and down her cheeks. Small droplets stuck to her eyelashes and made her steady vision cloud occasionally. Water dripped down from her fingertips and joined the stream that flowed off the roof.
Serena, Imperial Sailor Celestial Moon, tilted her head up to the rain and closed her eyes. The rain was a godsend that washed away the despair of hopelessness. After yesterday, what more could she want?
Imperial Moon cradled Darien's head in her lap. Tears streaked her face and fell down onto his shirt. She wrapped her arms around his neck and put her head against his. She cried softly. She almost lost him. She was so close to losing the only person she could ever love. What would she have done if she had been too late?
" Darien," Imperial wept," Please open your eyes. Please tell me you're ok?"
Darien just continued to breathe softly.
Imperial pushed a strand of dark hair from his eyes," I know you can hear me. Please. I'm begging you. Open your eyes."
Darien coughed violently and his head fell to the side.
Imperial looked up and saw the fire around them burning higher and out of control. She let Darien down and kissed his forehead softly. Standing up, she pulled out her locket and prayed for the power to make the fire vanish. She pulled her crystal out and beads of sweat formed on her forehead. The crystal glowed a faint silver and the fire slowly died down until it was gone. Imperial Moon collapsed to the ground, her breathing rapid.
' Serena. Are you all right?'
' I'm tired. I've never used the crystal this much before.'
' Don't worry Serena. Rest now. I'll use my strength towards the crystal. Try to conserve your energy.'
Imperial slowly pushed herself up with her arms. The girls. Each of them was passed out over the beach. They appeared to be all right, but they were still unconscious. Sailor Venus was not far from her and Imperial clawed her way over to her. Pushing Venus on her back, Imperial saw her mouth was slightly parted and she was seemingly unharmed.
" Venus? Venus can you hear me?"
Imperial turned around," Mars! Jupiter! Mercury! Anyone!"
Nothing stirred on the beach.
Imperial started to cry and she pounded the sand," I swore I would be strong enough to protect each of you. I didn't want any of this to happen. I wish I could have saved you sooner."
' Serenity.'
' Yes Serena?'
' I want them to be safe.'
' Of course.'
Imperial pulled out the crystal once more. Praying deeply with both her spirits, Imperial wished to send each of the girls to the shrine to protect them from future harm. Each of the girls floated up into the air and their transformations faded. Each of them was engulfed in their respective colors and they disappeared.
Imperial Moon staggered to her feet and walked over to Darien.
" I'm sorry Darien. I thought it would be so easy to give in to you, but I can't give you what you want. I have to stop Diamond. He is after me and I won't risk your life for that. This is my battle. Forgive me."
Using her crystal again, Darien glowed a muted golden color and disappeared as well. She fell back onto her back and stared up at the tiny pinpricks of light in the velvet of night. Her mind was reeling and finding it hard to concentrate on anything. Her eyes fought desperately to stay open, but this was one battle she was finding difficult to win.
' Serena. There is just enough power left in us both to go home. I can take you to your room, but we're going to have to rest after this.'
' Go ahead. I'm ready.'
Drawing power for the last time, Serena lost her transformation and was swept away in a flurry of feathers and silver starlight.
Imperial Moon opened her eyes and stood up straight. She had slept late into the afternoon after the serious drain of energy she suffered last night.
" My weakness last night almost cost me everything. I had let myself be drug into them again with false hope. I was so blind. I almost lost them, all of them. But I can't afford to repeat my mistakes. I can't allow myself to be tricked again into believing everything can work out so easily."
Imperial Moon pulled out her scepter and clutched it to her chest.
" There is too much on the line. I can't join the Scouts and I can't let myself forgive Darien just yet. If I am going to protect everyone, I need to keep them away. The game has a higher ante now. Diamond won't stop now. I have to fight harder."
' Don't worry. We have all the power to stop him. Diamond will find it's harder to steal the Moon Princess than he thought. We'll give him a true fight worthy of royalty.'
" Serena," a timid voice called.
Imperial Moon let her transformation fade away. Serena turned around and eyed the little girl and cat on the roof.
Serena put her hands on her hips," Rini! Why are you up here on the roof? It's too dangerous."
" I came looking for you because Mama has finished making lunch for us."
" Come Serena," Luna purred," You need to keep your strength up."
Serena smiled and shook her head," You two are more than enough to keep me on my toes."
Rini smiled and hopped down the roof to climb into Serena's bedroom window. Luna followed closely behind her.
Serena brushed a white curl from her face, sending out a torrent of water drops everywhere that were quickly lost in the rain.
" Yes. It will be a fight worthy of royalty. Watch out Diamond. The Moon Princess is coming."