Ok here is Chapter 10. So this is gonna be my last chapter until I get back from my week long vacation so this is gonna be the last one for a little while. Dear god do I need a vacation. So this chapter I made a little longer to hold yas over lol. So here is the overly dramatic chapter! Read n Review! Luv Yas!
I don't own Sailor Moon.
Collides With Beauty
By: Rini
Chapter 10: Betrayal
He sipped from his glass. Everything was perfect. He gazed into the murky color of the deep red wine. The color absorbed all the light that dared to shine in it. He swirled the glass slightly and he watched as the liquid licked the edges of the fine crystal before pooling back down in the bottom of the glass once more. The wine had a fine distinct aroma. It was powerful and not at all sweet.
" Just like you my darling."
She was already adapting to her darker sides better than he could have hoped. Her dress was a deep red scarlet. The neckline was much the same as her old dress had been, in fact, it was nearly the same. This dress, however, had a lower neckline and revealed more pale skin then his senses could handle at once. The gold was now replaced by silver on her bodice instead. Strings of black pearls served as the sleeves to her dress much like the white she once wore as a warrior.
Her hair was longer now, reaching just past her hips down to stay halfway down her thighs. It was a shimmery silver color he had grown to love, but the gold highlights deepened to a totally different color of deep red, much like her dress. A chain, a gift from him, was around her waist ornate with small silver crosses each uniquely different than the one before.
She stayed as emotionless as possible. Her eyes never portrayed neither an emotion nor whisper, but they were completely devoted to his every word. They were empty blue orbs that never strayed. They were resilient and beautiful. They were strength and calm. Her face stayed as tranquil as her eyes. She neither smiled nor frowned. She simply gazed into the abyss that was now her life.
Diamond sat upon his black crystal throne and looked down at the face of the woman who had stolen his heart. She looked forward, but saw nothing. Her beauty was priceless to him and now he had her. He reached his hand out to her and she walked slowly and gracefully up the three black quartz steps to Diamond's throne. She kneeled down and sat on her legs, her head resting on his leg.
Diamond curled his fingers around her silken locks.
" One perfection deserves another correct."
Diamond took his eyes off of the woman at his feet to gaze up at the cloaked figure before the steps. The figure's face was completely cast in shadow from the black hood he wore, if indeed it was a he. Hands and arms of different color prisms of light encircled around a glowing crystal globe. The figure floated with its legs crossed, but whether it had legs was something of its own. It's entire body was covered in the black cloak he wore and not a single part of his body could be seen, other than the arms. It's voice sent shivers down even the bravest of people's spine. It's voice was disjointed and had an awkward echoing effect.
" Wiseman," Diamond spoke.
" You have succeeded in getting what you have desired."
" Yes. Why did you come back? Is Sapphire with you?"
" Sapphire is dealing with his own business in the future. I have come here once I felt the power of the Silver Crystal sway."
" Princess Serenity of the 20th Century has willingly given herself to me as my queen. She has chosen her own path and now walks the road with me."
" Then the Silver Crystal is ours."
Diamond glared," The Silver Crystal is mine. As is she. No one is to lay a hand on her or her crystal."
" Your Highness."
Emerald strutted into the room. Her hips swayed side to side in a seductive dance that she had often used to lure in her enemies. She shivered at the sight of Wiseman before her, but that was shortly lived. Her attention was quickly drawn to the young maiden at the feet of her loving prince whose hands were wrapped around her. Emerald despised her with all her wicked heart.
" Yes Emerald. Why have you disturbed us?"
Emerald bowed," Rubeus and I have come up with a new plan. If you are still returning to the future with the Moon Princess, we should be able to quickly dispose of the Earth Prince and the remaining Sailor Scouts, as well as retrieving the Rabbit."
Diamond wrapped his arms around Serenity and softly drew up her into his lap. He turned her head so he could gaze into her ocean blue eyes. He smiled to her and kissed her forehead.
" My Prince," Emerald all but growled out," Your orders?"
" I believe the Prince has a much better plan," Wiseman answered.
Diamond stroked Serenity's cheek," Indeed I do."
" It just can't possibly be true."
" Well it is!"
" I knew we couldn't have trusted her new powers after all."
" Don't even say that!"
Amy shook with uncontrolled rage and unshed tears," Lita! You know better than any of us that Serena would not have done this with or without her new powers."
Lita shook her head," Amy. I want to believe as much as you that Serena didn't disappear with Diamond, but the truth is she did and she did it of her own free will."
" Amy," Raye began," You must understand. You know something hasn't been right with Serena since she got those weird new powers and that transformation. She hasn't been the Sailor Moon we know and love."
" Because we haven't been her Scouts," Mina answered remorsefully.
Amy, Raye, and Lita stood arguing inside the Fire Room to the shrine. Darien and Mina, her heading leaning on his shoulder, sat outside on the deck just outside of the room. Mina sighed as she struggled to get the words out, but she was just too choked up. Darien was yet to say a single thing and you could practically feel the endless waves of regret and sorrow seeping from him.
Lita shuffled across the floor over to Mina and picked her up by the collar of her shirt.
" You take that back!" Lita fought to say through the tears.
" Lita!" Amy yelled.
" This isn't the answer!" Raye replied.
" Take it back," Lita cried out.
" She's right."
Lita put Mina down to stare at Darien. His button down shirt was left open at the collar and his eyes were dark and troubled from lack of sleep and stress. His shirt was wrinkled and his pants were too. His hair was combed through to say the least, but not as polished as it used to be. His head was in his hands and he slowly stood up to face the girls.
" Look at us. We needed Serena. She was the one keeping us together. Without her, we fall apart. We need her to stay together and we couldn't even do that. Not to even save her!"
" Darien," Lita sighed.
" I have done a lot of stupid hurtful things to her. I can't make up for the things I said. I can't take back the actions I've taken against her. But this, this is not what I wanted for her. I thought that even though we weren't together, that at least she would have all of you."
" I'm sorry," Raye spoke softly.
" Sorry? Sorry won't turn back the past. Sorry isn't going to bring her back. Sorry isn't going to make her magically appear."
" Darien," Amy began," We know we acted wrong towards her. We know as well as you do that this isn't getting us anywhere. We need to work together and get her back."
" What if she doesn't want to come back?" Mina whispered.
" Don't," Darien shouted," Don't even say that!"
" We let her go once. We can bring her back."
" But Lita. This isn't as though she as was kidnapped. She choose to leave."
Darien sat down again on the edge of the deck," I should have stopped this."
Mina sat next to him and hugged him tightly," Don't blame yourself."
" No. You don't understand. I saw this happening. I could have stopped all of this."
" Darien. What are you trying to say? Did you know that Serena was going to leave?"
" I had a dream not long ago. In it, a woman was speaking to me. She showed me Serena as Imperial Moon and she reached out to take my hand, but then everything around us changed. She had white wings, but they closed around her and they became black bat wings. She changed into this dark Princess."
" Then what happened?"
" She had these dark clothes on. She was like Princess Serenity, but she was the exact opposite, like a dark copy. Diamond sat on this throne and he walked to her and gave her this long sword. He held her and kissed her and then she cut me with the sword. I was on my knees in blood when she raised the sword again, but before she could deliver the last blow it changed again.
This time I was back in the field where I found Imperial Moon, only this time there was another copy of Serena. She was half Imperial and half dark Princess, like she was trapped between two different versions of herself. Then the woman appeared and told me I had the power to stop it. She told me it was only one possible outcome."
" Did she say anything else?"
" She said I had the power to choose her King. She said he had the power to change her and corrupt her. She said he would use her. That she would fall from grace and bring down the sword of silence. She said I was the only one who could save her by using the golden light. She'll find it and return to us."
" She must have meant Diamond. Diamond will use her and take her power."
" Or worse," Amy spoke.
" He could take the Silver Crystal," Lita replied.
" But," Mina began," What is this golden light she spoke of?"
Darien shook his head," I don't know."
Raye stood up and walked into the fire room and sat before the Great Fire," We have a lot to deal with right now. These dreams were sent to you for a reason Darien. Whoever sent them to you knew that only you could reach Serena. That's why we can't give up. There has been a cloud over my vision of late."
Amy shook her head," We've all been clouded. We should have stuck together and not try to pick fights."
Mina raised her voice," We have made too many mistakes and come too far to let it all go to waste now. We'll fight Diamond and save Serena from him."
Lita punched the wall," Then we'll stick together as a team and destroy the Black Moon Family and bring peace to our world."
Raye closed her eyes," It's time we accept our faults. Serena is the glue that binds us together. We love and need her. We should never have doubted her."
Darien looked up into the blue sky.
Mina is right. We have come too far. The past is behind us now. We'll make a future together now. Just you and me.
Darien stood up," No more mistakes. We play for keeps now. Let's save Serena and get back our peace."
Everyone nodded their heads, making the solemn promise to do whatever it took to bring about the peace she would have wanted.
An explosion sounded off in the distance.
Darien quickly transformed into Tuxedo Mask and readied a handful of roses.
" Let's go!"
" Looks like our week of waiting has come to an end!"
" Let's make it count Scouts!"
" Venus Star Power!"
" Mars Star Power!"
" Mercury Star Power!"
" Jupiter Star Power!"
Flashes of light blended together as a group of warriors ran off to reclaim their fallen Princess.
" I still say this is a waste of time."
" Why would that be Emerald? Is it because you won't have your wish of bedding our Prince?"
" Shut up Rubeus. We have the Silver Crystal and the Princess. We should just leave and use the girl to change Time."
Rubeus sent a blast out that destroyed a car," I agree. We shouldn't give them a chance to get her back."
" This plan is pointless. We should just use her power to destroy those pesky Scouts in the future."
" Then where would that leave us then Emerald?" a stern voice called.
Diamond appeared with Serenity held in his arms.
" My Prince," Emerald gasped.
" You can destroy the Scouts in the future, but that doesn't change the fact they'll live here in the past. If you want to stop a problem, you stop it at the source."
Rubeus bowed," We do as you command your Highness."
" Jupiter Thunderclap Zap!"
A disk of lightning struck Rubeus as his back was turned, bringing him swiftly to his knees.
" Mars Celestial Fire Ignite!"
" Mercury Shine Aqua Illusion!"
Ice collided into Emerald and covered her head to toe in the thick cold ice. Fire flew out to Diamond, who quickly put up a shield to deflect it.
" Venus Love Chain Encircle!"
A golden chain of gilded hearts came from behind Diamond and wrapped around his arm and tugged him back roughly, dropping the arm holding Serenity close. A black blur leapt down and scooped up the woman and then leapt off again. Enraged, Diamond made a ball of black energy and sent it flying at the blur, hitting the back of the man dead on. He let out a grunted moan and fell to the ground, releasing the woman, who slid along the paved road.
" I can't believe you would be as stupid as to think you could take her right form my own arms like that. Shame on you Prince Endymion for that costly mistake."
Tuxedo Mask tried to push himself off from the ground, but he could barely get his arms to stop shaking long enough to push himself anywhere.
" Well," Tuxedo Mask laughed," It was worth a shot."
Diamond shook his head," Now you have hurt her. That wasn't so wise."
Rubeus and Emerald drew energy into their hands and stood in front of Diamond, aiming directly at Mask.
" I don't think so!"
Sailor Venus, Mars, Mercury, and Jupiter jumped out from their different hiding places and stood in front of the injured prince, still trying to get up off the ground. They dropped into defensive stances and were ready to strike at any moment.
" Such petty little girls," Emerald laughed.
" Why don't you come say that over here!" Jupiter yelled.
" Emerald. Let's make ending the world fast," Rubeus joked.
" Make it as painful as possible," Diamond replied with a smirk covering his flawless face.
Emerald and Rubeus blasted the Scouts with a wave of power and then quickly dove in for a fight. Jupiter jumped in with Mercury to battle Rubeus while Mars and Venus tackled Emerald head on. Diamond floated up into the air, his cold calculating eyes never straying from her eyes.
" Serena," Tuxedo Mask groaned.
He used his arms and elbows to pull himself over to Serenity who had yet to move. Her hair pooled around her prone form and her arms remained close to her chest. Her eyes never blinked and stayed as serene as ever. Mask pushed her over onto her back and gazed into her eyes. They were nothing like he remembered them being, but precisely like in his nightmare.
" Can you move?"
There was no response. Her face didn't show anything and her body stayed as still as ever. She looked up at him, but he doubted she was looking at him at all. He framed her face and checked her body for any bruises. Nothing was visible and nothing, not even her delicate dress, seemed out of place or torn.
" Please say something to me."
' You have the power to choose her King.'
" How can I choose anything for you when I can't even choose the right path for myself?"
" Mars Celestial Fire Surround!"
" Venus Love Chain Encircle!"
Mars' fire spun around Venus' chain and struck Emerald dead on and sent her crashing into the ground. Her eyes widened as she brushed a few flecks of blood off from the corner of her mouth.
" Jupiter Thunderclap Zap!"
" Mercury Shine Aqua Illusion!"
Jupiter threw out her lighting from the left as Mercury sent out her ice attack to his right. Rubeus was hit full on in-between and brought crashing down to his knees.
" What the hell?" Emerald coughed out.
" What's going on here?" Rubeus choked.
Venus sent out her attack once more and chained Emerald and Rubeus together while Mercury sent out her attack and froze them in place. Jupiter gathered lightning in her palms while Mars held her hands together in a gun-like position, ready to call on her fire at a moment's notice.
" You two seem incapable of even the smallest of tasks."
Diamond floated down to the ground and started to walk over towards where the Scouts held the two captive.
" Don't even try it!"
" One wrong move," Mars yelled.
" And they get shocked and fried!" Jupiter finished.
" Then if you're going to do it. Don't stand there and do it."
" How can you be so heartless?" Tuxedo Mask asked as he carried Serenity in his arms.
" I don't call it heartless. I call it doing what needs to be done."
" My Prince! We have only but served you!"
" My Love! Give us another chance!"
" Silence. You're failures have weighed the honor of your Prince down."
" But we have only ever served your cause," Emerald pleaded.
" Then your service is over," Diamond replied coldly.
He raised his hand up and created a long spear of black energy. He threw it up into the sky and it hovered before coming down like a meteor and striking the ground where Emerald and Rubeus once were. The Scouts and Tuxedo Mask were thrown back from the brunt of the shock wave that ensued from such a powerful attack. Tuxedo Mask clutched Serenity to his chest as he took the hard crash to the ground to protect her. The Scouts laid strewn upon the battle-scorched street.
" That is how you defeat someone properly."
" You're a cold cruel man who doesn't deserve to be Prince."
" Ah yes. The fiery spirit of Mars that I've heard so much about."
" How can anyone be so heartless to their own allies?"
" Compassion from Venus. What a useless trait."
Diamond stood there and watched as the Scouts slowly stood up and tried to get into defensive stances once more. His smirk returned again and he crossed his arms.
" They just never learn."
" Serena? You alright?"
Tuxedo Mask had cradled her smaller form to his body and tried to smile up to her, but his whole body was in constant numb pain.
" I guess I turned out to be some knight in shining armor huh? I can't even save the princess, let alone myself."
Mask laughed, but had to stop to wince in pain instead. Serenity's head slowly cocked to the side as she looked down at him. His smiled seemed vaguely familiar in the mist of her mind. Yet the familiarity was short lived at best as her eyes drooped lower and she rested her head on him again.
" I know you probably want to forget you ever met me before, but I can't just let you go like that. I need you too much to just give up."
Her head lifted again and she raised a delicate hand to trace his face. She moved her fingers across his lips, slightly swollen and bloody. His chin was firm. His nose defined. His cheeks soft. The more she felt his face the more the pieces started to chip away. She then grasped both hands on each side of his mask. What was beneath it she found herself wondering?
" Come my love. Come to my side."
Serenity's hands swiftly fell and she stood up and walked to Diamond's side and wrapped her arms around his waist.
" Serena! Snap out of it!" Venus yelled.
" Come on Sailor Moon!" Jupiter cheered.
" We believe in you!" Mercury and Mars shouted together.
" Tsk tsk. You underestimate my love here."
" Stop calling her that. Her name is Serena and she isn't your love," Tuxedo Mask called out as he rose to his feet and took out his staff.
" Well then. If she is the friend and Princess you all so desire, then she won't do as I command."
Diamond held out his hand and a burst of light appeared above it. A long sword with a long silver blade with runes carved into it fell into his open hand. The hilt of the sword was in the shape of a phoenix covered with rubies, gold, and diamonds.
" I had this sword crafted as the counter piece to my own dragon sword. I had this specially made for my future Queen," Diamond said.
He placed the sword in Serenity's right hand.
" So if she is your friend still, she won't follow my orders. Kill them all," Diamond commanded.
" Serena you can't!"
Serenity's grip tightened on the sword and she brought it up to waist level, gripped by both hands. The blade gleamed in the captured sunlight and was raised high above her head. Swiftly, it was brought down to crash into the earth below and a wave of red power shot out.
The Scouts were quick to dodge it, but the beam was powerful. It singed off the back bow from Mercury's uniform. They all regrouped together, but were forced to scatter as Serenity sent yet another power wave at them.
" Guys! This isn't working!" Venus shouted, sounding more annoyed than worried.
" We need to single her off."
" But how do you intend to do that?" Jupiter asked.
" That's not correct," Mercury spoke.
" So what's you big idea?" Mars scoffed.
" We need to appeal to her emotional side."
" How the hell do you suggest we do that?"
The impromptu meeting was forced to end quickly as another attack flew their way again. This time, Tuxedo Mask joined again in yet another quick meeting.
" I think we have this all wrong," Tuxedo Mask said.
" Oh really?"
" Remember what I said before? Back at the shrine?"
" Please don't start on that golden light again."
" It's our only hope Jupiter."
" How do we even know if you have this golden light? How can we even be sure it'll work?"
" Because we need a little faith," Mars replied.
" Then I guess we need to be a distraction," Venus sighed.
" Just try to get her attention away long enough for me to get near her."
" Something tells me this is going to hurt in the morning."
" Luna!"
" Artemis?"
Artemis climbed up the tree and jumped in through the open window. Luna rushed over to his aid with Rini close on her heels.
" Artemis? What's going on?"
" Luna. We have a serious problem here. I was doing more research like you and Serena told me to and I found some serious stuff out."
" Artemis where is Serena?" Luna firmly asked.
" She was taking captive by Diamond. She has been gone for a week. The Scouts and Darien knew. They are fighting right now with Diamond and Emerald and Rubeus. I picked up something powerful in the city and I traced it to them."
" Why didn't they tell us before?" Rini cried.
" My guess is to protect you, but we have to hurry."
" How did you get all of this information Artemis?"
" I found a way to use the old Moon Kingdom computer to hack Mercury's palm computer. I found the last data she put in and that's what I found out."
" I thought Serena had something else planned when she left, but we have to help to help them!"
" Luna. I'm coming too."
" It's too dangerous. I was told to keep you safe. You must stay here."
" My parents are out there fighting each other. I can't feel Serena anymore. Something is seriously wrong and I have to help them anyway I can!"
" She's definitely Serena and Darien's daughter alright."
" Then we know better than to stand in her way. Artemis. Rini. Let's go!"
" Wow. That was incredibly stupid."
Venus stayed motionless on the ground with a silly smile on her face.
" Yeah," Jupiter laughed," Not smart to charge the girl with a big sword."
Mercury laid limp against a broken street light while Mars was covered in glass from the window that broke around her when she hit the wall.
Serenity held her sword out and red cords shot out from the hilt and up. One red cord wrapped around each of the Scouts and send shocks out that made them all scream. Tuxedo Mask threw a rose that cut the cords and made them disappear. He then fell to one knee as Serenity charged him and hit him with the blunt side on the sword.
" Why can't you just face it? Nothing any of you can do can stop or change the fact that she no longer cares about you."
" Diamond. You are such an-," Tuxedo Mask began as he was hit again.
" It's rather pointless. I tried to tell you that."
" Why don't you give her the choice you coward?" Mars croaked.
Diamond smiled," Because she asked me to make the world disappear. So I complied."
" You lie," Tuxedo Mask spit out blood.
Serenity kicked him over onto his back. She placed her heel at his neck and drew the sword point to his face.
" Speak for yourself," Diamond said slowly.
" Serena. We sure have had our rough times. We've been through an awful lot and I always admired how you were able to fight back through everything. You always had faith in everyone and everything that you did. I never knew how you could do that. Believe in something more than yourself."
" My love. Stop him!"
Serenity kicked Tuxedo Mask again. She brought her sword down quickly and cut his upper left arm. He hissed and stood up.
" You never seemed to let anything stand in your way. When you came across something you couldn't do alone, you came to us and we were always there for you. We never gave up on you and I can't remember how many times we've relied on you. You were our rock. You are the glue that holds us together."
Serenity growled and slashed her sword up, only to be stopped by Tuxedo Mask's staff.
" I have never had someone stay by my side as long as you have Serena. No one has ever cared about my well being. I never had someone love me as unconditionally as you have. I didn't know how to handle it. I didn't know the right things to say or the right ways to make you happy. But no matter what, you stayed by me and helped me through everything. Not once did I ever thank you."
" Serenity! I said kill him! Now!"
Serenity jumped back and threw a silver blast from her hands at Tuxedo Mask. He dodged it and was hit into a wall when she disappeared and reappeared in front of him, using her Moonlight Faint attack. She created another ball of silver light in her hand and sent it out at Mask, who was barely able to move fast enough to dodge it.
" I need you to know Serena that I have always loved you and I will never stop loving you. I always loved that smile you had when we used to fight. I used to like the way your eyes would light up at the smallest of things. I loved how you appreciated everything someone did for you. I loved how you put yourself above everyone else."
Serenity swung her sword and readied herself for another attack. Tuxedo Mask threw a rose that cut the string of pearls off her right shoulder. Her head turned to look at her dress and that was the moment he needed. He conjured up more roses in his hand and used the last of his strength to push Serenity against a wall, knocking the sword from her grasp. He threw the roses and pinned her dress to the wall and he threw two roses on each side of her head, the thorns right next to her face, immobilizing her.
" But what I really should have said," Tuxedo Mask panted as he walked over to Serenity's prone figure against the wall," is that there is no one else for me besides you. I am a fool, a million kinds of fool. I'm not worthy enough of your love. I want you to please hear this. I want you to know the truth."
" Serenity. Make him pay for his treachery. Make him pay for his lies."
Serenity's eyes narrowed and she reached out to grab the roses on her dress and plucked them off, causing small slices on her hands to drip down blood. Being not at all phased, she brushed her face away from the roses that were meant to keep her head still. Long thin cuts appeared on her cheeks that formed a thin line of rich blood that made her pale skin look all the more ashen.
She grabbed Tuxedo Mask around his throat and walked over to pick up her sword. Her face stayed as empty as ever as she released his neck and threw him to his knees at her feet. She grasped the hilt of her magnificent sword covered in blood and gleaming all the more bright because of it. She brought it to her left side and readied for the blow that would end it.
" I just wanted you to know. I never meant to hurt you with anything I did. I was wrong. I'm sorry. This is all my fault and I would have given anything to save you."
It seemed like time slowed down. Everything happened so slowly. The bright blue sky darkened so quickly to charcoal gray. The sky rumbled at the fate left to the two lovers. It was cruel. It was punishment for crimes never committed.
Serenity swiped upwards from her left side and left a long slash across Tuxedo Mask's chest. His mouth opened in silent surprise and he started to fall back. As he fell, his top hat came off his head and his mask came off as well. His body fell to the pavement just as the sky opened up and mourned for the loss of it's Prince. Rain started slowly, just a few random drops on the street. The loud ping of the rain hitting the blade of the sword continued to pick up pace as a loud crack of thunder brought an onslaught of rain.
Yet it was lost on her. The rain was a distant haze. There was no city that she could see. There was only sapphire blue and red. Even through all the red that covered his body, he still shone so regal and proud. His eyes never left hers and she drank in the sight of sapphire so dark and warm. Those eyes. They were like beacons meant to guide her home.
Serenity choked back a sob and dropped the sword from her hands. Her hands. They were covered in blood. She tried to blink back the horror, but the more she tried to open her eyes the more clouded the world became. She wasn't able to see anything now. She shook and tried to look around. She saw colors though. She saw a bright red glow not far from an emerald green. There was a royal blue and an orange light as well. She looked down at her hands, but she didn't see red blood anymore. She saw silver.
Her blank and blind blue eyes looked over to where she knew he was and she saw gold. A gold that was drawing in the silver around her. She took a small step forward and watched as the closer she got, the more the gold and silver connected together. She tried to open her mouth to speak, but nothing came out. She tried more and more. There was something far to familiar about the gold light and those sapphire eyes.
" Dare. Darien," her voice softly whispered.
" Serena," Darien choked.
Serenity shook her head and fell to her knees. She clutched her head and screamed as waves of memories flooded her head all at once. When she was finally dared to open her eyes again, she screamed. Mars, Mercury, Venus, and Jupiter were scattered along the street, completely battered and broken. They were barely drifting between consciousness.
She looked at her hands and saw all the blood and the sword next to her. She looked at her dress and saw the dark red color and the red that was in her hair. She then saw Tuxedo Mask on the ground in a pool of blood.
" Oh no! Darien!" Serena screamed.
She ran over to her side and cradled his head in her lap and showered his face in kisses. She held onto his hand and wept.
" Why are you crying?"
Darien raised a shaky bloodied hand to cup her face.
" I did this to you. I hurt all of you. Now I'm going to lose everything I love. I'm so so sorry."
" Why? You didn't do anything wrong."
" Yes I did. Look at you."
" Don't cry. I have no regrets about anything. I'm glad I was able to hold my Princess one last time. I'm glad I was able to be loved by someone as perfect as you. I'm sorry things could go the way I wanted them too. I want you to know that I never wanted to break up with you. I was trying to protect you. I wanted to protect you from this, but I couldn't. My only regret is ever making you cry."
" You were my hero, Darien. You were all I ever needed. I'm sorry things couldn't have gone the way you wanted too."
Darien smiled and brought Serena's face to his and kissed her deeply before he let go and closed his eyes.
Just then, Rini came running with Artemis and Luna at her feet. They all stopped when they saw the destruction before them.
" Mommy! Daddy!" Rini cried out.
Luna and Artemis ran over to see if any of the Scouts were alright and awake.
Serena, with tears in her eyes, kissed Darien once more and whispered something in his ear. She picked up the sword not far from her and grabbed the Silver Crystal off the chain around her neck.
" Serenity. This is pointless. You can't expect to kill me," Diamond said.
" I don't care what happens to me anymore. I have to save his life. I have already caused too much pain. You are the reason why things are this way. You can't love someone and do nothing but torture them!"
" I didn't make you come with me. You came of your own free will."
" That's a lie! You used my weakness after the lies you planted in their minds!"
" Then what do you expect to do? Kill me with the Crystal? You don't have enough power to save them and kill me. You need to make a choice. Revenge or love."
" Then the choice is always the same."
Serena brought the Crystal high above her head and it came to life in a burst of hot silver light.
' There is still time Serena. We can do this together.'
' Then together we'll save him.'
Serena opened her eyes, her dress the normal pristine white and gold it used to be. Her blue eyes glowed with such depth and strength.
" Silver Crystal," Serena started with her voice taking on a deep echoing effect," I invoke you. Follow the wishes of your Princess. Silver Crystal Power!"
Diamond covered his eyes as the whole street was engulfed in silver light, far too bright to see anything in. Rini, Luna, Artemis, and the Scouts looked away as the light covered everything.
It may have been seconds or minutes in a blur of time, but once the light finally died away, all that was left was a battle scarred street and the pouring rain.