Author's Notes: I am sooooo sorry it took me so long to update but I've been in a bit of a bind on this story. Kinda didn't know where I wanted it to go or how to word it right, I apologize for keeping you waiting. Anyway, read on and enjoy.

Kiki

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Chapter 3; Chaos

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Serenity pressed her lips together in a vain attempt to keep from bursting into laughter. Haruka's mulish expression and Michiru's annoyed face as she retold the various things they had had to do to keep Haruka inside to watch the moon princess's coronation were almost too much for the poor blond to take, and finally, just as Michiru finished retelling the story, the lunarian princess burst into gales of laughter.

The rest of the senshi also looked like they were trying very hard not to follow their princess's examples; and this was their second time hearing the story.

"Okay, I think that's enough laughter directed at me!" Haruka growled, clearly not finding the story funny, Serenity managed to control her laughter long enough to glance at Haruka's pouting face and then she started all over again.

"Oh, you're hopeless," Rei laughed, knowing that once her princess found something funny she could practically drown in her laughter. Serenity, who had finally regained control of her laughter once more - for good this time- , pouted.

"It's not my fault I laugh easily," and in truth it wasn't, Serenity had always been easy going and carefree, making it easy for her to find almost everything and anything funny. The senshi rolled their eyes and broke into conversation once again with the outer senshi, eager to know what they had done and what had happened over the last four years since they had seen each other. They were in the mists of discussing a particular incident involving Serenity, her 14th birthday cake, and the peal that she slipped on when a voice interrupted their conversation.

"Oh, where'd Setsuna and Hotaru go?" Serenity sat up suddenly, realizing that the two were no longer with the group.

"Oh, I think Setsuna said something about having to speak to your father and mother ," Michiru answered and, at seeing her princess's quizzical look, shrugged.

"Excuse me ladies but I was wondering if the lovely Princess Serenity would honor me with her presence and accept my invitation to dance," interjected a smooth voice, instantly halting the girls' conversation. The group opened up, giving Serenity a clear view of a man with silver hair that fell around his face in waves and icy blue eyes; he bowed and then extended his hand towards her.

She frowned, something about the man instantly turning her off. It wasn't that he was ugly, no, he was very handsome, but there was just something about him…. Apparently the girls also felt it because she felt their auras tense around her, Haruka didn't even bother to hide her scowl from the man.

" Actually sh-" Haruka started, ready to tell the man to go to hell, with the nice word version of course, but Serenity raised her hand, instantly silencing her. Sending her friends a look she smiled gently, the girls slumped in defeat, instantly getting the message. Even if they didn't outright like the man Serenity still had a duty as a princess, and it included mingling with other royals and trying her best to increase the treaties between the moon and other planets. They watched as she turned towards the man and said she'd be happy to dance with him, took his hand, and followed him down to dance floor.

"I don't like him," Haruka growled as soon as she was sure the two were far enough. This wasn't really a surprise since the senshi of Uranus had always been like an overprotective sister, what was surprising, though, was when the rest of the girl's nodded their agreement to her words.

"There's something strange about him," murmured Rei, her ever watchful gaze following the dancing couple below closely.

Minako also turned to watch the two below, eyes instantly narrowing in anger when the man placed his hands dangerously low on her cousin's hips. Down on the dance floor Serenity felt equally uncomfortable at the man's suddenly possessive behavior.

"Has anyone ever mentioned how beautiful you are, princess?" murmured the silver haired man. Serenity forced herself not to roll her eyes. Of course she'd been told that! Everyone knew it was common flattery, still she forced herself to smile at him sweetly and quickly changed topics.

"I don't believe I caught your name my lord," she commented, instantly switching her face to look innocent, hoping he wouldn't object to the change of topic. He chuckled quietly, icy blue eyes staring at her knowingly.

"Diamond, my lady," he said, mouth twitching into a smirk. Silence followed his words as Serenity tried to search through her mid for his name while he simply he stared at her. Finally, as the song drew to a stop, Diamond suddenly pulled her forwards, lips claiming hers in a forceful kiss. Serenity's eyes widened and she let out a muffled gasp, instantly pulling away from him.

"Now, now, Serenity," he chuckled, eyes deadly. "A kiss is nothing to what lays in store for you on our wedding night."

"What…?" she gasped, rubbing her hand over her mouth in disgust as she sent him a bewildered look. He only smiled at her. The dancers around them parted quickly as the senshi stormed through, obviously having seen what had occurred. Feeling safer now that her friends were getting closer Serenity turned to face the man but he was no longer there. She looked around; searching for a head of silver hair but her eyes only met the worried faces of the dancers that had surrounded them.

"Sere! Sere, I asked you if you're okay!" Serenity snapped out of her thoughts to find Makoto in front of her, shaking her softly by the shoulders. She smiled gently at her friend's worried face and nodded.

"Do you have any idea where he went?" Minako asked, a scowl on her face, but Serenity just shook her head again, not trusting herself to speak just yet.

"Damn it!" Makoto hissed and turned to go but Minako grabbed her by the arm, her face grim.

"No, Haruka and Michiru have already left in search of him and to make sure the king and queen are alright. There's nothing else we can do now but protect Sere."

The brunette stared at Minako for a minute then sighed and nodded. Silently, she and Serenity followed the Venusian princess back to Serenity's room, their charge walking in between the two senshi as both girls kept an eye out for anything suspicious. Serenity turned her head slightly, crystal blue eyes scanning the crowd one last time as Diamond's icy cold eyes flashed through her mind.

Something about that man…..scared her…..

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"Why that obnoxious, pompous, pig!" Makoto yelled, green eyes flashing angrily as she paced the floor of Serenity's room.

"I knew there was something strange about him since we first saw him," Rei muttered and Ami nodded her agreement.

"Calm down guys, there's nothing we can do about it now. Guards have been dispatched with his description; if he's still around they'll catch him."

Everyone turned to face Minako and sighs rang around the room. Serenity remained quiet as she stared down at her hands, her thoughts tumbling in her head. A cold shiver ran up her spine as the icy blue eyes flashed through her mind again and the man's vile and cryptic words rang once again in her head.

"Now, now, Serenity. A kiss is nothing to what lays in store for you on our wedding night."

"Serenity! Serenity!" The golden haired princess snapped out of her trouble thoughts, looking up to see the senshi staring at her worriedly. Minako opened her mouth to ask her friend if she was alright but was interrupted by the sound of several beeps going off.

Jumping, all the girls scrambled to search for their communicators hidden in their dresses- Ami was the first to reach hers and the other senshi quickly followed her example and flipped the small devices open.

"Senshi! There are intruders in the castle, protect the princess at all costs! I repeat, protect the princess at all costs!"

Luna's voice crackled through the communicators and the senshi peered into the screen, eyes widening at the chaos ensuing behind the older woman. Luna's voice stopped abruptly and the screen turned black, the senshi closed their communicators and instantly formed a circle around Serenity.

The princess hardly noticed the flashes of colors around her as the girls transformed into their respective planet's senshi as she forced herself to appear calm even though she was internally panicking as she thought over Luna's words.

"You heard her girls," Minako spoke, instantly taking again her place as the leader of the senshi. The girls nodded curtly, grim expressions on their faces and tightened their circle around where Serenity sat, eyes scanning the room around them.

A sudden breeze blew through the room and Serenity sent a startled look at her balcony doors, which still remained closed. The lights in the room flickered then blew out, the only thing now illuminating the room being the natural light that the moon planet gave off. The girls' eyes darted around suspiciously, and , at the very far side of Serenity's room, a shadow grew darker and larger until it was no longer a shadow but the distinct shape of a cloaked figure.

"Who are you?" Venus stepped forward, light blue eyes narrowing at the intruder. The figure did not reply but stepped towards them again, and you could now see the shine of teeth as the cloaked stranger grinned a menacing grin. "I'll ask this one more time, who are you!"

The cloaked figure, a man it seemed from his body built, spoke in a low hiss.

"Your worst nightmare."

"Venus Love Me Chain!" The senshi of Venus called and a long golden chain snapped towards the stranger then crashed against an invisible barrier. The dark purple, almost black, barrier outline cackled and sparked against Minako's attack and with one final push send the golden haired senshi skidding backwards.

"Burning Mandala!" Mars's attack charged forward and wrapped around the outside of the enemy's barrier, the hot flames dancing around and around.

"Venus Love Me Chain!" Minako stepped forward again and swung her chain, teeth clenching as she tried to hold it against the barrier. The man smirked and raised his hand but froze when another shout rang out.

"Supreme Thunder!"

A bolt of thunder crashed against the top of the barrier and Venus drew her chain back and jumped away as smoke enveloped the room. The protective circle around Serenity tightened and they all quieted as the smoke started to clear. The man looked to be kneeling on the floor, a hint of blood trickling from one of his slumped arms, but none of the girls let their guard down. A slow chuckle rang through the room, a deep and ominous sound. Slowly, the man stood and straightened his cloak as if nothing had ever happened; the ugly shade of purple that was his barrier turned pure black.

Minako suddenly dropped to the ground, crying out as she cradled her head, and Mars and Jupiter also fell forward. Serenity moved to step towards her friends worriedly but Ami held her back. The cloaked man stepped forward again, the hand he held out that cackled with negative energy and formed into a fist. Jupiter cried out harshly then slumped where she had fallen to the floor. Mars managed to keep herself from passing out but was too weak to attack and with the next step their enemy took, his energy spiked and Rei's eyes fell shut as she blacked out.

"No!" Serenity skipped around Ami, running towards her unconcious friends and kneeling by them. Ami placed herself in front of their princess once more, blue eyes set with determination as she glared at the man.

"Mercury Aqua Rhapsody!"

"Foolish," the cloaked stranger swung his arms out and dark, black energy spread; intercepting Ami's attack and swallowing it whole. The senshi of Mercury lifted her hands to defend herself as the energy continued on towards her but her efforts were in vain and she too crumpled to the floor, unconscious.

"Damn you…" tears spilled from Serenity's eyes as she lifted her gaze from her friends to their enemy and her body took on a light glow. "Damn you!"

A wave of pure energy crashed against the man's barrier and he staggered back, overwhelmed by the power of the moon princess's fury. Seeing she had succeeded in stopping him for the moment Sere placed her hands over Mar's and Jupiter's foreheads and they took on a light pink glow.

"So, the little princess has some power in her," he mocked, his mouth tightening into a grim line. "But I'm afraid that won't be enough to save you."

Venus watched from where she lay fallen on the floor as her princess's pure energy fought against the man's chaotic one. She tried to stand and aid her friend but she could barely stop shaking long enough to keep her arms still to support her and she watched helplessly as the man's evil force overcame their princess's untrained energy and he strode forward, grabbing Serenity by her neck and lifting her into the air.

"No…" she watched through half lidded eyes as Serenity hissed something at the man, but she was too far away to hear what, and suddenly her hand shot out towards the man's hood and pulled it back in one fluid movement. Shockingly, silver hair appeared from under the man's hood and icy blue eyes glared at Serenity. Diamond's hand rose and the moon princess's head snapped to the side with the force of his hit. He grinned and glanced at Venus mockingly then snapped his fingers and they disappeared in a flash of light.

Minako lifted her hand towards where the two had just stood but it fell to the floor limply and tears fell from the Venusian princess's eyes as a thought made its way into her mind just before she blacked out.

I'm sorry my princess…..I'm sorry we failed to protect you

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Again, I am soooooo very very very sorry it took so long to update this story but I really haven't had much inspiration for it. Anyway, I hope you guys liked this chap and please review, maybe if I hear what you guys think I'll be able to think of more ideas easier.

Kiki