Chapter 18

Twisted

Lita curled to Nephrite, taking in the warmth radiating off of his bare chest where her head was nestled comfortably. She yawned widely as her eyes popped open. She sat up in the bed, careful not to disturb Nephrite who was sleeping soundly. She brushed back her long, thick brown hair and rested her back against the bed's headboard.

What a strange dream she had. She knew it had been a memory from the Silver Millennium but it wasn't hers. It was Queen Serenity's, Nikko's and Serena's. She began to wonder how the queen or anyone, could bring these images back to life so vividly as if the spectators watching them were actually there, thrust into those situations. It seemed so surreal, but she knew the memories were important. Why else would they be revealed to the sailor scouts?

She cast a look over at Nephrite who was resting soundly on his back, his head propped up on a single pillow. One arm was extended towards her and had been snaked around her as they had slept. His other arm was raised above his head, resting against the pillow next him, bending at the elbow slightly. She had no memories of Nephrite from her previous life. At least not romantically. She wondered if they had been together then just like Nikko and Serena. At this point the only memories the sailor scouts had received were either pertaining to Queen Serenity or Serena. There had to be more that involved herself and the rest of the scouts.

She sighed and pulled the blankets up to her chin, sinking back to the bed slightly as the cool air hit the skin of her cheeks. She couldn't go back to sleep now. Too many thoughts were racing through her mind as she tried to process everything. She was a married woman now. Her emerald eyes jumped to the shiny diamond ring on her left hand. It was still stunningly beautiful, even in the low light of the early morning. She watched as the sunlight filtered into the room. The light reflected off of her ring, casting a beautiful yellow glow on the opposite wall.

All of a sudden the cabin began to shake. Lita tensed as she felt the ground begin to move. She instinctively reached for Nephrite's hand as his eyes popped open. The shaking intensified. Picture frames fell off of the walls, shattering the glass covers as they crashed onto the ground. The wooden beams above them creaked and groaned as the ground continued to rumble. The bed beneath them began to jump and shift across the polished floor where the floor boards began to buckle and break.

"Nephrite!" Lita screamed as Nephrite jumped up out of the bed. He gathered her in his arms and bolted for the patio door, taking them outside where the other scouts, generals, Queen Serenity and Luna and Artemis were already running to the tree line. Behind them the cabin loudly creaked. Part of the roof caved in, sending up a cloud of dust as the ground continued to shake, growing more violent with each passing second. They all stood in silence, Lita still in Nephrite's arms, as they watched the cabin fall apart before their eyes.

The shaking lasted a full five minutes before it suddenly stopped. All around them a deafening silence settled over the land.

Nephrite sat Lita down on the ground but didn't move from her side. "You okay?" He asked her softly as she reached for his hand.

Lita nodded silently, shaken still by the quake.

Nephrite wrapped his arm around her as Trista stepped forward. Her garnet rod was visible in her hands though she was in regular clothing. She watched the cabin before them for a moment before turning back to everyone that was standing outside.

"She's close." She stated as her expression grew grave. "We need to be ready. She will come for us soon."

"What does Queen Raven want?" Raye asked numbly, still in shock over the earthquake.

"Power." Trista answered simply. "That's what all people like her want. Control. Absolute control. She won't stop until she takes over the entire planet." She twirled her garnet rod once and a portal popped up next to her. "I need to check something. The rest of you need to find Serena… and quickly… Raven will be coming for her first."

"Trista, what are you not telling us?" Michelle asked as she cast another look at Amy. They had revisited their doubts about Trista's intentions the previous night after her frequent inquiries about Serena and Darien. Neither of them were convinced that Trista was being transparent with them.

"I don't know what you mean." Trista stated as she inched toward the open portal. "I've told you what you need to know—"

"No." Amy interrupted sternly. "I think you've done something… something you weren't supposed to do."

Queen Serenity's expression changed as her eyes settled on Trista. Unlike Trista, Serenity could only access memories from the past, not scenes from the future. She felt a tingly sensation along the back of her neck as Trista's expression grew dark. Michelle and Amy were right, Trista was keeping back something. How could she have missed it?

"You don't know what you're talking about." Trista stated as she backed up against her portal. "I am NOT allowed to interfere."

"But you have—" Queen Serenity stated as she approached Trista, her eyes narrowed. "You're lying to us. You've interfered. You've broken your vow. Trista... what have you done?"

Trista's back was now against the portal. Her dark green hair began to billow around her head, whipped up from the winds within the portal. She took a step back, one foot disappeared as the scouts and generals closed in on her. "I will fix this." She stated and without another word she disappeared.

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Mina screamed as Serena's dad's car was knocked off the side of the hill. It seemed as if the world was moving in slow motion. She could see the metal barrier break as easily as if it was made of paper. The car flew across the edge of the hill and suddenly was plunging through the air. She felt her stomach hit the floor as suddenly they were falling down and down. The ground below grew sharper and closer the farther they fell. She shut her eyes tightly as the car approached the ground, bracing for the impact that could potentially kill them all.

But nothing happened.

The car was still moving but it was no longer on the country road or headed for the ground. There was no loud smash, no sharp stop to their movement that would signal they had hit the ground. Nothing at all.

"Oh my gosh…" Serena whispered behind her.

Mina bravely opened her eyes, hardly daring to look around.

The landscape had changed. They were no longer surrounded by the sprawling countryside that stretched around the city. The vehicle had somehow, almost impossibly, been transported to a dark road. The sun had disappeared. Several stars dotted the sky, surrounded by clouds of gold and blue. The landscape was desolate but the ground was not the familiar dark brown earth that had just seen, but rather a deep black flecked with blue. Ice was visible everywhere, scattered around them. The window began to fog up and frost over. The temperature within the car began to plunge dramatically. The car floated along the surface of the ground until it came to a building nearly in ruins. It entered a large broken window before finally settling onto an empty stone floor.

"Where are we?" Mina asked out loud as she placed her fingers against the window. She withdrew her hand quickly as the glass was so cold it sent a shock through her body.

"Nowhere good." Kunzite replied as he turned the heat on in the car. "It looks like the car still works, but I don't know for how long."

"Can you drive?" Serena asked, pointing straight ahead of them. The room was large and empty but a flickering torch was visible at the end of the room. Perhaps there was shelter they could seek.

"I'll try." Kunzite stated as he pressed on the gas. The car lurched forward, bumping along the stones. Kunzite flipped on the windshield wipers in attempt to keep the ice from covering the windshield. Even with the heat blasting the temperature within the car was dipping.

Serena shivered and rubbed her arms. She was only clad in a pair of jeans and a pink tank top. Her bare arms were covered with goosebumps. Her long blond hair was in a long braid that snaked down her back, hanging just above her waist. Where were they? She peered outside the window. Could it be possible they weren't on Earth anymore?

Kunzite slammed on the brakes sending Serena and Mina flying forward into their seat belts that kept them from flying through the windshield.

Mina peered out of the frosted window. In the middle of the room stood a solitary figure. The person's face was shrouded within the hood of a heavy black cloak that shielded their body. Mina couldn't tell if it was a man or woman before her.

The person approached the vehicle, taking painfully slow steps, stopping just feet from the hood of the car. Two gloved hands emerged from the cloak and went to the rim of the hood, throwing it back.

It was Nikko. His long, white blond hair spilled out from the hood, cascading down his shoulders. His lavender eyes were settled right on Serena. His facial features relaxed, it appeared he was relieved to see her in that moment.

Kunzite's knuckles turned white as his grip tightened on the steering wheel. "Let me kill him—"

"No." Serena breathed as her fingers clutched the door handle. "I need to see him…" She opened the passenger door of the vehicle and clambered out. Kunzite reached for her, to pull her back into the car, but she was out quickly, slamming the door behind her.

Despite the below freezing temperature outside, Serena didn't shrink back from the cold as she approached Nikko. She wasn't angry. She wasn't scared. If anything, she was relieved to see him again. Her last memory had jolted something within her. It was if she had a renewed energy. She felt reinvigorated. Alive.

She felt her feet move faster and faster as she approached Nikko. He held out his arms to her as his features transformed into a grin. She ran right into his arms, pressing herself against his chest. She felt tears filling her eyes as she took in his familiar scent. It was all coming back to her now. Everything. Every kiss, every whisper, every sweet word, all of their memories together. She trembled against him as her body shook with sobs.

Nikko held her tightly, drawing his cloak around her to keep her warm. His hands slid along her back, up against the base of her neck to cup her cheeks. He looked her straight in the eye, searching for something that let him know that his princess had indeed returned. He could see the familiar spark in her eye as her smile grew, the familiar smile he had missed.

Their lips met in a passionate kiss as a cold draft of wind hit them.

"I knew you'd come to me." Nikko whispered as their lips parted. "I knew you'd remember…"

"I remember everything." Serena said back to him as their foreheads touched. She felt the heat from his body warm hers as the temperature around them began to fall again.

"You're safe now." He whispered into her ear as his arms circled around her once more. "You're with me … you're mine…" His lavender eyes raised to the level of the car before him. He caught Kunzite's astonished expression from behind the icy windshield. Suddenly Nikko's warm smile transformed into a cruel sneer. He raised one hand, opening a portal near the car. He then sent a wave of dark energy that pushed the car through, sending them back to Earth.

Serena didn't notice the car disappear as Nikko continued to hold her. She could focus on no one else in that moment as their lips met again. They were alone now, just as Nikko wanted. He finally had her, the woman he had lost so many years ago. They were together at last.

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"What do we do now?" Raye asked as everyone had fallen into an uncomfortable silence again. The remaining scouts and generals were all seated along the tree line before the cabin. No one had spoken after Trista left. What was there left to say? The cabin was unsafe, the city was unsafe, they were without their leader and on top of that were down three scouts, Darien and Kunzite.

"We're screwed." Jadeite replied after no one else said anything. He didn't even look up at Raye as he spoke in a dry voice. "Your team screwed up."

"Not to mention we don't even have the power of Sailor Moon." Nephrite added as he pulled at a weed in the ground. "This battle was over before it began. We need the power of the Silver Crystal and only Sailor Moon can use it, not Serena Tsukino. Nikko caught her and stopped that from happening before anyone even knew what was going on."

"Wait." Queen Serenity stated as she stood, brushing the dirt off of her dress. "That's it!" She turned to face Luna and Artemis who were stretched across a low branch above the sailor scouts. "Serena Tsukino can't use the Silver Crystal… but Princess Serenity can." She stated as her eyes lit up.

"How do we make Serena… Princess Serenity?" Amara asked as she perked a brow. "We don't have a time machine…"

Michelle elbowed her hard in her side. "Don't be rude!" She scolded.

"She needs the rest of her memories…" Queen Serenity stated though she appeared to be uncomfortable about it. "She'll need to find true strength within her."

"You'll need a miracle." A cold voice stated from behind them.

Everyone jumped and turned as a Kunzite and Mina emerged from the tree line. They were covered with dirt and leaves, appearing to have hiked quite a way through the countryside.

"Where's Serena?" Lita asked as she jumped up. "She was with you!"

"Nikko has her." Mina stated gravely as her attention went to Queen Serenity. She couldn't help but feel a surge of anger within her. If Queen Serenity hadn't stepped in all those years ago, today Nikko could have been an ally and not an enemy.

"WHAT?" Raye screamed. "How could you let that happen?"

"She went to him." Kunzite stated with a glare. "In case you've forgotten, she remembers she has a thing for him now—"

"What do we do now?" Amara wondered out loud as a stunned silence fell over the team.

"We don't give up." Amy stated as she took Zoisite's hand in her own. "We can't. This planet is depending on us. We have to get Serena back. We have to find Darien. We have to get answers out of Trista. It's not impossible. We are a team. We have always been able to overcome any challenges that have faced us in the past. We can't falter now."

"She's right." Mina chimed in as she walked toward the center of the group. "The enemy wants us divided. They want us to feel hopeless and to give up. We can't give in. We will fight until the end…" She nodded at Kunzite, taking his hand in her own just as Amy and Zoisite. "Anyone else with us?"

Lita and Nephrite stepped forward. "We are." Lita stated.

Amara and Michelle nodded as they joined the group.

Jadeite emitted a deep sigh but joined Raye's side as she went to stand with her friends. "Fine." He muttered.

Queen Serenity grimly nodded at everyone. "Right…" She stated. "I think it's time we called for some more backup—"

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Darien watched as the earthquake ripped apart his city. He watched as buildings trembled, roofs collapsed, power lines fell and people ran. He felt their pain. He felt their fear. He could sense lives being lost in the midst of the quake and could hear the terrified screams of the survivors.

He felt anger rising within him. How could she do this? How could she cause such chaos and destruction to the planet that she once loved?

He turned away, unable to watch the carnage as he came to an empty field, hardly touched by the earthquake. His dark sapphire eyes settled on a woman several feet from him. Her blood red gown was vibrant in the early morning glow of the sun, looking as fierce as wild fire. Her dark ebony hair, rich with volume beneath her jeweled crown seemed to sprawl all around her. Her dark, cold eyes took him in as he approached.

He was not afraid of her. Not anymore.

"Endymion." She spoke, taking a step towards him. "You made it." Her smile stretched wide though her eyes remained cruel and dark.

"I've come to stop you." He told her as he came to a stop just feet from her. "This is my home. I can't stand aside and watch as you destroy it."

"Is that the way to greet your mother?" She asked as she continued to approach him. She held out her arms, inviting him in for a hug.

Darien remained immobile, his expression hard. "You're not my mother. I lost my mother during the Silver Millennium and again as a small boy. You are not the woman I remember."

She dropped her arms as one of her eyes began to twitch. "I did everything for you, my sweet boy." She told him. "Everything I have ever done has been for you and your future!"

"I didn't ask for you to kill for me. I didn't ask for you to join the Negaverse. I didn't ask for you to return. I sure as hell didn't ask you to destroy my home!" He shot back, his voice laced with disgust.

Her hand shot out quickly, connecting with his cheek.

Darien grimaced as pain shot through his left cheek. Her hand print seared onto his skin for a brief moment before settling back to its original color.

"You will not talk to your mother that way!" Raven stated. Her features softened instantly as she laid her hands on his shoulders. "Let me look at you… handsome as ever. You look exactly like your father—"

"What do you want?" He asked as he shook her hands off of him. He was in no mood for games. Raven had always been unstable, quick to anger and just as quick to affection.

"This is our home, like you said." She smiled as she gestured to the area around them. A peaceful silence had settled over the countryside as if anticipating her words. "The Earth is ours and we will reclaim it… together."