Sailor Jupiter's angry scream could be heard echoing in the underground room, followed by crackling of her lightning jolt. "Are you sure no one can hear us from here?" Sailor Venus worryingly asked Sailor Mercury, who almost rolled her eyes at the question, almost. "I designed this place myself, we can train here as much as we want. We can't be heard and any damage sustained from to this place during our training cannot be perceived by anyone on this world. It uses the same principle as out subspace pockets." Mercury explained while her visor analysed every move and action made by her fellow Senshi.
Ever since their new transformations, Mercury hasn't had the need to use her Mercury computer. Her visor was now taking its place and the technology had no problems following her non-verbal commands. A fireball coming from behind her was met with a rush of bubbles and dissolved never meeting its target, Sailor Mercury didn't even look at the attack.
"Just so you know, I was just checking how vulnerable are you to any attacks." Came the voice of Sailor Mars, who was strolling towards the two girls from the direction of her attack. "I'm perfectly capable of observing Jupiter AND be aware of my surroundings." She smirked in response, knowing no harm was meant.
"Please tell me that you have enough data," Sailor Jupiter asked with a small whine in her voice; she was ready to learn something new and not just repeat herself for the analysis that Sailor Mercury wanted. She too was now standing next to her blue-haired friend, eager to hear some good news.
The bluenette crossed her arms over her chest and closed her eyes for a moment, letting her slightly tinted visor disappear. Her blue eyes looked at each of the girls in front of her and she tried to find a way to say what she had to say. Maybe getting straight to the point is for the best. "Despite the fact that we look different when we are transformed nothing else has really changed. Our attacks stay the same and the increase in power, and with it linked damage that can be done, is minimal that it shouldn't be worth mentioning. It is good that we have the Generals fighting with us, as without Sailor Moon there is no safe way to beat the youma."
The girls were silent. They noticed an agitated tone in Mercury's voice and the truth was what it was. An ice bolt whizzed between Sailor Jupiter and Sailor Venus, hitting the wall and sending tiny ice crystals over the floor. "It's not fair that now that we look like real warriors that's the only change. I can still work only with ice bolts, bubbles and fog. Why can't we have swords like the Generals? Or even shields? They have energy shields!" The small girl let out her frustration, and the girls let her. Knowing that Ami wasn't one for emotional outbursts.
"What about your computer? It's performance seems to be improved." Asked Sailor Venus, understanding Mercury's wish of being more capable in their new forms. "Well, it is. Maybe I just need to train more now that I don't have my hands full with a computer and can actually fight more." She gave her friend a small smile and asked if Rei would be agreeable to serve some tea, thus ending their training session for the day.
She was wearing a white dress. Her feet were bare. She was in a dark room filled with mirrors, which reflected only a small part of her. The girl was standing in a liquid. It was thick and had a smell she knew too well. It was blood.
The blonde girl tried to step out of it only to step even more deeper into the blood. "Stop this! Stop!" She lifted up her dress and then noticed that her hands were covered in crimson as well. The red colour stood out on the white fabric.
"You did this!" a voice said to her, whispered into her ear. She sharply turned, dreading to see the owner of it, but was met with emptiness and the mirrors. They were coming closer to her. From one of it was a man's hand stretching out to her. She tried to step back, only to find her back pressed against a mirror. "Stop this! Who are you?" she whimpered.
"It does not matter who I am. What matters is that you killed them. Killed them all." The hand of a white clad figure was nearer. Then she heard the laugh. It was horrible and sounded vicious. She wished to never hear it again.
The girl pressed palms against her ears. She begged for the laugh to stop. She shut her eyes and screamed as loud as she could "STOP! PLEASE STOP!" It did not help, the crimson colour was now visible everywhere when she dared to open her eyes, as if the colour was an extension of the sound. The laughter stopped abruptly.
With caution, she let her hands down, eyes filling with tears and her mind vary of any oncoming danger. She slowly turned to look for an exit, but there was none. A hand gently grabbed her wrist. The girl did not dare to look but the same voice prompted her, "I won't hurt you. I am not the one that has left you. I am not the one who betrayed you."
She looked towards the source of the voice and was looking at the figure from the mirror, the man's face still hidden in the shadows. He let go her wrist and pointed to her other hand. "That sword is meant for your enemies. You did kill them." Serena felt cold metal in her hand and looked to find a sword. The double-edged blade shining in the darkness and its hilt encrusted with jewels in various colours. "It's meant only for your enemies. You will strike them down and not one of them will think you weak again. You will be the pillar of strength and a ruler of a new order. You. Don't let them take your sword. Don't let them leave you."
Serena woke with a start, sitting up sharply, her vision black full with exploding stars. Her body covered in slight perspiration. Dammit, why can I never remember those nightmares? She waited for her heartbeat to slow down, the ringing in her ears to fell silent and her vision to clear. Serena opened her eyes looking for her feline friend. Luna is not here, is she staying with Artemis somewhere else?
She got out of the bed and decided a shower is what she needs first. The apartment was quiet and a note on the fridge notified her that all the girls were out; a p.s. from Mina 'your dark-haired hunk left his jacket behind, why don't you bring it back?' made her remember that sometime during the night she fell asleep in Darien's arms. We fell asleep together, but I woke up alone…
After a shower and breakfast, Serena decided that meeting with Darien wouldn't be such a bad idea. Now there was nothing to stop her to pursue a relationship, right? Putting on a pale yellow sleeveless sundress and a pair of ballerinas, she took his jacket and headed to his apartment. On her way, she thought about them kissing and making out. A blush tainted her cheeks and she wished they would do something similar at his apartment, where no one should bother them. Maybe it wasn't a mistake that we kissed. After all, it's not like a can transform with the brooch broken… And the girls seem already moving on in that front, with new outfits and what else not... She heard a faint echo in her head – don't let them leave you… She furrowed at the thought and with a determined shake of her head forgot it soon after.
She let out a deep exhale and pushed the doorbell for Darien's apartment. When seconds later it was opened by Darien dressed in pair of shorts and a t-shirt, Serena sent him a small smile, "You left this at my place." She raised her arm to show the jacket draped over it. Darien sent a silent thank you to Mina for badgering him into leaving his jacket behind on purpose, making Serena to have a reason to make the first step, sort of.
"Come in. Do you want something to drink or perhaps an ice cream?" he asked with a dimpled smile.
"Ice cream in the morning, you know how to spoil a girl." She giggled and stepped in the apartment.
"It's Sunday, I'll allow ice-cream on a Sunday morning."
"In that case, who am I to say no?" Serena replied with a grin.
She gave Darien back his jacket and took of her shoes, following him into the apartment. While Darien was busy in the kitchen, she leaned against the floor to ceiling balcony door and looked out to the city before her. They enjoyed the ice cream on Darien's balcony and spoke of trivial things, although the night's activities were still on both minds.
She volunteered to wash the bowls afterwards and Darien only nodded an agreement, following the girl into his own kitchen. He felt that she wants to be the one to initiate the conversation he knew was coming. He watched her put the bowls and spoons next to the sink and take the towel to dry her hands. She turned to face Darien and leaned her back against the counter, the towel still in her hands. Serena did not dare to look up when she spoke.
"Darien… what… what should we do?"
"What do you mean?
"What should we do? What do you want us to do? I mean, can there even be an us?" She still avoided looking in his eyes.
"What do you want? Why couldn't there be an us?" Were Darien's counter questions. There was a pause, longer than Darien wanted it to be before Serena replied.
"I want to try, but there is so much that scares me. There are things that may in the way and I just don't really know what to do. This is all too confusing given our past relationship." She was still wrangling the towel in her hands. He walked towards her and leaned in on the counter, putting his hands on either side of Serena without touching her. She looked up and the look on Darien's face was something she had never seen before.
"There are things that I cannot say to you at the moment, but I will, some day. When the situation will be resolved. But if you really want to know what I want, I can tell you." Darien knew that now it's not the time to speak about love or him being a masked superhero. But he could tell her something that will either make her run away or be the start of something extraordinary.
"I want you. The girl with the sunny smiles and melodic laughs. With all her faults and perks, and golden hair. I want us to go on dates, just the two of us. But you have no idea how much I want to continue what we were doing just hours before. I want to kiss you on the lips, your neck." Serena's breath hitched and the towel fell on the floor, her one hand coming up to touch her lips with just the fingertips. Her gaze never wavering from his voice low and enticing.
"I want to trail kisses down between your breasts that will make you burn up. I want to touch you with my hands gently exploring every raise and fall, to feel your body arch into my mine. I want to be between your legs and bury myself deep into you. Ever since I have had a taste of your lips, I have been lusting after you. My mind, every time I see you, is imagining what it would be to make you come so hard and loud that everyone on this world knows that I am yours and you are mine. I want you to forget all the other m- ... others you have ever been with and know only me. Feel only me." His grip on the counter was so strong his knuckles were white as snow. His lips now pressed together awaiting a reply from the beauty in front of him. Darien was concentrating hard not to be the one to make the first move without knowing Serena's reply.
Serena felt trapped, should she run away or give in. His words making her feel all hot all over wondering if what she felt in the night was only a small and short prelude of what's to come if she gives in. If she gives himself to him. There was an ache down in her belly, she wanted to press her thighs together to relieve the tension. The fingertips on her lips now pressing down. Heat from Darien's body only making her feel even more wanted. Nothing was holding her back.
Darien could not believe how turned on he was by just saying out loud what he wants. Her gaze was starting to drift downwards and Darien knew that she would not run away. He waited patiently for her to allow him to just show what he wants. And when she slowly moved her hand from lips to touch his, Darien leaned in her touch, turning his face to kiss her palm, to trail small lingering kisses to her wrist. Serena gulped loudly enough for both of them to hear and her whisper was all he needed, "Darien." He kissed her hard, pressing her body against his.
He scooped her up, her legs encircling his hips and sat her on the counter, with one hand lowering the straps from her shoulders to have more of her skin for him to taste. Serena's dress hiked up and her legs on his hips drawing him nearer. Her eyes closed and his touches making her almost faint. Their kisses were hard, hot and demanding, their hands moving almost frantically. To touch each other was what their goal was.
Darien cupped her ass and decided to move this to the bedroom, kissing her lips and neck on the way and trying not to run into every wall or corner of furniture and drop his precious cargo. His mind was still capable of remembering Serena's words of the night before and his body excited to feel hers so close once again. He sat down on the bed, letting Serena straddle him and silently showing that she was still in command on the pace they can go.
"Darien.. I think you should know.." she couldn't speak without being breathless, his kisses were intoxicating. He took of his t-shirt and kissed the raise of her breasts, making Serena gasp his name and arch into him, her hands splayed across his chest and moving upwards until one was buried in Darien's hair and the other holding on his nape. The feeling was most wonderful. "I think you should know… Darien..." She let out his name in a sigh not able to finish her sentence with his one hand cupping her breast, and ground down on his erection.
Darien could only wonder why he didn't have her this close before. How could he have that much self-control. Her gasps and mewls were setting him on fire, more than any girl he had before. It's because you love this girl, you dolt!
Serena yanked his head by his hair and for a moment they just looked at each other, catching much needed breath. Darien took in her face, her pinkish cheeks, half-closed eyes, her swollen lips. His gaze traveled lower to her neck where he could see his lips have been, down to her raising breasts. Her bra peeking out from the low neckline.
"Darien… I haven't gone any further than this with anyone. You have to understand." Serena whispered and Darien's eyes were once again looking in hers, a look of surprise on his face. She tensed at his expression. "You are driving me crazy." He whispered back and let his hands slide up her back and down again, moving past her hips and onto her thighs. She ground down on him with a sound that made Darien's blood boil and told him, leaving no doubt in Darien's mind, "I want to go further. With you."
