"Raye?...Raye? Can you hear me?"
"What? Who's there?"
"It's me Serena…don't you remember me?"
"Of course I do! Where are you? Let me see you! Are you okay?"
"No…I'm running out of time…Raye…help me…"
"NO!! Serena, don't give out on us! I'm here…I'll help you. Tell me what to do!"
"I won't give out…but it's pulling me in…help me…"
"What's pulling you in?! How can I help you!?"
"Help me, Raye…help me…"
"HOW!!! Answer me, Serena!! How do I help you!!"
"help me…"
"SERENA!!!" Raye screamed. "Serena…" whispered Raye as she cried helplessly.
"Raye, what's wrong!" Lita asked as she came running into Darien's bedroom as Raye had decided to sleep on the floor in there, instead of the living room.
"Nothing….I had a nightmare, that's all."
Mina - "We could hear you screaming in your sleep. That's not nothing. Tell us what happened."
"I heard Serena."
Mina, Lita, and Amy - "heardher?"
"Ya…I couldn't see her, just hear her."
Amy - "What did she say?"
"She wanted me to help her. But she wouldn't tell me how." Raye cried harder.
Mina - "She wanted you to help her? Did she say she was hurt?"
"She said she was running out of time. What does that mean? She is going to die?"
Lita - "No, I'm sure that's not what she meant."
"Ya…I mean…she's probably fine…it was just a dream right?" Mina said this to ease her own conscious than Raye's, for she knew Raye probably had a vision and Serena really was running out of time.
"I don't know…it was probably a vision. Oh…what are we going to do!?"
Mina - "I don't know…we'll figure something out. We always do in the end."
"But then we had Serena. She always knew what to do….we don't."
Lita - "Well we're just going to have to figure something out. Serena and Darien need us…."
"What can we do?"
Amy - "We can be there for them. That's all we can do."
"That's not enough….they'll die!"
Lita - "Luna and Artemis are working on it….we have to rely on them for now."
"Or…you can let me take care of them."
Raye - "What? Who said that!?"
"Me"
A guy of around 19 stood, leaning against the door frame. His shiny black and white hair was perfectly messy (think Harry Potter, with a mix of white) and his darkened skin shone in the morning sun. He had pure black eyes and was fairly tall.
Amy - "And who might you be?"
"Your dream come true. Your friends…I mean your "Prince" and "Princess" are in trouble right? I'm here to help you. Leave everything to me."
Mina - "Wait, what? How do you know so much about us? WHO ARE YOU?"
"I'm Fitori, and as I said….I'm your dream come true."
Raye - "Ok, Fitori. THEN TELL US HOW!!! Oh, and why and who you REALLY are too!"
Mina - "Ya, why should we trust you!?"
Ok, I get your point…ask me anything…I'll answer truthfully."
Lita - "First of all…Who do you think you are just waltzing right into an apartment that isn't even yours!"
"Well, you looked like you needed some help and Luna sent me over."
"Luna??" Chorused the girls.
"Ya, I know her…and Artemis….they're old friends of mine. I met up with them a few days ago and they told me all about your situation and you're past….and future."
"Geez…they must really trust you if they told you that."
"Mina! Keep your mouth shut!" Raye said as she elbowed Mina in the side.
"Ouch Raye, that hurt and it's true."
"I don't care what he says! We don't know anything until Luna and Artemis confirm it! For all we know, HE could be the bad guy!"
Amy - "Good point. How DO we know that you're not lying and that you're our enemy?"
"You know because we told you so."
Amy - "Luna!"
Mina - "Artemis!"
Luna and Artemis stood in the door way beside Fitori, before they jumped on Darien's bed.
"Yes girls, Fitori is telling the truth. We do know him (and quite well too) and we think he can help."
"Really? You can wake up Serena and Darien?"
"I'm fairly sure I can get them up and running as soon as possible. But I'll need your full cooperation."
Raye's eyes filled with hope as tears of joy slid down her tear stained face. "You have it….just heal our friends….our Prince and Princess."
"Raye…we don't know anything about him. And what happened to deciding things as a team?"
"Amy, I don't care who he is, as long as he can heal Serena and Darien. If he's the bad guy and he heals them, then Sailor Moon and Tuxedo Mask and us Scouts can kick his little tan ass. Besides…we're not in a real big position to turn down much needed help."
"True…but still.." Amy had her doubts…so did the other scouts, but she let them slide and decided to keep a good eye on this…"Fitori" as he called himself….besides, he was kinda cute.
"It's ok Amy….I'll take good care of them. Besides…Luna and Artemis trust me don't they? How come you don't?" He moved closer to Amy.
"Well…um…" Amy blushed. "We…ah…we don't know you very well! I mean….well…we just met you five minutes ago!"
"Well…then we'll just have to spend some time getting to know each other then won't we?" Amy blushed harder. Turning to the girls he said, "We all will…after all, you need to trust who saves your friends." Turning back to Amy he said, "You'll come to trust me…everyone does eventually."
"Well…then you don't know me…I mean us, very well." Amy said coolly (though still blushing).
"I think I know exactly who you are…princess…."
"wa…" Amy just stood there, shocked. "Okay…can I be the first to kick his ass!?"
"Have at him, Amy!"
"Aww….that's harsh Lita. Tsk, tsk…we should all be friends here."
"You are not our friend. Amy is…and she obliviously doesn't like you that close to her. So why don't you step away before you get hurt? The ONLY reason we're letting you an INCH near Serena and Darien is because Luna and Artemis seem too trust you. That doesn't mean WE do."
"Feisty huh? Hmm….I like girls like that."
"You're a big pervert aren't you! Get out, NOW!"
"Raye, I thought you wanted me to heal your friends? That's no way to treat a guest."
"You're no guest of ours, now GET OUT!"
"Girls, now give him a chance. Fitori stop being a perv and just get on with it!"
"You take away all of my fun Luna. Oh well….here goes."
Fitori stepped over to Darien's side first. He put his hands over Darien's chest and began mumbling under his breath. A gold barrier encased Darien from head to toe as Fitori kept mumbling.
"What's he doing?" Raye asked.
"Fitori possesses healing powers. But he then takes the sickness into himself for a while before he can rid of it. If he can work on Serena today, expect for him to faint or at least not be able to move." Luna whispered.
"Oh, wow…I had no idea. I figured he just had a medicine or something."
"Ya well, now you know my secret too, Raye." The barrier around Darien faded and Fitori fell to the floor. "He should be fine now." Fitori choked.
"Fitori!" the girls yelled and rushed over to him.
With a slight grin he said, "Thought you didn't like me. I'll be fine, just give me a minute. Darien shou-"
Just then a loud gasp was heard as Darien opened his eyes and sat straight up and then fell back hard again.
"Darien! You're awake! Oh my gosh! Darien!" Raye said as she hugged Darien fiercely.
"Raye, get off! I missed you too. Where am I? What happ-" Darien turned his head toward Serena. "SERENA!! Serena wake up! WAKE UP!" Darien began shaking her, crying helplessly. "Wake up, my love…" he moaned.
Raye began to cry too. "It's no use….we've tried everything…nothing works."
Darien's face (still looking at Serena) turned angry. "That can't be true. She has to wake up, she has too!"
"It won't be true for long, Darien. I can heal her." Fitori stood up, still shaking."
"Who are you? Did you heal me?"
"I'm Fitori. I did heal you, and now I'm going heal Serena, but you have to let go of her first. I suggest you lay back down too, or you'll just end up back we're you started."
"I won't lie down until Serena wakes up. But thank you for healing me. I'll let o of her, but you better not hurt her." Darien glared at Fitori for a moment, protective of his princess and then let go of Serena. He sat properly on the bed and watched Fitori's next movements.
Fitori began the process over again only a silver barrier encased her instead. Fitori closed his eyes this time, trying to concentrate.
"Do you think I he can really heal her?" Darien whispered to Amy.
"Yes, I do. It's just a matter of whether he can today or not. It looked like he used a lot of energy healing you….and Serena's worse."
"He should have healed her first….not me…what can I do? I couldn't even protect her from getting hurt."
Amy was shocked. She had never heard Darien talk like this before. Surely he knew of how many times he had saved Serena? How grateful Serena was to him? How Serena might not even be alive if not for him? "Well, then we'd have Serena on our hands and as much as I care for her, she'd be worse than you if she woke up and saw you laying there."
"I guess you're right."
"Darien…I hope you know how much Serena's grateful for you. How many times YOU have saved her, when no one else could. And you did do something for her. You shielded some of the blast from her and got hurt yourself. Which reminds me….do you remember what happened?"
"Not really, I remember Serena falling….she transformed into Princess Serenity. She used the silver crystal…but really the first thing I remember is waking up here."
"Hmm…I'm sure you'll remember more later. It's sure is taking a lot longer."
"Yes…it is…"
Just then Fitori fell to the floor. "I'm…sorry…couldn–" Fitori passed out.
"Fitori!" yelled the girls again.
"Fitori…."
"Come on Raye, help me get him to the couch."
"Right, Lita…here."
Lita and Raye carried Fitori to the couch and put a blanket over him.
"Is he going to be alright?"
"He'll be fine Mina. He just needs rest."
"How do you know? Artemis?"
"Luna's right Raye. Just let him rest. He'll be fine. He'll probably wake up no later than tomorrow morning."
"Tomorrow morning?!"
"Yes Darien. Tomorrow morning. You wouldn't expect Serena to wake up sooner than that either, so don't expect Fitori too. Serena has gone almost a month like that, she can wait 24 hours. If we push Fitori anymore, he'll die."
Darien's face, usually unreadable to anyone but Serena, was filled with shock and disappointment. "No…I don't want him to die…but…"
"But, what Darien? If he dies, Serena does too. We know you don't want that. WE don't want that."
"Your right Amy. I'm tired….I'll…I'll just lay down for awhile."
"Ok, we'll be in the living room if you need anything." With that, the girls, Luna, and Artemis walked out and shut the door behind them.
"Oh Serena…" Darien whispered as he stroked her golden hair. "Your skin has lost almost all of it's color, my angel. What else has left you in my time away?" Darien laid down and turned on his side to face Serena. "You'll get better…I promise. I'm so sorry my love….I couldn't protect you….never again will I let you get hurt. And if I do…may the demons of hell consume me….you do not deserve me." He kissed her cheek and fell asleep. As he did, some of the color came back to Serena's face.
In the living room
"Poor Darien, he was really wanting Serena to wake up."
"We all did Mina and we'll all just have to wait."
"I know that Lita….geez…sigh I'm kinda tired myself."
"Maybe you girls should take a nap too. It's been a long day."
"Not really Luna…it's only 3 o'clock."
"Mina, you know what I mean. Geez…I don't know which is worse, you or Serena."
"Haha…I take that as compliment, Luna." Mina bowed.
"Honestly…now all of you…nap time!"
"What are you Luna? Our mother?"
"Sure…I'll play mom today and for the rest of your lives. So obey and go to sleep."
"She's right girls, take a nap…you all look exhausted."
"Ooo….Artemis is daddy now. Daddy can I have toy?"
Artemis blushed. "No, now seriously Mina…bed…now."
"Ah…Fitori's right…absolutely no fun with you two."
"Come on Mina….let's lay down."
"You too, Lita? Alright…whatever."
"Wait, my sleeping bag is in Darien's room!"
"Gosh Raye, it is. I'm sure Darien won't mind if you go in there to get your sleeping bag. He may be asleep, so try to be quiet."
"Right…ok…here goes."
Raye went to the door and quietly opened it. Darien was lying down, fast asleep, face full of worry and regret. "Oh Darien…" Raye shut the door and walked to the end of the bed. "Darien…you must be hurting….you're holding her hand so tight, as if she'll slip right through." Raye picked up her red and purple sleeping bag and walked back to the living room.
"How's he doing?"
"Fast asleep…and hurting."
"Well…we all are, but when Fitori is better he can heal Serena completely." "At least I hope he can…" Amy thought.
"For now let's go to sleep. Luna and Artemis are right, we could use it."
"K Lita, night."
"Night Raye."
The girls slipped into their sleeping bags, scattered on the floor in Darien's living room.
Inside Darien's head
"Darien"
"Serena!?"
"Yes, I'm so sorry."
"Sorry!? What for? I should be sorry! I couldn't protect you!"
"No, Darien…you can't awaken me. I'll let it out."
"Let what out?"
"The evil that created the vine monster. I sealed it inside me. If I wake up, it'll be released."
"NO! You have to wake up! We'll defeat it, we always have. You just have to wake up!"
"Darien, listen to me! I'd rather sacrifice myself than millions…even billions of people. There's no way to defeat it this time. I'm sorry."
"There IS a way. We'll find a way. You're NOT going to live in a coma for the rest of your life! I won't lose you. What about the 21st century? What about Rini? You're queen! We rule the Solar System together, you can't die!"
"Darien, there is no way. Do NOT let this Fitori try to heal me! He'll be consumed by it! He's lucky he just passed out!"
"Serena! Don't do this! We can fight it, we can win! I won't…I can't lose you…"
In Darien's living room 10 minutes ago
"Raye…RAYE!!"
"What Mina!? I'm trying to sleep here!"
"I think Darien's talking in his sleep, come on. Help me wake up Amy and Lita."
"Darien? Talking in his sleep? Ya right, Mina. Stop eating sugar before bed."
"NO! You have to wake up! We'll de…"
"Oh my gosh, what was that!?"
"I told you, it was Darien, come on…help me!"
"Lita, Amy! Get up!"
"What? Go back to bed…"
"No, Darien's talking in his sleep."
"Why do we care? He probably does it a lot."
"We care because I hear Serena too."
"What!?" Lita and Amy sat straight up and scrambled to Darien's room where, sure enough, Darien and Serena were talking in there sleep.
"He really is, and so is Serena!"
"Amy, be quiet! I want to hear!"
Inside Darien's/Serena's mind
"Serena…please don't give up!"
"I'm not, I'm protecting you and the girls and everyone!"
"You don't have to protect everyone! Let us protect you!"
"No, as future queen I have a duty to protect this planet, this solar system. If that means I die, don't you think it's worth it!?"
"No, I don't think it's worth it. Future queen or not, I have a DUTY to protect YOU! I WILL NOT LET YOU DIE!"
"Darien, I'm sorry…I have no choice. I will not let Fitori heal me. You don't think I have the power? Watch me! I'm so sorry…don't you think this is hard for me too!?"
"I know you can over power him, DON'T! We're trying to help you! Don't be sorry…I'm sorry…this never would have happened if I hadn't let you get hurt. Don't leave me, I love you!"
"I love you too…but I have to…good bye…my love…"
"NOO!!!!!! Serena come back!"
Darien sat bolt right up. He was sweating and shaking viciously. He took him a minute to remember where he was and that the girls were now standing at the end of his bed with terror consuming their faces.
"Darien…is it true? Does she really have to die?"
"Mina…I….I don't know what to do to stop her…" Darien said, his head in his hands softly crying.
"No….it can't be….we can't lose her…" Raye dropped to her knees, too torn to cry anymore.
"So if I try healing her I could die? Is that all?"
"Fitori…"
"Well Amy? Is it true?"
"Yes…if you-"
"I'll do it."
"But…she'll resist you! Rest more at least!"
"You don't think I haven't had people resist me before? I can do this, have a little faith in me Amy."
"This has nothing to do with faith in you Fitori! She could kill you if you tried!"
"No she won't. I don't believe Serena would kill anyone. She's not like that, or she wouldn't be trying to keep that inside her. It must be torture."
"Torture!?" Darien stared at Fitori.
"Yes Darien, think about it…if something that evil is inside her, don't you think it's killing her inside? Sooner or later she'll die and it will be released anyway. Her death will be for nothing."
Darien's eyes went wide. He hadn't thought about it like that. Was Serena planning on trying to kill it by herself? If so, she'd die in the process and possibly let it out just like Fitori said. "Can you heal her?"
"I can try…but no guarantees."
"Good enough for me. If anything goes wrong, stop."
"K."
"Hey, look! It's dark already! start laughing"
"Leave it to Mina…"
"Yes Lita….what time do you think it is?"
"Let's see…looks at watch...It's almost midnight.
"Wow…we slept awhile. Fitori, do you think your up to trying to heal Serena?"
"Yea…I'm fully rested, I can try."
"Ok, but like Darien said…if anything goes wrong, stop."
"K….here it goes." Fitori repeated his actions from earlier. His hands glowed silver as a silver barrier encased Serena again. Again, he closed his eyes.
Amy closed the black curtains over the window to block out the light. She, like the rest, was very worried. If Serena really would die if the monster stay sealed inside her, but the world would be in danger if they let it out, what could they do? Either way people get hurt.
Fitori's hands started shaking, sweat ran down his face, his eyes squinted. "Come on Serena, let me in."
"No, I told Darien. I can't let it out."
"He and the girls are very worried about you. You need to let me heal you."
"You are so calm…do you really think you can force your way in?"
"No,
which is why I need you to let me in. If you die the evil inside you
will just escape and then, with you dead, this solar system…this
universe doesn't stand a chance. They need you…I need you."
"I can crush it by myself. Leave me be."
"Well that's a problem, because I can't leave you. I promised your friends I wouldn't. You don't have the power to kill it and you know it. Let me heal you and you can recover, then you can kill it…with your friend, and your Prince, beside you."
"Well, it's not my problem because I can kill it. As I said before, LEAVE ME BE!"
Serena sent a burst of energy toward Fitori, making him lose concentration for a moment. The girls and Darien noticed this and were more worried.
"You cannot knock me off. Once I'm in, I can't let go."
"If I recall right, you left out that detail when you promised my friends you'd get out if something went wrong."
"Yes I did, but I'm not leaving until I heal you. So you can just get used to me." Fitori had caught Serena's energy and was attempting to heal it, strand by strand. He might used more of her energy this way, but he could do it in a way that she wouldn't notice until it was too late.
"Get out! Leave me alone, I can do this without harming my friends and my world."
"Ahh…so that's what this is about. You're afraid to lose them. Well they don't want to lose you. They'd rather die themselves than for you too."
"Of course I don't want them to get hurt and I know what they would for me. They've died many times because of me. I won't let them do that this time."
"Stupid, they didn't die because of you, they died for you. Because they care for you, because you are their Princess and future Queen."
"They shouldn't be so stupid to die for me. I may be the daughter of Queen Serenity, but I'm no Princess and I'm definitely no Queen."
"But you are, it is your birth-right. But you don't have to do it alone, that's why you have friends. They love and care for you, they want you to lean on their shoulder, just as they have leaned on yours. Don't let them down now."
"What if I refuse that birth-right? What if I let this world down and end up hurting billions of people? I'm not letting them down, I'm protecting them."
"I will not argue with you anymore, but know this. Your friends care for you, they do not want you to die. That is why I'm here. Serena, you are free."
"What? No! What you think you've done!?"
"Wake up and see your friends Serenity."
Gasping for air Fitori opened his eyes. "She's fine now….may it be against her will though." Fitori got up and walked to the couch.
"Amy follow him, he doesn't look well."
"Right." Amy followed Fitori to the couch where she helped him lay down.
gasp
"Serena!"
Serena tried to sit up and failed. She blinked her eyes and stared and the ceiling.
"Serena…are you ok?"
"Shut up…what have you done!?"
I know…I'm evil. Sorry it took so long, I'm trying to make the chapters a lot longer, so be patient. I hope you like it! What do you think of Fitori? Little weird isn't he? Anyway, again, hope you liked it! If you have ANY suggestions or comments, please tell. If there's something you think I should change or do different, please let me know too! I have absolutely NO idea what I'm writing next, so ANY input is great!
BunnyLilies