L O V E H E X A G O N S
By Moonlight Eternal Edited by dragonborncrystal
Chapter 5
In Which It is Revealed there are EVIL Jewels gasp
and Seiya Has Telephone Issues
"Desdemona, were you able to plant the energy seed in the Moon Princess?" asked Azura, eyes flicking maliciously over her faithful servant.
"Yes, my queen. I have even checked on the matter. She is aware of our plan, but knows not how to stop it. What's more, soon she shall be vulnerable and weak. Then we shall be able to get her."
"Perfect...that is all." Desdemona bowed, then walked back into the shadows. Azura quickly turned her head, as if she heard a sound. It was nothing. She began to undress in her chambers. As she did so, she spoke aloud. "I know you have attracted my Alexander, Princess Serenity of the Moon. Even from the beginning, you were the only reason he went with my plan. But after I have captured you and Alexander has had his fun, I shall kill you. Then I shall have Prince Endymion and Alexander, and you'll have neither!" Azura laughed wickedly.
It was the end of December before the other scouts and Rini actually noticed the difference in Serena. Darien and Mina had only become more worried.
It began with her obvious lack of energy; she could only stay out for shorter and shorter amounts of time before she literally collapsed at the exertion. Although she never complained of anything, every scout noticed, in time, the pains she had in her chest. When Raye finally confronted the other,
Serena admitted to feeling drained of energy all the time, and soon after also told the others about the pain she often got.
Amy acredited the tiredness to either mono, or perhaps Serena was anemic. So she sent Serena, which meant she also sent Darien as he was barely leaving her side as it was, to the doctor.
But her blood tests came back negative for anything, however, and the blood count was accurate so her doctor told her to just take it easy and sleep a little more. But none of that seemed to help. What was worse, there had been about three more attacks by Desdemona and her henchmen. Serena was always the target, and after every one of her attacks she'd become just a little weaker. Sailor Masquerade only showed up twice, but she always disappeared in the split second when no one was watching her.
It was now the beginning of January, cool and snowy. Serena and the scouts were out for lunch, thinking of what to do about Sailor Masquerade. They still couldn't tell whether she was an enemy or a friend.
They had already been let into the secret Serena and Darien had found in the locket of Tranquility.
Everyone agreed that Tranquility was the masked sailor. Still, they didn't want to confront her until they were sure. There was still the problem of the age differences.
"The hair may just change in the transformation..." Amy had said.
"So, do you think now is a good time to ask her? We really need some answers soon." Serena said, glancing around at the others.
The others were watching her with such a ferocity she almost wanted to laugh. But then, laughing required too much from her at that point.
She only smiled instead.
"I think we should ask her." Amy said, "What harm would it do?" Amy was always the logical one in the group.
"Well," Serena said, standing slowly. "I was going to go over to Darien's and Lily'll be there...should I ask her?"
The others looked at one another hesitantly. Mina shook her head for the general opinion. "Let's wait until we're all there. " She said, answering Serena's unanswered question of 'why'. "If she really ISN'T an ally-not likely, I know, but this is what we call precaution-it would be better if we all were present."
"And you don't think that would look a bit suspicious"
Serena asked sarcastically, swinging her purse over her should and catiching her breath.
"Not in the slightest," Lita put in. "And Serena, you sure you don't want any of us to walk you there. I mean-"
"You guys worry too much," Serena smiled again. "I have to have a LITTLE solitude sometimes..."
"Even the 'little' worries us," Raye muttered under her breath as Serena left.
Serena breathed in the crisp winter air as she strolled to meet Darien, Rini, and Lily at Darien's apartment to have a movie night (though it really was going to be a movie afternoon as everyone had school the next day).
Absentmindedly, she looked at the passerbys to see if she recognized any other them. Of course, there was always someone who caught her eye which she knew. This was no exception. Serena saw a girl that looked a lot like Desdemona walking on the streets.
Only, it wasn't...it couldn't be...but it was.
She recognized the amber eyes, the raven black hair that streamed down to the girl's waist, and the evil grin. And for the small seconds that they walked past each other, Serena felt the nagging pain in her chest strike twice as hard. She doubled over from ache that manifested there. Kneeling on the pavement, she looked back in the midst of breaths, and the girl was gone.
Serena didn't even wait to recover before she bolten to Darien's. A feeling of silent dread was in her. Desdemona wouldn't just be WALKING AROUND the Tokyo strees WAITING for her! And this was obviously not just some coincidence, that the pain had blown her back it was so wrenching JUST at the point where some random girl who RESEMBLED Desdemona passed by.
Absolutely no way she was overreacting, Seren knew this. And her first priority was to tell Darien. She WOULD call the scouts but of course her communicator was abandoned at her own apartment, doing her ever so much good on her dresser.
Serena took the elevator, and tried to slow her breaths and return them to sounding regular, instead of ragged. To her own ears she sounded horrible. To Darien's...she didn't really want to see his reaction. When she reached the apartment door, she drew in one final reassuring breath and entered.
She opened the door to find the girls and Darien watching the first movie of the night. She suddenly remembered that Rini, but mostly that Tranquility, was going to be present. She couldn't tell Darien then...It was important,
but not so important that she could blow their cover! Serena tried to switch her mood, even superficially, before anyone noticed her arrival.
Darien looked up from the comforts of his couch, saying, "Hey, Meatball Head! Glad you could finally join us!" Serena quickly put a small smile on her face, touching where the pain had emerged from, as if to cover up that there had been something wrong.
Darien, of course, realized immediately something was up and got up from the couch. Rini and Lily barely noticed.
"What's wrong?" He asked, heading her off at the hall opening.
"Nothing..." she said, avoiding his eyes.
"Something is. Tell me, Serena. You know you can." She looked up into his eyes and sighed.
Lowering her voice to a mere whisper, she said, "On the way here, I saw a girl on the streets...a girl who looked astonishingly like-well, no, more like was Desdemona. And the pain ...it got worse when I passed her." She looked down at where her hands were clasped, "When I looked back, she was gone."
"Are you all right now?" he asked. Serena nodded as D arien pulled her into a protective hug. After a moment, he didn't know why, but he felt that they were being watched. And he had the inkling it wasn't by his two future daughters. Shivers rushed down his spine as he turned and looked towards the balcony, Serena moving up to stand next to him. There, on the balcony, stood Desdemona, adorned in her regular uniform and looking hungrily towards the couple. Serena jumped, and the girls looked around.
"What's going on?" asked Lily. Suddenly, the glass panels of the balcony doors shattered, and the doors flew open, flinging pieces of glass at Serena. She shrieked, but Darien pushed her behind his own body, bracing himself for the shards of glass that would become in seconds embedded in his face. -Ping- glass hit him, drawing blood.
"Serena, transform!" he said as Desdemona began to approach.
"What?!" Lily cried in alarm.
"Rini, call the scouts!" Serena said, before screaming "Moon Eternal Power!!" She transformed, and then dropped to one knee, hand tightly clutching her chest.
"Ah, so I see my shadow crystal is doing its job! Poor Moon Brat... soon you'll have no strength! Let me help bring ease to your body once more! DARK SHADOWS ENCLOSE!" Serena leapt out of the way, Desdemona's blast hitting the apartment wall.
"M...my apartment!" Darien stared at the wall, now a large, black, smoldering hole where a picture of Serena, Rini, and himself USED to be. Darien turned back and glared at Desdemona.
"Now you've done it..." Rini said, adding a little humor to the serious battle.
Rini transformed, shortly ensued by Darien. They fought together for the sake of Serena and what was left of the apartment's walls. Lily stood there dumbstruck.
"Y...you are Tuxedo Mask-and you're Sailor Moon and Sailor Mini Moon?" She cried, staring at Rini, Darien, and Serena in their forms. "I had no idea..." she said clasping her own brooch (clipped to the bow of her uniform) "...that I'd been helping you..." then, in front of the rest of the scouts (who'd just broken down the Darien's door) Serena, Darien, Rini, and Desdemona, she screamed, "Masquerade Power!!" and transformed into the green suited Sailor Masquerade.
Everyone stood in surprise for a while. True, it shouldn't have been one, but still it was. It was strange to have one moment been staring into the face of an undeveloped child and the next staring into one of 9 years older in age.
Then Desdemona began a new attack.
"Dark Shadows Enclose!" she yelled, aiming the attack at Sailor Moon once again.
"White Rose Tiara Action!" Sailor Masquerade sent the tiara flying, causing Desdemona to have to jump, and call off her attack. But Sailor Moon didn't miss a beat.
"Silver Moon Crystal Power KISS!!" Desdemona, taken off guard, put up her disappearing barrier, and then said, "HAHA!! I came to find out what I wanted. The moon brat is weakening, and there's nothing you can do!" With those words out, she disappeared.
Before any questions could be asked, Sailor Masquerade said, "Wait, Eternal Sailor Moon, stand still." Sailor Moon obeyed, steadying herself withTuxedo Mask's shoulder. Sailor Masquerade pressed on the side of her goggles, and then cried out, "Eyes BEYOND!!" Her voice echoed momentarily in the silent room.
She scanned Serena's body, from her feet up and as she angled it on Serena's chest, she said in a small voice, "Oh no..."
"What is it?" asked Tuxedo Mask, fear stricken at the words. The direct spot that Sailor Masquerade aimed at was the exact same place Serena had felt a pain just a few moments ago. In fact, that spot had been causing her problems since the very first attack...
"Darien..." Serena whimpered.
"Sorry," he apologized, releasing his tight grip on her arm.
"Mercury, I think you should scan Serena. My goggles may not be correct."
Mercury pressed her earring, and her blue visor appeared. She too stopped at Serena's chest and asked in a strange voice, "What is it?"
"A shadow crystal. Desdemona must have planted it inside her during that one attack at the picnic grounds. The one she used only once." Mercury nodded.
Sailor Moon detransformed, and then asked in a scared voice what they were talking about. Everyone else took her lead as well, becoming civilians once more. Lily unsheathed a small black computer like Mercury's, only with a white rose as its symbol. She began one handedly typing. Everyone looked on (Serena leaning her head on Darien's shoulder, with him gripping her body tightly). "Here we are." Lily said.
"That's it." Amy said, agreeing.
"That's what?" asked Raye, a worried face planted as she leaned forward to see. Lily showed a picture of a small, round, black gem to the girls (and Darien).
"This is called a shadow crystal. They only come from the mines of the Shadow World. Like the moon with Neherenia, there is a dark side to earth too; the Shadow World. It borders Elysian in the same kind of parallel universe within Earth. The queen, Desdemona, is an evil woman. She's the one who causes all the 'bad' things, like death and car crashes on this earth's surface, just as Elysian releases hope and dreams. There is always a negative side, but she usually stays within her fortress on the outskirts of Elysian. She is most likely serving someone, considering she left her land...and I think I know who..." Lily trailed of into thought.
"What does the shadow crystal DO?" asked Rini.
"Basically, it sucks energy, positive energy, and turns it negative. Serena, Sailor Moon, you are slowly being sucked of all your energy." Lily said, sadly turning to face Serena.
"How do you know all of this?" asked Trista, although a conspicuous smile had begun to appear over the older scout's face. She really was only asking for the benefit of the others.
"I...I come from the future."
"We knew that. But from where? And who are you-!" Serena cried out in pain, collapsing into Darien's arms.
"You'd better sit," Lily said, staring at Serena's helpless manner, a quivering fear running through her. "I am from the future. I can't tell you who my parents are, in case there are enemies watching. I am only 5 years old, and attained my scout powers only a few months ago. When I transform, I change to what I was supposed to have looked like when I truly attained my powers, to a 14-year-old figure. I wasn't supposed to have any power UNTIL I was 14. My mother, well actually both my parents, gave me my brooch early, though. I think they sensed I might need it later. There was attack on my home. A woman calling herself Azura and a man named Alexander appeared in Crystal Tokyo and..." Tranquility had tears in her eyes. "I...I had gotten in trouble with my mother for practicing my attacks in the garden outside. I had run away from her...and then they attacked. My mommy was looking for me and," the tears streamed down her face, "Azura attacked me. My mom was going to have another baby, you see. But, she jumped in front of me, and the beam hit her.
and she...she..." Tranquility burst into sobs. She couldn't say it, but everyone else knew. Tranquility's mother was dead.
"But I knew that Azura wasn't from our time era, because the king and queen of Crystal Tokyo had both tracked down all the evils of the universe, and were closely monitoring everything.
Princess Lady Serenity, the heir to the throne of Crystal Tokyo," she stared at Rini, "told me about a scout in the past who might be able to help me. So she gave me a time key, and told me to find you, Eternal Sailor Moon. My father lent me his crystal, because Small Lady needed the silver crystal for herself. I thought that I'd have enough time to find Sailor Moon and bring her to the future so that you could beat the enemy. But they followed me here. And now...well, I wish I could've known more sooner..."
The horror of the story revealed, everyone began to take action as soon as they reached Serena's house (considering Darien's had served as a battle zone, and looked as though Hurricane Serena lived there, except it lacked a few more holes in the walls).
"O.K., the first thing we need to do is find out a little more about this shadow crystal." Mina said, being the runner-up leader. She looked to Serena for support.
Her friend gave a weak nod, and said, "I'm going to go to sleep now. I'll have some of my energy back then. Night." Serena lay her head down on her couch. She fell asleep almost instantly, and everyone began to start voicing their worries at once.
"Do you think she'll be all right?" Amara asked.
"You all right with this Rini?" Hotaru asked, comforting her friend.
"Do you think she might get sick?"
"Should we turn the heat on?"
"Will she have more energy sucked while she sleeps?"
"QUIET!!" Mina screamed.
"SSHHHHHH!" everyone said. Mina motioned for Darien to take Serena into the bedroom so she could actually say something.
Darien lay Serena down on her oak bed, with the bunny-moon comforter. He brushed his hand over his sleeping love's forehead. He played with her hair for a few minutes. "Darien, are you coming out this century?" he heard Raye's usual sarcastic voice call. He kissed Serena's cool forehead, willing her to take some of his own energy, then went back out into the living room.
"Alright, now it's time for action. No questions until the end, understood?" Mina said as Darien walked in the room, and took a seat next to Rini and Lily on the couch. Lily climbed on his lap, and Rini looked a little jealous.
Everyone agreed about the no-questions thing, and Mina began. "O.K. Serena will obviously be out of it for a while. I think that we should go to the future, not as far as Tranquility, but where you are now Rini. They have better technology there. They might be able to figure out how to extract the crystal FROM Serena before it does much more damage. And we also need to leave these two there." She motioned towards Rini and Lily.
The two firmly objected, "NO! I came here in the first place to train-" Rini was then interrupted by Tranquility, "And you guys have NO idea what you're up against. And you have no idea even what era to go to. Plus, you need strong fighters like us. Right?"
"Right!" Rini firmly agreed.
Mina and the other scouts were a little dumbstruck.
"Well, we'll see what your father has to say, Rini. Darien?" Mina gestured.
Darien blanched, then managed to say, "Why don't we ask the king when we get there?"
"Smooth one Darien. Real smooth." Amara murmured. He gave her a 'look' in response.
"O.K., enough about that. Tomorrow, when we've finished up school, let's meet here. Serena should've gained some energy by then. If not, we can just carry her through time, right Darien?"
"Right." He agreed. 'Well, if nothing else good comes off this, at least I'll have strong upper arm muscles...'he thought gloomily.
"Good. Now, Lita, Raye, Amy, and I'll sleep here to make sure Serena isn't attacked again. Amara, Michelle, and Trista? Would you mind taking Rini and Lily with you?" the scouts all nodded.
"Ehem." Darien cleared his throat, anticipating the night watch.
"You can sleep on the porch again."
"NO!! I'll sleep in the kitchen"
"I'll stay!"
"No, I will!"
"Why are you two so intent on staying home today?" Darien asked Mina and Rini skeptically.
"We're desperately worried about our best friend in the whole wide world, who might be suffering from like, sleeping sickness or something?" Mina said, adding emotional faces and hand gestures to make her story seem somewhat plausible. Darien looked at her hard, then glanced down towards his future daughter.
"Um...I'm desperately worried about my future mother who might be suffering from...mono?" Darien held back the urge to roll his eyes.
"WHAT did you two not study for this time?"
"What do you mean, not study? ME?! Of course I always remember to study and I am so hurt that you would feel that I wouldn't wait at Serena's bedside because she's sick even though I would like to miss school anyways and skip that test on the cell parts from Mr..." Mina hit herself over the head.
"Don't even try, Rini. I know the two of you, and although I know you love Serena, the benefit of you not having to take a test or quiz is still lurking in the background. I'll stay." Darien sighed. If only they were more mature...
"Fine, so YOU get to miss a test for Serena and we don't..." the two girls grumbled as they left Serena's apartment.
As she had not yet woken up, and it was the next morning,
someone needed to watch over her sleeping state. Darien glanced down at his watch. 7:30 AM...he actually DID have a test. But he would NOT risk Serena for it.
"Serena, HOW can you NOT HAVE ANY FOOD??" Darien groaned in misery over the empty refrigerator. "You know...Serena wouldn't mind if I went out for JUST 5 minutes to grab some food..." Darien reasoned with himself as he left the apartment, car keys in hand.
As Darien drove past the park, a pair of blonde pigtails caught his eyes. "Serena?" Stopping the car abruptly with a screech, Darien leapt out and headed towards the park playground. On the swings sat a melancholy-looking Serena, deep in thought, blue eyes turned to the ground. She wore a pink cotton sweater, and a turquoise and pink skirt. Her hair was, as usual, in odangos. As Darien approached silently, he heard Serena murmur something quietly. But it was directed at him. "Am I a burden?"
"What?" Sky blue eyes turned upwards towards the clouds. Tumultuous storms clashed above. The day would be a rainy one...
"Am I a burden on you?"
"Serena-"
"Am I?!" Tears fell down her cheeks and dropped on the ground, along with the first signs of rain.
"No." Darien answered simply, coming up behind her.
"It just seems like, for the first time I can't do anything for myself. Even before, when I first began as Sailor Moon with you helping me, I always did something. And yet," he eyes once again scanned the ground, splattered with rain droplets, "now I do nothing. Except cause grief...perhaps it would have been best if Galaxia-" Darien roughly clasped Serena's shoulders and spun her around to face him.
"Don't EVER say that, Serena. Ever. Don't think it either. You are our reason for living...my reason for living." For the first time, Serena's pale face looked levelly with Darien's, dark circles rimming her tear-filled eyes. She looked tired and sick at heart, yet there was a slight twinkle to her now.
She smiled slightly, then said, "I'm sorry, Darien. I didn't mean to sound so sad...but I can't help it. With everything that's happened so far, I just want it all to end."
"Maybe it will end now." Serena sighed heavily.
"No, it won't, as long as this stupid crystal," she gestured towards her locket, "is still intact, there'll never be peace. But then, I guess this is my job, and then I'd be out of work."
"Well, actually, our job. We share this burden, Serena, and we will share it. Together. Now, can we please go home? It's pouring."
"Sure." Darien offered a hand, and Serena's dainty fingers clasped it. She stood on tip-toe and kissed him lightly. "Thank you."
"How did she get out there so fast?" questioned Amy in a pondering fashion.
"I have no idea. I wasn't gone for more than 5 minutes. But it really doesn't matter."
"Well, she's still asleep now, and it is 4:00. Everyone's here, too. We'll just have to carry her."
"Where's this 'we'? You know you'll make me carry her, Raye."
"Make you? Who said we were going to 'make' you? YOU volunteered, Darien. You already said it would be fine..."
"You know what I meant." As the scouts made a circle around Darien and Serena, the phone rang. Darien set down Serena on a nearby couch and answered it. What was 2 lost seconds anyways? They were going through time!
"Hello?"
"Oh, it's you," an annoyed voice said.
"What do you mean, oh it's- oh, it's you." Darien finally registered the voice. "What do you want, Seiya?"
"I was just calling to check on Serena. Is that a crime now, Chiba? And WHY are you at her apartment?"
"Just spending time with my fiancee. Why do you want to check on Serena?"
"If you haven't noticed, then obviously-"
"I've noticed multiple things, Seiya. Which one have you?"
"It just sounded like she wasn't well the last time we talked."
"Which was..."
"What are you, her secretary? This morning." 'WHAT?! She called Seiya too?' "What'd you two talk about?"
"None of your business...so, if you've finished interrogating me, is Serena there or not?"
"She's asleep at the moment." Darien commented suggestively. He could almost hear Seiya writhing with jealous anger on the other end of the phone. It gave Darien an odd sense of satisfaction.
"Could you tell her I called, please?"
"I could. No, I'll be nice and say I will. But don't expect her to call you today or anything."
"Why not?"
"Because we're going to the future."
"Come again?"
"We're going to the future."
"Have you TOTALLY lost your marbles?"
"Obviously you didn't know Sailor Pluto too well. Anyways, we're in a rush, so later!"
"Chiba! You can't just hang up on-" Darien set the phone down and feeling much more invigorated than he had previously, lifted Serena up and said, "Shall we go?"
"Um...Darien? Who WAS that?"
"Seiya." The scouts all looked at one another, shrugged, and once again formed their circle.
"Which one of us should use the time key, Plu?" Rini asked Sailor Pluto, the guardian of time, gesturing to herself and Tranquility.
"Actually, since you both have one, it will enable us to travel quicker and safer through time, so you both must use it." She said in her stern manner.
"Now, you both remember how to use them, correct?
Remember how you do this joint travel, you will certainly need it wiht so many people, because I will be returning to the gates of time after travelling with you briefly to the future. I can not leave the doors unguarded for too long without at least checking on them."
"Oh, Plu...you're leaving already?" Rini asked.
"You just got here."
"Small Lady, don't worry, I'll be back in time to help with any major battles. We'll seeone another soon...and besides, I'm not even leaving yet!"
Everyone grabbed hands, omitting Darien, whose hands were a bit tied up holding Serena at the minute, (Raye and Mina grabbed his arms instead) and Rini and Tranquility began the words,
"Guardian of Time, split the heavenly sky and open the door of time! We call upon the mighty God of Time, Chronos! Lead and protect us...Onward to the Road of Light!"
And in a second, everyone fell on top of each other on the other side of time. Serena lay beside the pile of everyone.
"Ow." Darien lay on the bottom of the scout stack, glad for Serena's sake she was out of harms way, yet at the same time wishing he too had escaped being the bottom of a sailor scout sandwich. Everyone scampered off and Amara gave Darien a hand up.
"I think I broke something," Mina cried.
"What, like a nail?" Raye said.
"That was mean, Raye!" Mina wailed.
"What's going on?" Serena mumbled, now once again in Darien's arms.
"You're finally awake, Sleeping Beauty!" Darien teased.
"Haha. Like it's MY fault I'm slowly being sucked of all my energy." Serena said, getting to her feet. "Ah, we must be in Crystal Tokyo," she muttered, glancing up.
"How'd you know?" Raye asked sarcastically (they were standing right in front of the Crystal Palace).
"We're in a fine mood, aren't we Pyro?"
"When you end up being second to last on a stack of Sailors, Serena, come talk to me."
Suddenly, two people emerged from the castle door. It was the King and Neo-Queen Serenity...who was pregnant! "Hello!" Neo-Queen Serenity welcomed them with a happy smile, as the king helped her unnecesarily down the steps to meet everyone. Everyone stared down at her growing belly.
"Oh, we have good news! I'm expecting my second child! I'm surprised Rini didn't tell you." Neo-Queen Serenity kneeled, letting Rini run into her arms.
"Is it a boy, or a girl, Mommy?" Rini asked.
"A girl. You've been away so long, I only have about 4 months." She was obviously in a very good mood. Her smile was welcoming.
"Wait, this is Darien and Serena's SECOND child!?" As the queen nodded, and the truth of the matter came through, Serena and Darien could feel the eyes of the scouts on their backs. They grew bright red.
"Who is this?" asked the King, obviously aware of the place his past self was put in, staring at Lily.
"Oh, this is Tranquility. She's from the future."
"Really? Isn't that a coincidence, because I was considering naming her," Serenity rubbed her stomach, "Tranquility as well..."
"Actually, I am that Tranquility." Lily said, pointing to the queen.
"You're my...my baby?" Tranquility nodded.
"Can I hug you?" Tranquility asked.
"Come here!" And Rini, Tranquility, and Queen Serenity hugged tightly. "That means you're my sister!" Rini and Tranquility giggled. At first, the others just smiled while Endymion studied his future daughter and Darien attempted to put his shattered brain back together. But then something else struck them.
"B...but that means in the future, the queen-" Michelle elbowed Amara before she could say what the past selves knew already.
"I'll what?" asked Serena AND Neo-Queen Serenity together.
"Let's go inside for this." Lily said, obviously realizing she'd have to tell her tale again.
"I'll call the scouts. I'll have to tell them to drop their children off with Noreen, Rini's nanny."
"Ch...Children?" Raye fumbled.
"Why, yes. You have a 7-year-old named Leila, and a three-year-old named Allen. Amy, you have a 2 year old named Lina. Lita, you have a 7-month-old named Terra and a 4 year old named Indira. And Mina, you just had Belle about a week ago. Amara, you have a 5-year-old daughter named Camden, Michelle a 4 year old named Chelsi and a 4 month old named Marina. And Trista, you have a 3 year old daughter named Celestia."
"Guess you guys won't be staring at US much more, right?" Serena said, watching her friends go red as well.
"Sweet revenge..." Darien's eyes glinted.
"Who's the father!!" cried Mina.
"Not saying." Neo-Queen Serenity said, standing up. "Now, let me go call them. Darling, could you lead them into the lounge?"
"Follow me." The King said (blushing at the Darling address).
"Darling?" Darien asked.
The king glared at him. "Say one word..." he growled.
After the future scouts arrived, Tranquility proceeded to summarize why she'd come in the first place again. Serena and the queen gasped at the revelation that they were killed.
"But, if we kill the enemy in the past, the future will be changed..." Tranquility said. The realization that the queen was pregnant AGAIN in Tranquility's time made Darien wonder how many kids Serena was planning on having. He made a mental note to ask when this was all over.
Then, Mina told everyone about her plan to see if they could either de-activate or extract the crystal from Serena. As Serena began to feel dizzy again, Darien asked if she could sleep somewhere. Neo-Queen Serenity led Darien to a guestroom on the third floor (how a pregnant woman could get up three flights of stairs faster than him was beyond Darien). "Come back down when you're ready." She said, shutting the door as she left.
"Sorry to be such a bother to you..." Serena sighed, taking the nightgown the queen had given her and slipping behind a screen to dress.
"Now, didn't we go over this already today? You aren't a bother to me at all Serena. I love you."
"But don't you ever get tired of me? You either die or lose your memory or get sick or are hurt just because of me. And it doesn't seem right."
"Serena," Darien groaned at Serena's attitude. "I wouldn't trade you in for anything. So what if I've died a few times, caught a cold, or almost been paralyzed for you. All that matters to me IS you."
"You promise?" she said, climbing into the bed.
"Of course I do." She sat up, and Darien leaned forward and kissed her on her lips. She wrapped her arms around him, and then after about a minute, let go and said, "I think we need to do that more often."
"How can we with Mina around?" Darien asked, standing. "Sleep well Serena. Regain that energy of yours."
"I'll try." She said. "And Darien?"
"Yes?" he paused at the door.
"I love you too," she smiled sleepily at him. He walked over and kissed her forehead gently.
"I know." He smiled, and left.
Azura's Palace
"Desdemona, are you there?" asked Azura.
Desdemona appeared before her.
"Yes, my queen."
"Have you located Princess Serenity of the past?" she asked.
"Yes, she is on the third floor of the Crystal Tokyo Palace. Unguarded and sleeping."
"Perfect..." laughed Azura.
"Should I begin phase two?" asked an eager Desdemona.
"Yes, go ahead. Be careful, though. Her lover boy is probably on the watch."
"Yes, Azura." Desdemona disappeared with a smile into the shadows.
- -
MUAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!! 2 guesses what phase 2 is!
Thanks to dragonborncrystal and Dragon blade!
Read, Respond, REVIEWS ARE NICE!
Love from,
Moonlight Eternal