A Moon Never Clasped

By: Danni Lynn

Chapter 2: The Threads we Weave

~+!Serena's Pov!+~

One...two...three...eight...ten...a month...another month...then...

It stops...

"Class! Pay attention! Good. Class, we have a new student, her name is Serena Tsukino, she's from Kyoto. Make her feel comfortable here. Mina! You'll be the one who'll show her the ropes. Serena, go take a seat by Mina." The teacher directed Serena towards a seat next to the blonde haired beauty as male students looked at her with envy in their eyes as the girls shake their head with pity.

The world had gone on without her, and she had stood timeless in a rip of the universe. Though her body had grown as the days went by, aging her farther into the climax of her youth, her mind had resisted the logic of the melancholy, disabled knowledge of Earth still spinning with hours, months, and years without her there to bask in its dominating happiness as she sat alone in the darkness, waiting for a savior.

Though, she had known of the deal, and had lived on the rotating planet for the many months after the contract had been placed in black and white, she had gone on living like a zombie. Haunting her old paths towards her most favorite spots, where she had laughed and cried with those of who were no longer close to her, like a ghost stuck in a endless limbo revisiting what was no longer of existence.

Serena sighed heavily, knowing that as long as her accursed tattoo still bared a mark on her chest, she would still be a forgotten memory that was of none existence in the world.

In seeing the new student, acting so dreary, Mina leaned forward towards the pigtailed girl with a gentle smile on her lips.

"Had a long day, huh?" Mina teased as she poked Serena in the back with the easer end of her pencil. Serena simply didn't respond quickly as she kept her eyes watching the teacher carefully waiting for him to turn his back, before she replied.

As soon as his back was facing the class, Serena swiveled her head to face Mina with an eyebrow raised. "Yes?" She asked, with an amused smile tugging the ends of her lips slightly upwards, if it had been anybody else who had made such a grin it would seem half-hearted and arrogant, but Serena had a way with smiles. That no matter how she looked her smile always held a certain sincerity and joyfulness in it.

Mina grinned back, with mischief twinkling in her eyes. "Had a long day, Tsukino?" Mina formally addressed her with her voice dripping sunshine. Serena simply blinked at her innocently before she shook her head. "Nope, just bored of being here is all. School had never been fun for me." Serena told her, Mina nodded her head understanding Serena's pain of school.

Mina shrugged in agreement. "I have to agree with you there, Tsukino. Hey-"

Suddenly without warning, Mina's head was hit with a small, black object which sent dust spewing over Serena and Mina. "If you like chitchat so much Aino. Please indulge the class of Tsukino and your conversation." The teacher bellowed out at the vulnerable blonde, who winked at Serena before she stood up and tossed the black object that turned out to be the blackboard's easer, back to the teacher. He caught it in mid-air and placed it back where it had originally began.

"Oh, you know girl stuff." Mina didn't imply farther than that with warning in her voice, either he didn't catch it or was just ignoring it; the teacher raised an eyebrow as he stood and waited for more of an explanation.

After seeing that she wasn't going to say any more the teacher frowned. "What 'girl stuff' might that be, Aino?" The teacher asked her with his voice quivering with rising anger. Serena stood up also, to save Mina the embarrassment, already knowing what Mina was going to say. "I asked if I could barrow a tampon, Sir." I replied with ease. I could feel everyone staring at me, as the girls giggled with laughter. The teacher's face went red and his face dropped all of its mocking victory, but apparently his hopes rose once more as his startled face gained back his poser. "If you need such a thing, Tsukino, go to the clinic to get one. Don't interrupt my class for with such an inappropriate explanation. I will leave you off with a warning, as for you Aino-"

Serena stopped the teacher mid-sentence with a witty comeback."How is it inappropriate, Sir? Isn't it simply natural? A process all females go through." She coolly waved off the stares of her classmates with a hand as Mina watched on with amusement. It was apparent the teacher was the only one who couldn't make light of the current situation, as his face turned a darker shade of red.

"It is Tsukino, but saying those kinds of things in class is hardly irrelevant and should be dealt with alone or with a female adult, not with my class." The teacher answered with his jaw clamped tight with controlled rage. His brown hair fell down over his spectacles as his stomach bulged out of his tight shirt. His short legs disappeared under his glutton mid-section as he wobbled over to stand in front of Serena. Being taller than him, it was easier to stare him down.

"I wasn't sharing it with your class, Sir. You simply asked what I was talking to Aino about." Serena politely reminded him of the reason why they were talking about such a thing.

Knowing he had been beat, the burnet teacher grunted in annoyance. "Talking back to teachers is rude and arrogant, Tsukino. You best remember that." He huffed as he hobbled back to the front of the class. Serena smiled sweetly as she crossed her arms over her chest. "You asked a question and I answered, Sir. I hardly call that talking back." Serena snapped back with a gentle voice. "Um, Mr. Mosemoto, let me show Tsukino here where the clinic is." Mina wrapped an arm around Serena's shoulders and in one fluid motion; they slipped out of class before another word could be uttered from the stunned teacher and via the class.

Once they had turned the corner, Mina slammed her against the wall and pinned Serena down. She gave no motion to decline the sudden movement. "Wow, Tsukino, you sure have great comebacks. I like you. I was going to say something like that but you so made that much more amusing." Mina laughed as Serena smiled in return. She had gained back one important friend, but knowing Mina no longer knew who Serena was, it wouldn't have mattered. Serena was caught by invisible chains and had no freedom of her own. Serena's life wasn't the best. Her family had forgotten of her existence. Her friends knew nothing of her anymore. Her boyfriend saw her nothing more than as a stranger, as he turned down to go abroad and study a little bit more in Tokyo.

"Want to skip class, Tsukino? If you don't want to that's fine. I just-"Serena, who was still caught up in her happiness laughed as she stopped the ranting Mina, mid-sentence. "It's fine Mina. You know me. We do this all the time." Serena stopped. Already wishing she could take back her words. Mina tilted her head sideways confused. "I just met you, Tsukino. This is the first time I have EVER skipped class WITH you." Mina put emphasis on her words as she narrowed her eyes at Serena with caution.

Serena looked at Mina, and then shook her head with an apologetic grin. "Sorry, Aino. I had a friend back in Kyoto who had the same name as you, and we were best friends. I'm a bit of a ditz; I confuse faces with memories all the time." Serena reassured the Love senshi, who went red with embarrassment and gave back a shaky smile. "Yeah."

Serena turned and stalked off down the hall as Mina watched her leave. "Where are you going, Tsukino?" She called from behind as she ran to catch up. Serena looked over her shoulder at her friend. "To the park. You wanted to skip class, so I'm skipping class. You are welcome to join me, if you want." She replied as she fell into step with the blonde. Mina nodded as they stalked off the school and whisked away from sight in the afternoon sun.

"So, why did you move down here to Tokyo? Isn't Kyoto suppose to be nice?" Mina kept droning on and on with her motor mouth, but enjoying the company of someone other than her master, Serena laughed and answered each question as truthfully as she could.

Sunshine pored out over the grass in light patches as the looming trees shaded them from the welting flame of ultraviolet rays. The wind blew lightly, causing the girls' hair to be whipped up in the motion. Serena lied down on to the grass as she used her arms as her pillow. Mina continued to sit with her legs pulled up to her side. Serena smiled as she stared up into the sky.

"Today is nice. I'm glad I met you, Aino." She spoke softly and Mina looked out into the distance, "Yeah, I'm glad too." Mina whispered to no one. Serena knew that Mina could never be her best friend with her being a sailor scout that served Galaxia. Practically, she and Mina were enemies.

"Hey, Mina! I knew, I'd find you here!" A voice came yelling from afar and Serena sat up to see who the owner of the voice belonged to. A tall, graceful figure made her way up the incline hill with a short haired girl trailing after her, her blue locks rustling behind her.

Mina waved them over and I felt like running. It hadn't even been one day; she was already meeting old friends. What a small world.

"Hi." Was all Serena could stutter out, as her voice was caught in her throat. She didn't know what to expect, logic sense was that if she met one then it was only a matter of hours before she met the others. The brunette glanced sideways at Serena and gave a small nod of acknowledgement before she turned her attention back on the happy blonde. Serena smiled up at the other girl who was cradling a book in her hand and motioned for her to sit down. The other girl grinned and took the seat next to her.

"I'm Serena. Hello." Serena was never one to be formal, but when you met up with friends that had long since of forgotten you, you would want to be formal. "Ami, hi." Was the only response she got as Ami flipped open the book and begun reading. Serena leaned forward and snapped the book closed. Ami looked up startled. "What are you doing?" She asked, careful of keeping her voice low and polite. Serena shook her head and grinned. "Reading on such a beautiful day is such a waste." She laughed as she gently took the book out of her hand and set it down next to her. Ami looked around and shrugged. "It is isn't it?" She replied with admiration adorning her voice. Serena nodded and jumped up. Placing both hands on her hips, "Who wants ice cream?" She bellowed out to Mina and the others. Mina's hand shot up as drool poured out of her mouth like a waterfall. The brunette chuckled and raised her own hand, now waiting for Ami to answer, Serena got on her hands and knees and begged. "Please, Ami?" She whined. Ami laughed and shoved Serena back teasingly. "Aren't you the one that said to enjoy your day? So what d you think?" Ami got up with her book and hand. "I'll take that as a yes!" Serena made her way up and towards the Crown, with her new (old) friends falling behind.

~+!Mina's Pov!+~

"A bit eccentric, isn't she?" Lita laughed as they trailed behind the marching pig-tailed blonde. "Yip." Mina responded as she day-dreamed of all the ice cream she could think of. "Where she come from?" Ami asked as she had her nose buried in her book once again. "Kyoto." Mina's voice was dripping with joy. Suddenly, their happy afternoon was cut short as a loud beeping sound caused them to stop. Mina was snapped instantly from her day-dreaming as she flipped the communicator on. "What's up?" Mina answered as Rei's face showed up on the screen. "Youma at the old factory pasted the Crown." Mina nodded and looked around, about to wave off her new friend about the sudden departure, but surprise flickered in her eyes as Serena was no where in sight. Mina sighed heavily with relief. Looking up, she nodded towards her fellow senshi and they were off.

~+!Serena's Pov!+~

Leaping roof to roof had its advantages and disadvantages. Con) you can slip off and get hurt. Pro) can get to where you're going much faster. Con) buildings' tops are all different sizes. Pro) can make you unseen by you opponent and prying eyes. Con) you can easily get attacked from above. Pro) you can kick ass if you jump from above and attack. They won't know what hit them.

Serena was trying to get there as fast as possible, already knowing where the monster was. That thing was after her, she would be damned if she let it attack anyone other than her.

A piercing scream lit up through the air and broke the resilient silence that had become around the surrounding area. Serena shuddered as the pain hit her like a force that can't be stopped. Galaxia hadn't explain in detail the full extent of the contract and part of it was that any Youma that is sent by Galaxia is physically linked to her, so that any pain inflicted on it, she would feel it too. It was another twisted logic that she found out the hard way.

She moaned as she felt the flames lick across her skin and smelled the burnt flesh. She choked down her whines and straightened her spine as she leaned down over the edge of the roof.

There stood Sailor Mars as she ran around firing flaming arrows at that tall Youma. Its body was small and lithe but its strength was lacking. It dodged most of the attacks but Mars got some good shots in the mean while. Suddenly, the Youma threw a small black object at Mars, she was able to avoid the attack but it still grazed her arm. Instantly, her arm was bleeding.

Daggers. Serena wasted no time as she transformed into her senshi uniform, and leaped from the roof down as she foot planted the Youma right in the jaw. It flew back startled and lost balance, though Serena flinched at the pain she made use of the time she had by jumping high in the air and lifting her foot her up she placed the heel of her boot right into the monster's heart.

It shrieked in pain as its body was engulfed in blue flames, Serena bent forward and placed her hand on the monster's forehead. "May in death you find the light." She whispered, the Youma laughed at her as its body flickered in one fluid motion. Serena didn't acknowledge at what they had done to her. She simply gave it an apologetic smile as it body smoldered to death. Blood gushed down her now open wound and onto the pavement. She didn't react but turned her head and looked at the only other person that was on this street besides her. Mars stared at her. She opened her mouth to speak but the other senshi called to her and she looked at them. "Your late." She told them. They stopped when they saw Serena. Serena stared at them for a moment. Taking in all of them. They had grown in the last year. They had lived on without her and she would make it just that way for a little longer.

"You are not my enemy." Was all that was said before she disappeared into the night. Running out onto the rooftops she stopped and turned around as she caught the small sharp object. It's sharp sides cut her flesh in two but she didn't indicate the pain. Her wounds would heal in an hour or two. They always do.

"Who are you?" A man clad in a Tuxedo stepped out of the shadows and approached her. She didn't reply but flicked the rose back to him. He grabbed in it in his fist and crushed it. The rose pedals were picked up by the wind and carried away. Serena watched them flow by silently, wishing she was free from her restraints. "Are you friend or foe?" He asked her. Again, she didn't respond, but watched him shift his feet. How he clenched and unclenched his fists. How his cold blue eyes followed her every move. How his muscles rippled under his clothes. His power. His strength. She had had him once, but no more. She wasn't even existence to anyone that had ever known her. She was what you would call, dropped off the face of the Earth. She had. For a short time. Then she came back. To find all that she knew had changed. The memories of her being were warped and faded. She knew that. Galaxia knew that. Everybody else didn't know that.

She bit her lower lip as she was reminded that the monster she had killed tonight had been the first. There would be more innocent stained upon her hands. Those Youma were once human but no longer, as she had watched the monster die in those flames, its eyes held misery and regret as it gained back the important thing that had been taken away. Its humanity.

"What is your reason of killing that monster? Are you an ally?" His voice held controlled anger, Serena didn't move. Her eyes hardened and her lips were set in a grim line. "

Do not interfere or you will die." She answered him, her voice low, but full of malice and threat. He blinked. She blinked. Moments ticked away as the sun sunk lower into the horizon. Time was running out. She needed answers and leads. She knew not on where to find them. The black attired man frowned and his emotionless eyes held rage and confusion. "Is that a threat?" His authority and power were laced in every step, every word, that, that man made. Serena shook her head. She needed to get away. Her heart wished to stay. "No. You shall not interfere." She repeated, hoping he would be smart enough to heed her warning and disappear. He didn't move. Maybe he wasn't as smart as she gave him credit to.

"Why is that?" His questions seemed endless and Serena mentally groaned in frustration. This man just had know everything, didn't he? "You will die if you intervene. I shall not let you." She disappeared to the human eye and he frantically searched about for her, but she had merely run up behind him. She leaned forward and let her lips brush against his ear. "Who are you?" He asked her once more that night. She felt him moving for his rod that was hidden inside his coat.

"You are no enemy of Cosmos. Nor are you ally. Stay away, for you have been warned." She whispered. His body snapped backwards towards her but she was faster. Much faster. She grabbed his cane and with her strength, snapped it in two. He stared, stunned as time slowed. The wooden shards splintered out everywhere, but she did not flinch. Neither did he. Their gaze was locked and familiarity flickered in his eyes, but she knew he would not remember her. She watched as his eyes glazed over in pain and he dropped to his knees clutching his head. His groans of pain slithered across her skin and she could sympathize on what that had felt. She knew because Galaxia had cut off some of her memories as well and try as she might, all she was able succeed in doing was get herself horrible pain. It was if her head was being smashed open. She knelt down and placed a hand on his shoulder. He didn't look at her but crawl deeper into himself as he tried to wait the pain out.

"Darien…" She uttered his name. Breaking a taboo. She was not suppose to say anything to him, but she had loved him once, and she still cared. He didn't move. She wrapped his arm around her shoulders and helped him to his feet. His eyes were closed shut and he kept moaning. She let him put all of his weight on her and in a sudden instant they were no longer on the same roof. She carried him away towards where he lived. It would be the safest place for him to rest. It was a simple task of taking him from one place to another. She was not weak as she had once been. She had gotten stronger. How, she did not know. Why, that wasn't even evident in her mind. She knew few of what had happened this past year, but she was sure it was of the making of her master, Galaxia.

It was a short distance to his apartment and she leapt nimbly towards the balcony and let him get to his feet. By then he had lost all consciousness and was softly asleep. She slid open his glass door and walked the small expanse from the balcony door to his bed. Before setting him down she threw off the covers of his single bed and lied him down. It wasn't much longer after he lost consciousness that he transformed back into Darien Shields. She set him down onto the bed and took off his shoes and jacket.

Placing them down onto the floor; she pulled the covers over him and just watched his chest rise and fall. He was breathing steady and he looked peaceful. No nightmares tonight for the little ruffian. She smiled and brushed the hair out of his face. She quickly withdrew her hand when she realized what she was doing.

She stepped away and slid open the sliding glass door and took one step outside before the man, she had once given all her heart to, called out her name. "Serena…" He muttered in his sleeping dreams. She glanced back over her shoulder, not sure she had heard him right, but he called for her once more. A small tear ran down her face, unaware that it was even there.

It was already night and the moon was rising into the sky. Her hair was illuminated silver and her golden ribbons fluttered in the wind. Her small skirt was ringed in gold also. Her high-heeled booted ran all the way up to her knees. As her shirt was plain white, her gloves were pure white also that ran from her fingertips to her elbows. At the base of the elbows they were ringed golden as well. Her choker no longer held a heart in its center; it was a solid gold color with a white gem in the middle. The gem was the source of Galaxia's control; a leash if you must call it. Her brunettes were adorning her hair like usual, they held no pacific values, it was apart of her attire. She wasn't Sailor Eternal Moon anymore; her wings had grown from its childish length to head to toe wings that spread the length of her body when they were stretched.

Serena glanced once more at Darien's sleeping figure and gave a small smile. There lied a man who held his future in his hands. He could destroy it at will, as much as he could create it. He could live without her. He had for most of his life and in the past year. What they had together a millennia ago was of no more. She was the one breaking the ties, not him. At least he wouldn't know that.

"You will not die, for I shall not let you interfere." She said that once more that day before she stepped completely out into the night and let her wings spread out. She fluttered them a little so they could ease a bit of their soreness before she took flight. In one gentle swoop she was high in the sky with the moon's big bulk behind her tiny figure. She was simply a dot to those who looked up from below.

Serena stared out over her home town. Tokyo was a big place after all, but she knew all of its alleys, twists and turns, hilled and ditches. This place had been her life. All she had ever known. And she had let her master destroy it in one blast from her hand. She had not meant for it to happen but she was responsible for the lives of those who lived on Earth. She would give her life up for it, but alas her life meant nothing.

It was power that dominated the game she was forced to play. Knowledge was only a step ladder to get to the top. Strength was simply a boost, but power was the main obstacle. The role that lead to all of destruction and creation.

Though it had only been a year, Tokyo had changed drastically. It was an ever changing place. It never stayed still for long. Things were always getting destroyed and rebuilt. Such was the fate of modern history.

Today was the set of many events that would forever change the minds of the adolescent teenage senshi. For their original leader was already far warped than even she knew, it was the start of something, as it was the end of something else. Close one door and open another.

~+!Rei's Pov!+~

Just after the Youma was killed….

She watched as blood trickled down the blonde's stomach. Just before the monster was engulfed in flames completely, it sliced her stomach with one of its razor sharp daggers. The angelic girl didn't show a hint of pain, but her eyes held nothing but solemn realization. The blue hues looked like they should have been filled with glee and light but was simply full of dread and reality.

Rei held her bleeding arm by her hand to stanch the flow but she couldn't take her eyes off the girl that was running her crimson life force out onto the ground and show not even a hint of pain. The strange angelic winged lady looked just as old as Rei but so much more mature as if she had seen more years than her own body had. The girl had bent forward towards the creature and muttered something. The thing looked as if she told a joke and thought it was funny, just before it injured her.

"Sailor Mars!" A voice from behind caught her attention and she turned to see the rest of her senshi bounding up towards her, all tense and ready to fight.

"Your late." She replied before she glanced over at the winged blonde. Her uniform was much similar to her fellow scouts but she had wings and she adorned in gold and white. The only other color was the blue of her eyes.

The senshi stopped and they watched the other Sailor that stood over the charred body that use to be the monster. Her dead looking eyes followed their every move as they did to her.

She opened her mouth to speak, "You are not my enemy.", her voice was cold and void of any emotion and just like that; she disappeared.

Rei blinked for a couple of seconds trying to comprehend the situation. This Sailor-looking winged girl shows up out of nowhere and killed the Youma with one quick stab to the heart with a heel; mutters something, supposedly funny; says some quick mumbo jumbo and is gone a flick of a flash.

"What the hell?" Was the only answer Rei could come up with before she turned to her fellow senshi that were looking hopelessly confused and stunned silent.

Mercury walked up to the burnt body and scanned it with her mini-lab top then snapped it closed before she walked back over. "What are we going to do with the body?" She asked. Rei shrugged. "Leave it. It no longer has its original human form; it's just a body that looks like a deformed human. The police with clean it up." Was her only solution. She waved off the stares of her friends and started to head home. She changed back into her civilian attire along the way. As did her friends. Leaving the body as instructed.

"Who was that girl?" Lita came up and whispered to Rei. "I don't know, but she was injured badly and didn't even react let alone flinch." Was the reply. Lita looked surprised. "Really?" Rei nodded. "I'm going home to consult the fire about this." Lita mumbled an agreement and fell back to tell her friends. At once she was alone.

Present time...

Images flashed before her mind's eye but only some were she able to see clearly.

A girl with wings that wore the Sailor uniform held a babe in one hand. The babe was a new born child, recently came from the womb. Its cries were loud and deafening but the girl made no move to stop it. She got down on one knee and hung her head as she raised the babe above her head in a sacrificial way. A woman of elegance and grace came up and took the child into her arms.

Instantly it was gone, but just as fast as it disappeared; Rei was thrown into another one.

Tears running down, blood staining the ground, the scent of death hung heavily in the air. One figure stood amongst the crimson sea and bodies. Her back was turned and she was just standing there, but she glanced over her shoulder and grinned. Her violet eyes glowed a muddy brownish-red as she laughed at the sight before her. Her aura was maddening lethal and love of chaos was stitched in every fiver of the mincing atmosphere.

Rei's scream was caught in her throat as the vision was ripped away, but she panting heavily by the time the next image appeared before her.

Blood pored onto the ground as the fallen figure lied in a pool of its own liquid fluids. A blade was shoved in the heart of the small figure. The white wings were fluttering in the wind and dispersing from the person and becoming feathers floating away in the sky. There was no sorrow here, but understanding and a saddening truth. The entire senshi stood around the girl with their hands bowed and their hands locked in a prayer. Though silence was all that was heard, frantic and pain filled voices thrashed about in their minds as memory after memory came racing back. Ruins of a once magnificent structure were now shambles as they lied scattered among the ground. Grass weaved in and out of the stones that were once one being, it was being flattened by the forceful blow of the wind. High above a blue marble that is to be a planet adorned the starry back sky. A soft luminescent glow surrounded the youthful girl, her face was serene and her long golden hair flowed around her body as her white skin lost its life full color. Her white uniform was drenched in red but it was not horrify but… complete truth. Two people stood some distance away as they watched the group in prayer. One was male with silver hair that went down to the waist his short bangs failed to cover the golden crescent move adorned on his forehead. His soft pale blue eyes were filled with mourn but understanding. His clothes were a simple white shirt that was laced in the crevice of the middle part of the chest, a necklace that held a five pointed star, and hand made slacks that were made from cotton and dyed white.

The other was a woman, whose hair went down to her feet with silver and gold streaks placed every where in the black hair. Her bangs were short as well and held the same symbol on her forehead as the male that stood next to her. Her violet eyes were filled with determination and mourn, as much as they were glazed with a sudden pain of reality. She held a staff in her hand that was a little bit shorter than her with a metal symbol that resembles the necklace at the top of the staff. The staff itself was wooden and black. Her dress flowed around her, befitting of someone of her stature. Its bottom and end of the sleeves were ringed in silver as her rest of her dress was black but she had the collar of her dress golden. Frills entwined the collar and led down the middle of the back where it linked together exposing her back.

The atmosphere was sad but it wasn't sorrow but the happiness of the war finally being over and with the death of the fallen not in vain.

Without realizing it tears were running down her face as emotions swirled in a torrent frenzy inside of her stomach. She didn't know if she should be happy, sad, angry, hurt, scared, or even understanding. She did know that what the fire had showed her were possible futures of what could happen. She didn't want any of them to happen because death was in every one of them, but she would rather take the last or first one than to the one with the sea of blood and the lone figure. These were the threads that would weave into the future but which path would they be condemned to walk? Each one held its own miseries and pain, but every one was very different.

What do you think? How will this story turn out? REVIEW if you liked it. Please. I'm going to be working with this story as much as I can. I am in the process of making other stories just as good as this one if not better. Say what you want. Flames are fine, as well as positive answers.

-Danni