Chapter Three: Proof. . . Of Destiny or Fate

"Let me get this right," Serena said pacing her bedroom, brooch clutched in her hand, "You think that I am a reincarnated Guardian from thousands of hundreds of years ago and there is an evil coming that you want me, Serena ditzy, klutzy meatball head of a girl, to fight to bring peace once again to the galaxy?"

Luna nodded.

"And the price for following my "destiny" is to not fulfill any dreams that a normal fourteen year girl has, I must forever be this Guardian…" Serena trailed off.

Luna looked at the girl with sympathy. Over the past week she found Serena to be a happy cheerful girl, who was able to bring a smile to anyone. "Not only a Guardian, but Guardian on the Moon, and therefore the Earth."

Serena sighed and fell back onto her bed. "Luna?"

"Yes, Serena."

"Do you have proof?"

"Excuse me?"

"Proof that this is really happening. How can I be a Guardian of anything? I'm not that naïve. I know that I could not take care of myself, or save a whole galaxy by myself without klutzing out and probably doing more harm than good… What proof is there of this evil coming?"

"Can't you feel it Serena?"

"Feel what? No, I don't know what you are talking about!" Serena finally getting aggravated. "This is enough! This is a horrible dream! I'm going to wake up from this in the morning and realize that I had bad food poisoning or something that caused me to have weird dreams!" With that Serena turned over and closed her eyes.

Luna stayed silent a long time just watching Serena think as she attempted to find sleep or wake up from this "dream." Luna knew what she was condemning the girl to. She knew how difficult it would be. She also knew that she wouldn't be able to stand by and watch those she loved suffer.

Softly Luna said, "Sailor Moon is a valiant warrior and leader. She loves everything and brings light to the darkest of situations. She is never alone, she carries the love of her loved ones with her everywhere. She is a legend, she is the one who saves the world." Luna settled onto the foot of Serena's bed.

"Then there is no way, I can be that person," Serena replied after minutes of silence.

"If you need to be that person all you need to say is, Moon Prism Power." Luna and Serena slowly drifted off to sleep with the moonlight shining into the bedroom.

Serena woke up late the next morning, as usual. She rolled over and got comfy enough to go back to sleep again when she felt someone watching her. Immediately she opened her eyes, now wide awake and turned onto her back and stared at the ceiling.

"I'm glad to see that you are up Serena," a very feminine voice said. It was familiar to her as though she had dreamed about the voice recently. She considered the voice to be in her head.

"Are you really in my head? Was there something I was supposed to be up for?" Serena asked the voice.

"No silly. It's Saturday and I am NOT in your head," at this Serena bolted right out of bed, "Good Morning, well more afternoon," Luna continued with a smile in her tone.

... "You're talking…" Serena said pole-axed.

"Oh, Serena, not again," Luna looked away from the blonde and shook her head.

… "But . . . that was all supposed to be . . . a dream," Serena said slowly, never taking her eyes off Luna.

Luna looked sadly back up to Serena and shook her head, "I'm afraid it wasn't."

For a long moment Serena continued to stare at the cat in a state of shock.

"I need to go shower," Serena stated in a monotone voice. Luna watched Serena carefully get out of bed and walk into the bathroom, "This can't be a good sign," she said with a sigh.

Serena undressed in a trance. Not a single thought went through her head as she turned on the shower, got it to the right temperature, shampooed her hair, conditioned, washed her body, and turned the water off. As finished getting ready in the same unthinking trance. Luna decided it was best to follow the blonde, especially in her current, unspeaking/thinking state.

Serena walked through the streets of Tokyo without looking up from the ground. Soon after leaving the house her mind began racing with thoughts. "How can I be a guardian? How am I supposed to fight, I should have taken classes at school when they were offered last semester. But how was I supposed to know that I would, need those skills. And wait… who says I need those skills. I haven't agreed to anything… Moon Prism Power . . . what a cheesy thing to say. How can that possibly give me any sort of power?" As her thoughts continued their random cycle, Serena was suddenly pulled from those thoughts.

Serena turned towards the electronic store she was standing outside of. Multiple televisions with the same frightening images blared: "The authorities have no leads yet towards the disappearances of Japanese citizens." The image of destroyed homes appeared on the television. "These individuals seem to be disappearing at random, without any connection to one another." Images of five individuals appeared across the screen. "It is odd that whoever is doing this is destroying homes, yet not taking all family members just certain individuals. Why the authorities have not yet said."

"Oh no, how horrible," Serena said while thinking, could this be the proof I needed.

"I know, one each day for the past five days."

"What?" Serena said startled. Turning around to see who it was, "Oh Jerk-wad."

"Hello there Meatball Head," Darien greeted with puzzlement on his face as he looked down at the blonde, "were you being lazy this morning?"

"Huh? What do you mean? What are you talking about?" Serena asked being to get angry. She could feel him getting ready to tease her.

Darien laughed, "Were the Meatballs too much effort for you today? You decided on a lose ponytail instead?" His eyes losing focus as they stared at her hair.

Serena lost what little anger she had and did a full 360 to look at her hair, before blushing, "Well, I-"

"It's beautiful," Darien responded his hand slowly reaching out towards Serena's face before quickly pulling back, thinking to himself: these crazy thoughts about her need to stop, she needs to get out of my head. Ever since, that dang cat showed up, Serena was constantly on the front of his mind.

Serena turned a shade redder and smiled brilliantly, "Thanks, Darien."

Darien felt his knees melt and fought the blush coming up to his cheeks, "You should stick with the meatballs though Meatball Head, else I'd have too many names to call you," he responded and smirked as he watched the emotions flood over her face.

Hmm, and here I thought Darien and I were becoming more like friends… Well, friends can still poke fun at one another. "I'll do what I like with my hair thank you very much!" Serena said turning her back to him. When she opened her eyes, they found the terrific images of destroyed homes and family members left to start over. Immediately, Serena lost her happy attitude. . . . Sailor Moon, she thought to herself, I could have saved them. . .

Darien, still watching her, and from his vantage point could still see her when she turned her back to him, saw her mood swing. He watched the television as Serena was. "Hey, Meatball Head, what to get some ice cream, my treat," he coxed.

Serena turned to glare at him for a moment before saying cautiously, "Okay, but I want to go to the Crown Arcade."

"Duh, where else do they have the best ice cream in the world?!"

Serena gave a small smile at his antics and began to follow him to the arcade. They walked in silence. Each wrapped in their own thoughts. Before they knew it they were at the arcade, the sliding glass doors opening before them. Darien gestured for Serena to enter first. Serena walked straight towards her favorite booth and Darien followed behind.

"You know, I'm almost scared that you are both sitting down at a booth by yourselves. . . . Are you on a date?" Andrew asked as he approached.

"Oh please, Drew. Don't assume you know everything. Two ice cream sundaes please and thank you!" Darien responded. Neither noticed Serena current blushed cheeks, as she was thinking to herself, a date with Darien! She stole a quick glance at him while he spoke to Andrew, he is quite handsome. AH! With all this Guardian stuff I haven't even thought about a guy all day. . . This must be a symptom of being a Guardian and I haven't even agreed to do it yet. "Huh?" A hand waving in front of her face pulled her out of her trance.

"Meatball Head, why weren't you listening? Is a sundae okay with you?" Darien asked in a joking tone. Serena could have sworn that there was a little bit of concern in his eyes, before they disappeared a moment later.

"Of course," Serena said with a smile, turning back to the thoughts in her head.

Andrew just stared at Darien, "Is she okay?"

Darien could only shrug. What was wrong with his Meatball Head? WOO! Not my Meatball Head, as his thought process continued he didn't notice Andrew stare at both of them before turning away. Why would I think she should be my Meatball Head? Where are these thoughts coming from??? At this he stole a glance at Serena, who was too deep in thought to notice him. Her golden hair caught his attention again. He had never seen it down before, well at least not in its Meatball style. It is so long. How does she take care of so much hair? How does it never appear to be tangle and always look so smooth and silky? Again, Darien's hand seemed to act on its own, slowly going towards her hair.

"Darien, do you believe in fate?" Serena asked in a small voice.

Darien immediately jerked him arm back, "Excuse me?"

"You know fate and destiny and all that stuff," Serena looked up at him, "do you believe in it?"

He was so taken aback by her beautiful blue eyes that were wide with curiosity and hope that it took him a moment to respond. In that moment they seemed to pull slowly closer to one another like magnets. "Well, I – um." Still they seemed to be leaning closer and closer over the table.

"AHHH!" Darien and Serena both jumped back in the booth.

"Wha-?"

"AHHH!" Another scream, followed immediately by an explosion.

Then silence.

Serena and Darien looked around. No one in the arcade was harmed. The arcade was still intact actually. What was that, Serena thought. A black smoke went rippling through the town streets outside. Another attack, here, Darien thought. No one in the arcade moved. Minutes later the smoke dissipated outside.

"AHHH!" The same voice screamed again, accompanied by a female voice this time.

Serena and Darien moved as one. Both were out of the booth and outside the arcade running towards the screams before anyone could blink. There legs seemed to move at super fast speeds. Everything around them moved as in slow motion.

What am I doing, Serena thought, why am I running towards the danger, unable to stop her legs.

This seems familiar, Darien thought, have we done this before, it's so natural.

Soon they arrived at a scene that shook them both to the core.