Chapter 3:
Goodbyes
Serena sat silently in the booth at the Crown Arcade and she waited for all her friends to file in. They all had troubled expressions on their faces and Serena momentarily forget about her own problems.
"What?" She asked them shifting Caleb's heavy body over her shoulder in a more comfortable position. The blood rushed back into her arm.
"Ami was chosen to study in Germany." Lita said in almost a mumble.
"Germany?" Serena asked in a somewhat shaky voice.
"Yeah, they said she could start her pre-med training." Raye said and slouched down.
"B-but she can't leave us. We're a team!" Serena cried. Raye sent her a glare.
"Don't be selfish Serena. This is a great chance for Ami to become a doctor."
"But she's a scout. We count on her." She protested a bit weakly.
"We know Serena. But this is a very rare opportunity for her. We have to let her do it. It's her dream." Mina said and patted the other blonde's hand. Serena didn't know what to think. I felt like everyone was leaving her. First Darien, and now her little blue haired friend. She blinked back tears and gave in to a small smile.
"I know." There was a pause. " Maybe we should throw her a good bye party." She suggested. The girls from across from her brightened a little.
"That sounds good." Raye finally said.
~ ~ ~ ~
Rini looked hungrily down at the ice cream stand, almost drooling. "Get a hold of yourself. You're starting to act like Serena." She hissed at herself and stood tall.
"Hey Rini." Someone softly greeted her. She spun around.
"Ami!" Rini cried and smiled at her.
"Mmm, ice cream. You look like you really want some." Ami said with a warm smile, crouching down beside the little pink haired girl.
"No, I have my restraints." Rini sniffed proudly.
"Well I want some ice cream. Care to join me?" She held out a hand as she stood up.
"Sure!" Rini cried and hastily grabbed Ami's slender hand. As they skipped merrily down the road, Rini couldn't help but remember the scouts at home who always took her to get some ice cream. Venus and her mommy always had bets to see who could eat the most. Her mommy always won she thought with a smile.
The entire day, she and Ami went from place to place. Ami was a really busy person. She reminded her of Mercury with all her books and everything. Rini wrinkled her nose a bit remembering the time when Mercury had lectured her all about etiquette and eating too much. Thankfully her mommy had come to save her and Uncle Zoicite slung Mercury over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes. Mercury sputtered in protest, her delicate face red with embarrassment. Her Uncle Zoicite had winked at her and told her that Mercury would be busy for a while. Probably busy reading and taking care of people in Crystal Tokyo she thought.
Mercury was the bestest doctor in all of Crystal Tokyo. Her mommy had told her that Mercury was super smart and knew a whole bunch of things. Thinking about home brought a pang of longing. She closed her eyes and saw her mom lying peacefully in the clear stone. She saw her daddy and Caleb bowing over the still figure. She had tried to call to her mommy and wake her up, but her mommy couldn't hear her. Puu had to take her away because she said her daddy's heart was sick and needed time. Caleb had gone off somewhere and she couldn't be with him either.
"Rini? Are you okay?" Rini opened her eyes and stared into concerned blue ones. She bobbed her head and smiled brightly. Hey, maybe Ami had the crystal! A thought entered her mind and she smiled sweetly.
"Hey Ami, do you think I could spend the night at your house?" She asked innocently. Ami blinked, a bit confused.
"Uhh, sure Rini. You just have to tell your aunt and Serena where you are." She said.
"Yayyy!"
~ ~ ~ ~
Serena slipped off her new communication watch and set it on a nearby table. She could smell Lita's delicious cooking wayfaring throughout the house. Soon a loud clanking could be heard. Groaning, Serena slipped off her shoes and went into the kitchen.
"Caleb! No! Give Aunty Lita back her pots. Caleb!" Lita chased the little toddler around the table, trying to get her prized pots away from the gleefully evil child. Serena chuckled and swooped down to pick him up. Lita pried his sticky hands off of the handles and breathed a sight of relief when she saw there were no dents on them.
"Hey you're home! Great! Dinner is almost done." Lita gave her a cheeky smile.
"Did he give you much trouble?" Serena asked, letting the squirming child back down. Her bolted from her and ran into the spotless front room.
"Not at all." Lita said and pulled oven mitts on. "Where did you go?" she asked, busying herself with the casserole in the oven.
"Just out for a walk." She sighed and slumped in a kitchen chair. To think about everything. She was glad her eyes weren't red anymore, because Lita was a very perceptive person. Even now, she knew her answered didn't totally convince her.
"Did you see Darien?" She asked, placing the bubbly glass casserole dish on a wooden heat plate.
"No. But he called me. He wants to spend sometime with Caleb sometime soon." She said with another sigh. She remembered their short conversation, full of tension and curt remarks. Damn him, what the hell was he keeping from her? He told her never to leave him! New tears mounted and she brushed them away hastily before Lita could see. Too slow. A warm, comforting arm wrapped around her shoulders. Serena turned into her friends comforting warmth and let the tears fall.
"Why is he doing this to us Lita? Why?" She sobbed.
"Shhhh, we'll find out soon Serena. Don't cry." Lita cursed Darien for making her cry. She was very tempted to go over and give him a little piece of her mind. Maybe she could knock some sense in him and make him spill.
"Everyone's leaving me! What's the matter with me? Why do they have to go away? Why does she have to go away?" She cried into Lita's chest.
"Ohh Serena, she's not doing it on purpose. It's her dream, and we have to support her no matter how much it hurts." Lita soothed her. Serena sniffed up her tears and wiped her damp face with her hands. She gently pulled out of Lita's embrace and gave her a smile.
"I know. I just needed to hear someone say it to me." She hugged her tall friend. "Thank you Lita." She murmured.
"Anytime Serena." Lita said with a pat on the back.
~ ~ ~ ~
She didn't want a bloody party! Ami thought and threw her bag on her bed. It'll just make it harder form me to leave them. I'll never see their smiling faces again. I'll never hear Serena and Raye's fights, or Mina's gushings about a new outfit she bought. I'll never taste any of Lita's delicious cooking or hear her rave about a new guy that reminded her of an old boyfriend. She fought back tears and sat down on her bed. It hurts even now to think she lied to them. Heaving a sigh, she stood up and went to her closet to pull out more bags.
"What are you doing?" A shy voice spoke up. Oh yeah, I forgot Rini was here.
"Packing." Ami said and yanked open her drawers to get her clothes.
"You told the others that you were leaving in two weeks." Rini said in a confused tone.
"Yeah, silly me I must have forgotten." Ami winced at her sarcastic tone. "I'm sorry Rini, but it'll hurt too much for me to have them see me off."
"Oh. Do you want me to help?" Rini asked deciding not to ask anymore questions.
"Sure."
~ ~ ~ ~
"What do you mean we're not going to throw her a party?" Mina demanded. They were sitting in the park under a tree dinking some soda when Serena told them.
"She doesn't want one. She said it would make it even harder for her to leave all of us and her mom." Serena said sadly, stirring her straw in her glass.
"I guess I never thought about it that way. Poor Ami." Raye murmured.
"What if we just take her to the airport? If she starts to change her mind, we'll just pack her off." Mina suggested.
"Hey, that's a great idea. It a plan!" Lita said excitedly and they all stood up.
~ ~ ~ ~
Mina stood by the ice cream stand and frowned. Artemis was still missing. At first, she thought it was nothing, but four hours later, he still didn't return. She had seen his snooping around this place. She leapt from the shallow bridge and sneaked around back. Two shadowed women were talking to one another. She inched closer and bumped into something cold. Startled, she looked up and saw someone froze in ice. She bit back a scream. Damn negaverse! The two shadows saw her and one of them changed into a monster. She blew frost from her mouth and Mina ducked back. Time to call for reinforcements.
~ ~ ~ ~
Raye's communicator watch started beeping. Mina's hushed voice told them where they needed to go.
"You guys go now, I need to drop this off at Ami's place and try to talk her into staying." Serena said.
"You'd just be wasting your time. Her plane leaves in an hour." Rini said, popping out of nowhere.
"What?" She gasped. She was leaving today?
"I'll take it to her." Someone said behind her and a big hand grabbed the present out of hers. Darien stood behind her with his dreaded green jacket on. Didn't I burn that? How did he get it back? "You go, Mina needs you." He said and hopped into his car, which just happened to be parked next to them. "Coming Rini?" He asked. Rini's eyes widened and she nodded vigorously. They shot off with Rini sticking her tongue out at Serena.
"Serena! I just heard, you better hurry!" Luna came running up to them with Caleb in her arms. Jeeze, where did all these people come from?
"Right, right. Let's go." She called to her scouts and then started running to the ice cream place.
~ ~ ~ ~
Ami stood awkwardly in the airport, waiting for her plane to be called. Someone cleared their throat from behind her and she turned to see Darien and Rini there.
"What are you doing here?" She asked them.
"Kitty power! Make a gift for Ami!" Rini called out, bouncing her magical ball. It poofed into a yellow and red striped candy. Ami smiled and caught the candy in her hand.
"Don't forget me kay?" Rini asked. Ami laughed softly when the candy turned in to pink flowers.
"Thank you." She said, fighting her tears.
"This one is from the Serena and girls." Darien said and held up a little baggy. She heard the pain behind his cool voice when he said Serena's name and she looked closely at him, trying to see what had happened that made him change his mind on their whole relationship. She took it from him gently and opened it. Inside was her new transformation wand and communicator with a note.
'To Ami. You'll always be one of us. We wish you the best. Love your friends.' She lifted her transformation wand and made her decision. This was just too much for her.
"Oh Darien I can't! I need to be here! Can you take me to them?" Rini and Darien gave her a confused look. "I'll have plenty of time to become a doctor. I can re-apply when I'm really ready to go. But right now, I need to be with my friends." She grabbed her bags and ran to Darien's car outside.
"I think the girls are on a mission Ami." He told her with a knowing glance to the side. She nodded. They sped off through the empty streets of Japan and off to the park. She quickly got out and ran to where she could sense the scouts.
"I can't believe I almost got on that plane. What was I thinking? I'm part of a team, I have to protect my friends and princess. Let's just hope I'm not too late to help them." She whispered to herself and picked up her pace. She heard their faint cries not too far away and transformed. As she did, she felt a different power surging through her. She made it just in time and halted the monster.
"Sailor Mercury!" The others called out and she felt where she belonged. Here with them.
"Shine aqua illusion!" She called out her new power and paralyzed the monster. Sailor Moon jumped at her chance and dusted it.
~ ~ ~ ~
It was great to have Ami back Serena thought as she walked down a familiar hallway with Caleb toddling in front of her with a furry black bunny in his arms. She knocked on the door and waited patiently, despite her hammering heart. She heard shuffling behind the door. As soon as it was open, the energetic one year old latched himself onto long legs.
"Daddy!" Caleb cried. Darien chuckled and picked him up.
"Hey little guy!" He said and hugged the small body. "Mmm, I missed you so much." He said.
Serena hated to cut into the moment, but she had to leave. Raye was going to be soooo mad at her if she didn't get the temple. "I'll pick him up tonight at eight." She said hastily and turned quickly to catch an elevator. She didn't see the pained eyes that followed her.
Serena jumped into her car (see chapter 15 in 'on my own for now') and raced off to the temple. She dressed in the temple clothing and got an earful from Raye. Raye had told them of her grandfather's idea for opening a karate class or something. Raye was totally against it. Serena suspected it was because it was Chad who attracted all the girls. Even though she had Jadeite, Raye like Chad too. She was kinda like Mina and Andrew, minus the sex. Serena thought with a smirk. When she arrived, she saw Raye and the others behind the charm selling booth. Of course, a million and five girls were all crowding and a couple of guys. Raye looked across the grounds at a temple room that was booming with techno music.
"He's going to kill himself. The doctor told him to take it easy and now he has to go do this!" She hissed.
"Come on Raye, we'll keep a good eye on him, and if we think he's pushing to hard, then we'll stop him." Lita said gently.
"I don't care anymore. Let him die if he wants!" She snapped and turned back to the customers. Serena watched her hide her worry and anger. Raye always did that. After the charms were all sold, Mina, Lita and Ami left. Serena cautiously went to Raye who was sitting in the stairs looking at her cleaning water.
"Why don't we check on him?" Serena asked with a pleading look. Raye hesitated, and then nodded.
"Alright." They made their way to the room and peeked into it. A butch woman was throwing the other women around like rag dolls.
"Hey! I'm ready!" Serena jumped a little, lost in the brute strength of the appalling butch woman and turned to the perky voice of Rini. Rini stuck a pose showing off her new work out outfit. Despite her dislike for the little terror, Serena couldn't let Rini go in there and get thrown about.
"I don't think......" Rini cut her off and looked into the room. There was a cry of fear coming from some girl and Rini stiffened a little looking at the scene with wide eyes.
"What's happening?! I'm not going in there!" she cried and backed up. Although, the scene was familiar to her. Mars and Uncle Jadeite always sparred together in a ring similar to that one. Uncle Jadeite always won the bets when he and Mars sparred. Sometimes, Rini suspected that she lost on purpose. Her mommy had told her that Raye had to be Uncle Jadeite's slave for a whole day, but Rini never saw them coming out of their room every time she lost. Maybe she did her slave work in there, feeding him ice cream and candy. She shrugged off the thought and then looked up at Serena. "Uh, hehe, I think Aunty Ikkuko wants me home early. Bye!" She hastily waved her hand and retreated home. Serena tried onto to glare when she called her mom Aunty Ikkuko. They turned back to the scene. Raye had had enough and stood up.
"That's enough." She grounded out and stalked to her grandfather's side. The butch woman looked up and a familiar looking woman with wavy long hair folded her arms.
"Who's she?" The wavy haired woman asked. Raye's grandfather gave her a sheepish smile.
"That's my granddaughter Raye. She thinks I'm too old to be teaching this class." He muttered, blushing when the woman gave him a wink.
"Well, she's not one to be giving you orders eh old man?" she snapped her fingers, and the fallen women stood up and started attacking each other again. Grandpa frantically waved his hands to get them to calm down.
"Ladies! Don't you know you have to be cautious?" He asked them. The angered woman turned murderous eyes on him and then started charging. Serena watched in amazement as he nimbly ran between them, delivering quick blows. They all fell and then passed out. The wavy haired woman laughed and the bitch woman smirked.
"Looks like the old fossil still has it. Wanda, finish him off." She said with a sharp point of her finger. The butch woman then changed into an even butcher woman and Serena rolled her eyes. She should have known. A long leg shot out and kicked Grandpa. He fell heavily against the ring and Raye gasped.
"Grandpa!" She screamed and ran into the ring. She dove and slid, covering Grandpa's body with her own body. The stomp that Wanda would have landed on Grandpa caught Raye in the back of the knee cap and Serena winced. Grandpa became enraged.
"No one hurts my granddaughter! I'm going to get them for this!" He yelled and turned to face the Butch Wanda. She simply scoffed at him and another long leg shot out and took a swipe at him. Serena covered her mouth as she watched Raye stand up and dash to save him again. She pushed him back to the corner of the ring.
"Raye! No, you'll get hurt!" Grandpa cried out, but Raye held her place firm, refusing to let him get hurt. Even when the monster started delivering hard bows with her foot to Raye's vulnerable back, she still protected him. Serena closed her eyes, not wanting to see Raye's pained eyes and cries of pain. Deciding she had enough Serena cursed and transformed quickly but she wasn't quick enough and the monster shot an attack at him. Raye watched helplessly as he passed out and lifted his head into her arms. Catzy aimed one of her own attacks at him and Serena grasped her scepter out of the sub pocked at threw it at the attack.
"I recognize that sorry tutu!" She said, frowning. What was that tutu made of anyway? Catzy simply powdered her nose.
"You need powder. Your nose is shiny." That took her back, and she touched her nose. Well, she was working all day, what did she expect? "Wanda, get her!" Catzy snapped out and Serena jerked herself back to the present problem, temporarily forgetting about her shiny nose. The attack came fast at her, but a red rose intercepted the attack. What! He was supposed to be watching Caleb! What was he doing there?
"Tuxedo Mask! Where is he?!" She demanded, he held up a hand.
"He's safe. I think I know what to do with him when things like this arise." He snapped back, a little moodily. Serena pouted and crossed her arms, forgetting about the monsters.
"I was just making sure. Excuse me for worrying." She snapped back.
"Well you should have more faith in me."
"I do!"
"You don't sound like it!"
"Me? You're the one who snapped at me!"
"Only because you didn't trust me!"
"I never said that!"
"You didn't need to say it, I could hear in behind your words!"
"Why you........" Serena started after him with her eyes blazing.
"Uh, did your forget about us?" The monster asked looking back and forth at them. Serena and Darien halted their petty argument and then flushed a little.
"Right." Serena said dryly and Tuxedo Mask jumped from the window and started wrestling with the monster.
"Sailor Moon, your scepter!" He called out. She fumbled with the scepter.
"Right." She aimed her attack at the monster and it poofed to sand.
Catzy blinked. "Well, this is embarrassing." She said with a blush, then her eyes iced over. "I'll get you for this!" She hissed and started after them with random shots of black magic. Serena gulped and started dodging them, running out of the temple. She was just about to get hit with a magic shot, but Mars, out of nowhere, came and pushed her out of the way. Immediately, she aimed a fire attack at her, and Catzy aimed one right back. Their forced collided. Catzy's power was stronger that Mars's and Serena watched in horror as Raye began to waver.
"I got to help her." She said and picked herself off of the cold stone floor, but strong arms wrapped around her waits and prevented her from moving.
"No, let her do it herself." Tuxedo Masked whispered harshly to her. Serena struggled out of his arms.
"Let go of me." She hissed. His grip tightened and he pulled her roughly back.
"You heard what I said."
"So? Does it mean I have to listen to you?"
"Yes, it does."
"No it doesn't!"
Raye, faintly heard Serena and Darien fighting but ignored them and called forth the new power bubbling in her stomach. She felt her grandfather's strength and called fort his help. The words to her power formed in her head and he took a tight grip on her magic.
"Mars celestial fire surround!" She called out feeling the heat of her power all around her. The rings cut through Catzy's own attack and in the end, she won. Catzy cursed her for torching her tutu and phased out. Raye breathed a sigh of relief and soon, she could hear Serena and Darien again, still fighting. Rubbing her temple, very tempted to use her new attack on them, Raye rolled her eye and turned to them.
"You're not my father."
"So? Your father needs to give you a good spanking. I tell you things for a reason!"
"Yeah right! You only do it to get on my nerve!"
"Listen Meatball head......."
"Meatball head! Why you......." Raye had enough and clapped her hands to get their attention. The fuming pair turned to her with their eyes blazing.
"Enough with the bickering you two." She shot at them. They looked ashamed for a bit then Serena noticed that the monsters were gone.
"Wow Raye, good job!" She gushed and hugged her.
"Well, I had better go." Darien muttered and de-transformed. Serena twisted from Raye and bit her lip.
"Yeah, thank you for helping us, despite how you feel about me." She said softly. Darien felt a painful prick in his heart and wanted desperately to comfort her and tell her everything. Suddenly, there was a flash from his dream about a crystal tower and Serena falling, he had to bit his tongue.
"Well, I'm only doing what's right. No need to get all mushy about it." He bit out and turned away. "Caleb's with Andrew." Was all he said and then he was gone.
Raye saw how Serena's eyes darkened with sadness and pain and she put her arms around the small blonde, not knowing what to do really.
"Thank you for coming to my rescue." She finally said after a long pause. Serena's shoulders relaxed a little and she smiled a small smile.
"Your welcome." She whispered.
~ ~ ~ ~
When Darien returned home, with Caleb in his arms, he looked at the clock. Serena was coming in ten minutes. Sighing, he buried his face in Caleb's soft black hair and breathed in the sweet smell of his baby shampoo. The baby shifted in his arms and Darien let him down. He looked up at his dad with painfully familiar eyes.
"Mommy?" He asked. Darien fought a wince and gave him a forced smile.
"She'll be here soon." He told him. Exactly eleven minutes later, there was a knock at the door.
"Mommy!" Caleb cried and ran to her. Serena's face brightened and she leaned down and gave him a loud smacking kiss in his forehead. Caleb giggled and ran away from her.
"I need to get some more clothes." She said and left to the back room. Darien gathered all of Caleb's things and soon after, Serena came out with a small bag of clothes.
"Ready to go bye-bye sweetie?" She asked and picked him up and perched him on her hip. He opened the door and let her out. She walked to the elevator without looking back. Caleb giggled at something and Serena laughed. The happy sounds made him feel even lonelier. He closed the door. Damn, why me? He rubbed a sorrowful hand down his face.
A shower, then off to bed.
Maybe he could forget about the pain when he was sleeping. Entering his room, he went to the dresser and pulled out some clean nightclothes. Something shiny caught his eye and he glanced in the dresser and saw Serena's engagement ring sitting there, perched on the brown slick surface. He picked up the delicate band. Tears burned his eyes and he closed his fist. The pink diamond cut into his skin. The burning pain was what he deserved. All he could think was that she gave up. She gave up on them and she told him so.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
AN: I'm so sorry that this chapter took so long. Don't you get those days when your mind is completely blank and when you try to type something, it not good and you're not happy with it? Well that's what happened to me. Also, I got a job, so I can't always update every week, but I'll try! For my readers I'll try really hard.
Next chapter, Serena turns evil. Wanna know how? Well you'll just have to read and find out! 'Uncontrolled' chapter 5 is coming out sometime on Friday or Saturday, so keep watch for that as well!
Love you all kisses *muh*
Serena sat silently in the booth at the Crown Arcade and she waited for all her friends to file in. They all had troubled expressions on their faces and Serena momentarily forget about her own problems.
"What?" She asked them shifting Caleb's heavy body over her shoulder in a more comfortable position. The blood rushed back into her arm.
"Ami was chosen to study in Germany." Lita said in almost a mumble.
"Germany?" Serena asked in a somewhat shaky voice.
"Yeah, they said she could start her pre-med training." Raye said and slouched down.
"B-but she can't leave us. We're a team!" Serena cried. Raye sent her a glare.
"Don't be selfish Serena. This is a great chance for Ami to become a doctor."
"But she's a scout. We count on her." She protested a bit weakly.
"We know Serena. But this is a very rare opportunity for her. We have to let her do it. It's her dream." Mina said and patted the other blonde's hand. Serena didn't know what to think. I felt like everyone was leaving her. First Darien, and now her little blue haired friend. She blinked back tears and gave in to a small smile.
"I know." There was a pause. " Maybe we should throw her a good bye party." She suggested. The girls from across from her brightened a little.
"That sounds good." Raye finally said.
~ ~ ~ ~
Rini looked hungrily down at the ice cream stand, almost drooling. "Get a hold of yourself. You're starting to act like Serena." She hissed at herself and stood tall.
"Hey Rini." Someone softly greeted her. She spun around.
"Ami!" Rini cried and smiled at her.
"Mmm, ice cream. You look like you really want some." Ami said with a warm smile, crouching down beside the little pink haired girl.
"No, I have my restraints." Rini sniffed proudly.
"Well I want some ice cream. Care to join me?" She held out a hand as she stood up.
"Sure!" Rini cried and hastily grabbed Ami's slender hand. As they skipped merrily down the road, Rini couldn't help but remember the scouts at home who always took her to get some ice cream. Venus and her mommy always had bets to see who could eat the most. Her mommy always won she thought with a smile.
The entire day, she and Ami went from place to place. Ami was a really busy person. She reminded her of Mercury with all her books and everything. Rini wrinkled her nose a bit remembering the time when Mercury had lectured her all about etiquette and eating too much. Thankfully her mommy had come to save her and Uncle Zoicite slung Mercury over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes. Mercury sputtered in protest, her delicate face red with embarrassment. Her Uncle Zoicite had winked at her and told her that Mercury would be busy for a while. Probably busy reading and taking care of people in Crystal Tokyo she thought.
Mercury was the bestest doctor in all of Crystal Tokyo. Her mommy had told her that Mercury was super smart and knew a whole bunch of things. Thinking about home brought a pang of longing. She closed her eyes and saw her mom lying peacefully in the clear stone. She saw her daddy and Caleb bowing over the still figure. She had tried to call to her mommy and wake her up, but her mommy couldn't hear her. Puu had to take her away because she said her daddy's heart was sick and needed time. Caleb had gone off somewhere and she couldn't be with him either.
"Rini? Are you okay?" Rini opened her eyes and stared into concerned blue ones. She bobbed her head and smiled brightly. Hey, maybe Ami had the crystal! A thought entered her mind and she smiled sweetly.
"Hey Ami, do you think I could spend the night at your house?" She asked innocently. Ami blinked, a bit confused.
"Uhh, sure Rini. You just have to tell your aunt and Serena where you are." She said.
"Yayyy!"
~ ~ ~ ~
Serena slipped off her new communication watch and set it on a nearby table. She could smell Lita's delicious cooking wayfaring throughout the house. Soon a loud clanking could be heard. Groaning, Serena slipped off her shoes and went into the kitchen.
"Caleb! No! Give Aunty Lita back her pots. Caleb!" Lita chased the little toddler around the table, trying to get her prized pots away from the gleefully evil child. Serena chuckled and swooped down to pick him up. Lita pried his sticky hands off of the handles and breathed a sight of relief when she saw there were no dents on them.
"Hey you're home! Great! Dinner is almost done." Lita gave her a cheeky smile.
"Did he give you much trouble?" Serena asked, letting the squirming child back down. Her bolted from her and ran into the spotless front room.
"Not at all." Lita said and pulled oven mitts on. "Where did you go?" she asked, busying herself with the casserole in the oven.
"Just out for a walk." She sighed and slumped in a kitchen chair. To think about everything. She was glad her eyes weren't red anymore, because Lita was a very perceptive person. Even now, she knew her answered didn't totally convince her.
"Did you see Darien?" She asked, placing the bubbly glass casserole dish on a wooden heat plate.
"No. But he called me. He wants to spend sometime with Caleb sometime soon." She said with another sigh. She remembered their short conversation, full of tension and curt remarks. Damn him, what the hell was he keeping from her? He told her never to leave him! New tears mounted and she brushed them away hastily before Lita could see. Too slow. A warm, comforting arm wrapped around her shoulders. Serena turned into her friends comforting warmth and let the tears fall.
"Why is he doing this to us Lita? Why?" She sobbed.
"Shhhh, we'll find out soon Serena. Don't cry." Lita cursed Darien for making her cry. She was very tempted to go over and give him a little piece of her mind. Maybe she could knock some sense in him and make him spill.
"Everyone's leaving me! What's the matter with me? Why do they have to go away? Why does she have to go away?" She cried into Lita's chest.
"Ohh Serena, she's not doing it on purpose. It's her dream, and we have to support her no matter how much it hurts." Lita soothed her. Serena sniffed up her tears and wiped her damp face with her hands. She gently pulled out of Lita's embrace and gave her a smile.
"I know. I just needed to hear someone say it to me." She hugged her tall friend. "Thank you Lita." She murmured.
"Anytime Serena." Lita said with a pat on the back.
~ ~ ~ ~
She didn't want a bloody party! Ami thought and threw her bag on her bed. It'll just make it harder form me to leave them. I'll never see their smiling faces again. I'll never hear Serena and Raye's fights, or Mina's gushings about a new outfit she bought. I'll never taste any of Lita's delicious cooking or hear her rave about a new guy that reminded her of an old boyfriend. She fought back tears and sat down on her bed. It hurts even now to think she lied to them. Heaving a sigh, she stood up and went to her closet to pull out more bags.
"What are you doing?" A shy voice spoke up. Oh yeah, I forgot Rini was here.
"Packing." Ami said and yanked open her drawers to get her clothes.
"You told the others that you were leaving in two weeks." Rini said in a confused tone.
"Yeah, silly me I must have forgotten." Ami winced at her sarcastic tone. "I'm sorry Rini, but it'll hurt too much for me to have them see me off."
"Oh. Do you want me to help?" Rini asked deciding not to ask anymore questions.
"Sure."
~ ~ ~ ~
"What do you mean we're not going to throw her a party?" Mina demanded. They were sitting in the park under a tree dinking some soda when Serena told them.
"She doesn't want one. She said it would make it even harder for her to leave all of us and her mom." Serena said sadly, stirring her straw in her glass.
"I guess I never thought about it that way. Poor Ami." Raye murmured.
"What if we just take her to the airport? If she starts to change her mind, we'll just pack her off." Mina suggested.
"Hey, that's a great idea. It a plan!" Lita said excitedly and they all stood up.
~ ~ ~ ~
Mina stood by the ice cream stand and frowned. Artemis was still missing. At first, she thought it was nothing, but four hours later, he still didn't return. She had seen his snooping around this place. She leapt from the shallow bridge and sneaked around back. Two shadowed women were talking to one another. She inched closer and bumped into something cold. Startled, she looked up and saw someone froze in ice. She bit back a scream. Damn negaverse! The two shadows saw her and one of them changed into a monster. She blew frost from her mouth and Mina ducked back. Time to call for reinforcements.
~ ~ ~ ~
Raye's communicator watch started beeping. Mina's hushed voice told them where they needed to go.
"You guys go now, I need to drop this off at Ami's place and try to talk her into staying." Serena said.
"You'd just be wasting your time. Her plane leaves in an hour." Rini said, popping out of nowhere.
"What?" She gasped. She was leaving today?
"I'll take it to her." Someone said behind her and a big hand grabbed the present out of hers. Darien stood behind her with his dreaded green jacket on. Didn't I burn that? How did he get it back? "You go, Mina needs you." He said and hopped into his car, which just happened to be parked next to them. "Coming Rini?" He asked. Rini's eyes widened and she nodded vigorously. They shot off with Rini sticking her tongue out at Serena.
"Serena! I just heard, you better hurry!" Luna came running up to them with Caleb in her arms. Jeeze, where did all these people come from?
"Right, right. Let's go." She called to her scouts and then started running to the ice cream place.
~ ~ ~ ~
Ami stood awkwardly in the airport, waiting for her plane to be called. Someone cleared their throat from behind her and she turned to see Darien and Rini there.
"What are you doing here?" She asked them.
"Kitty power! Make a gift for Ami!" Rini called out, bouncing her magical ball. It poofed into a yellow and red striped candy. Ami smiled and caught the candy in her hand.
"Don't forget me kay?" Rini asked. Ami laughed softly when the candy turned in to pink flowers.
"Thank you." She said, fighting her tears.
"This one is from the Serena and girls." Darien said and held up a little baggy. She heard the pain behind his cool voice when he said Serena's name and she looked closely at him, trying to see what had happened that made him change his mind on their whole relationship. She took it from him gently and opened it. Inside was her new transformation wand and communicator with a note.
'To Ami. You'll always be one of us. We wish you the best. Love your friends.' She lifted her transformation wand and made her decision. This was just too much for her.
"Oh Darien I can't! I need to be here! Can you take me to them?" Rini and Darien gave her a confused look. "I'll have plenty of time to become a doctor. I can re-apply when I'm really ready to go. But right now, I need to be with my friends." She grabbed her bags and ran to Darien's car outside.
"I think the girls are on a mission Ami." He told her with a knowing glance to the side. She nodded. They sped off through the empty streets of Japan and off to the park. She quickly got out and ran to where she could sense the scouts.
"I can't believe I almost got on that plane. What was I thinking? I'm part of a team, I have to protect my friends and princess. Let's just hope I'm not too late to help them." She whispered to herself and picked up her pace. She heard their faint cries not too far away and transformed. As she did, she felt a different power surging through her. She made it just in time and halted the monster.
"Sailor Mercury!" The others called out and she felt where she belonged. Here with them.
"Shine aqua illusion!" She called out her new power and paralyzed the monster. Sailor Moon jumped at her chance and dusted it.
~ ~ ~ ~
It was great to have Ami back Serena thought as she walked down a familiar hallway with Caleb toddling in front of her with a furry black bunny in his arms. She knocked on the door and waited patiently, despite her hammering heart. She heard shuffling behind the door. As soon as it was open, the energetic one year old latched himself onto long legs.
"Daddy!" Caleb cried. Darien chuckled and picked him up.
"Hey little guy!" He said and hugged the small body. "Mmm, I missed you so much." He said.
Serena hated to cut into the moment, but she had to leave. Raye was going to be soooo mad at her if she didn't get the temple. "I'll pick him up tonight at eight." She said hastily and turned quickly to catch an elevator. She didn't see the pained eyes that followed her.
Serena jumped into her car (see chapter 15 in 'on my own for now') and raced off to the temple. She dressed in the temple clothing and got an earful from Raye. Raye had told them of her grandfather's idea for opening a karate class or something. Raye was totally against it. Serena suspected it was because it was Chad who attracted all the girls. Even though she had Jadeite, Raye like Chad too. She was kinda like Mina and Andrew, minus the sex. Serena thought with a smirk. When she arrived, she saw Raye and the others behind the charm selling booth. Of course, a million and five girls were all crowding and a couple of guys. Raye looked across the grounds at a temple room that was booming with techno music.
"He's going to kill himself. The doctor told him to take it easy and now he has to go do this!" She hissed.
"Come on Raye, we'll keep a good eye on him, and if we think he's pushing to hard, then we'll stop him." Lita said gently.
"I don't care anymore. Let him die if he wants!" She snapped and turned back to the customers. Serena watched her hide her worry and anger. Raye always did that. After the charms were all sold, Mina, Lita and Ami left. Serena cautiously went to Raye who was sitting in the stairs looking at her cleaning water.
"Why don't we check on him?" Serena asked with a pleading look. Raye hesitated, and then nodded.
"Alright." They made their way to the room and peeked into it. A butch woman was throwing the other women around like rag dolls.
"Hey! I'm ready!" Serena jumped a little, lost in the brute strength of the appalling butch woman and turned to the perky voice of Rini. Rini stuck a pose showing off her new work out outfit. Despite her dislike for the little terror, Serena couldn't let Rini go in there and get thrown about.
"I don't think......" Rini cut her off and looked into the room. There was a cry of fear coming from some girl and Rini stiffened a little looking at the scene with wide eyes.
"What's happening?! I'm not going in there!" she cried and backed up. Although, the scene was familiar to her. Mars and Uncle Jadeite always sparred together in a ring similar to that one. Uncle Jadeite always won the bets when he and Mars sparred. Sometimes, Rini suspected that she lost on purpose. Her mommy had told her that Raye had to be Uncle Jadeite's slave for a whole day, but Rini never saw them coming out of their room every time she lost. Maybe she did her slave work in there, feeding him ice cream and candy. She shrugged off the thought and then looked up at Serena. "Uh, hehe, I think Aunty Ikkuko wants me home early. Bye!" She hastily waved her hand and retreated home. Serena tried onto to glare when she called her mom Aunty Ikkuko. They turned back to the scene. Raye had had enough and stood up.
"That's enough." She grounded out and stalked to her grandfather's side. The butch woman looked up and a familiar looking woman with wavy long hair folded her arms.
"Who's she?" The wavy haired woman asked. Raye's grandfather gave her a sheepish smile.
"That's my granddaughter Raye. She thinks I'm too old to be teaching this class." He muttered, blushing when the woman gave him a wink.
"Well, she's not one to be giving you orders eh old man?" she snapped her fingers, and the fallen women stood up and started attacking each other again. Grandpa frantically waved his hands to get them to calm down.
"Ladies! Don't you know you have to be cautious?" He asked them. The angered woman turned murderous eyes on him and then started charging. Serena watched in amazement as he nimbly ran between them, delivering quick blows. They all fell and then passed out. The wavy haired woman laughed and the bitch woman smirked.
"Looks like the old fossil still has it. Wanda, finish him off." She said with a sharp point of her finger. The butch woman then changed into an even butcher woman and Serena rolled her eyes. She should have known. A long leg shot out and kicked Grandpa. He fell heavily against the ring and Raye gasped.
"Grandpa!" She screamed and ran into the ring. She dove and slid, covering Grandpa's body with her own body. The stomp that Wanda would have landed on Grandpa caught Raye in the back of the knee cap and Serena winced. Grandpa became enraged.
"No one hurts my granddaughter! I'm going to get them for this!" He yelled and turned to face the Butch Wanda. She simply scoffed at him and another long leg shot out and took a swipe at him. Serena covered her mouth as she watched Raye stand up and dash to save him again. She pushed him back to the corner of the ring.
"Raye! No, you'll get hurt!" Grandpa cried out, but Raye held her place firm, refusing to let him get hurt. Even when the monster started delivering hard bows with her foot to Raye's vulnerable back, she still protected him. Serena closed her eyes, not wanting to see Raye's pained eyes and cries of pain. Deciding she had enough Serena cursed and transformed quickly but she wasn't quick enough and the monster shot an attack at him. Raye watched helplessly as he passed out and lifted his head into her arms. Catzy aimed one of her own attacks at him and Serena grasped her scepter out of the sub pocked at threw it at the attack.
"I recognize that sorry tutu!" She said, frowning. What was that tutu made of anyway? Catzy simply powdered her nose.
"You need powder. Your nose is shiny." That took her back, and she touched her nose. Well, she was working all day, what did she expect? "Wanda, get her!" Catzy snapped out and Serena jerked herself back to the present problem, temporarily forgetting about her shiny nose. The attack came fast at her, but a red rose intercepted the attack. What! He was supposed to be watching Caleb! What was he doing there?
"Tuxedo Mask! Where is he?!" She demanded, he held up a hand.
"He's safe. I think I know what to do with him when things like this arise." He snapped back, a little moodily. Serena pouted and crossed her arms, forgetting about the monsters.
"I was just making sure. Excuse me for worrying." She snapped back.
"Well you should have more faith in me."
"I do!"
"You don't sound like it!"
"Me? You're the one who snapped at me!"
"Only because you didn't trust me!"
"I never said that!"
"You didn't need to say it, I could hear in behind your words!"
"Why you........" Serena started after him with her eyes blazing.
"Uh, did your forget about us?" The monster asked looking back and forth at them. Serena and Darien halted their petty argument and then flushed a little.
"Right." Serena said dryly and Tuxedo Mask jumped from the window and started wrestling with the monster.
"Sailor Moon, your scepter!" He called out. She fumbled with the scepter.
"Right." She aimed her attack at the monster and it poofed to sand.
Catzy blinked. "Well, this is embarrassing." She said with a blush, then her eyes iced over. "I'll get you for this!" She hissed and started after them with random shots of black magic. Serena gulped and started dodging them, running out of the temple. She was just about to get hit with a magic shot, but Mars, out of nowhere, came and pushed her out of the way. Immediately, she aimed a fire attack at her, and Catzy aimed one right back. Their forced collided. Catzy's power was stronger that Mars's and Serena watched in horror as Raye began to waver.
"I got to help her." She said and picked herself off of the cold stone floor, but strong arms wrapped around her waits and prevented her from moving.
"No, let her do it herself." Tuxedo Masked whispered harshly to her. Serena struggled out of his arms.
"Let go of me." She hissed. His grip tightened and he pulled her roughly back.
"You heard what I said."
"So? Does it mean I have to listen to you?"
"Yes, it does."
"No it doesn't!"
Raye, faintly heard Serena and Darien fighting but ignored them and called forth the new power bubbling in her stomach. She felt her grandfather's strength and called fort his help. The words to her power formed in her head and he took a tight grip on her magic.
"Mars celestial fire surround!" She called out feeling the heat of her power all around her. The rings cut through Catzy's own attack and in the end, she won. Catzy cursed her for torching her tutu and phased out. Raye breathed a sigh of relief and soon, she could hear Serena and Darien again, still fighting. Rubbing her temple, very tempted to use her new attack on them, Raye rolled her eye and turned to them.
"You're not my father."
"So? Your father needs to give you a good spanking. I tell you things for a reason!"
"Yeah right! You only do it to get on my nerve!"
"Listen Meatball head......."
"Meatball head! Why you......." Raye had enough and clapped her hands to get their attention. The fuming pair turned to her with their eyes blazing.
"Enough with the bickering you two." She shot at them. They looked ashamed for a bit then Serena noticed that the monsters were gone.
"Wow Raye, good job!" She gushed and hugged her.
"Well, I had better go." Darien muttered and de-transformed. Serena twisted from Raye and bit her lip.
"Yeah, thank you for helping us, despite how you feel about me." She said softly. Darien felt a painful prick in his heart and wanted desperately to comfort her and tell her everything. Suddenly, there was a flash from his dream about a crystal tower and Serena falling, he had to bit his tongue.
"Well, I'm only doing what's right. No need to get all mushy about it." He bit out and turned away. "Caleb's with Andrew." Was all he said and then he was gone.
Raye saw how Serena's eyes darkened with sadness and pain and she put her arms around the small blonde, not knowing what to do really.
"Thank you for coming to my rescue." She finally said after a long pause. Serena's shoulders relaxed a little and she smiled a small smile.
"Your welcome." She whispered.
~ ~ ~ ~
When Darien returned home, with Caleb in his arms, he looked at the clock. Serena was coming in ten minutes. Sighing, he buried his face in Caleb's soft black hair and breathed in the sweet smell of his baby shampoo. The baby shifted in his arms and Darien let him down. He looked up at his dad with painfully familiar eyes.
"Mommy?" He asked. Darien fought a wince and gave him a forced smile.
"She'll be here soon." He told him. Exactly eleven minutes later, there was a knock at the door.
"Mommy!" Caleb cried and ran to her. Serena's face brightened and she leaned down and gave him a loud smacking kiss in his forehead. Caleb giggled and ran away from her.
"I need to get some more clothes." She said and left to the back room. Darien gathered all of Caleb's things and soon after, Serena came out with a small bag of clothes.
"Ready to go bye-bye sweetie?" She asked and picked him up and perched him on her hip. He opened the door and let her out. She walked to the elevator without looking back. Caleb giggled at something and Serena laughed. The happy sounds made him feel even lonelier. He closed the door. Damn, why me? He rubbed a sorrowful hand down his face.
A shower, then off to bed.
Maybe he could forget about the pain when he was sleeping. Entering his room, he went to the dresser and pulled out some clean nightclothes. Something shiny caught his eye and he glanced in the dresser and saw Serena's engagement ring sitting there, perched on the brown slick surface. He picked up the delicate band. Tears burned his eyes and he closed his fist. The pink diamond cut into his skin. The burning pain was what he deserved. All he could think was that she gave up. She gave up on them and she told him so.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
AN: I'm so sorry that this chapter took so long. Don't you get those days when your mind is completely blank and when you try to type something, it not good and you're not happy with it? Well that's what happened to me. Also, I got a job, so I can't always update every week, but I'll try! For my readers I'll try really hard.
Next chapter, Serena turns evil. Wanna know how? Well you'll just have to read and find out! 'Uncontrolled' chapter 5 is coming out sometime on Friday or Saturday, so keep watch for that as well!
Love you all kisses *muh*