Chapter 22
For the first time in years, Serena wasn't worried about going up to the board in the hallway that displayed everyone's test results.
She was certain that she had passed all her test. But she was surprised to see how well she had done.
With scores higher than she had ever accomplished in her life, Serena knew her parents couldn't argue about Serena wanting to spend the next two weeks at Ami's grandfather's cabin.
Serena took a quick glance at Seiya's test scores and she smiled brightly and felt a warmth rush through her body; knowing that Seiya would be able to stay and at least finish out the school year.
It took Serena quite some time to push her way through the hoards of other students wanting to check their test results.
She hadn't seen her friends in over half an hour, so she headed for the Crown; it was where they said they would meet after
checking their scores, just in case they did get separated.
Serena came bouncing into the Crown, a huge smile graced her face at the sight of her friend and the Three Lights sitting at a table.
"Well?" Rei questioned from behind as she came in a few steps after Serena.
Serena pulled a crumpled piece of paper out of her pocket and waved a copy of her scores in Rei's face: "I passed all of them and I'm above just a passing grade."
Rei reached out and grabbed the waving paper and looked down at the numbers written on the paper.
"Are you sure these are your grades?" Rei said with surprise.
"Yup," Serena beamed and slide into the seat next to Seiya.
"You got a 92 in math," Rei squeaked with amazement.
"Really?" Lita queried and took the paper from Rei before Rei had a chance to sit.
"She got a higher score then you Seiya," Yaten remarked and elbowed his brother.
"I guess we can all leave for Kinmoki tomorrow," Ami said happily.
"I have already set the phone in the cabin to ring my communicator if anyone phones. I'm not sure if we can actually receive calls when we are on Kinmoki, but at least we'll know if someone wants to get a hold of us," Ami added.
Maliki approached the table and gave the occupants of the table a slight bow before saying: "Ladies."
"We were about to have lunch, would you like to join us?" Ami asked the man.
"Another time perhaps. We have a lot to do today," he replied.
The next morning Serena said goodbye to her mother and promised to be home the weekend before school resumed.
Serena was surprised to see a familiar looking black sedan out front of her house. With joy in her heart and a bounce in her step, Serena proceeded to the car.
The trunk of the car was up; obviously waiting for Serena to load in her own suitcase. With a bit of a struggle Serena loaded her suitcase, closed the trunk and quickly hopped into the back of the car. The glass between the driver and the back seat was closed, so the driver couldn't be seen, but Serena didn't mind. Soon all the girls were in the back of the car laughing and talking about the trip.
"You think we can teleport to a different planet, in some unknown galaxy?" Mina questioned the other girls.
Silence befell of car.
"I think Kakyuu would have made arrangements just in case we can't do it ourselves," Rei mentioned.
"Once I have the co-ordinates logged into my computer, we shouldn't have any trouble getting there," Ami explained. "We might need help today, but after that, we should be able to go anytime by ourselves."
"That does not mean that you or Mina can sneak off on your own," Rei stared at Serena then glanced at Mina.
"I know it takes our joint power to teleport," Serena scowled at Rei.
When the car finally pulled into the estate grounds, Lita noticed the car that had been following them also turned in.
Once the car stopped, Lita tried to open the door and found it to be locked. The other girls looked at her as she frantically pulled on the handle.
Rei tried the door on the other side and found it locked too.
"What's going on?" Mina asked and began knocking on the glass that separated the back seats from the front.
"Trista," Mina yelped upon seeing who had driven them.
"You're safer in there for the time being," Trista smiled weakly and approached the car that had followed them.
Four shocked faced stared out the car as the driver exited.
Trista stood next to the back doors of the sedan crossed her arms over her chest and glared at the car that had followed them.
"I told you to let them be, Amara," Trista barked at the other car.
Amara stepped out and yelled back: "Those boys have caused enough damage. It's time for them to go and for the rest of us to go back to the way things are meant to be."
"The time line we knew has already changed. You have to except that. The change began when Galaxia being her reign of terror," Trista told Amara.
"That kid," Amara pointed towards the house and the girls in the car turned in the direction Amara had pointed and saw the Three Lights and Maliki standing on the porch, "is not worthy of our future queen. Darien loves Serena and is willing to take her back, even after everything Serena didn't. He is even willing to take the child as his own."
"Child?" Trista questioned.
"The one Serena carries," Amara spit out and glared at Seiya.
"What?" Maliki's voice boomed loud enough to cause the birds in the trees to fall silent.
Seiya took a step back and meekly replied: "She's not pregnant. Darien misunderstood the conversation."
By this time, Amy was about to unlock the car doors using her computer and linking it to the cars controls.
Serena burst out of the car and ran to stand between the people on the porch and Amara.
"I didn't both to tell Darien the truth. I kinda hoped him thinking I was pregnant would put an end to the fighting," Serena mumbled, but everyone heard her.
"This is my life and my choice," Serena screeched with new found courage.
"Darien is not loyal to Serena," Lita announced as she came to stand beside her friend. "We saw him in bed with another woman."
"He promised Serena that the fighting between him and Seiya was over. He lied, or you wouldn't be here on his behalf," Amy added.
"Darien tried to kill Seiya. Can you trust a man that would poison a boy?" Amy questioned.
Seiya stepped down and came to Serena side and wrapped his arm around and looked over at Amara: "I don't know where Darien's loyalties lie right now, but mine are with Serena. We were all willing to give our lives for her when we fought Galaxia and I am still willing to give my life for her."
Everyone stood in silence as they watch Amara change to Uranus.
"Prove it," Uranus demanded.
"Stop this," Serena screamed as tears began to run down her face.
"He cannot keep what he cannot protect," Uranus growled.
Seiya released Serena and transformed.
"Don't do this," Serena begged Seiya. "Maliki make him stop, please."
"Amara is right," Maliki responded and softly closed his eyes for a second before focusing on Uranus. "You must understand that Seiya has yet to reach the full potential of his powers and that I will put an end to this before it goes too far, regardless who is victorious at that point."
"I don't care who wins, it changes nothing," Serena screamed as loud as possible and ran off towards the back of the estate with Mina on her heels.
After fifteen minute of running, Serena dropped down against a tree. She pulled her knees up, wrapped her arms around her legs and dropped her head on her knees and sobbed.
"Amara is doing what she thinks is right," Mina told Serena as she sat next to her friend and placed a comforting arm around the crying girl's shoulder.
"I'm tired of all the fighting. In one way or another I have been fighting for years and for what? I still have no say in my own life," Serena wailed.
"For the future," Mina spoke softly.
"Trista said the future had already change, so who's future are we fighting for."
"Man kinds. Is that not what we've been fighting for all this time?" Mina giggled. We defend those that can't defend themselves. That is something that won't change. If the new future was that bad, then Trista would say something. If she thinks we should keep being friends with the Three Light and Kakayuu then it must be good. Uranus has always been like your protective older brother or sister, whichever, she needs to know that you'll be safe when she's not around. And Seiya just want to prove himself worthy, it's a guy thing."
"I can't believe Maliki is letting them fight," Serena moaned.
"I think if some guy wanted his sister, he'd fight the guy too. His sister is a queen and he has to make sure her suitor is capable of defending her. Just like Uranus is doing," Mina explained.
"Will my opinion about people ever be accepted?" Serena whined.
"Yup. As a queen, shouldn't your words be those of great wisdom," Mina leaned back laughing.
"By that time I'll be so old everyone will just think I'm nuts," Serena smiled.
"I'll still be beside you, where you are nuts or not," Mina gave Serena a bear hug.
The girls went silent when they heard something drawing near.
A few seconds later they heard various voices calling their names.
"Should we pretend we left?" Mina giggled quietly.
"That might put a kink in our travel plans," Serena giggled back.
"We're still going?" Mina whispered.
"I studied my butt off and deserve this vacation," Serena stated and puffed up her chest with her hands on her hips.
"Are you ready to come back now?" Amara asked as she closed in on the girls.
"Is there a reason we should?" Serena said coldly.
"I thought you wanted to come see my future home," Seiya smiled, coming out from behind the tree Amara was leaning on.
Serena and Mina looked from Amara to Seiya and then back to Amara.
Amara stepped up to Serena: "Your boyfriend refused to fight me."
Serena and Mina started wide eyed at Seiya, who was now leaning on the tree Amara had vacated.
"He wishes to love you, not cause you pain," Amara continued, her eyes focused on Serena. "He knelt before me and told me to kill him, because he would not fight your scouts to prove his love. But if his death would prove to me how much he loved you then he was willing to die."
"I will not fight your friends to prove my love for you, but I will die for it," Seiya spoke softly and slowly made his way to Serena.
"His words touched me in a way I can't explain," Amara admitted. She then took Serena's hand and placed it in Seiya's hand.
"His heart is a pure as yours," Amara smiled at both of them.
"And that is what the future should be built upon," Trista spoke from behind Serena.
"That is what we were born to protect," Lita added as the rest of the girls now surrounded Serena and Seiya.
The End.
