Warmest affection to all of you embarking on this long,
four-part, Sailor Moon fanfic. I hope to see you at the end.
This story stretches the continuity of the Sailor Moon universe
but shouldn't quite break it. When I originally wrote it I only
knew bits and pieces of the Sailor Moon story after the DiC
episodes cut off, and placed it within the context I had read
about.
This takes place after the Black Moon Family Crisis has been
resolved and after Reenie has been sent back in time for her
training. It does not involve or refer to Sailors Neptune and
Uranus and only makes the vaguest of allusions to the youma the
Senshi currently fight. (Sorry about that, SuperS fans.)
I made a few other modifications, most of which are addressed
in Part 1. As usual, I am open to C&C. I can be reached at
Lunari@Sprynet.com or through Megane 6.7 at fcasper@yesic.com
(I prefer the former.)
This series is rededicated to all of the troopers who
knocked me down and stood on my neck until I agreed to write and
eventually post my stories. (You know who you are.)
Justification is in Order
By Lunari
Part II
"I feel like such a pervert!"
Artemis stopped washing his face with a white paw, and
turned towards the source of the lament. His feline eyes settled
on the young man laying on the floor of the small apartment, his
hands covering his face. Artemis flicked his tail and trotted
over to where Darien lay. He climbed up onto Darien's chest and
stared at his covered face.
"Did you say something?"
"Yes," Darien said, removing his hands. "I said that if you
put a cross on my skin it would burn my flesh!"
Artemis cocked his head at Darien, considering the young
man. "Y'know, this would be a lot easier if you told me what
you're talking about."
Darien sighed, closing his eyes. "Serena," he answered. "I
love her like crazy but sometimes she just ... just ..." Darien
searched for the right word.
"Gets you hot?"
"Artemis!"
The feline rolled his eyes, a grin on his furry face.
Darien frowned at the cat, then sighed. "Well, in so many words,
yes," he said. "It's like one moment she's my sweet, innocent
Serena, the girl I want to spend the rest of my life with. Then
a few seconds later, yen in my pocket takes on a whole new
meaning!"
Artemis snickered. "That's a good one!"
"Artemis," Darien groaned. "She's fifteen years old! I'm
... older than that by a lot." Darien rubbed his hands through
his hair. "No wonder her dad carries around a nine-iron every
time I pick her up for a date."
"So," said Artemis, seating himself on Darien's chest. "You
enjoy being around Serena, but recently you've discovered that
her affections are proving a bit arousing."
"A bit?"
"And," Artemis continued. "Having been her protector for so
long, you find it irking to suddenly see images of yourself doing
certain things with her, right?"
Darien winced. "Right."
"And you don't want to tell her this because you're afraid
of hurting her like when you broke up with her a while back,
right?"
"Right." Darien looked up at the cat. "So what do I do?"
"You're asking me?" Artemis said. "The last time I got some
was back before Beryl was destroyed."
"That's not what I- ... got some?" Darien considered the
feline. "Luna?"
Artemis blushed. "She was happy to see me, that's all."
"But, that's not what I- ... since Beryl was destroyed?
What'd you do, have a fight?"
"She wasn't as happy afterwards."
Darien thought a moment, then made a face. "Getting back to
the subject at hand," he said. "Serena thinks it's cute when my
face turns red, and all I can think about is ... I don't even
want to think about what I think about!"
"Hence your comparison with a hentai," Artemis said.
"Correct?"
Darien nodded sullenly. "Let's just say that if I were her
father, I wouldn't let her go out with a guy like me."
Artemis nodded, and flicked his tail. "Is it because she's
Serena, or because she's young?"
Darien smiled. "Young," he said. "Reenie's obvious proof
that Serena and I become intimate in the future."
"Being married would justify that," Artemis said, rolling
his eyes.
"And to be frank," Darien said, staring off into the
collective space above his head. "I look forward to the day when
age isn't stopping me from feeling comfortable with the way she
makes me feel."
"I wonder why," Artemis said bitterly.
Darien looked back at the feline. "What's wrong with you
today, furball?" he asked. "Eat some bad catnip or something?"
Artemis scowled at Darien. "All this sex talk is getting on
my nerves."
"You?" Darien asked. "You're the one making the locker room
comments."
"Well," Artemis mused. "Let's just say that blue-balls
aren't restricted to humans."
Darien tipped back his head and laughed, bumping his head on
the carpeted floor. Artemis sighed, a sweat drop appearing on
his forehead.
"Y'know," he grumbled. "I think a little compassion is in
order, Tux."
Darien chuckled softly, grinning at the feline. "I'm
sorry," he said. "It's just-"
The doorbell rang. Darien craned his head towards the door,
calling, "Who is it?"
Muffled from behind the door came a cheery voice. "It's me,
Mina. I've come to collect my cat."
Darien turned and saw the white feline starring starry-eyed
at the door. He raised his eyebrows at the cat. Artemis blushed
slightly. "Well, what do you expect?" Artemis said. "She
dresses in front of me."
"I don't even want to KNOW!" Darien said, shooing Artemis
off of him.
"And Serena's here with me," Mina said from the hallway.
"Hold on a sex," Darien called to the door, then stammered.
"A sec," he repeated, watching Artemis rolling on the floor,
laughing so hard he started coughing. Darien groaned, burying
his face in his hands, and stood, grabbing up the cat as he went.
He shuffled across the floor to the apartment's door, and
pulled it open. Mina stood there, her hair bound behind her head
in a braid, her door-knocker earrings glinting in the light.
Serena stood beside her, her face blushed red and her hair tails
sweeping around her calves. Darien smiled.
"Come on in," he invited, in all honesty only seeing Serena.
Serena stepped over the threshold but Mina stayed put."If
you two don't mind," she said. "I'll just take Artemis and go.
Artemis wanted to visit Luna at the vet's office, and I have to
buy him a new litter box-"
"MI-NA!" Artemis growled, his furry face turning red.
"Anyway," Mina continued, grinning at her feline companion.
"We'll just leave you two alone, is that alright?"
"I'm sure they have some catching-up to do, Mina," Artemis
said, and stuck his tongue out at Darien who was turning an
embarrassing shade of red. Mina waved at the two, and then left
the doorway, stroking her cat and chattering away.
Darien watched them go, making sure she made it to the
elevator when the door slammed shut and he felt small hands
tickling around his waist. Serena looked up at him with shining
eyes, grinning.
"Now where were we?" she asked, and Darien felt something
take a cannon-ball jump into his stomach. She leaned upwards,
sending him teetering backwards against the closet door. She
pressed her lips against his, closing her eyes.
Darien could taste her chocolate sundae, and felt warmth
rising in his cheeks. She reached up and touched his face, her
fingers stroking down to his jawline and following it to his
earlobe. Darien could only respond, his arms nearly crushing her
against his chest. She was very warm in his embrace, almost like
a rising fever that grew hotter and hotter.
A bit too hot.
Darien felt his fingers straying lower down her back, and
had no will to stop them. He felt his legs moving, bending then
standing, picking her up with him. He felt himself moving
towards the sofa, no, towards the bed, and fire leaping up his
throat. He felt himself lowering her onto the mattress, his
hands moving towards her legs.
An image of Princess Serenity flashed in his mind, and he
jerked away from her, his eyes widening. He looked at Serena,
and saw a surprised fifteen year-old reacting to the lack of his
kiss, and then to her position on his bed. She looked up at him,
her eyes narrowed in confusion.
"Darien?" she asked.
"I think I should leave," he said, his face very red.
"But this is your apartment."
Darien stared at her, and slowly his brain came back on-
line. "That's right," he said. "We should leave. It's not a
good idea for us to be alone."
Serena sat up on the bed, pushing her candy red skirt back
over her thighs, covering them. "I don't understand," she said.
Darien leaned against the back of the sofa, and put his head
in his hands. He inhaled deeply, rubbing his fingers down his
face. Serena was still there, looking very confused. Darien put
his hands on his legs, and swallowed.
"Serena," he said. "I think it would be a good idea if we
weren't so ... close."
He waited for her to nod, blink, anything. Then he saw
tears well up in her eyes.
"Woah, wait!" he said suddenly. "I'm not breaking up with
you, Sweetie! Don't worry, don't cry!" He put his hand on
Serena's arm, and felt her trembling. "I've learned my lesson
about that," he consoled. "I'll never leave you again."
Serena sniffed, rubbing her hand across her nose. "Do you
promise?" she asked pitifully.
"Oh, I promise," he said. "I swear on my life."
Serena smiled.
"But I still think we shouldn't be so close."
Serena frowned.
Darien sighed. "Okay," he said. "Let me try and explain.
You see, sometimes when we're together-"
An insistent beeping noise pierced his words and he frowned.
Serena cocked her head, listening to it. She seemed oblivious to
the fact it was coming from her pocket. Darien looked at her and
she smiled pleasantly at him.
"Isn't that your communicator, Serena?" he asked.
She thought a moment, then nodded.
"Don't you think you should answer it?" he asked.
She thought a moment, then nodded.
He stared at her a moment, and she blinked at him. The
beeping persisted. Finally, Serena's eyes widened and she dove
into her pocket, removing the calculator-like device. She
pressed one of the jewelled buttons and said, "Serena here,
what's up?"
"Se-RE-na," growled a familiar voice through the tiny
speaker. "Aren't you supposed to be over at the temple
STUDYING!?"
"Raye," Serena stammered. "I'm sorry, I forgot all about
it-"
"Se-REEE-na!"
"Right, right! I'll be right over!" Serena stabbed her
finger onto another button, and stuffed the communicator into her
pocket. "I'm sorry, Darien," she said, looking up at him. "What
were you saying?"
Darien stared at her a minute, and then closed his mouth.
"Uh, forget it," he said. "Why don't I walk you over to the
temple?"
Serena blinked her large, blue eyes at him. "Okay," she
said, and jumped to her feet. Darien stood with her, and noticed
how close they were. She stood there, smiling up at him like in
all her photographs, completely trusting him. Darien couldn't
smile back.
He offered his arm to her. "Shall we?" he asked.
Serena giggled and took his arm. "Kay."
***
"It figures," Serenity thought. "I *would* be lost."
Serenity had awakened from her momentary unconsciousness
after leaving the time gate, akin to jet-lag when crossing time
zones, to find herself in a littered alley-way between two stores
she had absolutely no memory of. She'd pulled herself upright
and carefully emerged onto the sidewalk.
The crowded streets, the smell of Ramen wafting from shop
doors, and hordes of school girls wearing differently colored
uniforms, and the large, metal framework tower in the distance
confirmed to the Queen that she was indeed in Tokyo. But after a
cursory examination of the street and shop names, she found
herself lost.
Serenity rubbed her hand over her forehead, feeling the
lunar sigil above her eyes. She mussed her bangs as best she
could to cover the yellow mark, and then tied the two shafts of
flowing hair together behind her head, resulting in one stream of
golden hair swirling behind her.
She flicked dirt off her worn shirt, and noticed that the
dirt wouldn't have made a difference, the shirt was already
mottled with stains. She'd only had a few moments to locate
clothing appropriate to time travel and hand-to-hand combat if
necessary. The mechanics for the fleet of Guardian Dragons that
protected the palace had left their coveralls on site when they
took their break. Serenity didn't care that she did appear to be
a futuristic grease-monkey, the loose folds of her pants made it
easy to conceal her knife.
Serenity started walking, her thoughts going to the best way
to explain to Lita and Raye why she did what she did. Lita would
be furious at her putting herself in danger, and Raye would
chastise her for attacking Pluto. In fact, everything she was
doing was very un-queen-like, and Serenity stopped, wondering if
she'd done the right thing.
A horn blared at her and she jumped. She scampered to the
other side of the street and the car swept behind her, the driver
growling some rude insult. Serenity placed her hand on her
chest, feeling the rapid beating against her ribs. She sighed,
and started walking again.
Serenity turned a corner out of habit, and kept walking.
She continued to muse about her situation, never noticing her
body taking her in the right direction.
***
As good-bye kisses go, this one was probably the most
problematic. Darien and Serena had reached the Hikawa Shrine and
upon entering the small meeting room, had received an audible
growl from the girls there. Darien apologized for detaining
Serena while Raye told him to get lost. Darien didn't mind
obliging her, but not before saying good-bye to his sweet-heart.
He'd bent forward to kiss her, and felt her lips brush his
when she was jerked backwards into the study room. Serena
struggled to free herself from Raye's claw-like grip, and smashed
back into Darien's face by accident. Darien rubbed his nose
while she apologized, saying in a nasal voice that it was
alright.
Raye tried to grab at her again, and missed, falling on her
face. Serena turned around to see what was happening, and
tripped over Raye's head. She grabbed Darien's shirt as she
fell, dragging him down with her. Darien saw himself speeding
towards Serena and Raye, and stopped himself by taking hold of
the doorway. He didn't fall, but his fingers punched through the
rice-paper square at the wooden frame. Serena rolled herself off
of a raging Raye, who caught sight of Darien's damage, and
started screaming at everyone.
Darien blushed, a sweat drop manifesting on his forehead.
He waved nervously to the group and started backing away. He
smacked right into a charging Chad who had heard Raye scream and
came running. Darien went flying back into the room, and into
Serena who'd run back out to try the good-bye kiss again. His
arms went around her as they fell, trying to take the force of
the impact.
They crashed to the ground, and Darien rolled, afraid he'd
crush her. Chad ran up to the doorway, seeing Raye beyond but
not Darien and Serena below. His sandalled foot caught on
Darien's leg and the ex-musician went flying forward, grabbing
Raye and flopping onto the ground with her in his arms.
At that moment Raye's grandfather came around the corner,
attracted by the noise. He stared at the group, then calmly
removed his glasses from his kimono, and placed them on his face.
After examining the scene for a moment, he returned the glasses
to his kimono, and turned to walk away.
Over his shoulder, he muttered. "Teenagers! At least they
had the decency to use the backseat of a car in MY day!"
Raye turned a very deep crimson and Chad started laughing
nervously. Lita and Amy watched from the room, the brunette
turning to the blue-haired girl.
"So I hear you've been seeing Greg lately," she said.
"What's he like?"
Amy echoed Raye's blush.
"Uh-oh," Lita gulped.
Darien pried open his eyes and saw only blue. "Are you
okay, Darien?" Serena asked somewhere below the azure pools that
blinked at him. Darien stared at her eyes, and saw compassion
and love. Serena's eyes; his Serena.
"I'm fine," he said, tearing himself away from her gaze. He
sat up carefully and helped Serena to her feet. Before Raye
could disentangle herself from Chad's lanky arms, Darien brushed
a kiss over Serena's lips, whispering good-bye.
He still felt her lips against his now as he walked the
white sidewalk on his way home. Darien held his arms behind his
head, staring into the sky in a lovelorn manner. He barely felt
his feet beneath him, didn't see the people around him, and could
only smell the sweet scent of Serena, and taste her kisses. He
couldn't hear the city noises around him, including the car that
screeched to a sudden halt in the crosswalk in front of him.
The horn, he heard.
Darien nearly jumped out of his skin at the noise, and
quickly made his way to the other side of the street. He heard
the driver mutter something along the lines of scatter-brained
girls and ditzy guys. Darien resisted the urge to tell the
driver exactly where he could put his car, and instead continued
down the walk.
He turned onto the street where his apartment was situated.
He had to finish some chores before heading over to Andrew's to
help roof his parents' house. Darien began figuring in his mind
how he'd both clean up his kitchen and balance his checkbook
before leaving for Andrew's. Both were lost causes and he began
running over a mental checklist when something turned the corner
and crashed into him.
***
Serenity was being pulled. She didn't recognize it until
her feet were negotiating corners she didn't register, and
stopping at stop lights she hadn't noticed. It was about the
time she's climbed through a broken fence and cut across a vacant
lot that she realized, somewhere in her body, she knew where she
was going.
Serenity let her feet continue leading her, and then felt
the sensation of being attracted to a certain spot like a magnet
to metal. The feeling became stronger, and her feet hit the
sidewalk faster and faster. She dodged around pedestrians and
nearly tripped up a brown-haired boy with glasses who called out
to her, but she ignored him.
There. There, she felt herself being drawn there. The
building was vaguely familiar, but her memories of life in Tokyo,
the original Tokyo, were so hazy she couldn't place it. She
ducked past a newspaper vendor and around a corner.
And then she was on the ground, her senses reeling and her
rump smarting from a rough landing. Serenity shook her head,
trying to clear the cobwebs. And then she heard him.
"Oh, I'm sorry."
God, no. Why him, why now?
"I didn't see you."
You knew this might happen.
"Are you okay?"
Don't let it get to you.
"Serena?"
Her name. He spoke her name. He spoke the name he only
called her in private, in affection. The name he whispered in
the low heat of passion, in the coolness of the night. The name
he spoke over tears when she bore him a child, and the name he
wept when she was trapped in a crystal. The name that belonged
to the person she was and wasn't anymore, but her name
nonetheless.
Serenity swallowed and turned to face him. She saw his
glittering eyes, like two sapphires winking at her. He was so
young, so very young. Young as she was when they fell in love.
He looked at her, and his confusion turned to distrust.
"You are not Serena."
"No," she answered, thanking all the gods that her voice was
still strong. "Not exactly."
"Who are you, then?" he asked.
Serenity didn't smile. "I am Neo-Queen Serenity from the
30th century," she said. "I've come for my daughter."
Darien digested the information a moment, and then nodded.
"Here," he said. "Let me help you up." He put his hand on her
arm to lift her.
He touched her.
She hadn't felt his touch in over six months. It was like
electricity shocking through her system, like fire burning where
his hand held her. Her heart beat faster, her eyes threatened to
brim with tears, and her breathing became ragged.
Darien lifted her to her feet, and felt her unsteadiness.
"Are you alright?" he asked. Serenity bit down the emotions
crying in her chest, and forced a calm over her body. She
steeled herself and answered in a firm voice.
"I'm fine," she lied. "Darien," she said, almost slipping
and using his royal name. "Would you please tell me where I can
find Reenie?"
Darien looked around as if trying to locate his daughter
from the future. "I wouldn't know," he answered. "But Serena
would. She's over at the temple with the others."
Serenity nodded. "Then would you please take me there?" she
asked. "I'm afraid I am a bit turned around in this time."
"Uhm, yeah. Of course," he said. "It's this way." Darien
pointed the way he'd come. He offered his arm to her. Serenity
pretended not to notice it. She knew if she touched him again,
held onto his warm skin and felt his heartbeat she would lose it.
Serenity started walking in the direction Darien indicated,
and heard him scramble to catch up with her. "If I may ask, your
Majesty," he said, stammering over her title. "What do you need
Reenie for?"
Serenity swallowed. "She is needed in the future. It
concerns her position as Moon Senshi." She looked at Darien.
"I'm afraid I can't tell you any more."
Darien nodded, and motioned for them to turn right at the
corner. "Then, your Majesty," he continued. "Why did you come
yourself? Wouldn't it have been more convenient to send Sailor
Pluto, or one of the future Senshi?"
Serenity winced. This was a lie she'd still been
formulating when Pluto arrived in her audience chamber. "I," she
started. "Felt it was necessary given the ... circumstances in
the future." She felt her palms sweating. "I wish I could tell
you more, but to do so might alter this timeline and change the
future. Possibly harming Reenie," she added, knowing Darien's
protective nature towards her daughter.
Darien nodded, and turned her down another path. It was
slowly coming back to Serenity. Yes, follow this road up two
more blocks, then turn towards the hill. The Hikawa shrine was
at the hill's top, near the small forest of cherry-blossom trees.
Darien's hand brushed against hers, and she closed her eyes.
`Please,' she prayed. `Don't let me lose control because of
Endymion's past self.' She felt his touch again, and felt her
fingers straying towards his to hold his hand. She clasped her
hands together in front of her. `Please.'
***
"You know what, Raye? I could care less if I knew what a
tetragrammaton was."
"It's tetrahedral, you nimbus!"
"Whatever!"
Serena made a "W" out of her thumb and forefingers, and
turned away from the raven-haired girl. Amy sighed, her hands
resting on the Algebra book opened in her lap. Lita leaned back
on her hands, and stared up at the ceiling. Raye was silent
except for the strangled noises coming from her throat. Her face
was turning eight shades of red as she stared daggers at Serena.
Lita turned to Amy. "I though Mina was on temper-duty
today?" she said.
"She was," Amy answered, running her hand through her blue
hair. "But she said she'd be late tonight."
"Shouldn't one of us intervene?" Lita asked, pointing to the
way Raye had leapt across the table and began to strangle Serena.
"You're nominated," Amy said. "They won't listen to me."
Lita sighed, and pushed herself to her feet. She stretched
across the table, and grabbed a handful of Raye's kimono.
Pulling with all her might, she yanked the dark haired girl away
from Serena, who started gasping like a fish.
"You okay, Serena?" Lita asked.
Serena turned to Raye. "You stupid pyro!" she accused in
her high-pitched voice. "I couldn't breathe!"
"You seem fine to me," Amy muttered from her book.
"Maybe if you stopped breathing, you'd stop talking and give
us ALL a break!" Raye shot back, pulling herself out of Lita's
grasp.
Serena's hair meatballs nearly sprung off her head as steam
came out of her ears. "Why you-you-you-"
The rice-paper door opened partially. "Hello?" asked
Darien, his face visible through the opening.
Serena's anger dropped off her face and she vaulted over the
table, knocking Raye's teacup onto Amy's notes and into Lita's
lap.
"Hey!"
"Oh no!"
"Aaaaahhh!"
"Darien!"
Serena tripped over Amy's backpack in her attempt to throw
herself into Darien's arms, and wound up with a facefull of throw
rug. Darien stared at the scene before him, and mentally counted
the seconds until the explosion.
He got to 2.
"SERENA!" yelled each girl in unison. Darien turned to
Serenity beside him.
"Maybe this isn't a good time," he whispered, and saw her
trying to contain laughter. He turned back to the squabbling and
didn't notice Serenity wasn't holding laughter, but tears.
It took a good five minutes for everyone to calm down.
Finally, a red-faced Raye spun around to Darien and demanded an
explanation. Lita was furiously wiping hot tea off her lap and
Amy was shaking pieces of damp paper while Serena was holding a
bloody cleanex to her nose. Darien sighed.
"I didn't come here alone," he answered, and opened the
divider the rest of the way. Serenity stood there, her hair
disheveled, her clothing worn and faded, and her eyes large.
Lita stared up at her, her mouth agape. Amy examined her
studiously, and one could almost see her calculating chances and
ratios. Raye was looking back and forth between Serena and
Serenity, and of all people, it was Serena who noticed it first.
"Neo-Queen Serenity?" she said, her voice nasal as she held
the cleanex to her nostrils. "What are you doing here?"
Serenity sighed, smiling at her past self, and started into
her lies.
***
The sun was farther down in the sky by the time the younger
Senshi had decided what they were going to do. Amy and Lita
would stay at the temple and wait for Mina, who'd forgotten her
communicator back at her house. Raye, Serena, and Darien would
take Serenity to Serena's house to get Reenie, and then see them
off. Serenity reassured that, once Reenie left this time, her
influence over the Tsukino family would wear off, and they would
forget all about her.
Serenity had been duly questioned by each Senshi, in areas
spanning from her mission to her clothing. The Queen had lied
easily about everything, and evaded the question when it strayed
to near the truth. The only time she choked was when Serena
asked about King Endymion. Serenity had looked over at Darien,
feeling his eyes on her, and said in a shaky voice that he was
fine.
Now, she was walking in silence behind Serena and Darien,
who chattered about the easiest way to get Reenie out of the
house without blowing anything and tipping off mom or dad.
Serena had come up with a hair-brained scheme involving
face-paint and the roof, which was dismissed by everyone else.
"It's very simple," Raye said. "You just tell your mom
you're taking Reenie to the park, and then somehow give the hint
to Reenie before she refuses to go."
"Why would she refuse?" Serenity asked.
Serena stammered, and Darien rolled his eyes. Raye laughed
lightly. "Well," she said. "Reenie likes to antagonize Serena."
Serena huffed and Darien sighed.
"A lot," Raye added, and Serenity smiled.
"Just let me and Raye come in," Darien said. "I'll tell
Mrs. Tsukino that we're all going out for ice cream and wanted to
invite Reenie."
"That's smart," Raye said. "Reenie's crazy about you."
"I still like my idea," Serena whined.
"I don't think your dad's home-owner's insurance would cover
the ..." Darien trailed off. Serena looked up at him and heard
Raye gasp. She spun around and looked at her house.
There were police cruisers parked in front of it, their
lights flashing and their radios chattering. Serena gulped, and
started running towards the house.
"Serena!" Darien called, and ran after her. Raye turned to
the queen.
"Stay here," she said and took off after them.
Serenity stared at the cruisers and the retreating forms of
Raye, her husband, and herself. She felt fear rising in her
stomach, and leaned against a cement divider with a raised level
above it. Grass loped over the sides and Serenity saw the stalks
shaking in the breeze.
"I thought I'd find you here."
Serenity didn't react. Instead she inhaled deeply, calming
her fear and focussing on her situation.
"You're here to take me back," she said. "Aren't you,
Pluto?"
Sailor Pluto set her staff's end on the ground, holding it
at her side. Her deep green hair shifted in the wind and the
dark colors of her sailor fuku contrasted with her pale skin.
"That's right," she answered.
"I can't leave yet," Serenity said.
"Reenie is not returning to the future until her training is
complete," Pluto said as if stating law.
Serenity was silent. She didn't look at Pluto when she
spoke. "How fares Endymion?" she asked.
Pluto didn't answer for a moment. "He'd just gone into
surgery when I left," she said after hesitation and Serenity
jerked her head up.
"Amy started the cleansing without my consent?" she asked.
"As I recall," Pluto said. "You'd given your consent
already."
"But what if he dies before I return?"
"If you return with me now, that won't happen," Pluto
answered. "I promise you, if you come now, Ladies Lita and Raye
will start the cover up and you will be spared public
embarrassment for you actions."
"I'm not going back yet," Serenity answered.
Pluto studied her for a moment. "You've seen him, haven't
you?" she asked. Serenity winced. "You have," Pluto continued.
"How long do you think you can keep this up, Serenity? How long
can you continue to be around him without remembering where he is
back home?"
"Be quiet," Serenity said.
"How long do you think you can continue lying to him before
you realize what you're doing is only hurting him."
"I'm doing this for him!" Serenity shouted. "And for
Reenie! She deserves the chance to see her father before he
dies!"
"She's with her father in this time," Pluto said. "And he's
not dying here. And you owe it to your husband to be there when
he dies, not stuck in another time foolishly trying to fulfill
your own selfishness."
"I'm not doing this for myself, Pluto!" Serenity said,
standing.
"Yes you are," Pluto said. "You are coming with me."
"I will not be ordered like that, Setsuna," Serenity said.
Pluto narrowed her eyes at the queen. "You are coming with
me, conscious or not."
Serenity's arm streaked downward, yanking her knife from her
boot. She slashed at Pluto, who backed out of the way with a cry
of alarm before the blade could touch her. Serenity slashed
again and Pluto parried the blow with her staff, a clang singing
out from the metal. Serenity ducked her head and charged at the
Senshi. Pluto spun out of the way, and thumped her staff against
Serenity's back as she passed.
Serenity was sent sprawling on the sidewalk, and she turned
in time to see Pluto's staff swing at her head. She ducked, the
scepter passing just above her hair, and when the staff came
around a second time, the queen caught it. She pushed herself to
her feet, and then grunted as she heaved against the staff.
Pluto fought to pry the staff from her grasp, but the Queen made
a fast movement and thrust the end into her stomach. Pluto
jerked forward, once, twice, and then Serenity whipped the other
end around across Pluto's face, sending her staggering back.
Serenity followed the movement and used the staff's momentum
to plunge it backwards into Pluto's stomach. But the Senshi
dodged the blow, and took hold of the scepter. She kicked
Serenity in the small of her back, and the queen hit the dusty
ground again. Pluto hefted her staff, jerking hair out of her
vision, and Serenity's hand closed over the hilt of her knife
where it had landed.
Pluto swept the staff at her, and Serenity deflected it with
her knife, then snapped her arm, sending the blade slicing
through the air at Pluto's face. The green-haired Senshi ducked
out of the way of the blade, and Serenity charged again. Pluto
grunted and jerked up on her staff, it's end impacting with the
underside of Serenity's jaw. Serenity weaved a moment and then
fell to the ground, blood in her mouth.
The queen pulled herself away from Pluto who stood above
her, her staff pointed at the queen's back. Serenity gasped and
crawled on her belly, trying to put distance between her and her
foe.
"Please do not make me hurt you further," Pluto said, not
without her own measure of pain in her voice. "I do not want to
harm you but I will do so if it ensures you will come with me."
"Go to hell, Setsuna," Serenity coughed from the ground, and
her body jerked. Her hand flew out and a stream of dust sprayed
into Pluto's eyes. Pluto cried out her hands going to her eyes.
Serenity leapt at her, jamming the staff against her chest and
smashing her into the cement divider. Pluto gave a sharp cry as
something cracked in her back. The queen scooped up her dropped
knife and pressed in against Pluto's neck.
"Do not make me hurt you further," Serenity repeated with
venom dripping from her voice. "Take this as a lesson well
learned, Setsuna," she hissed. "I will not be forced into
anything, and I will not be ordered around by the likes of you."
Serenity pushed against the staff, and stepped back, her
knife in her hand. "Do you wish to continue this?" she asked.
"Though you may have drawn first blood, I guarantee the next to
be shed will be yours."
Pluto glared at Serenity, touching her face where it had
been cut by the Queen a few hours ago and a millennium to come.
"Another time," she said, and Pluto turned her staff upside down,
then pulled it up, tearing a streak in the fabric of time. In a
fluid movement she stepped into the opening, and closed it behind
her.
Serenity stared at the now empty space for a moment, then
replaced her knife to it's place in her boot. She rubbed at the
very sore spot under her chin, and spat out the salivary blood
onto the grass. She leaned against the cement divider, a pain in
her chest worse than anything Pluto could inflict.
Serenity sat there for a moment, catching her breath,
calming the rapid beating of her heart and smoothing out her
sweat-soaked bangs. She heard a rapid footfall as it grew
closer, and looked up to see Darien and Raye running towards her.
Serenity stood, trying to look as she had before they left.
Darien arrived first, but Raye wasn't far behind. Serenity
saw their faces were contorted and she spoke. "What's wrong?"
she asked. "What happened? Where's Reenie?"
"Someone broke into the house," Raye said. "Whoever it was
attacked Mrs. Tsukino and Sammy. When they woke up, Reenie was
gone."
Serenity stared at her, and then looked to Darien. "It's
true," he nodded.
Serenity continued to stare at him, and her gaze drifted
away to nothing. Her breathing became ragged gasps and she
buckled, falling against Darien. He caught her before she lost
her balance, and held her tightly as she began to shake. Raye
took Serenity's hand in hers, and the queen dug her fingernails
into Raye's palm, almost drawing blood.
The queen slowly calmed until her body ceased it's shaking
and her breathing returned to normal. She sniffed, bringing her
hands up to Darien's chest to steady herself.
"I'm sorry," she said, moving to stand on her own. "I-"
"It's alright," Darien said, brushing his hand over her face
to clear away her tears. "We'll find her. I promise."
Serenity stared at Darien, and saw Endymion the night after
they'd sent Reenie into the past. He'd been a holographic image
then yet his face, his eyes, everything was the same. Only this
time she felt his touch.
"I believe you," she said, feeling a pang in her chest.
Darien looked at Serenity's eyes, into them, into her soul,
and saw Serena. He felt a warmth in his chest and when he spoke,
his voice was barely above a whisper.
"I know," he answered.
End part II
