Chapter Six
Rings Around Our Heroes
"Hello, Darien, my son." the woman spoke. I looked at her wide eyed. She couldn't be...
"Mother?" I asked in disbelief. I've never uttered that word in that way, speaking to someone real. This was a dream.. right? But she was SO familiar... She smiled at me, a loving, understanding and forgiving smile.
"Yes, dearest little Darien," her blue eyes watered with tears.
"Impossible..."
"Oh, it's possible, I had to pull a few strings, but it's possible," she laughed. It was a deep, merry sound that filled the room to the top.
"But, I don't remember my mother, or my father, they died when I was seven, I had amnesia..." I protested.
"The truth is all in how we see it, my dear. You see, you literally didn't HAVE a mother or a father in this life. Your soul, in such pain as it was when it died in the last life, could not be reborn as a baby. It was too..." she paused, searching for an appropriate word, and I thought I caught another memory. She would do this often in court, her spoken commands hanging in the air, leaving her subjects holding their breath. "...mature," she decided, "Anyway, you were reborn as a seven-year-old boy, named Darien. Oh, my son, I can't tell you how much pain I've felt for you, searching for memories you don't have. But at least now you will not feel guilty for not remembering."
This was way too much. I didn't HAVE parents in this life? I was just...here? That wasn't fair!! Why me.... and what happened to cause my soul so much pain in the last life?
"You were my mother, in a past life?" I ventured. She looked at me and I unconsciously moved closer. She put a weathered hand over mine.
"Yes, my dear. I was Cassiopeia, Queen of the Earth."
"Who was I... before?" I asked. Could this have anything to do with my dream princess? The silver crystal?
"That, I am not permitted to say," she shook, "but you'll discover the truth soon enough. For now, my dear, be happy. You are in love with a wonderful girl who loves you back..." WAIT A SECOND. How could she know??? I looked up to hear her merry laugh of amusement.
"What?" I asked.
"I know, because I've kept a little eye on you," she replied, "After all, it is a mother's duty, not to mention the fact that I wanted to be sure my son would be safe and happy in the end." I nodded slowly. 'My son', she'd said. I'd never been addressed that way. It was very nice. "Is that why you're here, to keep an eye on me? Is there something wrong?" I asked, fearful. She shook her black/silver locks. "No, Darien, something is about to be very right. Unfortunately, you seem to be feeling rather guilty about something you shouldn't. Serena loves you back, there is no question about that. You should embrace the happy times, dear, each moment is precious." Her smile was wistful, yet happy.
"She loves me back...?" I tried to wrap my mind around that concept, but failed each time. How could someone, anyone, love me??
"Indeed she does. She's been in love with you since that unfortunate test paper," my mother informed me. MY mother, how many times had I wished to be able to say that? I remembered so many times in the orphanage I had lain in bed, wishing I had a mother to come and tuck me in at night. Now, suddenly, my mother had appeared, a miracle in itself.
~ SERENA ~
I sat on my window seat, gazing out at the moon. The clock read one o'clock, but I couldn't have cared less. It wasn't a school night, and even if it had been, I was WAY too wired to even dream of sleeping. That kiss... gosh, my body was still tingling, and that had been hours ago! Never before have I been kissed like that... hey, that was my *first* kiss! And it had been so perfect too, except... Except the fact that Darien high-tailed it out of there the minute we got back to the house, coming up with some lame excuse and only staying long enough to thank Amy's grandmother. Was he really THAT upset that he had kissed me? The irony wasn't lost on me that, here I sat worried about whether or not Darien liked me, when two weeks ago, I couldn't stand the sight of him. Well, that wasn't entirely true, I just felt so... different when I was around him, like, there was some part of him with his arms wrapped around me, even if we were standing ten feet apart.
'You love him, dear, deal with it' a small part of me said. I knew that part was right, but that could just be our little secret, all right?
In my hands, I toyed with the little brown box that held my gift to Darien. Believe it or not, I found the perfect gift... I think. Raye and Chad drove me home, and boy wasn't that a novel experience, (one I don't care to repeat, I was afraid I was gonna die every time Chad tried to turn a corner!) and we stopped by the mall so Raye and I could do some last minute shopping. That's when I saw it. There sitting in this little mystic shop, was a cast iron rose wrapped around a crescent moon. It practically screamed 'Darien!' at me, and I just knew I had to buy it. It reminded me SO much of Darien, it wasn't even funny.
Sighing, I stood up and set the box with my other yet-be-wrapped-gifts. (Yes, I know tomorrow is Christmas Eve, but what can I say, I procrastinate!) I really did need sleep, even if I was keyed up enough to power a small country for the next FIVE Christmases JUST as I was about to lay my head on the pillow, my communicator bleeped.
"Great, just great," I muttered. One would hope the Negaverse would have the courtesy to hold off until AFTER Christmas, but NOOOO...
"Serena, aren't you going to answer that?" Luna asked, having awoken from her sleep at the foot of my bed.
"I'm getting there," I informed her. I flipped the little device on, the sorry sight of a very sleep deprived Lita meeting my eyes.
"Moon here, what's wrong?" I asked worriedly.
"Serena, I just got the call from Raye, there's monster at the temple..." Lita trailed off.
"Gottcha," Serena said, "Be right there." Turning off the little communicator, she grabbed her locket. "MOON PRISM POWER!!!"
~ Skyler ~
I heard something beeping in the next room and wondered what it was. I'd woken up a few minutes before, since Hailey was snoring so loudly. Crawling out of bed, I struggled to wake my twin sister.
"Hailey, wakey, wakey, there's something going on in Bunny-chan's room!" I whispered urgently. She batted me away and rolled over. So, she thinks she can get away with that? I don't think so. Grabbing her sheet, I pulled it off her, as she had done to me a few days ago. Hey, all's fair in love, match making and sisterhood!
"Whad is it?" she asked, rather cranky.
"Hailey, something’s going on in Bunny-chan's room!" I told her again. That was it, I had her full attention and she was awake as all get out.
"Let's go then!" she announced, grabbing a sleepy Logan from the crib and hurrying down the hall. The door to Serena's room was open just a crack, and we eagerly peaked inside. I've never seen anything like it before in my life. Serena was talking to someone through this little watch type thing, and then she hung up and grabbed that pretty locket she's always wearing. Then she shouted;
"MOON PRISM POWER!!!" There was a flash of pink light, like when the fairies appear in all those stories, and then Sailor Moon was standing where Serena had been before.
"Ohmigosh!" I breathed, "My cousin is Sailor Moon!!"
"Hush!" Hailey hit me upside the head, "I don't believe it..."
"Bunny-chan!" Logan let out, and we both had to cover his mouth. Luckily, Sailor Moon, I mean, Serena, I mean... oh never mind! At least she didn't hear us, she was too busy talking to Luna. That didn't phase Hailey in the least, after all, cats talk in fairy tales all the time! Then Sailor Moon opened the window jumped out.
"Comon!" Hailey said, opening the door and hurrying to the window, where below I could see Sailor Moon and Luna hurrying away. "We gotta follow her and make sure she doesn't get hurt!"
"Hailey, are you completely nuts?" I asked, halting in the middle of the room while Hailey climbed the window seat, Logan on her heels. Tell me, why did I always have to be the voice of reason? "She's SAILOR MOON, she can take care of herself, BESIDES, it's real far down!" I gestured to the snow-covered lawn, "And we're in our night clothes, and it's incredibly cold outside and what if..." I was suddenly pulled out the window and let out a frightened scream as Hailey, Logan and I plummeted to the snow bank blow. I hit the white with a thud, but thankfully, it broke my fall. "Are you crazy?" I asked again.
"Come on, Sky," Hailey grabbed my hand, 'We don't have time to listen to the voice of reason!" And Aunt Irene wonders why my mom says Hailey won't live past ten!
~ DARIEN ~
My mother and I were bent over my little indoor garden, inspecting my rose bushes, when the familiar tug on my soul came full force. Sailor Moon needed me.
"Go to her," my mother said. I looked at her, wondering how she could have known.
"But... will I ever see you again?" I asked, feeling rather small and lost, almost like I was seven again. She smiled that secretive smile of hers and nodded.
"Oh, most definitely, but I do believe Miss Moon is in need of your services right now," she kissed me on the cheek, "Take care, my dear, I will be watching over you." And slowly, her form began to fade.
"Mother," I began, feeling tears sting my eyes, "Don't go!" But she was gone, and an eerie, impossible breeze passed through my apartment. Only the insistent tug of the link brought me back to reality. Sailor Moon needed me... the night battle called.
~ RAYE ~
It was ugly this time. Not that it usually isn't ugly, but it was more ugly then usual. A snow demon, it sprayed jets of ice at us, it's pointy dagger like fangs and claws reaching for anything it could get its slimy paws on. All that wrapped up in a feminine form. I was insulted, to say the least. Not to mention Chad, the village idiot, was out in the open looking for me. Well, you dolts, I'm Sailor Mars and I'm standing right here. I should have been annoyed, and I was telling myself I was, except that, oddly, I was touched. Grr, concentrate on the battle, Raye!
"MARS FIRE... IGNITE!!" I shouted, sending my blazing attack at the monster who had so rudely interrupted my sleep. The creature was barely even dented.
"Shoot!"
"My turn!" Jupiter said roughly, "JUPITER THUNDER CRASH!!" Again, the creature was stunned for but a moment. "Dag nabit!" my Sailor friend swore.
"Allow me, guys!" Sailor Moon said as she ran into the temple court-yard.
"What took you so long?" I asked, finding something easy to take my frustrations out on.
"Sorry," Sailor Moon panted, and left it at that.
"VENUS CRESENT ATTACK!!" Sailor Venus called out, just as Sailor Mercury let out with;
"MERCURY BUBBLES BLAST!!" Their combined forces stunned the monster, but still not enough for Sailor Moon to have time to use her tiara. Unfortunately, Meatball Brains was standing a little too close, and the monster went for her.
"AHH!!" Moon screamed. Just then, three little forms rushed out of the bushes and jumped in front of Sailor Moon.
"Get away from her, you mean 'ol monster!" Hailey lisped. Sure enough, much to everyone's surprise, Hailey, Skyler and Logan stood shielding our leader with their small, PJ. clothed bodies, their bare feet bright red in the snow.
"Guys! What are you doing!" I heard Sailor Moon shout.
"Hahaha!" laughed the monster, "Little CHILDREN, you're no match for me!" The ice creature lunged for Skyler, with Moon desperately trying to jump in the way, when a rose flew through the air and struck right through the icy limb of the monster.
"AHHHH!" It screamed in rage.
"Picking on little children now?" asked a low, sexy voice from where Tuxedo Mask perched in the icicle laden tree nearby.
"Tuxedo Mask!" Sailor Moon cried out happily.
~ Serena ~
"Tuxedo Mask!" I cried out. I was so incredibly glad to see him, words could not express. I had no idea how, or why, Hailey, Skyler and Logan had followed me, but I did know I had to get them out of danger ASAP.
"Iceodroid!" Another voice instructed. It was Zoicite, happily sitting on thin air, sneering at us. I turned around and glared at her. "Finish them off!" The Negaverse general instructed.
"No!" I jumped in front of the children, just as the energy blast hit me.
"SAILOR MOON!"
