Sailor Moon Fan Fiction ❯ A Promise Kept ❯ Anything For You . . . ( Chapter 4 )

_____________Part Four_____________

"Anything For You . . ."

 

"I've seen the future and you're not in it!"

 

The four remaining girls, supposedly the fighters of injustice a.k.a. Sailor Scouts, were scattered in Rei's fire reading room, uncomfortably waiting in guilty silence under the two burning gazes of Darien Shields and Serina's guardian cat, Luna. They had to confess their own crime against their best friend and their judge and jury looked more like their executioners the longer they paused, searching for words.

 

"All right, girls, this appears to be serious. Say SOMETHING." Darien impatiently stood in the middle of the room, his agitation and disquiet beginning to show as he fidgeted with worry about the girls' hesitation. Something awful must have happened- NONE of them were talking!

 

"I suggest we start at the beginning. None of us are going to like hearing it, but I believe we are all guilty to some extent and it will help us to understand what exactly Serina is going through." Ami logically suggested. She could see Darien was anxious, she was too, but she also knew they could only act rationally if they had all the facts with which to work with.

 

Mina rose from her huddled position and handed Luna over to Darien. SHE didn't want to be caught holding the clawed feline when she heard Serina had quit the Scouts. "Luna, tell us what happened this morning. You said something about Mrs. Tsukino scolding at Serina and problems with Rini?"

 

"Well, yes. Her mother was upset with her treatment of Rini. Serina had woken up earlier this morning, a little after our battle, to find Rini sleeping in her bed again, kicking as always, and had thrown her out. She did feel terrible about it but I told her to get some sleep rather than apologize immediately. Later, we were running late for the Scout meeting this morning, as usual, when Serina's mother stopped her and yelled at her for yelling at Rini. She said a few choice words about Serina's unfeeling attitude towards the child and her general irresponsibility. She looked quite distraught. She made Serina promise to talk to Rini and take her out somewhere before finally letting her leave."

 

"Oh, yeah, I remember Serina complaining about needing to take Rini out. I think the kid's starting to grow on her the way she was so concerned, more than just because she got in trouble for it." Lita recalled. Each girl nodded in turn, even Darien seemed to be absorbing the tidbits of information as if gathering pieces of a puzzle.

 

"When I called Serina's house, her mother said she was all ready out with Rini but she didn't know where." Ami added. Luna frowned as much as a cat could and continued.

 

"We were all ready late, so from there, we rushed to Rei's temple. Serina managed to keep her number of falls to a record of one." Luna smiled impishly, then her look changed to pride as she remembered that Serina had recovered gracefully without any whining or tears even with Darien present. She had failed to mention that he'd been there even as his grip on the cat tightened slightly in surprised guilt at his own recollection of that same moment. "At the temple it was business as usual until you four went a little far with you teasing. I guess Serina was just having a bad morning and couldn't handle being badgered about Rini or Darien." She pointedly glared golden brown eyes at Mina, Lita, and Rei briefly including Darien before returning to the girls. "It was after YOUR remarks about her INCOMPETENCE and her not being able to take care of Rini properly that she stormed off."

 

"Yeah, I guess we were pushing it a little. I just wanted her to finally get over it and move on. Forgive me, Darien, but she couldn't pine over you FOREVER." Lita conceded, twisting the curly brown end of her ponytail in embarrassment.

 

"After reprimanding us, Luna, you went after her." Ami prodded. As she had predicted, Serina's story was getting worse with each passing moment. This alone was certainly enough to make Serina more impetuous and distressed than normal. To add to all this, Darien still hadn't revealed his hand in the situation and he could bring about Serina's most extreme emotions with a mere glance. She hoped where ever she was, Serina was having fun being a normal teenager.

 

"Yes, I ran home, expecting her to be in her room wailing but apparently she'd never come home. The storm began moments later I was sure something was wrong what with her dreadful fear of thunder. She SHOULD have been home by then but when she did finally show up she was almost normal." Luna frowned at the strangeness of the situation before Darien interrupted her, his own deep voice heavy with shame.

 

"She was with me." The girls glanced up, startled. THEY weren't supposed to be together!

 

"What do you mean? BEFORE that plant-droid fight?" Mina asked cautiously. This was probably even more tender territory; Darien hadn't yet explained his sudden concern. Maybe something serious had happened. 'This is new, Serina hadn't mentioned-' Mina gasped. 'Serina didn't have TIME to mention it!'

 

"This afternoon I was walking in the park before the storm hit. I was just leaving as it started to rain when I thought I heard someone near the rose corner. Serina came running out, crying and screaming, frightened of the thunder. She must have been too preoccupied to notice the rain or she would never have been caught out there. I guess she didn't see me, when I grabbed a hold of her she screamed again then she couldn't stop shaking until I sat her down at one of the bus stops. I- felt bad for her and tried to help but she refused to even look at me. Finally, she said that she was a terrible person and couldn't live up to the expectations everyone had of her. When I tried to deny that she just came up with more things that 'everyone' had agreed on and she pushed me away and accused me of agreeing with you guys. Then she got up and ran off." Darien still held onto Luna, petting her absentmindedly as if to calm himself. This wasn't looking good at all. Had he known, he never would have said anything to Serina.

 

But he had still managed to crush her, after everything else that had happened, he didn't even realize the greater pain she was all ready in and he had only added to it. 'Real smooth, Darien. If you're lucky maybe she'll still LOOK at you let alone talk to you after all this.' His hopes of forgiveness quickly died with the realization. "That's when the droid attacked, I helped Sailor Moon until you showed up to fight. Once I saw you had it handled, I took off."

 

"Gettin' good at that, aren't you?" Rei muttered under her breath. Lita, sitting closest, shot her a warning glare that was coupled with a hurt glance from Darien. Rei indifferently stared back at Lita, ignoring those dark blue eyes altogether. The rest of this story was a tragedy and it was her fault.

 

"So we are all caught up to that point, correct?" Ami asked, ever the calm mediator. Now was the part of the story that should set off fireworks. "What happened between the Sailor Scouts and Sailor Moon after the fight was typical. We had shown up to battle the Dark Moon droid and managed to defeat it with Sailor Moon's last minute attack. Needless to say, we had taken a few hits and bruises, as did Sailor Moon, but she also had gotten herself captured. Rei-"

 

Rei angrily interrupted, standing up with fire in her eyes. "Yeah, we all know what I did. It was my fault, all right, I admitted that!" She turned to Darien and Luna, as if daring them to deny her part in this. "I started yelling at Serina for getting caught and being late with her attack, and saying she never took control of the situation, always letting us fight for her. I told her we needed her to be a better leader. She got mad but I didn't think she was really THAT furious, I thought she could handle the criticism but then again, she NEVER could." Rei received another unanimous warning glare from each person, and cat, present. "She started saying how she could do just fine on her own without us but-"

 

Darien interrupted with a cry, suddenly clutching his chest in pain, all logical thought screeching to a halt. It felt like his heart was being ripped in half! His other hand went to his head and he instantly realized that Serina was in trouble. His princess was in great pain. "Wait, WAIT! Something's wrong. Serina's in danger!"

 

The girls had started at his unexpected actions but were on their feet and transforming at his warning. He sensed something else was wrong, there had been no warning headache that her Sailor Moon transformation normally caused. She was in civilian form! Had she been caught by surprise by the Dark Moon? Had there been an accident? Had she- She wouldn't have- NOT TO HERSELF! Serina wasn't suicidal, she would never- not even after a horrible day like this! She would never fall so deeply into despair, she had too much to live and hope for, even without him or her friends or her family . . . He would know, wouldn't he? He would feel her- Darien shook his head vehemently, hurling the traitorous thoughts from his mind. 'She would never. End of story.' She had probably just cut her finger while making lunch or stubbed her toe while running someplace. But the flash of pain had been near agonizing . . .

 

The girls were transformed and running out the door, Darien revealed his red transformation rose and shifted into Tuxedo Mask and quickly followed. Outside, the girls waited for him; only he had the sense of direction that could lead them to Serina. Sailor Mercury had pulled out her palmtop computer and was trying to get a fix on her location. From the grimacing look on her face, it didn't seem to be working.

 

Sailor Venus leaned over as Mercury whispered to her in a worried tone below Tuxedo Mask's hearing. "She doesn't have the crystal or a communicator to lock on to. I can't find her!"

 

"Don't worry, Tuxedo Mask can always find her; that's why we keep him around." Venus lightly reassured the disturbed shorter scout. Sailor Mercury was supposed to be the most stoic of all five of them, she couldn't break down NOW! She touched her friend's shoulder as they took off following Tuxedo Mask's billowing black and red cape as he raced down the street. The vague tugging in his mind sent him in the direction of the park.

 

Mercury continued to type furiously into her computer and a red dot appeared, beeping shrilly. "Oh no! Scouts! There is another Dark Moon droid attacking the far corner of Tokyo Park! We may have to dispatch it before we can search for Serina!"

 

"Serina's in Tokyo Park-" Tux called back then took off, remembering that she wasn't Sailor Moon and the droid had probably caught her by surprise. What if she was unconscious and couldn't transform, what if she was being drained of all life even now, what if the Dark Moon kidnapped her and Rini, what if she were dying- Tuxedo Mask ran faster, afraid for the life of his love, disappearing far ahead of the sprinting Scouts. The girls shared a worried glance as they continued towards the park.

 

"Oh please don't be there, Serina!" Sailor Jupiter whispered.

 

__________________________

 

Tuxedo Mask searched the park, his sense of Serina had faded, and he feared what that might mean but repeated flashes of agony assured him she was still alive. Eventually he was drawn to the sound of fighting. Roars and threats and a familiar voice screaming 'run' floated over the warm summer air. He took off in that direction, towards an older part of the park, forested and likely half forgotten by most citizens.

 

Tuxedo Mask rushed to the sound of an outraged cry only to come upon the droid Sailor Mercury had warned about. Whoever his victim had been was long gone, perhaps hiding or had managed to get away, but was no where in sight. Neither was Serina or Rini. A cluster of forlorn colorful roses lying crushed on the ground caught his eyes a moment. 'Serina?' His sense of Serina was strongest here so she must be waiting for back up or perhaps the dragon creature had-

 

"Foul Dark Moon creature, how dare you take on the form of the much revered and noble dragon! Tuxedo Mask will not forgive you but first; what have you done with Serina and Rini? Where's Sailor Moon?" Tuxedo Mask leapt from his tree limb perch to the ground before an enormous green and red snake-like monster with enormous fanning wings.

 

"That coward and the rabbit never showed up, Cape-boy! I was jussst after the kid but now I'll take care of you!" The dragon monster hurled fireballs at Tux and he expertly dodged. He looked around for the 'rabbit'. Rini must be close by, the girls said Serina was taking her somewhere- Here was likely but where WERE they?

 

"Hey, nega-creep! Yeah, you, hot-head! We're the champions of justice, Sailor Mars!"

 

"Sailor Venus!"

 

"Sailor Mercury!"

 

"And Sailor Jupiter! We know what you're up to and we won't let you kidnap our little friend Rini!" The four Sailors Scouts appeared behind Tuxedo Mask, also searching for their missing friends. The dragon looked at them and laughed again, aiming his fireballs at the girls in sailor suits.

 

"Wanna play with fire do you? Well, you're about to get seriously burned! Mars Celestial Fire Surround!" Mars released her attack, her own fireballs dissipating the enemy's in a fiery explosion. Jupiter joined the fight with a ball of lightning pitched at the dragon, striking it's wing. The evil creature roared before taking aim again and spitting out fire.

 

"Mercury Bubbles Blast!" The area misted over and the Scouts and Tuxedo Mask disappeared from sight.

 

__________________________

 

The faint sounds of the battle reached Serina's semi-conscious mind. She forced her tired eyes open, and slowly lifted her head. Her right cheek was tender and her left wrist hurt something terrible! She was lying face down in a ditch off the side of the paved road, out of sight of the five figures battling a dragon. 'What happened?' Serina's muddled head felt too foggy to concentrate. She gasped as she suddenly remembered the dragon droid's attack on her and Rini. Her eyes focused on the forested area around her, searching for any sign of the cherished little girl.

 

'The shed!' Serina could see a curly lock of pink hair and a pointed rabbit ear bun as Rini peeked a single cinnamon eye out the door. 'Rini, stay put! Don't move, you'll get yourself caught!' Serina thought desperately, knowing the girl couldn't hear her warning. She glanced over at the fighting only to see Sailor Mercury veil the grounds in an opaque blue mist. Here was her chance! Serina ignored the shadowy, whispering forms and escaped to the gray wooden side of the gardening shed she could only make out as a vague dark gray mass. She crawled to the door that was open a crack, dismissing the pain in her shoulder, back, and chest, thinking only of keeping Rini safe.

 

"Rini, get back! Go to the back of the shed and don't come out until the Scouts say it's safe, no matter what! Understand?" Serina heard a whimpering reply as the door creaked closed again. Serina dragged herself up against the door, leaning on it carefully because of her burned back, guarding it so that the Dark Moon would have to get through her to get to the child. She wasn't sure she could really STOP them if they tried but she WOULD fight until her last breath!

 

Sighing in uncertain relief, Serina collapsed her weight against the door and passed out.

 

__________________________

 

Sailor Mercury's bubble fog began to clear, faint wisps still clinging to tree branches but they were becoming visible again. Mars threw her Celestial Fire attack at the dragon as soon as she could see again. Her fire was joined by Venus' chain-linked hearts but the droid managed to escape with only a glancing blow to it's side.

 

"We need Sailor Moon! We can't finish this thing off without her scepter!" Jupiter cried as another one of her lightning bolts was deflected and she rolled away from a retaliating fireball.

 

"She's somewhere in the area-" Mercury began. She ran off to the side of the path to get out of the way of the crossfire so she could concentrate. She began typing madly into her computer; it beeped softly as a pink arrow blinked on the screen pointing towards the shack in front of her. She studied the old building, and gasped. A crumpled figure sat in front of the door, no one had even noticed the girl yet. Then Mercury's heart froze as she recognized the outfit that Serina had been wearing earlier that day. With her head down and her twin meatball buns undone, Mercury would have never recognized her as Serina!

 

'What's wrong with her? Why isn't she helping us? She's not even WATCHING us fight for our lives!' Mercury felt an unfamiliar surge of outrage as she glanced over Serina. How could she just sit there calmly and not raise a FINGER? Mercury's cold hands clenched and her face went white with rare anger as she raced to the side of the completely relaxed girl. She knelt before her 'princess' reaching out an icy hand to Serina's shoulder.

 

It was then she noticed the blood, the scratches and bruises, the burns and tears in her clothes. Serina wasn't IGNORING the battle, she was unconscious!

 

Mercury's feelings of hatred evaporated as she grazed her friend's good cheek with her finger, afraid of hurting her even more but needing her to awaken. She must have been fighting that creature, all alone and unprotected, long before they had arrived! Obviously, she hadn't won but if she was still alive, then she had at least held her own until they showed up. Late.

 

Serina jumped beneath Mercury's attention, slowly blinking her aching eyes open and struggling to focus on the pale blue blur in front of her. "Mercury? Are you okay?"

 

Sailor Mercury smiled softly, tears stinging her eyes. 'Why does she always have to be so concerned about us? Even after what happened, we're first in her thoughts.' "Serina, I know you're hurt but we need your help." She pleaded, hating herself. Serina probably couldn't even stand let alone help fight this creature!

 

Serina's eyes started fluttering, glazed with pain as she began losing consciousness again. "I- I can't, Ami . . . Protect- Rini for me . . ." Serina drifted off again. Mercury softly apologized for not coming sooner. No ordinary girl could hope to survive what Serina had gone through, unprotected without her Sailor Moon transformation she was so VULNERABLE. Mercury glanced up, searching for the little girl Serina had been defending. She was no where in sight, which was good. She assumed the dragon droid's young target was hidden inside the old garden shed. Mercury jumped to her feet, with a last look at her fallen friend and leader, choking back her tears. 'We've failed you, princess . . . I'm so sorry.'

 

Sailor Mercury resignedly returned to Sailor Mars' side. "Draw the fire away from that shed, Rini's in there!" Mars nodded understanding as she rushed to the creature's left side, taunting the thing with her circles of flame. Mercury followed, blasting the dragon from the side with her ice storm.

 

"Who was the girl you were talking to? Is she okay?" Mars asked in a preoccupied but concerned tone, waving signals to Venus, Jupiter, and Tuxedo Mask, warning them to keep their attacks away from the small building.

 

Sailor Mars saw the fleeting look that blanched her thoughtful friend's face before she answered. Mercury drew a deep breath. "That girl was Serina. She's hurt very badly. I don't know how long she's been fighting but she has been guarding Rini. She's unconscious now so she can't help us but we have to keep them safe!" Mercury pleaded, feeling horrified and desperate.

 

Sailor Mars had a look of murder in her violet eyes as she assured her near-hysterical friend. "Don't worry, Mercury, that's our job. Now find a way to destroy that thing!" Mars broke away from Mercury, of whom with a more immediate mission, once again consulted her palmtop, studying the droid with her visor but her gaze strayed to Serina's body every now and again. She clicked off her visor and called to the others to each take a side.

 

"Our only hope without Sailor Moon is to hit it with our most powerful attacks at the same time!" The five warriors quickly surrounded the Dark Moon droid without asking questions. The dragon flapped it's ruined wings nervously, glancing at each threat in turn as if it knew it couldn't defeat them now. At an unspoken countdown, each Scout and Tuxedo Mask released their attacks with a fury of worry, rage, and impatience.

 

"Mars Celestial Fire Surround!"

 

"Jupiter Thunderclap Zap!"

 

"Venus Love Chain Encircle!"

 

"Mercury Ice Storm Blast!"

 

"You'll pay for attacking innocents!" Tuxedo Mask shouted as he threw an overwhelming barrage of red, steel-tipped roses, combined with the other four scouts' powerful assaults. The dragon roared a last time before disintegrating to gray dust.

 

In Sailor Moon's absence, Mars quietly murmured, "Hmph, Moon dusted."

 

The girls turned back to the shed, hearing a faint moan and the slight, struggled creaking of the wooden door. "Serina!" They all cried, rushing to her side. Tuxedo Mask reached her first, dread a block of ice in his knotted stomach as he lifted her away from the door, careful of the terrible injuries her spied and Rini edged out.

 

"Is it safe to come out-" Rini gulped when she saw Serina in Tux's arms. "Oh no! What've I done?" Rini fell to her knees by Serina and Tuxedo Mask. Serina was starting to come to, groaning, but apparently better able to hang on this time than she had the last time she was conscious.

 

"I'm fine, Rini, it's not you're fault at all, sweetheart." Serina forced a weak smile and patted the concerned child's head. Rini nodded, disbelieving, and stepped away behind Mercury and Venus. "Please help me up." Tux looked like he was going to refuse, he knew she needed to rest above all else right now, but the demanding glare she gave him obliged him to swallow his protest. He stood, gently placing her on her feet. He held her as tightly as he dared, noticing that she winced when his hand brushed her back. She was a little unsteady on her feet but she let go of him, knowing in her mind that he still didn't love her and she shouldn't force him to care. Just then the two cats, Luna and Artemis, came running up.

 

"Serina, are you okay?" Luna purred in concern.

 

"Yeah, you look AWFUL!" Artemis added.

 

"I'm fine, it's just my shoulder- and my back, and stomach, my head, and my wrist, but are YOU guys-" Serina caught herself in shock. Behind them, Rubeus, the dreaded red-head of the Dark Moon family, Catsy and her sisters' former master, had suddenly appeared out of thin air across from her and directly behind her oblivious friends!

 

"You Sailor brats have ruined my attempts to capture the rabbit for the last time! Now die!" Rubeus lifted his arms and black marbles of pure evil energy began to multiply between his hands. His targets whirled in surprise, only Serina had seen him teleport here, she was the only one facing him and the first to get over her surprise and react. Serina pulled away from Tuxedo Mask's guarding arms, and stepped in between Rubeus and her friends. Tux's hands reached out to stop her, but he fell just short.

 

"NO! I won't let you hurt them!" Serina threw her arms out protectively, hoping she could intercept most of his attack and keep her friends, Rini, and Darien safe.

 

"No, Serina, DON'T!" Serina glanced over her shoulder with a grim smile of reassurance and threw herself into the path of the oncoming black energy. To the surprise of everyone, Serina made it through the blast, dispersing most of it without so much as a whimper, and kept running at the arrogant Dark Moon officer. Her surprise physical attack knocked the floating red-head from the sky, even as he shot another burst of black energy directly at her. Serina gasped and the shocked Rubeus recovered, throwing her off.

 

As if watching from the back of her mind, Serina felt herself fall, the strength and adrenaline that had momentarily filled her with power at the threat to her friends' lives, and Rini's, drained away even as she collapsed to the ground. She felt so weak, too weak to even breathe. 'This is it, isn't it? I'm sorry, guys . . .' Rubeus attacked her again where she lay unconscious on the ground where she'd fallen. All ready weak and vulnerable from her earlier battle, Serina lost her last grip on consciousness and never felt the deathblow.