Sailor Moon Fan Fiction ❯ Kiss From A Rose ❯ Tomorrow’s Mourning ( Chapter 2 )

Part Two:

Tomorrow's Mourning

 

"Guys, we've got to find her! We've got to tell Darien at least- Anything could- we don't know for sure if it'll be Sailor Moon or Serina who dies!"

 

"And we don't know when exactly- it could be tomorrow or a year from now-"

 

"How old were we in your vision, Rei? Maybe that could tell us-"

 

"Didn't you see WHAT killed her? What did this?!"

 

Rei shook her head, almost frantic in her waning hysteria. "No, no I didn't see anything- We- we were older. Much older in the vision-"

 

"Then she may have years left to live-"

 

"Or the vision was just vague- You said you only saw colors and shadows, Rei-"

 

"I don't know! I don't know!"

 

Ami stood, Luna hopping hesitantly from her arms. "We still don't have a choice. We have to find Serina and tell her what we've found. We'll have to inform Darien as well. He is the one who protects her more than we can in battle." Her companions each stood and slowly nodded.

 

"Come on. Let's go."

__________________________

 

Sailor Moon struggled to her knees, holding her sides excruciatingly, trying to staunch the blood and throbbing pain, wincing with every involuntary movement and slip. She slowly grabbed her scepter from the beach's cold crystal-grain ground as she knelt in the sticky red sand. 'Rini!'

 

She lifted her scepter, tired grayed blue eyes focusing on the terrifying stingray creature cornering the little girl as she tried to remain on her feet. "Moon . . . Scepter Elimination!" The droid whirled, still holding Rini in it's slimy hands. It's squid-like eyes widened even more and dropped the kid to protect itself but it was too late. It screamed before disintegrating to gray dust and a dead gem.

 

Sailor Moon brokenly collapsed once she saw Rini was free. "Rini . . ." Rini began running towards her, she could hear her crying, calling her name- A dark shadow swiftly enveloped her. She felt the brush of warm air, the cool caress of silk on her cheek, the fluttering of a red cape the same color as the watery carnelian liquid smearing her hands. Her breath caught, knowing she couldn't move to fight-

 

Belatedly, she sensed the firm, panicked touch of Tuxedo Mask's mind. 'You came . . . you came for me, Darien . . .' The world fuzzed and blurred, voices fading and echoing somewhere far away and right in front of her. Her eyes all at once focused on the spreading stain of blood on her white uniform- everywhere, the red crept through the tight weave of the fibers, the ragged, frayed edges were an oddly brighter cherry than the dark crimson of her skin and the discolored suit. The lacerations in her suit revealed pale skin. 'I didn't think I was that sun-starved . . .' She thought breathlessly. Rivulets of scarlet trickled and snaked down her arm to pool in her white palm- she couldn't remember when she lost her glove.

 

Her hand disappeared beneath Tuxedo Mask's larger one, and she barely felt him lift her up. Sighing softly, she detransformed without thinking in his strong, safe arms, held tight to his chest as he murmured things she couldn't hear over the roar in her ears. She could feel is fear through the tenseness of his body and mind. She fought to concentrate long enough to meet his gaze-

 

He was still whispering, his lips moving, his face worried to the point of actually looking angry with her. She sensed Rini nearby though she didn't know quite how. She fell into his eyes, instantly she felt her pain beginning to break away and dissolve.

 

"When I'm gone- Take care of Rini for me . . . She's- your daughter, Endymion . . ." Serina felt more than heard his sharp inhale. Her body slowly shut down and she fainted, her eyes drifting closed, her breaths shuddering and painful. The last thing she hear was his soft pleading voice, demanding that she stay awake and explain and hang on-

 

Beyond his terrified voice she distinctly heard Rini's tear-streaked confession. His reaction was a wave of agony that swept her over the edge of consciousness.

 

"Daddy, she's going to die."

__________________________

 

Serina drifted for a while, if it wasn't so dark she'd swear she was awake. She could hear the voices of her friends, of Rini and Darien; weeping, yelling, begging, praying. Sere opened her eyes, amazed to find she couldn't feel any pain from the wounds she had suffered earlier. The thought crossed her mind for a moment that perhaps it was all a nightmare. She gingerly sat up, noticing, a little offended and frightened, that no one was looking at her. Darien knelt beside the bed she rested on in Rei's fire room. She couldn't feel it but he held her hand and she could swear he was crying. But Darien never cried! Her heart ached to feel his pain- for her.

 

Ami sat against one wall facing the bed she was on, her mini-laptop pointed at her at all times though she refused to look up from it's beeping screen. She blinked back tears and continued typing as she had for God knows how long.

 

Mina seemed to have cried herself to sleep in a chair, her hair a wreck and Artemis purring loudly in her lap. Rei and Luna sat before the fire, unblinking but Rei winced every once in a while, cringing in horror and fear, tears escaping her violet eyes. Sere tried to get up to comfort her friend but was frozen to the spot, just watching her, wondering what terrible things she was staring at so hard.

 

Lita paced like a lioness in a cage, separated from her cubs. She angrily swiped at her eyes but not before Sere could see the golden glint of tears on her cheeks. She muttered curses under breath and Sere frowned, wondering why Lita would act like this, like she had when her friend was in that accident . . .

 

And Rini- Rini lay beside her, shivering with cold and dread. But she was okay, whole. Not a scrape or bruise on her. She was asleep between her and Darien, holding their hands almost desperately.

 

It was then that Sere realized she wasn't up . . .

 

Her body, Serina, was still lying down under the covers, unconscious. Or maybe dead.

 

She looked down at herself only to find herself dressed in her princess gown. No wonder she couldn't feel anything. Sere's momentary fear was abruptly forgotten as she saw a familiar flash of white light from a vacant corner. Her mother, Queen Serenity of the fallen Moon Kingdom appeared before her.

 

"Mother!" Sere moved to stand but her mother motioned for her to remain as she was and quickly moved to her side. "Mother . . . Am- am I dead?"

 

The silver-haired queen smiled gently but shook her head. "My darling, it is up to you. You may join me now. Or return to your friends. The choice is yours."

 

"But, Mother, I don't have anything to live for anymore. Endymion has chosen to not love me anymore and my Scouts- they're better off in their new lives without me . . ."

 

"Darling, don't say that. Be honest with your mother- you know that is not true. I have seen them give more than their lives for you and you do the same for them. They will never leave you alone and they would never allow you to give up. Besides, didn't Alatristina teach you anything about the passing of time and the unpredictability of the future?" Sere's mouth dropped open. 'Alatristina-'

 

"Yes, Mother-"

 

"You should have more faith in love. I thought you were my daughter of hope and eternal love, my little bunny, Serenity."

 

"I am, Mother- it's just, Endy doesn't love me anymore." The Queen rolled her eyes as politely as royally possible. "I don't believe him either, Mother, but he's so insistent, I've done all I could and now to know that in Rini's future he is married with her as his daughter- I- All I can do now is protect them with my life. They are all that matter to me."

 

"That's very good, Serenity. However, you know very well Rini cannot exist without her mother-"

 

"Yes, I know. I promised to let her borrow the Silver Crystal to save her mother- Why would her mother need it to save her anyway? Only our blood line . . . can use . . . the crys . . . Oh." Sere's eyes shot up and pierced her mother's smiling blue eyes. "Oh, Mother!"

 

Queen Serenity nodded. "Yes, darling. Endymion will be her father, and you will be her mother." Her silver-bunned head tilted slightly and her eyes took on that cast of motherly pride. "My only baby's baby, my granddaughter Serenity." She gently embraced her smiling, stunned daughter but continued with a subtle tone of seriousness. "Now you understand what awaits you on earth? Rini must have both her parents to survive and this planet still needs her lunar guardian lest she be destroyed."

 

"Then there is no decision to make. I love you dearly, Mother- but . . . I want to live. I love Endymion and Rini, my own little darling."

 

"I'm glad, my bunny. Return to your friends, they miss you so much."

 

Her mother had faded to starry moon dust before Sere's words passed her lips. "Farewell, Mother." She smiled dreamily, relaxing back with a delighted sigh. She turned her head to study the little girl sleeping next to her. Her daughter, Darien's daughter. All would someday be perfect, it would all work out in the end. She wouldn't die and leave her friends, she would just retire and have a family, continuing the lunar bloodline- and the earth's. Rini was her guarantee.

 

Sere brushed her child's soft pink bangs away from her face, smiling contently as Rini moved her head closer to the gentle touch and murmured. How could she not believe Rini was hers? They looked alike- if she could have remembered that far back. That was that strange mirror feeling, that déjà vu when she'd first met her. Her name was not only Serenity but Princess Serenity, her knowledge of the Silver Crystal, her crescent birthmark, identical to Serenity's- How could she have ignored it for so long? Why had she given up that hope- death couldn't stop that small hope- Serenity lightly tapped her tiny little nose and caressed her baby's cheek.

 

A movement above the child caught her attention and her eyes quickly lifted to meet the haunted cerulean eyes of Darien. His face was ash white, even his hands draining of all color as she watched. His eyes were so wide and terrified as he stared directly at her. 'Oh, Darien . . .'

 

Darien moved so fast to touch her, grab her hand but she wasn't really there, she still lay on the bed, not sitting up staring at him- how could he see her? She was a mere spirit, this form couldn't be seen- "No, Serenity, don't go-"

 

At that moment, Rei whirled from her seat and she, too, gawked at Princess Serenity. "Serina- no . . !" Ami's laptop began to beep shrilly, waking Mina, and sending all into a panic to Serina's still and silent form.

 

But Sere and Darien ignored them, their gaze locked on each other, as if should either move the other would disappear forever. Only Rini's suddenly cry of surprise broke their focus. Both turned to her, instinctively. She lifted a hand to her face- looking right through it! She glittered from rabbit buns to her socked toes, slowly sparkling out of existence. "Mommy!" She sobbed, throwing herself over Serina's body.

 

"No, I won't let this happen to you, Rini! No!" Sere screamed and hugged the child tightly. At the same moment, Darien's hold on the dying princess tightened, a silent promise to never let her go.

 

"Serina, don't- please don't give up . . . I can't live without you- I love you too much! Don't leave me!" He shouted at her. Sere just squeezed her eyes shut, tears slipping past her lashes as she hugged Rini as if to protect her from her own death.

 

'I would ever leave you, my love . . .' Sere opened her eyes. Through her shattered crystal tears she saw a golden white light drip like honey before her eyes, her forehead felt warm, Rini in her lap gradually began to glow with the same warm, gold light. In an instant, the scene changed to a solid tower of erupting pure white, crystalline light. The shouts of the Scouts were drown out by the angelic humming of some unidentifiable power surging from everywhere and one point all at once.

 

Time stopped for a single breath

 

Darien fell back, still holding onto Serina's hand exhaustedly. He was completely- dangerously- drained of energy. Sere's spirit collapsed, falling back into her body. Rini remained as she was, still sniffling softly, buried in Serina's arms.

 

"I- I don't know what just happened- She's alive now, but for moment, we lost her. She- she just died . . . But, she's okay now." Ami shook her head, wiping away the liquid that slipped down her cheeks, then stared at the trio in awe.

 

Serina stirred, her breathing becoming regular, her eyes moving beneath her eyelids, her lips parted in a feathery sigh. Rini squeezed her hand from where she still lay when Serina tried to move it. "Serina? Are, are you awake?"

 

"Mmm . . . Endy. Serenity . . ." She murmured, shifting slightly. Serina was suddenly aware, for the second time, of a lack of pain- anywhere. Those injuries, cuts, bruises, puncture wounds- they were all gone- not an ache remained! She was completely healed!

 

"Serina? Are you okay?"

 

"Serina! Don't you EVER do something like that again!"

 

"What was all that flashy light? What the hell happened?!"

 

Serina's head would have dropped had she been up. Instead, she groaned and opened her eyes, easing herself up into a sitting position after Rini moved out of the way. The kid edged closer and snuggled tiredly up under her arm. "I'm fine, guys. Really. It was like a dream . . ." Serina's blinking eyes suddenly dazed into dreamy remembrance. "Mother said I had to choose, between her and my friends and family. I chose you guys." Serina smiled happily, her eyes now focused on Rini and her four friends. Their expressions went from scared and angry confusion to a unanimously relieved confusion.

 

"Mommy?" Rini stirred again. She reached out for Darien and Serina's arm just as he reached for her and Serina settled a hand over her head.

 

"Serina- Are you-"

 

"Yes, love, I'm perfect! Never better. But you- and- and Rini-"

 

"All I care about right now is you being okay." Darien whispered with a kiss, sending warm shivers all through her body. Rini stared at the two, belatedly blushing when she realized they were kissing. But the shock was still in her mind. She'd seen the moon princess- she'd begun to disappear when Serina died, and now Darien, her daddy, loved her again.

 

"Rena-" Her eyes flit from the blankets to Serina's face- back to her hands. Serina just serenely smiled. "Are- are you the Moon Princess? Serenity?" Serina nodded.

 

"Yes, little one."

 

"Then- you're Mommy!" Rini threw herself into Serina's arms.

 

"Yes. I thought, maybe- but I gave up that dream when I knew I was going to die. But my mother, your grandmother Serenity, made me realize that this was how it must be. And now that I know for certain, I can't imagine anything in the world that could be more wonderful."

 

"I'm glad I found you, Rena. I've been so alone and scared for the future. And knowing that you're Mama and your not gonna die-"

 

"No, my little bunny, just going to retire. No more Sailor Moon for me once I have you to take care of." Serina laughed. Rini smiled in her arms, relaxing with a sigh. "Why don't you get some sleep, little one. You've had a hard day."

 

"But . . . We still gotta save my mama in the future- Irene and Daddy are waiting . . . for us . . ."

 

Serina's eyes left her daughter's closed ones as she looked up to face her friends and Darien. Each made their own grateful, snide, or grinning expression as she smiled, clutching her future in her arms. Darien's smile couldn't be wider. Their future, their family . . . All their hopes and dreams- "In the morning. We'll save the world in the morning."