Please keep that in mind the fact that this story is manga related. I've decided to use English translation names for the Inner Senshi and Japanese names for the Outer, since I have no clue as to what their English translated names are. And Haruka and Michiru are only close friends not gay. It only makes it easier for me to write. I will be switching back and forth from first person to narrator style I will put the character's name followed by a colon to tell you that the following is the character's POV. Well, the action begins to pick up in this chapter. A new evil comes…Whuahahaha! Please email me and tell me what you think of my story so far. This story is rated PG, well some slight violence and maybe language later on, if you call the word damn a bad thing. Well, enough of my babbling! On with the show! Usual disclaimers: Sailor Moon and all its characters and likeliness belongs to Naoko Takeuchi, Kodansha/Toei. English translation is made possible by DiC. My email address: ml_eclipse@hotmail.com << >> = thoughts [ ] = author's note =========================================================== Serenity's Legend written by Cosmos Part VI: The Encounter Two days later. A shadow runs stealthily in the night. Silent and swift as an unsuspecting night breeze this strange being travels directly toward a tall apartment building silhouetted against a bright full moon. Its swirling dark gray eyes stare vacantly out in front of it. Its soul is full of incredible darkness. Its heart is frozen in eternal stone ice, neither beating with blood nor feeling with any emotions. Once a part of the light, this creature is now under the ultimate control of total darkness and emptiness of chaos. This creature of the dark has only one goal in mind, the destruction of one certain being. <>, a cruel voice echoes in the creature's mind. With neither a thought nor a voice, only that single command occupies this being's mind and soul. With deliberate speed, this dark thing travels quickly through the clear starlit night to its final destination and its ultimate goal. In a nearby park, a lone pedestrian strolling silently on a path by the lake can faintly hear a sad sigh once every minute. Looking toward the pristine lake, the walker can see a dark figure of a tall young man silhouetted against a clear night sky. The pale light of the moon falls like a curtain of stardust upon the lone figure. Again another sigh is heard escaping from the soft lips of the young man, a sigh that can break any heart. His eyes staring vacantly in space seeing nothing before him but only the emptiness that is consuming his soul. A tear slowly escapes his mysterious deep blue eyes, sliding slowly down his cheeks. The man clenches his hands around the iron railing, which he is leaning against by the lake. With each passing moment, his hands hold tighter onto the railing until his knuckles shown white, almost like the moon. A sad sigh again escapes his lips but this time a name is attached to the sigh, "Serena." The image of Serena being held by the neck with unspeakable fear in her eyes just simply would not escape his mind. They have been searching for Serena for the past two days, but it was only a wild goose chase. They had no leads. Mercury can't even track her down on her computer. "How could I?" Darien whispers to himself, "How could I have let her be taken away from me? I was suppose to protect her, to keep her safe." Shaking his head in utter hopelessness, he breathes, "I'm so sorry Serena. I failed you didn't I? I'm so sorry. It's all my fault." His repeats the last line over and over until his voice trails off to a point inaudible to any other person nearby. Silently he sobs. His tears drifting down onto the lake surface creating small ripples across its otherwise still face. The ripples cause the moon to dance across the face of the lake like a tiny fairy. For several hours Darien cries softly onto the lake, unaware that another being is watching him quietly within the shadows, its heart is as torn as his. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "Aaaarrgh!" a raging voice screams from a balcony in an apartment building. "Where is he?" the dark being yells angrily, while dark eyes gaze wildly down at the sparkling city below it. "Where IS he?" Then an evil smile creeps up on soft pink lips, "You can hide Darien," the being says in a chilling sing-song voice, "but you can't hide for long!" it almost screams. "I'll find you…no matter where you are!" it whispers in a low deadly tone. The room slowly fills up with evil energy as that dark energy seeps out from all pores on this creature's skin. Suddenly, a dark swirl of energy appears in front of the creature's face, solidifying into a glowing spiky stone. A small image appears from within the stone and a cold voice is heard. "Do not be upset, my little one," the voice drawls. "I have located him for you. Go to the park. He is there. He is waiting for you." Then the image and the crystal disappear entirely. The ends of the lips curve in a slight smile and the dark being lets out a low evil laughter, "I told you I will find you. And now you are mine. Ready mouse? The cat has come to play." Like a shadow, the creature jumps off the balcony and on to a rooftop nearby where it disappears into the shadows where it originally came from. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Sailor Cosmos: I see his figure slump over the railing, shaking as sobs wrack his body. My heart aches to see him in so much pain…so much sorrow. I know what he lost. Pluto told me about the whole incident two days ago. Now I feel anger boiling up deep within me. My hands clench tight against my sides, so tight that my knuckles grow white. I know who is behind all this. Somehow she must have followed me, but why? Does she truly know that I am here? She must, that is why she sent a minion of hers to follow me. But what did she want with Serena? She has no grudge against Sailor Moon and she doesn't know that Sailor Moon is my past self, so the idea of changing the future through me is not her plan. Yet, why did she capture Serena?… Oh, God, he is crying again. He is blaming himself for all this. My love…it is not your fault…but mine. I have the power to stop all this…but I am a fool…a coward. How my hands itch to hold you in my arms, to whisper to you assurances and stop your rain of tears. Why is it that whomever gets involved with me must suffer? I have never felt so helpless in all my life like I do now. I have vowed long ago that I would protect you, as you have protected me, Darien. But unlike you, I have failed. I long to feel your warmth and strength again, Darien. How I miss that nickname you used to always call me. I miss everything about you. No…no…stop this pain…stop this pain! I say through clenched teeth. Don't cry my darling. I will protect you…this time I will, even if it costs me my life…I will not let you suffer anymore. A tear slides down my cheek to be lost to the darkness on the ground. My heart feels like it has been cut up into millions of pieces with a dull knife. My breath comes in soft quick gasps as if the sorrow itself is choking me. I want to run…run to him and hold him in a tight grasp as if afraid that he will leave me…again. Death had claimed him in the future…death had claimed them all in the future, but sorrow will not claim them now…and Death itself shall die in my hands. I can no longer stand to see him suffer like this. I can no longer bare the pain that I sense in him. A pain I KNOW he is suffering from, because he and I have always had this special bond. I suffer what he suffers. No! No! I can't take this anymore! Darien… ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The figure in the shadow is about to move from behind the tree, to run as her heart and soul demands her to run…to him and comfort him. As she is about to step into the light of the moon, a spine chilling laughter stops her dead in her tracks. She can see that he has also tensed and is now looking wildly around him, searching for the source of the sound. "What the-," Darien whispers, looking wildly around him. Suddenly, about three feet from where he is dark mists form in the midnight sky. A strange red glow slowly increases in strength from the center of the mist. In a flash of red brilliance, a figure appears floating in the air above him, laughing hysterically. "Well…well…well," the figure says impudently. "What do we have here? A toy mouse for a cat to play." <>, Darien's mind thinks hazily. His emotions flaring up uncontrollably as recognition of the voice strikes him like a bolt of lightning. <> Hesitantly, with hope glowing in his sapphire eyes, he looks up and takes in a sharp breath as he sees the being that floats above him. His deep blue gaze clashes with dark gray swirls. "S-S-Serena?" The figure looks down at him without recognition. Dressed in a Sailor outfit similar to what was Eternal Sailor Moon's, but instead of white angel wings, she has black bat-like wings. The white parts of her outfit is now a dark black that seems to absorb any light that may dare to shine on it. Her boots are laced from the bottom up in black silk. The ruffles on her skirt are now in the forms of dangerously sharp daggers dangling to her thighs. Short black spikes stick out from her dark gray gloves at the elbow. A strange, surprisingly golden tiara adorns her forehead with a black crystal darker than night itself placed at its center. "Who is this Serena you are calling me?" she hisses. "I guess it is best you should know your executioner before you die. Meet Death, Endymion…for I will be the one to lead you to him. I am Darkness." Darien's eyes widen in horror. "No," he whispers, then speaking louder says, "No, you are Serena…my love." He takes a step forward, his mind unclear and dizzy from the shock that now hits him like a roaring wave on an open shoreline. "Serena…please Serena fight it…I love you…don't let this thing take you away from me!" Darien shouts in a most agonizing voice. His heart batting against its prison in his chest like a scared bird in its cage, trying to break free. His emotions of distress and sorrow overflow the brim of his soul. << No…what have…they done…to you?>> "SHUT UP!" Darkness screams. Something flickers in her dark eyes, but soon disappeared; but not fast enough that Darien did not notice. "Your little distraction won't work, little boy! Your death has now arrived…bye…bye!" Darkness says in a teasing voice. She raises her hand and an immense ball of energy gathers in them. Her eyes glow in a strange aura as she shoots the energy towards Darien. Quickly, guided by the instinct of a soldier, Darien dropped to the ground and rolled away. The dark energy ball whizzed by his head just barely missing him. Darien jumped to his feet and reached into his black leather jacket only by instinct. Deep in his heart, he knows he can never fight her. Darkness noticed this movement and immediately released another ball of energy. She is too quick. Darien had no time to react as he saw the attack flying toward him. "Noooo!" a scream rings out, echoing through the park in a heart-wrenching cry. "Daaarrriiieeenn!" Sailor Cosmos saw the energy hit him on the side and threw him at an incredible distance against a tree. He fell in a broken heap. Cosmos quickly noticed that Darkness has released another ball of energy at him. She knew that if this hits him, he would surely be killed. Cosmos quickly rushes towards him. Placing herself between him and the oncoming attack, she whispers something beneath her breath. Suddenly a flash of bright hot light appears in front of her and a long ivory colored rod appears. Auras of white light pulses from it like the beating of the heart and immense light radiates from the star-like crystal on top of the rod. The dark energy slams into an invisible shield she created with intense force that rips the leaves off of the nearby trees. Yet, Cosmos barely moved an inch. Her foot firmly planted to the ground it touches. In lightning movements, she whirls her rod in front of her like a propeller as bright energy flows toward the center of the disk her rod creates, gathering in intensity. She lets loose her still twirling rod to float just inches before her fingertips and shouts, "Cosmic Eternal Moon Silver Twister!" A swirl of bright energy shoots from the center of the rod and hits Darkness directly in the chest before the evil being even has time to react. Darkness fell from the sky and landed on the ground in a heavy thud. "No!…You! Who the *hell* are you? How dare you intervene," Darkness says between clenched teeth. Sailor Cosmos does not reply. She simply stood there, her eyes narrowed to barely slits as blue pupil shine brightly through them, giving them an almost catlike appearance. "You want him?" Cosmos whispers in a low deadly tone, "Then come and get him, but I warn you...that won't be easy." "Stop it right there!" a shout from behind Darkness rings in the air. "You are not going to capture Darien!" Both Darkness and Cosmos release their gazes on each other and turn to look at eight *very* angry Sailor Soldiers glaring at them. At first their eyes illuminate no light of recognition, but as they stare at the dark figure, the similarity quickly triggers apperception. Mars gasps, as well as the others when they finally realize who Darkness resembles. "Sail-Sailor Moon?" Being incredibly weakened from the blast taken from Cosmos, Darkness realizes that she does not stand a chance against all nine of them, especially against Cosmos. Darkness turns her icy stare back at Cosmos and hisses, "We will meet again." "I'm counting on it," Cosmos replies in equal coldness. Darkness vanishes in a whirl of gray mist, leaving all eight confused gazes to land upon the white figure standing in front of Darien's slump body. Ignoring the eight stares, she bends down and asks in a quivering voice, "Darien?" No answer. "Darien? Please, speak to me?" Still no answer. Her eyes widen in terror, "No, no Darien please don't die…you can't leave me…not again." She held his hand, squeezing it tight as tears overflow the brim of her startling crystal blue eyes. Suddenly she felt him squeeze back. "Huh!" she gasps. "Darien? Darien are you all right?" He groans in pain as a response. "W-w-what h-happen?" "Everything is all right now Darien. She will not hurt you again. I promise." <> he thinks. <> He looks up and finds a shining blue gaze looking down at him with worry and sorrow. Those startling blue eyes are like bright blue beacons shining on a lovely face that looks so familiar to him. Suddenly a young, but strong voice from the other side made her shift her gaze to look at Super Sailor Jupiter who is running towards them. "Get away from him!" she screams, her voice like daggers in the silent night. Cosmos quickly steps away from Darien, though very reluctantly. Jupiter quickly kneels down to Darien and asks, "Darien? Are you all right? Has she hurt you?" Darien blinks his hazy eyes and looks up again. Instead of startling blue, he now saw strong, kind green eyes gazing down at him. As his head began to clear, Darien attempts to get up. "No Darien! You're hurt. You should stay down." "No," he whispers weakly. "I'm fine. Just…just got the wind knocked out of me that is all." "Who are you? What were you doing to Darien?" Mars shouts at Cosmos, who stood quietly staring at Darien as he attempts to stand. "Hey! She is talking to you! Are you deaf?" Uranus shouts with a fist rising threateningly at Cosmos. Cosmos shifts her gaze to look up into Uranus' blazing dark blue eyes, but she does not respond. She simply stood there taking in the many glares that she is getting from the female soldiers. "Well?" Mars demand. This time Cosmos responds, "Well what?" "Don't play dumb with us," Uranus says in a low icy tone, taking a threatening step toward her. Cosmos does not move. A groan from Darien caught all of their attention and the girls quickly left Cosmos and went to see if he is all right. Cosmos turns and walks quietly away. "Stop!" Uranus shouts. "We are not through with you. Who the HELL are you?" she demands. "Yes," Darien speaks up, his strength returning to his tired body. "Who are you?" Upon hearing his voice, she stops. "Who * are * you?" he asks again, weakly taking a small step towards her with Jupiter slightly supporting him all this time. She hesitates for a moment before turning around to face, she knows, the most beautiful gaze that she now feels piercing her back. Turning around she gives a quick glance, just a flicker of her eyes, towards the Guardian of Time, whom quietly nods. Permission has been granted. The time has come. Gathering all her strength and courage, she stood straight up and speaks in a calm and strong voice, "I am Sailor Cosmos." =================================================== [Kind of a dumb way to end, huh? But I feel that it is best to end here since this part is getting a bit long. Well, next chapter coming soon. Oh! Remember to email me and give your opinion on this okay? Email to : ml_eclipse@hotmail.com.]