Promises, Flowers and Farewells 5
Rainbow's Beloved Flower
Sailor Rainbow and Sailor Moon had managed to stop the planet's fall into earth; however, they fell into a pit of nothingness. They were near death. Sailor Rainbow lay on her stomach with her head on her arms and Sailor Moon was in Tuxedo Mask's arms. Sailor Rainbow felt cold and darkness all around her. She opened her eyes and she was floating in darkness. She wasn't sure which way was up and which way was down. Her body ached. Then, a voice called out to her.
"Don't die."
"Hmmm?" she groaned. She slowly opened her eyes.
"Don't die." The voice repeated. It was more like a command than a plea. "Don't die."
The voice echoed in her head. She recognized the voice. "Fiore?” she mumbled.
The darkness lit up suddenly. She was now floating in the sky. Clouds and sunshine was all around her. It was beautiful.
"Sailor Rainbow," Fiore called.
"Fiore! Fiore!" Sailor Rainbow shouted. "I can hear you!" Something pulled her down and she passed through clouds. She felt as if she was flying. She saw a rainbow underneath her and she fell through that too. She laughed as the colors went by her skin. She didn't hurt anymore. The gashes in the back of her uniform were mended and so were the ones on her glove. Her wounds were healed. Then she came to the ground and saw a giant white flower. It was closed but as she came closer to it, it opened. Inside was Fiore, sitting down. He stood up and held his hand out to her for her to grasp.
"Sailor Rainbow," he sighed.
She took his hand and he pulled her inside the flower, holding her hand tightly. "Fiore, where am I? It's so beautiful! Is this yer home?"
He shook his head. "No. We are inside your mind, Sailor Rainbow. I don't know what my home was like."
“Fiore,” she whispered.
"Sailor Rainbow, you've offered to take my place," he said with a smile upon his face. "But you didn't have to. That was so kind of you. You saved me from Kisenian. You wanted to become my friend and if the Kisenian Blossom didn't have me under her power, I would have listened to you. Now I'm free."
"I'm so glad."
"I understand now." He nodded. "I can see it in your eyes." He touched her eyebrow and she closed her eyes for a second. "You love me, even after the things I've done and even though I'm from a whole different world."
"I don't care about that, Fiore," Rainbow insisted, coming closer to him and pressing her cheek against his chest. "It doesn’t matter where yeh are from, I love yeh! Yeh are the laddie for me. I've always wanted someone like yeh and now I've finally found yeh!"
Fiore pushed her back gently and cupped her face. "Sailor Rainbow, you've saved my soul. You've freed me. I'd like to give you something." He held his hand over his chest. "For your loving kindness, I want to give you my heart." His hand and the spot covering his heart began to glow brilliantly as his eyes were closed in concentration. Sailor Rainbow shielded her eyes. The glowing stopped and he held out his hand. It was a flower, slightly larger than his hand. It was deep red and opened to reveal the inside. It was frosty-white and the middle section was in the shape of a golden heart.
"Oh, Fiore, it's beautiful." She sighed.
"This is the love blossom. I want you to have it," he insisted. "Here." He took her hand and slid the flower over it. There was a golden band underneath the flower. It was like a corsage. "On your planet, the rose symbolizes love. This flower is the same but it is different than a rose or any other flower. It will never need water or sunlight. Love is its energy source."
“It’s beautiful, Fiore.” Sailor Rainbow began to cry, "I just wish I had something to give you in return!”
"You don’t have to give me anything,” Fiore said, “you’ve done enough.”
“But I want to give yeh something to look at,” she sobbed.
The tears fell off her face and the sun shined through them. They landed in the center of the giant flower they stood in. The tears came together to form a tear-shaped prism the size of a golf ball. Seeing the prism, Fiore bent down and picked it up.
"What is this? A crystal?"
"A prism," Rainbow explained, wiping the tears away. "When the light shines through it, you'll see a rainbow. Have you ever seen a rainbow, Fiore?"
He shook his head. "I haven't stayed on earth long enough to see one."
"Come back with me to Earth," Sailor Rainbow proposed, "maybe yeh'll get lucky this time."
"I can't," he mumbled. "I can't survive on Earth very long. Only a matter of days."
"Then what will yeh do?"
"I'll travel space," he replied. "And find my home."
"Take me with you," she said. "Please." She wrapped her arms around him. "I can't let you float around space by yourself! It's not right! Take me with yeh, Fiore! I'd love to travel the cosmos with yeh and help yeh find yer home."
Fiore rested his hand on her head. "No, I must go alone," he said sadly.
"But Fiore, I don’t want yeh to be alone." She tightened her arms around him. “Take me with you!”
"I won't be," he told her. "Please, stay with Darien. Earth is your home. You belong there. I don't want to take you away from your home."
Sailor Rainbow frowned, "Oh Fiore…I wish that yeh didn't have to go." She remembered her quest, cleaning out haunted castles, finding the rainbow coins. She sighed. "I have to continue finding the rainbow coins, I can't leave, but I can't let you be alone either."
"Rainbow coins?" he asked, pushing her back.
"Back in my homeland, Ireland, I am searching for the seven rainbow coins." She explained. "They make me stronger." She explained more about them and where Ireland was so if he were to return, he’d know to find her.
"Then continue your quest to find them," Fiore said, sliding his finger down her cheek, "and I'll continue to journey space."
Sailor Rainbow nodded, "Yeh'll be in my heart, Fiore."
"You in mine, Sailor Rainbow," he said, looking at the tear-shaped prism. "Always. You'll be with me and that's why I won't be alone. I'll try to come back to you one day."
"Do yeh promise?" she asked.
"Oh my love," he said, cupping her face in his hands, "of course I promise. I keep my promises, always. I intended to keep my promise to Darien, haven't I? However, the Kisenian Blossom wasn't exactly the right flower to bring."
She nodded, "but yeh'll get him a new flower, right?"
"Yes."
"I love yeh, Fiore," she whispered.
"I love you too, Sailor Rainbow, forever." He pulled her closer to him and leaned down, his fingers holding her chin. Sailor Rainbow stood on her toes as she accepted her first kiss from the one she loved. When she felt his lips on hers, her whole body seemed to fill with sunshine. Her heart became so full of emotion that it spread out through the rest of her body. She felt as if she was so full of emotion that she would burst at any given moment. A pinkish-red aura surrounded the couple. A rainbow spread over them. Sailor Rainbow did not want the moment to end. She tightened her arms around his neck, she closed her eyes tight and her eyelashes became wet. When they were breathless, they pulled back but Fiore's arms remained around her.
"Thank you for being my friend," he said, sliding his fingers down one of her braids, "and loving me."
"My pleasure," she told him, "thank yeh for loving me back."
He slid his hand down her cheek. "I will return when I find my home."
“Will you take me to it?” she asked.
“Yes.” He said. “I promise.
She smiled. “I wish you luck.”
“Thank you.”
Some unknown force tugged on Sailor Rainbow and pulled her away from Fiore. But she still was not ready to leave him. Now she understood why Sailor Moon was so upset when Tuxedo Mask was being taken away from her. She clasped her hand around Fiore's wrist, refusing to let go.
"I'm not ready to leave yeh yet!" she said, tears welling up in her eyes. "Let me stay!"
"You must go. I will be all right, Sailor Rainbow," he told her through his own tears. "Everything will be all right! Farewell, my love"
"Fiore!"
"Sailor Rainbow!"
Her hand trailed down his wrist and hand and she lost her grip on him as the force pulled harder. She grunted and tried reaching for his hand, but their fingertips only touched. She was being pulled away against her will. "No, Fiore, I want to stay with yeh! I can't leave yeh!" She held her hand out to him as she being taken away from her love. She felt like she was a piece of metal and an invisible magnet was pulling her away. "Fiore! Fiore!"
"I will always be with you, Sailor Rainbow!" Fiore promised with his hand outstretched. In his other hand, over his heart, he held the prism. "Don't worry! Goodbye, my love!"
"Goodbye…Fiore…Until we meet again!"
"Sailor Rainbow…Sailor Rainbow…"
"Sailor Rainbow…Sailor Rainbow!"
Sailor Rainbow groaned. She felt someone pushing against her back and shaking her. "Sailor Rainbow, wake up!"
She turned around and she saw a blurry image of Sailor Venus. "Venus?"
"Are you all right?" she asked.
"I believe so," Sailor Rainbow reached her hand to head. "What happened…oh, I had such a…"
Sailor Venus caught sight of Sailor Rainbow's corsage on her wrist. "Where did you get that?" she asked. "It's beautiful!"
"Huh?" Sailor Rainbow looked down at her wrist and gasped. It was Fiore's Love Blossom. It was real. It was right on her wrist before her very eyes. 'So it wasn't all a dream. Fiore…' Sailor Rainbow grimaced, "is Sailor Moon okay?"
Sailor Venus bit her lip.
"What is it? Sailor Venus, what happened?" She looked over and found the still Sailor Moon in Tuxedo Mask's arms. She gasped. Sailor Mars was trying to get her to wake up.
“Wake up! Wake up, Sailor Moon! You did it!" she wailed. "You stopped the planet! Sailor Moon! No! You said everything would be all right!”
“The Moon Crystal used all her strength." Mercury said. "We can't lose her!”
“Wake up!" Jupiter cried. "You can't leave us alone like this!”
Sailor Rainbow scrambled over to Tuxedo Mask and placed her hands on his back. "This can't be! I'd thought we'd all survive! There must be something we can do!" She fell down behind him and began to cry into his shoulder. "Darien…do something."
“Don't go, Sailor Moon!" Sailor Venus pleaded. "You're the glue that holds all of us together!”
Tuxedo Mask couldn’t say anything. His mind heard a familiar voice.
“I made you a promise, Darien.” Fiore said.
"Huh? Fiore…" Darien said. He and Rainbow turned and looked at him.
"Yeh back," Sailor Rainbow whispered.
“You saved me." Fiore said, "You and Sailor Moon delivered me from Kisenian's destructive grasp." He smiled at Rainbow. Thanks to you, I'm still able to give you this.” He held out his hand and a flower appeared. “This is the Friendship Flower. It holds my life energy. Give its nectar to Sailor Moon.”
'Life energy?' Sailor Rainbow thought.
Darien leaned over to the flower to take the nectar with his lips. Then he kissed Sailor Moon. The crystal was restored and so was her strength. Sailor Rainbow stood up and watched Fiore flip back as a bubble surrounded him. She ran to the edge and waved.
AN: For some reason or another, in the movie, Fiore changes back to a kid. But he's more of a bish when he's older and it'd make more sense for the case of Sailor Rainbow and her being in love with him if he remains his true age.
"Bye, Fiore!" she shouted. "Thank yeh!" Her hand came down. "Goodbye, my love." She sighed, wondering if she'll ever get to see him again.
"We saved Earth?" Sailor Moon asked when she opened her eyes.
Sailor Rainbow turned but did not run over to her.
"Yes." Tuxedo Mask answered.
“Thank you. Without you, I never could have held the Crystal until the very end." Sailor Moon said. She grinned. "So, from now on, when I say it'll be all right, you'll believe me?”
Tuxedo Mask smiled then nodded. "Yeah."
"We love you, Sailor Moon!" Mars exclaimed and put her arms around her. Everyone moved in around her. Sailor Rainbow smiled and wiped a few tears from her eyes and looked out where Fiore had disappeared.
'He's out there, somewhere,' she thought. 'Fiore, take care.'
"Hey, Sailor Rainbow!" Mars called out.
"Hmm?"
"Could you play your harmonica for us?" Mars asked.
"Sure," Sailor Rainbow said. She took out her harmonica from the back of her bow and began to play. It started as a slow, sad melody.
"Something upbeat!" Venus insisted.
"Oh…" She licked her lips and played something cheerful and fast and happy. However, it did not suit her mood. She felt so empty inside and she missed Fiore already.
A day passed and the others could sense Lydia's mood but she never told them what was bothering her. She was happy that Sailor Moon came back to them but she still missed Fiore. Today, they were having a picnic in the park. Lydia ate hardly anything and not because Serena ate all her food.
"Hey, lassies," Lydia said, getting up, "I'm going to take a walk around the city."
"We'll go with you." Serena suggested.
"No thanks," Lydia insisted. "I'll be fine. I know my way around."
"Are you sure?" Amy asked.
"Yes. Go on home. Don't wait up for me."
"But--" Serena began and Darien raised his hand to silence her.
"It's okay, Lydia," Darien said. "Take your time."
"Thanks." Lydia walked away from the park.
"She sure has been acting different lately since we've been back," Lita said.
"Well, you can't blame her," Mina said, "She misses Fiore."
"Huh? What?" Serena asked, raising an eyebrow.
"You didn’t see it," Raye asked, "did you?"
"See what?"
"Right before Fiore was going to finish you, Darien came back," Amy explained, "and stopped him. Lydia ran to him when he fell and tried to take away the Kisenian Blossom. You should've seen it. You could just tell."
"Lydia's in love," Serena mumbled, "with an alien?"
"I know it's weird," Mina said, "but she said she wanted a guy that has been unlucky and unloved…just like Fiore. Ironic twist, huh?"
"I really should go and see if she's okay," Serena said.
"She'll be all right," Darien insisted. "Lydia's a tough girl. She just needs time to think."
That night, the Tsukino household was missing one person. It was 12:30 am and Lydia was not asleep in the sleeping bag next to Serena, where she should have been. It was Rini's sleeping spot but she gave it up to Lydia because they were best friends and Rini wouldn't have to hear Serena's snoring. Rini slept on the couch. Lucky walked around the house after sitting in the windowsill looking for any sign of Lydia. He couldn’t wait any longer. He had to wake Luna, Serena and Rini. He started for Serena's room and Luna walked out.
"I was just about to wake yeh," he said.
"Well, Serena's snoring woke me instead," she yawned and stretched. "What's the matter?"
"Lydia still hasn't come home," he replied. "It's raining out there. This is not a good day to be outside."
"Oh, poor dear," Luna said. "You have to help me wake up Serena." But they woke up Rini instead. She walked over to them.
"Where's Lydia?" Rini asked. Apparently, she had been up waiting for Lydia too. "She's still out?"
"I'm afraid so," Luna replied.
They walked inside Serena's room. She was snoring and muttering things in her sleep. Luna and Lucky hopped on her bed. Lucky tried tickling her face with his tail but that didn't work.
"Serena, wake up," Luna said.
"No, you guys, that won't work," Rini told them. She grabbed Serena's pajamas and slapped her across the face, "Wake up, Serena!" she ordered, mimicking Lydia's accent. "The bar's closin', yeh lazy bum!"
"Hmph, I wonder where she learned that from," Luna said, eyeing lucky.
Serena sat up straight, wailing and Rini put her hand on her mouth. "Shh! We don't need to wake everyone up. Just you. Lydia's gone!"
"What? Did she go back to Ireland without saying goodbye?" Serena demanded.
"No, Serena," Luna corrected, "she didn't come home. She's still outside!"
"And look," Lucky added, "it's raining!"
"Oh no," Serena mumbled, "We shouldn't have left her alone!" Serena threw the covers off her and got up. "Quickly, get dressed, we've got to find her!"
After Rini and Serena dressed in street clothes and raincoats, they left the house to look for Lydia, starting with Raye's house.
"What are you doing here, meatball head?" Raye demanded with a yawn. "Do you have any idea what time it is?"
"Lydia didn't come home!" Serena cried. She carried Luna and Rini carried Lucky. "Is she here?"
"No, why'd she be here?" Raye asked. "What happened, did you have a fight?"
"It wasn't like that," Serena muttered. "She just didn’t come home."
"Can you help us look for her?" Rini asked.
"Let me get dressed first." Raye said. She got dressed then went out in the rain with Serena and Rini. "Don't worry, Serena, we'll find her. Let's stop at Lita's."
They reached Lita's house. She was surprised when she saw Serena and Raye and Rini behind the door. "Wow, Serena, I didn't know you could be up at this time of night."
"Now's not the time for jokes, Lita," Serena said. "Is Lydia here?"
"Um, no," Lita shook her head.
"She didn't come home last night," Raye said. "I think she wanted to do more than just take a walk. I have a bad feeling about this."
"And she didn't eat much at the picnic either," Lita said. "I'd better make some chicken soup. I bet she's starving!" After getting dressed and making a pot of soup, Lita poured it into a brown thermos and then they went to Amy's house.
"What are you four doing out in the rain at this time of night?" Amy asked.
"Lydia didn’t come home," Serena explained. "It she here?"
Amy shook her head, "I would've called you."
"Can you help us find her?"
"We'll go to Mina's house next," Raye said.
"Then Darien's," Lita added.
"Sure, just one minute." Amy said. She changed out of her pajamas and in some street clothes. She joined the others to go to Mina's house.
"What makes you think Lydia's here?" Mina demanded when they came to her house.
"I know she's not your best friend," Serena said, "but she didn't come home last night. I'm really worried."
"Poor girl must be very heartbroken over losing Fiore," Lita said, "I know exactly how she feels. Surely you all have some idea."
"Yeah, you're right," Mina sighed. "Wait here, I'll go get dressed and I'll help you find her." When she came down back down in her street clothes and a jacket, they set off for Darien's house.
"Darien! Darien wake up!" Serena cried, knocking on his door.
Darien had many visits from Serena, but not from the middle of the night. He knew it had to be serious. Yawning and wearing just blue pajama bottoms; he went to answer the door. He found five wet teenage girls, one younger girl that was also drenched and three cats that looked like they had a fight with a toilet. Serena didn't squeal at the sight of his bare chest, which was a new thing for her.
"What the--" Darien said, "what are you girls doing here?"
Serena walked in passing Darien, "Where is she?"
"Who?"
"Lydia," she said, "Lydia! Lydia! Where are you?"
"Serena, Lydia's not here," Darien insisted. "We're close, but we were never that close."
"She's not here?" Serena asked with a frown. "Oh, no…"
"What are you girls doing out in this time of night?" Darien demanded. "It's raining cats and dogs out there!"
"Hey, watch it laddie!" Lucky muttered.
"Lydia didn’t come home," Rini said.
"She's been out this whole time?" he asked. "Why didn't you try looking for her earlier?"
"You said it was okay for her to go off alone," Raye reminded, "none of us knew she'd stay the whole night outside."
"We've got to find her!" Serena cried. "She's out there somewhere!"
"All wet!" Rini gasped.
"And alone," Raye added.
"Heartbroken," Mina said.
"Starving," Lita agreed, waving the thermos in her hand.
"And she's possibly on the verge of catching pneumonia!" Amy finished.
They all began speaking at once. Darien couldn't understand them.
"Wait, wait!" he said. "Enough! You girls go on home. I'll find Lydia."
"Really?" Rini asked.
"Yes."
"You promise?" Serena said.
"I promise," he said. "Go on. I'll go find her. Don’t worry. Lydia's a tough girl."
"Thanks, Darien," Serena thanked.
"We'll be at my temple," Raye informed. "Bring here there when you find her, okay?"
"I'll do that," Darien said. "Now hurry home." He closed the door and the girls left Darien's door. Darien walked to his bedroom and pulled on a red long-sleeved shirt and put on a pair of black jeans, socks and tennis shoes. He picked up his keys, put it in his side pocket and then his license and put it in his back pocket. As he put on his jacket, he looked out the window. The rain reminded him of the time he found Fiore. It had been raining that day too. If he hadn't found him, surely Fiore would have died. He zipped up his coat. Now he had to find his other best friend, Lydia, in the rain. He promised him self then and there that he would not return home until he found her. She meant too much to him and all his friends. Lydia always had impeccable luck, but staying too long in the rain could make even the luckiest person sick. Now, Darien needed some luck. It was a big city they lived in. She could be anywhere.
'Lydia, hold on,' he sent mentally, 'I'm coming.' He took his umbrella, locked his door and left his apartment to search for Lydia.
He drove around with the top up. The wipers were moving like greased lightning over his windshield but it still didn't do enough to keep it clean more than a second.
"Lydia, where are you?" he asked, as if he expected an answer. He stopped at the orphanage, thinking she probably went there because that was where he had found Fiore. Lydia was nowhere in sight. He tried the school. It was clear. No one was walking around in this weather and he couldn't think of any place that could be open at this time of night. After driving for what seemed to be an eternity, Darien heard something. "Huh?" He slammed on the breaks and listened carefully.
It was a harmonica being played. He knew it had to be Lydia's harmonica. It just had to be. He wasn't sure how it came through his windows, but he heard it all the same. From what he believed, it was coming down from the block, where the greenhouse was. Of course, the greenhouse!
'The greenhouse!' Darien thought, 'that is where she is! I'm coming, Lydia!'
That was where they all met Fiore at first. Lydia had to have gone there. He put his foot on the accelerator and pushed it all the way to the floor. He reached the greenhouse but didn't see her. She had to have been on the other side. He parked his car on the side of the road, unbuckled his seatbelt, pulled his key out of the ignition and grabbed his umbrella. He opened it as he stepped out of his car. He could hear the harmonica being played more clearly now. It was no mistake. She was here. He could feel it.
"Lydia?" he said. He called her name and half-ran around his car to the greenhouse, "Lydia! Where are you?" He turned around the greenhouse and found her sitting on the side of the fountain, playing her harmonica. The song she played sounded very sad. It brought tears to his eyes. "Lydia."
The song finished and she pulled her harmonica down from her lips and rested it on her lap. Her head was hung low. Her braided pigtails were wet and clung to the side of her face. She wore no jacket, only a white-long sleeved shirt and a pair of blue jeans and white shoes, just what she wore during the picnic. She was soaking wet. On her arm was Fiore's flower. The heavy rain made all the flowers hang low but the Love Blossom didn't appear that way. The rain didn't drown it at all. Fiore was right. It didn't need water. Nothing can destroy the flower as long as the carrier still had love in his or her heart.
Darien walked forward and held the umbrella over Lydia's head as he knelt down in front of her and took her hand. Lydia noticed that the rain wasn't falling on her head.
"Lydia, what are you still doing out here?" he asked. "Are you trying to get yourself sick?"
"Hmm? Darien?" she slowly raised her head to meet his gaze. Her cheeks were wet, but not because of the rain. She was crying. She looked to be totally disoriented, out of it.
"Hey, are you all right?" he questioned, tilting his head. "Everyone's worried about you." It broke his heart to see her in tears. Lydia never showed many signs of being this upset. She had always been so happy, so cheerful, so optimistic and strong. Now the sailor scout of luck was a poor site, unlucky, sad and lonely and weak.
"I'm sorry." She mumbled. "I must've lost track of time."
"What were you doing out here?"
"I was," she began, "playing a song for Fiore. Do you think he heard it?"
Darien did not hesitate. "Yeah, yeah. I'm sure he heard it."
"I wanted to go with him," Lydia said, "but he didn't want yeh to get lonely. He said he'd always be with me…but why do I feel so alone?" She began to cry fresh tears and Darien sat next to her and put his arm around her. He pulled her to him and she put her face into her shoulder.
"You are not alone," Darien insisted, "I'm here with you. You'll always have me, and Serena and the others. Fiore is still out there, watching you."
"He's alive, I know he is."
"I'm sure he is too."
"We may be from separate worlds," she said, "but we did have one thing in common."
"What's that?" he asked.
"We were both saved by yer kindness," she replied.
"But Lydia, you saved me first."
"Aye, but yeh didn't forsake me just because I was a peasant girl."
"Lydia," he said, running his hand down her braided pigtail. "It doesn't matter to me what you are. You'll still be the first good friend I made all those years ago. I know you're hurt. But remember you're not alone."
"Mm-hmm," she moaned. "Thanks, laddie."
"Come on," he said, "let's get you out of the rain. Everyone's worried sick about you."
"I'll be fine," she said then she sneezed.
Darien smiled and pulled her up with his arm tight around her as he held the umbrella over her. She made have been already wet to the bone but Darien didn’t want to get her even wetter. He led her away from the fountain. As they turned around the greenhouse to his car, a flower petal fell from the sky to the spot right where Lydia had been sitting.
Darien opened the passenger door for Lydia and helped her to climb in, still holding the umbrella over her head. Lydia sat down and leaned back as Darien shut the door and hurried to the driver's side. He shook the raindrops of his umbrella as he opened his door and climbed in. As he closed the door, he glanced over at Lydia. She was curled up facing her window with her back toward him. She had her right arm folded against the seat and she laid her head against it. Darien leaned over for the seatbelt and put it over her lap. It may have been the middle of the night but he didn't want to take any chances. He smoothed a lock of hair away from her face and felt her forehead. It was mighty warm. Her eyes were closed so he believed she was trying to get some sleep. The comfort of his car and shelter from the rain made her relax, for the moment.
"She's warm," he said. Then he grasped her hand. It was cold. "I'd better get her to the temple before she catches a fever."
Lydia took in a labored breath and shivered. Darien took it as a bad sign.
"You'll be all right, Lydia," Darien said. "Hang in there, okay?" He pushed back her braid and kissed her temple. "I wouldn't want you to end up in the hospital during your vacation." He turned the key and the car started. He strapped the seatbelt around him. He turned the heat on full blast and moved the vents in Lydia's direction. He turned on his headlights and put the car in drive. Glancing at Lydia moment to moment, he drove to Cherry Hill Temple 7 miles over the speed limit and hoped there were no cops around. Darien felt his chest heave. He had done it. He'd found Lydia. She was wet, cold, and heartsick and close to catching a fever and perhaps pneumonia, but he had found his dear friend in the middle of the night during a heavy rainstorm. He was amazed by his luck. But he wished he'd never have to look for her under such circumstances ever again.
Serena was pacing the room next to the window. "It's been an hour! Where could she be? Do you think he's found her yet?"
"Sure he has," Mina said.
"I hope we don't have to take her to the hospital," Serena mumbled. "I wonder if anyone can survive in the rain this long. I should've been there!"
"Don't blame yourself, Serena," Lita said.
Rini saw the headlights of Darien's car. "Darien's here!"
They turned to the window, "really?"
"Lydia!" Serena exclaimed.
Darien stopped the car and turned off his headlights but kept the engine running because he wanted to keep Lydia warm as long as possible. He unbuckled his seatbelt and opened his door and made haste to the other side. He opened the door and unbuckled Lydia's seatbelt. "Lydia." He said, laying his palm on her cheek.
She moaned and blinked her eyes.
"It's okay now," he promised her and pulled her up in his arms. He used his back to shut the passenger door and carried Lydia up the steps quickly as Serena and the others ran out.
"Darien, is she--" Serena began.
"She'll be okay," he shouted through the rain and walked past her, "let's just get her inside!"
Raye led him through the temple to a room with a fire. She had the room already prepared with an open sleeping bag and a pillow in front of a roaring fire. Darien laid her down on the sleeping bag and pushed her hair back.
"She's running a fever," he informed, "you've got to keep her warm and get her some dry clothes. And maybe something to eat. I'd stay but--"
"Thank you, Darien," Serena said, "you've done enough already. Thank you for finding her. Just leave the rest to us now."
"Let me know if she gets any better," Darien said, "or worse."
"We will," Serena said.
Darien kissed Lydia's forehead and got up. He passed Serena but not without squeezing her shoulder first. Serena placed her hand over his and nodded. He left the temple to his car and drove away, with Rini watching.
"I knew he'd find her!" Rini exclaimed.
The girls crowded around Lydia to check her condition. Amy was taking her pulse and feeling her forehead. "Her pulse is calm but we need to keep her fever down. Mina, go get a cool-damp cloth. Raye, dry clothes, Lita--"
Lita held up the thermos, "way ahead of you." She went to heat the soup up as Mina went to get the cloth and Raye got some dry clothes.
Serena meanwhile grabbed a blanket and draped it over her after folding the other half of the sleeping side over Lydia. She began to take out her braids and dry her hair with a towel. "I'm so glad she's okay."
"Ugh, what hit me?" Lydia groaned.
"Hey, how do you feel?" Serena asked.
"Oi," Lydia muttered.
Mina returned with the wet cloth and dabbed Lydia's forehead and face with it. "You were lucky, Lydia." After dabbing her face, she let it lie flat over her forehead.
"Aren't I always?" she mumbled.
Raye came back with a dry white flowery flannel nightgown for Lydia. "Here, Lydia, this should keep you warm."
Lydia noticed the flowers on the nightgown, "oh, flowers."
"Um, maybe I should've gotten striped pajamas instead…" Raye said and turned back.
"No, it's all right," Lydia said, sitting up. The damp cloth fell off her face. Serena helped her to stand. "I don’t mind the flowers. I love flowers!"
"I can see that," Mina said, noticing the flower on her wrist. "Fiore gave you that, didn't he?"
She nodded, "the rain made all the other flowers droop at the greenhouse, but this flower Fiore gave me stayed the same."
"The greenhouse!" Amy gasped, "So that's where you were."
They helped Lydia out of her wet clothes and pull the dry nightgown over her head. Raye took the wet clothes to get them dry. She wringed them and water dripped to the floor. Lydia took off her flower from her wrist and laid it beside her pillow. Mina got a large bowl of water to keep the cloth damp and put it over her head again.
"Here, Lydia," Lita exclaimed, carrying a tray with the soup and some crackers, "eat this! Chicken Noodle Soup always makes me feel better!" She placed it over her lap.
"Wow, smells lovely," Lydia complemented and broke a few crackers into her soup. She ate the soup hungrily and handed it back to Lita. After having a full stomach, Lydia lay back down with her hand over the damp cloth on her forehead.
Rini walked over to her. "Aunty Lydia?"
Lydia groaned and straightened up, "yes, little lassie?"
"I'm sorry if you're sad," she said. "If you're sad, then my mommy's sad and that makes me sad. I don't like to be sad."
"Who does?" Lydia asked.
"Is there anything I can do to help you feeling better?"
"Just give me a hug, little one."
Rini wrapped her small arms around Lydia's body and Lydia put her hand on her head. "There. Better?"
"Much better," Lydia said.
Rini smiled and walked back to the window. "Hey…look everyone!"
"Hey, Lydia needs some rest!" Serena exclaimed.
"But you won't believe this!" Rini cried. "Come see! Aunty Lydia, you've got to see this! It's awesome! Have you ever seen anything like it?"
Lita wrapped an arm around Lydia to help her to the window. When they all got to the window, they gasped. There was a giant rainbow across the sky, shining through the rain. It was glowing brightly enough to turn it into day. It covered the whole sky.
"Have you ever seen a rainbow during the night time, Aunty Lydia?" Rini questioned. "Have you?"
Lydia shook her head. "No. I've seen many rainbows, lassie. But never one so beautiful such as this."
"I wonder what could be causing this," Amy said.
Lydia grinned. "I think I know. It's Fiore. It has to be. He's shining the prism. He's giving us a sign that he's all right."
As Darien was driving home, he noticed the great and spacious rainbow. He got out of his car and looked up. He believed it had to be Fiore also. People all over the world noticed the giant rainbow creasing across the sky. They couldn't believe it, nor explain it, only admire it.
Lydia was dead on. Floating around the sun was Fiore and he was holding out the prism. The light shined through the prism and spread the seven-ranged colored spectrum throughout space. He was sending a sign to his true love that he was alive.
"Rainbow, can you see it?" he asked, wanting to scream it loud so she might hear him. His eyes were filled with tears. "Isn't it beautiful? My love, I am with you. I promise. This farewell, not goodbye. We'll see each other again some day. Sailor Rainbow…"
Lydia blinked away her tears. Rini handed her the love blossom and she slid it back onto her arm. Lydia looked up. She believed she heard Fiore's voice. 'Fiore,' she thought, 'we will see each other again, some day.'
If they're lucky, they will.
The End.