Chapter Seven
Behind the Mask
~ Darien ~
"SAILOR MOON!" I cried out as she jumped in front of the children. Everything seemed to be moving in slow motion as blast of icy energy inched closer to the champion of love and justice. Thank god for her klutziness, for she tripped, falling face down in the snow, the blast hitting the snow harmlessly.
"Tuxedo Mask!" Sailor Moon shouted as she righted herself, "Get the children out of danger!" I quickly obeyed, scooping up three protesting little bodies, watching as Sailor Jupiter and Sailor Mars double teamed the monster. I took the kids to a nearby clearing, just down the road from the temple, and they fought me the whole way. "Put us down!" Hailey protested, "We have to go help them!"
"They don't want you to get hurt, it's too dangerous," I explained calmly.
"But she'll DIE!!" Skyler wailed.
"Who?" I asked.
"SAILOR MOON!" All three responded as I set them down, the twins ready to run back the way we'd come.
"Hailey?" a voice said, and I turned to see Sailor Moon and the rest of the scouts entering the clearing, worn out from battle, but fine nonetheless. "You should listen to Tuxedo Mask." Wait a sec, how did Sailor Moon know Hailey?
"Bunny-chan!" Little Logan cried, moving as fast as his puppy fat legs could carry him. He reached her easily, hugging one of her legs.
"Oh, Logan," Sailor Moon shook her head as the Scouts looked on incredulously. Wait a second... Bunny-chan? No, it couldn't be... could it?
"Serena?" I breathed. There was an earth-shattering silence as I looked into those sky blue eyes, the very same ones I'd seen glaring at me as I teased her in the arcade.
"How?" Serena, er, Sailor Moon, wanted to know. Taking a deep breath, I removed my mask, my ears drowning in the collective gasps that rose, not only from Sailor Moon, but the rest of the Scouts.
"I KNEW IT!" Hailey shouted, jumping up and down.
"Darien?" Sailor Moon's voice was a low whisper. She looked back at the scouts, who nodded, and she touched her transformation locket, powering down. In a flash of light, it was not Sailor Moon, champion of love and justice, protector of life, who stood before me, but beautiful, sweet, loving Serena, dressed in her pink bunny pajamas. Even though I'd figured it out, I still felt my world reel. Seeing it was a whole another thing.
"I know you probably can't believe that I'm Sailor Moon, I mean, I'm just a klutz and all, and not really cut out to be a super hero and all but..." she stooped, looking up and me as I delicately took her chin in my hand.
"Serena," her blue eyes locked with mine, waiting, "I think you make a wonderful Sailor Moon. I don't know why I didn't realize it was you before," I told her. I meant every word I said. Who would have thought my beautiful, sweet angel was a strong, albeit reluctant, warrior?
"T-thank you, Darien," she murmured softly. I think I might have kissed her right there, had it not been the eruption of giggles that came from the scouts. Abruptly, Serena turned around and shot them looks of deaths. "You're EVIL, the whole lot of you!" she insisted. I had no idea what she was talking about, but I had a feeling I might not want to know.
"Well?" Sailor Venus said, eyeing Serena, "Do you want us to power down too?"
"If you don't mind," Serena said, standing up straight and trying to look prim.
"But I don't think we can trust him!" Sailor Mars said quickly. Serena made a sort of scoffing noise in the back of her throat.
"MARS, it's DARIEN for heaven's sakes!" she let out. Nodding, one by one the Scouts powered down. In Mercury's place stood a very weary looking Amy, where once stood Sailor Mars was now Raye, looking perturbed Sailor Jupiter was revealed to be Lita, and lastly, Mina was Sailor Venus, which I had already guessed, judging by the identities of the others. It all made perfect sense now, I couldn't BELIEVE I didn't see it before.
"You have to keep all this a secret," Serena was instructing the children, "It's real important that the Negaverse never suspect who we really are, understood?"
"Yes, Serena," they chorused. That done, she picked Logan up, yawning.
"I think we should be getting home, guys," she instructed the others.
"Good idea, I still have to finish decorating for the party," Amy said, yawning as well.
"Speaking of the party," Lita addressed me, "You gonna be there?"
"Sure," I said, trying to act casual. In truth, I wouldn't have missed it for the world. I was hoping against hope that I would somehow find the courage to ask Serena to dance.
"I'll see you tomorrow, Darien!" Serena waved, jogging off towards her house, the twins on her heels. The rest of the girls headed off towards their respective homes, leaving me in the snowy, moonlit clearing, wondering at the bravery of my beautiful Meatball Head.
~ Lita ~
I laid down in bed, fighting the urge to call Mina up for a midnight gab session. The battle had taken a lot out of me, but I wasn't tried. How could I be, when the subjects of my matchmaking efforts were about to hook up! Darien? Tuxedo Mask? Who'd of thought, and yet, it does kind of make sense, what with the way Tux was always protecting Sailor Moon. And the way they were looking at each other earlier? Pure magic, I can just TELL those two are destined, but what I wouldn't give to call Mina and see what vibes *she* got from the couple. But, she's probably already in bed, fast asleep... With a smirk, I picked up the phone.
"This is Lita, yo."
"Lita, Mina here, I *GOTTA* tell you 'bout these vibes! Man, being the Senshi of love really does pay off. Those two are meant to be together!" my Venusian friend enthused.
"Tell me about it," I said, "All they need is a GENTLE shove in the right direction."
"Like tomorrow night at the party," Mina went on, "Got any ideas?'
"Boy, do I ever! May I introduce you to 'Operation Mistletoe'!"
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YES, I realize this part was a little short, but the next is MUCH longer. Thanks for reading, and please EMAIL ME!!!
Remember, God wrapped his gift too!
