Disclaimer: I do not own Sailor Moon but if I did my story would be published and sold for millions. I own nothing and only have two cents to rub together (sniff).
A/N: Hope you enjoy this first chapter and please review afterwards- thanks!
"Self Destruct"
-R season, after Darien has broken up with Serena, who then goes into a state of depression. Can Raye help bring her out of it? If not, Serena's life is at stake. NON-SLASH.
Gloomy gray rain clouds hung over Tokyo, crying endless torrents of rain onto the people of the bustling commercial city. Most preferred to stay indoors in this weather, only venturing out after making sure they had their umbrellas. The stores and parlors were not as full as usual, but some still visited them to get their minds off the monotone boredom. One such group sat inside the Fruit Parlor Crown, sipping fizzy drinks and conversing cheerily, occasionally watching the rain slide down the window and making it hard to see past the dripping waterfall. A pair of dull blue eyes stared out, the most listless of all the assortment of hues. Those sad eyes belonged to the blonde odango 14 year old, Serena Tsukino. She was the only one silent among the five.
"Serena, what's on your mind, girl?" the bubbly blonde across from her asked. Serena pulled her eyes away from the streaming window to gaze at her best friend Mina.
"Nothing, really," she responded quietly. "I'm fine." The other four exchanged looks as Serena's attention went back to the window. Mina, Amy, Lita, and Raye knew perfectly well that their best friend was not 'fine', and that she was spiraling into depression. All were extremely worried about their usually cheery, sweet, carefree, klutzy best friend. The world just didn't seem right when she was sad, and now they felt this more than ever. But the thing was, Serena just wouldn't come out of her shell and talk about her feelings. The girl who was Sailor Moon had retreated into herself and had refused to regard the others' concern for her well-being.
It had all began when Darien had broken up with Serena. The relationship had been everything to Serena, and they'd been an item for almost 1,000 years since the time on the Moon Kingdom. When Darien ended it because he just didn't 'feel the same way anymore', Serena had been crushed. She'd snapped, and everything had gone down from there. Occasional absences at school increased with time, as did her retreating from get-togethers the girls had. The Senshi had even gone as far as retrieving the teen personally from her house just to make her get out more and leave her bed, and the worried Ikuko-Mama and Kenji-Papa had only been too happy to oblige. The poor thing had gotten so skinny from lack of regular food that she was just skin and bones. You could count every rib on her body. If only Darien had seen her now, maybe he would have regretted his decision. But the ebony-haired college student had also been mysteriously withdrawn, and was skipping classes as well. He was hardly out anymore and when the Senshi saw him on those rare times, he looked just as bad as Serena. Was he feeling the same way?
No, they thought, he couldn't. He broke up with her, not the other way around. But why did he look as sad and forlorn as Serena? If only they knew the truth.
Even the devilish Rini had been worried about the two. When before the kindergartener had been bratty and spoiled, she was suddenly acting much more civilized and, dare they think it, concerned! It was almost as if she cared more about Serena than she let on.
Elizabeth, Andrew's little sister, came up to their booth. She smiled, pad in hand. "Can I get you guys anything?"
"Ice water," Amy said.
"Apple juice!" Lita chirped.
"Um, just tea please," Raye spoke after a moment of thought.
"Champagne!"
"MINA!"
"Sorry," said blonde giggled. "How about a chocolate milkshake, eh?"
"Serena?" Elizabeth prodded, looking over at the girl. Serena looked down.
"Nothing, thank you," she mumbled.
"A strawberry milkshake for her, please," Raye whispered in Elizabeth's ear. Serena wasn't going to deprive herself of treats if the Scouts had anything to do about it! Besides, maybe a little sweetness would help revive the rapidly sinking teen. Lizzie nodded and scribbled down the last order.
"I'll be back in a flash!"
Mina poked Lita hard in the ribs.
"Ow! What was that for?"
"Look at that!" Mina was pointing at a hot blonde who just strolled by their table. He flopped down into a booth a little farther down from the five and flashed Mina a smile when he saw her gazing dreamily at him.
Mina leaned on Raye for 'support'. "He is sooooo incredibly gorgeous that my knees have gone weak!" The raven haired miko shoved the 14 year old from her.
"You're so stupid! You're sitting down, so you can't possibly go weak in the knees! Besides, he's too old for you!"
Mina pouted. "Party pooper. Lita, you agree with me, right?"
"He looks like my old boyfriend," the brunette sighed, eyes glazed and far away in the land of memories. She sighed again.
"Two against one! So HA, Raye!" Mina stuck out her tongue at the fire priestess, who responded in kind.
Their whispered conversation (which had started growing louder about halfway through) was stopped when a plate of drinks was plunked before them.
"Enjoy!" Elizabeth glided away to serve the 'hunk', all woman charm in place as she flicked her red hair just so and smiled sweetly at him.
"Drats, Elizabeth's totally taken him! He's not even looking here anymore!" the bubbly blonde wailed.
"Told you," Raye replied in a 'told-you-so' kind of voice. She passed around the drinks to their respectful owners. Serena looked up with confusion as the pink, fizzy drink appeared in front of her, moisture glistening on the glass.
"I didn't order anything..."
"Come on, Serena! You gotta eat something!" Lita said good-naturedly. "You love milkshakes, remember?" Serena just shrugged.
"I'm not hungry."
"Pleeeease, Serena?" Mina put on her puppy-dog face. "Please, please, please, with sugar on top?" She knew perfectly well that Serena always laughed when she put on that face, and was using this advantage to the max. Serena couldn't help it. She grinned weakly and took a sip.
"See, it's good!"
Serena made a face at Mina. The bubbly blonde turned to everyone. "What'd you say we go to the park after?"
"Perhaps you've forgotten that it's raining buckets? I think I'll opt out, thanks," Amy chuckled.
"Mina, you go right ahead, if you'd like to look like you fell in a pool," Raye scoffed.
"It was just a suggestion," the girl whined. She gave them all a meaningful look when Serena wasn't looking- she was only trying to cheer Serena up and get her to laugh. The Moon girl's twinkling chuckle hadn't been heard for a long, long time. They missed it.
"Or, we could visit the arcade!" Lita put in, glancing subtly at Serena. The place evoked no response, and the mousy girl grew a little worried.
"Serena, what do you think?" Amy inquired politely.
"I'm fine here."
An invisible groan raced around the other four. Really, this was so depressing! Where was the carefree teen they so loved? The one with all the funnest ideas who could brighten up any dreary setting?
There was a tinkle of a bell nearby and the Scouts looked over at the door. It opened and let in one ebony haired vegabond from the downpour. Looks of horror overcame all faces, but one in particular was more terrified than all the others.
'Oh no, not now!' The four friends thought in unison. Serena just paled drastically, fingers clutching the edges of the table and knuckles turning white with the pressure.
"Hey Darien! Wet out, huh?" Elizabeth said from the still unnamed hunk's table (she was currently sitting next to said hottie, and in conversation with him). She grinned and waved, obviously not thinking of the Scouts and certain blonde just nearby.
"Yah, just a bit," the man laughed, but it was a half-hearted one. The vigor he usually possessed in his demeanor was absent. "I was just coming back from classes when it started. Got anything warm, like coffe-"
He stopped, face taking on the same milky color as his ex-girlfriend's. Yes, he had just spotted the Sailor Warrior's table. His eyes never left Serena's as he stuttered to Elizabeth with an unreadable expression. But if one looked hard enough, they might have seen the sorrow mingled with terror at the coincidence of them meeting. "I...I... never mind. I... I'm- I need to go home. Bye."
And just as soon as the past prince had come, he disappeared, out into the torrents.
No one spoke at the Moon Princess' protectors table. They didn't know what to say. Until a rustle and groan of the booth's seat.
"Serena! Where are you going?" Lita cried worriedly as Serena disemboweled herself from the booth.
"Home," she responded in monotone.
"Wait! It's pouring rain! You'll catch cold!" Raye exclaimed, eyebrows connecting in a line of concern and fear for her friend. Serena paid no mind as she raced out the door, but not before the girls saw her hurriedly wipe her eyes.
"I'm going after her!" Raye proclaimed, throwing on her raincoat. "You guys stay here!"
"Raye, bring this," Amy said quietly. She held out Serena's pink raincoat.
"She forgot it?" the raven haired fire priestess questioned with a tight, strangled voice. "She'll freeze!" She took the coat and waved a hasty farewell.
A/N: Review! What will happen to Serena? Danger lies ahead... so, any guesses? Send 'um to me! AKA Review!! lol.
I will update ASAP!
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AngelMoon Girl