Chapter 8: The Decision of the Stone

Serena walked down the sidewalk, completely lost in thought. She studied the pendant, rubbing the smooth surface with her thumb. 'What should I do?' she thought.

It had been two days since the pendant first reacted to Molly. It continued to do so and only around Molly. It was becoming more and more difficult for Serena to hide the glow from everyone, especially Molly.

Unfortunately, Molly thought that Serena was trying to avoid her. Yesterday, Molly had only spoken three sentences to her and only when forced. How could Serena explain her behavior to her friend?

"I don't want to do this anymore," she whined, pushing the pendant under the collar of her shirt. Suddenly, she was jerked into an alley.

"Hey! Oh, it's you again," Serena huffed, recognizing Cassandra. "Don't you get tired of hanging out in alleys, waiting to attack me?!"

"Have you found the carrier, Sailor Moon?"

"Don't call me that! Call me Serena. Yes, but I can't do it."

"You have to," Cassandra pleaded, grabbing Serena's arm. "Too much is at stake for you not to."

"Why should I do it? All I have is your word that it will not hurt my friend."

"You saw the images in the scared fire, right?"

Serena gaped at the woman for a moment. "How did you know about that?"

"I have been watching you," Cassandra said evenly. "What did you see?"

"Well, we saw you. Then we saw you and two other girls receive some stuff from a shadow. It was very icy. Then we saw a man in a cape holding a girl in a sailor outfit, surrounded by other girls in different sailor uniforms. Everyone was crying. That was it."

"That girl in the last image, the one being held, is very important in the future. The Stone of Hope is needed for her."

"Wait a minute. Is she dying? What is going on, Cassandra?"

The girl sighed. "I have told you too much already. Please, get the Stone. For the future's sake." Then she ran down the alley and disappeared.

Serena watched, torn in deciding what to do. "I don't know why, but I will do it," she said. "For the future."

Watching from the dark end of the alley, Cassandra murmured, "Thank you, Serena."

* * * * *

"I am going to do it," Serena announced, astonishing her friends. They were all gathered in the courtyard of the temple, enjoying the bright afternoon. No one had brought up the subject of the Stone.

"What? Take the Stone from Molly?" Darien asked.

Serena nodded.

"Are you sure?" Mina asked.

"If it looks like it will hurt Molly, I will give it back, just like a heart crystal."

Everyone was further surprised that Serena had a back-up plan, of sorts.

"So when are you going to do it?" Lita asked. "I want to be there to help out."

"Me, too," Ami said, seconded by Rei and Mina. The cats nodded.

"I will be there, too," Darien said after a moment. "I still don't feel right about this, though, Serena."

"I must at least try," she said. "Cassandra stopped me on the way over here. She said that the Stone was for the girl in the last image of the sacred fire. You know, the one that the man was holding. She said that the girl was important to the future."

"This just keeps getting weirder," Rei muttered. "And I guess you believe her?"

"Yeah, Rei," Serena answered sincerely. "For some reason I do."

"So when are you going to do it?" Lita asked again.

"Tonight," Serena replied. "In the old park."

"Good thinking," Artemis commented. "It should be pretty much deserted in the middle of the night."

"Well, let's all go home. Each of us have some preparations for tonight," Darien said. Everyone nodded. Grabbing Serena's hand, Darien led Serena away from the group.

* * * * *

"Are you sure you want to do this?" Darien asked. The two were sitting in the same park bench where Serena had told Darien about Cassandra.

"I don't want to," Serena admitted, "but I feel that I have to."

"I just hope everything turns out for the best," he said, taking her hand.

"I do, too." She paused, watching the sunlight reflect off the pond's surface. "I would never forgive myself if something happened to Molly, Darien. She's my friend. I don't want to hurt her."

"That's why we will all be there." He gave her hand a reassuring squeeze. "To help out in anyway we can."

"Oh, Darien, what if I am wrong?" she cried, throwing her arms around him. She began to sob, burying her face in his chest. He held her tight, stroking her hair, trying to provide some assurance that he himself did not feel.

"It will turn out for the best," he said, kissing her forehead. He prayed that he was right.


The Decision of the Stone Serena walked down the sidewalk, completely lost in thought. She studied the pendant, rubbing the smooth surface with her thumb. 'What should I do?' she thought. It had been two days since the pendant first reacted to Molly. It continued to do so and only around Molly. It was becoming more and more difficult for Serena to hide the glow from everyone, especially Molly. Unfortunately, Molly thought that Serena was trying to avoid her. Yesterday, Molly had only spoken three sentences to her and only when forced. How could Serena explain her behavior to her friend? "I don't want to do this anymore," she whined, pushing the pendant under the collar of her shirt. Suddenly, she was jerked into an alley. "Hey! Oh, it's you again," Serena huffed, recognizing Cassandra. "Don't you get tired of hanging out in alleys, waiting to attack me?!" "Have you found the carrier, Sailor Moon?" "Don't call me that! Call me Serena. Yes, but I can't do it." "You have to," Cassandra pleaded, grabbing Serena's arm. "Too much is at stake for you not to." "Why should I do it? All I have is your word that it will not hurt my friend." "You saw the images in the scared fire, right?" Serena gaped at the woman for a moment. "How did you know about that?" "I have been watching you," Cassandra said evenly. "What did you see?" "Well, we saw you. Then we saw you and two other girls receive some stuff from a shadow. It was very icy. Then we saw a man in a cape holding a girl in a sailor outfit, surrounded by other girls in different sailor uniforms. Everyone was crying. That was it." "That girl in the last image, the one being held, is very important in the future. The Stone of Hope is needed for her." "Wait a minute. Is she dying? What is going on, Cassandra?" The girl sighed. "I have told you too much already. Please, get the Stone. For the future's sake." Then she ran down the alley and disappeared. Serena watched, torn in deciding what to do. "I don't know why, but I will do it," she said. "For the future." Watching from the dark end of the alley, Cassandra murmured, "Thank you, Serena." * * * * * "I am going to do it," Serena announced, astonishing her friends. They were all gathered in the courtyard of the temple, enjoying the bright afternoon. No one had brought up the subject of the Stone. "What? Take the Stone from Molly?" Darien asked. Serena nodded. "Are you sure?" Mina asked. "If it looks like it will hurt Molly, I will give it back, just like a heart crystal." Everyone was further surprised that Serena had a back-up plan, of sorts. "So when are you going to do it?" Lita asked. "I want to be there to help out." "Me, too," Ami said, seconded by Rei and Mina. The cats nodded. "I will be there, too," Darien said after a moment. "I still don't feel right about this, though, Serena." "I must at least try," she said. "Cassandra stopped me on the way over here. She said that the Stone was for the girl in the last image of the sacred fire. You know, the one that the man was holding. She said that the girl was important to the future." "This just keeps getting weirder," Rei muttered. "And I guess you believe her?" "Yeah, Rei," Serena answered sincerely. "For some reason I do." "So when are you going to do it?" Lita asked again. "Tonight," Serena replied. "In the old park." "Good thinking," Artemis commented. "It should be pretty much deserted in the middle of the night." "Well, let's all go home. Each of us have some preparations for tonight," Darien said. Everyone nodded. Grabbing Serena's hand, Darien led Serena away from the group. * * * * * "Are you sure you want to do this?" Darien asked. The two were sitting in the same park bench where Serena had told Darien about Cassandra. "I don't want to," Serena admitted, "but I feel that I have to." "I just hope everything turns out for the best," he said, taking her hand. "I do, too." She paused, watching the sunlight reflect off the pond's surface. "I would never forgive myself if something happened to Molly, Darien. She's my friend. I don't want to hurt her." "That's why we will all be there." He gave her hand a reassuring squeeze. "To help out in anyway we can." "Oh, Darien, what if I am wrong?" she cried, throwing her arms around him. She began to sob, burying her face in his chest. He held her tight, stroking her hair, trying to provide some assurance that he himself did not feel. "It will turn out for the best," he said, kissing her forehead. He prayed that he was right.


Chapter 9: The Crucial Hour Jupiter's Gone