Chapter 131

It was the early morning, and Serena was dreaming.

She was stepping along a stone walkway, surrounded by various stone columns. Everything else surrounding it was a red and yellow vortex.

"This is kinda weird," she said.

"Isn't it?" a familiar voice said. Guardian Neptune turned from one of the columns. "This can be an interesting place. Allow me to be your guide."

"You? Why?"

"How would I know. It's your dream. Far be it for me to guess why you would pick me to represent the guide, it sounds almost to be a perfect example of stupidity. But what do I know..."

"Shut up," Serena said. "I want Darrien."

"He's um..busy.." Neptune said.

"Doing what?"

"She's onto us run!" Neptune said and dashed down the walkway. To Serena's shock a head of camels went racing by her following him.

"What was that?" she said.

"That was weird wasn't it?" came another familiar voice. She turned to see Guardian Pluto standing behind her.

"What are you doing here?" Serena snapped.

"Just passing through," he said and sauntered by her.

"Hey..wait..where are you going?" Serena asked.

Pluto didn't reply and disapeared in the distance. Serena sighed and started following.

A couple of figures formed in front of her. There stood Guardians Uranus and Saturn, fencing with each other with their swords.

"Why are these guys the only ones in my dreams?" Serena muttered.

"That's a good question," Haruka said popping up next to her.

"Where'd you come from?"

"This is a dream Serena, I can come from anywhere."

"So..what's your story?" Serena said.

"I don't know yet.." Haruka said.

Meanwhile Uranus and Saturn were continuing to spar.

"Your skill is admirable, even though it will not help you win the duel," Uranus said.

"That's what you think sir, but I assure you I shall win this duel and the hand of Lady Deveraux will be mine," Saturn said.

"Lady Deveraux?" Serena muttered.

To her shock a castle dropped out of the air right behind the two combatants on the road. Mina was standing on the balcony.

"What's she doing up there?" Serena muttered.

The two combatants stopped and bowed at Mina.

"Oh.you two...just finish your fight so I'll know who to marry," Mina said.

"Now this dream is just getting out of control," Serena said.

"I agree..what exactly are you thinking?" Haruka said.

"Who asked you?" Serena said.

"Hah! Victory is mine!" Guardian Uranus said.

"Aye it is," Guardian Saturn said. "But it is not the last you'll see of me."

"Well congratulations Uranus, you shall be my husband," Mina said before being pushed off the balcony. She fell several feet to the ground and hit with a thud. Seconds later she stood up and brushed herself off.

"Didn't see me coming did you?" Raye said from the balcony and started laughing. Only seconds later she went flying off the balcony too. Lita emerged.

"Heh heh.." she said.

"Haruka..are you following any of this?" Serena asked.

"I don't think that's humanly possible," Haruka said. Guardian Neptune went racing by seconds later followed by his herd of camels.

"Evening," Guardian Pluto said sauntering by, tipping a derby hat he had somehow found.

"Now what's that all about?" Serena snapped.

"Don't mind that, it's harmless," Michiru said appearing next to Haruka.

"It's so hard to tell you know," Serena said.

"Ahhh!" Lita said as she was thrown from the balcony. Everyone looked up to see Amy standing there.

"Um..sorry.." she said.

"This is all wrong!" came a semifamilar voice. Serena looked up. There sitting on top of a white Pegasus horse was Rini, in a very peculiar pink outfit that resembled a sailor scout uniform.

"Hey! What are you doing up there!" Serena shouted.

"I am Sailor Little Moon!" Rini shouted.

"You're what?" Serena snapped. "And what's with the horse?"

"He's the Pegasus, protector of our dreams," Sailor Little Moon said.

"That stupid pegasus!" Came a shout. Out of nowhere leapt Maverick who began firing his sword at the Pegasus. The pegasus's horn glowed and seconds later everything blew up.

Serena woke up in surprise.

"You okay Serena?" Luna asked.

"There are times I just don't know," Serena said.

"Bad dream?"

"You could call it that."

Later as the two walked along the street to school.

"See..when I have dreams like that it worries me," Serena said. "Because the dream makes a little bit of sense. My friends are all there, well most of them, and I can't help feeling they have some meaning."

"Well I don't know about that," Luna said. "It's not really known if....."

"Sure it is...remember the dreams Darrien used to have," Serena said. "Trying to keep me away from him."

"Yes, but.that was different."

"How do we know this isn't the same."

"Serena, you're dream couldn't have had a message," Luna said.

"I don't know...I think it might have."

"Fine, but I can't help you decipher it," Luna said.

"I'm not asking you to. I'm just saying there might be more to it then we think."

"It's probably just the stress of everything."

"Maybe," Serena said.

"Serena?"

"Yeah?"

"Aren't you late for school?"

"You just figured it out?"

"Yes."

"Well.."

"Well...what?"

"Well..so did I!" Serena said and raced down the street.

"I thought she had worked that out of her sytem," Luna muttered.

"Oh..look Serena isn't here," Miss Haruna said sarcastically. "Maybe something terrible has happened to here. She's always punctual."

"Hey..Miss H...do you like being sarcastic?" Mike asked.

"Why do you ask?"

"Because you're sarcastic so often I just thought..."

"Well..after so many years....maybe I do....enjoy it a little," Haruna said.

"That's good to hear," Mike said.

"Why is it good to hear?"

"I was being sarcastic," Mike said.

Haruna threw a book at him. He ducked it and it smashed into the back wall.

"That's good aim," Rick said.

The rest of the class nodded.

Serena pushed the door open and ran into the room.

"Sorry Miss H...." she said.

"Don't you have an excuse?" Haruna muttered.

"Why waste both of our time," Serena said.

"Uh..good point," Haruna said. "See you after school Serena."

"I'll be there," Serena muttered.

"Miss H. Do you want your book back?" Mike asked.

Haruna threw another book at him.

"I guess you could say she threw the book at..." Steve began. He was hit in the head with a book before he could finish.

"I threw that one..don't make bad jokes," Lita said.

"Uh..sorry," Steve said.

At Lunch.

"So...tell us about this dream you had Serena," Lita said.

"I don't think I should," Serena said. "I mean it's not easy to talk about."

"We can't help you unless you tell us what happened," Mina said.

"I just don't think it's wise," Serena said.

"You already told us you had it, now you're obligated to finish telling us," Raye said.

"Obligated? How?" Serena said.

"Tell us about the dream," Raye growled.

"Fine, fine," Serena said. "Here goes."

Minutes later.

The entire table was laughing there heads off.

"How does this help me?" Serena snapped.

"Uh...well at the moment it doesn't," Mike said and continued to laugh. "But it does bring up something," he said putting on a serious face. "Something I had not considered before...."

Everyone stopped laughing and looked at him.

"Yes..there may be some connection between her dream and real life. After all...I do have several camels living in my backyard!"

He then burst out laughing and the others did too.

"But you do?" Steve asked.

"Oh yeah.." Mike said.

"What?" everyone else said.

"Wait, those are dromedaries, you know one hump, not two," Mike said.

"Oh..right..sorry.." Mike said.

"You two are lying aren't you?" Lita asked.

"Sure we are," Mike said. "It's what we do."

"Actually though I have been looking into buying a derby hat," Steve said.

"Not for any of our dates I hope," Lita said.

"They're all the rage at football games."

"Actually though Serena, it's been theorized that the dreams symbolize various things, all you need to do is figure out what they stand for," Amy said.

"Well.it's not like that's simple," Serena said. "And what did that stupid pegasus have to do with anything?"

"That is a mystery I agree," Amy said.

"You haven't heard about the pegasus?" Lita asked.

"No," Serena said.

"I know about it," Mina said. "The legendary pegasus, who guards the dreams of people against evil."

"I've seen it," Raye said.

"Me too," Lita said.

"It's been there for me too," Mina said.

"I might have seen it...but..then again..we have so many dreams we don't remember," Amy said.

"Interesting subject..but if we saw it we're not about to admit it," Mike said.

"You got that right," Rick said.

"So..the pegasus was there..big whoop..what was Rini doing riding it?" Serena asked.

"Rini..the kid from the future right?" Steve asked.

"Yeah," Lita said. "Serena and Darrien's kid from the future."

"How exactly does that work?" Rick asked.

"We have no idea," the five girls said.

"But that's unimportant at the moment," Serena said. "You guys still haven't told me why I should really care that a pegasus is flying around in my dreams."

"It's a good sign I think," Lita said.

"It's no more than a legend," Raye said. "We don't have much to go on."

"But if you have the pegasus in your dreams it means your in good shape," Mina said. "In some way."

"They say the pegasus only goes to the beautiful dreams of people, the people the dream with hope," Lita said.

"I guess I do that," Serena said. "Last night was not beautiful."

"Heh heh...so there's this all powerful protector of beautiful dreams running around inside Serena, and leave it to Maverick to go and attack it.." Mike said. The guys all started laughing.

"Seeing the pegasus could mean that your other dreams are beautiful," Mina said.

"It could be trying to tell you to keep up hope," Raye said.

"There is another possibility," Rick said.

Everyone looked at him.

"The possibility is that all of you are just making more of a fairy tale then should be made. Legends about dreams...that has got to be the most abstract of concepts in existence," Rick said. "You girls shouldn't waste your time with it."

"To us it means something," Raye said. "You might not understand, but there are people that do."

"Rick, you of all people should know that pure fact is not always the only thing that exists," Lita said.

"Most legends have a basis in reality, or at least a reason to begin," Mina said.

"They're right, you can choose to accpt or not, but don't try and destroy others beliefs," Serena said.

"Hey..I'm sorry..it just worries me when you girls talk about this dream pegasus. It could be there..but then it might not be..after all if you know the legend, then you could just have it appear in your dreams by thinking about it," Rick said.

"Maybe Rick, that's the point," Raye said. "Maybe that's all it is, but then is the legend wrong?"

"Never mind, I don't want to start an argument over this," Rick said.

"But I had never heard of this legend before," Serena said. "So the pegasus that showed up..must have been different or something."

"I can't believe their talking about this," Mike whispered.

"In depth discussion about nothing," Steve said.

"I know...but if they like to talk about it we let them," Rick said. "Besides, we've got plenty to talk about right?"

"Well..no.." Mike said.

"Yeah..it's been a slow day," Steve said.

"Hmm..then we're in a rut then," Rick said.

"Guess so," Mike said.

"This is what I don't understand about you Serena," Miss Haruna said. "You're in and out. Some weeks your here early every day, only to spend the next week late every day. Why all this inconsistency, or rather consistency of inconsistency."

"I lost you after the first inconsistency..." Serena said.

"Ehh...listen..don't you have an alarm clock."

"It works yes, but sometimes it just doesn't do what it's supposed to. See sometimes I'm just too asleep. Then my cat wakes me up sometimes, but not enough, she sleeps in too," Serena said.

"I see...so sometimes you just are too asleep. Why? You don't do anything?"

"You forget Miss H..my part time job."

"Oh that part time job..but aside from that you don't do anything else."

"Sure I do...just usually nothing productive," Serena said.

"Well that's a fair assesment."

"Besides I like to sleep. It's just the way I am."

"Can't you try a little harder."

"I think I'm trapped in a cycle or something, I'll be late for everything for the rest of my life."

"So you've given up."

"Sure, of course I don't give up on everything, I'm usually very optimistic."

"I've noticed, yet you can't show any optimism about yourself?"

"I have plenty of optimism about myself, the hope that despite being lazy, late to everything, and a massive eater of sweets, that I will be successful and be married to my true love Darrien."

"You have a true love already?" Haruna asked.

"Yeah."

"I give it two years, men just don't like to hang around the same women. They're jerks you know," Haruna said.

"Well in this case Miss H, I have to disagree. Not all of them are jerks. But then again, I'm only a high school girl, but to yell the truth, me and Darrien are united by destiny."

"Are you now?" Haruna said skeptically.

"Yes it's complex, but we know that we're perfect for each other," Serena said.

"That could change, don't forget that," Haruna said.

"Miss H, I really hope you find someone," Serena said.

"Why?"

"Because you deserve someone."

"Oh..well..thank you.." Haruna said. "Can I ask you something on a different note?"

"Sure"

"Just how do you all this that you do..you know with your part time job..how are all of you actually capable of winning a battle?"

"Miss H? Well..it's not easy to explain. We make up for a relative lack of skill and stability with sheer power."

"But Serena..you're the all powerful you know what that everyone talks about. Just how do you do it? I mean..you're Serena."

"When I'm in battles that the fate of the planet rests on, I gain the strength to do whatever's necessary. See..my schoolwork, getting an A on a paper won't save the world, if it did I'd certainly try."

"If the world's safety was based on your grades we'd be in massive trouble," Haruna said with a slight grin.

"Probably," Serena said. "I don't understand it yet, it's kind of a hidden personality that I carry around with me, say..Miss H..do you like being sarcastic? You do it so much."

"So I've been told," Miss H said. "Okay..here's another question..Mike's part of your group.."

"Yeah.."

"Is ever the least bit useful?"

"Well..not really.."

"I thought so...ahh." Haruna said and fell to the ground.

"Everytime says ahh...I know it's trouble," Serena muttered and stood away from the doors and crouched under the window.

"Celestial Moon Power!" she said and hoped no one heard her. Then she transformed. Seconds later Haruna emerged from her desk wearing a scantily glad outfit, having blue-green skin and wearing a flower on her lapel.

"That doesn't leave much to the imagination does it?" Sailor Moon said.

"Guess not," Haruna said.

"You know Miss H..we really have to stop fighting, you're just turned into an evil monster too much nowadays."

"Not much I can do about that," Miss H said and fired an energy blast at Sailor Moon who stepped out of the way she moved towards the door.

"No!" Haruna shouted and launched another attack. Sailor Moon vaulted off a desk and jumped to the other side of the classroom.

I'll just jump out the window she thought.

Miss Haruna moved with amazing speed and bounced off a desk. Sailor Moon didn't see it coming till it was too late. The two smashed into each other and went crashing through the closed window breaking it to pieces. They both fell downward. Sailor Moon kicked herself free of Haruna and flipped over awkwardly in mid air and braced for impact. It hurt slightly as she hit. Haruna landed several feet away.

Sailor Moon winced.

"Did that hurt?" Haruna asked.

"Not a bit," Sailor Moon said. "Moon Sword."

"Ooo... a sword.." Haruna said. "Well...I have one too."

"Where?" Sailor Moon said.

Haruna's arm turned into a sword.

"I've seen that before.." Sailor Moon said.

"It's astandard issue," Haruna said.

"Oh.." Sailor Moon said. Haruna charged at her. Sailor Moon leapt into the air and avoided the attack, she landed several feet away and winced after she hit.

I can't do that again. The injuries made even simple jumps painful. She thought. Haruna whirled and ran at her. Sailor Moon met her attack with her own sword and tried to push Haruna's thrust away. Her knees buckled and she fell to the ground. Haruna fell awkwardly towards her and grazed her right arm. Sailor Moon grabbed Haruna and pushed her aside. Then she rolled away, Haruna fired rapidly at her and Sailor Moon had to scramble out of the way of the attack. Her legs were really hurting by now.

"Moon Tiara Magic!" she shouted pulling her tiara off. It hit Haruna who was just standing up and threw her back into a fence. Haruna began to stagger up.

"Moon Crystal Healing Power!" Sailor Moon shouted.

"Not good enough," Haruna said and leapt forward. Sailor Moon screamed in shock.

A rose smashed into Haruna and knocked her off the attack. She skidded to the ground.

Tuxedo Mask stood on a nearby lamp post.

"You okay Sailor Moon?"

"We'll see.." Sailor Moon said as Haruna began to stand again. "Moon Spiral Hearts Attack!" she shouted Haruna was blasted back across the school yard.

"If that didn't do it.." Sailor Moon said. "Moon Crystal Healing Power!" she shouted. Haruna began to heal. Tuxedo Mask leapt down beside her.

"Nice to see you," Sailor Moon said.

"Well..I was in the area," Tuxedo Mask said.

"Guess that was lucky," Sailor Moon said.

"How many times have you fought her anyway?"

"Too many times, trust me," Sailor Moon said.

"I don't doubt it," Tuxedo Mask said.

"I'm so glad you came to save me. I was getting worried that maybe you just didn't care."

"You know that's not true, but when I can sense you're in trouble seven miles away..well..sometimes it isn't so simple."

"I know, it's still nice."

Haruna began to stand up.

"You can go home now Serena," Haruna said.