The End of the Sailor Soliders
This is the first chapter of the fan fiction series, The End of the
Sailor Soliders, entitled "School's Out". Though it is not my first
attempt at writing fan fiction, it is my first attempt in posting any
of my work on the Net for others to read. A note, I did change the
name of the highschool where the Scouts attend to something in English.
I did change a little history, all right? I respect the Japanese
version very VERY much, but wanted to change the name because it
didn't fit in really with the English names and such. I use
everyone's Japanese last names except for Amy's, which is Anderson.
This story takes place after Sailor Stars, when the Sailors graduate.
Darien is in the United States, Reenie is in the future, the
Starlights are off in their own galaxy, and the Outers, (Haruka,
Michiru, and Hotaru) are in France. Setsuna is in at the Time Gate.
Everyone else is still where they have always been. Any constructive
comments are welcome, e-mail SlrUnico@aol.com! Enjoy!
~o~O~o~O~o~O~o~O~o~O~o~O~o~O~o~O~o~
Serena ran down the halls with the rest of the students at
Lakeside High School. "Whoo hoo! School is OVER!" she shouted. A
large plastic bag slapped at her side, carrying the junk from her desks
and locker. Over her shoulder was her book bag, full of even more
papers and books. One thought was running through her mind. No more
school EVER! It was really so relieving and exciting to actually be
able to think that, after so long. School wasn't just over for the
summer for her and her friends. It was over for good. Serena didn't
bother to think about college, which she would be attending the next
year. Right now her mind was on graduation and parties, parties, and
MORE parties!
Panting for air, the blond haired girl stopped as she felt a hand
on her shoulder. "Serena!" said a voice with a laugh.
Serena turned and promptly fell backwards with surprise. Luckily
she landed on a bench. "Oh! Lita! Amy! Mina!"
Her three friends were giggling next to her. Lita, who had caught
her shoulder, laughed the hardest. "Oh Serena, I was telling myself
the moment the bell rang, 'I bet she's running down that hall with the
other eager for summer kids like a bat out of hell.' And from the way
you're gasping for air, I'd say I was right."
Serena nodded. "Yeah, but not just for the summer this time Lita,
for the rest of our lives! No more pencils no more books, no more
teacher's dirty looks."
Amy shook her head. "You're forgetting, Serena, now we have term
papers and dormitories to look forward to."
"And professors' dirty looks," added Mina with a grin.
Serena stared at them blankly. "Amy, what do you think you're
doing bringing up all of that now. What are you talking about anyway?"
Amy looked in shock at Serena. "We have college, next year."
Serena sighed. "Yeah yeah yeah. Whatever."
"It's true. But don't let THAT spoil your summer, just have fun."
Serena smiled again. "I will, don't worry."
Lita smiled too. "Who are you three bringing to the dance? I'm
bringing Ken."
Amy blushed. "Greg wrote in his last letter that he would be
traveling back to Tokyo to come and see me, and to take me to the
dance."
Mina smiled eagerly. "Toby Maskkio asked me!"
Lita looked to her with disbelief. "The hunky linebacker for the
American football team? Wow!"
Serena looked away. Amy touched her arm. "Serena? What is it?"
She looked back at them, her blue eyes filled with tears. "I
don't have a date."
"That's impossible!" exclaimed Mina. "Why, you're so beautiful,
I'm sure lots of boys have been asking you to go with them."
"But I'm also a klutzy cry baby. It seems like everyone has a guy
except me. I don't belong to anybody."
"Sure you do," Lita broke in. "You have Darien!"
Mina stomped on Lita's foot, but it was too late. A tear rolled
down Serena's cheek. They all got quiet. Darien was in the United
States, at college. Their circle of friends knew that she had asked
him to come, but that he had a major final on that day, and couldn't
make it. Serena disclosed the fact that she thought he had another
girlfriend, though they had attempted to talk her out of the very idea.
Raye used physical means as always, threatening to literally knock some
sense into her. She had come very close, but Lita had stopped the
fiery Shinto maiden in the act.
Serena had held onto the dream that if an enemy ever emerged again
Darien would return and, sensing the danger she was constantly in, stay
for good. But there had not been another enemy since Galaxia and her
henchmen. After that, though Darien stayed in Tokyo for awhile to see
her through the mental aftermath, (and, Raye sneakily suggested, to
make sure Seiya, who had also been in love with Serena, was truly gone
for good) he later went back to America.
The danger Galaxia had brought slowly died away as she was healed,
and the Scouts had not had any battles at all to fight afterwards.
Eventually even the Outers, Michiru, Haurka, and Hotaru moved far away,
to France, to further Michiru's career as a violinist and so that
Haruka could train to compete in the Grand Prix. Setsuna would forever
guard the Time Gate, out of reach unless she chose to visit. It had
been sad to see the family go, but they survived. Haruka had a few
moments alone with Serena...and what they said remained private outside
of them. But the others imagined it had to do with Darien and being
destined to be the Princess. Haurka had always been soft toward Serena
more than the other Outers, and had felt a strong kinship toward the
smaller girl.
Reenie had gone back to the future too, and the Scouts knew the
only time they would ever see her again was a century ahead of them.
But the Inners, the original Scouts, Serena, Mina, Raye, Amy, and
Lita, were as close as ever, united for always. And that was the way
they were certain it would be for a long time.
Serena began to cry openly. "No I don't have Darien!" she sobbed.
"He's gone, maybe for good!"
"But you know you'll be together eventually," pressed Lita. "I
mean, look at Reenie, she is the result of that."
Serena sniffled. "How can I, she's not here! The future isn't
decided for us, I learned that much as a Sailor Scout. We make the
future. And we can change what we think will automatically be, with
only one word. For all we know the things in the future no longer
exist. Reenie doesn't, and Darien and I..." she trailed off.
The other girls grew quiet. It was not often they heard Serena
speak so intelligently about matters such as this. But times like
these were regarded as further proof that she wasn't always the ditz
they could make her out to be.
Mina was the first to make the move, bending down and hugging
Serena tightly. "I promise," Mina whispered, "no matter what, he loves
you. And we do too. We'll always be together. If you don't have
faith in that, Serena, then nothing else is worth believing in.
Nothing else will be true. Remember that and have faith."
Amy and Lita bent too, encasing their two blonde friends into a
group hug. When they drew away, Serena's tears had gone and a smile
graced her pink lips. She nodded in agreement to the words they had
silently uttered, their pact.
An onlooker then would have watched the four girls merrily trot
on their way home, the blonde one with the odangos on her head almost
tripping, inticing laughter from the other three. And he would have
been filled with overwhelming glow and light that radiated from their
group. For it was as warm as a spring day, and as comforting as a
soft voice singing a song in the night.
~o~O~o~O~o~O~o~O~o~O~o~O~o~O~o~O~o~
That afternoon was the graduation at Raye's Catholic all girls private
school, and Serena and her friends were in attendence, seated beside
Raye's grandfather and the temple attendant, (also one of her admirers)
Chad. There were a few embarrassing moments, such as when Raye was
acknowledged for her work in the drama club and choir, and Serena, Chad
and Granpa hooted and hollered, drawing sewatdrops from the people in
the audience. Raye took it in stride however and blew a kiss to her
private fan club once leaving the stage, which Chad made a show of
"catching" in his palm. Only then did Raye blush furiously.
But all 6 of her friends and family cheered the loudest when her
name was called and she received her diploma. The rest of the audience
laughed and clapped politely, in recognition of the loud group's
concern for the dark haired beauty.
When Serena finally made it home, she remembered that she then
had her own graduation and the dance to prepare for. It was going to
be a long night, she was sure.
Her preparation was nervous, and only Luna was allowed into her
room the few hours before the ceremony at school. The wise black cat
looked with favor at Serena, recalling fondly the day they had met in
the alleyway, and sadly realizing that the night would also bring a
very sad event that even Serena did not see coming, but that Luna knew
would arrive.
Serena changed into her white dress - all of the girls were made
to wear that color to the ceremony and to the dance, though the style
was of their choice. Hers was a stunning reproduction of the gown she
had worn as Princess Serena. Of course her mother, who had arranged to
have the gown fashioned, didn't know where Serena had gotten the design
though she told her it was breathtaking. The neckline was semi modest,
but was a little low cut. Serena had decided to leave the gold circles
that would normally grace the top off, for the sake of maintaining the
solid white dress rule if nothing else.
The rest of the dress was such a pure white it was unbelievable,
not many gowns were made with such a color. The purity astounded the
dressmaker when Serena picked out the fabric, asking how she got the
notion that it would look as they both knew it would on her- beautiful.
Serena cocked her head and maintained a ditzy schoolgirl giggle,
answering that she had no idea what he was talking about and that she
had never seen the actual dress off paper before in her life.
The gown flowed like water down to her toes, which were covered
like the rest of her feet in white Morocco dancing slippers. The
bodice met the waist with a curving line of white pearls rather than
the gold beads on the princess original. The bottom had two layers,
one slightly peeking out beneath the other at the base. A long white
ribbon tied in back, complementing the gown with subtlety.
Serena dressed herself in it fully, added a little makeup, and
stepped back to get Luna's opinion. The cat smiled and a tear came to
her eye. "My Serena, you look grown up, just like a princess in that
dress...it's breathtaking."
"Thanks, Luna," she said, spinning to look herself in the mirror.
Her reflection frowned. "But it's missing something...I don't know...
AH HA!" Hurridly Serena dove into her jewelry box and dug out two
pins lined with pearls, and stuck them in her hair on each side.
Then she took a simple gold beaded bracelet out of the smallest
compartment of the box and clipped it on her wrist. Luna felt a pang
in her heart as Serena flicked her hand to make the beads jiggle,
remembering that day in her past life as she watched the Moon
Princess' form float away in the sky, her limp arm displaying the
elegant piece of jewelry...her tears falling down to Earth in bead
sized drops like those of the bracelet....
Luna shook her head. All that is finished...don't let the past
trouble you. She looked over at Serena and opened her mouth to remind
her to hold the dress in her hand as she walked, away from the floor
where she might trip on it, when she noticed that Serena had moved
over to her night stand and was looking at a framed picture dug from
amid the clutter. The cat stepped closer and saw that the photo was of
Serena and Darien laughing for the camera. Luna felt sad for the
blonde then, because she knew her heart was hurting that he could not
see her graduate.
A tear rolled down Serena's cheek, and her heart beat slower as
she examined Darien's cocky but loving face, so mature and distant
sometimes...She cried out loud, "Darien, oh I wish you were here!"
Her form crumpled to the floor and sobbed bitterly and quietly as Luna
watched, immobile.
He doesn't care, one part of Serena's mind screamed, no matter
what the others say, or else he would call...or something, just to say
he wished me luck, and that he loved me. He must have found someone
else! How can I be strong? Oh, someone give me the strength to see
this through!
There was then a knock at the door, and for a fleeting instant she
thought it might be Darien, here to see her after all. But then it
opened and Serena's mother stood where she had hoped Darien might be,
decked out in a formal dress. "Dear?" she asked, "are you all right?"
Serena's tears were gone as if they had disappeared instantly,
and she stood. "Of course, I was just looking for my bracelet..." she
held up her wrist. "I found it."
Luna held her breath as Mrs. Tuskino nodded. "Okay, if you're
sure, we're ready to go, meet us out in the car when you're ready."
Serena nodded eagerly and the smile once again graced her lips.
"I'll meet you soon...I'm so nervous!"
"I know darling. I'm happy for you."
The door shut with a click and owner and cat waited in silence
as they heard a pair of women's feet descend down the stairs. Then
Serena stood. Her head was held high and her tears remained gone,
though they had left her eyes brighter than normal, and her cheeks
flushed. She turned to Luna. "I wish you could come see!" she
exclaimed, not a trace of sadness in her voice. "I know you'll want
solid proof that I, the failing klutzoid, managed to pass high school,
but you'll have to settle for the diploma when I bring it home
tonight."
Luna hesitated, caught between asking Serena if she was really all
right, and pretending the scene had never happened. The latter won
out. "Of course I wish I could go too, and I'm sure Artemis does as
well. Make sure to tell me all about it."
Serena nodded and with a little wave, flounced out the door,
closing it behind her. Luna settled down on the bed for a nap when a
sudden crash at the bottom of the stairs startled her. A scream that
sounded very much like, "Don't even SAY it, Luna!!!!" wavered up to
her right before the front door closed with a slam.
The cat smiled and sighed. "Some things will never change."
Stay tuned for chapter two, "Graduation Tears," where the girls
finally graduate! Mina pays tribute to three very special people...
and Serena recieves a shock while accepting her diploma!
e-mail Ali at SlrUnico@aol.com for comments!
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