Chapter 3
As Serena calmed down, she got a look at the clock. “Oh, Mom, I have to get going.”
“Get going where Serena?” Ellen asked. “We have company.”
“Yeah, I know, I’m sorry, but….I umm, promised Raye I’d come over after school. She needs my help at the temple. And she’s gonna help me with my homework.” Serena thought up quickly. She figured the “homework” lie would clinch it.
Erik also followed the clock. “It’s alright, it’s getting late and I need to get going to the library to research. And my grandfather really should be taking his medication soon. Right Grandfather?”
Samuel nodded matter-of-factly. “Yes, actually. It was kind of you to have us over but it is time for us to be leaving. Erik, do you know the way to the library?”
Erik laughed nervously. “As a matter of fact, I don’t. Not to mention I have a terrible sense of direction. I get lost on my way to the bathroom.”
Ellen smiled. “Serena, why don’t you show him the way to the library, it’s on your way.”
“And I’ll go too. So you can find your way back when you’re done.” Reenie offered. “And I like going to the library. Can I go Auntie Ellen, please?”
Ellen laughed. “Alright Reenie. But you be careful and do as you’re told.”
Serena sighed, silently acquiescing to what already seemed to have been decided for her. “Okay come on guys. I’m already major late. Raye’s gonna kill me.”
The three of them set off together. Reenie had already latched onto Erik’s hand, leading him as exuberantly as the child she was.
“So, Erik, where did you guys move from?” Serena asked.
“Oh, we’re from Canada. My grandfather however, heard of many famous magicians here in Japan who took on apprentices. And I’ve always wanted to be a magician, so we moved here.” Erik replied. “I’ve been practicing magic since I was a little boy and I’m really good, but I need proper training.”
“Wow, that’s neat. I bet you’ll be an awesome magician someday.”
“And when I am, maybe you’ll be my cute little assistant.” he whispered gently.
Serena blushed deep. “Me? Your assistant, ha ha…ah!” she shouted as she hit something hard and firm in front of her and fell to her bottom. She looked up. “Good afternoon, Mr. Chiba.” she greeted harshly as she stood to her feet.
Darien gave her the strangest look, as though he really couldn’t figure out why she was suddenly being so cold to him. “Serena…” he looked up at the new man beside her. “Um…who is this?”
“To quote a man I USED to date, since when do I have tell you who all my friends are?” Serena fired, walking on with her nose pointed in the air.
Reenie grimaced. This wasn’t going to be pretty. “Uhhh, Erik, why don’t we go ahead the library. I don’t think we want to see this.”
Erik shot a smirk at the black-haired man but allowed the little rabbit to pull him along.
Immediately, Darien’s hands became fists and he caught up to Serena. “Serena, wait. All I asked was who he was.”
“And I don’t think it’s any of your business. After all, I’m a free woman now. Free to be friends with and date anyone I want.” Without another word, she continued on, leaving Darien standing there in shock.
Later…
“Serena, are you really sure you want to just give up on Darien?” Mina asked her for the fifth time. Though Ami and Lita supported her, Mina was a sucker for happy-endings and destiny. “I mean, he’s your prince.”
The five sat around Raye’s small table, cakes, chips, and other junk food piled before Serena. Clearly her friends thought she needed cheering up. They couldn’t be further from the truth really.
“Yes, Mina. All Darien has ever given me is heartache, I need someone who will treat me with respect.” she growled. “My only regret is that I didn’t do it sooner. If he doesn’t want me then who needs him. I may not be perfect, but I’m pretty, and fun to be around. I may not be super smart, heck, I might not be very smart at all. But he knew what he was getting when he met me. It’s his own loss. The only one I will apologize to is Raye.”
Raye looked up at her. “Me? Why?” she was confused.
“You liked him but you gave him up so we could be together. Now I’ve gone and made your gift worthless.”
“No way you didn’t.” Raye told her. “Darien did that himself. To think he could turn out to be such a crumb. Don’t worry, I’m on your side.”
It was Serena’s turn to be confused. “You are?”
“Yeah. Darien really crossed a line when he just broke up with you like that. You said it, he knew what he was getting when he met you. And you are smart Serena. We all love you just the way you are Serena.” Raye hugged her friend. “I may not say it enough and I may ride you a lot especially when you’re late or you get another failing grade, but it’s just because I care about you so much and I know you can do so much better.”
Serena looked down. “But…you never said that. It always seemed that you thought it was my fault he dumped me.”
“That’s because we knew you wouldn’t have heard us even we had told you Serena.” Raye replied. “You needed to learn it on your own. Darien doesn’t deserve you and the next time I see him, I’m going to give him a piece of my mind.”
Serena felt tears start to fall. “Oh Raye…” she returned her friend’s hug.
Meanwhile…
“So, Teenie Reenie, who was that guy?” Erik asked the little girl as they left the library with a bag of books. Reenie had been quite shocked, she thought only Ami liked to read that much.
“That was Darien.” she replied. “He and Serena used to date, but lately he’s been very mean to her. I mean, I wasn’t much nicer, but I have an excuse, I’m just a little kid.”
Erik frowned. “He’s been mean?” he parroted. “What do you mean by that?”
Reenie shrugged. “I don’t know. She always says how much she loves him and he used to say it back. Even though I would tease her about it, pretending I wanted him too, I knew he loved her and it was supposed to be nothing but teasing. But…one day, shortly after I arrived to stay with my Aunt and Uncle, he just stopped coming around her. And when she would run into him, he would just be so cold and mean.” She rubbed at her eyes. “Yesterday, he even brought another girl around her, acting like she was his new girlfriend. KNOWING it would hurt her. I used to think he would be a great daddy…that I wished he could be my daddy. Not boyfriend like I always told Serena. I was just teasing her. I really wished he could be like my daddy, since I haven’t seen in mine in a long time.” Tears came despite her best efforts to keep them away. “But if he’s gonna be that mean to Serena, someone who loves him so much, I don’t want to think of him that way anymore. He’s just a meanie!” Reenie wondered why she was telling Erik all this. She had just met him today. Why was she just spilling her guts, telling him things she had never even told Sailor Moon, heck that she had never told Serena herself.
Erik’s face became a darker scowl. “Now now, child.” Erik knelt down and wrapped her in his arms gently, rubbing her back as she cried. “It’ll be alright. From what we saw today, I can gather that she’s done playing games with him and is ready to move on now. She’ll be alright. Now let’s get you home, okay.”
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Later that evening, when Diamond returned to the home that he and the Wise Man had created for the purpose of their mission…
The wizened wizard appeared before him. “Prince Diamond. Our performance was certainly excellent. We practically have that family eating out of our hands.”
Diamond nodded. “I certainly have a distinct advantage over that pathetic human. I intend to receive her parents’ blessings for one thing. For another, it seems he has already been unduly cruel to her. He clearly doesn’t deserve her. I intend to see that he will never have another opportunity to hurt her again and I want him sufficiently punished.”
Wise Man’s eyes furrowed. From what he had seen in the future, the King was a good husband to the Queen. He had seen their past selves, with his magic, that they were already having trouble back in this time. He had attributed it to typical lovers’ spats and had chosen to latch onto and use it to their advantage. But apparently, things weren’t as peachy as he had thought. How would that effect his plans? “What shall we do to him Diamond? Is it to be hot oil or the rack?”
“Find out why he has been treating her this way and work with that.” Diamond answered. “He needs to know exactly what he has lost.” Oh yes, karma was good.
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AN: Sorry this chapter took so long, I had trouble with how I wanted it to continue. I intend to redeem Wise Man as well, simply because I can see the Wise Man as a grandfather type after sufficient time pretending to be one of the humans and Reenie becomes close to him as well as to Erik. I can picture Reenie expressing in an innocent child’s manner that she likes to pretend that he is her grandfather sometimes
