Just a little scene I wrote today while feeling inspired. It's a bit of an AU.
Round blue eyes settled on a portrait of a man and woman dancing underneath the silver rays of the full moon in the sky. A prince and princess. A smile crossing the young woman's lips as she looked to the nameplate by the picture, Yumemi Yumeno being engraved on the plate.
“Senera.”
The blond blinked blankly as the sound of footsteps could be heard approaching her position at the gallery. She turned her head to see a woman dressed in a purple business suit, long red hair tied up in a single bun and fiery red eyes that burned as brightly as flames in a fireplace. Earrings made of beryl hanging from her ears. Next to the woman was a taller, dark-skinned male with eyes as blue as the sky and luscious, long white hair that went down past his shoulders to the middle of his back. The woman casually approached Serena, carrying with her a sense of familiarity as the blond did her best to recall... Wherever the redhead knew her from.
“You haven't aged a day,” stated the woman. “Then again, what is time to creatures like us?”
The woman finally came to a stop in front of Serena, the other stranger who the blond could only figure was the woman's bodyguard staying close by her side as she engaged Serena in conversation. Serena was starting to regret coming here alone, but decided there was no reason to be rude and asked the obvious question first:
“Do I know you?”
“I'm hurt,” replied the woman, looking over her reflection best she could in the nameplate on the wall as she continued, “Have I changed so much that you're unable to recognize me?”
It was at this moment that Serena took another look at the man, a good hard look. Examining every feature as best one could without coming across as creepy when it suddenly hit her like a bag of bricks, flashes of the battle against Kunzite replaying themselves in her head as her eyes widened and she gasped, “Kunzi–!” only to be interrupted by the redhead holding her finger up to Serena's lips to shush her, three-inched nails and all.
“Shh! We wouldn't want people thinking you were crazy, now would we? Lord's only know what they're thinking with that hairstyle of yours.”
The redhead removed her finger from Serena's lips and the blond only looked even more confused at the woman's comment.
“What's wrong with my hairstyle?”
“Nothing, if you're a rabbit...”
Serena tucked her hand inside her jacket, searching for the transformation pen that resided inside it as once again the redhead spoke up in criticism, “Are you really going to transform right here in front of everyone?” Causing Serena to stop her movement and rethink her actions. “I thought you were smarter than that,” added the woman.
“Who are you?”
“You really don't remember me?” The woman chuckled, clearly finding the thought to be humorous. “Very well. I am Queen Beryl, leader of the Dark Kingdom. You've already met my associate. As well as the others.”
“How did you know where to find me?”
“There are ways,” answered Beryl as she held up the small crystal ball that hung at the end of her necklace.
“What does a necklace have to do with it?” asked Serena.
Beryl gave Serena an irritable look and then tucked the crystal ball back underneath her shirt. “I should have known it'd go over your head.”
“What do you want with me?”
“I want what you stole.”
“Stole? What are you talking about?”
“Why don't you ask your precious little kitten for the full story?”
“Luna?”
“Do you know another talking cat in the world?”
“Sorta. They just joined the group we haven't gotten a chance to really be acquainted...”
Beryl and Kunzite shared an equal look of surprise and annoyance at just how thick Serena was proving to be as she quickly realized what she was saying and stopped herself.
“You've changed,” stated Beryl, turning to face the portrait on the wall. “You never was the brightest tool in the shed, but you weren't necessarily lacking in intellect either. Has American life really downgraded you so much?”
“Hey!”
“You stole everything from me. You single-handedly caused an entire war between earth and the moon, I do hope you know that.”
“I don't believe you!”
“Of course you wouldn't,” began Beryl, turning back to look Serena in the eye, “since when has an American taken responsibility for anything?”
“I'm not the one stealing people energy!”
“I never said I was the hero of the story, just the protagonist.”
“What?”
“Do give Darien my regards.”
“What does he have to do with anything?”
“The fact you have to ask that shows you don't know anything.”
Beryl and Kunzite turned their backs on the guardian of the moon and began walking away, Beryl stopping again for one brief moment to turn her head and say, “See you later, Serenity,” before resuming her walk with Kunzite.
“Serenity?” repeated Serena.
Unnerved by this entire encounter, Serena ran off in the opposite direction to meet up with the others.