"Each Other For The Day" Part 2 Rated: PG Disclaimer: I'm not Sailormoon, nor is my name Serena--but I am short and blond, hey, 2 out of 4 ain't bad ne? Hmmm? It is? Sigh. AN's: Wow! I'm so surprised at all the e-mail I got about his old story that's been rotting away on my computer for ages! I wasn't going to do the whole "what if they had to fight as each other" thing but then I thought'd be funny so here it is! ;) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~%~~~~~~~~~~~~~~@ Serena came staggering out of the room wide-eyed. "What's that noise?" Darien muttered, rummaging till he found the communicator. "Hey, what's this?" Serena snatched it, "Uh, er, nothing...that is...oh nooooooo!" The communicator kept beeping oblivious to her plight till Darien snatched it back and managed to flip it open. Rei was on and--seeing Serena's face--never knew the difference. "Meatballhead! Hurry up! There's a Youma in the park! It's shooting slime! Mars out!" Darien stared at it for some minutes after it went dark, while Serena stood by tensely. He was a long moment in putting it together, staring at the communicator and then pulling up her brooch from her blouse incredulously. "Are you...??" He breathed and she nodded numbly. "I'm sorry Darien, but-I have to go! I'm the only one that can finish it off!" He shook his head, "Never in a thousand years..." He was muttering. She shook his shoulders, "Darien, you have to transform and be me! Here, take the brooch and yell 'Moon Crystal Power'!" Unfortunately, yelling this actually activated the brooch since it recognized who was saying it and a bright light encompassed them both transforming *Darien* into Sailormoon. He stood in shock looking down at himself and then shot up in time to see his transformation prompt hers...into Tuxedo Mask. "Ahhh!" She moaned clutching her head suddenly, "Darien...owwwww...." And then in a burst of light she was Tuxedo Mask. She stared down at her outfit and gingerly touched the mask. "Oh Gods..." She gasped, "I don't believe it!" They stared at each other, "You....." they said together. Then Darien shook his head, "Well, anyway, we have to go fight! Come on!" And they jumped out the window and into the night, hurrying to the park. "Hang back till the last minute." Darien said, pushing her back, "Use surprise to your advantage." "Wh-at?" She cried, "B-but--" "Serena, I don't have a lot of powers like you guys do, I have to wait till the last second to be effective! Just jump in if I get in trouble!" She nodded and perched in a nearby tree, "Don't screw up!" She hissed as he jumped in to make an entrance. "How dare you destroy this beautiful park! In the name of the moon, I'll punish you!" But to the surprise of scouts and Youma, *Sailormoon* proceeded to snicker a bit. *Tuxedo Mask* in a nearby tree, narrowed his eyes and muttered something inaudible.... "About time!" Rei growled, blasting the youma with fire as the others shot their own powers. Amy scanned it for weaknesses, "In the forehead! Get it in the forehead!" She shouted as it shot slime in all directions. Darien made a grab for Serena's tiara and tried to remember what she always yelled, "Moon tiara....magic?" then he tried to aim for the Youma's forehead. But the Youma absorbed the blow and charged him. Darien swallowed hard, he always accused Sailormoon of being wimpy in the face of these, but they looked pretty menacing from the ground! He moved to jump out of the way but it slimed him in place. "Ahh! A little help someone?!" He cried and looked up to Serena in the tree. She was searching madly through his pockets for roses. "Where do you keep them?" She cried desperately. "Never mind, just help me!!!" The scouts noted this exchange with puzzled expressions. Serena nodded and jumped down to grab him slipping in the slime and failing utterly. She looked up to see the Youma charging and only had time shove Darien out of the way. "NO!" Darien cried as she became stuck in the slime. She was still trying to find a rose. And at the last second she realized he conjured them--she didn't know how, but she did and flung one right into his forehead, throwing him back. Darien stared shocked and shaken. Watching his own body come close to death had been utterly horrifying. A smack to the arm from Rei brought him out of this state, "Anytime Meatballhead!" He held up the wand shakily, "Uh...Moon...healing?....uhh...oh! ACTIVATION!" BLAST! The wand shot light into the youma, but not silver light, green light. The Scouts watched with puzzlement. But the Youma was dusted all the same, while *Tuxedo Mask* knelt gasping in sticky slime and *Sailormoon* stood with odd posture, trembling with the wand. Darien fell to his knees, exhausted. Did it always leave Serena so drained to use this wand? He thought of how much slower she moved after the battles they fought, and how he always lectured her. He cringed with guilt. Slowly he pulled himself up to the Scouts watching *Tuxedo Mask* with interest as *he* tried vainly to free himself from the slime but could not. "Ohhhh! Stupid slime!" his voice cried out and he winced. Serena was just ruining his image. "Stop struggling!" He called out, walking over to her and trying to pull her up. Finally Darien lost patience as Serena kept making him sound girlier and girlier and growled out, "Oh Kami-sama that's enough!" and with one swoop scooped her up and flew off into the night. Of course what the *scouts* saw was Sailormoon pick up Tuxedo Mask and fly off into the night with him in her arms. (AN: can you IMAGINE! heh heh heh) They all became very pale and silent. "Did everyone else see that too?" Jupiter asked white lipped. Ami pulled down her scanner to confirm, "Yes..." she said with disbelief. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~&~~~~~~~~~@ Darien flew through his window and gently deposited Serena before falling to his knees, exhausted. Serena hurried to him and caught him in her arms, "Hey-y, are you alright?" She asked gently. He looked up into her eyes, "Are you always this tired after you use the wand?" She nodded smiling, "You get used to it." The she pulled one of her Meatballs playfully, "You did pretty good, Sailormoon!" "You too, Tuxedo Mask--except for that voice at the end....you've ruined my image." She giggled in response and he rolled his eyes. Then she reached down and squeezed her brooch so that he detransformed back into *Serena* with pajamas. She caught him again as he fell forward with the energy loss. "Gods..." He breathed, admiring her for enduring it all. He watched the Tuxedo Mask transformation ebb away on Serena and smiled almost tenderly at her. She smiled back but then touched her head gingerly, "Does your head always hurt like that when I transform?" He nodded, "Worse when you're in danger." "And you always come, and hold back till the last moment, to protect me?" "That's what I do...I protect you." And impulsively, she caught him up in a hug. He smiled and hugged her back, awkwardly since he was hugging himself in some respects. She pulled back, "Do you think our switching bodies has something to do with our secret identities?" "Maybe." He shrugged, pulling her to the couch and getting a first aid kit. They absently tended to one another's cuts and scrapes, deep in thought. Darien was still exhausted from using the wand and began to drift off in Serena's arms. She smiled down at well, herself! "Finally I got to protect you for a change." She whispered. He stirred restlessly, "I'll always protect you Serena....I promise..." And then he was asleep. He'd never been more certain that his role really was to protect her. He'd been so caught up in finding the crystal he'd forgotten obvious signs like the pain when she was in danger, and always knowning how to find her. Now it made sense that he smashed into her all the time. They were drawn...... Serena leaned back on the couch in Darien's long frame and pulled *herself* into her arms to sleep. She felt an odd tenderness looking after Darien. It was a heavy burden to shoulder protecting someone, she'd seen that first hand today. She was relieved to find he was Tuxedo Mask....that certainly explained a few things. And it was somehow, a huge relief and "right" to her that he was her protector and not an enemy. Why this was she fell asleep trying to answer. Darien dreamt once again of his Princess, gazing up at her on a balcony, surrounded by mist. "Princess!" He cried trying to reach her. Serena found herself on a balcony, looking down at a frantic young man in armor. ~This dream...I haven't had this since I first became Sailormoon...~ She thought. "Endymion!" She cried before thinking, remembering suddenly. "Who are you?" The young Prince called, trying valiently to climb the balcony. She smiled and climbed down instead to meet him. But as she approached him her eyes widened with shock. She knew that face! "Darien! What are *you* doing in my dream? You're not Endymion!" "Serena?!" He asked after a moment of shock. She frowned, "Uh yeahh...why would you--" She chanced to look down at herself then and gasped, "Oh Gods.." White gown, SILVER hair??!! "Huh?!" She cried. He stepped closer though and took her by the shoulders, "It's been you I've been dreaming of all along?" She stopped short and stared at his earnest blue eyes, begging her silently for answers. "You called me Endymion, is that my name?" "I-I don't know..." He shut his eyes in frustration, "Serena, I can't remember anything about my past. I lost my parents when I was six and my memories of them too. I have this dream every night. You stand on that balcony just out of reach and beg me to bring you the silver imperium crystal." "Is that why you're searching for it?" She asked incredulously. "Yes!" She shook her head. He wasn't the enemy, he was just searching for the truth about himself. "I wish I could give you answers." She replied, "I only had this dream once when I first became Sailormoon." "You must be the Princess." He said quietly, "That's why I protect you? Maybe this is who we were...a long time ago?" She nodded thoughtfully, then stopped short, "The Scouts and I are searching for a Princess. The Moon Princess, our leader, she's supposed to have the crystal and we protect her." "You have a crescent moon on your forehead." He said, touching it gently. Her eyes widened, "WHAT?! You don't think it could be *ME* do you?!" He nodded. "Oh noooooo! Why me? I'll make a TERRIBlE princess, just like I make a terrible scout and a terrible leader...." "That's not true." He said suddenly, "You're not terrible at any of those things. It has to be you! It can be no one else!" She looked up at him gently, "Why? I would've thought you of all people would wish it was someone else..." He shook his head, "I wouldn't have it any other way..." She blushed a pretty pink then and he drew her close and kissed her impulsively. But as they kissed everything rushed him in a flash--memory, emotion....he fell to his knees. "Darien! Darien!" Serena cried falling to her knees beside him, "What's wrong?" ~Endymion, don't leave me!~ "Sere--Serenity..." He managed before slipping into unconsciousness. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~&~~~~~~~~~~@ When Darien and Serena awoke together the next morning, it was Serena who shot up first, still panicked about Darien passing out. "Darien! Darien!" She was crying out before she realized. Darien sat up himself, drowsily mumbling, "Wha? Whasamatter?" Then they froze, staring at one another. They were back in their own bodies. Serena smiled slowly, "We're....we're..." He grinned, "Thank GODS!" Serena launched herself into his arms, "I'm so glad! No offense to you or anything!" "None taken!" Then he pulled back slowly and brushed her hair back tenderly, "Hey." He said softly. "Hmm? What is it?" She asked wide eyed, "Is there something on my face?" He chuckled lightly, "No, no you're fine. I just, I remember....everything...finally." She smiled, "About your parents?" He nodded, eyes twinkling. Then she faltered, "A-about your Princess?" Another nod. "Is is...is it...me?" She squeaked. He laughed outright now, "Couldn't be anyone else!" "B-but..I...I..." He pulled her closer, "You'll remember in time....in the meantime, I will protect you and fight with you....and..." She'd been watching his face intently, blushing steadily, "And?" He leaned close till their foreheads touched, "Love you?" He asked, as though seeking permission. She gasped softly, "Really?" He laughed softly in response, "A thousand years ago, we were engaged..." Her eyes widened even further. He leaned in close and kissed her gently. And she could feel herself melt.....her arms slipped around him instinctively.... "Okay..." She replied against his lips and she could feel him grin. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~&~~~~~~~~~~@ Later that morning, Serena and Darien walked to the arcade, hand in hand. Darien looked as though the best thing in the world had just hit him squarely on the head and Serena clung to his hand as though it were a precious gift. They smiled at one another adorably. (^_^) But as they approached the arcade doors, four girl's burst out, Rei in the lead. "Alright you guys! I want some answers!" Rei growled, "Just WHY was you're mother calling this morning looking for you? I had to cover for you! Where exactly WERE you?!" Then she noticed Serena was holding Darien's hand, "WHAT?! ARE YOU GUYS TOGETHER NOW?!" Mina, Lita, Rei and Amy stared at them in shock and Andrew came out to see what the commotion was. Mina was the first to come back to life, "Oh, now I DEFINETLY want some answers!" Serena and Darien looked at each other and then took of running, four senshi hot on their tails. Andrew just stared in shock, "Serena and Darien holding hands?" then he dropped his broom and actually abandoned the arcade to chase after them too. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Phew! Hope ya liked minna! Just a two parter! It's only a day afterall! ^_^hee. I'll put out a little epilogue about going back to school afterwards though! ;)