Title: Symbol of a Raven By: Mystical Angel Chapter: 1 Rating: PG Disclaimers: I don't own Sailor Moon or any of the characters for that matter. And I never will. It belongs to Naoko Takeuchi. I have bet you have heard this… this is my first fanfic I have put on the internet, and I want all of your comments, and suggestions. Please, if anyone would like to be my editor that would be great! Thanx! Ja Ne! Symbol of a Raven chapter 1 Serena walked into the hospital unaware that from now on things in her life would change. It was just a normal day to her and she had no idea of what was coming to greet her head on. As she walked through the clear sliding glass doors an ambulance appeared in front of the hospital, doctors and nurses ran past her in a hurry to meet the oncoming patients from the horrible accident that had just occurred. Serena looked back curious as to what happened but then concluded that the real workers there took care of the situation at Jubaan hospital ward. She moved aside for the patients on the tables to come roaring past her at any moment, and if as on cue, three tables with three patients swooshed past her without noticing. Four paramedics were with about two nurses and three policemen and one policewoman, and they headed immediately towards the ER in the southwestern wing of the first floor of the hospital. An after flash of gave a mighty whoosh and made her long golden sunrise hair flow in front of her. Serena turned the corner and slightly adjusted her white purse with her hospital helper cloths in it for when she changed. She helped out at the hospital since she was too young to have a job there. She gave helping hours to those who did not have family to turn t in case of a real serious accident and were upset. She went to cheer them up, and it usually worked, because of her amazing uprising personality. More sirens sounded in the back round, but she vividly ignored it. Every week routine and Serena never once got tired of it. To make people happy in a time of need is one of the best things she could give. At Christmas time last year she gave all the people she tried to cheer up a Christmas gift and even more of her holiday spirit. There was never a person who got under her skin and made it feel as if it were crawling, but Darien Chiba was an exception. He was a college student at a top university. He got up under her skin and made her blood boil to two hundred degrees. The worst thing that he has ever said and still says it to this day is about her unique hairstyle. Serena puts her hair up into two buns on both side of her head, and two streams of gold locks flows down to mid-calf on her legs. The first time he met her he called her Meatball Head and it stuck ever since. They really only had one thing in common, the could make each other so aggravated. You would think they would actually stay away from each other, but they really ! ! can not. Their friends were friends with each other and they all went to the same hang out place, Crown Arcade and cafe. So they were pretty much stuck seeing each other. Serena reached her destination. She took her purse off of her shoulder and searched through it silently. She found her house keys, makeup, her hospital ID, and things she did not even realize she had put in there. Must have been a long time ago though. Something in there was moving she thought. She found a little pouch that she was almost positive was not in there earlier when she stopped in the arcade for a soda and ended dumping all of her stuff onto the table to find cash. 'I must have picked it up by accident.' Serena thought. She picked up the small pouch, it was wrapped in a pretty light pink silk cloth, and it was slightly heavier than she had expected. It was a small little square type thing. Her curiosity was getting the better of her and almost started to unwrap the small package, but then thought twice. It was not for her, it might be meant for someone else. Then again, someone had carelessly left it there at the table or had dropped it there on purp! ! ose, and maybe it was for her. Who knows? Once again she thought that it would not hurt to just take a peek, before she goes into the employee lounge and changes. What could it hurt? Not much, she thought. She took the little pouch and started to take the tape off of one side of the silk. (AN: who on earth would actually put tape on silk?) "Serena? Is that you? Are you locked out again? Do you need help to get in?" A voice had interrupted her intent thought. "Julia? Oh, hi Julia! I did not hear you. Yeah I actually am kind of locked out again; I can not seem to find my key in my purse. If I put it in there anyway." Serena replied. Serena quickly put the little pouch into her purse once again and carefully hooked the latch shut. She watched one of her friends from the hospital staff fiddle around with a lock and a key on the door to the employee locker room. In a few seconds Julia had the door opened and Serena had just gotten inside. Julia had never seen Serena this quiet before and it was kind of mysterious. The door shut without a word behind Serena. She gave a startled jump of surprise, before continuing her thoughts about the pouch. She walked over further into the vacant room very gingerly as if in a sleeping baby's room. She slid her purse off of her shoulder and put it onto the bench near her locker. Unbuttoning the buttons on her shirt she thought more about the small pouch, wondering where it came from and who did it belong to, stuff just like that. No matter what she did the thoughts would just not leave her mind. It was like an enchanted thing calling out her name..."Serena...Serena! Open me! Open me!" Serena shuddered at the thought and put on her nurse's shirt. Even though she did not quite work there she was required to wear nurses hospital uniform to make it look official and all. She pulled of her pants that she wore and put on her required skirt for the rest of the day until she was able to go home. Personally she did not want to go home. She liked it at the hospital, she had friends there, the patients, and who knows, maybe she would even met a guy there and they would happily live ever after in the clouds. 'Yeah, right.' Serena thought. 'In my dreams.' "Serena? It's Julia again. This old lady, the paramedics just brought in, well she insists on seeing you right away and will not call down until she does see you. You do not know a lady named Ms. Raquelle do you? She's a quack! She just said that Jack was cheating on me. Can you believe that? The nerve of the woman. Anyway she's in room 312 and says she does not want to see anyone else until she sees you and refuses any medicines or drugs. So I would better hurry." Julia said. "Was she one of the people the paramedics JUST brought in from the trolley accident?" Serena asked. "Yeah, she is. She's not in a very good condition either and Doctor Lupin, is getting mad." She said. "Room 312? I'll be right there, or in a few minutes I mean." She said again. Julia left with the door open this time and Serena hurried up dressing as quickly as she could and put on her shoes last. She walked out of the locker room and heard yelling far away. She guessed it to be the wacko Julia was talking about. This lady was loud. Get too close and you will blow out your eardrums. "Shut that woman up, for crying out loud. Where's Serena? Get her in there, now!" A nurse said. People were getting agitated Serena could tell. Serena quickened her pace to a jog. She did not want to upset any more people, or the patients. By the time Serena got there into room 312 the lady was hysterical. She was sitting up in her bed ignoring the requests of the doctor and nurse that were already in there. Her arms were flaring about trying to keep them away from her. The nurse took site of Serena a smile of gratefulness seeped across her face. The nurse poked the doctor and he ceased what he was trying to do. He smiled as well and they both left together. The woman, in the bed smiled at Serena and began to talk sweetly to her. "What a pretty young girl you are Serena. Please, come sit down next to me. I am Marie Raquelle; the one you can tell has caused all of this commotion. I am sorry about that, but I knew that if I did not see you soon, then you would...well lets just say you and I are going to become friends. Okay? I may seem weird and I know that you are a little nervous and anxious to as what I have to say. Am I right?" Marie stopped abruptly and looked at Serena awaiting her reply. Serena was surprised. That was exactly what she was thinking. "How did you do that?" Serena asked. Outside the door were Julia and the nurse and doctor eavesdropping. At once when that lady saw Serena she went quiet. They were astounded. "What do you think is wrong with that woman? A concussion of some sort? Brain damage?" Julia said to the other nurse. The nurse shrugged her shoulders not knowing what to say in response to that statement. Back in the room, Serena just looked at the lady somewhat scared. Wondering how she knew what she was feeling, she wondered if she knew what she was thinking too. She was a bit embarrassed at that thought and her face went a little pink. 'I should not think that kind of stuff about her. That's rude and she seems so nice.' Serena thought. "Do not be abashed my child. There is nothing wrong thinking that." Marie said. Julia gasped in amazement. "How do you know that stuff? You can read my mind? But how?" Serena wanted to know how she could do it. "It's a gift my child. Only a few people in Tokyo have it. Be happy you are not one of them. Nine out of ten cases go insane my child. They claim they hear voices inside their heads and they can not concentrate or do anything with other people. The voices would get stronger and louder and slowly, but steadily they go insane. I on the other hand have the gift, but genetically. It was passed down from my grandmother to my mother and now to me. They taught me how to live without going insane, and it has been with me my whole darn life. It is not all it is cracked up to be. You hear thoughts from your best friend saying what a loser you are and how you do not fit in. People reveal their codes for the volt in the bank in their head, and to think about all the disgusting things people these days think about. Everyone's fears their hopes all revealed in their heads, and no one even thinks about other people having this horrible gift. I speak with sixty-five years of exp! ! erience child. It is no picnic. Knowing what people will do next, if they are going to plan assault or want to be a great terrorist when they get older, you can't prove them guilty without proof so they go on non-guilty. Sooner or later you realize there is just nothing you can do about it, and you have to let the people you know are going to be mugged or rapped or going to invest a million dollars on with their life. It's horrible, almost terrifying even. But once you live with it for sixty-five years you get used to it. With this gift is also the gift of predicting the future. It can have good times or bad times depending who the person is." She took in a long breath of air. "Some will be famous or some will die the next day." "Can you predict my future? Is it bad or good?" Serena's mouth quivered when she said that. She was almost afraid of asking, but she wanted to know. "Dear child, I know your future, but I cannot yet. Too early child, but I promise you that since my days are limited now I will tell you before I leave the hospital. Okay? Tell me more about yourself Serena. Even though I know most of it I would like to know more." Marie rearranged her sheets on her bed and looked at Serena contently. "Well, what would you like to know?" Serena asked. "I do not know much about you life at school or your love life, how about starting of with that?" She said. "Okay, um...well I just started high school this year, and I'm not doing so well either. My grades are horrible and I fail almost all of my tests. My love life on the other hand is worse. I have none. I have never gone out with anyone before, just because it does not feel right. I cannot find the right guy. Sure guys ask me out, but it does not feel right, like they are not the right people. Or something like that. Does that make sense? I know it sounds crazy, but that's how I feel. "It makes a lot more sense than you think child. I understand perfectly." There was a knock at the door. The door opened a crack with a squeak like in the old horror flicks. In stepped Julia and the other nurse and doctor. "May we come in now Ms. Raquelle? Is it all right?" Doctor Lupin asked quite concerned. Julia looked at Serena very strangely and grabbed her hand and began to tug at it, but Serena would not budge. "It's all right my child, you may go now, but please, come in tomorrow at the same time. To visit me I mean." Marie smiled and Serena smiled back and waved good-bye. She turned around slowly and went out the door, Julia behind her. From then on in room 312 it was quiet as it was before Marie came in. In the waiting room were Lita, and Mina. They were waiting patiently for Serena, so they could go out to lunch. It was a Saturday so there was no school to worry about. "Hey Serena! What took you so long? We thought you were being hospitalized. Do you want to go out for lunch? We are off from Raye's torment for an hour and a half, so we thought we would stop by. Julia said you were kind of tied up at the moment, but should be out soon. " Lita said. "Yeah, she also said that you were in with some kind of wacko with brain damage or something. What was that all about?" Mina added. "Well, I do not know about a wacko, she's very nice." Serena paused. "I will tell you at lunch, but I am afraid that I can only have an hour off, so why don't we just stay here today?" Asked Serena. Lita and Mina nodded in agreement, and they left for the elevator. A few minutes later the girls reached the lunchroom for employees and picked something from the buffet line. They sat down at a table near a window at the other side of the lunchroom and started to eat quietly until Mina brought up the subject of the woman once again. "So Serena. What was the woman about?" "Well, did you hear about the trolley and bus crash? She was one of those who were in it and she would not stop yelling and flaring her arms about, she said that until she saw me and talked to me she would not stop. So I walked into the room and she went quiet. Then she started to tell me some strange things, which I might add that until I have her permission I will not tell, it's illegal you know (AN: I don't know if it is or not so I created it to fit the story) and I really do not feel like taking a trip to the police station. I don't think it will go over to well. Lita cut off Serena Anyway, she started to tell me weird things..." "Well if you cannot tell us don't tell us at all. It's no fun without the good juicy details. Oh Serena! We forgot to tell you! We met the cutest guy on the way in." Their conversation ended just like that. Lita went on about this really hot guy they met, and how Mina kept saying that Lita was saying that he looked like ken and so ! ! on, and so on. * * * That night went Serena was walking home it seemed more quiet, disturbing and unreal. The wind was silent, and the streets were deserted. 'It's too quiet.' Serena thought. Serena dropped her purse by accident; she went to pick it up and a gust of wind blew her to her bottom. The wind went still again. ' This is too weird.' She thought. She stayed on the ground for a minute and saw a beautiful bird soar past her. She stared after it for a minute or two and watched it fly out of sight. "Hey Meatball Head. What are you doing on the ground? Trip again?" "Don't call me Meatball Head!" Screamed Serena. "Go away Darien, I am not in the mood. I have had a rough day. And no, I did not trip." "What's that Meatball Head?" He said completely ignoring her request. She looked at the ground and saw the small pouch again wrapped in silk. But this time it looked like purple iridescent silky color instead of pink. She looked at it then at Darien. She quickly looked at it again not believing her eyes. "You all right Meatball Head? You look pale." Darien said. "Yeah, I am fine. That 'thing' showed up in my purse today, but it was pink, not purple. I think I need to have my eyes checked." She said. Serena rubbed her eyes and set them down on her lap. Darien squatted down next to her and picked up the pouch. He examined it and said nothing. "Oh, and don't call me Meatball Head!" Serena screamed again. He laughed and shook his head. He bent his head down and laughed some more as Serena stood up and swiped her shirt off from the dirt. Darien stood up next to her and gave her the pouch and her purse she had dropped. "Give me that!" Serena grabbed the purse and the pouch and stuffed the pouch in with everything else in her purse. Darien laughed again. "It's not funny Mr. Perfect." "Okay. Don't blow a head gasket. Do you know what's in that pouch?" He pointed towards her purse. "It's not mine, I picked it up by mistake at the arcade. I am going there tomorrow to give it to Andrew so he can ask customers if they lost anything." "Did you look to see what's inside?" Darien asked. "Why Darien! Who do you think I am? Some mugger? Of course I did not look to see what was inside. It's not right. But I have to confess, I almost did. Why am I telling you this anyway? Go away, leave me alone, I need to get home and, and study." She stuttered the last few words hoping he would believe her. "Why? To fail another test?" Darien grinned. She took the bait. "You couldn't restrain yourself, could you Mr. Chiba?" Darien put his hand up to his forehead and the other out in front of him, like he was scared. She was furious at this. She fell calm and knew that with this next attack she would get him for sure. "Why Darien! Are you flirting with me? What are you doing out here alone with me, talking with me? I think you're flirting! Wait until Andrew hears about this! He will laugh!" Serena saw Darien's face go pale and then to a bright red almost immediately. He looked scared. "Yes, yes I do think that you are flirting. I did not know you had it in you Darien Chiba. And with me, too!" Now Darien looked even more scared. He did not know what to say. 'This is perfect! I got him on that one. Ha ha!' Serena laughed to herself. It was just too much. " You know Darien, I think Raye will be so happy when she finds out." "Oh come on Serena! Your not serious, are you? You would not dare tell her anything like that, and after we just broke up too. She would kill you as well as me! And you know it." Darien started to get more confident. "I think I'll take my chances Darien. And good for you, you finally learned my name." Darien went pale again, and with that Serena turned and flipped her purse over her shoulder and walked away. Grinning, she looked behind her and saw Darien still starring. He smiled and knew at once she would not tell that she just won a fight by bribing him. She was just as scared Raye as he was. He turned the opposite direction and walked to his car. Serena grinned maliciously all the way home. 'That is probably the first fight I have won in a long time.' She thought. About five minutes after the feud she saw the same bird pecking at some old popcorn by a park bench near her house. 'Now isn't that weird.' Serena thought. She looked out towards the dock that was just across from the beach and saw a man standing on it looking at the moon. Serena paused and looked at him. He never turned around to see anything else; he just stood there and stared at the moon. Serena looked up at the moon and stared also, feeling a little homesick for some reason. She had never felt homesick for the moon before, even if she was Sailor Moon. The moon was beautiful though. It was a full moon tonight and for three more nights there will be a full moon. It was one of those special kinds of eclipses or something. She lowered her head back down to the man who was still standing there staring at it. She heard a noise behind her and quickly turned around only to find a cute stray dog in the garbage. Finding no reason to panic she turned back around towards the man. She searched for him, but he had vanished before her eyes. He was nowhere to be found. Getting a little shooken up she jogged down the street to her safe home. She was out of breath when she arrived at her house. It was nine o'clock at night and she guessed her parents to be still at her father's boss' house for the dinner party. She searched her purse for her house keys and soon found them. Exhausted and scared she unlocked the front door and went inside. She relocated the door behind her and leaned against it and took in a deep breath and sighed afterwards. "This day keeps getting weirder and weirder by the minute." Serena said aloud. She went up to her room and looked at the sleeping form of Luna on her bed. She sat next to her and petted her and Luna replied by giving her a content purr of enjoyment. Serena looked at her clock again, feeling like something was about to happen. She got up and walked around her room to her dresser. She dressed into her nightgown and went to the phone to call Raye. Serena suspected that she was killing Chad with the broom again. When no one answered she left a message for Raye telling her she had to meet someone at the hospital at noon and that she would be late for the temple at one. She lay down with Luna at her side and fell asleep quickly and quietly. * * * "Get Serena in here please. Ms. Raquelle wants to see her again, before she leaves." "Dear child, the raven will come tonight." "What does it mean Marie? What do you mean by raven?" "She will visit tonight, await for her child." "But when will she come." "Wait for her." The monitor went dead. Serena woke up in cold sweat. Her heart was pounding unusually fast, and her breathing was abnormal. She picked up her cat clock and she read "Four o'clock. It's too early to get up." She felt scared and awaited for something to happen. You could say that she was waiting for the raven Marie told her about in her dream. "So that is what Marie meant by which she was leaving the hospital, not physically, but spiritually. Sort of anyway." He breathing had eased down to normal and her heart had slowed, but she was still scared. Luna had left Serena's room to the litter box in the bathroom Serena guessed. "Oh Marie, why did you not tell me you were going to die?" Tears left her tear duct and down to her face and into her mouth. For a moment or two she cried silently for Marie. "It must be awful for Marie, knowing she is going to die, but can do nothing to help. I feel so bad now." Luna re-entered the room and lay back down on the bed next to Serena. She purred sile! ! ntly as she closed her eyes to fall asleep again. Serena on the other hand was not able to fall asleep for another hour or so. She was too busy thinking about Marie. Serena woke up to her alarm clock at about eight-thirty in the morning, the usual time. She had to wake herself up; otherwise she would have slept until noon. Which would be bad. Serena shut off the alarm, and groaned with tiredness awakening her eyes. She slipped out of bed, knocking off Luna, and went to her closet. 'Today,' she thought 'I will just wear a sun dress.' She slipped on the dress and her shoes and left her room to eat breakfast downstairs in the dinning room. When she got downstairs she got a box of cereal and poured herself a bowel. She ate the cereal steadily and listened to the radio. The weatherman said it would be a nice and sunny day all day, and a high about in the 70's. Serena finished her meal and put her dishes in the dishwasher machine. She looked around the kitchen noticing that no one was home. There also on the refrigerator was a note. Dear Serena, Sammy and I went to the store; your father is at work. We will be back at about noon. If you go anywhere please write me a note before you leave. Love, Mom "You can always count on Mom's." Serena said. Serena took the paper and the pencil and told her mom that she would be at the hospital today visiting a friend. She then left without her purse this time and headed towards the hospital. She walked all the way there everytime she went, so she knew it by heart. The wind picked up today more than was usual for Tokyo in the springtime, and it was sunny like the weatherman had said. Serena walked down the sidewalk alone, but not feeling alone. The sun was bright and cheerful and the grass was sweet and green, the clouds seemed to dance in the sky and the water in the pond was gleaming like stars. As she walked by the spot where the man was standing the night before she saw Darien sitting on the bench with a book of some sort and every once and a while he looked up at the sky or at the pond. Serena decided to pay Darien a visit to see if he had gotten over the shock of the night before. She walked through the grass and across another brick sidewalk towards Darien. On the side of the road she saw another black bird, like the one she saw last night. 'Another one?' She thought. She was unnoticed by Darien, so she kept quiet and looked over his shoulder. He was writing something on a pad of paper in a black portfolio. It was a p! ! oem. There were a couple of poems there. She stayed silent and began to read some of the ones that were visible, but one really stood out...is like a utopia. It read... Asleep Clouds melt And bubbles pop, Every little tear drop Unicorns And ribbons wrote Magical fairies float Castle Up upon a hill All is quiet All is still By Darien Chiba "Oh Darien! That is so beautiful! I did not know you could write poetry." He looked at Serena in suprise and slammed his portfolio closed. "It's not mine." Darien said defensively. "Sure it is. I saw your name on all of them; it's great work. They're all originals. I can tell." "They're not that good Meatball Head. How would you know poetry anyway?" He looked at her questionably. "I studied it last year. And DON"T CALL ME MEATBALL HEAD!" She screamed. He winced and covered his ears. 'Just what I want.' She thought. She reached and grabbed his portfolio and walked away. "Thank you Darien!" She yelled when she was about one hundred yards away. "Huh?" He said. He looked at the bare lap and ran after her. "Give that back Serena!" He yelled. She turned around and saw him closing in on her and she made a break for it. She ran as fast as she could through bushes over bushes and when she found that she could run no more she found a tree and climbed it. She kept climbing it until the very top branch. She watched Darien slow down and watch in amusement. Then when she made herself comfortable and started to read again, he ran and tried to climb the tree, but fell after one of the closest tree branches broke. "You little monkey. How did you get up there? Give me back my folder!" He yelled. "Never! You want it, you come and get it!" Serena replied She grinned down at him in suprise of hearing her own words come out of her mouth. "Well, I could get a ladder, but by then you would have read them all. Come on Serena! Some of those are private, please just throw my folder down here. Please?" She shook her head while reading. She read for a moment longer forgetting about Darien as she read his wonderful poetry. "This is really good. " She said aloud. She knew she had a few hours to kill so she thought she would read his poetry. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* okay~thats all for right now... but I still have a long way to go... so I want all of you to e-mail me at milky_way173@ix.netcom.com thanx! ^.^ Ja Ne!