Disclaimers: The characters in this story are not mine. They are owned 
by Naoko, DiC, Toei animation and many big companies.


NEW E-MAIL ADDRESS!!! roovel@xoommail.com

Room-mates and Soul-mates
Part 5
By: Roo
E-mail: roovel@xoommail.com



	"Yeah, and you're Sailor Moon," Darien said
sarcastically.
	Serena searched his face to see if he knew, but was
relieved when he was only being stupid. "Then how did
you get your wound?"
	"I...um..I hit it on the door," he said.
	"I'm not stupid Darien. Were you that dumb to
walk backwards into a door?"
	"I'm not lying."
	"When did it happen?"
	"Umm--" he hummed. "Who the hell cares?" he said,
standing up, but then sinking back down due to the pain.
	"Stay right there, don't move." She dashed into
the room and came back with a white paper mask. She held
it in front of Darien's eyes.
	"Oh my..." Her lower lip began to tremble.
	"What's the matter?"
	"You *are* Tuxedo Mask," she said with a choked
sob.
	"Don't be stupid Serena!" he snapped. "How would
you know about Tuxedo Mask having a wound?" He was very
annoyed and slightly worried.
	Serena stared dumbly at him.
	"What's the matter?" he demanded.
	"You're Tuxedo Mask! Darien the thick-headed,
annoying moron is Tuxedo Mask! And I love Tuxedo Mask!"
she cried.
	"Oh brother," Darien said, rolling his eyes
upward. "How would you know how Tuxedo Mask looks like
anyway?"
	She stopped staring and cleared her throat 
uncomfortably. "Well..."
	Then he realised that she could have seen Tuxedo
Mask at one of the battles in the busy city.
	"Well... I saw him at the docks last night--"
	Darien's heart almost stopped. Was this girl dumb
or what? His thoughts screamed. "You're Sailor Venus,
aren't you?" he asked suddenly.
	"I *am* not!" she retorted with a flick of her hair.
"I am no hero of the world."
	Darien sighed. He didn't care. He was on a quest
to get back to his princess and that's only what he
cared about. "Okay, okay," Darien said, calming her down.
"Let's just forget that this whole thing happened and we
can get on with our lives. Okay?"
	"You mean to forget that you are Tuxedo Mask?"
	"I am *not* Tuxedo Mask," he said between clenched
teeth.
	Serena sighed. She wasn't exactly sure, but she'll
find out sooner or later. She looked at Darien
who had his eyes closed in pain, and she had to admit that
she cared for him. "Okay, I'll try to forget. Now to get that
wound sorted out--"
	"You go to your classes, Serena." he said, opening
his eyes. "I'll handle it."
	"No you can't. I can sacrifice classes for my friends,"
she said, looking over his shoulder to see the wound.
"Take your shirt off," she ordered him.
	"Don't be stupid, Serena. You can't heal a paper cut
on your own finger even if you had a band-aid."
	That really hurt, Serena thought, with hate burning
in her eyes. This man has no appreciation at all. Tears
formed in her eyes: tears of pain from the heart. "Fine,
then," she said, standing up, pain clearly in her voice.
"See if I care." She turned and walked away.
	Darien saw the tears in her eyes. "I'm sorry 
Serena," he said, trying to stand up but not succeeding.
"You know how I am. I don't think before I talk--" he stopped
as Serena turned slowly to face him.
	"Go to hell, Chiba," she said in a quiet deadly
voice before leaving out the door.
	
	She ran. She ran through the streets, not caring
where she went. She ran with tears coursing down her
cheeks. She ran and ended up in a park to seek refuge
by a lake.
	Serena hugged her knees to her chest, crying her
heart out, wondering how a man can be so cruel. 
"So who cares," she said to herself. "It's not like he's
your boyfriend or something. He's a heartless moron
with the dumbest brain in the universe." Countless times
she had said this to herself, but she never hated Darien.
	Serena remembered him in his charming ways, when
he was in a silly mood and pretended to be her hero against
the cold nights.
	And the way his bangs annoyed him and the quirky
grins he made. Serena blocked all these memories out; but
she couldn't. 
	
	"How could I have been so *stupid*!" Darien cursed
himself. "I'm such an idiot!" He slammed a fist on the couch.
	"Lonely, Darien?" a male voice asked.
	Darien looked up, surprised to see a screen with
Malachite's face on it. He straightened his back. 
	"Nice place."
	"Huh? How did you find me?" Darien said in a
levelled voice.
	"I told you, Darien. The Negaverse knows everything.
You didn't think you could hide forever - Tuxedo Mask." 
he said with an evil smile. 
	"What do you want Malachite?"
	"We're both tired of chasing after the rainbow crystals, so
I propose a duel; you and me. Winner take all the crystals."
	"I don't believe you."
	"Oh, I'm serious, Darien. Are you too scared to fight without
your Sailor pals?"
	"Hm-hm," Darien hummed negatively. "I'm not afraid of you or
anybody in your world."
	"Good. Then meet me at Centre Point tower at 
five o'clock this afternoon. Come alone and bring the 
crystals with you."
	"I'll be there."
	"And Darien? You should have a doctor look at 
that shoulder. You don't look so good. Must be painful." 
he said with an evil grin. The
screen flickered away with Malachite's evil laugh.
	"Centre Point tower at five."

	"I'm not in love, I'm not in love," Serena chanted
to herself over and over again. "I'm not in love with
Dar- ah!" She jumped as someone laid their hand on her
shoulder. 
	"I'm sorry, did I scare you?" Darien asked, sitting
next to her. "What were you chanting on about?"
	"As if you care," she said, deliberately not turning
to face him.
	"Please forgive me, Serena. I'm sorry for what I
said... you know how I am. The obnoxious, stupid type."
	"Yes, I do know," she snapped. "Heartless, senseless
and loveless is more like the description," she said, 
facing him.
	Her words stung. No matter how hard he tried to
conceal his feelings, his eyes showed that he was hurt.
	Serena gasped. She had never seen Darien show
his feelings. "I-I'm sorry," she stammered. "I didn't
mean them..." She hugged him suddenly. "I'm sorry."
	He began to relax after she said sorry. 
	"Please say you'll forgive me, Darien," she begged.
"I don't want a friend hating me."
	Darien realised that it was her second time that
she had called him a friend. "I never knew that you 
considered me your friend, Meatball Head."
	She let go of him and looked down. "Well...sometimes,
maybe not all the time... But don't you consider me as a
friend?"
	He gave her an amused expression. "Well...let me see, a
friend doesn't call another friend moron, jerk, idiot..."
	She looked down as a blush crept onto her cheeks.
"You call me Meatball Head."
	"Old habits die hard," he said with a quirky
grin.
	"Okay. We'll have a deal. You don't call me names
and I don't call you names. Deal?" she said, holding her
hand out.
	"Deal," he said, taking her hand and shaking it.
	"Good. Oh, how's your shoulder?"
	"Fine, fine," he said, letting go of her hand. 
"The doctor said I lost a lot of blood, but I'll live,"
he lied. He hadn't really been to the doctor. He just
bandaged his shoulder himself.
	"That's to bad," she said in a mocking way, shaking
her head.
	"Hey! What do you mean by that? Huh?" He started
to tickle her.
	"Hey, stop that!" she said, once she had fallen
on her back with Darien still tickling her.
	"Says who?" He laughed.
	She started beating her fists on his chest weakly.
	"Hey! I'm injured you know."
	"SO!" She pulled his arm to stop, but he fell
on top of her. "Oh! Are you okay?" she asked, worried
about his shoulder.
	"Fine, Serena," he said, as his dark bangs falling
in front of his eyes.
	"You should trim these, you know?" she said softly, 
combing back his bangs with her fingers. "Don't they get annoying?"
	"At times," he replied softly. 
	Neither one of them wanted to move.
	"How about your hair? Isn't it a bit *to* long?"
	"Do you have a prob with that?"
	"No, I guess not." 
	The two stared at each other's eyes for a minute
or two, both thinking they hadn't seen anything more beautiful.
	She giggled. "You can get off of me now."
	"Oh..." A blush crept on Darien's cheeks. He got
up and helped Serena up.
	"Let's go and eat lunch," he said, looking at his
watch.
	"Okay, but I have to go back and get my purse,"
she said, once they had started walking.
	"No, it's okay. I'll pay."
	"No, you paid last night. It's my turn."
	"That doesn't matter."
	"I insist," Serena said, stopping.
	"No, I insist." Darien stopped too. "We don't
want to make out trip longer, do we? Especially with
my shoulder."
	Serena opened her mouth to reply, but knew
that he was right. She groaned. "Okay, you win."
	"I always win, Meatball Head," he said, giving
her a quirky grin.
	"Ah! Don't you start calling me that again. We made
a deal, remember?"
	"Old habits die hard," he said with a chuckle.
	The two had lunch at Mc Donald’s and after that,
they decided to go to the arcade and play some video games.
	"Hehe! I win!" Serena said to Darien.  
	"Here," Darien said, giving her ten dollars. "A
deal is a deal."
	"You don't have to pay, Darien," she said. "You 
*did* buy me lunch."
	"It doesn't matter. Take it."
	"No," she said, standing up and walking to see
if another game was free.
	"Take it," he said, trailing behind her.
	"Don't be stupid."
	He sighed and put the note in her back left pocket
of her jeans. 
	She felt something and turned around, Darien's
left hand still in her pocket, causing her to be caught
in his embrace.
	"What are you doing?" Serena asked, feeling his
hand in her pocket.
	Darien blushed bright red. "I wanted to put the
money in your pocket...but you've got tight pockets."
	"Well, well, well. Who do we have here?" Mina
asked with a huge grin on her face. "Smile!" 
	FLASH! Mina took a picture of the couple.
	"Not again!" Darien said, annoyed.
	Serena took Darien's hand out of her pocket.
"Mina! Why'd you do that for?"
	"Well...I joined the editorial and I write the
gossip column for the uni. So I'll just add a little
story about you and your love--"
	"Kill her," Serena said between clenched teeth.
	"Definitely," Darien agreed.
	"Oh! Look at the time! Gotta book it! See ya!"
Mina ran out the door with Serena and Darien following
her.


	Half an hour later, Darien and Serena sat in
the park, catching their breath.
	"She's a fast runner," Serena said in between
gasps for air.
	"Very fast," Darien agreed. "But I'm going to
get that film roll no matter what it takes."
	Serena laughed. "Second time an embarrassing
moment has been caught on camera."
	Darien winced in pain because of his shoulder.
	"Are you alright?" Serena asked, concern
showing on her face.	
	"Yep, I'll be fine," he said, wincing again.
	"C'mon. Lets go back to the apartment."
	"No, really. It's okay," he said, giving her
a smile.
	Serena knew better. "C'mon," she said, standing
up. "We can catch up on Mina later. I have to see that
wound of yours."
	Darien got up reluctantly. "I guess you're right."
	"I'm always right," she said with a giggle.
		"I'm sure, Meatball Head," he said sarcastically.
	"Hey! Don't start!" she protested once they
started walking slowly.
	"Oops. Sorry, Serena."
	"That's better." For some reason, she liked 'Meatball
Head' better.
	

	They arrived at their apartment in a few minutes.
	"Okay, lay on the couch and take your shirt off,"
Serena said, walking into the kitchen.
	Darien complied.
	Serena walked out of the kitchen with a bowl
of warm water, cloth, bandage and medical cream.
	Darien was lying on the couch with his head on
his folded arms in front of him.
	"Okay," she said, kneeling beside the couch
and unwrapping the bandage were blood was staining.
"You did this yourself, didn't you?"
	"What? No, the doctor did," came Darien's
muffled voice.
	"Really..." Serena said, not convinced. 
At about four o'clock, Serena finished tending Darien's
wound she washed her hands at the kitchen sink.
	"Feel's better," Darien said.
	"Of course it does," Serena said from the kitchen.
"It's better than doing it yourself."
	"I went to the doctor."
	"Sure, Darien," she said, walking out the kitchen.
	"Fine then," he said stubbornly. "Don't believe me."
	She burst out laughing. "You look so funny like
that." She laughed again.
	"That's not funny, Meat - Serena," he said.
	"C'mon. I've got to meet Bradley."
	
	"Hey, Serena," Bradley responded automatically. As always,
he was at the rink, reading a clipboard.
	"Where were you?!" Serena exclaimed. "I waited two hours 
and you still didn't show up!"
	"Hmm? Oh, sorry... Last night... I realised I had to
do something," he said, looking at her.
	Her eyes narrowed.
	"Well I'm sure Darien kept you company."
	"Well... yes he did."
	"Good. Thank you, Darien," he said with a wink to Darien.
	"Pleasure..." Darien said unsurely.
	"Darien!" came a squeal from the other direction.
	"God, that's even worse than me," Serena said.
	"Hello, darling," said a five foot five brunette. "Mwo,
mwo," she said, pretending to give a kiss on Darien's cheeks.
	Bradley and Serena exchanged an amused expression.
	"Hey, Claudia," Darien said. "How are you?"
	"Fabulous, darling. I'm so sorry I didn't show up last
night. You know how busy I am. How 'bout I meet you tonight?"
	"Umm...I'm not sure..." he said. He definitely was going
to busy.
	"Tonight then. Chow, darling. Pick me up at six." She
walked away.
	Serena and Bradley burst out laughing. "You definitely
have your pick of girls," Bradley said.
	"Oh, darling!" Serena imitated Claudia.
	"It's not like she's my girlfriend or something. We're
just friends."
	"Sure, darling."
	"I have to go now, *darling*," Bradley said. "See you
soon."
	"Come on, darling. We have to meet Peggy."

	They arrived at Peggy's workshop a few minutes
later. 
	"Hello, Serena and Darien," Peggy greeted.
	"Hi!" Serena greeted happily. "Is the painting
done?"
	"Yes," Peggy said, nodding. "Over there," she said
pointing to the back wall.
	"Wow," Serena and Darien said in unison. It was
a painting of a princess and a prince with a star locket
in their hands.
	"Do you like it?"
	"It's beautiful," Serena said.
	"You've got the meatballs right too."
	Serena stuck her tongue out at him.
	"What's in their hands?" he asked.
	"A star locket," Peggy replied.
	"A *what*?" Serena and Darien said.
	"A star locket. The painting's called 'Until We
Meet Again.' The princess gives her locket to her prince
just before he goes into battle."
	"And you see these ideas in your dream?"
	"Yes."
	Serena looked around. "Oh! You did a portrait of
yourself! That's great!"
	"I took your advice and Lonny Lenai is no more," Peggy
said with a smile.
	"A least someone takes my advice," Serena said, eyeing
Darien.
	Darien gave her an innocent look.
	"Thank you for your time," Peggy said.
	"That's okay," Serena said. "We better be going
now. See ya later!"
	"Goodbye."
		

	
	Serena was silent as she and Darien walked the
streets of Sydney. 
	"What's got you so silent?" Darien asked.
	"Nothing."
	Darien shrugged and then checked his watch. It read
four-thirty. "I have to go now," he said.
	She felt a sudden sadness. "Where too?"
	"The Centre Point tower," he replied. "I have to meet
someone," he lied. It wasn't a complete lie.
	"Oh, okay. Will you be back for dinner?"
	He looked at her. He wasn't sure if he *would* be 
back. "Maybe..."
	"You're not?" She sounded alarmed. "Are you meeting
your date?" she asked, head down.
	"Hmm - yes," he lied again.
	"Oh, okay. Bye," she said, walking in front of him,
knowing he would turn around and walk towards the tower.
	"Goodbye," he said with a sadness in his heart.
	

	Serena walked home somewhat sadly. She had to admit
that she liked Darien's company. 
	She went through the automatic doors and onto to
a lift to her floor and then walked to her apartment.
	The young girl plopped herself on the couch after
switching the radio on.
	"News flash! Avoid visits to Centre Point tower and
surrounds. Reports suggest there is black energy surrounding
the structure..." the news man on the radio reported.
	"What?" Serena asked, standing up. "Oh no... Darien."	
	She quickly ran out of the room, forgetting to
lock it.

	Serena stopped running as she saw Darien just ahead
of her. 
	Darien was looked around a corner as she crept up
to him.
	"AIIEE!!!" she screamed as he moved his hand toward
her.
	"What are you doing here?" he asked her, surprised.
	"You shouldn't be here, Darien," she said. "There's
something wrong at the tower."
	His eyes narrowed. "Go home, Serena," he said, turning
around.
	"But--
	"Go home!" he said harshly. And without another word,
he left her around the corner.
	"I am going to find out what that guy's up to," she
said between clenched teeth then following him.
	The young blonde silently followed him into the now deserted
streets.
	Suddenly a red sphere enveloped both her and Darien.
	"Huh! What's happening?" Darien said.
	"Darien...what's happening?" Serena said, looking for a way
out.
	"Serena! You gotta get out of here!
	"I wish I could..."
	The sphere was transported into the tower.

	Darien ended up crouched down in front of Serena who was
lying on the cold floor.
	"Hello, Darien," Malachite greeted. "Did you enjoy the ride?"
 He walked to the middle of the big 
hall. "I hope you've kept your end of the baragain. I've 
brought all five of our rainbow crystals..." he set the five 
colourful crystals down. "I'll show you mine and you
show me yours." He started to walk backwards.
	"No matter what, you let the girl go."
	"Don't worry, we have no interest in her."
	Darien stood up. "Alright... Here they are," he 
said, putting his three crystals down. "Ready when you are."
	Malachite's eyes flashed as he saw the crystals. 
	"What are we waiting for?"
	Malachite let out an evil laugh. 
	"What's so funny?"
	"Humans! You never learn! Such innocents."
	Suddenly Nephrite materialised next the crystals.
	"You double crossed me! What's he doing here?" Darien 
protested.
	"Someone's got to hold the crystals during the duel." 
He took the crystals in his hands.
	"Are you backing out on me?" Darien asked.
	"No chance! Don't you worry! I've been looking forward 
to this for a long while."
	"Don't get carried away, Malachite," Nephrite 
said. "Remember our orders."
	"I will."
	"And what were they?" Darien asked, throwing a 
rose, grazing Malachite's cheek as Nephrite disappeared.
	"Ahh!" Malachite screamed as Serena woke up.
	"I want those crystals! Winner takes all, remember!"
	"Hey, that's Darien," Serena said to herself. 
"What's he doing here with Malachite?"
	"Get them back here!"
	"You hurt my face and you're going to pay for 
it!" he said, a hand on his cheek. "If you want those 
crystals, I'll be on the roof," he said as he began to 
disappear. "And if you don't come in a few minutes, I'll 
assume you no longer are interested in the rainbow crystals."
	What's happening? Serena thought. Did the 
Nega-verse bring him here because of me?
	Suddenly the hall began to freeze with ice 
hanging from the roof and the air becoming cold.
	"I hope you and your friend are good runners," 
Malachite's voice echoed.
	The ice from the roof broke and headed for 
Serena, but Darien quickly moved her out of the way. After 
that, they started running for their lives.
	"Hurry!" Darien shouted as ice began to fall 
everywhere.
	This is so weird, Serena thought. I thought for sure
they'd be after me.
	"To the elevator!"
	"Aren't you supposed to take the stairs in emergencies?"
Serena asked as she pressed the 'up' button to for the
elevator.
	"What stairs? Come on, hurry!" Darien said as they
quickly went into the elevator.
	Serena let out a sigh. "That was close."
	"Not over yet."
	"What's that?" she asked as the elevator was surrounded
with tree roots. "What's happening?"
	They turned around as the door disappeared.
	"Don't worry, Serena," Darien said, walking to the 
edge of the elevator. "I won't let anything happen to
you."
	"This elevator ride is taking so long!" Serena whined.
"It's like torture. Darien...why are you after the rainbow
crystals? Oops! I'm sorry... I guess that's pretty nosy of
me, huh?" This definitely confirmed
her hunch on Darien being Tuxedo Mask... But she'd keep the
secret to herself.
	"I wanna know who I am."
	"Huh?"
	"You see, my whole life I've never known who I really
am or where I come from. I mean, I'm not really sure my real
name is Darien. I was orphaned in a terrible car crash when I
was really young. I was diagnosed with amnesia.
	"I lived at the orphanage until I could get a job. It never
bothered me that much, until a I kept having this recurring
dream. There's this princess waiting for me; she keeps
begging me to get the Imperial Silver Crystal. She can tell
me who I am. What's weird is that though it's a dream, I have
felt that I've met this girl. Pretty crazed, huh?"
	"Oh..."
	"Anyway... Thanks for listening Meatball Head."
	"Don't start! You said that you weren't going to call
me that any more. Remember the deal? You do remember?"
	"Of course."
	"Well, I’m glad you told me. It must be hard not knowing
who you are."
	"I get clues." He turned to face away from Serena.
	Serena looked at him and saw Tuxedo Mask.

	"Soon the Nega-verse will prevail," Malachite said, his
eyes flashing as dark energy surround the city.

	"Oh..." Serena said worriedly. "We're stopping. Now
what, Darien?"
	Malachite stood waiting at the top. Who cares what
Beryl wants? He thought to himself, creating fire in his
two hands. I'm in charge of Tuxedo Mask's destiny now. Too bad
he's going to have a little accident, he thought as he release
the fire down the elevator.
	"Darien! Look! Fire!" Serena said as Darien screamed.
	Sailor Moon could get us out of this, Serena thought,
but Darien will find out who I really am.

TO BE CONTINUED...

Well? How did you like it? The ending was dialogue from the
real episode. Centre Point tower is quite tall and takes
a while to get to the top, but it has no window in the
elevator like the Starlight Tower.
I know I said that this as going to be the last part,
but its been a while, so this came out shorter than planned.
Stay tuned for the end next week!

Cyas! Roo.

roovel@xoommail.com