The Softest Snow Flake
By MoonKlutz
Part 3

	Serena woke up early the next day, and left for the arcade.  She didn’t feel like 
facing her family this morning.  She walked quickly through the snow-covered streets in 
the still of the morning.  Everything was quiet and the sky was a simple gray color. She 
shuffled her feet along, kicking snow here and there occasionally, enjoying the silence 
that was always there before the rest of the world woke up.  She had discovered this 
silence one night after a long battle when she was walking home alone.  It was 
marvelous.  Finally the double doors of the crown fruit parlor came into view and she 
entered them, pulling off her mittens as she found a small booth in the back. A waiter 
came by and took her order and Serena settled into the booth., leaning her head against 
the back and closing her eyes with a sigh.  It had been a stressful few days… 
	The small bells that hung from the mistletoe above the doors jingled lightly as 
someone scooted inside with a gust of cold air.  Darien.  Serena sunk low in the booth 
and tried to erase all mental awareness of her presence from the place.  
	"Hey Jim!" Darien called out cheerfully as he sat down at the bar. The waiter who 
had served Serena turned and waved.
	"Hi Darien!  Coffee?" he asked.
	"Black, as always!" Darien replied cheerfully. 
	That was just one of the many reasons she couldn’t let anyone remember that she 
was the moon princess.  She wouldn’t be able to stand herself if they had to go through 
that again.  It was hard enough by her self, and she wouldn’t be able to take their 
accusing eyes.  She knew he was Endymion, and that he had some sense of what was 
going on, but was he Tuxedo Mask too?  She couldn’t quiet tell on that one… She leaned 
forward now, closing her eyes and resting her head in her hands.  This was much too 
complicated… 
	"Miss?  Excuse, me miss?  Your food Miss…" Serena’s eyes snapped open to see 
the waiter, ‘Jim’ holding her food out on a tray. 
	"Oh, yes…" she stuttered and moved back so he could set the tray down.  She 
smiled.  "Thanks." The waited nodded, looking at her strangely and returned to the bar. 
	"Serena?" Darien asked, standing up from his seat.  ‘Damn.’ Serena thought. ‘I 
lost my guard when the food came.’  He walked over to her table and stood beside her.  
"Hey Serena, you ok?"  She looked up at him, finally meeting his eyes.
	"Hmm?  Oh, yes I’m fine Darien.  Just need to eat is all." She said, and made 
some show of taking a large mouthful of scrambled eggs.  She swallowed awkwardly.  
"See?  I’m feeling better already!  Oh, look at the time!  I guess I had better be going!" 
she said in a cheerful rush and started to get up. 
	"What, and leave all this food?  You’ve only had one bite Serena!  Eat some 
more!  Jim, can you bring my coffee over here?" Darien called and sat down, as did 
Serena albeit reluctantly.  Darien smiled. "Go ahead, finish your food!  We have all of 
forever!" he said cheerfully. She smiled wanly and relaxed somewhat, eating some of her 
food as Jim brought Dariens coffee over.
	"So what are you doing out this early Darien?" she asked him finally.  "Shouldn’t 
you still be asleep?" 
	"Actually, I go out for a jog this time every day.  I’m just surprised to see you up 
this early!" he replied as she took a sip of her drink.
	"Oh I come out like this all the time.  We’ve just never run into each other I 
guess." She replied, shrugging.
	"So what are you doing today?" he asked her.
	She shrugged.  "I dunno.  Walk around a bit, maybe get some time to think.  Not 
much really." She said, staring out the window.
	"Serena, finish your meal, I want to show you something ok?" Darien asked her.  
She looked back at him, startled slightly, but nodded and ate quickly. 

	They wound up on a snow-covered cliff at the edge of a field that was full of 
flowers in the spring, but was now also snow covered.  He sat down on the edge of it, and 
motioned for her to join him.  Hesitantly, she sat down next to him, legs swinging back 
and forth over the edge.  The view was, incredible to say the least.  From this cliff you 
could see all of Tokyo, even all the secret parts of the park that few people knew off that 
often appeared in fan fics, and that ever elusive Pikestreet café that appeared wherever 
Alicia wrote.  
	"It’s beautiful…" she finally breathed, afraid to break the stillness of the place.  
Darien only nodded.  They sat there until the streets were once again filled with people 
going about in their daily routines. Finally, the two stretched and stood up.  Darien stood 
a few feet back from the cliff’s edge for a few minutes while Serena walked a few feet 
behind him at the invisible border to the field.  She scooped up a handful of the soft snow 
that had been falling freely on and off the last day or two.  After making it into a hard ball 
she whipped it at his head.  It hit dead center.
	"Oof!  Serena!" Darien said, turning around.  She smiled sweetly. 
	"Who, me?"  He grinned.
	"That’s it!" He scooped up a handful of snow himself and whipped it at her, but 
she dodged and ran further into the field.  They made quite a picture, running around for 
at least ten minutes before Serena hid behind a tree at the edge.  ‘He can’t see me.  I’ll 
just wait until he’s not looking and…’ "EEK!" She screeched as a large handful of snow 
was dumped down the back of her shirt.  "Eek, eek eek!  It’s cold, get it out, get it out get 
it out!" she yelled, dancing around and jumping in a little circle frantically.  
	Darien chuckled, leaning against the tree she had previously occupied. When 
most of the snow had dissipated, she turned to glare at him.
	"Who, me?" he mimicked innocently, and then burst out laughing, falling to the 
ground. "You should have seen yourself!" he managed to gasp out.  Serena was slightly 
unamused.  She stalked over to him where he was laying in the snow and lay down in it 
beside him, staring up at the sky as the clouds cleared a bit to reveal a bright blue patch of 
sky.  
FLASH
	"Are you sure it won’t rain Serenity?" Endymion asked, as they lay on their backs 
in the flowering gardens of the moon.
	"Absolutely Endy.  Look, not a cloud in the sky!" she said, raising her finger up 
to point at the blue heavens.
	"Except that big gray one over there." Endy agreed, pointing to the east.
	"Oh yeah.  Except that big…gray…. Endy, that’s a rain cloud you fool!" She said, 
jumping to her feet and brushing off her dress. "If we come back soaked, my mom’ll kill 
me!"  He stood up next to her, looking very calm.
	"Shall we then, milady?" he asked courteously. She curtsied.
	"Of course my lord." He bowed and they both took off running at break neck 
speed towards the shelter of the moon palace. 
	"Endy," pant, pant, "I don’t think we’re going to make it!" Serenity gasped out. 
	"Look!  There’s a shed over there, we’ll wait out the storm, come back in and say 
we were in the palace the whole time!" he said, pointing to a brown splotch over the next 
rise.  They turned towards it, running faster than they ever had before….
FLASH
	"Hey Serena?" Darien asked, as she broke out of the memory.
	"Yeah Darien?"
	"What’s that big cloud over there?"
	‘Oh no.  Not again.’
	"It’s a really big rain cloud." She replied calmly, sitting up. He sat up too.
	"Do you think we should run?" he asked her.  It was strange.  He felt like he had 
done this before.
	"After you Milord." She said, standing and curtsying. 
	"No, After you Milady." He said, bowing back.  They both made a dash for the 
next field, hoping they could make some shelter in time.  Now was not a good time to get 
caught in the rain with no umbrella. 
	"Darien, I don’t think we’re going to make it!" Serena said, gasping as they 
crossed yet another garden.
	"Look!  There’s a shed over there, we’ll wait out the storm!" He said, pointing to 
a brown splotch in the next garden.  They turned towards it, running faster than they ever 
had before.
FLASH
	They raced into the small shed and slammed the door behind them, just as the 
storm reached them.  It took a few minutes before they both regained their breath, and by 
then they were leaning against the south wall of the tiny shed, Serenity ringing out the 
last bits of water from her dress and Endymion drying the silver parts of his outfit so they 
wouldn’t rust.
	"I think we’ll be safe in here, at least for a little while." Endy said, closing his 
eyes.
	"Um, Endy?" 
	"Yeah Sere?"
	"I have something to tell you." She said nervously.
	"What’s that Sere?"
	"I’m afraid of storms."
FLASH 
	Darien blinked the day dream aside and flung the door of the small shed open and 
slamming it closed again as soon as they were both inside. .  It took a few minutes before 
they both regained their breath, and by then they were leaning against the south wall of 
the tiny shed, Serena ringing the last bits of water out of her pants and winter jacket and 
Darien doing the same for his.
	"I think we’ll be safe in here, at least for a little while." Darien said, closing his 
eyes.  Why did it seem he was playing out a dream? He leaned his head back against the 
wall with a deep breath.  There was silence for a moment.
	"Um, Darien?" Serena asked tentatively.  Darien took another deep breath.  It 
seemed she was a part of this crazy dream, and the only one who had the script.
	"Yeah Serena?"
	"I have to tell you something." She said, looking down at the floor.
	"What’s that Serena?"
	"I’m afraid of storms.  Like a lot.  Deathly afraid Darien.  So If I freak out, you 
won’t freak out too, will you?"
FLASH
	"…You won’t mind if I freak out Endy?  I don’t think I could handle it if you 
freaked out too." She said nervously.  She was already shaking at the pounding rain and 
wind battering the small shed.
	"Don’t worry Sere.  I won’t freak out.  I’ll be here for you ok?  I know we didn’t 
get along at first… But things are different now.  We’re friends, right?  And friends stick 
by each other." He said, flashing her a comforting smile.
	"Thanks Endy.  It means a lot to me…"
FLASH
	Serena was already shaking, just like the girl in this dream of his.  The pounding 
of wind and rain on the shed increasing in intensity every moment. "Don’t worry 
meatball head.  I won’t freak out.  I’ll be here for you ok? ?  I know we didn’t get along 
at first… But things are different now.  We’re friends, right?  And friends stick by each 
other." He said, smiling wanly.  She smiled back, though it was small.
	"Thanks Darien." This seemed to help her calm down a bit and she closed her 
eyes, trying to block out what was going to happen soon. 
FLASH
	The thunder and lightning came stronger and stronger with each passing moment.  
The two were now both huddled together in one corner of the shed, Endymion trying to 
stay calm and logical if not for himself, than for the shuddering girl beside him who was 
whimpering quietly, pale and shaken. A bright flash illuminated the small shed, and there 
was a thunderous noise, almost deafening.  The side of the shed was on fire.
	"Quick Serenity, we have to get out of here!  The shed’s been struck!" He 
grabbed her hand and pushed the door aside almost insignificantly as the dove outside 
and stumbled across the fields, looking for something, anything that could keep them 
safe…
FLASH
	Serena shuddered.  What kind of cruel game was destiny playing?  That was as far 
as she could remember about that day.  She had no idea what would happen after that… 
There was a loud boom of thunder and a flash of lightning, much to close for Serena’s 
comfort.  She and Darien jumped for each other and sat huddled in the corner.  Darien 
trying to stay calm and logical if not for himself, than for the shuddering girl beside him 
who was whimpering quietly, pale and shaken. A bright flash illuminated the small shed, 
and there was a thunderous noise, almost deafening.  The side of the shed was on fire.
	"Quick Serena, we have to get out of here!  The shed’s been struck!" He grabbed 
her hand and pushed the door aside almost insignificantly as the dove outside and 
stumbled across the fields, looking for something, anything that could keep them safe…
	"Look!" Serena cried out, "There, the rose gardens!  They’re dry!" She said, and 
dragged him off in that direction, the two of them still stumbling along.  They finally 
reached the dubious shelter and lay down flat in the only dry spot of the park that wasn’t 
covered in snow.
	"Stay close to the ground, away from water and any trees.  Lightning is attracted 
to the highest point off the ground and water." Darien said breathlessly.  They lay still, as 
the rain reached them, but neither dared move.  Somehow she managed to grab his hand 
and they lay there, more scared than ever before.
	"What happens now?" Serena asked over the storm.
	"I don’t know.  I just, don’t, know…" 

Ah ha!  To be continued soon!  Well it’s about time I wrote more on that.  Yeesh.  Bet 
you guys are really mad at me… Oh well! 
Also… as an added feature, I have more of the rose garden coming out soon, and more of 
some other fics of mine.  I’m going to try and finish all the ones I have out right now 
before the year 2000.  …. Never mind me!  I’ll try though, I want to thank Alicia Blade 
and my brother Nerces for being constant sources of support and inspiration: I love you 
guys!
My e-mail is moonklutz@yahoo.com and you can find me at two places on the web!  My 
ICQ page ( http://209.148.138.89:60/*34474 ) is up and running, you can find it on my info.  My number is 9237322 and my 
other web addy is www.geocities.com/~moonix/index3.html You can e-mail me latter for the 
ICQ web page addy if you don’t have it because my mom’s waiting for a phone  call right 
now.  Oh!  Also a big Hi, hey and hello to my sister Serena!  You rule sis!
Luvs ya!~
Klutz