Title: Apples & Oranges
Author: Marie J.W.
Chapter: One
Rated: PG
Email: [email protected]
URL: http://www.mariejwfanfics.homestead.com

(Disclaimer: I don't own Sailor Moon)

I'm back with another story! I hope minna-chan likes it! This story takes
place during the Silver Millennium.
Read on...

` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` `

"Where do you think you're going?"
The young blonde girl whirled around. That was it. She was in trouble.
"I uh..." she stuttered around for an excuse. What excuse could a girl give
for being near the portal?
"You were trying to run away again, weren't you? Wait until Mother hears
about this, you ungrateful little brat!"
"Please, Natia! Don't tell." She hated to get in trouble again. Natia
was always telling on her.
"Oh, leave her alone." a deep voice demanded.
The blonde sighed in relief.
"But, Nat!" Natia protested.
Nat walked up to the blonde and put his arm around her shoulders, "She's
had enough of the dark room." Nat is the blonde girl's stepbrother and
Natia her stepsister.
"You always take her side! I'm your blood, you should take mine!" she
stomped her foot.
Nat chuckled, "You're adorable sister but Serenity is beautiful. And you
know how crazy I am about beauty." he petted her hair. The blonde-now known
as Serenity--swallowed. The way he touched her made her skin crawl. It
just didn't feel right.
Natia glared at Serenity in hate before stomping off to tell on
Serenity anyway.
"I'll protect you, Serenity." he learned down and whispered in her ear. If
she ever did manage to run away, he would be one of the main reasons.
"Thank you, dear brother." Serenity smiled at him and pulled away.
He frowned, "You don't like me very much, do you?"
"I like you just fine."
He sighed, "No matter, one day you will."
Serenity mentally shook her head. She would never like him the way he
wanted her too.


Serenity woke early the next morning. She would try again today. She pulled
on her slippers and changed into her silk white dress. I just need to be
quieter that's all, she thought.
Looking out her window, she could see the shadows of the dried trees
and ground. It was always like that. She could never understand how
her Stepmother could stand such a thing. Once she tried to plant something
green in the front of the Castle but her Mother became outraged and threw
her into the dark room. She was more often then not sitting in there,
she realized. Well, it won't happen again. Serenity thought, determined.
She climbed out the window, being careful not to loose her slippers on the
way. She grasped the dried vine and carefully slid down the wall.

Once at the bottom Serenity ran through the dead forest and came to the
portal. It looked huge, mysterious, and over powering in the thick night.
Only the stars shone enough light to guide her there.
I hope this thing still works, she thought.
A light went on in the castle. Serenity turned around. Oh...no! Ahhh...
get in...get in!
Serenity jumped in and frantically looked for a button or something to get
the thing started.
A lantern went on and she could see it start to move toward her.
I can't be taken again! I won't! Serenity searched with her hands along the
side of the walls of the portal but only moss and dirt greeted her. How
does this thing work?!
"Get out of that, brat!" she heard Natia call.
"Someone help me!" Serenity screamed in fright. A flash of light shone
above her, blinding her. What's happening?! Serenity closed her eyes tight
and pressed her hands over her ears as a slight ringing sound erupted.
A tingling began at her forehead and worked its way to the rest of her
body.
"Help me!"

` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` `

Her head spinning, the Queen grabbed onto the table next to her, clutching
her head.
"Your Majesty, are you all right?" a black cat looked up into the Queen's
face.
"I..." the dizziness began to fade, "I'm fine, Luna." The Queen stood
up, "Sorry, now where was I?"
Luna looked at her worried before reluctantly continuing, "The Earth."
"Oh...yes. Queen Agasta and King Tirren will be coming for dinner
tonight."
"What about the Prince, Queen Serenity."
"I believe they said he wouldn't be able to attend."

` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` `

"...want to catch a frog, and eat it! I want to catch a frog and eat
it...!"
"Shut up, Chad!"
Chad, a young man with long chestnut brown hair, stuck his tongue out at
another young man with short blonde hair, "You should talk; you sing worse
songs then me."
The blonde haired man rolled his eyes before slashing his sword across
a branch, knocking the branch off the tree, "At least I can sing."
"Ha!"
"Andrew, Chad, both of you, shut up!" a light browned haired man glared at
the two behind him.
"That's what I said, Ken!" Andy smiled playfully.
Ken grunted, "How far Greg?"
Greg, another Man with light brown hair, replied, "Another two miles."
"Are you serious?" Ken sighed.
"Shhh..." the man with black hair whispered through his teeth. His
generals were always being too noisy!
"Lighten up, Darien. We're not even there yet." Andy called up to him.
Darien stiffened and turned to look at his friends, "Did it ever acure to
you that we just might get something 'before' we get to the site? Umm?"
Andy rolled his eyes, "I'm tired. When do we take a break?" Darien, in
Andrew's opinion, was too stiff.
Darien grunted before plowing on.


They're going to regret making so much commotion later, Darien thought as
he tried to ignore their conversation. He focused his thoughts ahead.
Looking carefully at bushes, trees and the ground beneath his feet. Hunting
took skill and... unfortunately... absolute silence.
Armed with a bow and a dozen arrows, Darien made sure he was prepared.
"Wha...!"
Darien spun around on his heels. His heart sped up and his brain became
alert. He searched the bushes, trees and ferns but everything was silent
and unmoving except for his... hunting partners.
"Would you guys shut up!" Darien snapped.
All four generals stopped bickering (since that was what they were doing)
and stared at Darien.
"I thought I heard something." He whispered.
Quickly, silently, the men fixed their gear and became alert for any wild
life.
Darien was grateful for the silence. He had heard something but there
didn't seem to be anything. He hesitantly sighed, "All right, there's
nothing here." Darien immediately regretted his words.
The guys relaxed and started talking again.
Darien groaned and marched on. Next time he would go alone.

` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` `

"Wha...!"
Serenity fell face first and landed in a thick of green ferns. Serenity moaned. That hurt.
She sighed and slowly lifted her head to see where she was and where she
had landed. How far did I go? Am I still on the Dark planet? She thought.
Serenity gasped at the colors before her. Green, purple, pink, and
yellow!
"Oh..." Serenity's heart beat faster, "Where am I?" she had never seen so
many colors in her life! They surrounded her on every side, brushing against
her arms and legs. The fragrance assaulted her senses like nothing ever had.
The smell of herbs, wild flowers and blossoms.
"I'm in heaven..." her eyes widened, "Oh, no! Am I dead?"
Serenity looked down at herself for any sign of dying before mentally
hitting herself for being so silly. Serenity stood up and dusted herself
off.
"There doesn't look like there's any civilization." She mused.

` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` `

Five young amazons entered the dinning room gracefully. A raven-haired
girl wearing a maroon colored dress sat down on the right side of the table
and analyzed the silver wear, making sure they were clean and spotless.
She looked at them from angle to angle before smiling satisfied and
sitting back.
A girl with light brown hair smirked at the raven-haired girl as she sat
down across from her, "Making sure your germs are still on it, Ray?"
Ray glared before making her point; "Last night they were dirty and I had
to send my whole set of silver wear back."
The brown-haired girl rolled her eyes before scrunching up her sleeves
and resting her arms on the table.
"Manors, Lita, remember what Madam Cook said?" A blue haired girl
reprimanded before taking a seat next to Lita.
Lita smiled, "That reminds me! Is she still sick?"
"I heard that she's going to be sick for a while still!" the blonde's voice
held no regret.
Ray flung her hair back, "Mina, you shouldn't be so mean."
Mina never lost her smile, "Well, it's true!"
The blue-haired girl sighed, "When will you ever learn what you've
been taught?"
"Poor, Amy." Lita patted the girls back in mock sympathy.
Amy's glare stopped her.

"Be ladylike Scouts." Queen Serenity arrived smiling, "The King and Queen
will soon be here."
Ray rolled her eyes. Everyone knew that Ray had something against the
Earth, they were never sure what though.
Queen Serenity sat down at the head of the table and looked the room over
as well as the girls. The scouts had become like daughters to her as they
were part of her guard as well as her court.
In the beginning the four scouts were supposed to go to Moon Princess's
court but unfortunately the Princess was kidnapped, but despite their
desperate search, there was no sign of the Queen's daughter.
"Your Majesty? May I ask what this meeting is about?" Amy asked.
The Queen sighed, "It's about everything, I suppose."
The scouts waited for an explanation but none came. The scouts exchanged
looks but didn't prod her any further.

` ` ` ` ` ` `

Skirt tied up around her legs, and hair pinned around her head,
Serenity trudged through the forest. Her legs were muddy and her face
was smudged with dirt. Serenity waved her hand around, trying to get the
flies and mosquitoes off her skin!
"What are those things?!" Serenity backed away from them in fright. When
some of them landed on her they made her skin itchy! She did not like that
at all!
"Eeee, go away!" she screeched.

` ` ` ` ` ` ` `

"Why did Old McDonald have a farm?" Andy asked.
"I think he got board of playing cards." Chad slashed his sword at a twig,
the twig flew off into the thick woods.
"Naw, he was a Captain on a ship and he took pirates and made them walk
the plank... but then he got tired of that and started a farm where he could
be captain of the pig and cow world!" Ken joked.
"There can't be a captain called Old McDonald, who would be afraid of
that?" Greg put in, "No, he became a farmer because he couldn't speak
English."
Andy shook his head, "No, all of you are wrong!"
"What?" Chad looked back at him.
"Old McDonald had a farm so he could retire and live his life in a
mansion."
"And how do you know that?"
"It's past tense, you know, 'had'."
"That's stupid!" Chad frowned.
Andy shrugged his shoulders.
"Hey, guys, where's Darien?" Greg asked.
The four generals looked around for their leaders.
"Ah...did we loose him, or did he loose us?"

` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` `

"Here deerie...deerie...deerie..." Darien whispered to the deer's that
actually wanted to be killed and eaten. Where are they? He wondered.
Already, he had been out here for hours and still there were not so much
as tracks to lead him anywhere!
"Ahhh!"
Darien swirled around at the sound, ready to shoot his arrow.
The forest looked undisturbed.
"Mmmm..." I don't buy this. Darien decided, he heard that sound too many times
to put it off again. He put his bow down toward the ground and stalked
towards where he thought the voice came.
"Eeeewww... what is all this?"
Darien straitened and turned to the left. A big tree blocked his view.
He sidestepped several feet to the right before staring at a two feet high
mud puddle.
The mud moved, standing to its full height before falling down the opposite way, falling to one foot high.
Darien stood eyes wide in wonder.
"Maybe this was a bad idea after all!" the thing sniffed, "I'm so hopeless!
I don't even know where I am!" the thing sat up. It wiped its nose
before spitting out mud.
By now Darien had no doubt that this creature was some misguided girl.
However, since when did he have time for such things. Girls were girls,
they were always getting into some kind of trouble and he had no mind to
help this one.
The thing looked at him, and for the first time Darien saw her eyes. They
were the color of royal blue; stunning. She blinked before quickly standing
up and walking toward him, her feet making a sickening sucking sound in
the dirt.
"Your human!" the thing said amazed.
Darien glared at her, taken slightly off guard, "Thank goodness."
She stopped and stared at him. Her eyes went down to his bow and arrow
still firmly in his hands. She stepped back in fright.
"Whoa, dude! There you-" Chad stopped when he realized his leader
wasn't listening to him. He followed Darien's gaze, his mouth dropped
open, "What in the heck is that? You're not actually going to eat that
are you?"
The mud pile squealed before turning and running through the woods.
"What happened and what was that thing?" Ken came running up with Andy and
Greg.
Chad shrugged his shoulders, "Heck if I know."
"It's a girl, I think she's lost out here." Darien informed.
"Well, then why aren't we going after her?" Andy asked.
Darien turned to his generals, "She'll be fine."
"You don't know that, Darien!" Ken burst out.
"Ken's right, we should make sure she's okay." Andy put his bow behind his
back in an arrow pack, "Let's go."
"I said, she will be fine." Darien glared at Andy.
Andy frowned at him, "And I say she won't, let's go after her." He turned
and started walking, "Who knows what you said to the poor thing."
Greg, Ken and Chad watched Andy run off for about three seconds flat
before putting their bows and arrows away and running after the girl as
well.
Darien stood watching. They're fools, he thought.
However, the girl's eyes haunted him. He could still see them as clear as
he could see the sky. Staring at him with awe and a certain intensity he
had never seen before. Who was this girl and what was she doing in the middle
of the forest? A flick of light caught his eye. He looked down to see a
mud covered bracelet. He bent down and picked up the dirty but shinny object;
it was made of crystals. They glinted as he moved the bracelet around in
his hand.
This girl was no ordinary girl, she was a princess.


` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` `
To be continued...
` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` `

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