[Haruka and Michiru are watching the TV. The LD spins up.] >Alex and Serena >Title: A Common Goal >Episode: 3 Haruka: It keeps going and going and going... >By: ImMoRtAl PeNgUiN > >Once again, I welcome *all* mail. Haruka: Really? Excuse me, I have a letter to write. [Haruka begins to stand and Michiru pushes her back down in her seat.] Michiru: You're not leaving me alone, here. > And from now >on, I'm not gonna give any parts of the story >here. This is the story following Jealousy and >Hate & Love. Thank-you, and have a nice fanfic. > > > ~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~ Haruka: Wait, I think I can make out what that says. [squints] Abandon... hope... all... ye... that... enter... here... Michiru: I'd scold you, but you may be right. > > I woke up in the middle of the night, sweating. That dream seemed so >real! I looked outside at the snow, softly drifting to the ground. It was >just a dream, nothing more. But he still shook. He dreamt that Serena, his >love was in the arms of another night, Haruka: Another night? What's that supposed to mean? Michiru: I'm not sure. > kissing the stranger under the giant >oak tree in Serena's yard. However, the stranger seemed oddly familiar. > "It's just a dream, Darien, pull yourself together!" I said to my- >self. But my voice only comforted me alittle. "Must be your consience, >Darien." Michiru: Talking to oneself is a sign of impending mental collapse. > I had been avoiding Serena alot, lately. It just didn't feel right >to love Serena. She was too young! Haruka: You're not exactly Methuselah yourself, Tux. > I tossed in my bed and stared up at the >moon. God, I hope this dream isn't true. > > > "Alex?" I finally found the girl in a tree. > "Huh?" Haruka: It's official. The author thinks I'm Tarzan. > I wrapped my arms around Alex and kissed her softly on the cheek. >"What are you doing here?" I whispered. Haruka: Be vewwy vewwy quiet. I'm hunting wabbits. > "I'm--I'm here to make sure the princess is alright." The tall blonde >said softly. Than she turned all macho on me. Haruka: Macho, macho man! I want to be a macho man! > "Didn't I tell you not to >worry and go to bed without me, love?" > I chuckled. "I got your note. But I couldn't let you stay here all >by yourself, right?" > > > I relaxed slightly. Obviously, Michelle still didn't suspect any- >thing. Michiru: That's because my alternate up there is, evidently, as dumb as a stick. > I didn't know how to tell her about the feelings I had for Serena. >I was afraid it would hurt her too much. Haruka: No! You think so? > "Go home, I'll be staying here for awhile." I returned her kiss. > "No." > Michelle could be downright stubborn if she wants to. > "Raye came Haruka [Beavis]: Heheheh. > to our place today." I said softly. > "So?" Her face blanked for a bit, than she grimaced. "Oh. I see." > "That's why I *must* be here. She might come here and try to hurt >our princess." I explianed, rather lamely. Haruka [scratching the back of her neck nervously]: Uh, yeah. That's it. Hurt the princess. Mmm, Usagi... Wait, wait, I'm back. Michiru: Sometimes I wonder about you. > "You love her, don't you?" > Her question demanded an answer. I put it off for several seconds. >Than I hung my head down dejectedly. "Yes. I love her very much." > "I love you too. Just remember, that if you ever need someone to >love and love you back, I'll be waiting for you." Michiru: You know that, don't you? Haruka: Yeah. [puts her arm around Michiru] > She kissed me softly >again. The beautiful aqua-haired girl jumped out of the tree, and ran. But >she was not fast enough for me not to see the tears running down her face. [Both facefault] Haruka: Michiru, if ever I'm this stupid, promise me you'll do a little more than that. Michiru: If ever you were that stupid, I'd hit you over the head and drag you home. > "I love you too..." Tears came to my eyes. My heart felt like it was >torn in two. I loved Michelle as much as I loved Serena. How could I hurt >them both? I kept my sight on Michelle until she disappeared. Haruka: Baka! Get out of that tree and go after her! > I turned my attention back to Serena and stayed stubbornly on that >tree until morning came. Then I left and walked, dejectedly back home. > I opened the door to my house and walked in, shedded my over-coat, >boots, and scarf. Michiru [mock indignant]: Just drop them on my nice, clean floor, why don't you? > I walked softly into the bedroom that we shared and saw >Michelle, huddled, alone, on her side of the bed. > "I'm home, Michy." Haruka [Ricky Ricardo]: Hey Lucy! I home! > I slipped into the covers and hugged her briefly. >She snuggled against me and wrapped her arms around me possessively. [Michiru mirrors the action on the screen. Haruka turns slightly blue.] > After a few minutes of silence, she spoke. "Why did you come back?" > "Because. Haruka: Just because. No real reason. > I still love you dearly." I kissed her forehead. > She sighed softly. "But you still love Serena?" > "Yes." > "Than please decide soon. I'm hurting inside." Michiru: It's my stomach. I knew I shouldn't have challenged Usako to a pie- eating contest. > I nodded and she fell >asleep in my arms, while I cried silently inside. Haruka: Crying inside *should* be silent. > > > "Serena! Wake-up!" Sammy tossed her sister's blankets aside mischev- >iously. Haruka [Garth]: Wake up, Wayne! > "Leave me alone, Sammy." Serena said softly. > "Come on, sis! It's 1 in the afternoon!" Sammy screeched. > "I said leave me alone!" Serena screamed and threw her pillow at >Sammy. Haruka [Usagi]: And give me back my underwear! Michiru [shudders] > Then she started crying. > Serena's brother stood at the door, staring at her sister dumbly. Haruka [Shingo]: Duh... > "Are you alright, sis?" Sammy asked. He hated seeing her sister >like that. And he exspecially hated Darien who caused her sister to be like >that. Michiru: Poor Shingo. Haruka: Poor *US*. > "Just get out of my room, Sammy. Please." She sobbed. > He left the room silently and went back to his own room. > > > I finally controlled my sobbings. I looked out the window at the sun >high in the sky. Alex. Darien. Haruka: Rabbit season! Duck season! > That started me again, sobbing into my covers >uncontrollably. I gathered myself together and made my way to the bathroom. Michiru: We're not going to have to watch THAT, are we? Haruka: I'll smash the screen first. >On the way, I had to pass Sammy's room. A voice made me stop and I looked >into his room. He was playing a game, King's Quest 6 that he had just bought >with his own allowance. Funny. The main character's name is Alexander. Michiru: That's very interesting. [yawn] > Sammy moved the mouse and clicked on a bookshelf on the screen. I >stood there, and listened as the narrator started reciting poems and one of >them caught my attention: Michiru [Usagi]: Which was odd, because I didn't throw it. > > What was it when I looked at you? > What power has chained me through and through? > And binds my heart with links so tight Haruka/Michiru: Minako! > I cannot > live without the sight of you. > What nameless thing has captured me, > And made me powerless to flee? > What thing is it without a name, > That brings my mind ever back the same to thee? > The name of 'LOVE', Michiru: I thought it was nameless. > cannot apply, > It's commonness does not descry, > The haunted, hunted, painful cry, that my heart > makes for you. Michiru: Sounds like a serious cardiac condition. See a doctor. > That ever, my soul eternally, makes...for you. > > I ran to the washroom Haruka: Funny, this story's having the same effect on me. > crying. Oh, if only it wasn't so hard to >choose. Michiru: Let's see here. First of all, Usagi is straight. Furthermore, the continued existence of the Earth hinges on her staying with Mamoru. I can see how the choice would be so difficult. > The tearing pain within me came back with a new intensity that made >my soul ache. Alex showed her love for me readily. Darien never expressed >his love for me openly, but I could tell my prince loved me. Oh, if only it >wasn't so hard to choose! Michiru: Repetition. A fanfic is better with repetition. Repetition. This public service announcement brought to you by the Bureau of Repetition. > > > I poured myself Michiru: Somehow I doubt Mamoru would go get drunk, even over this. > a cup of hot chocolate Michiru: Oh. > on this cold winter's day. No >work *or* school. The snow had stopped any of that. The only people who >could profit from the heavy snow were kids. Haruka: There's also ski resorts, people who drive graders or plows, and of course anyone who rents or sells any sort of outdoor equipment, but, hey, who's counting? > Hiring themselves out to shovel >the driveways and getting alot of money for it. > My mind drifted Haruka [Mamoru]: What kind of a name is Gilligan? > to Serena. And the dream. I ached to find out who it >was kissing Serena in my dream. I also wanted to wrap my fingers around his >neck and choke the life out of him. Haruka [extending her neck]: Please, do it. End it now! > I dismissed the dream and shook the >sense of forboding off me like a blanket of snow. Michiru: There certainly is alot of snow in this story. > If the dream proved to be >real, I knew what my goal is. I knew what the stranger's goal is. And I >swear, I would win. > > to be continued... Haruka: I'll pay you not to. > >Author's Note: Sad. But, what isn't? Life is sad. >And by the way, thanks, Saturn, Michiru: Saturn? Haruka, have a talk with Hotaru tonight, will you? > for giving me an >idea to work on! You know who you are! :) > > > >--------------7946222B5EB7-- Haruka: And the Rei subplot just kind of peters out... > > > [Scene change. We find ourselves in a hastily constructed theatre that was obviously a storage room in the recent past. Michiru steps into the scene.] Michiru: Ohayo minna! We were wondering what happened to the Rei subplot, and so we decided to write our own ending to wrap it up. Without further ado, the Outer Senshi Players would like to present Alex and Serena: The Director's Cut. [Michiru walks out of the room and Haruka comes in, dressed in a trench coat and looking quite silly.] Haruka: I wonder if I should go home to Michiru, who loves me dearly, or go harass Usagi some more? Doh. This is a hard choice. Say, I'm cold. Maybe I should move and stop letting this white stuff build up on me. Poit! [Beat. Haruka looks offscreen.] Haruka [stage whisper]: Setsuna, you're on. Setsuna [o.s.]: I am NOT going out there! Haruka: But you look so kawaii. Setsuna [o.s.]: I don't WANT to be kawaii! Michiru [o.s.]: Go on, Setsuna, no one's going to say anything. Setsuna [o.s.]: All right, all right. [Setsuna comes in to the room, dressed in a badly-done and too small imitation of Rei's fuku, and sporting a poor wig.] Setsuna: Hi, Haruka. Hey, here's an idea. Ditch that silly blonde and come with me. Haruka: Uh... no? Setsuna: AHHH! Why you [beep]ing [beep]! I've [beep]ing had it! I'm gonna kick that little [beep]s [beep] and then I'm going after that blue- haired [beep] you've been [beep]ing! [Michiru leaps in to the scene.] Michiru: Oh no, you won't! [bonks Setsuna with her mirror.] Setsuna: Ow. [falls over.] Michiru: What should we do with her? Haruka: Throw her in the loony bin with Minako. [Setsuna stands up, ditches the wig, and the three take a bow. All exit the scene.] Setsuna [o.s.]: You know what? That was pretty fun, and very therapeutic. Haruka [o.s.]: You scared the hell out of me, Setsuna. Setsuna [o.s.]: Really? [End of Part Three]