Based on Naoko Takeuchi's Sailormoon. Title: Training Camp Author: Daine Artillo E-mail: atia@crosswinds.net Rating: G-PG Chapter VI: "I'll always be here if you need me" "You say Mother spoke of danger before she collapsed?" Serena ducked the overhead sword's blow that was aimed for her head. "Yes," Ami sat on a nearby rock watching her princess and fiery Rei fighting each other. "Well," Serena used the ground to spring above Rei's head, "what do you think we should do?" Rei's sword fell out of her hand as Serena's sword went from her hand to her throat. "That's one of the things we came to talk to you about." Ami gently jumped off her rock as Serena offered a hand to Rei. Rei smiled in a bitter sweet manner. "You've gotten much better. Pretty soon we'll be out of the job; you won't have any need for protectors!" She stretched out a hand for her sword. "Nonsense!" Serena smiled. "You just aren't using the abilities from your planets; you still are *a lot* more powerful! 'Sides," she handed Rei her sword, "I'm not going to let my friends leave me that easily." "You haven't changed a bit, Serenity." "I hope not!" Serena smiled. "Let's go find Beryl and get some food, I'm starving!" Ami smiled over at Rei, "No, she hasn't changed at all." **** Beryl sat brooding in her room. Usually the young girl would have been busy training and improving her skills, but today was different. Every day had been different since the new recruits had appeared. The only letter that she had received from her father hadn't helped her mood any either. After receiving her abilities reports, Beryl's father, instead of complimenting her, repremanded her for not doing better; scolding her although her marks had risen from almost zero. Beryl thought unhappily. She rose angrily from her bed and straightened the rumpled covers. Beryl smiled at her foolish thoughts. Why on Earth would anyone be afraid of her? She reached a hand out to go eat lunch. The knob turned in her hand. "OW!" Beryl fell flat. "Hey! You could knock ya know!" "Oh, Beryl!" Serena went to help her friend up. "I'm sorry. You know that I usually barge in." Serena winked. "I thought you were used to me by now, it's been a year since you met me!" Beryl returned her friend's smile. "Absolutely nothing will prepare me from the destructive Serena." "Hey!" "There's some truth in that statement," Rei comented snobbily. "She should be graceful and coordinated, not a stupid clumsy..." "Rei!" Ami sharply repremanded. Serena was staring at Rei blankly, as was Beryl. Beryl thought angrily. "HOW DARE YOU!" Beryl stood before Rei. The raven haired girl stood, stunned, with an angry red hand mark across her face. Beryl was equally stunned. Her hand stung. <*I* did it! I slapped her! Why?> Serena got up quickly. "Beryl! Please don't!" "Serena," Beryl said numbly. "Rei! Rei, are you okay?" Rei just rubbed her face gently. "I'm fine, Serena. Don't worry." "Rei? Is that your name?" Beryl asked, her body still numb. "I-I'm so sorry. I don't know what happened. It's just you...Serena." "Beryl! You don't need to baby me! I can handle myself!" Beryl jumped. Who was talking to her now? "Serena?" "You don't need to bully poor Rei!" Tears swam in Serena's blue eyes. "Why do you hurt my friends?" **** Beryl's eyes had angry tears as she read her father's letter. "I'm quite disappointed in you, Beryl. These marks of yours are quite disappointing. Get them up or you shall be quite a disgrace." **** "Serena! I'm a friend! I'm *your* friend!" Beryl grabbed Serena around the shoulders and desperately shook her. "Please, say that I'm still a friend! Don't abandon me! You are my *only friend!*" Beryl was roughly grabbed and thrown to the ground. Serena stood and watched helplessly as Rei stood up and calmly walked away. Ami walked over to Serena. "I think we should go." She led Serena, oblivious to her surroundings away. Beryl watched them go. tears filled emerald eyes. She too stood and ran blindly into the scattered trees behind the trainees' quarters; her father's letter lay crumpled in the trash. Beryl ran without a sense of where she was going, her heart broken and tears running down her face. **** Endymion sat on a limb of a strong oak tree. He sat and watched the brillant landscape that he eventually would have to rule over. Despite the many emotions that he had been feeling, he sat and enjoyed the simple scene. he wondered to himself. he grimaced slightly at the thought of the strong young woman. A bell rung in the distance as Endymion head rose toward the sound. He lept nimbly down to the ground that wasn't too far away. No sooner had he reached the ground, he was knocked to the ground. "Hey!" he demanded as he supported himself on one elbow. "What were..." his words trailed off as he saw who had collided with him. Beryl sat equally shocked as a few more tears trickled down her pale face. She regained her senses enough to realize what had just happened. "Prince! Oh," she jumped to her feet in order to help the Earth Prince to his. "I'm so sorry! I wasn't watching where I was going and..." "Taking after Serena a bit, aren't you?" Endymion grinned. He knew that the two girls were always together. Beryl tightly shut her eyes as the mention of her friend's name. Endymion noticed. "What's wrong?" "It's nothing, I'm..." "Beryl," Endymion said, having the startled girl look him in the eyes. "no one I know runs blindly into the wood crying with nothing wrong." Beryl raised an eyebrow. "You have friends who does these sort of things often?" Endymion recognized the absurdity of his statement and smiled. "Yes, servents, comrads, you know." Beryl also smiled. "I have an idea," Endymion spoke placing a hand on Beryl's shoulder. "why don't we get some lunch, and you can tell me what's troubling you. I don't have much experience with emotion," he grimaced at the thought of Serena, and continued, "but I'll listen and see if I can help in anyway." "Thank you, Prince..." "Call me Endymion." "...Endymion." **** "She did WHAT?" Makoto asked. "She slapped me, Mako. And you don't need to alert the entire cafeteria." Rei replied calmly. She had remained calm since the encounter with Beryl. "I think she might be the danger that the Queen was speaking of." "You really think so?" Minako asked, playing with a strand of blond hair between her fingers. "I always thought that Beryl was a nice girl..." Makoto sweatdropped. "Minako, you've only been here a week." "I know that!" Minako said, now raising her voice like Makoto had a short time ago. "But, she seems like..." "All right, all right," Ami said, stopping the would be fight. "Rei usually has a good instinct in what the dangers in battle we face are, but even this is a little hasty. I think we should watch Beryl while we train. If Beryl is the danger that the Queen was sensing, we have to take Serena back to the Moon and just complete our training there." "Beryl..." All eyes turned toward Serena who was just now coming out of her numb state. The group of girls followed the direction of her stare to see the topic of their conversation talking with Endymion. Beryl appeared to be talking in a serious manner, but without her previous tears. Endymion listened with rapt attention. "Beryl!" Serena got up from her seat abruptly and ran over toward her startled best friend. Beryl looked at Serena in surprise at the hug she was receiving. "Beryl, of course you're my friend. You will always be!" Serena had tears running down her face. "Always." **** "I-I slapped her across the face because of what she said. I mean, I didn't realize what I had done until she had this large red mark," Beryl grimaced as she explained what had happened. "I just, just..." "...just wanted to protect Serena?" Endymion completed. "Yes, I can see why you wanted to do this. What happened after that?" "Serena said not to hurt her friends, but," Beryl grew hysterical again. "I'm her friend too! A better friend than they are! I, I..." "Beryl, calm down! I'm not accusing you." Beryl looked at his concerned blue eyes. She smiled nervously. "Sorry. It's...just still so fresh in my mind." She paused then laughed suddenly. "What?" Endymion asked. "What do you find so funny?" Beryl looked at him with sad eyes. "Just a week ago I told you to get away from Serena. Now you're the only one who's here to comfort me." Endymion started; the realization hitting him suddenly. "I never thought of that," he admitted. "But shall we put it behind us? For the year that you've been here, I've seen you to be a really decent person and I'd like to get to know you better." Beryl smiled. This time a smile that had her warm personality in it. "I'd love to. Thank you." Endymion looked her in the eyes and said seriously. "If you ever want to talk again, I'll always be here." Beryl jerked suddenly at the words as a hazy memory played in her mind. *** Beryl was crying in the gardern. Her governess has struck her because she had stared out the window again instead of paying attention to her lessons. Her face hurt. "Beryl! Little sister!" Beryl looked up, some of her auburn hair in her eyes. Seeing the person coming, she flung her arms around him. Her brother would protect her, he wouldn't let the governess hit her again. "Beryl, what's wrong?" Beryl told what was wrong. Her brother's eyes hardened at what he heard. "She dared to hit the princess? I'll see that she's..." "Please, don't punish her too harshly!" Beryl started. "I think she just had a hard morning, and..." "That is no excuse..." "Please?" Her brother smiled. "Alright, little one. You look hungry, you'd better get something to eat." "Okay." He started to walk away. She looked at him, trying to remember something. "Wait!" He paused and turned around. "What is it?" "Thank you!" She ran and hugged him. She pulled away and saw confusion in his eyes. "What for?" "Thank you for being there for me!" A smile. "I'll always be here if you need me." He touched a finger to the tip of her nose. "Go eat your lunch." **** "Beryl!" "Huh?" Beryl was jerked out of her memory, fading fast. She felt two arms squeezing her tightly. "Beryl, of course you're my friend. You will always be!" Beryl saw Serena looking at her with tears in her eyes. "Always." Beryl laughed. "What? What is it?" Serena asked, wiping some of the tears from her face. "Two." "What?" Endymion stood beside Serena, also puzzled. Serena did not notice his presence. Beryl looked at them and smiled. "Two people who care for me in one day." Serena now looked at Endymion, startled. He gave her a sad smile. She also smiled slightly. End of Chapter 6. **** Author's Notes: Amazing! I actually wrote more! ^_^ This was definately a more serious chapter that I wrote. Blame all the Gundam that I've been watching lately. ^_^ It's probably just me, but I felt like I wrote Chapter 6 in a slightly different style than I usually do. Maybe it's just me.... *shrugs* As for the next chapter, (everyone together now) I don't know when it will be out. *everyone groans* I know, I know, but, you all know my usual excuses. ^_^ I've got a really big writing craze now, so maybe the next chapter will come soon. Who knows. Thank you all who e-mail me and for reading this. Moon Romance, thanks for staying on the 'net and supporting so many of us fanfictionists! -'till then (hopefully soon ^_^;;) Daine