A few days later, Darien and Serena set out into the city to
search for
the other magic gems. During that time, Darien had tried his best
to not
try taking advantage of Serena despite the fact that she was a
total babe
who would and could do anything for him. The two spent a lot of
time
getting to know each other and Darien had really begun to
appreciate
Serena as a friend. Luna seemed to be a little jealous of her
though and
would stare at Serena sometimes almost like she was scolding her.
This was Serena's first real outing into the world as she had
spent the
last half week inside Darien's apartment brushing up on current
things.
She read a few of Darien's textbooks, watched some stuff on TV
and even
got a little hang for using the computer. For a genie that was
sealed away
for a few centuries, she was quick to adapt.
She was now dressed in regular girl clothes with pink slacks and
a blue
top that came just to her naval. As much as Darien loved having
Serena
waltz around his place in her revealing harem costume, he felt it
was
better if she were out in public wearing something a little less
eyecatching. Serena was using the crystal she was sealed in
before as a
locater for the other crystals. It would give of a kind of
reaction if any
of them were nearby. She had fashioned her own crystal into a
necklace
that she wore around her neck.
"So these crystals are not to far off from here?" asked Darien.
"No, Master," replied Serena. "My own crystal finally manifested
into this
world just recently, and the power which finally brought us back
to the
mortal world cannot extend past a certain radius. So that means
that my
sisters should probably be within the confines of this city."
Darien felt a rush of embarressment. "Serena, do me a favor and
don't call
me Master when we're in public. I don't want anybody getting the
wrong
idea."
"Oh," said Serena. "Sorry, my Lord Darien."
Darien almost collapsed. "Just call me Darien, okay?"
"If that is your wish, Darien," said Serena.
"I'd just appreciate more all, Serena. You don't see me calling
you my
personal slave in public."
"But I am your slave, Maa...I mean Darien."
Darien took Serena by the hand as they continued up the sidewalk.
"I know.
But I think of you as more of a friend then anything else.
Understand?"
"Just a friend?" cooed Serena as she started to rub her hand up
Darien's
back.
Darien felt a shiver of excitement go up his spine. "Well, maybe
a little
more than just a friend."
Serena laughed. She was very happy to get someone as nice as
Darien for a
master. She hoped she wouldn't have to share him too much with
her sisters
who were just as boy crazy as she was.
Darien had a thought. "Serena, what are your sister like? Are
they....pretty?"
Serena stuttered. "Well, they were concidered some of the finest
maidens
in the genie realm."
"Really?!" asked Darien with slight anticipation.
Serena stopped. "Darien. I know its selfish of me to ask this,
but will
you please give me a chance before you meet my sisters?"
He blinked. "A chance at what?"
"At being your betrothed," she said with eyes that almost seemed
to be
begging for him.
"My betrothed?" screamed Darien. This seemed to gather a few
comments in
the crowd they were walking with.
He took Serena and they ran into a small alley in back of a
store.
"Serena, I care about you alot. Your a great girl, and in the
last week
you've made my life much more interesting than it ever could have
been.
But let's just worry about getting your sisters back before that
evil
sorceress does, okay?"
Serena jokingly smiled and dropped to her knees. "As you wish, my
Master."
"Not in public!" demanded Darien.
As she was getting up, Serena's ears perked up and she thought
she heard
something very faint echoing in her head. She looked down at her
necklace.
The jewel started to glow.
"Ma...I mean Darien, look."
Darien saw Serena's jewel. "Does this mean that one of the
crystals is
nearby?"
"I think so," said Serena. She felt the jewel synchronising with
her own
pulse. Like two heartbeats, she could sense another with the same
aura
very close to her. She faced the direction the heartbeat was
coming from.
"That way," she said as she pointed up the alley.
Ten minutes later, Serena and Darien had made it up about a dozen
blocks.
The jewel started to glow more. Serena stopped causing Darien to
collide
into her.
"What did you stop for?" asked Darien.
"The crystal should be right here!" Serena exclaimed.
They looked around but all they could find were a couple of old
houses.
"I don't know, Serena," said Darien. "These are just a bunch of
abandoned
homes. Some of them haven't been lived in since the 70's.
Serena glared at Darien with contempt. "You doubt the word of
your
betrothed?!"
Darien felt scared by the sound in her voice. "No. It's just that
I don't
see why one of the crystals would turn up here."
"It must be the will of the fates," said Serena staring into the
clouds
overhead with praise.
"Yeah, whatever," replied Darien.
Serena felt the essence of one the crystals coming from a house
on the
left. "This way!"
It was an old house with a sign on the front door claiming that
the
structure was due for demolition as soon as the zoning commission
got the
right permits. Darien was familiar with this. From his studies at
college,
he knew that it could take years for a contracter to get the
rights to
begin a new urban project. "Looks like its been closed off for a
while,"
he said.
Serena checked her own crystal. "It is definately in there. Let's
go!"
"Hold on!" demanded Darien. "We can't just bust in there! If
someone sees
us we could get arrested."
Serena thought. "Okay!" She twirled her fingers in the air and a
shower of
sparkled came over herself and Darien.
Darien shook his head and tried to make sense of what just
happened. "What
did you just do?" he asked.
"I made us invisible," answered Serena.
"Invisible?!" asked Darien. "But I can still see you."
Serena laughed. "Not to each other, silly! Now let's go."
The two of them made their way through the front door which fell
over at
the first touch of Darien's now transparent hand. The sound of
tapping
came from upstairs. Serena felt scared and cowered behind Darien.
"What're you doing?", he asked. "How can a powerful genie like
you be
afraid of a little noise?"
"I'm sorry, Darien," shivered Serena. "But I'm afraid of ghosts!"
Darien felt like this was turning into an old Scooby-Doo cartoon.
They made their way upstairs and the tapping noise continued.
They got to
a door that had a blue light coming out of it. Darien opened the
door with
Serena bravely guarding his back.
They entered the room to see a blue crystal floating in mid-air
with light
beaming out of it. Serena's crystal was glowing with it.
"This is it!" she said. "One of my sisters is within that
crystal!" She
got in front of Darien. "Now its up to you to release her."
"What do I do?"
"You just rub the crystal. Now go on. Hurry!"
With a little hesitation, Darien walked over to the floating
crystal and
grabbed it. He started to rub it. Just like when he released
Serena, a
blinding flash of light overcame his eyes. Serena was blinded
too. A beam
shot out of the top of the crystal like a laser and it started to
take on
a human shape. After their eyes became adjusted to the light,
Serena and
Darien saw the light forming into a young lady with short blue
hair. She
was wearing a light blue harem outfit with large earrings and a
gold
necklace.
The girl stood in the middle of the room. She opened her eyes.
After a few
seconds she swayed her head from side to side. "Hello?" she said.
"Is
there anyone here?"
"Ami!" yelled Serena as she ran over to embrace her.
The girl suddenly felt something grabbing her but couldn't see
what it
was. "Aaaah!" she yelled. "I'm being attacked by ghosts!"
"No." said Serena. "It's me your sister."
"Sister? Where are you?"
Serena did her little sentai-hand-gesture thing. Then she and
Darien
became visible again.
"Serena!" The young girls eyes lit up to see her sister. She
hugged her
and started to cry. "Why were you invisible?"
"We had to be to hide from other humans. We didn't know if it was
okay to
come in here. But we had to get to you."
"Ahem," said Darien trying to not too forward by butting in.
"Oh," said Serena. "Ami, this is Darien, our new master. Darien,
this is
my sister Ami."
Ami turned around to see Darien for the first time. She dropped
to her
knees. "Thank you for releasing me, Master. Please tell me how I
may serve
you."
Darien was a little impressed. This Ami was alot less forward
than Serena
and a little more polite. While he was lost in thought, he looked
a Serena
who was starting to fume with jealosy.
"Oh, sorry Serena." He turned back to Ami. "Ami its nice to meet
you to.
You can get up now."
Ami rose to her feet. "Your every wish is my command, oh Master."
She said
it in such a sincere way that it made Darien blush.
"Sister!" yelled Serena. "Remember, he's OUR master. We have to
share him."
"Oh Serena," started Ami. "You always did over react. I know that
he's
both our master."
Without warning, a terrible clap of thunder roared just outside
the room's
window. A dark mist started to sneak in through some of the
cracks in the
old wall. Serena and the others turned around to see the mist
converging
into one huge cloud.
The cloud began to take on a human form. Almost like it was also
a genie.
The form finally revealed itself. It was a tall statuesque woman
with long
red hair wearing a crown and a thin purple dress. She filled the
air with
maniacal laughter.
"Well," she said. "If it isn't two of my soon to be willing
slaves.
Already released, eh?"
Serena and Ami turned white as a sheet. "Beryl!" they both said
in unison.
"You remembered," said the mystical woman. "How quaint."
Ami bit her lip. "How could we forget, you monster?! You were the
one who
caused us to be sealed away all those years ago."
Darien tugged at Serena. "Who is this?" he asked.
Serena pulled herself together. "That is Beryl. The sorceress I
told you
about."
"I didn't seal you away!" Beryl screamed. "That witch, Serenity
encased
you withing those crystals, not I!"
"My mother did that only so she keep our power safe from you!"
Serena
cried back. "And she sacrificed herself to do it!"
Beryl held out her hand to Serena and Ami. "Well that was a long
time ago,
but now your finally free. Or at least, free to be my slaves and
give me
your power."
Ami clenched her fists. "Never! Darien is our master now! We
serve only
him!"
Serena joined Ami. "That's right! And we'd rather die before
leaving him
over you."
Beryl scowled. "How dare you! I'll teach you your real place is
at my
feet!" She raised her hands and sparks of dark energy flowed from
her
fingertips.
Serena jumped in front of Darien and created an energy shield
around
herself and him. The dark energy bounced off the shield like
water on a
brick wall. At the same time Ami knelt down and started chanting.
The dark
energy bounced off her like it did the others.
"What's Ami doing?" Darien asked Serena.
"She is focusing her powers. She is charging up for a retaliation
against
Beryl."
"Does she need to do that? Aren't you both all-powerful genies?
This Beryl
shouldn't be that much trouble for you."
"You don't understand, Master. She has all the powers of Chaos
behind her.
Until we combine the powers of the other crystals, we can't
completely
stand against her."
Ami continued chanting while Beryl increased her barrage. Then,
Ami stood
up and focused her gaze on Beryl.
"By the forces of Heaven and the tides of the ocean, I Ami the
marid, do
now order the elements to converge and fight this evil."
After saying this, Ami produced a small ball of water out of thin
air. The
ball began to take on size and then Ami hurled it at Beryl.
Beryl directed all her energy at the uncoming orb, but it had no
effect.
"No!" screamed the sorceress as she was pushed through the wall
and out
another one through the side of the house.
Ami, Serena and Darien ran through the holes Beryl had made and
stopped
where Beryl had been flung out of. They looked out to find
nothing but a
large impression on the rooftop on the house next to it.
"Where is she?" asked Darien.
"Ha!" laughed Serena. "My sis took care of her!"
Ami shook her head. "No, Serena. I only pushed her back into her
negative
space where she came from. She'll be sealed there for a little
while, but
I don't think for very long." She looked at her clothes which
were soaked
from the spell she had cast. "Maybe we should go someplace else
for right
now."
"That sounds like a good idea," agreed Darien. "Serena, could you
get us
back home with your magic?"
"Of course, Master." Serena did her hand gesture bit again and
they were
all instantly teleported away.
The three of them winked into existence inside Darien's
apartment. It was
the first time Darien had had a matter transfer experience so he
felt a
little disoriented. He felt a little woozy, but then saw Ami
collapsing
towards the floor.
"Sister!" said Serena.
Darien caught her in his arms just as she fell. "Are you okay?"
he asked
as he put his hand to her head.
Ami opened her eyes. "Yes, Master. Thank you for catching me. I'm
sorry to
be such trouble, but I used up alot of my power fighting Beryl."
"It's fine," Darien said. "As long as your okay." He then stared
into her
eyes. He didn't notice it at first with all the commotion before,
but she
was beautiful. His heart started to race and he could feel his
lips moving
towards hers.
"Oh, Master," said Ami as she simply allowed herself to be kissed
by this
stranger who was now in charge of her destiny. It was glorious to
be
useful again.
"WHAT ARE YOU DOING, SISTER?!" screamed Serena at the top of her
lungs.
"He's my master too!"
Ami and Darien unlocked each other and snapped out of whatever
haze they
were both in.
"Oh my," said Ami. "I am sorry, Master. I did not mean to take
advantage
of you like this."
Darien blushed. "I think it was me who took advantage."
Ami stood up. "However, thanks to you I now feel alot better."
She crept
over and gave him a small kiss on the cheek.
"AMI!" screamed Serena. "Your worse than Lyta is!"
"Oh, Serena," scoffed Ami. "Don't be so greedy. There's plenty of
our
master for all five us."
"Three more?" thought Darien to himself. He wasn't sure he could
handle
three more of these kind of girls.
Luna then entered the room, meowing loudly and wanting attention.
Ami
looked down and saw the little cat pawing on her pants.
"Oh, what a cute little kitty," she said as she picked up Luna
and cradled
her in her arms.
"That's Luna," said Serena. "And if you know good enough, you'll
treat our
master's pet with respect."
"He's your cat, Master?" Ami asked Darien.
"Uh...yes." he said.
"I love cats, but mother would never let us keep one."
"I wanted to ask about that," said Darien. Would you both tell me
more
about this Beryl person and how you all ended up trapped in the
crystals?"
"Certainly, Master," Ami said as she put Luna back down.
"Later, Ami," cried Serena. "I'm hungry."
Ami blinked. "It just occured to me. I haven't had anything to
eat in
centuries."
The two genies winked at each other and turned to Darien.
"Master," they
said together, "Can we please get some dinner?"
Darien almost laughed at them. He felt like he was their father
being
asked by two small children who wanted something.
"Sure. Why don't I get some pizza brought over her?"
"Pizza?" asked Ami. "What's that?"
"It's the best food in the human world," said Serena. "Master and
I got
some the other night at a local eating place."
"It's called a bistro, Serena," corrected Darien.
"Very well then," said Ami.
Later that night, Darien and was asleep in his bedroom. Serena
had made
another room in his apartment through what she called "null
space" which
went from his hall closet that she and Ami could rest in. She
didn't want
to disturb his rest and figured it would be a good way to keep
all her
boy-hungry sisters in one place.
Ami and Serena were about to turn in for the night. They had
spent a long
time catching up with each other and going over old stories.
Ami adopted a serious tone. "Serena, putting all this aside, we
have to
find the rest of our sisters and soon. Beryl almost claimed me
before
Darien did and I would have been under her command. Even if she
gets just
one of us, we could all me overpowered by her."
"I know," said Serena. "Don't worry. Master Darien is kind and
resourceful. He was a great source of strength for me in finding
you."
Ami shyly turned her head. "I know. I shall have to find someway
of
thanking him personally for that."
"AMI!" screamed Serena as she through a pillow at her. "I take it
back
about Lyta. Your worse than Mina!"
