(Hello everyone! I'm going to try my hand at a SM story about my OTP - original true pairing - focusing around Rei and Jadeite. These two don't get enough credit on here - actually none of the couples get enough credit since it's overshadowed by Usa and Mamo, or Usa and Seiya...or even Haruka and Michiru. GETTING SIDETRACKED! Anyways, I want to do them justice but at the same time I want to just write one for the hell of it because I love these two. So, long intro over with, I present to you my first story and please, don't hold back with the reviews - even the flames, so long as you keep them clean. I welcome your criticism. Enough babbling - on with the SHOOOOOW!)

Disclaimer: I do not, and never will own Sailor Moon. The series and all of its characters all belong to the wonderful Naoko Takeuchi.

Bright light blasted her eyes, soft hands coming up to shield them. The sound of birds twittering filled her ears, along with the rustle of the leaves in the trees above.

"Not used to the sun," a voice asked.

"Your sun is different," she shot back, lowering her hands to look at her companion. His face was blinded by the sun's rays, but she could still see him smile at her.

"It's all a matter of perspective, you see." He walked towards her, and the light became brighter. "Someday, you'll understand that, fire bird."

"Rei... REI!" A voice barged into her mind, and like that the brightness was gone replaced by familiar surroundings. And hovering above her was the face of an elderly man who was not the same man she had seen before. "You're going to be late for school!"

All the sleepiness in her mind was shoved away by that single sentence, her eyes shooting wide open as she shot up from the bed, cursing under her breath as she gathered her things for the day ahead. "Gomen, Oji-san, it won't happen again," she said in a rush, hurrying into her uniform and grabbing her bag on the way out.

She couldn't believe what she'd done. Sleeping in? Unheard of! She'd be lucky to get away with just a wrist slapping when she got to the academy, though her classmates were sure to tease her about this. She groaned. Why oh why didn't she wake up sooner? And who was that man that seemed to star in many of her recent fantasies?

Blond curls fell over the face of a young man as he sat on the edge of the bed, clothed in only his pants as he clutched the gem with surprising gentleness. The fiery hue of the ruby glimmered back up at him like a twinkling star, utterly flawless and yet he felt sickened by it. Why? What did this stone mean to him?

A whirl of rushing water alerted him to the presence of another, prompting him to hide the gem. Blankly he regarded the arrival of a buxom woman clad in a form-fitting teal cocktail dress, a mane of ocean blue hair flowing down her shoulders. Gloved hands grasped the folds of her dress as she curtsied.
"My Lord, the Queen has summoned you."

"Did she ask why," the blond asked all of a sudden when he froze. Where had THAT come from?

The woman either didn't hear him or decided to let it go, fortunately. "She wishes to speak to you about your next plan to gather energy. I was appointed to escort you." Looking up again, her aqua blue eyes suddenly widened and her cheeks flamed, her gaze dropping quickly to the floor.

The man just stood up, a uniform of ash gray appearing on him with but a thought. "Then let's not let keep her waiting." Joining the woman, he waited as a whirlpool of water enveloped them, idly fingering the ruby in his pocket.

Ignoring the sniggering from the other students, Rei made her way through the campus grounds towards her favorite spot during lunch; she smiled when she saw it was deserted, like always. She found herself a soft patch of grass and sat down underneath a large tree, its thick branches shielding her from the bright rays of the sun, home to a number of birds that twittered and chirped above her.

She sighed contently as she opened her bento, the aroma of her pre-made food making her mouth water. Peace at last Once her food was finished, she set it off to the side and leaned against the large tree, letting her eyes slip closed. Her thoughts soon turned to that weird dream from this morning, in particular its star the handsome blond man that called her fire bird .

She felt her cheeks warm slightly.

Who was he? Why did just thinking about him make her heart race? Perhaps he was someone she'd meet in the future, perhaps her prince charming?

She laughed. 'Right, like I'm some damsel in distress that needs rescuing. Get real. There's nobody like that for me.' And yet, somehow the words didn't fit as well in her heart as they should've. But before her musings could go any further, the bell began ringing, signaling the end of free period. She gathered herself and stood tall, as the wind picked up and blew her hair around her face softly as she began the walk back toward the school building. 'I'm not a princess and this isn't a fairy-tale. It's reality; better get used to it.'

The oppressive gloom of Queen Beryl's throne room never failed to unnerve him in some ways, but he had learned long ago to keep such things to himself. The Dark Kingdom did not tolerate weakness.

Before the throne made of cave rock he bowed, one gloved hand over his heart while he felt his companion do the same, the click clack of her shoes echoing in the chamber.

Beryl had yet to address him and this made him nervous. His latest plans had been unraveled thanks to those damnable Senshi, Sailor Moon and Sailor Mercury. All the energy he had collected had dwindled down to practically nothing and it had been some time since Beryl had summoned him. His loyalty was unshakable but his fear of her was present but concealed; if she wanted to, she could've just erased him then and there without batting an eyelash. So why was she making him wait?

"Jadeite," the red-haired woman finally spoke after what seemed like an eternity. "Our ruler grows impatient with the progress of finding the Ginzuishou, and that in turn has made her rather restless. She has decreed that you are to formulate another energy harvest, and for your sake I hope you won't botch this one. So, tell me, in your solitude have you come up with a plan worthy of my ears?"

Jadeite felt an immeasurable relief. He'd been given another chance, by Metaria of all people. That was a surprise, but a welcome one. "Of course, my queen," he answered, not missing a beat. "With your permission, I have located a suitable location at the Hikawa Shrine. The spiritual energies there are very potent and have drawn innumerable amounts of humans without fail it would be all too easy to step in and take what is rightfully ours."

"I hope, for your sake, that right you are. You will leave immediately."

As Jadeite stood up, the blue-haired woman suddenly stepped forward towards the Queen, "My Queen, with all due respect, perhaps I should go with Lord Jadeite," she said, drawing the surprised glare of the blond man. "If the Senshi learn of his plans, they could interfere and-"

"Your concern is noted, Tethys," Beryl drawled, a slow smile spreading on her lips that sent a chill down Jadeite's spine. "But Jadeite is one of my Shitennou, one of my trusted generals... if he cannot handle a couple of unruly brats, then what use is he?"

His gloves strained as he clenched his hands into fists, his glare hardening until he turned away with a scowl, storming out of the chamber. Beryl was right; he was a Shitennou, one of Earth's finest warriors! A couple of Sailor Senshi would be no match for him if he went all out and it was high time he stopped messing around. There were only two of them but his experience trumped their measly advantages.

If those girls dared to come near him, he'd send them to the void.

Even in his anger though, his thoughts turned toward the dream he'd had earlier before Tethys had barged in. Of all the questions he wanted to ask, especially in regards to the woman he d seen in it, there was one that stood out above all others:

Who is Vasileios?