Nik O'Barrain is an entertainment/ food writer for a newspaper on Jupiter. He writes a bad food review for Lita's restaurant. Lita makes a deal to cook him meals to redeem the good name of her business, adventures ensue. Set during Neo-Tokyo, 1 of a 4 part series.
Disclaimer: I do not own Sailor Moon Series or it's character but I do own this story and the refined tweaks to the characters personality. No story follows Manga cannon or Anime cannon perfectly. All rights reserved.
This is the first story of a series! Thank goodness you came here first because all the stories weave together. I suggest you keep reading to the next story! If you favor this couple and don't want to hear the rest... well I guess I can't stop you...
Jupiter was not in the mood for games tonight but there was no other way to deal with this situation. "I want to go play in the gardens!" Rini said stomping her foot, her playthings long forgotten.
Babysitting sucked and Jupiter hated it! Oh Jupiter loved kids as much as the next person but there was a soccer match on the TV and it was a week from her birthday and the last thing Lita, Queen of the Planet Jupiter thought of doing on a Friday night was making sure Rini didn't run off and steal any crystals. Jupiter sighed, "That sounds wonderful Rini, let's go out in the gardens," Jupiter said thinking a good walk in the royal gardens might do her some justice. Rini smiled as she grabbed Jupiter's hand and started dragging her out of the nursery.
Food News a Lita and Nephlite story
Rini went skipping down the hall in her own world as Jupiter followed close behind looking out the large crystal windows to the world outside. The Neo Tokyo, it was like everything they planned and more. "Rini don't get too far ahead, make sure I can see you," Jupiter called out to the little girl who looked up and waited for Jupiter to get close. Once they were a few feet away Rini went back to jumping and skipping around the large hall. Rini turned down the hall suddenly into the gardens,
"Rini I said stay close you know," Jupiter called, right as she turned the corner Jupiter came to an abrupt halt. There in the garden was all her friends standing with party hats and gifts. A cake sat poetically on a table under a banner that read, 'Happy Birthday Jupiter!' They all shouted surprise, Jupiter's hand covered her mouth as she gasped and smiled, "Oh you guys got me! Thank you," she said with a smile rushing up to her friends to hug them.
"Isn't our princess a good little actress? She kept you busy while we prepped," Venus said looking down to Rini as she clung to her father.
Jupiter looked down to the girl, "Yeah what a trickster, wonder who taught her that," Jupiter said raising her eyebrow at Venus who suddenly was too busy to talk.
"Jupiter you know it was Serenity's idea," Mercury said walking up to the birthday girl.
"Yeah it's always Serenity's idea. If you never want to get in trouble it's always 'the queens idea,' " Jupiter said laughing looking around, "how did you get all these people here? It's almost impossible to align schedules," Jupiter knew this was Mercury's talent.
"Oh I just made up a fake meeting that we all had to attend, if anyone is asking we are talking about unfair agricultural separation amongst the planets," Mercury said with a smile, she has certainly learned how to bend the rules in the last few years. Mars came up to the two ladies,
"Do you feel older? How old are you now? I stopped counting when I turned thirty," Mars said smiling knowing she didn't look a day past twenty-three.
"My birthday is technically in a week thank you very much, and no I don't feel older. I do know my age but I'm certainly not telling you," Jupiter said giving Mars a look. The last time she told Mars how old she was going to be she had a big happy birthday banner saying 'firm and sixty' Jupiter never blushed so much in her life. The imperial crystal had certainly taken its effect on the whole solar system; Jupiter didn't look like a day past 22 years old but really was over one thousand years old. Mars smirked at Jupiter reply,
"Don't get mad at me! It was..." and all three of the scouts said at the same time, "Serenity's idea."
At the same time the royals enjoyed their birthday bash a different kind of party was happening very far away.
Nik let his book bag fall off his shoulder taking off his jacket before turning on the light in his apartment, "Surprise!" cheered a group of people crammed into his small apartment, Nik almost had a heart attack.
"Wha, what are all you guys doing here?" he asked hugging his family and friends.
"It helps when you gave your Mom a key to the apartment," said an older woman short and gray hair elegantly flowing through her brown hair, it was Nik's mother Sheryl.
"As long as you don't abuse it, like walking on me with a girl. Other then that I have no problem with you having a key," he said now slightly regretful he gave her a key so long ago.
A tall blond man walked up and put an arm around Nik's shoulders, "As if you will ever have a girl in here," said his friend smiling, Nik just glared over at him shaking off his friends arm.
"No thanks to you, wing man or should I say date stealer," Nik sighed, his friend Ryan was a good man honest but a bit of a lady killer and with his blue eyes and blond hair most girls chose Ryan over Nik.
"Don't be jealous it doesn't settle well on your face. I'm sure you will find a girl don't worry," Ryan said trying to be nice but it really wasn't helping Nik's spirit, he just rolled his eyes and agreed with Ryan just to get him off his back.
"We thought we would throw a party for you now that your back home here on Jupiter! How were the other planets? Is Pluto really as cold as they say? So far from the sun how do they survive!" asked Sheryl pulling him deeper into the apartment, "You must be starving have something to eat," behind Nik's Mother was a rather elaborate spread of food. Nik smiled down at his Mom,
"I will eat something later really I'm fine and I told you Mom Pluto is mainly used it as a research center, the whole thing is one big building and yes they have central heating," he said grabbing a carrot and took a big crunch out of it. Sheryl's eyes dazzled in wonder,
"Really? You wonder what they will come up with next! Well now that you are home you can write all about it," she said as Nik's Father walked over.
"How is the writing my boy? Make those words work for your best interest," said Nik's father putting his arm around the Mothers shoulders and pointed to him a cup of champagne in his hand.
Nik sighed, he wanted to come home, eat some spagoose (a comfort food for people who lived on Jupiter) and watch the soccer game but no he had to have wonderful people who loved and cared about him.
"Yes dad, I'm suppose to have all my articles in soon so I'm going to be busy editing and making them perfect to publish," he said, its not that he didn't love his family. It's the best family he could ever dream of but he was their only child and was a bit of a miracle child. He always felt bad when they talked about his job it made him feel like he let them down. Nik was a culinary and entertainment writer for a top newspaper on Jupiter, he could have been anything but his heart leaned to the written word, and his family supported him even if they felt like he made a mediocre choice.
It was late into the night before Nik thanked everyone for coming and got his apartment to himself. He flopped on the sofa looking up at the ceiling, 'I've got to start editing,' he thought rolling himself off the sofa and back to work the night away.
The small bell on the door rang informing the host a visitor has entered,
"Hey Lita," said the short red head smiling up to the tall brunette walking in, Lita looked up to the host and smiled as she put on her apron.
"Hi Stacy, busy lunch hour?" Lita asked peaking into the seating area to see almost every table full.
"As always," said the girl giggling a little as Lita gave the thumbs up as she walked back to the kitchens.
"Lita there you are! You get later and later every week," said Andrew pulling Lita to the side so no one else in the kitchen could hear them talk. Lita looked down at her arm where Andrew kept a firm grasp and back up to him,
"Andrew you know I have... Other duties. I can't be a cook and a queen of a planet every day of the week. What as you all knotted up anyway," she said pulling her arm back rubbing the spot where he grabbed, his tight grip told her Andrew was on edge.
"I know it's busy all of you girls are busy and while no one else here knows of your other 'job' I had to explain to them why you weren't hear when a food critic dropped by," Andrew said running his hand through his hair.
"No one told me about this! Where were they from? Did you know if they liked it? Guah I knew I should have started on my menu revisions last month," now Lita was the one slightly panicking. Funny, give her a diplomatic meeting with some outraged social workers and she can have them purring like content cats but say the words food critic and she's flipping out like a first year culinary student.
"He didn't give any of us a warning Lita and to top it off he is from Jupiter he said the review would print in this weeks news paper. I don't know if he liked it or not but when he asked to meet the head chef we had to say you were out," Andrew said trying to give her all the facts. Lita sighed,
"Well I can't do anything now I guess it's best to just wait and see the review. I'm going to go in the back and start on those recipes," Lita said pointing to the back of the kitchen Andrew nodded knowing she needed to distress her own way. Lita sighed; this place deserved more of her attention. This was Lita's dream job sautéing meat, making pasta from scratch designing flavor combinations Lita was never happier then when she was in a kitchen but the more work she gets at the castle the more time she gets pulled away from this. It's gotten to the point where
Jupiter has one day off a week one day to be Lita a head chef and owner of one of the most popular restaurants in town.
High quality food for a reasonable price that was her motto and it made a wave amongst the community. You could see a high dollar businessman showing his clients the best that Tokyo has to offer right next to the jittery worker escaping their cubical to indulge in the double chocolate pie. Lita liked this she thought smiling as she kneeled some dough, if only it could go back to how it was before when they were all young and she could spend a week in the kitchen creating and developing. Having her friends marvel at her great dishes and her bubble never to be popped.
Andrew went to the back to check on Lita,
"Hey we are closing up here," he said leaning on the swinging door. Lita quickly looked up at the clock, it was 9pm already!
"Ok I will start cleaning up then," she said making a few notes in a notebook smiling over to Andrew as he walked back to the main kitchen. Lita gathered up all her supplies and put them away one by one, 'yeah just a week or two, to get my creative culinary talents back in gear,' she thought in a light daydream like state.
The light leaked through the shades blocking the large windows, Jupiter's eyes flittered open and instantly blocked the light with her hand, Guah blasted light, it was so night six hours ago. Jupiter fumbled with her clock and brought it up to her face, ok more like four hours ago. Suddenly she bolted up straight her hair going everywhere, her eyes looked left and then right.
"That review is in the paper," she said aloud flopping back her covers and jumping out of her bed in one swift movement. She quickly bolted it to her phone in her silk nightgown. "Hello, Jane I know I don't normally ask anything of you right now but could you please get me a copy of the Jupiter review? Yes? Oh your wonderful!" she hung up the phone and did a sharp turn to her bathroom wanting to get ready for the day. A quick shower and she was ready to get dressed.
She opened up her closet fit for a queen, half the stuff she really needed to wear. Looking at an orange skirt and rolled her eyes, Mina had certainly been in here. Lita wanted to look nice today, she didn't know exactly why, maybe it was the sunny day or the review but she wanted to look her best so she went with a nice green dress, her favorite color, after getting her dress she walked out in the main room to see Jane just entering.
"Thank you, thank you, thank you! You're a life saver," Jupiter said smiling up at Jane; the girl bowed to Jupiter and left the room. Jupiter ravaged through that paper like a kid at Christmas until she found the page and calmed. The more Jupiter read the more her brow creased "mediocre?" she kept reading, "sub standard recipes!" Jupiter staggered back as she read falling back in a chair still in shock "menu needed a lift of new culinary delights," Jupiter just stopped there her hands going to her knees the paper crumpling as her head turned away in distaste but she flipped it open again, she had to finish reading it, "not what was expected from this well known establishment," she got to the end and threw it down now walking around her room back and forth trying to calm her normal subdued nerves.
"I could kill him! I could kill this, this," Jupiter stomped back over to the newspaper thrashing it around to read the name, "I could kill this Nik O' Barrain person," she said throwing the paper back down going back to the window and tried to calm herself down.
Maybe he just had the wrong thing or maybe someone didn't make his order right, she wasn't there and she liked to make the meals herself when a food critic comes. Jupiter paused almost completely calm until again she threw her arms up in outrage. There is only one thing she could do now, meet this man and show him a piece of her mind. Jupiter always believed in telling people the truth to their face and if he wants to tell her that her recipes are sub standard he will just need to say it to her face like a man. Jupiter grabbed her sailor communicator and walked out of her room. Jupiter looked left and then right when she exited her bedroom door, went to the end of the hall seeing Jane working with a few guards who are stationed all around the palace. Jane smiled up at Jupiter and then suddenly her face went flat, Jupiter didn't look happy.
"Jane I'm going," Jupiter said quickly, the guards looked up and abruptly walked off, they didn't want to get a lightning bolt to the face, or at least they heard Jupiter could do that when mad.
"Going where?" Jane didn't sound happy, oh no no no Jupiter couldn't go anywhere she had a to do list a mile long.
"Leaving. Right now. Move any of my meetings back, if anyone asks its an emergency and tell them I won't be responding to my communicator for a few hours," Jupiter said holding up her communicator her hands white knuckles from the amount of pressure she was clenching it.
"Ook," Jane said scared to say anything else. Jane herd a little crackling sound and Jupiter had transported away.
Lita looked around, she was in the lower east side of Jupiter's capital city she looked left and then right and then pulled out her communicator and spoke into it,
"Give me the address of a Nik O'Barrian," she had calmed a little as she smelt the fresh crisp air of her native planet, just the feeling of this planet calmed her. The communicator read out some directions and Lita was on the move knowing this area fairly well. Lita found the building in the older district and fiercely knocked on the door.
Nik work up with a start, he looked around the room, and he swore he heard a knock. Then again a repetitive knock came at the door, he jumped up and threw on some pants and a dress shirt. Who in their right mind would be knocking on his doorstep at this hour? He heard the knock again just as loud, 'alright alright' he thought slipping on his house slippers and went to the door.
Nik opened the door to the most beautiful woman he had ever seen, tall, thin, brown hair, utterly gorgeous need he go on? Clearly this lady was in shock too because she looked like the breath was just taken out of her lungs.
"Nephrite," she said almost a whisper and she promptly fainted.
"Holy crap," Nik said rushing to catch her, grabbing her waist as her face smashed on his chest he looked around to check if this was some odd prank. Nope, no one was around and she, she was totally out of it, damn. Nik pulled Lita up into his arms and brought her into his apartment and placed her on the sofa adjusting her arms and then backing away like he was doing something highly illegal. Nik went back to shut his door, shoved his hands in his pockets stiffly paced his living room looking to Lita every once in a while and then back to walking around. What the hell was going on! Who was this hot chick fainting of his doorstep? Maybe she had a form of ID on her, he looked down to her body. Man he did not want her waking up right when he was patting her down for a wallet. Nik leaned in awkwardly while looking away softly patted at her stomach down her dress three times and pulled back quickly, 'couldn't find anything,' he announced to himself stepping back away from her. Yep, this has got to be the worst morning he has ever had.
Jupiter's Dream:
Jupiter sat down at the main breakfast hall in the palace. She was about to eat her full share of yogurt and fruit when she noticed a notebook on the table. 'Curious someone must of left it here,' Jupiter thought looking around but no one was in the room and she didn't remember seeing anybody leaving as she came in. "Well it wouldn't hurt to look in, it's a notebook not like a diary or anything," she said getting a weird smile on her face she flipped to a random page and instantly could tell by the slanted elegant hand it was Mercury's notebook. Probably left here accidentally during a mad rush to finish breakfast. Jupiter wasn't a snoopy person, she prided herself on respecting people's privacy but the words on the page caught her eye like no other words could. The title of the page was, 'reincarnating the generals' Jupiter's eyes got big. But that's impossible, the generals who once guarded the Kings life like the scouts do for Serenity could never be reborn. Jupiter remembered a rather depressing night full of tears when she was told she would never see Nephrite again. Jupiter began to read the items furiously. It listed off all the reasons why they couldn't be reborn and one by one Mercury had figured out how to break the barrier. It was all in front of her taunting her, telling her with these steps she could give Nephrite a second chance. Jupiter looked up searching the room; there is no way she was thinking seriously, could she really do this all by herself without anyone knowing? Well Mercury would know eventually when she goes to use this on all the other generals. 'What's the harm?' Jupiter thought, yeah she could totally mess up and seriously never get Nephrite back but it was a chance Jupiter was willing to take.
Jupiter walked into the wishing pillar room, she looked around, it was late at night but she didn't want anyone else around for this. Jupiter placed Nephrite stone on a tray with data crystals right next to it. She got on her knees, 'praying pillar hear my wish for it is true and honest. Please awaken the soul kept in this stone, give him a new life with love and compassion. Use these information crystals to guide you so the memories of his ill deeds never be remembered for they are not who he is,' she said her prayer trying to remember how to word it just right like the notes said. 'May him be raised in a family on the planet Jupiter in a family that will love him and bless them with this gift,' Jupiter finished looking up to the top of the pillar and beyond that to the stars her eyes begging with genuine desire. Jupiter looked down again and saw the crystals and stone disappear, 'it's up to the heavens now,' she thought walking out of the pillar room going to sleep. The next day Jupiter nonchalantly gave Mercury's notebook back acting like she just found it randomly just the other day and thought she might need it, as she walked away she smiled, just a few years and she would see Nephrite again.
Mars stood outside Jupiter's room, "You said she just left without any reason?" Jane just nodded her worry mounting. "It was good of you to get me, it's certainly not something she would do," Mars opened the door to Jupiter's room. It looked a lot like the grand rooms the Queens lived in at the palace but Mars knew Jupiter and went all Sherlock Homes on Jupiter's room. Looking in the closet, checking the bathroom then turning to the newspaper. Well the crumpled up newspaper was a good sign. Mars bent down and picked up the page that had the most rips and read the headline. Mars looked over to Jane, worry written all over her face.
"Well she has a right to be mad, this article is particularly vicious," Mars said shaking her head as she read the article.
"Where do you think she went? She isn't on the training field, I checked there first, sometimes she does that to blow off steam," Jane said shyly, she might just be an assistant but she knew Jupiter's habits well.
"It was good of you to check there Jane but sadly this wasn't something she could just blow off, no she went to go give this guy a piece of her mind and let me tell you if anyone followed her to stop Jupiter a lightening bolt wouldn't be the only thing she would do, best we keep this between you and me," Mars wasn't stupid she knew Jupiter wouldn't take that kind of review well. Jane nodded with a sigh of relief, not that this poor man getting yelled at was a good thing but she feared the worst.
"I will personally see to her meeting and cover anything important for today hopefully I can contact her later on the communicator to calm her down," Mars said as she exited the room.
Lita's eyes flickered open suddenly feeling a throbbing pain in her head she leaned up slowly, "Oh my that's a pain I haven't felt in a long time," she said more to herself then anyone but Nik certainly herd.
"Are you ok? Can I get you anything?" he jumping up from his seat on the coffee table when she started moving.
"Water would be peachy," Lita said sitting all the way up still holding her head. Nik rushed off and came back a second later with a glass of water. Lita accepted it trying to smile up at him.
"Sorry for all of this," she said looking down at the glass before taking a drink.
"It's ok, I get beautiful women fainting on my doorstep all the time," Nik said sitting back down on the coffee table wanting to be close if she wanted to faint again. Lita half laughed at his comment, "not to be rude but who are you?" he asked, Lita sat down her glass and looked up at him, he was taken back by her strong green eyes.
"Sorry, my name is Lita Kino," she said with a smile quickly recovering from her fall at an alarming rate. Nik looked at her confused, he knew that name then his eyes went big and stood up staggering back slightly, "No, you have got to be kidding me," he said shaking his head at his luck. He knew that name. It was the name of the owner of the Crystal Tokyo restaurant he went to.
Lita chucked a little, so he did know her name, "yep you guessed right. I'm the owner of The Crystal Rose restaurant in the capital city on Earth," she said standing up to his height only to be taken back by him being a good head taller then her she had completely forgotten about him being so tall.
"You really came all the way here?" doesn't it take like hours to get on a shuffle to get from Earth to Jupiter? How early did this lady wake up?
"Honestly I came here to yell at you," Lita said laughing a little Nik didn't like that at all. "Clearly that didn't work out. Look I know you were just doing your job and some of what you said was true," Nik gave her a weird look. First she confesses she wanted to yell his head off and now she claims his article held some truth? "But some of it wasn't true and I want to prove that. So will you make a deal with me?" Lita asked, when she originally stormed up to this door she wanted to tell this writer that he was crazy was going to be punished for his crimes give him a few lightening bolts and feel good but this isn't just any writer. This was Nephrite's reincarnate, 'why did the fates have to be so cruel?' so Lita certainly couldn't strike him down with her lightening bolts, she had to change her plans.
"A deal? What kind of deal?" as long as Nik would be spared the yelling he would be happy.
"Well clearly you question the credibility of my restaurant and I need to work on new recipes so I thought I could cook you dinner let's say... every other day for the next month? If you still don't like my culinary skills then so be it I'm out of your life forever but if you do like my food then you will write a new article amending the good name of my restaurant," Lita said walking behind Nik's sofa leaning her hands down on it's back rest when she was done talking. Nik took a second to think, this woman knocks on his door and makes a deal to make him food, just him and her for a whole month for free and all he has to do is say if he liked it or not and write an article? Who would say no to this!? True he would have to eat his words if he in fact liked her cooking but if she were going to instill those recipes to her restaurant no damage would come of it. Nik looked at her again, her soft smile didn't seem threatening or demanding.
"Deal," he said sticking out his hand and Lita and shook it with a smirk.
"You won't be disappointed," she said walking herself over to the door. Nik quickly rushed over and opened it for her, "I will see you tomorrow then, six pm work for you?" she slowly stepped out of his apartment looking over her shoulder at him, Nik nodded slowly as she smiled and waved walking away, Nik shut the door and sighed.
Lita transported back to the palace right away, she was expecting for that to take much longer then it did, heck she still had most of the day! Not electrocuting people and talking things out saved time, she should remember this for the next time she is mad, well, try to remember. She was just walking back to her room to change into a royal gown when Mars caught her in the hall. "Hey Jupiter, I was going to send you a message. Jane told me. You shouldn't let your anger get the best of you like that. I should know. Now how bad was the damage? Lightly fried or charbroiled," Mars waved her finger lecturing until she smiled toward the end.
"Well then you know I went to Jupiter to show him a piece of my mind. I didn't yell at him, I didn't even send one volt through his body. Actually I made a deal, I'm going to prove him wrong by cooking for him," said Jupiter trying to hide her excitement. Mars didn't need to know it was Nephlite's reincarnate, Mars looked surprised, she didn't expect this alternative method.
"That's really good of you, when are you going to cook him food?" making the choice to prove him wrong and not just yell his head off? Interesting, not that Mars would ever do that herself but interesting.
"Every other day, yeah I know, for a whole month," Jupiter noticed Mars's reaction and shrugged a little.
"It's a good thing you are going to take your yearly review of Jupiter or you would never get sleep!" every other day? That was crazy talk Mars would never make such a deal.
"Yep it will be nice being able to cook for someone who will give me an honest answer," Jupiter said sighing in contentment.
"You and your food, well I had better go. Meeting with Serenity and all, you ah tell me if you need me to cover any meetings," Mars said taking a step down the hall.
"Yeah I got things to do too. Can you not tell anyone about this deal? I just don't want them thinking I'm distracted," Jupiter asked quickly Mars smiled a real honest and understanding smile and nodded, she would keep this from everyone for Jupiter, goodness knows Jupiter would do the same for her.