I don't own Sailor Moon.
"Speaking"

'Thoughts'

Chapter 1

"Oh my gosh Lita! I can't believe it's opening night already!" Serena said excitedly.

"Yeah, doesn't time just fly by?" Lita replied absently. She was currently scurrying around the kitchen of her brand new restaurant-her first one too. Serena was helping her on opening night by being an extra waitress but she seemed to be spending too much time loitering in the kitchen.

"Serena, can you take this to table 12?" Lita asked, handing her a plate of cassoulet (lamb dish).

"Sure can do ma'am!" Serena giggled as she saluted her. "I'll be right back." She said as she backed out of the kitchen but tripped over a cart. Lita could only watch in horror as the tray went sliding across the counter.

"Nooooo!"

"I got it!" Ami yelled as she grabbed the tray before it hit the ground.

"Whew, that was close." Lita said as she glared at Serena.

"Sorry." Serena grinned sheepishly. "I'll just take that to table 12 now." She said as she got out of the kitchen without any more incidents.

It was opening night at Lita's first ever restaurant. Ami, Serena, Rei, and Mina were all there serving as extra hands to help Lita. She had put her whole heart into this restaurant and they all wanted to be there to support her. The restaurant was named La Cache but already people had heard of this 'hidden treasure'. Lita was one of New York's most respected chefs, she had decided to move to L.A to start a restaurant. Because of Lita Karon's reputation as one of L.A 's rising chefs, the opening of her first restaurant had sparked a lot of attention. But Lita was currently in stress mode; she had never felt this nervous in her life. Lita tried to calm herself as not to stress her coworkers as well. She had to set an example as head chef, she told herself while preparing another tasty dish- the orders were just pouring in.

"This cassoulet is delicious!" Darien said, " How is your amatriciana coming along?"

"I think I may need to have a few words with the head chef." Nathan (Nephrite) said.

"Oh no, I took you here because I wanted you to enjoy yourself. You're not working right now. And besides, I don't want to be kicked out, these are hard to get reservations." Darien said sternly to his friend. "Still." Nathan muttered.

Nathan Philer was one of L.A's well known residential food critics. His mind was constantly on his work, whether it was creating stinging comments for his reviews or thinking about the next restaurant to trash. Tonight his friend Darien Shields-a young business tycoon- had convinced him to go to one of the newest restaurants in L.A. But Nathan just couldn't resist picking out the faults with the food. Sometimes he got kicked out of restaurants for his insulting comments to the chef. But most of the time they didn't know who he was. Nathan Philer liked to keep a low profile; he liked to sample restaurants inconspicuously- without chefs breathing down his neck. He refused to let his picture be published. Who knows what those chefs might do for revenge?

A young blond waitress came over to fill their wineglasses.

"Excuse me miss but could I have a word with your head chef?" Nathan asked while Darien groaned.

Serena was surprised at first, but nodded to the guy. She finished pouring the wine and walked back to the kitchen.

"Lita, table 12 has a problem." She informed her.

"What?" Lita exclaimed, disrupted from her work. She motioned for another chef to take over. Lita walked over to the sink and washed her hands, then wiped them on her apron.

"What did they say?" she asked.

"Oh, this guy just wanted to have a word with you, and might I mention, a very handsome guy?" Serena replied nonchalantly.

"Serena, I'm here to work, not to flirt." Lita said over her shoulder as she walked out of the kitchen.

"May I help you?" Lita said in a arrogant tone "I am Lita Karon, owner and head chef of La Cache."

Nathan glanced up at the beauty standing over him. 'She makes quite a striking figure, this Lita Karon, even if she is dressed in a chef's uniform.'

"Yes you may, Miss Karon." Nathan replied in an equally arrogant tone. " I have found quite a few, shall we say, minor problems, with your amatriciana. First of all let me start with the pasta, I noticed you have replaced the traditional bucantini with spaghetti."

Lita growled impatiently inside while Nathan droned on. 'Where the hell did this guy come from? Who does he think he is, I have enough on my plate already, and he has to come in here and start criticizing? Does he have no respect, this is opening night after all! Calm down Lita, you're too stressed, just talk it out peacefully.' Lita told herself.

".The pancetta is over diced so that I can hardly taste the flavour."

Lita interrupted Nathan. "Sir, if you are in any way dissatisfied with your meal, La Cache will gladly replace it with any complimentary meal that you chose. Of course if it is of equal or lesser value." Lita practically quoted this from her restaurant handbook.

Nathan, annoyed with her sudden interference, replied, "Thank you, but I fear my appetite has left me for tonight. Your restaurant has not met my expected standards. I shall return when I have deemed your eatery worthy of a second chance." All this Nathan said in a cold and arrogant tone.

Lita was seething inside while she looked quite tranquil on the outside. ' How dare he! I gave the politest courtesy possible, and he throws it back in my face! He called my restaurant an EATERY! Absolute insult!'

"Yes of course sir, I shall write out a check for your money back-for your convenience" Lita replied in her most professional voice, trying not to let her angry leak through. She stomped off to her office extremely pissed.

"Why do you always have to do that?" Darien sighed.

"Just a habit I suppose." Nathan replied

"She was being pretty decent too."

"Doesn't matter in my profession, unless you are rating service and management."

Darien went back to his meal, arguing with Nathan was useless. He wanted to finish his meal quickly, the embarrassment was too much. He liked his friend, but sometimes he would grow exasperated at how cold and distant Nathan could be. Wasn't food critics supposed to be jolly, always eating delicious food was a great advantage. But Nathan seemed different.

Lita returned with a signed certificate and presented it to Nathan. "Here you go sir." She replied in a sickening sweet voice.

"Thank you, my friend and I will be departing shortly." He replied.

"All the better." Lita muttered under her breath as she stomped back to her kitchen with a scowl.