Sailor Moon Sailor Stars

The Movie

"
Merry Christmas!"

Based on "Sailor Moon Christmas" Poem, Prologue, & Album.

(This story takes place in between Sailor Stars Episode #187 and #188)

Prologue

"Dear Darien,

Hi there! How are you doing? Christmas Eve is coming up soon, so I'm having so much fun getting ready for it! Party and cakes and cookies…and Santa Claus…and PRESENTS! I'm so excited and happy!

..Really…really I am, Muffin. There's such a pretty sunset now. I just had to write you about it. Stars will be coming out soon, and a blue moon too, everyone says. But I think the clouds are closing in around me. Sometimes I'm sure of it. Really, this year is so full of expectations of me…my varied, varied heart…"

A golden head gazes out the window, towards the sunsetting evening sky. Her heart pounds in her ears at the silence surrounding her teenaged bedroom. The pen slips down to the desk, that this young girl sits writing at. She bites her lip as a tear or two rolls down onto the letter, that she was so painstakingly trying to sound lighthearted in.

But I'm not happy, am I? Oh Darien I miss you so much! At times like this especially. At Christmas especially. Everyone should be together at Christmas. Everyone who loves each other should be----WE should be, Darien! We should be…..

Serena Hart hangs her head down for a moment, the pain of her beloved being so very far away was heartbreaking for this sixteen-year-old teenager. More than that, for this child of moonlight who has come to know her true and destined partner in life. For him to so heartlessly leave her, some would say, without neither letter nor phone call, nor communication of any sort, for months now, since he left for Harvard University in America. But Serena, desperately in love with this man, her sweet loving heart so perfect and pure, could never see it that way. She never believed her love to be cold and cruel. She never once thought that Darien was the one wrong to leave her---that he was never wrong. It was just that she herself wasn't strong enough. That she was wimpy and weak and----Darien, I know you must be too busy with projects and work to write me, so I'll see if I can cheer you up from all that hard school work!

Quickly wiping away a forbidden tear, Serena scoops up the fallen pen, and begins to scribble again in her scrawled handwriting. Only those who loved her could truly decipher it. Determinedly, she starts where she left off, crossing out the last few sad lines and writing again after the "…happy!"

"…It's going to be so much fun! Mom said I could invite all the girls over for our Christmas party. Too bad though, Susan is taking little Tara to see her Dad in the recovery hospital he's in in Switzerland now. That's where he and Tara are from originally. Did you know that? I guess it's good though anyway that's she going to be with her daddy on Christmas, so----"

Serena's yellow meatball head bobs up and down as she chews on the end of her pen, thinking what else to write.

"---mmmh! And Alex and Michelle said they might come. But I don't know for sure. OH! I'm forgetting something! Alex is Amara! Since they've come back into our lives now, she's told all us girls that she wants to be called "Alex" not Amara. Michelle of course still calls her Amara, but if any of the rest of us do…watch out! I don't know why she doesn't want to be called "Amara", it's such a pretty name. Can you think why? Anyway, we do what she tells us and so she's "Alex" now to all of us! We're all pretty close now, but Ama----no, Alex and Michelle still have their "secrets" they keep from us. I wish we could break down their barrier even more. Alex sounded a bit…I don't know…like Alex on the phone. So I hope they do come. We'll set out two places for sure anyway. You should see the tree my dad's putting up! It's so beautiful and extra super big too! Me and Mom and Sammy too, but he's been SUCH a pain this year, I don't think Santa will bring him anything, have decorated the house and we'll going to do the tree tonight, with Rei, Lita, Mina, and Amy too. I'm going to have all my bestest friends around. And it's going to be so much fun tonight…I know! Just like last year. I still remember last Christmas how you and Rini---"

And there the pen stops short again, lost in not so far off memories of a Christmas past. When Serena could clearly recall the joy of being about to be kissed under the mistletoe by a certain handsome young man with shining blue eyes, just for her. And then a pink jellybean, decked out with Christmas ribbons and finest velvet had ruined the tender scene (purposely, Serena was sure) by accidentally spilling her egg nog all over Serena's white fur trimmed party dress. (Her face and hair, too.)

At the time, Serena was furious at her wicked "Small Lady". Rini had not even feigned innocence at her "mistake", sticking her tongue out and laughing tauntingly as Serena had chased her round and round the Christmas tree. Everyone had dodged the pair as Darien tried to calm them down without much success. That evening had ended, after much ado, with Serena and Rini finally making up (after some of Mom's delicious Christmas pudding together, in which Serena got a little back, smashing with delight plum sauce all over Rini's smug round face). Rini had been angry at first, but one taste of the pudding was enough to soften her to want to reconcile for the presents and picture time. The two bickering meatball and cone-headed girls had forgotten all arguments of before, joining together with smiling faces in a portrait with beloved white "Tuxedo D
arien", in which the three looked so much….a family….

"Rini…oh, Darien! I miss you both so much!" Serena's eyes fill with tears again…tears of pent up months of loneliness. Rini went off to the future first, and then Darien… "Darien, I want to be with you now." His name echoes throughout her soul. His scent, his touch, his protective arms, just having him near, that safe feeling he always gave to her. Serena could no longer take it, the tears on the verge of spilling out uncontrollably.

"Serena?" Rei's voice pierces the silence of Serena's bedroom from outside the door.

"Serena are you in there?" Amy's softer tones echo the question.

"Rei? Amy?" Serena's saddened mind tries to pull herself back from the flood about to break open as she turns around, and does not even hear them come in, so engrossed was she.

"Luna said you've been quiet all afternoon, Serena." Lita's firm hand was on her shoulder now.

"So we've come to cheer you up in the way only we can do, of course! Right, Artemis?" Mina's happy voice fills Serena's depressed ears.

"Guys?" Serena was still blinking back the tears, and the four girls filled with worry, exchange looks. They knew when their dearest friend was depressed…and they all knew exactly why.

"Is that a letter to Darien, Serena?" Lita asks gently, looking over her shoulder.

"Mmhmm." Serena nods at the unfinished letter on her desk absently.

"Did you tell him how much fun we're going to have tonight?" Mina interrupts with her brightest smile---and it was bright enough to light the entire world when she directed it to.

"Mmhmm." Serena tries to return the smile, finding it almost impossible to pull her emotional heart from it's doldrums. She wanted just to give up and…

"Serena?" Rei's voice filled with such worry, looks to her friend, right in the eye. Amy, Lita, Mina, Artemis and Luna, all too look at her with concern.

They're all so worried about me, aren't they? NO! I won't give up. "I can't stand people who give up." Somebody just told me that and I'm gonna stick to it! You're right, Sayer, you're right. Serena's mind smiles at yet another recollection, a recent one of a young man whom she had slowly accepted as a friend. One who had wormed his way into her heart, and had slowly become the strength and courage over these past few months Serena has needed, since her Darien had left. For Sayer was very, very special to her. Now, more and more…

"Hey! Everyone, I'm fine! Let's go on down and help Mom decorate the tree, okay? It'll be such fun! And I think she's got a new batch of sugar cookies going too! Oh boy! I'm hungry!" Serena had learned to smile through her pain, jumping up and grinning at her beloved friends, making them all smile big again.

"All right! That sounds good, Serena." Lita leads the way towards the door, glad Serena was ready to enjoy things with them today, despite the sadness her friend had deep down. For none of them were aware that Darien wasn't writing back all those endless stream of letters Serena had been scribbling on every day. But they did understand the sadness enough of not having him near, especially during this holiday time.

"Sure does! Race you guys down to the kitchen!" Combustible Mina explodes out the door, dragging an unbeknownst Amy out and down the stairs. Artemis and Luna chased the thundering, hungry girls down, warning them not to run and fall. (Which Mina nearly did anyway, if not for Lita's strong arm.)

"Serena?" Rei's voice was still there, still tender with concern. She was a girl with a deep soul, and knew what it was like to have affection for a certain man. And she understood Serena's much deeper bond with him must be in torment. As she turns, she sees Serena stop and hesitantly goes to her desk.

"I'll be all right, Rei. You go on. Just gotta wish Darien a 'Merry Christmas' and I'll be right down, okay?" Serena grabs her pen, determined to finish her letter off, in the brighter mood she was slowly growing into. She didn't want Darien either to sense the torture her heart was going through for him.

"Okay." Rei sees Serena needs a moment more alone, and goes out the door, leaving the room quiet and still again. (Except for the chattering and clattering going on downstairs in the kitchen.)
"This year's going to be just as fun too! I wish you were here, Darien. But I'm sure you're having a good time with all your new college friends and everybody. Have a Merry, Merry Christmas, Muffin. I hope this letter reaches you soon. I'll save my present for you till you get back. Can't wait for that time. I love you. Merry Christmas, Your Serena "

Serena quickly scribbles, and puts down her pen, folding the letter to send off tomorrow. She nods in the determination someone else had instilled in her not to ever give up. Serena races out the door, to find Rei still there. Taking hers, arm in arm, they walk down the stairs. Rei, upon finding Serena's spirits lifted enough, scolds her about eating too many cookies and making a mess with the ribbons. And how little Ri Ri was a little "piggy" just like her in eating the doughnuts Lita had just made and----the eve before Christmas Eve was surely going to be a good one.

Chapter 1

"
A Christmas with the Stars"

And that thought holds true for the rest of this evening. Serena attempts to lose herself in the joyous occasion her parents and the girls were making for her. They all seemed to feel her sadness, and treated her special, as to forget whatever sorrows her young heart may be filled with.

Rei, Amy, Mina and Lita exchange glances when Mrs. Hart shows off a sweater she had just finished as a present to send away for a "certain young man at college we're all very fond of here." (She was proud to show it, though pricked and bandaged fingered was she, to be able to have learned to knit well enough to produce only a semi-crooked sweater for Darien's Christmas gift.)

But Serena just smiles to her Mom, thanks her Dad for the beautiful tree and the special prizes of chocolates and candy canes for them all. Helping little RiRi "help" decorate the tree with popcorn strands (that mostly get eaten by the two before they were hung anyway). She does all this with a smile and a pretty laugh. Serena, keeping her spirits up, makes it all the way through the evening until the girls leave, agreeing to meet at the school auditorium in the morning for the Christmas play's final audition.

The household quiets down, as Serena tucks RiRi into bed, after brushing the candied popcorn from her fuschia little curls. And finally, as she lays down, silently, quietly, secret tears of loneliness whisper down her cheek to her pillow. Serena holds little tired out RiRi tight as she falls into a tormented sleep, just as she has done nearly every night since her Darien left.

Bright and early in the morning, Serena's ears wake up before her eyes, the radio she had turned on, the lite FM station, to soothe RiRi to sleep (the sprite was very keen on music for some reason it seemed), awakens her at this unusually early hour. For Serena anyway, on a day off from school. With the perfect harmonized strains of a certain rock idol group, whom she herself called friends, one especially.

"To me you are always, the shine that I reach for."

"And your smiling face is just like a small star."

"I will always cherish you my love."

Serena smiles at the trio of voices, and gets up as the sun kisses her cheek, to find RiRi in a snug little pile, fast asleep on her pillow.

"So cute." Serena whispers, covering the child back up as she skips from the bed softly, wanting to start this day out on the right foot….

"…So now I can only endure by holding back"

"These regretful tears of my pain."

"Listen to me now Angel."

That's right Sayer, I'll hold them back. I won't cry today. Serena's thoughts answer the song as if it's singer was speaking directly to her. She finds herself talking in her mind to him of late. Sayer had so suddenly become so much a part of her life. Funny, isn't it? Serena splashes water on her face, as she washes it, getting ready for the day ahead. I couldn't stand you when we first met. I thought you were so arrogant and pushy! But now I'm glad we're friends. You are my friend, aren't you? Serena dries her face, finding the sad look this morning lingered still from last night all but evaporating in the mirror before her, at the memories of the school Christmas play rehearsals, from yesterday afternoon. And the antics of that certain dark-haired boy, playing the center of attention he and his two fellow "idols" were, for the rest of the girls in the class. Sayer mostly did it to catch Serena's attention and put a smile on her gloomy face, but Serena didn't know that. She found herself falling into gloomy spells more and more frequently. But less and less they lasted, she having so many reasons to cheer up nowadays.

Rrring rrrring

The phone suddenly rings, and Serena rushes to it, so as not to wake RiRi so peacefully sleeping still.

"Hello?" Serena picks up the receiver.

"Serena? Is that YOU at this time of the morning? I'm shocked." Lita's voice says with both surprise and humor.

"Yes, it's me, Lita. I can get up early too you know!" Serena pouts with dignity at the swipe at her laziness. "Besides, Mom and Dad took Sammy to go see Grandma this morning to spend Christmas. We're going there too, later, but I'd miss the play this afternoon, so Mom said we could take the bus tonight afterwards and still make it in time for Grandma's Christmas Eve party. You guys are still coming right?" Serena asks, wanting her friends to be with her, especially this year.

"'Course." Lita smiles into her phone, not especially having anywhere to go herself. "But the rehearsals for this morning have been cancelled. The play's director just called around and told us to call everyone else that we're all prepared enough for tonight already without the rehearsal, everyone being busy with Christmas Eve and all to go to another rehearsal when we're all ready. So, I was just thinking I would go shopping and get some last minute stuff, then we can get together at your house. We can make the desserts for the tables at school I promised to fill tonight. Okay, Serena?" Lita tells, more than asks.

"Sounds good." Serena gives a thumbs up in the air at the thought of Lita's homemade cakes and cookies and crumpets scenting up her house.

"Okay, I'm going, before traffic gets even busier! I can't even walk to the market! Oh Serena, would you call up Amy and tell her the rehearsals are off? And Mina too. And tell Mina to bring that big cake I made for her to bring yesterday. (Lita just had to cook everyone else's contributions to the school play too). And Serena, don't forget to tell Rei not to show up to watch the rehearsals you asked to her see this morning. I've gotta book it if I'm going to get anything good off the store shelves! See you in a while!" Lita had this "take-charge" way about her that Serena found invigorating and also a little confusing, right at the moment as she hangs up the phone.

"Okay, call Amy for the cake. Call Mina at the school, call cookies….Ooooh, that's not right!" Serena busies herself, dialing Amy's number, knowing that Amy would figure it all out for her. Then she moves on to call Mina and just manages to tell her to bring the cake Lita was talking about and….

"RiRi!" RiRi awakens in an accident, and Serena rushes to her aid. And…the last call to a temple maiden was forgotten in all of the shuffle.

"Running, running, running, running!"

"That darn Serena! Thirty minutes I've wasted of my precious time just waiting for everyone at the school to watch their stupid play rehearsals! And who's the only one there for me to watch rehearse? The janitor sweeping the floor!"

"Stupid Serena! Told me to come at 10:30 sharp! She didn't even BOTHER to call me and tell me the rehearsals had been called off!"

"She's probably still sleeping in her nice, warm bed! LAZY SLUG!"

Rei Hino races through the crowded Christmas Eve's Eve streets from the 10Th Street High School auditorium, which was very empty, waiting for tonight's performance, towards Serena Hart's home. As mad as a hornet, and ready to give her forgetful friend the "what-for" she deserved, for sending a busy girl like herself on a wild goose chase on Christmas Eve's Eve. "Why didn't she call and tell me last night? She's had plenty of time?" Her angry thoughts occupying her, Rei nearly crashes into a poor old woman with a mountain of wrapped packages for little stockings, dodges a set of children talking to "Santa Claus" in a shop window, and skids on the icy, sidewalk right past a baby in a stroller, rattling his candy cane toy at her---and right on her red, mini-skirted behind on the cold pavement. "Ouch! That damn Serena! It's all her fault! Boy, is she gonna get it now!"

Rei turns as red as her outfit, more with anger and cold, than embarrassment, as everyone around her shrinks back, feeling pity for whomever would be soon at the receiving end of this fiery souled girl's anger.

Ding Dong.

"Hey, hey, I'm coming! Hi Hi!" Serena happily sings out to the doorbell, her tummy full of Lita's yummy cookies, putting her in a sunshiny mood this fine morn. "Rei! Where've you been? You're late!" Serena chides her late friend, prompt Amy and then Lita, back from shopping had arrived earlier for their little impromptu morning get together.

"I'm late?" Rei Hino, red in face, nose, ears, with soggy mittened hands and even in unmentionable places, reddens even brighter. Having finally arriving at Serena's house and standing in the front doorway now, she was ready to blow. "I'M LATE! STUPID SERENA! I've been waiting at your stupid school for half an hour! And I ran the whole way here, just to hear you say 'You're late!'." Rei stands there, ready to explode, her hands on her hips.

"Oh, didn't I….call you? I must've forgotten when….." Serena's sifting thoughts just now remember that she might've just let Rei slip by, totally forgetting to call her up about the rehearsal cancellation this morning.

"YOU FORGOT!" Rei's infamous temper gets the better of her, and she grabs Serena with a stranglehold around her neck.

"Hey, you two! What are you fighting about out there? Stop it." Lita's hands rush in from her busy schedule in the kitchen.

"Lita, when you told me to call Rei this morning about the rehearsal I guess I forgot…" Serena admits sheepishly, hiding in the folds of her taller friend's apron.

"Ohh." Lita gives Rei a peacemaking smile. "Well, you know Serena, Rei. She's…." Lita tries to cover for her friend's ditziness.

"…stupid." Rei fills in the word, removing her soaked from the icy snow, mittens and plops them on Serena's head.

"Ewwwww, wet!" Serena goes shrieking away, slapping the wet mittens down (right on Luna's back). RiRi giggles at the angry face on the wet kitty. Lita sighs in relief as Rei's anger passes at the pitiable expression on Serena's now wet head, as she rubs it on Amy's apron front. Lita and Rei both chuckling at their meatball headed friend.

"Rei, I was starting to get worried about you. I'm glad you're here now." Amy Anderson was born sweet and had a way of making her friend's feel both welcomed and good inside.

"Thanks, Amy." Rei smiles at the blue haired girl, who was stirring a bowl of sweets in the doorway.

"Well…" Lita claps her floured hands together in a poof of flour. "Let's get those cookies baking! Got six more batches to do for the party tonight!" Feeling more at home in any kitchen than anywhere else in the world.

"It'll be seven you'll need, once Serena gets started." Rei sarcastically jabs in. Serena sticks her tongue out at her as they all congregate in the kitchen.

"I love this time of year, don't you? Everyone's so happy and friendly to each other." Amy says, her gaze travels out the kitchen window, to an older couple delivering Christmas packages to some neighbors outside, smiles on all the faces.

"Sure do, Amy! You said it! Cookies and cakes and singing and parties! And presents! Presents are the bestest part, don't you think?" Serena overzealously takes a mouthful of cookie dough, as Lita slaps her hand down at eating raw dough.

"Yes, presents and things are nice, but that's not what Christmas is all about Serena. It's about the day the Christ child came down from Heaven and was born into this world. That's the real meaning of Christmas." The usual know-it-all tone in Rei's voice is for once softened by this certain glint of something that she respected.

"Wow, Rei." Serena blinks, she in her childishness, often forgot what Christmas was about, shocked that a Shinto born girl whose own grandfather was the master of their own temple, would know and hold so dear this part of the Christmas season, she herself had too often skimmed over.

"That's right, Rei. My mom used to read me Christmas stories about Him. There wouldn't be a Christmas after all, if not for Him." Amy smiles at Rei, glad to see the Catholic Mission school Rei's absent non caring politician father had insisted she attend for political reasons, had a much more important effect on her Shinto friend than just politics.

"Mmmhmm." Lita smiles, she a devout Christian from her Irish heritage. Though her religious parents were now gone, Lita had never forgotten her faith, even attending Church services on a regular basis in their memory, her faith in God giving her the reason to go on when all seemed dark and lost in the wake of her parents' death, all those years ago.

"Well, I just hear things from the sisters at my school, Rei blushes for some reason, under their pleasantly surprised faces. She was a Shinto believer through and through, as her Mother and Grandfather before her, at her family temple always were. It's just sometimes Rei could see things another way from her family beliefs, sometimes she really thought she could….

"So," Lita sees Rei's embarrassment, deciding faith was best left unquestioned by others and left to your own soul, she decides to give Rei an extra prayer tonight, that she may break through the religious barrier and see her way to the light. "I wonder where Mina's gotten off to? She's supposed to bring the cake we've got to finish decorating and it's almost noon! Come on, Mina, we've got a deadline!" Lita yells at the front door, for her blonde ditz friend to hurry up.

As if on cue, in a certain frantic way that could be only one person. "Hi, Hi everybody! Sorry I'm late! Did I keep you all waiting?" Mina comes in, her mouth going a mile a minute. "Well, anyway, you won't BELIEVE what happened to me in the park on the way here! There I was, walking down the street minding my own business, mind you," Mina says in her excitable way. Artemis rolls his eyes at her feet as they trample into the kitchen.

"And I saw this commotion in the park. All screaming girls around some people and you won't guess who it was!" Mina enthuses all smiles, her eyes flashing.

"Wild guess, huh?" Rei smirks sarcastically, knowing full well the only people Mina was crazy over these days (her and 99 of the rest of the female population of Tokyo) was….

"The Three Lights!" Mina explodes, answering her own question.

"So what's the big deal with that? You see them everyday in school. Don't you, Mina?" Rei shrugs it off, a little jealous inside of being the only one in their group not attending 10Th Street High School where these three boys attended school as well. Oh, especially that cute Robin Starr! Sigh…

"Yeah, but this is different! They were on location shooting the last day of that TV show, "Boy Holmes Detective". There was a special signing event afterwards and look!" Mina proudly rips out a scrawled name on her brand new white purse. "I got Robin to sign!" She hugs the cherished memento dreamily.

"Wow! Robin's signature! That's super rare! He doesn't just sign for anyone!" Lita too, could easily be excited over the thought and fame of the handsome trio. Especially Terry, he's a dream! She secretly wished she was with Mina and got her favorite idol's signature.

"I KNOW! I'm so lucky! It's only because he knew me, of course." Mina shows off with a brush of her hair back. "I got on stage and was introduced and everything!"

"You mean you introduced yourself after they'd gone, don't you, Mina?" Artemis says under his breath, spending his morning in the midst of a trample of screaming, rabid girls was NOT his idea of a good time.

"What was that Artemis!" Mina smiles that toothy, imaginary grin that meant certain death for one white kitty in a minute.

"Nothing, Mina!" Artemis smiles back, praying for the storm to pass.

"They're going to have a "Boy Holmes Detective" Movie out in March! Terry told me personally. I can't wait! We'll get front row premiere passes for sure, if I have anything to do with it! Let's see, December's almost over. January, February, then it will be March!" Mina counts on her fingers excitedly, doing nothing other than babble as everyone else hurriedly bakes the cookies for their deadline.

"Ooh, these cookies are so good! I can't wait till later to try that….Hey, Mina," Serena stops stuffing cookies in her mouth to look up at her friend, counting the months with starry eyes. "Mina?" Serena asks again, Mina not responding again so dazzled by a pair of minty green eyes in her mind. "Mina! Where's the cake?" Serena could just see the much talked of Lita's delicious cake slipping from her watering mouth.

"What? Oh. The cake…." Mina, coming back down from her fantasies of being Robin Starr's leading lady (sigh) bites her tongue with a pasty smile on her guilty lips up at Lita, who raises her spatula threateningly, her eyebrows now raised as well.

"The cake….I forgot to bring." Mina admits finally, to everyone's exasperated faces. That special cake Lita worked hours on yesterday, just for the school party was to be the centerpiece of their dessert table display. All Christmas decorated and colored, quadruple layered, it was breathtaking and delicious for sure…and now way across the other side of town where Mina lived.

"Mina!" Six voices sing out in frustrated unison at their forgetful companion.

"RiRi?" The fuschia little head cocks in merriment at all the noise.

With all hopes of the monumental Christmas cake she had hoped for to display on her dessert table dashed, Lita resigns herself to a smaller, quick short cake. She throws it all together in record time, it obvious from one look out the window at the hustle and bustle of Christmas Eve's eve shoppers, that they'd be lucky to get to the High School from where they were nearby at Serena's house in time, let alone trying to backtrack to Mina's first. Lita sighs with a smile at her laxness in counting on Mina, of all people to remember something, but she doesn't spoil a second of the day with a pout, in her genuine way.

The cookie cutouts were sprinkled and decorated to perfection, save for the ones RiRi had gotten into. The make up cake was finally done and everything was ready, so the girls prepared for their noon time appointment at the school. They bundle up well as they trek onto the icy sidewalks, dessert trays in hand.

"Now, RiRi you be very careful. Hold onto my hair, okay?" Serena instructs the little bundled up munchkin bouncing up and down in her new fuzzy coat, hat and boots.

"RiRi! RiRI!" She asserts her little self with a nod, grabbing a tug of Serena's endless spaghetti hair as her lifeline.

"Is everybody all right?" Lita asks, leading with her two trays of jelly rolls, praying both her cookies and the messengers carrying the trays would make it across the icy, busy path unbruised when several other strangers around them could be seen sliding and skidding in the shuffle.

"Okay here." Rei nods with the crumpets, not wanting a repeat of her embarrassing display before.

"I'm fine." Amy behind her, cookies in hand, had a natural footing on ice and snow, Luna on her shoulder.

"We're gonna make it, right Artemis?" Mina was more confident in word than in thought, she holds her breath with each step, somehow managing to be the one carrying the SECOND cake Lita just freshly made.

"Just watch where you're going, Mina." Artemis was all confidence in his transport.

"Serena?" Lita wonders at her friend's silence.

"Oh, don't worry about a thing, Lita. Me and RiRi are doing just---WOOAAAAHH"

Serena's bravado is cut short as she goes skidding with the gracelessness of a fallen ice princess. RiRi, as told, holding on tight, going with her in her falling wake.

"Gotcha, Meatball." A strong hand and over confident, oh-so-heroic voice stops Serena's descent, her spinning eyes catching a glimpse of Sayer's smile at her. His arms hold her (and the tray of Christmas jelly doughnuts) up, just a moment before her little tag-along slider RiRi's little fuschia body comes plummeting into them both, like an elastic snap. "WHAAAAA" Sayer's high-pitched voice squeaks out in unison with Serena and RiRi's cries, as the three of them go slipping forward in a pile, and smack straight into Mina.

"AHHHHHHHHHHH!" Mina's shriek adds to the cacophony, with Amy, Lita and Rei quickly dodging out of the way, as they all go skidding on the ice. Doughnuts, cakes, RiRis and all to the ground, just outside the schools brick gates.

"Are you guys okay?" Lita's first concern was for their health, but her face sinks when she sees her doughnuts spread out all over the scene.

"Yeah, I'm okay…uhh—Sayer get your hand off me!" Serena squeaks out, throwing Sayer's purely-by-accident misplaced hand from her upper torso.

"It really was an accident this time." His smile was crooked and all innocent.

Sayer had this uncanny knack for getting tangled up with certain blonde meatballs at the most inopportune times and places.

"Ri-Ri!" An unusually angered little cry comes from the puckered mouth of one sandwiched between Serena and Sayer RiRi. She gives Sayer quite a struggle as he tries to remove her from the tangled mess of arms and legs.

"Only you, Sayer." With a brotherly smile at his "sibling's" mishaps, Terry Starr's large hands take hold of tiny RiRi, lifting her away. She miraculously quiets her fit in his gentle arms. This sixteen year old boy standing 6 foot 2 inches tall and extremely mature for his young age, calms the baby's spirit somehow.

"Ah, what a mess." Robin Starr was just the opposite of his larger chestnut haired "brother", at most times, where Terry was often understanding and kind of Sayer's unenviable trouble with a gentle smile and helpful hand, Robin was cruel to him. He looked down on Sayer always and especially lately for always cavorting with this inferior race of people from this planet----and especially that one person.

"Robin! Terry!" From somewhere deep beneath the snowbank they had crashed into, Mina's excited voice still comes out as Lita and Rei put down their trays to dig her out.

"Robin! Here we are!" For some unknown reason, Mina often stuck to cute Robin (If she had her choice of the three, any of them would really "do" of course), the shortest member of the Three Lights (that goes for "short tempered" too). He was her favorite, though handsome Terry wasn't far behind. Sayer, though admittedly a pleasing mixture of both handsome and cute, had an outlandish and teasing attitude that didn't suit Mina's "high" standards and he'd have to fall in third place in her star-crossed eyes. Now that she's come to know them, Robin's perfect idol attitude was just what she was looking for, and Mina always got what she set out for.

"Robin!" Mina hops from her snowed in pile, nearly knocking Lita and Rei down in her enthusiasm. "We're here, offering the most delicious cookies and cakes, doughnuts and desserts, just for you boys!" Mina hams it up, batting her eyelids at the silver haired idol, as she smiles at him. She was inspired that he must be in love with her, since he signed her purse and no one elses anything.

"You mean all those ones all over the ground?" Robin diminishes Mina's excited glowing report with a sour look at the smashed and trampled doughnuts and cookies all over the muddy, icy sidewalk.

"Oh, no…Don't be silly! Ha ha ha," Mina gives one of her infamous petty giggles, lifting Lita's tray full of crumpets and cookies for them to see. "And just wait till you see our (don't you just love it when someone who had very little to do with the creation of, except for maybe some icing tasting and carrying of course, take credit in the "our") special…our special…." Mina, in her showing off, just then notices the cake she had been carefully holding in her hands, being still a little sorry she had forgotten Lita's first cake at home, was no longer there. "Oh no! Where's the----?" her frantic eyes scan the area praying for the cake to have somehow landed right side up, just merely fallen safely to the ground during their fall, and smiles, finding her prayer answered. She's just about to put the fallen cover back on top of the yet perfect cake…..

Just then, one forgotten cat, usually as white as snow, unburies himself, sticking his head out of the snow----and right through the center of the Christmas cake Mina was so relieved to have found untouched. It was now split into ruins all over Artemis' face.

"Artemis!" Mina falls to her knees, almost about to cry at the unfortunate turn of events. Poor Artemis was unable to say anything in the mixed company, other than a plaintive, disgruntled "meow."

"Oh well, I guess we weren't meant to have a cake. Cookies'll have to do." Lita sighs, quite used to Mina and Serena's mishaps always putting setbacks in her plans.

"I'm certain the rest of your desserts will be delicious enough to make up for the cake's loss." Terry had this "way" of making a young girl like Lita's heart throb.

"Really?" Lita sighs into Terry's violet eyes. He's way hunkier than even my last boyfriend. She sighs again as Terry (after handing RiRi to a nose-sticking-up-in-the-air-at-Sayer-still Serena with a smile, due to Sayer's pouty smile at her) takes her heaviest tray confidently with one hand.

"It's far too chilly out here for such lovely ladies. Please, allow me." A gentleman at 16, Terry Starr leads the way to the school auditorium, holding the door open for each of the girls with a handsome smile. They all look up at him adoringly.

"Ter's got a way with the girls, doesn't he, Rob?" Then, "Hey! Meatball! Wait up!" Sayer commented to his "brother" as he bounds through the doorway, chasing one miffed Meatball. Robin gives yet another sour expression at Terry and Sayer both. Why flirt with them? They're only human----it's such a waste of time. We're only looking for our Princess. That's it. The thought passing through his one-track mind, Robin then shows that maybe there was something not so cold and whining about him, as he kneels down to where Luna was laughing (in cat sounds) at Artemis as Mina dutifully rubs the cake from his face with her scarf.

"Coming in, Luna?" Robin opens his hands to her, and Luna, being in a flirtatious mood, or a bit in love with the soulful green eyed rock star herself, leaves Artemis' side and hops straight into Robin's arms. He knew just how to hold a cat to make her purr, and carries his favorite kitty inside the school, as Artemis gives Robin dagger eyes in the back as they disappear.

"Oh, well that'll have to do for now, Artemis. I've got a play to star in with the 3 Lights!" Mina prided herself on being a "star" above all things, so she gave poor Artemis a lick and a promise of a cleaning job. The poor cat was still sticky, and his white fur matted.

"This is going to be one of those days, isn't it?" Artemis sighs to the cloudy skies, as Mina too leaves him aside for the rock idol, racing inside of the auditorium entrance.

"Angels we have heard on high"

"Sweetly singing o'er the plains"

"And the mountains in reply"

"Echoing back their joyous strains"

The Christmas play was as none other, all who had attended the past 25 years of 10th Street High's Christmas events had to be in agreement, though there were, as there are in all stage productions, glitches. Serena as Mary holding the baby Jesus doll upside down throughout most of the play for one, Melvin tripping over his sheep AND as the shepherd in the field saying "Bark!" instead of "Hark!" in his nervousness for another. Then robed Amy and Lita as angels crashing into one another under the poor grip directions as they "flew" through the air on wires, and taking the cake on what should not have happened, but did and bringing the house down in laughter along with it. When Balthazar of the three wisemen, being very unwise and giving Mary a too familiar wink when she forgets her lines makes the shorter, silver haired wiseman poke the flirtatious robed and bearded (though on crooked) Balthazar. Which then causes the third taller and truly "wise" man sigh as he whispers, filling in everyone as to their lines since they had all forgotten them in the chaos. Somehow, the whole play turns into a Christmas comedy, a thoroughly enjoyable one at that, as the audience gives the cast a standing ovation, along with uproarious laughter. It was not quite the results the "star" narrator Mina had wanted, (her spotlight stolen at times) but it would have to do this year.

The musical section of the event goes a little smoother, the packed crowd (the Three Lights named big on the top billing sure helped, people standing outside for blocks just to maybe hear or catch a glimpse of the famed ones) getting just what they came for. The Three Lights delivering in both instrument and voice, the three young men managing to take a slightly less than talented group of schoolmates and turning them all into a musical troupe of perfect harmony. They all did such beautiful jobs on the joyous holiday songs, bringing to the auditorium true Christmas cheer in a style unique, as that of the Three Lights in lead of the chorus. In the final tune of the happy afternoon, the five girls sing in unison, their lovely voices melding together in beautiful strains.

Silent Night

Holy Night

All is calm

All is bright

Towards the end of the song, Serena struggles with the deep meaning and eloquence of the lyrics, making her own troubled heart tremble, as Sayer's strong, clear voice helps her, strengthening her as then the entire audience and cast sing the final verses together.

"That was fun!"

"Good job, everyone!"

"We were a hit!" All around, their voices sing out happily at the applause to both cast and the production's success. Chatter and compliments fly everywhere, but Serena seems lost as Mina, the "experienced stage pro" gives her a thumbs up and a congratulatory slap on the shoulder.

"Serena?" Mina questions the big smile at the play's success fading as she follows Serena's fixed gaze----to find Sayer's dark blue eyes gazing back, something intent in them. Lita and Amy exchange looks with Mina, as Robin and Terry do the same on the other side.

"That was great, Meatball." Sayer finally breaks the silent gaze with an embarrassed giggle as he pulls off his wiseman beard.

"Thanks." Serena smiles back into his eyes, laughing at him as he makes a face when the glued beard pinches his chin as he pulls it away.

"Don't laugh! That hurt!" Sayer whines in his boyish manner, rubbing his chin, but Serena keeps laughing anyway.

"Let's get changed quick and put out those desserts, gang! C'mon, Serena!" Lita gives her friend a tug into the girls' dressing room. Rei comes backstage and gives Sayer a pair of warning eyes, as she slams the door behind them. Sayer follows Terry and Robin into the boy's backstage room, ignoring Robin's suspicious eyes.

The dessert trays out in a hurry, congratulations of the great play coming their way yet, the Three Lights are soon swamped, it becoming a camera fest it seemed. The girls easily break away, ready and roaring to go to the promised Christmas Eve in the homey mountains of Serena's grandma---but not before some last minute Christmas shopping.

So surrounded were the three idols, that Serena and company don't get the chance to say "Merry Christmas!" and "Good bye" as they had wanted. Serena catches Sayer's eye as Rei rushes her out the door, with a farewell wave in his direction.

The stores were packed as the sun begins to lowers on this fine evening. Serena and the girls do some shopping, choosing gifts, secretly hiding them from one another. Lita picks up some nice fresh French bread and other delights for Serena's hospitable grandmother. They were all singing "Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer" and walking together, enjoying this time. Luna and Artemis tagged along, but none of them noticed a set of three fashionably coated "stalkers" trailing them all the while from behind as they make their way to the bus station to catch the last bus of the evening to their rural destination: Grandma's M
ountains.

But after spending a bit too much time shopping (5 girls let loose on Christmas sales! What'd you expect? ), and a busy, packed Shopping District full of other last minute shoppers, the girls, RiRi, Luna & Artemis, throw gracefulness and poise to the wind, racing to the bus station with abandon, praying for it not to have left without them.

"Running! Running! Serena, you've always got us running! Why'd you have to be so picky at the store and just decide on something!" Rei was the expert complainer, especially if chewing out Serena was called for. Serena's indecisiveness in gift buying, considering her nearly empty wallet, made shopping all the more time consuming.

"Yeah, Serena, you were in the boutique for almost an hour!" Mina adds to the list of complaints as she huffs along beside Rei, Amy and Lita, two blocks from the bus station.

"It's so hard choosing gifts!" Serena whines, holding new packages and RiRi to her as she races.

"Yeah, but Serena, still I think three hours shopping is a bit much." Lita, their suitcases, plus the bulk of the shopping spree puts in from behind.

"You know how Christmas shopping is, guys. The shops are so packed, you can't really blame Serena." Amy was always ready to pull her friend up when everyone else was down on her.

"Amy, you're my only friend!" Serena cries out as they finally speed around the block, into the bus station depot, ready to make their way quickly through the thick crowd all waiting for the final bus out as expected-----but they find the depot empty.

"Oh nooooo!" Serena whimpers out, sinking to her knees.

"RiRi?" RiRi's eyes were wide with the question, she having no idea what was going on.

"We missed it!" Mina states the obvious.

"RiRi?" Her little, frozen fingers long ago losing her mittens, pleaded to be warm again.

"We're too late." Lita sighs, setting down her bundles and bags disappointed.

"RiRi!" She demands to get out of the cold, giving Serena an angry little face.

"What're we gonna do now! That was the last bus Serena!" Rei puts her hands on her hips over her sniffling friend, dropping her suitcase to the ground with a thud.

"Yes, it was. The front office says there will be no more out to Nagano tonight. And not again until the morning after Christmas." Smart Amy had gone right to the booth and asked the hurriedly departing station workers if there would be another ride out---with negative results.

"WHAAAAAAAA! What am I gonna tell my mom? I wanna be with my folks on Christmas! WAAAAAAAAA!" Serena begins her infamous wail, tears flying from her eyes. RiRi copies her as well, bursting into tears, though she didn't know why.

"Well, how are we going to get there?" Mina asks, not able to bear Serena's yelling, as she looks to Rei, Lita and Amy. They all had the same look of consternation, as the group of them stand out in the quickly darkening cold. Snow had just begun to fall.

"Could we offer you a ride then, ladies?" A low, deep voice cuts through the cold air. The girls feel quite warmed by it.

"Terry!" Mina, Lita, Amy, and Rei cry out in joy at the timely arrival of their three famous schoolmates.

"Oh, Robin, really? Really? Are you going to drive us little old gals up to the mountains?" Mina attaches herself to Robin's light aqua trench-coated arm, her eyes aflutter.

"I guess….if we have to." Robin sighs bitterly, certain that "heroic" Terry would never abandon a group of whining damsels in distress. Sigh. Just great. It's just what I wanted. Sigh. Robin is dragged away by Mina.

"Ladies, may I?" Terry smiles in his gentlemanly way, and gives them those cool idol eyes as he lifts their suitcases and packages from Amy and Lita's blushing arms.

"Oh, but Terry, isn't it too much trouble for you all?" Amy asks, concerned.

"Not at all. It would be our pleasure to escort you." He answers, his voice deep and inviting. Lita and Amy exchange pleased smiles as they follow his lead out to the road.

"Our van's not too far from here. Just direct me where you're going and we'll be there in no time." Terry assures them of his excellent driving skills, even in ice and snow. (No one questioned his license at the tender age of 16. Boys had certain privileges more than girls and respect to go along with it too---especially a responsible and mature young man like Terry Starr.)

"Hey, Meatball! You can quit crying now." Sayer kneels down in his long red coat, to where Serena was splat on the concrete bawling still. "Ter's gotcha all covered! We'll drive you out to your Grandma's place. And spend Christmas together. What do you say about that?" Sayer says with loads of self confidence and an amorous wink in Serena's direction.

"Christmas together? Really? You're going to drive us?" Serena's tears miraculously fly away and a small, amazed smile replaces it.

"Sure!" Bold Sayer thinks nothing of inviting himself and his brothers to Serena's grandmother's. (As long as Terry was doing the driving, a feat he had not yet mastered.) As he offers Serena a helping hand to get up, he receives a bundle of RiRi instead, and she squirms inside the warmth of his big red coat. (She would cling to anything right now that was warm, her little nose so red with cold.)

"Hey! Hey! Little jellybean! Your hands are cold! Don't go in there! Oooh!" Sayer's high voice squeaks and tickled giggles could be heard echoing through the empty bus depot, as he and Serena, and a RiRi popsicle join the rest of the happy chatting group, as they all walk down the streets, glad to have a rescue transport to their destination. Not to mention a totally handsome and hunky group of the three of the most gorgeous guys in the whole universe as their tour guides!

This Christmas Eve's eve was truly looking up as they merrily sing along the snow, just beginning to fall on Tokyo's city streets.

"So what do you think?" a silky voice askes in the falling dusky darkness, not so far in the distance from the happy travellers, though surveying them with distrustful eyes.

"You know what I think." A low voice rumbles like thunder, responding in likewise concern, forged with more than a bit of threatening anger and something far more as an engine roars to life, quietly, unnoticeably following the group as they all gather into the Three Lights awaiting van, and drive off into the snowy twilight.

"Yes, Madame Galaxia? Did you call for me?" a soft-spoken voice breaks the eerie silence of the endlessly dark and spatial chamber the television studio elevator had opened up to.

For a moment, the silence persists, and Sailor Aluminum Siren magically exchanges her lavender business suit that she disguised herself with, running Galaxy Television, after one certain Producer Nezu's ever ringing off the hook phone was suddenly disconnected, with her soldier uniform. It was not exactly either very "soldier" or "uniform", the light sky blue strips of cloth melded scantily around her body in a flowing skirt resembling something perhaps a sea mermaid would wear, complete with seashell adornments and all—one final reminder of the forgotten planet she once heralded as her own.

"Madame Galaxia? Did you fall asleep? I'd understand if you did. The cold weather always makes me sleepy. I don't think I like ice and snow very much at----" In her ditzy way, Siren's mind often floated adrift of meaningless chatter and thoughtless wonders. She was totally and obliviously unaware that Madame Galaxia's evil wrath had no tolerance for her pleasant conversation.

"SILENCE!" Her voice was deep throated and bit colder than any chilling wind outdoors. Golden Queen Galaxia raises both angered hand and furious eye to this mindless henchman of hers. She gave this daughter of Siren more than enough time to prove herself worthy---more than than of the disappointing offering from the planet Chuu.

"Yes, Madame Galaxia! Certainly." Smiling sweetly in a singing kind of response, showing just how brainless she truly was, Aluminum Siren seems to have no idea that her ruler's limited patience was on the verge of expiring---and then so would she.

"Have you located a Star Seed for me as yet, Sailor Aluminum Siren?" Putting her anger aside for a moment, Galaxia's mere thought allows the golden veil surrounding her gleaming throne to part. She gets a good look at her latest seeker of true Star Seeds.

"Well…" Siren stands, cocking her ditzy long haired head as she raises an unsure finger to her lips.

"Yes?" Galaxia's patience wanes thin again as she considers simply destroying the trying creature on the spot. But Siren seems to dally in her words.

"I do have someone in mind…" Recalling the recent events of the past week or so, Aluminum Siren lets her eyes roll around her head, trying to think of some way to capture this particular target. Things had been so busy lately, difficult too, trying to track a person down. And right now, her stomach was hungry too, and Siren was unable to work well on an empty tummy.

"SIREN! You have exhausted my patience! Perhaps your successor will find the true Star Seeds I require." Evil anger leaves Galaxia no room for understanding in her ice cold heart, the golden queen raises one wrist towards an unsuspecting Siren, her emerald green jeweled bracelet glimmering it's ultimate threat.

"Yes, Madame Galaxia. We will for certain, without fail this time." Appearing from the shadows, she was nail bitingly watching her rival unknowingly anger Galaxia. But over time, stemming from somewhere in a past all but forgotten, this rivalry had turned into something far more. Sailor Lead Crow, feeling responsible for the ditzy blue hair Siren was. As far as she could remember, Crow knew Siren as a rival, and a formidable one at that. (When she got her head out of the underwater depths it often swam in) And after all, more than all that, though she would be hard pressed to even admit so, Siren was Crow's friend. And Sailor Lead Crow knew how to take care of a friend.

"Sailor Lead Crow. You know of Aluminum Siren's target?" Galaxia, her hand still raised, lifts an eyebrow, ever so slightly interested in what her dark-haired emissary had to say on this matter.

"Yes, Madame Galaxia." Lead Crow steals a glance backwards at the still eyes-rolling-around-in-her-head Siren. Though Crow herself truly had absolutely no idea what Siren's plans were about (she even doubted the sift headed rival knew either), Crow did know that after Siren's several foiled attempts to find Galaxia's sought-after Star Seeds, mostly at the hands of those blasted Sailor Soldiers and Sailor Moon, Madame Galaxia's patience was just about to give out. And though she herself would be Siren's replacement, Lead Crow did not enjoy the thought of losing her greatest rival. "We will return to you shortly. No doubt with a Star Seed for certain, your majesty." Laying it on thick, Lead Crow takes a quick bow. Her black feathered wings swayed as she hurriedly decides to evade Galaxia's certain wrath, and grabs Siren's arm, shoving both of them into their teleporting Old English telephone booth. Vanishing from the eerie room, leaving Galaxia seated on her golden throne, she finally lets her arm rest down, an evil smirk on her face.

"Very soon this planet will belong to me. Very soon the scattered remnants of the dead stars of this solar system will be in my grasp. And the final pieces of this galaxy and every other I have gathered already will fall into place. And I will control them all. I, the ultimate Sailor Soldier of the galaxy, will take my rightful place as ruler, as queen, as destroyer then reshaper of all the universe." Cackling, Galaxia and her chaotic evilness revels in the splendor of the most recently captured Star Seed---one particularly sparkling crystal stolen away from a soldier of courage, shining dazzling golden of this planet of life.

"Dashing through the snow"

"In a one-horse open sleigh"

"Over fields we go"

"Laughing all the way"

Down a snowy country road, a single black minivan resounds loud enough to shake the sleeping mountains it was passing through in the darkening night. The studious driver of the vehicle merely smiles at the unusual buoyancy in his car this holiday evening, as all of his passengers (minus one silver hair moping in the far corner where Mina had dragged him next to her as close as possible) ring in the season. Their joyous lungs at full volume. Little RiRi was laying comfortably asleep somehow through it all between Serena and Sayer in the middle bench seat.

"Hey, Rob! I don't hear you singing along. It's good voice practice and we all know you need that." Sayer teases his "brother" in the back seat behind him, his own long red coat now off and slung over Serena's shoulders.

Rei, seated next to Serena, had eyed the thoughtful gesture with trepidation. Brainless Sayer, as Rei had found out recently being so friendly with them, was being a little too concerned for Serena for Rei's taste. But what could she say?

"Be quiet, Sayer." Robin, feeling ever so tortured in the rear of the car, pelted by six loud and noisy voices screaming in his refined ears, makes a sour face at his annoying brother. He wished he could tell them all to just be quiet, but he grumbles instead, unheard under the cacophony, in his corner. His only refuge from the pandemonium was the soft, furry feel of stroking Luna on his lap.

"But, Robin, isn't it so much fun being together? We can't help but be excited, can we, Lita? Hey, Serena is your granny going to make rice pudding and fudge dipped cookies? I'm getting wigged!" Mina sings happily as Serena nods, her own tummy wanting at the thought of her grandmother's famous treats.

Mina beams as she giggles loudly in Robin's ear, girlishly in that way Robin found so petty in thousands of his other female fans, but for some reason, not so unbecoming in this blonde ditz next to him.

"Whatever." Robin murmurs under his breath (Mina, not noticing and already turning around for another round of "Jingle Bells" for the hundredth time.) Sayer's loudest most grating voice (Robin would never admit his "brother" had a gift) led the chorus of cackling girls in the car.

We shouldn't be wasting our precious time doing these silly things instead of searching for her. Princess, where are you? His silent thoughts turn serious and Robin stops stroking Luna's furry head. She glances up from her bliss at being petted in her handsome idol's arms, to note his sudden change of demeanor. Watching his intent gaze out the side window, at the oblivion of darkness on the white, untouched mountains all around them, seemed as if Robin's green eyes were searching for something, or someone in them.

What are you thinking with such serious eyes? Luna questions wordlessly, she didn't notice jealous Artemis on Mina's lap next to her wondering the same query of her. He was more than concerned of his own standing in this hard-won counterpart's heart, since this idol boy stole away her affections.

Glancing in his rear view mirror, Terry too notes Robin's gaze from the backseat. His concerns were always heightened for his two "siblings". How unalike you are in so many ways---and yet, somehow the same. Only a logical, thinking man like Terry Starr could see the same intensity in the connection of what both his opposite as night and day brothers were reaching for, though Robin continually sought out their absent Princess in solitude and moody soul searchings. Sayer lost his sadness in the laughter and companionship of the day. Terry could clearly see that both star crossed hearts were in desperate need of their Princess.

And so was he.

Princess, will we ever find you? Sometimes it seems so hopeless. Terry's own melancholy thoughts focus on the dark, endless road that seemed winding forever between them and their respected leader. His thoughts are pulled back to the reality of the here and now, in a certain flash of headlights that seemed to be trailing them. Though no one else would notice, the stealthy way it held back, as if any expert driver were at it's controls. But another expert driver, one who noticed everything, had learned to do so to keep himself and those he cherished alive in this uncertain universe. Seeing the faint glimmer of glowing headlights in the distance for the past several miles, Terry's sense of danger is awakened. He was always readied for any surprise attack, yet it never showed on his handsome features, as he calmly exchanges pleasantries of the weather and scenery with Amy beside him in the front passenger seat.

I wonder who---Terry's wonderings are cut short, once again, as before the minivan a uniformed woman officer waved them down with a flashlight and a roadblock in the highway path.

"What's going on, Terry?" Lita's worried voice comes to him from the back seat as she breaks through Mina's endless chatterings for a minute.

Robin, on the other side, looks up from his head buried in his hands, wishing he could be anywhere except next to two chattering girls at the moment.

"I'm not certain." Terry cocks his head as he carefully pulls beside the female officer. A mahogany haired women steps up to his driver's side car window, revealing she had a partner behind her, almost hiding with long sky blue hair, tied up under a police hat. She was a timid looking girl and had a very unofficial manner behind the officer flashing a badge of some sort at Terry.

"Is there a problem, officer?" Terry Starr had this mature confidence about him, that no one in the vehicle worried about his underage "foreign" license raising any problems with the authorities as he rolls down the driver's side window.

"Yes, sir. There is." The woman with her brown hair fingers her dark sunglasses as she takes a quick glance inside at the vehicle's occupants.

Serena shrinks, feeling the officer's gaze fall upon her intently as she shines her light at Serena directly, and exchanges a backwards glance at her blue haired, likewise sunglassed partner before returning to Terry's question.

"There's been an avalanche, just up the road. The highway's been blocked off. I'm afraid you'll have to turn off at this exit here and wait for the road to be cleared." The officer says in a matter-of-fact way.

"Oh dear!" Amy says in concern. "Has anyone been hurt?" She asks, her kind heart and medical hopefulness making her worry for her fellow human beings.

"We're not sure…yet. It was a serious accident. That's why no one's allowed past this point." She waves her head in a no-nonsense sort of way.

"I am sorry about your trip to your grandmother's, girls. Shall we head back to Tokyo and try again tomorrow? You'll still make it in time for Christmas morning." Terry turns around to face Serena and the girls, an apologetic smile on his face.

"Ohhhhhhhhh." A big whine of disappointment comes from every mouth. Sayer, too, you'd think it was his grandmother's house they were going to.

"May I suggest the Love Mountain Ski Lodge resort? It's just a mile back around the bend up the side road. Then you're certain to know exactly when the road will be open and get to your granny's so much faster then. Don't you think? It is so pretty up there." The blue haired officer behind the other proves she is a ditz indeed, smiling like a travel agent more than a cop who was attending a life threatening accident just up the road.

"LOVE MOUNTAIN SKI LODGE!" Four girlish voices longing for romance ring out. Amy quietly refrains from joining in.

"Oh, how romantic!" Mina bats her eyes at Robin, who sighs, seeing that his entire holiday would be no welcome occasion for him.

"Can we go Terry? Can we go? Then we can be at Grandma's tomorrow! There's still time." Serena jumps up from her seat, hanging on the back of Terry's seat plaintively. The thought of staying in a high-class resort with all her friends was just too fun to pass up.

"Well, I…" Terry chuckles at her liveliness, and she doesn't give him the chance to reply. He didn't know how it would look for the famed Three Lights to be taking a set of lovely ladies to a mountain resort though.

"Sayer, puh—leeease." Serena yanks the arm of the boy next to her. She knew herself and her friends were penniless for such a famous, ritzy resort—but not these new friends.

"Sure! Sounds like fune! Eh, Ter?" Sayer always spoke before he thought, making sure of every quick decision with his logical brother's approval.

"Yes, it does." Terry smiles back. Serena and Mina jump for joy. Rei, Lita and Amy, the more thoughtful three, exchange glances at the safety of letting Serena and Sayer together at a "Love Resort". But the prospect of being with the Three Lights took away any growing doubts for their young girlish hearts too.

"Thank you, Officers. We'll take your kind advice. Have a safe night." Terry nods at the two female officers, giving the women respect.

"Yes, have a safe night, ladies." The officer says in a sly way as the Three Lights minivan turns around and takes the turn to the resort a mile back down the road.

"Was she the one, Siren?" The human form of Sailor Lead Crow lets the bun out of her hair. "Siren?" Karasuma turns to find her friend standing there, her face as white-blue as her scattering hair.

"I can't think, Crow. I'm so cold. Can we go now? I think I'm hungry too. Is it time for supper yet?" Siren's human form shivers like a fish in ice water. Crow rolls her eyes at how she ever got in this situation with her brainless rival, who couldn't tell her why this girl with the meatball hair was today's target for a Star Seed.

"All right. Let's go." Crow sighs, feeling Siren's hugging ice fingers around her as they squish perfectly in their signature phone booth and disappear. Neither of them noticed the red tail lights that also seemed to have taken their advice, following the Three Lights van into the ski lodge turn on this cold, snowy night.

"Wake up, RiRi look at the pretty lights!"

"Oh! How beautiful it is here!"

"Man! Look at those lights!"

"I love the snow!"

"Isn't so romantic?"

Sigh….

The five teenaged girls sigh all at once as their ride pulls up to the scenic resort's front door. Terry personally escorts each lady from the vehicle after Sayer bounds out like a captured animal after the hour and a half ride, straight into the pristine snow. Robin sits back in the minivan with a sigh all his own, that maybe he'd finally be getting some peace outside the confines of the 9 x 6 minivan full of squealing girls.

"Sayer, the rest of the bags please." Terry's head motions to the van, his arms full of both the girls' suitcases and the girls as well, hanging all over the romantic enough member of the Three Lights to understand a young lady's revelry in hanging on a young handsome man's arm, into a romantic ski lodge.

"Sure!" Sayer calls back, ceasing his toyings in the snow like a five year old kid. He leans his head into the open car door, grabs his coat, which he just now remembers to put on in the minus freezing weather, along with a few bags and excess sweaters and scarves left on the floor. "Oh and don't let me forget this brand new, already platinum CD of the Three Lights' newest album….or this "X Men" comic book! Now, those guys know how to celebrate Christmas!" His arms were full, well, enough anyway he deemed, and he leans his head back in to where Robin was still fussing with bundling himself up to leave the warm car and go out into the biting cold.

"You get the rest of the bags, Rob." Sayer quickly orders, then rushes into the resort, not only to get away from the cold wind, but from another force of cold nature that was about to vent his fury at him.

"I am NOT! You can come back out here and get the rest yourself. I only carry my own. That's all." Robin goes into the trunk, takes his own suitcase and, as promised, no one else's, though his other hand was free. For Robin learned, long ago, that only trouble came if you didn't just take care of yourself, and no one else mattered. No one except her.

Seeing her idol in a bit of one of his often low mood swings, it was obvious from the frown on his cute face, Luna who was quietly waiting for Robin to escort her in is just about to jump with her bare paws into the icy, snow covered walkway and leave him alone as he seemed to want to be.

"Here, Luna. Don't get your pretty paws cold." And there in the cold night, Luna could see a warmth, she hops up on the offered shoulder with a grateful "meow."

"Don't worry, Luna. I've got you." His scratchy voice was soft and sweet, whispering into her furry ear. Luna wondered just how this special young man everyone believed to be as cold as ice, could be warm and devoted to her. She, one of the very few Robin ever revealed his true character to. And again, Luna wonders why he hid it from others.

Just what is it in his past that keeps him so closed?

"Look at the tree, RiRi! Look!" Serena carries her little charge to the monstrous Christmas tree the resort had set up in the front lobby.

"Whoooooooooooooo! RiRi!" Would the child ever find any other word in her baby talk language? Not likely, especially when she was excited. Her little blue eyes lit up as bright as the gleaming Christmas baubles and decorations aglow on the tree's boughs. Serena was revelling in it too, giggling contagiously.

"Admit it, Serena! You're enjoying this more than RiRi is!" Mina teases, the sparkle and shine of the resort's decorations catch her youthful attentions as well.

"Mi—Na! I'm not a little girl!" Serena, a mature 16-year-old girl now, was insulted to be called a drooling, cooing baby like RiRi. Serena was drooling and cooing in a much more adult manner now.

"Sometimes it's better to stay young and vibrant, my kitten." A low voice breaks into the girls' chattering conversation as they wait for Terry (man with lots of money) to pay for their rooms.

"Youth is a beautiful thing…at times." Another more teasing voice chuckles in agreement with that certain twinge of flirty French-ness.

"Alex!" The five girls turn from the dazzling Christmas tree to yet another welcomed sight. "Michelle!" On Alex's firm arm, Michelle giggles in her own far more than girlish way, at the surprise written on the girls' sweet faces.

"How coincidental meeting you up here! Just passing by? Or are you staying?" As innocent as a dove, Michelle's blue eyes sparkle the query to the group.

"Well, we're cramming up here until the road block up the ways on this main road is down. We were on our way to Serena's grandmother's and…." Lita starts to explain to her two older friends.

"You don't say?" Michelle lets her snooty side show, as she dismisses Lita and the others while watching her Alex's eyes beside her glow fiery, blazing hotter than the lodge's own fireplace. In that way, Michelle had never quite seen her beloved cousin's eyes flare before---before she encountered HIM.

"You again! What are you doing here?" Sayer, his cheeks red from just racing into the lobby from the outdoor cold, stops in midstride, the smile he was bringing into the room quickly evaporates into a hesitant frown as he and Alex exchange hard, questioning looks.

"I could ask you the same thing." With a nasty bite in her deep throated words, Alex Sokova's eyes could freeze anyone dead cold with her gaze. But Sayer was someone who could not be frightened away from a dare. The two of them just glare at one another, as an intense despise for each other fills the room.

"Ladies. Here are your passkeys. Your suites are all connected and…" Terry, about to hand out the girls' rooms keys, stops short upon seeing Sayer and that woman's furious stares at each other as he enters the room.

"Good evening, Miss Moreau….Miss Sokova." Terry for one, was quick to regain his manners, giving Michelle a gracious nod, and Alex a more cautious one.

"Mr. Starr." Michelle only politely nods back, almost seeming on the verge of a laugh at Alex's unmoving stare at that bothersome boy.

"Terry, the rest of the bags are still in the car—and I'm not going to lug any more--" just then the third boy (admittally the best looking of the three, a certain cuteness about him—maybe it's the silver bangs in those green eyes? Michelle notices silently to herself) comes into the tensed room with his usual complaining whine. He too pauses in mid-sentence, giving Alex and Michelle a testy look. Then a snooty smile passes over his face at the way that tall blonde from you-know-where was glaring at Sayer like he was the devil himself—something Robin wasn't always in contestment of.

"Should have figured we'd be having the pleasure of seeing you two here – together—in this fine resort." It wasn't just Robin's voice and that all-knowing look that made Michelle's skin crawl. She glances away from his insinuating look, taking a step back behind Alex, who stiffens in her stance but doesn't even afford the bothersome ill-tongued shrimp a glance, her gaze still fixed on the one who was the whole problem after all.

"The maybe the three of you had better go enjoy your holiday somewhere else. I'm sure famous idols like you have far more important things to do than waste your valuable time trifling with your yooung female fans," Alex's slitted green eyes flash in that fearsome way. A smirk appears on her face as her eyes rest on each of the three men with the underlying threat.

"No. Nothing more important. Just like certain people who got time on their hands to bother other people and can't mind their own business."

Ouch. Bang. Bang. The five girls in question watch blinkingly as, back and forth, Sayer's biting words hit at Alex, her flaring eyes making it seem like the rest of her furious body was about to send him a flying punch in response.

"They definitely have a grudge against each other,don't they?" Mina asks in an awed whisper behind her hand.

"Um-hmm," the four other girls nod in agreement, they knowing what it meant for their Alex to be angry with someone, though none of the girls really understood the argument between the two.

"Grudge! Grudge!" RiRi had this penchant to repeat in her baby voice the funny words of grown-ups that caught her ear (and to a tiny child of 3, Mina Arnold could be considered an adult too).

"Well, anyway, we're all here now. Here are your keys, ladies. There seems to be a fine restaurant in this hotel. We'd be honored if we could treat you to dinner. Robin, Sayer, let's finish retrieving the things in the van." Terry, seeing the possibility of civil conversation impossible with this difficult creature of a woman. He eyes her and her "companion"- ahem- with hesitant eyes, still not wanting to believe what may seem obvious to strangers of the two of them as he hands out the room keys to the girls. Robin follows Terry out from the lounge no longer complaining of work nor cold (for in his eyes, anything was more welcome than being in the same room with that Sokova woman.) But Sayer lingers, not ready to stand down from any challenge she dished out.

"Listen. I'm making this my business---Starr. You stay away from her." Addressin the younger man with the last name only reserved usually between tough-guy man, Alex makes her intense point hit home, her low voice rumbling like thunder – a dangerous looming threat.

"Just don't get in my way --- Sokova,"his high-pitched voice somehow matched the fierceness in her low thunder with an intensity Alex rarely has seen in another being, both of these passionate fighters continuing their glare, neither one wanting to back down, their angry eyes locked in fierce competition.

"Sayer," Terry's calmly commanding voice almost orders Sayer to caome away, he , for one, not wanting his brother to have a scene with that woman to kick off their supposedly pleasant vacation off with a bad start.Most likely resulting, the way Sayer fought, in being kicked out of the high class resort, for Terry wasn't that certain that Sayer would have much difficulty in physically assalting a member of the female race

as Terry himself would ( no matter how deplorable a member she may be). With a final parting deadly glance back, Sayer follows his brother out, not feeling a bit of the biting cold at all despite the lack of coat of jacket because his insides were still so boiling from those few minutes he faced off with her.

"Amara?" Michelle's arms just now unfold from that tough guy pose she struck standing behind her cousin's fiercesome wrath towards those boys. She looks to her dearest's fixed gaze at the doorway that fiery young idol had just departed through.

"Michelle—can't I put my hands around his neck? Just once is all I'll need,"Alex could share with Michelle – and Michelle only—her innermost emotions. And for some reason this person known as Sayer Starr got her emotions riled so quickly inthatway Michelle never quite seen before.

"Now, Amara, dear," Michelle getting strange vibes of her own from those three, was weary of them as well, but she found Amara's fury at that silly boy almost… funny. And it also churned up some envious emotions of her own at all the attention her cousin was giving him.

"Remember—this is Christmas—so we can be charitable, eh?" Michelle's voice grows teasing as she drapes her arms around her strong cousin's tensed shoulders.

"We're her to watch—so let's watch--- and besides cous'" Michelle's pretty pink lips curl in the tease," Wouldn't you rather put your hands around me?" Michelle giggles as she watches Amara's hard stare soften a little in her direction, Michelle mastering long ago, as the two grew up together as children, the art of making her oft-troubled cousin smile. Into the elevator the pair goes, Alex stealing a final weary glance at the three men returning into the lobby with their luggage.

All right, Michelle, I'll be charitable --- but I'm not going to make it easy for them, Alex smirks in this silent thought as she let Michelle lead her away.

"She's here on purpose, you know that, don't' you?" Robin was ready to whine now more than ever as somehow Sayer had managed to load him down with those silly girl's suitcases (in which there was one slight mix-up, Serena being so very sure the reddish case was hers and not Sayer's. Hers was a fuschia pink shade lighter, but she was so sure she popped it open right then and there on her hotel bed ready to display her new Christmas frock --- only to find it a pair of Sayer's checkered boxer shorts in its stead. But the switch is soon sorted out, the boys now back in their joint room, changing for dinner.

"Who?" Sayer, his one-track mind presently on getting himself cleaned up and changed, digs under the bed for where a pair of errant socks rolled to.

"That Sokova woman, of course! She knew we were coming here." Robin wrinkles his nose at the brown turtleneck shirt Sayer had just struggled into. Robin ( a fashion conscious person) chose quite a different styled lavender frilled shirt, he sliding into its silkiness and then tying that sweet little ribbon tie around his thin neck. With an approving smile he nods at his heart-stopping idol good looks in the mirror reflection.

"Are you sure she's a woman? I could've sworn---" Sayer's muffled ranting on the subject of "that person" comes from under the bed.

"Yes, I believe it was her vehicle trailing ours. I did wonder who that was," Terry looks quite dapper in a handsome gray suit as he walks back into his own bedroom (Terry always dressed more conservatively than his two more flamboyant brothers, creating that adult atmosphere about him). He comments to Robin as he ties expertly his own standard men's tie (that's not a crack at Robin's less manly tie, really )

"Well- I don't care! This is our only time off in ages! I'm not gonna let her ruin it!" Sayer, after tug if war between red jacket and red suitcase (the suitcase one stitch away from winning) slides on the jacket and flings back his long black ponytail in defiance of Alex Sokova's wrath.

"You're right, Sayer. Let's just ignore her ---but we can still be civil, all right?" Terry was all for staying out of the woman's hair, but he did have to keep his younger brothers' oft-ill manners in check.

"You can be," Robin mumbles under his breath, he himself not holding any respect whatsoever for the golden dragon.

"Robin. Your attitude worries me. There could be a lot of trouble if you bother her. And Sayer, you do realize that it's because of your…interest….in Serena that---" Terry begins to play his big brother role for them both.

"I don't care!" Sayer repeats the sentiment again, this time adding to his intensity of emotions a pounding fist against the windowsill, gazing out at the increasing starfield as he cuts off Terry's sound advise with a passion in his voice that makes both Terry and Robin exchange a worried look.

"I don't care," Sayer whispers low to the stars, letting himself, as he often did in the nights, become absorbed in their glow. It was the Princess' glow that shined to him through the stars still, and also in the new found gleam of radiant light he had discovered on this earth --- Sayer now determined even more to not let anyone take her shine away too. Not now that he believed he had found something special….

The Love Mountain Hotel sets out a festive dinner for this night before Christmas Eve. Serena, RiRi, Mina, Rei, and Lita scarf down every delicacy in sight (Amy the only one holding back with some kind of embarrassed dignity.) The meal so scrumptious, Lita and Serena opt for seconds but RiRi has an accident with her dinner tray before their second helpings arrive, it getting somehow spilled on the woman at the next table over. Eager Sayer comes over to aid the apologetic girls, he volunteering to "help" rub the green beans and ham gravy from the miniskirt woman and he nearly getting decked by her muscle-bound fiancé as a result if not for Terry's innate apologies to the man on behalf of his clumsy brother. But otherwise the evening goes off without a hitch it seemed until the orchestra strikes up a more romantic tone than the happy Christmas tunes it was playing throughout the meal, "The Christmas Waltz" slowing the pace of the room for couples to dance to. After all, most occupants of the Love Mountain resort were indeed couples, making our girls feel the tiniest bit out of place, each one silently wishing she could cuddle up with the handsome idol of their choice. But none of them were bold enough to ask for a spin around the dance floor,(not even Mina, disenfranchised after her hints fall on Robin's deafly bored with it all ears as he contentedly pets lucky Luna on his lap). But gentlemanly Terry does take the time with each of the girls in a promised dance, his strong arms and perfect form giving them all dreams to hope for as the ballad begins.

Chestnuts roasting on an open fire

Jack Frost nipping at your nose

Yuletide carols being sung by a choir

And folks dresses up like Eskimos

Everybody knows a turkey and some mistletoe

Will help to make the season bright

Tiny tots with their eyes all aglow

Will find it hard to sleep tonight

They know that Santa's on his way

He's loading lots of toys and goodies on his sleigh

And every mother's child is gonna spy

To see if reindeer really know how to fly

And so I'm offering this simple prayer

To kids from 1 to 92

Though it's been said many times many ways

Merry Christmas to you

r

And though Terry does spend the tiniest bit more of time with Lita during the entire classically romantic "Christmas Song"(she so entranced in the melody her mind can't help but sing along as they dance), none of the four girls feel that Terry was especially interested in them. He was really just being the perfect gentleman, and not having any of them as his favorite in particular, treating them all the same. sigh

Now Serena had quite a different problem.

"Hey, Meatball, whatd'ya say?" After watching his brother enchant both these and every other female in the hall (even some of those believed to be happily attached—ahem--), Sayer decides to do some "enchanting" of his own, going to where Serena was still busily feeding RiRi. Children took an inordinately long time to eat, and even longer in the cleaning up. Sayer offers a hand out to Serena just as RiRi finishes off her last donut, chocolate fingers waving in the air.

"What? Me….dance to this?" Serena looks incredulously at the sea of waltzing couples, Terry and Amy flying by her awed eyes. "Sayer, you know I can't dance very we—elll!"Serena lets out a yelp as Sayer grabs her wrist and leads her out to the dance floor.

"Never say 'I can't', remember?" Sayer's indomitable will was something Serena admired in him greatly, she learning recently that "can't" was an impossible word in Sayer's dictionary—and so was "no" it seemed, Serena never able to escape his forced on whims. But more and more she found herself enjoying their sparring times together, Sayer's attentions and zest for life giving her lonely soul a lifeline to grab onto in the dark days when Darien….

It's not Darien's scent. It's not his touch. And yet…Serena's eyes glaze over at the memories vivid of being held like this in her adored Darien's arms, of waltzing with him, of letting him lead her wherever he would as another man's arms hold her in much the same way, letting her feel beautiful, admired, so warm, and most of all…. Special…Serena's lost thoughts suddenly stop short as Sayer's waltzing (okay, it was a little too spirited to ever be called waltzing, more like a slow dance) ceases when a hard tap comes to his shoulder.

"When a man gets tapped on the shoulder, it means he's supposed to let the next man take over the dance," a low voice says threateningly after Sayer seems unwilling to give up his grip around Serena.

"You said the next man," Sayer smirks the swipe right in Alex's face (he still a tiny bit uncertain of the trying question as to this person's sex, "she" fully decked out right now in a men's black tuxedo, not looking all that feminine at all. But as Sayer knew quite intimately, appearances can be deceiving.)

"Just get out of my way, Starr," the same anger flashes in her eyes (her, there I'm getting used to it) Sayer smirks as Alex shoves him out of the way, taking Serena's confused form into the safety of her arms and back around onto the dance floor.

"See ya 'round, Meatball. I think we'll call it a night since you've now got othe company," the nasty way Sayer and Alex exchange looks as he simply leaves with Terry and Robin close behind makes Serena feel a certain sadness inside, the Christmas cheer she was feeling earlier ebbing away.

"Alex, why can't we all be friends? They're really very nice boys! Really," Serena asks with a hopeful face as the taller woman spins her around the dance floor. Serena feels once again the strength of a man holding her – but there was a difference, she could feel it. Alex wanted to protect her, to set her right , to keep her safe, and Sayer… What did Sayer want?

"Didn't I tell you to beware of wolves, kitten? And make no mistake, little princess, this one is a wolf. I just can't stand by and watch your beautiful innocence being stolen awa---"Alex tries to explain her position, looking directly into her princess' gorgeous crystal eyes, seeing angry tears spring suddenly from behind them at her hard words.

"Stop! Stop it! Sayer's not like that! He's not! He's my very special friend! Please be nicer to him, Alex! I want us all to be friends!" And with that outburst, Serena squirms from Alex's surprised grip, hurrying to the elevator, and then to her room, bursting into tears before she even gets there.

Really! Why can't we all get along? I can't stand all this fighting! Oh Darien! You would know what to do. You would know what to say to make everything better. Oh Darien, I miss you so much! I want to be with you right now! Serena's tears flow bitterly as she lies crumpled on her bed in her new orange sweater, wishing for everything to be as it was, for Darien to be able to come and hold her in his arms and—

"Serena? Open up!"

"Serena? You in there?"

"Hey girlfriend, let us in."

" Oh Serena, don't cry." Four dear voices come to her side door, Serena opening the adjoining door to find Lita, Mina, Amy, and Rei all standing there, concern on their gently smiling faces.

"Hey, Serena, you made Alex feel really bad down there," Lita says tenderly, all four of them seeing the hurt and worry evident on their tough golden friend's face.

" I'm sure she didn't mean to be so mean about Sayer," Mina smiles the lie, she herself believing that Alex did intend to be, she and Sayer seeming to have some quarrel between them.

"Yeah, you know how Alex can get about men", not that I can blame her, Rei herself was having doubts about Serena's growing relationship with that wild boy, but she wouldn't be as bold as Alex to come right out and say it so profoundly.

"So you guys think it'll be all right? I like for everybody to get along," Serena's teary face looks up to her cherished ones with hope.

Of course it will be Serena! Christmas Eve Eve is no time for crying!"Amy smiles in

her own "never give up" way, making a small smile come over Serena with the four girl's confidence.

"Yeah! And to cheer you up we decided to bring you some early presents! Aren't you lucky!" Mina pops open the bag she was carrying, handing out to each girl their gift-wrapped package. " I made them all myse--- oh, hee, hee " Mina is about to take full credit for the darling little plushie doll ornaments modeled SD of each of the girls in Christmas garb.

"Oh! So cute!" Serena grabs the one of her when she spots a little plush of Darien peeking out from underneath. Oh Lita, you didn't forget him! Thank you!

"Lita helped of course. Aren't they too darling!" Mina bubbles as Lita sighs with a smile (she doing nearly everything in the construction of these cuties but if Mina wanted to tag along….)

"Here!" Mina goes dashing in between rooms in the wink of an eye, returning with a tiny little fir tree in a pot.

"The cute clerk down at the check-in desk let me borrow this. It's a crime to be this beautiful, isn't it, girls? Men do whatever you say," Mina sighs in awe of her own infamous beauty.

"Right, Mina." Rei rolls her eyes at the ditz blonde,

"I'll bet you and RiRi will love decorating this tree together with these dollies,.When she wakes up in the morning, that is," Amy smiles over the child in her arms.

"Dollies! Dollies!" RiRi awakens at the mere word, crying out in glee as Amy hands RiRi her own plush RIRI (whom is promptly smudged with chocolate dessert still on the baby's hands, oh well).

"You guys are the best! This'll be so much fun!" Giggling just like RiRi, Serena forgets all her troubles again for the moment, playing dollies with RiRi and gossiping with the girls as they all snack on some cookies Lita fortuitively swiped from the party downstairs. Amy brushes out her long hair as Serena deflects Rei's verbal attacks with a feisty smile. The five girls laughing the evening away long after RiRi had fallen asleep atop of a fuzzy Luna pillow. Luna sighs wondering how she always got slept upon (it now miffed Artemis' turn to laugh at her misfortune).

The hour growing late, a hug from each of her friends making her feel warm and happy inside her uncertain soul again, Serena prepares for bed (that meant having the joy of dressing a tired out RiRi in her frilly sky blue pajamas, sigh)

That job finally done, Serena goes to her window, a gleaming shooting star seeming to call to her as it steals across the night sky.

"Look, RiRi! A shooting star!" Serena excited at the romantic sight, thrusts open the big window, ignoring the bitter cold like a tiny schoolgirl again. Kneeling, Serena folds her hands together in a prayer as the cool wind kisses her tender cheek.

"I'll make a wish upon this shooting star. Tonight I wish…Tonight… I wish…" her happy chattering grows sad for what this child of the moon truly wished for was so very far, a continent or two in the way…

"Darien…" she whispers to the shooting star as it makes its way across the sky, she wishing she could climb aboard it, next stop America.

Suddenly Serena glances up from the tears also threatening to fall, just now noticing the silent figure of little RiRi gazing up at her in awe, her big blue eyes wide with ….something…. something like understanding.

"RiRi! Why aren't you sleeping like a good little girl?" Taking a deep breath Serena smiles away her tears for the child's sake, not wanting to cry in front of her.

"RiRi?" the munchkin blinks up at her, sweetly hopeful.

"All right then," Serena couldn't help but like something about this small girl, falling under the spell of her blue eyes. She scoots up a little footstool and lifts RiRi up on top of it. Copycat RiRi bounces into a kneel, following Serena's movements and clasping her tiny hands under her chin, mimicking Serena in prayer.

"Make a wish on the shooting star, RiRi. See it up there? See it?" Serena points to the star shooting across the sky, its brightness flowing over the earth, only likened to her own glimmer.

And someone else whose eyes were always to the stars, too notices both the one making its way across the sky and the glimmering of the one shining in the windowsill he just happened to be next to.

"What are you looking at, Sayer?" Robin asks, continually questioning his brother's motives. Sayer quickly fixes his gaze back to the star in the sky (and purposely away from the next window, he already getting enough adjeta tonight over this from all sides, especially that golden-haired blank-blank-blank).

"Shooting star," Sayer says in that spacey way as he opens the window wider to breathe in the fresh cold air he so much longed he could be part of again in this moment – and shoot across the sky with that star again.

"Oh," in a small voice Robin too is caught up in the moonlight, going to his knees at the windowsill, a devout look of peace washing over his usually angry features as he puts his hands together, praying for the Princess to return to them soon.

Smiling at how his two unalike brothers could both be so affected by the starlight, Terry finishes setting out Sayer's nightclothes. Going to the window, he, too is able to be absorbed in the star's radiance.

But going to the window, Terry, unlike totally devoted Robin, could see what was going on. He, being a man now too was able to pick up Sayer's wandering eyes from the stars as Sayer's intent gaze peeks over to where a certain blonde meatball head was busily making wishes upon the same star. Her eyes were closed with that dreamy expression on her face, and her little fuschia companion was mimicking her(one eye peeking open to see Serena's giddy chattering to the wishing star). The indigo cat was the only one seeming to notice Sayer's peeping tom gaze, the feline looking quite flustered about it, worry written on her kitty features.

Oh Sayer, what will it take to make you learn? Terry shakes his head at his flighty sibling, unable to suppress a knowing smirk in Sayer's direction. Terry's gaze then travels between his two disparate brothers, one longing for the past of the world they once knew, the other ready to jump feet first into the present of this one.

Princess, where are you? In such a situation you would know what to tell them. You would know what to do. Terry makes his own wish upon the descending star, and prays that the miracle they've been desperately yearning for, will soon come to pass.

But the star this night was not a normal "wishing star". This piece of light from the far reaches of a galaxy foreign has traveled to this one. It too was in search of something…. Or someone in particular with a far less than hopeful purpose within its deranged mind.

Galaxia…I won't allow you to live. Even if it takes the rest of me you've already stripped away—I will destroy every piece of you. Falling to the snowy countryside, breaking the pristine beauty, a lone star sinks deep into the ground on this still night, biding its time and limited energy until the force that had drawn it to this distant rural star would come within its grasp.

It's been over a thousand years --- but I have finally found you. You cannot hide from me. You can never escape…I will have my revenge for all that you've stolen away from me…

……Sister……

A golden luster glints its blackness in the soft white snow.

Black gold.