Chapter 2

Another day...another encounter with someone that pisses ya off!

Okay so let's set the scene here: Joshua was talking with Seiya and Yaten outside the Game Center on his break when of course who happened to show up but Haruka! The "good" thing here was she was alone but the bad was that she was there at all! Seiya wanted to go after the Wind Senshi but Curtis stopped him and told him that he would talk with the two later as he had to go back on his shift. This didn't stop Haruka from coming into the Game Center to talk to Joshua no matter how much Josh couldn't stand the sandy blonde tomboy.

"What's your pleasure today Haruka? Come to make me miserable with your mere presence or are you hear to show up some of the younger kids on the driving simulation again?" Joshua finished as he no doubt believed he knew the answer but the young lady threw him a curveball!

"I want to talk about you actually Mr. Curtis. Do you think you'll be free tonight?" Haruka asked and Joshua's brain went overclocked to try and come up with a lie...he succeeded!

"Not tonight Ten'ou. I have practice for a concert I'm helping some friends with and sadly...they don't like you!" Curtis nearly spat but controlled himself enough to be able to do his job in front of his superior "What else can I do for you?" he asked politely and Haruka paid for her tokens while he watched over the rest of the Arcade. Tonight was Joshua's "late" night and he watched as the school kids came in and pumped in their allowance while the University students believe it or not helped Joshua keep the peace in the place.

As the shift ended and Joshua began the walk to the bus stop where he rode home from everyday he froze and started seeing images run through his mind. The images that started ever since he came to Japan and more since he started living near Ami. What could they be and whom was sending them was something he was going to have to figure out soon ,for if his friends were correct then there was going to be a big war starting soon and if they were right then it would rival Mistress 9/Pharaoh 90!

[BEEP! BEEP!]

Joshua was snapped out of his thoughts when he saw Haruka in her Ferrari pulled up alongside the sidewalk. The Game Center vendor ignored the girl and kept walking. When they got to the bus stop ,and after about 5 solid minutes of Haruka pounding the horn, Joshua lost his mind and snapped on Haruka!

"Listen you!" He barked "if you hurt that girl physically: I'll be after you. If you break her heart: I'm gonna pound you till you can't do a f***ing thing! If you mentally abuse her...I suggest you move out of the country!" and upon finishing this the puzzled and legitimately scared tomboy sped off without saying another word! These two were going to have to reconcile their differences but the question was going to a simple one without a simple answer: WHEN?

When Joshua got home he had a visitor in Luna whom just climbed up onto his lap and purred softly as her seemingly new friend petted her soft black skin. He felt so at peace with her that he began talking about what happened just minutes earlier

"Luna" He began "Why was I born again? What could have compelled me to come back to Japan and furthermore what am I going to do if I see Michiru alone?" Joshua said out loud and if his first thought was that Luna wasn't going to answer back then it was his turn to have the "Oh shit" face!

"First thing is you were born because your parents decided to make love and you were the product of that. Secondly you came to Japan because ,from what I hear, you received an annonymous letter to come to Japan. A letter that led you to this apartment. As for Michiru..." Luna stopped putting a paw up to her face to think about the question she was about to ask "what is your connection to Michiru-san?" Luna asked and Joshua told her about the visions he was getting. Luna thought about it again and resolved not that they were illusions but actually that they might have been memories of his time in the Silver Millennium! This threw Joshua for a loop and decided to try and rationalize it with his feline friend

"So let's see if I have this right Luna" Josh began "I MIGHT have been a citizen of the Moon Kingdom? If that IS the case ,and for this argument let's say it is, then WHY do I hate Haruka and not like go 'OMG! It's Haruka!' and instead I want to flip out on the woman whenever I see her?" Joshua asked and this was a question that Luna couldn't answer. She DID resolve that it would be something that had to be taken care of between the two before long. Joshua agreed but hoped against hope that they could do it on "Neutral Ground" and that no one interfered in the meeting. Afterwords Joshua made Luna some tuna(hey that rhymed) and checked the TV guide for something to watch when the phone rang...

IT WAS MICHIRU!

"Moshi Moshi Michiru-san. What can I do for you this evening?" Joshua politely asked on the phone and the Senshi of Neptune graced his ears with her melodic voice in reply

"Not much my friend. I was just talking with Haruka and she seemed kind of...I don't know if 'clueless' is the right word ,but she was asking Setsuna and I about you. Do you want to talk about it with me?" Michiru politely asked and to Joshua that was torture because he absolutely adored the multi-talented prodigy and yet somehow he held firm with his resolve

"I would love to Michiru...but I can't right now. I will soon I promise but I don't want to discuss the matter over the phone. Maybe one of these days if you're out on your own or something I'll be happy to discuss the matter with you." Joshua told his friend and she understood his unspoken concerns and tried to think of something so that they COULD meet! Fortunately for her suggestion that she had in mind...Joshua had off on weekends.

"How about this weekend I come over your place. I know you live next door to Mizuno-san and I will take the bus to your apartment and you can show me how well a musician you are." She reasoned and Joshua agreed to the terms. He did wonder about WHY she wanted to come alone when he knew Haruka wasn't going to be out of town this weekend. After Joshua hung up the phone he leaned on his "island" in the kitchen and looked at the feasting kitty and asked one simple question:

"What do I do now Luna?"

Luna looked up at Joshua and actually had a smile on her face. Not a scheming smile or an "I know what you don't" one either but one that was understanding of the situation that lied before him before speaking "Joshua" she started "Michiru isn't a wicked girl. She is someone that is devoted to her mission yes but at the same time she has a good heart and I think that's something you already know. You wouldn't have gone off on Haruka if you didn't right?" Luna asked and Joshua nodded as she continued "When she comes just be yourself and you'll be fine. Its not like its a date but consider this a 'get to know you' weekend. I'm sure you know what she likes and what she doesn't right?" She finished and Josh nodded again before making a reply

"I care very much for that woman and yes I know what she is into and all that. I will do my best to make this weekend a fun one for both of us and I hope to maybe give you a report on it afterwords...what do you say?" Joshua asked and Luna just smiled as she finished her supper and then went on her way through the open window to go back home to Usagi.

A few days later and Joshua was a touch nervous...okay he was ready to climb the walls like Spider-Man but wouldn't you be? Its not like its "Jane Doe" coming over to your home but its Michiru [BLEEPing Kaiou! Do the math! Michiru is one of the most famous people in the country if not the world and here he was having her over for the weekend...SHEESH!

The clock turned to 1 in the afternoon and there was a knock at the door. Michiru stood at the entrance in a beautiful red sundress and matching heels. Joshua had to swallow hard at the beauty that stood before him but still politely invited her in and headed to the kitchen while looking over his shoulder in nervous observation of this beautiful Goddess that graced his shabby apartment!

"What can I get for ya? Water, tea, milk...what's your pleasure Ms. Kaiou?" Joshua asked still obivously shaken but doing his best at hiding it...and failing! Michiru had to stifle a giggle before addressing her friend

"Tea's fine Joshua and please call me Michiru. Calling me "Miss" makes me feel older than I really am and I'm not THAT old yet." She said as she playfully chided Joshua before going and helping him make the tea. Joshua gladly accepted the help and as they got things ready she looked over at her friend and tried to continue the positive momentum she started "You live alone Joshua? I would think someone as handsome as you would have a nice woman by now." She said and meant as a compliment which Joshua took as such but at the same time he bit his tongue as the object of his affection stood about 2 feet away saying this!

As the kettle whistled and Michiru carefully picked it up and put it on the tray with the snacks Joshua followed behind with ,and I wish I was kidding, a list of question he had prepared in case his brain decided to shit out on him! As they sat on the couch eating the cookies and the rest of the snacks that were prepared by a friend of his Joshua decided to restart the conversation

"So" Joshua began "Tell me, Joshua L. Curtis about you, Michiru Kaiou" He finished but it appeared that Neptune's Soldier had other plans

"Joshua we both know why I came. Tell me about your problem with Haruka and hopefully I can help you with it." She explained and Joshua decided that now was as good a time to tell her what's been happening and what happened a few days prior

FLASHBACK

"Serenity" The Queen called "time for dinner!" she called out and a girl, not unlike Usagi in our time mind you, turned and addressed her mother

"I'll be right there mom. I'm just getting some flowers for the throne room" She called back and then proceeded on her errand. While she was on this errand she saw a young boy near the gate of the castle. Now this young boy had been seen at the gates of the castle numerous times and almost always, including this time, fled like he had done something wrong. The irony of it was he never did and it always puzzled the young Princess.

On this particular night she was having a dinner with her mother and various members of her court and an Aquamarine-haired girl saw that the Princess wasn't talking much and decided to try and strike up a conversation.

"What's wrong Serenity?" The Princess asked trying to use that as an ice breaker and when the heiress to the throne looked up she new she had her attention.

"Nothing Neptune. I'm just not that talkative tonight I guess." The odangoed Princess reasoned before continuing her dinner. Mercury saw this tried her best to press the issue.

"Does this have anything to do with the young man that seems to be visiting the gates more frequently these days? I see him on a fairly constant basis and whenever I see him he always smiles and waves at me before bounding off into the distance. Anyone else see this?" The observant young lady asked and this got everyone to stop and think about it. Everyone that is...save Uranus!

"Who cares about them?" She asked almost arrogantly "The fact remains that this kingdom could be under attack by anyone and we need to keep our guards up. Any commoners that come in here would just be more trouble than they are worth." she finished and this caused a lot of people to give the Princess of Uranus looks that would kill anyone else in her position but not her...no she continued eating her meal as if she had said nothing out of sorts. Imagine the shock then when the Queen announced at that dinner that she was going to invite some of the people to the castle and one special person was going to be living there with them! Suffice to say Uranus was pissed and Neptune was quite happy!

When the news came out by way of royal messenger a few days later about the Palace being opened to the public for the first time in a long time there was a HUGE reaction to this. One such came from the boy that had been seen at the gate by the Moon Princess days before! "Mommy! Mommy!" The boy yelled with excitement as he ran into the house to see his that his mother was sitting at her table wondering what the commotion was about.

"What is it Joshua? Is something wrong?" She asked and when Joshua explained the situation to her she immediately rubbed her chin in wonder. Why was the palace being opened to the public? Whom were they going to pick to stay in the castle and what were their motives for doing it? These were all questions Joshua's mother had but decided to not question the Queen and told Joshua to pack his things "Just in case". He did so and when the day came for him to go on his visit alone into truly foreign territory he was in awe of the beauty of the place. Its one thing to be on the outside looking in but to be up close and personal with it just takes your breath away. As he walked around the courtyard and looked at the garden that was there he thought about how much care there had to be to the garden each day and walked on with the rest of the group to see the inside of the place.

Now the term "Holy s**t!" is one of the most overused in the English language Joshua personally believed but in this case just being inside the Palace was enough to evoke it from the young man. When you walk in and see all the ornate decorations and the beautiful stained glass window in the very top of the ceiling it was just...WOW! As he continued with the group he couldn't help but look around and notice that almost all of the Princesses were observing him from afar and watched at one point when ,on the way to the throne room, Neptune walked up to the young man and politely asked her to come with him. Why? Only she knew the answer to that at the time and she wasn't telling ANYONE!

"I'm sorry to take you away from your group." Neptune apologized "Would you come with me for a little bit?" She asked and Joshua knew not to refuse the request of a Princess ,so he followed her to her chamber where ,surprisingly enough, It wasn't Uranus waiting but rather Mercury!

"Gomen Nasai" Joshua said in his greeting of Mercury before continuing "Did I do something wrong? I'm sorry if I wandered from the group in the courtyard but I figured..." Joshua tried to get out but was cut off by a slender finger on his lips. That finger of course belonged to Neptune and she carefully removed it before speaking to the obviously nervous and frightened boy.

"Joshua you haven't done anything wrong...quite the opposite actually" She stated and Joshua looked even more puzzled and that was when Mercury decided to explain further.

"The Queen is kind lady Joshua-san." Mercury started "She loves all people that live within her kingdom and beyond. Nothing makes her happier to see people live in peace and harmony with one another and her daughter is a very kind hearted person in her own right. We were having a dinner just the other night and she looked to be downtrodden, sad, whatever term you want to use that's what she was because when she saw you ran from the gate. I found out later along with the majority of her court that had you not run off she was going to invite you to come for a visit and potentially stay with us." Mercury explained and before he could rebut them some more of the court paid a visit to this very room

"She's not kidding Joshua" The fiery Princess of Mars began "Serenity has been paying very close attention to you and thought about how it would be nice to have a kind young man as yourself living amongst us. I told her she should approach you but every time she wants to even try you've run away like you stole something from her! Tonight we want you to present yourself to the Queen and her daughter and have an audience with them just to see what they have to say. If you don't like it you may leave but I hope we can still be friends at least." Mars said with a smile and Joshua nodded. After that brief meeting amongst three members of Serenity's court he was getting ready for one of the biggest moments of his life: Meeting the Queen and her daughter and having the most important meeting of his life!