Standard disclaimers apply. I don't own Sailor Moon, but I do own Tuxedo Mask, so there!

CHAPTER SEVEN

Effective Immediately

"Hello?" Serena leaned out the entryway and looked down the hall. "Hello!" she called again. She looked the other way only to see the elevator door shut. "Wonder who it was." Making her way back inside, she saw a post-it note attached to the door.

"Rei, I stopped by earlier to see how you're doing. I tried calling, but you're never home! You're roommate wasn't in either. So don't say that I didn't hold up my end of the bargain. Call me later. Your bro."

"It's the night of the notes," Serena mumbled. "Too bad, I really would've liked meeting Rei's older brother. I wonder what's he's like. I wonder if he's cute. Too bad there's no pictures of him around. I'll have to ask Rei about that."

Just then, her stomach growled. "I need food!" she announced.

********

It was just after midnight when Serena heard Rei coming in. She had just now finished with the sketches she brought home and was taking herself off to bed when Rei came in.

"You're home earlier than I'd thought you'd be." From the expression on her roommate's face, Serena could tell that Rei was excited about something. "What? Did you meet a guy?" She jumped on the sofa, "Is he cute?"

Rei grinned, "No. Something better. Well, maybe not better, but it's something different. Something wonderful! Oh, I'm so excited!" and uncharacteristically, she started jumping up and down and spinning around the room.

"What? What?!" Serena demanded, getting into the spirit of things.

"I've finally made a breakthrough in the industry!"

"Get out!" Serena jumped up, grabbed Rei's hand and joined in the spinning. "That's great, Rei! Tell me how it happened."

"Well at the show, one of the models had a huge fight with one of the designers. That's a normal, everyday kinda thing happening in the fashion world. But the model, Kaguya-hime, is one of the most coveted faces in Japan's top showings. Whatever she says, goes, and the poor designer...went."

"I feel sorry for that designer. I'm pretty sure her career is ruined."

"Yeah, I felt sorry for her too, until the director realized that they were one designer short for the show's timing. Four more outfits were needed to fill in the timeslot."

"Yeah! Yeah!" Serena's excitement was building up along with Rei's volume as she continued her story.

"Well, I always keep my design sketches and the best of my outfits handy, like you suggested, and so I told the director that I had original designs that were available if necessary. He was so relieved that he never realized he put an unknown, and a minor fitter to boot into Kaguya-hime's show!"

"She modeled your designs?!" Serena asked incredulously.

"Kaguya-hime modeled my designs."

"AHHH!!! they both screamed and danced around the apartment. The neighbors probably thought they were being murdered.

"That's so fantastic!" she hugged her friend. "You're gonna be famous, you're gonna be famous," she sang.

"I don't know about all that, but the audience seemed to like them. Kaguya-hime certainly did. And I've received a few offers for another showing, even some to buy two of the four designs shown." She paused.

Serena saw a gleam in Rei's eyes. "What? I know there's something you're not telling me. After all that, what else could've happened?" She gasped suddenly. "You did meet a guy, didn't you?"

"NO! What's up with you and guys tonight, Rena?" Serena didn't answer. "Anyway, the best part is...," she hesitated for suspense, "that tomorrow I meet with a few other people to discuss the possibility of starting my own line!"

"Oh my GOD! That's unbelievable! I know how hard that is to achieve. I'm so proud of you, Rei. You see? I was right. You're gonna be famous, you're gonna be famous," she sang again.

Rei laughed. "Only time will tell," she looked at the clock, "and right now it's telling me its time for me to go to bed. I feel to exhausted and too excited to sleep at the same time, but I know I have to get up early tomorrow--well, later this morning."

"Yeah, me too."

As Rei was making her way to her room, she saw a stack of Serena's sketches on the table. "Don't tell me you were up working when I came in."

"I wasn't...I had just finished," she ended lamely.

"Rena," Rei sighed, "we've got to do something about your boss."

"I think will be getting a little better where he's concerned."

"What do you mean?"

So Serena told her about her acquiring a champion and the truce.

"I'm sorry things have been so rough on you."

"Oh Rei, you know the saying 'that which doesn't kill us...'," Serena quoted. "It wasn't anything I couldn't handle. I was just worried about what Ito-san would think. She hasn't approached me though."

"Count that as a blessing. Why didn't you just report him?"

"Cause that wouldn't have been cool. Besides, it's not like he was abusing me, or anything. If he harassed me, then I would wrote up a report. Our problem is trivial to what's happening around the world."

"I guess you're right. I really hope that this truce idea works, Rena. If not, then let me know and I'll personally come down to the department and flame his butt!"

"Fight fire with fire, huh?"

"You got it," Rei yawned. "Seriously, if you need anything, I'll be there."

"Thanks, Rei." Wanting to lighten the mood, she continued, "But I think you'll have a full plate when you become famous. You'll eventually forget the little people, even your family. Hey! That reminds me, your brother left a note." She handed Rei the post-it. "I answered the door too late, and he was already gone by the time I got there."

"That dork!" Rei exclaimed after reading the message. "I forgot he hates answering machines. I'll call him tomorrow. I can't wait until I tell him my news!"

"I'm sure he'll be proud of you too."

"Yeah, but he'll twist it some kind of way that would boost his ego."

"A typical brother, huh? My older brother, Sam, is the same way. He says he taught me everything I know. He can't even draw a stick person!"

"Why do they have to be so weird? I'm telling you," Rei called as she started another journey to her room, "the world would be such a better place without all the male bakas!"

"I'm with you, sister," Serena said as she too closed her door. "I'm with you. I wonder what the King of Bakas has in store for me tomorrow." She turned over and fell into a fitful sleep filled with dreams of a man who hid his face with a mask of a dragon-like beast, but whose gentle manner suited that of a prince.

********

Serena rushed into the department, struggling with everything in her arms. The day had not started out well at all. First, from working so late into the night and then hearing Rei's exciting news, she was so tired that she forgot to set her clock. By the time she woke up, she was already half an hour late from her schedule. Hurrying through getting ready, she grabbed her papers and shoved a muffin in her mouth and ran out the door. She was a good ways away from the apartment before she realized that she left her work i.d. behind. Turning around cost her five minutes. The morning crowd on the sidewalks just signaled how hard it would be to obtain the transportation to go across town. The monorail started having electrical problems halfway though her journey. And to top it all off, a downpour started just as she reached the buildings property, drenching her and all of her hard work. She protected everything as best she could, and ran for cover, hurriedly swiping her i.d. through the entrance.

"Serena-chan!" someone called.

Yoshimi ran over when she caught sight of a dripping Serena. "You l--"

"Grab this will you, Yoshimi. I'm about to drop it," she interrupted.

Yoshimi quickly took the pile of shifting papers from her friend before they scattered. "What happened? You look terrible! Are you alright?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. I'm just having a bad day, that's all."

"Well, I can already tell you that it's not gonna get any better." The girls walked over to Serena's station and unloaded their arms. "Darien-san called a meeting at the beginning of the workday and quickly noted that you weren't in attendance."

"Great," Serena muttered.

"He wrote down something after he asked about your whereabouts, but I don't know if it's anything about you. You don't think he'll write you up, will he?"

"For what? Being late? It happens. The only thing to do is just dock my pay or something." She was already in a bad mood, and the thought of her boss being on her case as soon as she walked in the door only made her temper rise. "If he has a problem, then I'll only have to sit here and wait for him to come over here just to vent it all on me."

"Are you sure about that, Serena-chan? As fun as it is watching you two go at it, the banter is getting a little out of hand. Remember, he is the boss."

"No, Ito-sensei is the boss."

"True, but it doesn't help to work on the supervisor's nerves."

"Just whose side are you on, Yoshimi? I can't believe you're defending him."

"I'm not defending him, I just want you to be careful around him. I don't want to see you do anything you might regret."

"Don't worry, Yoshimi. I'll restrain myself before I kill a person. No, I'll go one step further," she turned and looked Yoshimi and the eye and continued seriously, "I'll quit."

"You wouldn't really quit, would you?" Yoshimi asked worriedly.

"If it came to that, yeah."

"But I know that this is your dream job! How could you think of quitting something you love? What you've worked so hard to become?"

"It's not the dream job if you continually bothered by a deranged boss."

"But you've got such potential. If you worked hard enough, I bet you could start your own series in a few years. You can't give up."

"Obviously you don't understand my depth of dislike."

"Serena be serious."

"I couldn't be more so." She looked around the department, at all her friends, and then at the completed mangas that she helped come forth. "I hope it doesn't get that down and dirty, but I'd rather give up the dream then rot in jail for first-degree. You know, my feelings of dislike are bordering hatred. I've never hated anyone before."

"Really? You're better than me. I hate a few people."

Serena laughed. "I can tell," she said as she pointed to Yoshimi's workstation. Yoshimi had tacked up a makeshift dartboard with someone's picture on it. The unfortunate person had blacked out eyes, a crooked mustache, two missing front teeth and a dart right between the eyes.

"Yeah, that's my ex-boyfriend. Looking at his face helps me sketch those fight scenes. You know, it brings out the rage."

"I understand. I don't want to get on your bad side."

"Between you and Darien-san, I wouldn't want to get on your bad side either," Yoshimi responded.

"Things should be getting better between us," and she quickly explained about the truce. "Where is that baka anyway?"

"He went in for another meeting."

"Good, I can have a moment's peace. What was this morning's meeting about?"

"Oh, just about how far along we're getting with the upcoming editions. He commended us for doing a good job and told us to keep up the good work. He even talked with a few who were having trouble completing their assignments and offered to help out. It was really weird. He's never done anything like that before. He's such a strict taskmaster."

Serena got a weird look on her face as Yoshimi was talking. 'Could he possibly be acting on the advice I gave him yesterday? Nah, that couldn't be it...could it?'

"Really?" Serena asked. "He did that?"

"Yeah, it was all of a sudden, too. People were minding their own business when he pops up and announces that we're to gather in the boardroom in ten minutes. We all thought somebody was about to be fired or something."

"That's understandable," said Serena. "That suits his evil character."

"He's not evil, Serena-chan. He just has his way."

"Well I wish he'd stay out of mine."

"Hey! You two have a truce, remember?"

"That doesn't start until later. I haven't even seen him yet. Think he even remembers?"

"I'm sure he does."

"Small-minded people have memory problems." At Yoshimi's look, she grinned. "Till I have that written copy in my hand, I can bad mouth him all I want. So there," she stuck her tongue at Yoshimi.

"Real mature."

"I know. Now let me get to work before the baka comes back."

********

"And you complain about me being late."

"Nice seeing you too, Rei."

"It is always a pleasure, isn't it? Now what's your excuse? And why haven't you called?"

Darien sighed. "I have called, but that dumb answering machine comes on. I want to talk to a real person, not a machine."

"Yeah, yeah. If you'd just lower yourself to leave a message, we wouldn't have to go through all this."

"Right. At least someone would be there to answer the door."

"My roommate was there."

"Well why didn't she answer the door?"

"If you'd just listen," Rei said, exasperated. "As I was saying, she heard you knocking but she was in the shower. When she got to the door, you were already gone."

"I must've been there for a full five minutes!"

"I said she answered the door already! What more do you want?"

"I want someone to let me in next time!"

"Keep that attitude, and I'll make sure security bars you from the door."

"Sure you will," he replied sarcastically.

"Now tell me why you're late for lunch."

"A meeting I went to went overtime. Seems like Ito-san still wants to branch out. She's thinking about another trip to America to attend an expo or something."

"That's cool. When?"

"I'm not sure yet. Someone's supposed to look up the time and location of the next one. Ito-san doesn't even know if she'll attend yet."

"Well why not? Her stuff's pretty popular over here. I'm sure they'll love it in America too."

"I don't know. It all depends on how the people react to her newest story."

"Are you traveling back?"

"Don't know. Maybe."

"Any word on that promotion?"

"Nothing yet. I don't want to pester her. I'm sure she remembers." 'Of course she remembers,' Darien thought, 'she brought it up that day when Serena almost stomped you into the floor.' At the thought of someone of Serena's stature taking on a 6'2", 139 lb young man, such as himself, brought a grin to his lips.

"What's so funny?" his sister asked.

Darien snapped out of his thoughts. "Nothing. Just thinking about that promotion. So what's new with you?"

"Unbelievable things!" At this, Rei's eyes started to twinkle.

"Yeah? Like what? It must be big if you left a message for me at work."

"Well I couldn't wait to tell you! You're not mad are you?"

"Of course not! Call anytime. So what's going on?"

"I'll shorten it up a bit, since I know you're not interested in the art of fashion. So let's just say that I took someone's place at a show last night, and someone finally saw my potential."

"You took the place of a model?"

"No! Of one of the designers! The model was Kaguya-hime and she got into it with one of the designers. Well, you know what she's like, so the designer was let go. I took her place."

"How did you swing that? You're a nobody!"

"Thanks a lot."

"You know what I mean," he replied.

"Yeah, well, anyway it's all thanks to Rena."

"Your roommate? What did she do, besides not open the door."

"Will you come off it already? Sheesh. Like I was saying, you know how you artists carry around a portfolio, just in case?"

"Yeah."

"It was Rena's idea that I go a step further and have some of my designs and a few outfits close at hand in case I met someone willing to look at my work."

"And I assume that just such an opportunity arose?"

"Even better." And she explained about how her success came about.

"That's great, Rei!"

"Yeah! Kaguya-hime even modeled them. She was impressed. I've had a few offers to buy some, and today I had a meeting with a few investors who are interested in helping me start my own line!"

"What? That's unbelievable!"

Rei laughed. "That's what Rena-chan said. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity."

"Well what else did the investors say?"

"Last night, they wanted to see more of my designs, since they only saw four outfits modeled. I brought the sketches in today along with some fabric swatches. They liked that I had variety, varying from casual to bridal. I mostly do women's apparel, but I dabble in children's wear too. One of the investors was a mother, so she appreciated that."

"Have they decided officially to help you yet?"

"They'll let me know either today or tomorrow. One of them pulled me aside, and said that she thinks I'll go very far."

"She obviously has hope for you."

"Yeah. And even if I don't have their support, she said that she'll spread the word about me to her friends."

"Make sure you give her a discount."

"Oh, I will."

"I'm really proud of you, Rei. You've worked so hard to get where you are."

"We both have, Darien."

"Yeah. And it hasn't been easy, for either of us. Especially when dad, and your mom--"

"I know, Darien," she cut him off. "I know. But you pulled this family together again. I would've been lost without you." Tears started forming in her eyes as she thought about their past.

"I would've been lost without you too, Rei." He reached over the table and took her hand in his. He suddenly straightened and cleared his throat. "Ok, on to our main subject. I wish I could've been there to see your success."

"I wish you had been too. But it was last minute. In the end, I only had time to phone the apartment and tell Rena-chan that I'd be late. I didn't want her thinking I was lying in the street somewhere. She worries."

"Does she? That's nice. Now I'm not the only one to check up on you. What's her number? We should collaborate."

"Oh, no. If you want to call, you call the apartment and speak to her."

"Do you know that I haven't even had the chance to meet her yet?"

"I know. But that's your fault."

"I realize that. Next time, I'll call your cellphone before I just pop up. I thought I'd be able to surprise you."

"Well I'm a busy person also. I have a life too, you know."

"Yeah." Checking his watch, "speaking of lives, I need to get back to mine."

"You mean work? That's not a life, Darien."

"But it suits me." He got up and kissed his sister's cheek. "Congratulations, Rei. You deserve it." He turned to leave.

"Wait!" she called, "I should have the results of the investor's decision either today or tomorrow at the latest. I'll call you later today if I get their decision. Ok?"

"Alright. I'll talk to you later.

********

"Carroll-san, will you come into my office?"

Serena looked over at Yoshimi and rolled her eyes.

"Yes, bossman?" She asked after she walked inside.

"You were late today," he said.

"That's not news."

He shook his head at her. "I won't go into discussing your tardiness, Carroll-san. I'll let it slide today, but try not to let it happen again. Now, do you know what today is Carroll-san?"

"It's Wednesday."

"Besides that, it's also the day we're to receive our copies of the truce." He grinned at Serena's expression, "You couldn't possibly have forgotten? Or is it that you thought I forgot? Yes, that seems more like it, am I right?"

"Actually, I did wonder at your powers of recollection."

"I assure you, I didn't forget something as vital as this. After all, our jobs are at stake. I'll have my secretary type up our agreement. I called you in here to write up what you'd like to see on your side of the bargain. I realize that we discussed this yesterday, but I want to make sure we cover everything." He handed her a notebook and pen, and sat down with his own supplies. "When you've finished, we'll switch and cross off things we think is unacceptable. Agreed?"

"Whatever."

He sighed, and started scribbling on his notebook. Things were not going well. Fifteen minutes later, her notebook slid across the desk. Glancing at it, he could tell that she'd written more than one page. His own list had only taken him about three minutes. Had he really treated her so badly?

"Finished so soon, Carroll-san?"

"You wanted to see it when I was through."

"So I did." He picked up her list and handed her the one he held. Most of the things she wanted weren't unreasonable. She basically wanted him to stop provoking her. He'd miss that. Taunting her until her eyes blazed and her fists curled. She was really beautiful when her emotions were worn on her sleeve. "I agree with most of the things on this list, Carroll-san. I wasn't aware that I was such a bother to you."

"And I didn't realize you thought I was challenging your authority. Does your secretary really have to type this up? What's wrong with keeping our handwritten copies? I'd really appreciate it if no one else were in on this. Don't you think we've called enough attention to ourselves as it is?"

"Very well. It doesn't really matter to me."

"Of course it wouldn't."

*Tsk, tsk, tsk* "That attitude's not in keeping with the truce. You have to watch that, Carroll-san.

Serena actually grinned at that. "Ok. I'm sorry. But I warned you that it'd be hard." She got serious once again. "I heard about what you did this morning. That was nice."

"Yes, well, I took your opinion into consideration."

"I'm sure that the artist's appreciated it. I'm sorry I missed that," she said as she read over his list again.

He looked at her for a moment. "You see? We can be civil to one another."

"Yeah," she responded. "Maybe this truce will work out after all.

"Maybe. Not get out of my office and get back to work, Carroll-san."

"What?"

"Work. Get back to it."

"What about our truce?"

"It's in effect. But I'm still the supervisor," he started waving her away.

"Unbelievable!" She stormed out the office. The door slammed and rattled the pictures on the wall. One actually fell off.

"Or maybe the truce won't work. Let face it, I wanted to see her really riled up just one last time." He smiled as he recalled her fire.

*ring* *ring*

"Moshi moshi?"

"Darien?"

"Rei! So I'm assuming you got the news?"

"Yeah! I did it! I'm getting my own line!"

"Wonderful! I knew you'd get it."

"I'm so excited. I want to call everyone and tell them my news! You're the first one I called though, seeing how you're family and all."

"Glad to be placed so high on your list."

"You should be. This is a cause to celebrate. I want you to come over for a dinner party on Friday. You free?"

"I should be. Your roommate gonna be there?"

"Of course."

"Then I'll be there.

"Thanks for your support, brother. I'll see you there at seven."

Ooh!  Showdown Friday night!  Finally!  What do you think of the relationship between Serena & Darien?  Personally, I love it!  But I may be biased, so tell me what you think.  Please R/R.  Thank you!!