Disclaimer: I hope you enjoy this story, my mother and I have been working on this for some time now, I do not own Sailor Moon or any character involved with it. It belongs to Naoko Takeuchi.
Chapter 10
"This room was designed just for you girls," Sikora smiled at Serena and her friends, as they stood in one of the upper hallways of the estate house.
Sikora opened the double doors to reveal a massive black space. She giggled at their blank faces. Then she reached into the room and flicked a switch. Mini acute lights dangled from the ceiling, like the stars in the night sky. The ceiling was basically black with a solar system painted on it.
Sikora flicked another switch, causing the large black drapes to open, revealing a huge picture window, that looked out towards a small lake, and a very well manicured garden. In front of the window was a tea table with big puffy pillows encircling it. Each pillow was colored to represent each of the Scouts colors.
Off to the left side of the room was a platform area covered with feathered mattresses, and dozens of bright colored pillows.
The girls all dropped their bags near the doorway, and ran up to the sleeping area, and flopped down giggling, and tossed pillows at one another.
Sikora stayed near the door laughing at them.
"You also have your own bathroom," Sikora mentioned, and pointed at the door that was across the room from the platform bed area.
Serena started throwing pillows down at Sikora. Sikora took this as an invitation, and ran up to join the melee.
Sikora had no experience in this type of frolicking, but was enjoying herself immensely. She quickly learned it was best to stay on your knees, when pillow fighting, that way it wasn't as far to fall when you're knocked over.
When they all finally collapsed, they started laughing, and pointing at each others disarrayed hair do's.
"I guess the sparring ring can wait till tomorrow," Lita mentioned, still trying to catch her breath from the pillow fight, and side aching laughter.
"Whenever your ready," Sikora snickered, laying down to catch her breath too.
"She wants to start against Yaten," Serena remarked.
"No way," Mina spouted, and sat up.
"As Scouts?" Ami questioned.
"I don't think he's much of a challenge as Yaten," Lita smiled. "That would be like fighting Serena's little brother," she snickered. "I'll take him as Healer."
"Starting small, and working your way up?" Sikora grinned.
"He's like Serena's little brother," Lita mentioned again. "You know, letting him pester the hell out of me, and I haven't done or said anything back to him. I've been waiting to try out the sparring ring."
"And you're after Yaten too?" Sikora questioned Rei.
"Nah, I'll let Lita have her fun," she replied, and lazily threw a pillow at Lita.
"What about you guys?" Sikora looked at Mina, Serena, and Ami.
"We're not the aggressive ones," Ami giggled.
"I think dinner will be ready soon," Sikora informed them. "I think we should do something about the state of our hair," she however didn't move, she had as much ambition as the other girls seemed to have.
"That might take awhile," Serena lazily remarked, holding one of her back-combed looking ponytails.
"I'll help you," Sikora and Ami both said.
"Great," Serena chirped.
Serena turned her back to them, flipped her ponytails back, resting on her hands, and grinning broadly.
"I guess I should mess it up a bit more, so you really have to pull on it," Rei sarcastically smiled.
"We have to spend the whole weekend with her?" Mina scowled. "We are not starting by making her late for food."
"No one in their right mind would stand between Serena and food," Ami remarked.
Serena huffed, while the others laughed.
Maliki, Taiki, and Yaten all stood up when the girls came into the dinning hall.
The massive mahogany table that had been in the room, the day they came to see the estate, still dominated the hall.
The first thing Serena noticed was Seiya's absence. But as soon as she saw all the different dishes of food placed on the table, she quickly selected a seat.
"Do you girls like your room?" Kakyuu asked once everyone was seated.
"Its great. Love the bed idea. Fantastic for pillow fights. The view out the window is wonderful too," They all expressed their enjoyment.
Kakyuu smiled warmly. Then glanced briefly at the man who had been standing behind her.
The man starting pouring wine into everyone's glass.
"Drink it very slowly," Lita whispered to Serena.
Kakyuu made a toast about new friends, and new beginnings, then everyone took a sip of their wine.
This was the first time Serena had ever put something in her mouth, she didn't like the taste of.
'drink it slowly,' she thought to herself: 'I don't think I'll drink it all.'
Serena was too busy trying some of everything to join into the various conversations that had been going on through out dinner.
Once her stomach refused to except anymore tasty morsels, Serena leaned back in her chair and grinned with great satisfaction.
"Not drinking your wine?" Lita quietly giggled at Serena.
"I'm to full," Serena sighed.
"I think, I need to walk some of this food off," Ami remarked with a grin.
"I have to agree," Kakyuu smiled and stood up.
"Exploration time," Mina spouted happily.
"Personally, a slow stroll through the gardens is my speed right now," Ami replied.
"I want to see the sparring ring," Lita said.
"Exploring," Serena and Mina chimed.
"Sparring ring," Rei decided.
"I'll show you the ring," Sikora told them.
"Guess you're going for a slow walk in the garden," Yaten smirked at Taiki.
"I am quite capable of going for a walk on my own," Ami told Yaten.
"Its more enjoyable with someone to talk to," Taiki remarked and offered Ami his arm.
Ami hooked her arm in his, and they walked off.
Mina walked over and hooked arms with Serena: "Let's explore."
They took two or three steps with their arms linked together. Then released each other and ran off.
"Wait up," Yaten yelled, and ran after them.
"You could take us on a guided tour," Rei said to Kakyuu.
"That way you can tell us all about the changes you've made," Lita added.
"I thought you wanted to see the ring?" Sikora said to Lita and Rei.
"We'll get to it," Rei smiled.
"Then I'll sit this little adventure out," Sikora grinned.
"I think we've been abandoned," Maliki remarked to Sikora.
"You're welcome to join us," Lita said over her shoulder.
"We are going to relax in this brief time of silence," Sikora mentioned.
"I haven't had a relaxing, quiet coffee break all day," Maliki told them, and turned towards the study.
"We'll be in the study if you want us," Sikora smiled, and hooked her arm in Maliki's.
"Which room is yours?" Mina smiled at Yaten.
"A few doors down from yours," he grinned. "You going to sneak in later?" His smile grew.
"I don't want to hear this," Serena giggled.
"Seiya's is next to mine," Yaten chuckled.
"That's good," Serena remarked plainly. Hoping they thought she really wasn't interested.
"Why wasn't he at dinner?" Mina questioned Yaten.
"I don't know," Yaten shrugged.
"Maybe Sikora chained him up while your here," Mina laughed at Serena.
"Chained him up?" Yaten squeaked.
"Sikora told Serena she'd chain you guys up in the cellar the next time we went to see the movie, so you couldn't bug us," Mina explained. "So I was bugging Serena about Sikora chaining Seiya up, so he can't fall asleep with her while were here."
Yaten laughed, and laughed, and laughed.
"Can we go back to exploring now?" Serena huffed at them.
"Want to start in the cellar?" Yaten continued to howl with laughter.
"I'm going this way," Serena stated and turned away.
"What's wrong?" Mina questioned Serena.
"Seiya keeps getting into trouble cause of me," Serena replied.
"You can't blame yourself for the choices he makes," Yaten smiled at Serena. "Now if you walk around her with that pout on your face, I'll end up chained to a wall," he chuckled.
Serena tried to force the pout to stay, but her normally happy persona won out, and a smile came through.
"Much better," Yaten grinned happily. "Besides I liked the stupid picture I had in my head, of Seiya being chained to a wall like they did in medieval times. It doesn't look as funny with me hanging there," he chuckled at her.
'Now," Yaten whispered. "Let me show you some of the secret passages, that Seiya and I found."
"Why are you whispering?" Serena asked.
"I want to see them," Mina chirped.
"They go all over the place," Yaten revealed. "I don't think anyone else knows about them. There's peep holes in various rooms, that way you can peek into a room before you exit the passage way. I guess that's so you can make sure no one is around before you walk out from the hidden door."
"Now that's worth exploring," Serena said excitedly.
Yaten lead them into a vacant room, slid the wall beside the fire place, to reveal a dark narrow pathway between the walls.
"Wait here," he told them, and ran out of the room.
"That's looks creepy," Serena whispered to Mina.
"There's probably a million spiders and cobwebs in there," Mina remarked, looking down the skinny corridor.
"Got it," Yaten announced and turned on a flashlight he was now carrying.
"This peep hole is either mine or Seiya's," Yaten told them. "We both covered our peep holes, he slid a bookshelf in front of his secret door. It's hard to tell exactly where you are once your in here."
"I assume you and Seiya made a few extra peep holes in our room," Mina sneered.
"I think yours would have been covered when they decorated your room," Yaten replied, straight faced. "I know there's no door into there."
"We'll have to find the peep holes and cover them," Mina said to Serena.
"You have to be really careful going down the stairs at the end of this hall. They're old and a little creaky. Seiya and I plan on fixing them when there's no one around to hear us," Yaten giggled.
"Are you trying to distract us from finding the holes in our room?" Serena queried.
"You want to look in every hole and see if you find your room?" Yaten questioned them.
"No," Mina replied. "We'll change our clothes under the covers," she sneered.
"Come see this room we found," Yaten urged the girls on.
"A secret room?" Serena said happily.
"Its just off the actual wine cellar," Yaten began to explain. "Its full of bottles of wine."
"I don't like that wine stuff," Serena said, making an ugly face.
"I'll go down the steps first, then shine the light up so you guys can see where to step," Yaten told the girls.
"Look at all those bottles of wine," Mina mentioned when they rejoined Yaten at the bottom of the many steps they had traveled.
"They're covered in dust, and cobwebs," Serena squeaked.
"I don't know why they're hidden in here," Yaten told them. "But there's dozens of them. Some white, some red. Some of them are dated back to the 1700's. A few don't even have any labels."
"You might like sweet wines instead of dry," Mina told Serena.
"Dry?" Serena probed.
"It's a type of wine," Yaten explained. "I prefer sweet wines. Only old people drink the dry stuff. We'll have to try some of these later, and see if we can find one that you like."
"Don't you think someone will notice the wine missing?" Mina remarked. "Or that a bunch of bottles have been opened?"
"No one knows this room is here," he smiled brightly.
Yaten reached over to one of the bottles that didn't seem to have much dust on it, and gave it a tug. The rack slid out of the way, and he stepped out of the little room.
"Another room full of wine?" Serena commented as she glanced around.
"This is the real wine cellar," Yaten answered. "We want to go through that door," he pointed at a large wooden door across the hall from the room they were standing in.
"That doesn't look like a secret passageway door," Mina stated.
"It leads to the Gardner's tunnel," Yaten explained. "It has a maintenance room, and all the pipes to the underground sprinkler system runs through there."
"Where does it lead to?" Mina inquired as they began to walk down the never ending corridor.
"A brick wall," Yaten chuckled.
"Why are we going then?" Serena probed.
"The wall moves and you go up some old dirt steps, to one of the cabins," Yaten grinned.
The dirt steps up to the cabin looked very worn down, like they had seen a lot of use in the past. The width of the dirt walls was so narrow, they would occasionally rub their shoulders on them.
"I keep expecting to see worms come out at me," Mina squeaked.
Yaten pulled down on an old rusty chain, which made the panel in front of him rise up. He got on his knees, and peeked out from the back of the fireplace. Then he quickly stood back up, knocking Mina's head as she leaned down.
"Ouch!" Mina spouted.
Yaten quickly put his hand over her mouth: "Shh, I'm sorry," he whispered.
Serena bent down to see what the problem was. Then she too stood up quickly. Yaten started pulling the chain again, to close the panel.
"What?" Mina whispered holding her hand over the side of her face, where Yaten had collided with her.
Yaten pointed back towards the steps.
"What was that all about?" Mina asked again, once they were back in the maintenance hallway.
"Taiki and Ami are on the couch necking," Yaten chuckled.
"Can't we go tease them?" Mina giggled.
"They didn't walk very far," Serena snickered.
"I'd love to go see the look on their faces if they saw us come out of the fireplace," Yaten momentarily grinned. "But after Taiki kicked my ass he'd probably tell everyone about the secret passage ways."
"He doesn't know?" Mina said, quite surprised.
"Seiya and I decided to keep it to ourselves for right now," Yaten admitted.
"Now where?" Serena said excitedly bouncing"Seiya and I are still trying to find a way up to the attic," Yaten confessed.
"Let's see if we can find it," Mina answered as they excited the maintenance corridor.
"Where were you three?" Maliki questioned when he came out of the wine cellar, as they were passing the archway.
"Exploring," they chirped.
"Tea and dessert is about to be served in the lounge," Maliki revealed. "You better head up there."
Taiki and Ami were the only ones not yet in the lounge when Serena, Mina, Yaten, and Maliki strolled in. Taiki and Ami came in moments after the others.
"Have a good walk?" Yaten said sarcastically as he, and the other two girls snickered.
"I love the attention and detail that went into some of those banzai trees," Ami remarked. "Have you found someone to continue with their care?" She asked Kakyuu.
"I have a few Gardner's to interview tomorrow," Kakyuu replied.
"What's so funny?" Lita whispered after she inched her way over to Serena and Mina.
"They look cute together," Mina grinned.
"They weren't walking in the garden," Serena whispered. "They were in one of the cabins, necking."
"You were spying on them?" Lita scowled.
"We ran across them accidentally," Yaten piped up.
"Why were the three of you going to the cabins anyway?" Lita questioned with a grin, and raised eye-brows.
"The path we were on lead there," Mina grinned back.
"We'll explain it to you later," Yaten said to Lita.
"Its a secret," Serena whispered so low, Lita basically read her lips.
"What are you four whispering about?" Sikora questioned them.
"Nothing," they all chimed.
That response had everyone in the room turning to look at them.
"Found something interesting while exploring the cellar?" Maliki queried.
"Nothing down there but spiders, cobwebs, that wine stuff, and pipes everywhere," Serena said with a disgusted look on her face.
"I take it you don't like the wine we had with dinner?" Sikora smiled at Serena.
"It made me thirsty, like it sucked all the spit out of my mouth," Serena scowled.
"Interesting explanation," Ami giggled.
Everyone laughed as the older man that was serving wine at dinner came into the room, pushing a cart of desserts.
"What did you expect to find down there?" Ami asked. "A dungeon?".
"It's a big old house," Mina replied.
"You guys watch too much T. V," Rei sneered.
"You'll be looking for ghosts next," Sikora teased.
"Now that would be exciting," Ami spouted.
"You believe in ghosts?" Taiki questioned her with a bit of a scowl.
"There are many things out there that can't be fully explained," Ami responded.
"True," Kakyuu joined the conversation. "Many people of this world do not believe there is life beyond their world."
"This planet is still very young," Maliki added.
"Its a good thing they have the Scouts here to protect them from things, they have no knowledge of," Kakyuu smiled at the girls.
"Its a maternal thing," Ami beamed.
"We're here to protect the weak, and the young," Lita giggled.
Ghost stories became the dessert conversation, and continued for sometime after.
Serena had fallen asleep, sitting on the floor with her back leaning against the chair Lita was seated in.
Lita couldn't resist giving Serena a little nudge with her foot. She watched Serena tip over, and not wake up until her head hit the floor. Serena sat back up and turned her head so she could frown at Lita.
"Looks like its someone's bed time," Kakyuu giggled.
"She was up late last night," Yaten remarked with a big grin.
His grin faded when Sikora scowled at him.
"Come on Serena," Lita said as she got to her feet. "Lets get you to bed."
"OK," Serena yawned.
Serena was the first to wake up. She quietly got dressed and went downstairs. No one in the kitchen, dining hall, study, or the lounge. Serena suddenly realized how big the house was, and it felt cold, empty, and somewhat creepy as she stood there alone.
she decided to go back upstairs, and wait for one of her friends to wake up.
"Serena," she heard Seiya call in a husked voice behind her.
He startled her, but she turned and smiled at him happily.
"I thought your room was over there," she whispered, pointing down the hallway. "Maybe it was that way," she was confused, as she glanced one way and then the other.
He snickered at her, and beckoned her over.
With her hands behind her back, she made her way over to him. Swaying slightly at the waist as she stepped.
Each swaying step brought pleasure to Seiya, and her radiant smile captivated him like nothing had ever done before. He felt on top of the world knowing this wondrous approach of hers, was for him and him alone.
She stopped just shy of the doorway, and her eyes smiled up at him.
He quickly pulled her in the room, making her giggle.
"This isn't your room," she remarked. "This is the empty one with the secret door near the fireplace."
"Yaten showed you?" Seiya was surprised.
"Yup," she beamed, then scowled: "Why are you in here?"
"Its the closest one to you," he grinned. "I was hoping to see you. I thought I could get your attention before you went down for breakfast."
"Why are you using the secret passage ways? We have to go past your room to go downstairs. I think," she replied, somewhat uncertain.
"My doors locked. Maliki is making sure I stay grounded," he huffed. "My meals are brought up to me, and he has my transformation star too, so no appearing in your room."
"I'm sorry," Serena pouted.
"No pouting," he smiled, and pulled her close.
She gave no resistance to him wrapping his arms around her. She in turn embraced his waist, and leaned her head into his chest.
A sense of security, and warmth ran through her body. She arched back enough to stare up into his sparkling sapphire eyes, and smiled with admiration.
His left hand caressed the side of her face as he gazed affectionately into her eyes. Serena closed her eyes and relaxed into his warm caress. She wanted to keep feeling his tender touch, so she brought her hand up to keep his hand against her cheek.
As she held his hand in place, she felt his lips tenderly press against hers. She felt like she was floating in a dream.
Serena opened her eyes as Seiya took his hand, and caressed her face again. She smiled up at him, as his thumb softly traced the outline of her lips.
Serena slid her hands up his back, drawing him tight against her. She ran her fingers through his hair, and gently forced his head down, so she could bring her lips to his again.
She felt butterflies thrash around in her stomach.
Her kiss began to take on a passion he had never experienced before. He hungered for more, and held her waist as he pinned her to the wall.
His lips pressed harder, his tongue began to explore her lips, then her mouth as she pulled him tight to her body.
A rush of warmth enveloped her. She could feel her heart pounding as he hands glided under his shirt, so she could feel his bare skin in her hands.
Without warning, Seiya pulled away and held Serena's head to his chest.
She could hear his heart racing like hers.
"Not here, not now," he whispered, and took several deep breaths and rested his cheek on top of Serena's head.
"Seiya," Serena called softly.
He held her tighter, taking deep breaths.
"I want you so badly," he admitted. "But..." He went silent, and slowly stepped back.
He softly caressed her face, and his hand slid away as he walked backwards, towards the secret door.
"I'll move my bookcase," he smiled. "But only if you're certain no one will notice your missing."
They smiled at each other until he disappeared into the wall.
Serena turned to leave, once she was certain Seiya was gone, and saw Yaten in the doorway with a stupid grin on his face.
"Please, don't tell anyone," Serena pleaded.
He laughed evilly, and walked away.
Serena could hear him laughing all the way down the hall.
"Happy little critter in the morning, aren't you?" Lita spouted down the hallway as Serena exited the room. "What are you doing?" Lita turned to Serena.
"Waiting for everyone to wake up," Serena smiled and walked across the hall with a definite bounce in her stride.
"Do I want to know, what you two were doing?" Lita probed.
"Me and him?" Serena screeched, and pointed in Yaten's direction with a disgusted look on her face.
Lita placed her hands on her hips, and glared down at Serena.
"Come, let me show you something," Serena said to Lita, and took a few steps back towards the room she had just come out of.
Lita took her hands off her hips and followed Serena.
"This room is empty," Lita remarked.
"Over here," Serena told her and continued over to the fireplace.
Lita obediently followed.
Serena put her hand just inside the fireplace, and reached over to the left side of the brick wall.
The wall panel to the left of the fireplace slid open.
Lita ran over and peeked left and right.
"They're all over the house," Serena giggled.
"Does Seiya's room have one of these concealed doors?" Lita scowled at Serena.
"Yes," Serena grinned. "But Yaten says Seiya blocked it with a bookshelf."
"Where is Seiya?" Lita inquired.
"Locked in his room," Serena sighed.
"Unless he sneaks out to see you?" Lita smiled.
"Yup," Serena replied, then quickly slapped her hand over her mouth.
"I didn't think Yaten put that massive grin on your face, or bounce in your step," Lita scowled.
Serena's smile grew, and there was a sparkle in her eyes that Lita hadn't seen in a long time.
"Why his he locked in his room?" Lita inquired.
"Cause he is grounded," Serena sighed.
"I guess grounding a guy with five young girls running around his house, isn't much of a punishment," Lita chuckled. "That means Sikora doesn't know about these secret passage ways," Lita commented with a grin.
"You, Mina, Seiya, Yaten, and I are the only ones that know," Serena informed her as she pulled the movable brick back into place closing the wall panel.
"There is even one in the cellar, that leads to one of the cabins," Serena giggled.
"That laugh tells me you found something, or I should say, someone in the cabin," Lita remarked.
"That is where we saw Ami and Taiki necking on the couch," Serena whispered, then laughed out loud as they excited the room.
"I guess Ami can't claim they're just friends anymore," Lita snickered. "What did they say to you guys?"
"We didn't let them see us," Serena responded. "Yaten said, Taiki would have kicked his ass. then probably tell their parents about the passage ways. So you have to pretend that you don't know about Ami and Taiki."
"I think they look cute together," Lita smiled.
"Who?" Mina asked, jumping up behind them, and grabbing their shoulders.
"You shouldn't sneak up on Lita like that," Yaten warned, coming out of his room.
"Incase you didn't notice, I spoke first," Mina grinned at him.
"Now, who looks good together?" Mina asked again.
"Ami and Taiki," Lita replied.
"She told you about the passage ways?" Mina quietly questioned Lita.
"I'd like to check them out," Lita answered.
"Before or after your sparring ring desire?" Mina said, scowling at Lita.
"That's right," Serena mentioned, just before they reached the dinning hall. "You wanted to try that today."
"Against who?" Yaten inquired walking backwards into the dinning hall, so he could look at the three of them.
They all fixed their eyes on him, and Lita grinned, and rose her eye-brows.
"Oh," he grimaced, and his eyes were wide open.
"I said I was sorry about the movie thing," he reminded Lita as he plunked himself down in his chair.
Maliki slapped the upper part of Yaten's arm, hard with the back of his hand. Yaten looked up at Maliki standing beside him. Then quickly stood up, and waited for all the girls to sit down.
"And, what are you pouting about?" Sikora asked Yaten after everybody sat down.
"She," he pointed at Lita, "wants to beat me up in the ring."
"That's because you're annoying," Taiki grinned, from across the table.
"Am not," Yaten protested.
"Are too," all the girls chanted.
"I think you've been out voted," Maliki snickered.
"Afraid of a little girl?" Taiki sneered at Yaten, but turned to smile at Lita.
"She's only little to you," Yaten returned the sneer.
"My noble warriors," Kakyuu laughed.
Yaten frowned at Kakyuu.
"You just have to watch that right hook of hers," Kakyuu continued to laugh.
"I'm never going to hear the end of that, am I?" Yaten sighed.
"Now I'd feel guilty if I got in the ring with him," Lita giggled.
"I'll do it," Rei spouted.
"As you or Mars?" Yaten pouted at her.
"Mars of course," Rei replied, staring him straight in the eyes, and not once cracking a smile.
"You have obviously irritated these girls a lot, haven't you?" Maliki snickered with a big grin.
"Can we just eat?" Yaten moaned.
Again, the whole table laughed at Yaten.
After breakfast, Kakyuu took the girls to the pool house and handed them long heavy bathing jackets.
"Strip down, and put these on," she requested.
"It's a little cold to go swimming," Ami mentioned.
"Yes, it is," Kakyuu replied, and began to lead the girls towards the lake they could see from their bedroom window.
"It's a beautiful morning for a soak," Sikora noted, slipping her bathing robe off and stepping into the water.
It was only then, that the girls noticed steam coming from the small lake.
"It's a hot spring," Lita spouted, and disrobed quickly, followed by the others.
"This is the way to spend a weekend," Ami giggled.
Serena realized that large rocks had been placed in areas to sit, and recline on.
"It's man made, but looks natural," Kakyuu smiled.
For several minutes, they all lazily reclined on the lounge carved boulders, and listened to the birds singing near by.
"When I find a new world, I will have to get one of these hot springs built, and import these beautiful song birds," Kakyuu softly spoke, basking in the tranquility.
"I'm sure that could be arranged," Sikora assured her.
"Have you found any possible planets yet?" Lita inquired.
"No," Kakyuu answered. "We have been concentrating on locating our people."
"Maliki and Taiki will be spending most of today, putting the finishing touches on the communication relay system Ami and Taiki designed," Sikora mentioned. "The last computer component they needed arrived yesterday."
"I should go help them," Ami announced, and stood up.
"Relax," Kakyuu suggested. "This is supposed to be a leisurely weekend."
"Reprogramming a computer, is leisure time to Ami," Rei retorted.
"If you would find enjoyment playing with some computer, than that is what you should do," Kakyuu smiled at her.
"You don't mind?" Ami remarked.
"This weekend is for you girls to enjoy yourselves," Kakyuu explained. "You have spent so much of your time fighting bad guys, you haven't really had time to enjoy yourselves."
"I'm enjoying this," Lita commented, and leaned back.
"What time will someone deliver us some tea?" Mina giggled, still reclining in her boulder seat.
"You would like tea brought here for you?" Sikora questioned.
"I'm joking," Mina replied. "I just meant that I'm enjoying this hot spring so much, I don't want to get out."
"Working on a computer, or reading some school book is how Ami relaxes," Rei mentioned.
"Bye," the other girls lazily waved at Ami.
Ami quickly wrapped her rob around her and ran off down the cobble stone pathway.
"We could have lunch delivered," Kakyuu said, and reclined with her eyes closed, the same way Sikora was beside her.
"If I get anymore relaxed, I'll fall asleep," Serena informed them.
"Your so quiet, we thought you were asleep," Rei giggled.
"AAHH!" Rei shrieked, and sprung to her feet.
Yaten suddenly popped out of the water in front of her.
"I'm... I'm... Ah..." Yaten stammered as his eyes admired the naked beauty before him.
Rei shoved Yaten as hard as she could, then submerged herself right up to her chin.
When Yaten resurfaced, he looked at Mina: "She's wearing the toe nail polish you wear."
"I don't want to know how you know that," Sikora growled from behind Yaten.
Yaten spun, and began wading away from Sikora backwards.
"Didn't notice us sitting here?" Sikora glared at him.
"This is going to make a wonderful dinner table conversation tonight," Kakyuu yelled as Yaten was trying to run for shore.
Once he was on solid ground he bolted away.
Kakyuu began howling with laughter. She laughed so hard, she slid out of her rock seat.
"He is just like a little brother," Kakyuu remarked, when she regained her seat. Her laughter continued as she looked at Serena.
"I guess you have a little brother," Serena smiled at her.
"Maliki," Kakyuu replied, bringing her laugh down to a giggle. "Yaten may look like his mother, but he has a lot of his father in him," she smiled at Serena.
"I'll remember to tell him that, next time I start throwing him around in the sparring ring," Sikora retorted.
"Who do you think was more embarrassed by this?" Lita commented to Serena.
"Well lets see," Serena said sarcastically. "We know Yaten had seen Mina's bare little tootsies."
"And Rei's bare everything," Lita howled with laughter.
"Shut up," Rei snapped, as everyone but her laughed.
"I guess you can't spar with him now," Serena mentioned. "He'll take one look at you, turn red, and run off."
"Just to set you dirty minded people straight," Mina spoke, still relaxing back with her eyes closed," Yaten knows my nail polish because I wear sandals a lot."
"Sure Mina," he friends snickered.
"I don't think Maliki could tell you the color of my shoes," Sikora admitted, with a big grin.
After swimming around, and much frolicking in the hot springs, they all decided their skin was well pruned, and they should get out.
Lita, Rei, and Sikora decided to do a little workout in the ring, with Sikora's promise to be easy on them.
The other three headed for the showers. Mina, Serena, and Kakyuu sat one in front of the other, so they could brush each others hair.
Their conversation was about Seiya and Yaten.
Serena told Kakyuu about the Darien situation, and her concerns about the future.
Kakyuu told Serena not to worry, to just enjoy her life on the way there. Kakyuu also had to assure Mina that her relationship with Yaten would only end if they chose to, not by them moving to a new planet.
The girls plans for the afternoon varied. Mina wanted to find Yaten, since she hadn't seen him after the hot spring incident. Serena wanted to go to Seiya, but she didn't see that as being possible. Serena decided she would go with Mina. Lita joined Serena and Mina. Rei wanted to get her homework done, then it would be easier for her to relax. Sikora and Kakyuu had gardeners to interview, and show the grounds to.
"The logical place to look for Yaten, is in his room," Lita said to Mina as the three of them scampered off after they all decide what they were doing.
"Or, Seiya's room," Serena suggested.
"Seiya's room?" Mina queried.
"How would someone find Yaten if he was in a supposedly locked room," Lita remarked sarcastically.
Getting into the secret passage was easy enough for the girls, but remembering where to go wasn't as easy.
With flashlights in hand, they made their way down the narrow passage.
"We've gone to far," Mina announced.
"We need a peephole to get our bearings," Serena replied.
"We need to find the steps that go up to that crawl space, and back down," Mina stated. "Yaten and Seiya's rooms are on the other side of the house, from the room we came in."
"We should leave this passage way, and go back to that room or Yaten's," Lita suggested.
"That would be a good idea, if we knew how to get out of here," Serena sighed.
"I know how the secret door works for the room we came in through, and the one in the wine cellar, but that's about it," Mina divulged.
"If we turn around, we should find where I noticed a small wooden patch on the wall, a peephole," she whispered, and slid the cover so she could see which room they were at.
"It's an empty room," Mina sighed. "But not the one we came in through. The drapes are a different color."
"Keep going," Lita prodded. "And keep looking for little peephole covers."
"I found the room," Serena announced about five minutes later.
"Good," Lita spouted as Serena replaced the peephole cover.
"Now, lets get out of here, and walk across the hall to Yaten's room," Lita added while Mina opened the hidden panel.
The girls walked to Yaten's room and started looking for the secret panel.
"Yaten never showed us how his secret door worked," Mina mentioned. "Or where it was."
"It has to be one of those two inner walls. We should hear a hollow sound when we find it," Lita explained, and started knocking on the wall.
Serena and Mina began to knock too.
"Armatures," Yaten spouted from the other side of the room.
"Where have you been?" Mina scowled.
"Hiding from Rei," Seiya chuckled from behind Yaten. "Or maybe from Sikora."
"By the way," Yaten looked at the girls as they approached. "My secret door only leads into Seiya's room."
"I have this doorway, and one that goes into the passage way," Seiya grinned.
"Want to come talk about nail pol..." Seiya began, but Yaten jabbed him with his elbow.
"I guess I can't lend Rei any of mine anymore," Mina giggled.
"He forgot what color the polish was the minute Rei's boobs were in his face," Lita quipped.
Seiya started laughing his head off.
"Didn't he tell you we were all naked?" Lita chuckled.
Seiya laughed even harder and louder.
Yaten was stuck in the doorway with nowhere to go. All he could do was turn his back on the girls, so they couldn't see his scarlet face.
"We'll stop teasing you," Mina said softly, and rubbed Yaten's back.
It of course took Seiya a few minutes to stop laughing.
"Where is Rei?" Yaten questioned, after everyone found a comfortable spot to sit on Seiya's floor.
"Doing her homework," Serena moaned.
"She just wanted to get some of it done, so she isn't overwhelmed tomorrow night," Lita replied. "Besides, after working out with Sikora in the ring, we both need to relax a bit."
"I thought she was going to be gentle with you guys," Serena remarked.
"She was," Seiya mentioned. "They can still move."
"I still want to try the ring as Jupiter," Lita admitted.
"Sikora will probably let you use it whenever you want," Seiya replied.
"Who's getting in with me?" Lita eyed each of the boys.
"I'm grounded," Seiya remarked.
"Till when?" Lita questioned.
"I don't know," Seiya shrugged.
"I would hate being grounded for an undetermined length of time," Serena sighed.
"At the rate Seiya's going, he'll end up grounded till we find a new planet," Yaten snickered.
"We better go," Serena spouted, and stood up.
"I don't think anyone will be looking for you yet," Seiya told her, tugging her hand to get her to sit back down.
"I'm not going to be the reason you get in more trouble," Serena scowled down at Seiya.
"We'll come and visit you again later," Lita smiled at Seiya.
Seiya took a deep breath, then huffed it out.
"I'll get Yaten to show me how to get here from the empty room. I forgot how we did it yesterday," Serena admitted.
Seiya stood up.
"Come on, I'll show you," Seiya smiled at Serena, and walked towards his bookshelf.
Serena followed, while the rest of them went back to Yaten's room.
Once Serena and Seiya were in the empty room, Seiya pinned Serena to the wall and tried to kiss her.
Serena slid along the wall, away from Seiya, saying: "I would really like to spend time with you, but not at the risk of you getting into more trouble."
Seiya took a big sideways stride over to her.
"Stop giving me those sad puppy eyes," Serena grinned up at him, "I promise to come see you whenever I can."
Seiya quickly and softly kissed her cheek, then stepped away, and beamed happily.
Serena giggled.
"Later," he whispered sweetly before disappearing into the passage way.
Serena joined the others, and they went to see if Rei was finished her homework.
Rei was still very busy writing something, so they decided to visit Ami.
Ami tried to explain how the computer sent messages to various relay systems Maliki had placed all over the universe.
Maliki was excited by the fact they had already heard from about a hundred of their people.
The relay system was making contact with these people, like picking up the phone and calling next door.
Serena smiled at Maliki's joyful expression, despite the overwhelming sadness that engulfed her. She was happy that they had found some of their people, but sad by the fact that the day they would leave was now growing closer.
Serena wheeled a chair over to a corner, and sat down quietly watching the bustling of activity in the room.
Lita and Mina were full of questions, while Serena sat back in silence.
Yaten took a seat in front of one of the computer consoles to help answer incoming transmissions.
When Ami had finished answering Lita and Mina's questions, she rolled her chair over to Serena.
"You're really quiet," Ami mentioned to Serena.
"Just listening," Serena forced a smile.
"What's wrong?" Ami's voice was a hush, as she rolled her chair right in front of Serena.
"Nothing," Serena said, with the 'I don't want to answer that' wave of her hand.
"Now I know something is wrong," Ami scowled, and put a hand on both of Serena's chair arms.
"With all these people making contact," Serena pouted, and glanced around the room, "I guess they'll be leaving soon."
"Don't be silly," Ami smiled warmly. "They're still along way from leaving," she giggled, hoping to make her friends smile.
Maliki now stood behind Ami's chair, and Serena looked up at him.
"Finding a planet to meet our requirements is a lot harder than finding a house across town," Maliki assured Serena.
"I never thought about that," she giggled, and her face lit up with a real smile.
"I wanted to have a swim before dinner," Ami remarked. "Want to join me?" she asked Serena.
"The water's freezing," Serena stated.
"Actually, the pool is heated, or there's the hot springs," Maliki informed them.
"If we go in the hot springs this time, we wear bathing suits," Serena stated firmly.
"Why, would you say that?" Maliki inquired.
"no reason," the girls giggled, and turned their chairs so they could make a quick exit.
"We're going for a swim," Ami announced. "Anyone want to join us?"
"Sounds great," Lita replied, getting to her feet.
"Want to join us?" Mina asked Yaten, as she stood up.
"We'll wear bathing suits this time," Lita laughed at Yaten, and slapped his back.
Maliki and Taiki both stared in Yaten's direction.
Rather then answer the girls or Maliki and Taiki's expressions, Yaten kept his head down, and pushed his way past the girls.
The next time the girls saw Yaten, it was at the dinner table.
"How was the hot spring?" Taiki asked, once everyone was seated.
Rei went bright red.
Yaten lowered his head a bit, and gently shook it from side to side.
Kakyuu, Sikora, and the other girls all laughed.
Taiki and Maliki, now exchanged perplexed expressions.
"It's a funny little story about nail polish," Kakyuu giggled at Maliki. "I'll explain it to you one day."
Rei's wine went down in one gulp, then she resumed a proper lady like composure.
"I heard you were in contact with a lot of our people today," Sikora smiled at Taiki, setting the dinner table conversation for the night.
After dinner, Ami and Taiki went for a walk. They didn't notice Mina, Serena, and Yaten quietly snicker as they left.
"We should go see Seiya," Serena whispered to Mina and Yaten.
"Want to come play some video games?" Yaten asked Lita and Rei.
"Video games?" Serena and Mina shrieked. "You have video games?" They continued to squeal.
"Lots of them," he remarked.
"I ate to much to even move right now," Lita moaned.
"I've never spent a weekend laying around, and eating so much," Rei sighed with a content grin on her face. "I'm just going to lay here and enjoy this beautiful laziness."
"We'll be in my room," Yaten grinned, and put his arms around Serena and Mina, as they walked out of the lounge.
The three of them ran up to Yaten's room, and the first thing Serena did, was open the secret door to Seiya's room.
Serena bounced into the room, only to find it empty.
"He isn't here," Serena bellowed back to Yaten's room.
"Maybe he went looking for us," Mina suggested.
"I'll go look around," Yaten volunteered. "Find a game. I'll be back as quick as I can," he said, and proceeded passed Serena, and moved the bookcase so he could sneak through the passage ways.
"Come look at all these games," Mina said to Serena, as she scanned a stack of video game boxes.
Serena reluctantly joined Mina on the floor.
"Let's try this one," Serena smiled and handed Mina one of the boxes.
Mina read the box, shrugged, then put the game in.
They had each won a round of fighting. They were about to start a tie-breaker when Yaten returned.
"Maliki has Seiya monitoring the computers for awhile," Yaten explained, and placed a bag of bottles on the floor near them.
Yaten sat on the floor next to Mina.
"I grabbed a bunch of different wines," Yaten grinned, and began pulling dusty bottles out of the bag. "I thought we could find one you liked while we play a few games, and wait for Seiya."
"Let's start with," Mina waved her hand over the bottles, "This one," she pulled a brown colored bottle from the collection.
"There's a cork stuck in it," Serena noted. "How are you going to get that out?" She scowled.
"Most wines have corks in them," Yaten chuckled at her, and pulled a cork screw out of his pocket.
Serena watched closely as Yaten opened the wine.
"I guess you never thought of glasses?" Mina sarcastically remarked to Yaten.
"we're taste testing," Yaten grinned, and took a swig from the bottle.
The girls waited to see his reaction to the taste.
"It's kind of bitter," Yaten said, handing the bottle to Mina.
Mina scrunched up her face after she took a drink.
"I think whoever made this, forgot to wash their feet," Mina grimaced, and passed the bottle to Serena.
"What does dirty feet have to do with wine?" Serena questioned without taking a drink.
"Years ago in some countries, they made wine by walking around in a barrel full of grapes," Mina explained.
"Are you telling me this," Serena held the neck of the bottle, and gently swung it from side to side. "Tastes like someone's feet?" She scowled at Mina.
"It's bitter," Mina grinned.
"I don't think I want to try this," Serena held the bottle out to Yaten.
"You pick one," Yaten told Serena, and stuffed the cork back in the open wine as far as he could.
"They all look the same," Serena pointed out.
Serena handed her choice to Yaten.
"You'll probably like this one," Yaten told Serena, after he took the first taste.
"This is pretty good," Serena grinned, after a little sip, then took a bigger drink.
"It's nice and sweet," Mina commented.
"My turn," Yaten announced after re-corking the open one, and setting it aside.
Again the girls waited for Yaten's reaction before Mina would take the bottle from him.
"Kind of dry, but not as bad as the crap we had with dinner," he replied to their looks, and offered the bottle to Mina.
Every time they found one they didn't really like, they would wash it down with one of the ones they did like.
"I really have to pee," Serena announced, after ten taste tests, and two full bottles.
For some reason, getting to her feet was a lot harder than it should have been.
"I sat tooooo long," Serena slurred out, "My sleep are a feet."
"Come on," Mina giggled loudly, and got to her unsteady feet.
"I think we might have tries too many," Yaten remarked, leaning against his bed frame.
"What does that mean?" Mina slurred, and fell over into Yaten's lap.
Yaten and Mina both started laughing. And Serena forced herself to the washroom.
Serena came to the conclusion she could crawl much easier than trying to walk. Serena was able to walk back towards Yaten's room, with a lot of aide from the wall.
Serena however, didn't notice an obstacle in her path as she inched along. Bumping into the obstacle, set her totally off balance, and she crashed to the floor.
"Serena," Seiya knelt down to her. "What are you doing?"
Serena had problems steadying her head, as she tried to focus on Seiya's face.
"I had to ah..Had to," she paused, "pee," she dragged out.
"What the hell?" Seiya growled, putting a hand on either side of Serena's head, to hold her steady, and look into her eyes.
"Seiya," she beamed with delight.
Seiya scowled at the intoxicated girl in his hands.
"Come on," he said, helping Serena to her feet.
Serena staggered into Seiya's chest.
"Can we go to your room now?" She mumbled into his chest, and wrapped her arms tightly around him.
"What were you drinking?" Seiya asked her as he held her tight to his side, and navigated her down the hallway.
"We were taste testing... Some wine," she began. "But I sat on the floor too long, and my feet are sleeping. It's hard to walk, and my eyes are fuzzy. I love the feel of your arm around me. I want to be with you tonight. I can't sneak into you, cause everyone thinks, I'm playing video games with Mina and Yaten. I'll be really quiet. If anyone comes, I can hide in the walls. Did you know wine is made by swishing toes. But some people have stinky feet. Why do they use corks instead of seals?"
"Shhh," Seiya told her.
"You should try the ones we like," she started again.
Seiya opened Yaten's door to find a topless Mina, astride Yaten's lap.
Yaten's hands were clasped tightly on Mina's hips, his face buried between her breasts as Mina ran her fingers through Yaten's hair.
"Yaten!" Seiya yelled.
Yaten sat up a little higher, pulled Mina close, and peeked over her shoulder. His face glowing with delight.
"Let them be," Serena giggled, and squeezed Seiya. "We can go sit in your room."
Seiya decided that putting Serena in his room, while he went to find Lita or Ami, even Taiki, someone to help him was a good idea.
Seiya guided Serena to the edge of his bed. He slowly lowered her to a sitting position.
Serena held tight to his waist, and once seated, she wrapped her legs tightly around his calf's.
Serena flung herself backwards, forcing Seiya to fall down with her.
Seiya quickly put his hands out, to prevent his full weight from crushing Serena.
Serena's legs now wrapped themselves individually around each of his. Her soft warm hands, began to roam his bare back, as her head came up enough to bring her lips to his.
Serena squirmed her way up the bed enough to clasp her legs around his waist.
The hunger Seiya had felt for her that morning, now seemed to emanate from her kisses.
Seiya felt his pulse race with excitement, and he forced her head back down to the comforts of the bed with his own heated kisses.
He had never craved anything more in his life, then his present desire for Serena, and for several minutes he was caught up in their passion for each other.
But he loved her too much to go any further while she was drunk, so for the second time today, he backed away.
"Serena," he said softly as he arched himself up the full length of his arm.
Serena opened her eyes, and gazed up at him with a warm smile.
Seiya shifted his weight to one arm, and gently stroked the side of her face.
"I want you more then anything in the world, but I'm worried you're being influenced by the wine," he told her.
"You want me to go?" She pouted, and tears welled up in her eyes.
"He doesn't want you to go," Lita said as she approached the bed.
Seiya scrambled off of Serena, and jumped to his feet.
Lita smiled at Seiya, as she tried not to laugh.
"If Seiya's parents find you in here, he'll probably be grounded until you're both old and gray," Lita told Serena, and gave Seiya a wink.
Serena slid off the bed, and sat on the floor.
"When your brother is sober," Lita whispered to Seiya as she helped Serena to her feet, "Tell him Rei and I really want to see him."
"How long were you standing there?" Seiya sheepishly asked Lita.
"Long enough to know you're a real gentleman," she smiled back over her shoulder, as she lead Serena out.
Thank you again for reading this, ha this one was really long. But it is my favorite chapter so far. Hope you enjoyed, Please leave reviews!!