Chapter Two: Pride and Humility

The Luna company moved into town about seven years ago. Endymion remembered; he'd been twelve at he time and thought the jobs would help them.

But then, two years after opening, Luna shut its doors to 'outsiders'. Endymion was close to getting employment there, and it promised to change his family's lives. The pay would have covered all their bills. His mother wouldn't have to work anymore if Endymion had gotten the job. Would he even have to fight for Beryl's hand now if Luna hadn't been so selfish?

There was a theft that leaked a product out to a competitor. It wasn't as though Luna couldn't afford the loss. The company did very well for themselves, selling a variety of things. Endymion only paid attention to their medical merchandise. It was the only thing of interest with his ailing family. He knew there were things the Luna company made that could have at least his Gramps out of bed and back to work. And his mother's shaking hands? A distant memory. Needless to say, there was more to this job than a decent paycheck and respect. It wasn't lost on Endymion how much a career with Luna would change his life.

And yet, he still only considered it for Beryl.

It never sat well with him how Luna shut their doors so tightly when their community was in need. The promise of jobs, of decent pay and benefits, had been swallowed in a snap before Endymion had a chance—before anyone did really.

Endymion bristled as he stepped up to the tall gates of Luna. Still in his best suit, he ran a hand through his locks, pushing a few free strands back in place before ringing the bell. He was early, the call for interested parties, not for another twenty minutes at least. But he was never late to anything and considered it rude when anyone else was. Beryl was different, of course. It bothered him, sure, but she was a wanted woman. Her schedule wasn't set by herself; her family set it. That's what Endymion told himself to reassure his feelings. They had a habit of wavering when he was alone to think over them carefully. It had him pushing his attention back to the silence, the Luna company not making a sound long after he announced his presence. But who was he? A no one, the Luna company wouldn't move heaven and earth, let alone a gate, for him.

The silence made the cry so much louder. That was what Endymion told himself, the whimper slight in reality. It sounded like a bomb to him, jumping and spinning just as the woman that made the sound hit the pavement.

Still on her knees, he watched as she brushed off her gloved hands futilely, the dirt staining the white instantly. Endymion found himself at her side, offering her a hand up. His breath caught when she looked up at him, the tears in her eyes making them look as if they glowed. Such a rare color, bright blue like sapphire or cerulean, no wonder Endymion was shocked. The woman carefully took his hand, "thank you", she whispered. It had his heart in his throat, her voice so sweet. A poor, young, and innocent woman, it made Endymion feel attachment instantly.

"Are you alright?"

She nodded, but then the cool morning breeze stole her hat. It had barely hidden her hair, but Endymion saw nothing but gold without the shade on it. The light color reflected the sun even with it slightly risen. The unique and pretty rose metal curled and bounced in the breeze; it was why Endymion was touching it, brushing a long strand off her shoulder for her.

She peeked up at him through dark lace, her lashes long and perfect, while a pink tint colored her cheeks—the same color as her lips. "I'm fine. A mess, it would seem."

The woman giggled as she spoke to brush off her embarrassment as Endymion tried to brush off his actions, continuing to brush non-existent dirt off the girl's shoulder. He also needed a moment, his heart jumping around his upper body, like his throat and chest. "You look fine to me?"

Endymion wasn't sure what was wrong with him, speaking to a woman he didn't know like this? It was made worse by his intentions towards Beryl. Beryl was waiting for him to get his life together to share it with him, and here he was being forward with another woman?

Taking a step back, Endymion cleared his throat to push his heart back into its proper place. "Excuse me."

"No, it's my fault. This always happens. Especially when I have to rise so early in the morning."

Anger rose in Endymion irrationally, but the woman just admitted to having men fawn over her? He could see why not only was she beautiful but naïve and trusting?

She gave up quickly on her gloves, peeling them off and shoving them into her purse. Then, brushing the dirt off her skirt, she watched Endymion through her lashes again. "Are you going to Luna?"

Good, this was something he could discuss safely. "Yes. I'm interested in the job posting."

"Oh?!" She squeaked excitedly. "Me too!"

He struggled to see why; a girl as pretty as she should have a number of suitors to pick from.

Endymion stopped that thinking because he had him sweating with worry and jealousy. "Why are you seeking employment?'

The woman stood upright and crossed her arms over her chest. She was going for angry, but Endymion found it endearing. "Why, the same reason as you, I'm sure? A woman is just as needing and capable as a man, is she not?!"

He managed to hold in his laugh but not his smile. The woman struggle with her own, the tips of her pearly pink lips threatening to turn upward. "I assumed a woman as pretty as you would find all she needed in a husband."

Her cheeks turned red that time and Endymion was sure his shared the color. "Thank you; you're too kind…."

"I'm too forward. Forgive me; the early hour and nerves have me speaking brashly." Endymion took another step back from the intoxicating woman and ran a hand through his hair again. This time, messing it up instead of fixing it. "Why are you here?"

Something inside him had to know. For if she were there for any other reason than her own, if it were a similar situation as him, then Endymion would lose all hold on rationality. If some man had pushed her into getting a job for the man's sake, Endymion would walk her home and give the man a piece of his mind…as well as his fist.

Endymion shook all over. Turning back to the gate, he hoped to hide it from the stranger. But, if she saw it, she said nothing except to explain herself. "I wish to help my family…my mother isn't well, you see. This could help them and..although they're against my involvement, I insisted."

Something was happening to Endymion's heart the more time he spent around this woman. It had him craving her name more than anything else. He held out a hand for her, and she took it gently. "Endymion."

The smile that spread across her cheeks had his chest on fire. "Serena. Nice to meet you."

Serena… Endymion breathed it in and let it run through his mind. Looking at her hair, the twin buns on either side that fell in long curls, Endymion was reminded of something else and not the name Serena. "Has anyone ever told you, you remind them of a rabbit?" Serena sucked in a breath sharply, causing Endymion to hear it without struggle. The red of her cheeks didn't match embarrassment, and he worried he'd offended her. But then she looked to the ground as if scared or shamed. It had Endymion backing up his words as quickly as humanly possible. "I meant no offense. Forgive me if I wounded your pride."

Holding up a hand, Endymion realized how close he was as her finger grazed his arm. She held his jacket with two fingers, long and slender; Endymion couldn't take his eyes away from her touch. "It's fine; I'm not offended. My mother calls me her little rabbit, that's all."

Now, he couldn't take his eyes off her face. She had it hidden, so his finger found her chin and tilted it up for him to see. He sucked in air when her eyes glistened and twinkled back at him once more. Then pushed it out again with his words to hide his shock. "Then it's a compliment, as intended, isn't it, little rabbit?"

The soft smile she wore gave him heart palpitations. His saving grace, noting how close they were to one another again. Serena was a sweet girl—modest. Endymion could tell right away, and that was why he felt this way. It was why his heart was going nuts, and his body was doing as it pleased. With Serena so beautiful and naïve, his soul called out to protect, that was all. It was the gentleman inside him that his mother raised him to be.

And it was why he offered her his arm and escorted Serena the rest of the way to the Luna gates.

oOo

Endymion wasn't shocked by the other applicants; he'd expected many. He was surprised there were only the four of them.

Serena was still on his arm, and he meant to let go a while ago, but at the sight of the other two 'applicants' he felt the need to hold tighter.

Both men. They were polar opposites. One had short, light-colored hair while the other, long dark hair. The light-haired man was the same build as Endymion but dressed finer. Calling into question his need for such a job? The other was thin and tall, his physique closer to Serena's than Endymion's. What had him clutching Serena so tight was the way they looked at her—leering at Serena with lust in their eyes.

Just as he expected, Serena was blissfully unaware, placing a gentle hand on top of his arm. He supposed he should let her go. It would look unprofessional of him to be a woman's escort. They might think she was with him, either as his fiance, wife, or servant. The latter seemed the most likely, even with their clothes the same in the manner of costs. Endymion was sure that the two men thought that Endymion was Serena's servant because no way a man as poor as Endymion could win the heart of a beauty like Serena. Not when she so dearly needed to marry well.

Serena was exactly like Beryl, in need of a dependable and economically strong man to marry. It was another reason he was drawn to her, Endymion told himself. She reminded him of Beryl, the woman he loved. And just as he would her, Endymion would protect Serena from threats like the two lions after his rabbit.

The entrance to Luna was grand, the large gates brassy but the main doors carved with intricate designs. And thick, warding off anyone that would try their luck at breaking in. There was a dusty smell to the lobby they stood in, dancing on their toes after turning in their coats to the man that ushered them in. Serena released Endymion to give up her jacket as he did the same. And the two men pounced at the first opportunity, the dark-haired one getting to Serena first and leaving Endymion with the light-haired one.

He stuck out a hand, and Endymion took it while watching Serena. "Almas. Almas Demount."

Whenever someone introduced themselves like that, giving their surname as well as their first, it was intended that one call them respectfully. And Endymion always hated when others put on airs. "Endymion."

He heard the other man introduce himself as Silas to Serena. Dropping Almas quickly, Endymion hurried back to Serena's side. She smiled brightly at him, making his heart pound from his worry leaving, then took up his arm again.

"Are you two a team?" Silas asked with a lopsided grin.

"Something like that, yes," Endymion answered quickly.

Serena giggled and patted Endymion's arm, "he saved me outside. Endymion is a concerned citizen."

"Oh?" Asked Silas, "then perhaps you would be concerned enough to let one of us have the job instead?"

Frowning, Endymion forced it into a grin instead. "I need this job just as badly as you two."

"Not me," Almas began, confirming Endymion's thoughts instantly, "I want a chance to meet Serenity and sweep her off her feet."

"Serenity?" Serena asked, and Endymion waited curiously for the answer as well.

The two men looked at each other and then laughed at their ignorance. "Why, she's the CEO's daughter? The one to inherit?"

"Will she be the one to give us the job?" Serena continued, too innocent to understand what the men were inferring.

Endymion turned, placing himself between Serena and the men judging her. If she showed any more of her naivety, he worried what these men might do to take advantage. "They're here to…get her attention. They do not desire the position offered, Serena; they want a higher one as Serenity's husband."

"Oh…" she said softly, sounding disappointed. It had Endymion's heart dropping to his belly. Had Serena fallen for one of these men already? He needed to protect her even more if she had; these men were far from a good pick for her.

"What about you, Endy? Are you here to woo Serenity?"

The smile that spread on her lips as Endymion shook his head was almost as lovely as when she called him Endy, "no. I'm here for the offered job. Not one made up."

"I'm here for the job too, you know," Silas interrupted, "but I wouldn't turn down a woman as lovely as Serenity is."

"You've seen her?" Endymion asked, surprised anyone had caught a glimpse.

"No one has. But they say she is the most beautiful creature on Earth!"

He doubted that Endymion couldn't imagine a woman prettier than Serena.

Or Beryl! The woman he was here for! Not the one he met on the street! As soon as he was done here, Endymion would race to Beryl and look at her lovely face. But, currently…he struggled to remember what she looked like.

His nerves had him all over the place; Endymion needed to focus. Gently, he pulled away from Serena, shooting her a smile to keep her from knowing. He would distance himself from the woman he only met this morning and focus on the one that had stolen his heart long ago. He could keep an eye on Serena and concentrate on the interview, couldn't he?

It was hard to say since there was no indication of what the interview would be like. Already it was odd, four people seeking the job at once? They had put it up in the square; that was odd in itself. Endymion wished he'd had the forethought to seek out the flyer for himself before coming today. But he was in a rush, going straight from Beryl's to Luna's gates. If he had taken the time, he would have a better idea of what to expect. And he dared not ask now; it would make his resolve look weak, coming unprepared.

Endymion was thinking to himself, not realizing he was staring at Serena the entire time until his sight was blocked. Silas stood before Serena, taking her hand in his when Endymion stormed over.

"If you need assistance for anything today, please do not hesitate to…."

"She has assistance right here," Endymion growled into Silas' ear, standing behind him now.

Silas had turned slowly to face him, a snarl on his lips, when the tiny doors to their left popped and opened. Two women stood just on the other side; one small with odd blue hair and the other shockingly tall with honey brown hair. Their smiles were pleasant enough until they looked at the group in total.

"This is it?!" The Amazonian gawked.

"Lita!" The bluenette whispered harshly, "there will be none if you continue to be so rude!" Then, distancing herself, the brunette stepped towards them with a soft smile. "Hello. I'm Dr. Amy Mizuno. This is Lita Kino, and we'll be conducting the first part of your interview."

"First part?" Almas ground out of his sneer.

"You can thank the last group we allowed in here for this." Lita smirked, "It will be a thorough investigation…."

"Interview! My colleague means interview, not investigation!" Amy tried to fix Lita's slip, but they all heard it.

Endymion wasn't surprised, but Serena looked nervous. "It'll be alright, little rabbit."

She didn't look like she believed him. But there was nothing more he could do to reassure Serena. Save for taking her hand and squeezing it. When Serena squeezed back, Endymion felt it in his chest. He meant to let go as they followed the two women into their future, but he couldn't find it in himself.

So Endymion held onto Serena, regardless of its appearance, as they stepped into a dark and skinny hallway. It smelled strongly of vanilla and potatoes with butter. It'd been a long time since Endymion had butter, but he still remembered. However, the two scents together we're pungent, making his empty stomach turn.

The women leading them said nothing about it, glancing back a few times to gauge reactions until they brought the group to another set of doors. These were bright green like the inside of an aloe plant's leaves. Endymion had one once but used it on his Gre-Gre's skin when she burned it, making bread. Then she was fired for taking too long to heal.

Lita and Amy paused just before opening the doors, overseeing each of them. Then, Lita broke and shoved the doors wide.

Inside…was a paradise.

"Lady and gents, welcome to Luna's garden of Eden. Your first assignment."