Darien sighed as the giggles in the lounge room rose in volume yet again. Thank the Goddess that I'm working at the hospital tonight. I couldn't stand listening to that all night long. He shoved his head under his pillow to try and muffle the noise but the girls' piercing gales of laughter penetrated it as easily as they did his bedroom door. He growled as the noise level rose even further and threw the pillow across his bedroom violently before stalking to his door. Enough is enough! I can't take it anymore!

He wrenched his door open and bellowed, "WILL YOU LOT SHUT UP?!" Sudden silence reigned and Darien sighed in relief, "Thank you."

He turned away and he hadn't even taken one step towards his door when the girls started chattering again. Arrgghhh! He turned again to find all of the girls ignoring him except for one. Bunny was staring at him with her hand covering her mouth and what he presumed to be a grin. What's she finding so funny? He walked over to her and raised an eyebrow at her.

She shrugged at him and smiled, "Calm down Chiba! Lita said that you'll only be here for another hour before you head off to work. Think of it this way, you'll be getting a fix of cheerfulness before you have to help deal with a heap of sick and miserable people. When you get to the hospital you can try and make a few of the patients as happy as we all are and brighten the whole place up!"

"That has got to be the most idiotic piece of nonsense that I've ever heard!" he retorted.

"Oh so look at the bad side of everything!" she snapped at him sharply.

Whoa! What's gotten into her? Darien eyed the blonde teen carefully and observed the signs of misery that he himself was fighting off. What's wrong with the Meatball Head? The only time she's ever down is if she's arguing with me! "What's up Mea... Serena?"

She scowled up at him, "You were going to call me that name again weren't you?"

"Only be accident but you are trying to start a fight. What gives Serena? Usually you're full of energy, even if it is just from a sugar high, right now you look like..."

"You?"

Ouch! "Touché." he said woodenly.

She looked at him for a moment and smiled apologetically, "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have taken my bad mood out on you. I shouldn't have come tonight at all, I'm going to bring everyone down."

"Want to talk about it?" I wonder why Lita and the rest never noticed how bad she's feeling. You'd think that if I caught on that it'd be pretty obvious.

"It's not important."

"Think of it as a way of saving my sanity," he retorted motioning to the giggling girls across from them, "If I don't get away from them soon then I'll go nuts." Besides, the way I feel you're not about to bring me down any further than I am already. He stood and held his hand out to her. "Truce,"

She stared at him for a moment and took his hand, "Truce," she agreed, "I need some air anyway."

He led her out onto the balcony that was the pride of his and Lita's apartment. She sat down with her legs through the bars and hanging over the edge as she leaned her head against a bar and stared of into the distance.

"So," he said, trying to encourage her.

"So," she repeated.

"Why don't you tell me what's bugging you?" he asked.

"You first," she responded.

Huh?

She glanced at him from the side of her eyes, "Don't pretend to be ignorant. You're just as miserable as I am, if not more so. You never would have yelled at everyone if you weren't."

"It's nothing much," he answered uncomfortably.

"That's what I said but you didn't listen did you?"

Should I?

"I won't tell Lita or anyone, if you're worried. If you wanted them to know then they already would but you're going to blow if you don't let out some steam. And look I'm the perfect person, you can rant and rave and not worry about sounding like an idiot because I already think you're a jerk. See no problems about loss of face!" her voice was almost cheerful as she finished and she looked at him slyly again.

Thank you very much Meatball Head. With a friend like you I don't need enemies. Friends, with the Meatball Head, I hadn't realised that that had happened! I think I'm starting to understand why the girls like her so much. Even as an enemy she's a friend... what a strange girl!

"You've got to go to work today," she prodded.

He sighed and leaned back onto his hands as he stared up into the sky, "Like I told you it's nothing major, just people's expectations, responsibilities and an upcoming birthday." I'm twenty-one tomorrow in this lifetime. That makes me forty-eight all up. I'm starting to feel old.

"Birthday blues, I understand, I had a mild case of them myself not too long ago. Responsibilities, them too I get. If you want to avoid them then I'd say you've made a bad career choice." He snorted and she continued, "But expectations? What's expected from you? Who expects anything from you that you aren't already giving?"

Right to the heart of the matter. "Everyone expects something from me. My teachers expect perfect grades and me to be the perfect student, my friends expect me to be perfect even the girls in there expect the impossible of me."

"I think they're all very well aware of the fact that you are not perfect Chiba," she replied dryly.

He grunted in exasperation, "That's not what I mean." No what I mean is that they expect me to save the world. Imperfections and all. "What if I fail them?" Fail the entire world?

"Then you fail," she answered calmly.

He looked at her incredulously, huh?

"Don't you get it? Life is about making mistakes. You make them, you learn from them and you move on. Just make sure you give it your best."

"What if failure costs someone their life? Or a lot of lives?" If I fail then the entire world will die. "I'm going to be a doctor, I will literally have people's lives in my hands." My friends and I are all that stands between Beryl and world conquest. I am the Terran Prince, this entire world is depending on me. "I can't afford to make mistakes."

She shook her head, "Sometimes, no matter what, a patient will die on you. Bad things happen, they are a necessary part of life. Whether it be the loss of a movie ticket or the loss of a life then it all has a purpose. Maybe you finally find the courage to face the world through the part time job you found to buy another ticket. Maybe in your loved one's death you reach into yourself to find strength you never realised you had that will allow you to go on in the face of your loss. Death, failure, setbacks, they're not necessarily bad things, unpleasant maybe but not evil. Evil is destruction for it's own sake. Failure is just an attempt that did not succeed. There are other opportunities."

"Are you saying that deaths, murders, attacks, even those monsters are good things?" he asked skeptically.

"They can become so. Such events are only total losses if you let them be."

"So those monster attacks are good things?" You think that Beryl and her servants are good things?

"No, they're evil but think. There are ten woman and four men that fight them, the Sailor Scouts, Tuxedo Mask and the Guardians of Magic-"

Ten women? I thought there were... Hang on, Guardians of Magic? Does she mean the armoured warriors? That sounds familiar...

"That makes fourteen people who stand between the world and whatever those monsters want to make of it. Can you imagine what it must cost them to do that? To face creatures that would make most people run in terror, to have to find the strength inside of them so that they can keep going out there? Think of it! Sailor Moon might have been some ditzy teen like me, instead she's a super hero that has saved how many lives? Tuxedo Mask might have been some ordinary Joe collecting rubbish, instead he risks his life to ensure that others can have the chance to live in peace! Think of it Chiba! Only through adversity can the true nobility of the human spirit be seen.

"A man that's had every thing he's ever wanted given to him would hardly see the point of reaching for the stars. It would be a long hard journey, requiring much sacrifice and he would have everything he wanted right here. Yet a man who had nothing and wanted more would see the hardships as justifiable for the goal. Such a man might open a hundred new horizons for the rest of the world. To grow we need to struggle and to struggle we need obstacles. You can spend a thousand years in a perfect world were there are no troubles but you won't change.

"Have you ever wondered why Selene and her people would want to escape their prison on the moon? I mean behind that barrier there'd be the perfect society. Peace, prosperity, no death, everything safe but they can't grow. The moon princess spent thousands of years as an eternal child until she saw through the barrier to Earth. There she saw death, despair and misery for the first time and she met those horrors head on and grew up into the woman who gave her life so that her mother could help the Terrans." Bunny finally paused for breath and Darien just stared with his mouth open for a moment.

Wow! It sounds like she's thought about this a lot. She looks so... sure. He stared at her and she began to fidget under his steady regard. Her twitching helped him to dispel some of his awe and he murmured, "Anything else you wanted to add?" in a jesting tone.

She smiled softly and nodded, "Just this, I don't like that there's so much misery in the world, in fact I hate it but would you rather spend you life in a safe cage, going around and around in your little rut? Or would you prefer to meet life's challenges head on and spread your wings to their fullest?"

She had turned and they were staring directly into each other's eyes, the rest of the world forgotten. What she just said, it reminds me of something I read somewhere. Ah! "You mean something like, 'Great tests are great gifts'?"

She grinned at him, "Something like that."

Darien looked away from her and up into the darkening sky where the moon had already made an appearance. Just a few days until the next full moon... I wonder are heroes worth the trouble? Stretch my wings to their fullest and hope that they're wide enough to carry the world. If they aren't then they aren't but it won't be for my lack of trying. He looked back to where Bunny was staring up at the stars. I wish... "Thanks Serena, you have no idea how much you've helped me... now about you?"

She looked at him and giggled, her bad mood vanishing like a shadow under the noon sun, "I think I'm going to take my own advice."

"So my help was unnecessary?" the disappointment in his voice was only partly feigned.

"No Chiba, I needed you so that I could put all of that into words."

"Glad to be of assistance Serena."

"And the first application of it will happen right now!"

Huh?

"Listen up Chiba,"

I haven't done anything and we were going so well too.

"If you ever tell anyone I said this I will deny it categorically and absolutely!"

Oh?

"Is there any chance that you'll ever call me Bunny?"

"No..." he answered, now totally bewildered. What is she leading up to?

"I don't believe I'm about to say this but... if you won't call me Bunny then call me Meatball Head if you have to, just stop calling me Serena!"

What? "What?!!" his voice squeaked to his chagrin.

"Look Chiba, only officials call me Serena. Any one even the slightest bit kindly towards me calls me Bunny and that includes my teachers. Even if you call me Meatball Head then there's a slight hope that one day we might become friends, if I don't kill you for pinning me with such a vile nickname. You've made your opinion on my name abundantly clear but it's my name, I have to wear it and if I can put up with it than you should be able to."

Ahh! And the light dawns! Darien regarded the resigned teen for a moment and then his mouth twisted into a lopsided smile as he thought of a compromise. "OK Meatball Head, I'll stop calling you Serena and I'll even go further. When ever one or more of the girls are around I'll even call you, ugh, Bunny and I reserve the right to use a better nickname if one is found..."

"And the catch is?"

"Stop calling me Chiba, my name is Darien. Every time you call me Chiba I feel as if my boss is about to start lecturing me."

She grinned, "Sure thing Z-"

"Not Zit either!" he interrupted quickly. I think that's covered all of the possibilities.

"That's not fair!" she whined.

He winced at the pitch of her voice and shot back, "You ask me to call you-"

"I did not. I deny doing any such thing!" she interrupted hotly.

"How quickly she forgets? Only a Meatball Head..." he trailed off suggestively.

"And what are you implying Ch... Z... Arrggghhh!" she screamed.

I do believe she's hamming this up! He began to chuckle and saw that the girls inside had finally noticed the pair's absence, prodded by Bunny's scream. What next Meatball Head? Shall we give them a show?

"You are an evil man!" he heard her growl at him.

Evil? Oh I am SO hurt! Not! "How do I fit into your definition of evil Buns?" Perfect, I'm keeping my promise and yet I don't have to use that ridiculous name!

Her eyes sparked again and she snapped, "Buns? Evil for you is annoyance for annoyance's sake! HELP! I'm about to be attacked by Him! He's going to drain my energy by annoying me to death!"

Annoying you to death? What a good idea! "As the victim commands!" he snickered and slowly began to stalk her. She looked at him in confusion for a moment before realising that he was hunting her. Her expression became defiant but as he got another step closer it quickly changed to unease. When he was only a step away he raised his arms as if he were about to attack and she broke down and ran. You're not getting away that easily Meatball Head! He followed her into the living room where she was hiding behind a bemused Lita.

"Guys watch out! It's a good mood leech, a horrible creature that sucks away people's good moods to leave them feeling like they've been slimed!"

Ooh! She is SO asking for it! He stopped in front of Lita who was trying valiantly not to laugh. He drew himself up to his full height, which was only ten centimetres greater than Lita's, and leaned over his foster sister's shoulder. Fear me Meatball Head! You are going to pay!

"Raye!" she squeaked, "He's a demon, you're a priestess, exorcise him!"

Darien looked a Raye with an eyebrow raised and she sighed, "Normally I wouldn't intervene between the two of you, it's amusing," she shrugged defensively, "But don't you have to be at the hospital in twenty minutes?"

Darien looked at his watch and sighed. He rolled his eyes and silently grabbed his jacket of the hook near the door.

"Man Raye, those obedience lessons for evil spirits really seem to pay off, can you teach me?"

Is she implying that the girls have me trained? "Then again I could always call in sick," he began to take his jacket off again, "You have to have your priorities after all!" He glared menacingly at Bunny.

Bunny came out from behind Lita and sighed, ignoring him, "Then again with His sort training never sticks for long, I guess they wouldn't be worth the effort!"

Say what you will Meatball Head but you aren't going to get the last word here! He shrugged himself back into his jacket and opened the door, "What ever you say Buns, but you needed help to save yourself. Therefore I won that one!" He shut the door behind him and whistled all the way down to his car.

***

"-Therefore I won that one!"

Bunny scowled at the door while her friends giggled behind her.

"He's right you know Bunny," Mina advised.

Bunny turned around and snorted, "Only because I started off at a disadvantage."

"How so?" Haruka asked as she dug another handful of chocolate fudge out of the huge bowl. Nick's recipe had been among those Bunny had for Lita, though the one for his cheesecake had not, much to everyone's disappointment. When a sleep over had been organised popular opinion demanded Lita whip up a huge batch of the sweets.

Bunny sighed hugely and threw herself in a chair near to the other blonde, "'Ruka, if you keep pigging out on that stuff you won't be able to fit in your car. Michi'll have to roll you home! As for Him, I made a rash bargain and that's all I'm willing to say on the matter! Can we change the topic, please?"

Lita laughed and the girls planted themselves in a group on the floor and in the lounge chairs once more.

Amy sat opposite Bunny and said, "We were talking about the rumours that Miss H's boyfriend, Robert, finally proposed to her."

"Yeah, I saw her in the street yesterday and she was on cloud nine. She was giggling! Can you believe it?" Lita exclaimed.

"That figures," Bunny muttered in disgust, "He does it now when it's too late to do any good for us. It won't even help her next class too much, by the time school's back in most of her excitement will have worn off... hmm, do you think she'll ask us to be bridesmaids Lita?"

"I don't think that's very likely Bunny," Amy answered in amusement.

"I don't know," Bunny disagreed, "Me'n' Miss H spent a lot of time talking. We're practically sisters!"

"Those talks were probably lectures," Raye snorted, "We've heard horror stories about how much detention you had to do. Lita said that you set a record, you were there for a month, month and a half and you logged the most detention time for the entire year!"

"Real quality time Bunny," Mina laughed.

"Hmph! It's not my fault I was late so often..."

"So whose was it? Darien keep delaying you?" Lita suggested slyly.

"Grow up!" the small blonde snapped before looking thoughtful, "No... it was jet lag, I had to accustom myself to a whole new time zone!" She looked triumphant as she proclaimed it.

Haruka choked on some fudge and Michiru began pounding her on her back. "For a month and a half?" she said incredulously as she aided her love.

Bunny pouted, "So I take a while to adjust, big deal! Besides quality time is quality time!" She looked at their faces and they all burst in to giggles, with the exception of Haruka who was still trying to get her breath back. Bunny calmed down and suddenly a huge grin plastered itself across her face.

Mina saw and sat up straighter, "Oooh Bunny, spit it out! You're gonna bust if you don't tell us!"

"OK first, you all know our new restaurant is opening in two weeks?" she looked around to see the nods, "Well it's going to be a grand, gala event, formal dresses, tuxes, the works! There's a waiting list a mile long already, it's going to be so cool. Nick bought me this gorgeous white dress 'cause I'm going to be his co-host for the evening. It's silk and it goes down to my ankles with spaghetti straps and-"

"We get the idea Meatball Head, what's so important about your dress anyway?" Raye said wearily.

"Raye, you promised," Bunny exclaimed, disappointed.

"Well stop acting like such a Meatball Head and I'll stop calling you one!"

Bunny blew a raspberry at the other girl and continued, ignoring the tongue that had been poked out at her in return, "My dress is important because it might give you ideas for your own."

Seven blank expressions stared at her and she sighed melodramatically. She reached for her jacket that had been thrown over the back of Amy's chair. The genius passed it to her and Bunny rummaged in the pockets to pull out several creamy envelopes. "What I mean," she said brandishing them, "Is that if you're all coming to our opening then you're all going to have to be dressed right!"

"You mean-?" Lita started as she snatched at the envelopes greedily.

Bunny laughed and relinquished them happily, "Uh huh! Two weeks from Friday, starts at six, and if you all accept there's a large table available that will seat all of us."

Lita distributed the envelopes and for a couple of minutes the only sound that could be heard was that of paper rustling.

"Um Bunny..." Haruka started uncertainly as she read over Michiru's shoulder, "Dresses?"

Bunny laughed, "Don't worry 'Ruka, I asked the guys about it, as long as it's formal you're fine. So wear a tux if you'd prefer."

"This calls for a major shopping spree!" Mina squealed.

"All right!" Lita whooped, "Hmm!" she murmured, quietening down, "You've invited Darien and Setsuna as well?"

"It'd hardly be polite not to include them, besides I like Setsuna!"

"Darien?"

"What? I had too!" Bunny scowled and all the girls except Michiru and Haruka burst into giggles. "You lot are a bunch of kookaburras," she muttered darkly.

"A bunch of what?" Michiru asked in surprise.

"Kookaburras, they're Australian birds know for their maniacal cackling," Bunny answered pointedly, "Oh quit it all of you, if I hadn't invited him one of you would just have brought him along as a date. I thought I may as well be gracious about it."

"So we can bring dates?" Mina asked, quickly calming down.

"Yeah if you want. It's just that you and the guys keep missing each other and I wanted to introduce you, let you all get to know each other. It'll be your chance with Nick Lita, I'll be his official date for the evening so if you can corner him there won't be a jealous date to come after you with nails sharpened!"

"I thought you said that he had a girlfriend," Lita recalled in confusion.

"Sort of, he can't seem to track her down and he's kind of depressed about it. You two'll be great friends and I thought that having a pretty girl make a fuss over him, even if it's not serious, would help him feel better... but what ever you do don't tell him I told you about the other girl. The only reason I told you was because I was worried that you really were falling for him and I didn't want you to get hurt. If he knew I told you he'd never talk to me again!"

Lita took pity on Bunny and tried to sooth the worried expression away from her friend's face, "Don't worry Bunny, you haven't really told me anything, just that he's in love with someone else. Not who, how they met, why they parted or anything important or revealing. You have nothing to worry about but if it makes you feel better I promise I won't say a word and neither will anyone else, right?"

A chorus of affirmatives sounded and Bunny expression changed to one of relief, "Thanks guys!"

"Was there something else you wanted to tell us?" Michiru asked.

"Why would you think that?" Bunny tried to look innocent and failed miserably, her excitement radiating itself again.

"I don't know," Mina said lightly to be cut off.

"The fact that you look like a light bulb might have something to do with it!" Raye retorted sardonically.

"You said the restaurant's opening was first, that suggests a second piece of news," Michiru finished with amusement.

Bunny bounced on her chair for a second before her face fell, "I don't know if you'll want to hear this. I mean it's not like it'd be interesting for you," she replied sadly.

Raye smiled encouragingly, "Bunny friends listen to friends, no matter how stupid they might sound. Do you have any idea of how often we've had to listen to Mina go on about the time she modeled for those Sailor V commercials? I mean what's so great about that?"

"What was so great?!!" Mina sputtered, "I didn't just model for her, I was her! If it wasn't for me then there wouldn't have been a Sailor V! The whole comic was based on an idea an artist had after he'd met me! If he hadn't seen me fighting off those bullies then Sailor V would never have existed!"

"Really?" Bunny asked, "Awesome!"

"Don't get her started," Raye commanded looking slyly at the steaming blonde. Mina finally seemed to understand that the violet-eyed girl was goading her and she forced herself to calm down. When Raye realised that the only answer she was going to get was mutters she smiled at Bunny, "Besides if it's important to you then it's important to us... just like Mina's glory as Sailor V!" Mina looked up in surprise and began to beam.

"Come on Bunny, if you don't tell us then that lot are going to start going on about makeovers again and I'll have to eat to dispel my boredom," Haruka held up the nearly empty bowl of fudge and said pleadingly, "You don't want to be responsible for ending my career as a racer when I can't fit into my car because you didn't help me!"

Bunny laughed and her excitement returned. She almost glowed with joy and for a minute Raye's psychic senses reeled at the energy the girl radiated. She shook her dizziness off and dismissed the incident, she had been aware of the small blonde's light since they'd first been introduced. With a nature like that the priestess was not at all surprised that the girl would want to share her joy with everyone. Even if the girl's strength had suddenly seemed to surpass that of a Scout, it had only been for an instant and could be explained away if the news was as momentous as she thought.

"Well..." Bunny began, unsuccessfully trying to sit still, "Kevin and Zoe have been dating for exactly eighteen years, one month and two days today..."

"So exact Bunny?" Amy asked with a note of approval in her voice.

Bunny shrugged dismissively, "They started dating on the same day as I was born, even though they met a few weeks before. Until then they sort of danced around each other, neither of them admitting that they liked each other as more than friends."

Suddenly Mina's face lit up, "Oh I bet I know!" she squealed.

Bunny grinned at her, "If you're thinking that on the same night as our picnic a week ago, Kevin got down on his knee, in front of all of us, and asked Zoe to marry him. If you're thinking that Zoe waited exactly a third of a second before screaming yes then... You're right!" Bunny watched as grins grew on the other girls' faces and dismissed the memory of the circumstances of the historical proposal. She and Jase had arrived back at their house to find Zoe coughing up blood, her injury more serious than she'd thought. She'd snapped a rib and only her armour had been holding it in place. As soon as she'd changed out of it the broken rib had pierced a lung. Bunny had been able to heal it but not before Kevin had been given a huge scare.

"I knew it! I knew it!" Mina shouted before asking more quietly, "And the ring?"

"Well they haven't actually got the ring yet, Kevin's having it custom made," Bunny explained shaking off a feeling of foreboding.

"Well spill!" Lita demanded.

Bunny grinned again and complied, "The band is going to be gold, silver and bronze strands twisted around each other and Nick and Jase helped Kevin find this absolutely amazing diamond. It's not huge, but neither Kevin nor Zoe are ones for ostentation, instead it's perfect. The quality is absolutely amazing and it's going to be set in the ring and surrounded by kunzites and zoisites." The other girls paled for a second and Bunny frowned at them, "What's wrong with that?"

"Nothing," Amy assured her, "But why those stones? They're not the typical gems used for engagement rings."

"Those are their favourites. Besides we're not talking about a typical couple here. We're talking about a man that that knows everything there is to know about security. He could probably break into a bank, steal all of the money and the bank wouldn't know about it for a month. Kevin is unbeatable and Zoe, well she's a woman who could make a super computer as easily as she makes as pendant, which is to say it's a snap!" and she clicked her fingers for emphasis, "After eighteen years I think they can have an engagement ring that looks like anything they want it to!"

"Works for me," Lita said.

Mina looked thoughtful before saying dreamily, "I used to have a boyfriend who liked kunzites!"

Everyone blanched and Raye and Lita groaned. Bunny was about to ask why when suddenly her skin felt like it was covered in unbearable guk, causing it to creep uncontrollably and her stomach began to rebel against the food she had eaten. She gasped and wrapped her hands around her abdomen and curled into her chair with a groan. While her friends gathered around her in concern she felt the links in her mind come alive and send her strength. She looked up at the other girls and mutter, "It's nothing-"

"It wasn't my food was it?" Lita begged, horrified at the thought.

"If it was it's because it's too good. I ate too much," the blonde lied with a weak smile. A thought in her head that didn't originate with her own mind commented that it wasn't a lie and Bunny felt another presence suppress the first.

"I'm fine," she assured them, "Just give me a moment and I'll finish off the rest of the fudge to prove it!"

"Too late," Haruka joked softly, "Michi finished the last of it,"

"Not by myself," the other girl retorted.

"I'll be fine," Bunny repeated, "Just give me a couple of minutes, OK?" Her friends backed off dubiously as she closed her eyes and began to breathe deeply. She shoved their concerns out of her mind and focused her concentration inwards.

*Guys? Are you here?* Four affirmatives reached her, overlaid with concern. *I'm fine, and I think what ever is coming is going to show up about ten, fifteen kilometres northwest of you, I'm sorry but I can't be any more accurate.* Reassurance and gratitude radiated from her links to the Earth Guard and one link vibrated with a cocky assurety. *Don't get smug Jase... Do you want me to come?* Negatives and a suggestive image of her and Darien. *Get a life Jase... I'm glad we worked on our links.* All of the bonds emitted pride but two were mixed with ambition. *Don't tell me Kev, you and Zoe want me to work on full-blown telepathy?* Affirmatives and humour reached her as her friends' presences retreated to deal with the threat. *Be careful*

She opened her eyes and winked at the worried Hotaru who was watching her, "Don't worry Hota, all better now." She sat up and smiled at the others, "See? Nothing permanent. It's just once in a very long while every thing I eat catches up with me."

"So the bottomless pit does have an end?" Raye remarked but without her usual sharpness.

Bunny poked her tongue out and Raye retaliated. Neither of them noticed when Amy started and frowned. Mina did see and she motioned Amy into the kitchen.

"What's up?" she said as soon as they'd closed the door behind them.

Amy gestured and the Mercury minicomputer appeared in hands. She opened it up and read the display, "There's an attack, it's in the business section of Tokyo... and there are already four power sources combating the shadows."

"Those armoured warriors?" Mina asked intently.

Amy tapped at the keyboard for a coupe of minutes and nodded, "They're already taking a toll on the Dark Kingdom forces."

"Are we needed?"

"I don't believe so..." Amy trailed off as she begun to perform some more calculations.

Mina cocked her had thoughtfully and nodded decisively, "We'll wait but you'd better work out some excuses for Bunny in case we have to leave."

"Maybe we can send Haruka and Michiru out for snacks or something as a cover," Amy suggested.

"Let's do that then-"

"BUNNY!" Lita's voice echoed into the kitchen. Amy and Mina looked at each other in confusion and at the same time Amy's computer began to beep frantically. Mina rushed out into the lounge while Amy remained to investigate.

When Mina saw Bunny she stopped, dead, in her tracks. The girl's face was a chalky white and even from where she was Mina could see the goose bumps that were raised all over the girl. Lita and Haruka were supporting her and she seemed to be trying to control some mild convulsions. Suddenly she stiffened and a moment later a beeping noise came from the corner of the room. Bunny broke away from the two girls and scrambled in the direction the noise was coming from. They saw that her overnight bag had been shoved behind a plant and she dragged it out and hurriedly began rummaging through it.

Behind Mina Amy exited the kitchen and moved to her leader's side. "Three more attacks, the first one has been neutralised but I think those warriors are going to need help to deal with the others."

Mina nodded in understanding and wondered how they were going to explain why the sleep over was cancelled to Bunny. She saw Raye motioning to her and crossed to where the priestess was standing. As she moved she signed to the others to get ready to fight.

"I think Bunny might be slightly psychic," Raye murmured as soon as Mina was beside her. At Mina's raised eyebrow she explained, "She's got more energy than I first thought and she got edgy just before Amy registered the first attack. Also she jumped before her phone rang."

Mina followed Raye's pointed glance and saw Bunny's face paling further and her eyes fill with tears as she listened to the device she'd retrieved from her bag. "You're point is?"

"Nothing much just that she seems to be able to sense attacks before they happen. In the future we should keep a closer eye on her because that's better than what we can do."

Mina nodded but her mind was only half on the other Scout's suggestion, the other half was on the friend speaking into her mobile phone. Bunny's distress was all too evident and Mina fretted about what could have happened.

Bunny lowered her voice further so that the girls couldn't hear her, "Are you sure you don't want me to come?"

The static on the phone informed her without words that her friend was using his helmet communicator, "No Angel, just get to Juuban General. I've told the doctors that he told me about you. Angel," Nephrite's voice was dark with worry, "He's badly hurt, you've got to get in to see him. You could be his only hope."

"I'll be there as soon as possible," she promised.

"Thank you Angel, the rest of us will join you as soon as we've dealt with Beryl and her scum. That treacherous bitch will pay for this and then we'll deal with Metallia!" the signal cut out and Bunny cradled the phone in hands for a couple of seconds more.

"Be careful," she whispered softly before resolutely folding the phone.

She stood and strode to where her jacket lay on the floor near the chair she'd just vacated. As she thrust herself into it she dashed tears out of her eyes. She didn't have time for that, every moment she wasted was a moment Jason Ice, aka Jadeite, grew closer to death. The link to him in her mind was already frighteningly faint.

"What's up Bunny?" Lita said, urgency to be gone and fighting warring with her concern for her friend.

"Jase's been hurt, it was one of those monster attacks, he's at Juuban General. I've gotta go, I'm sorry..."

"Jase?" Amy looked horrified, she and Lita knew better than any of the others how close Bunny was to her guardians, especially Jase, "Will he be all right?"

"Bunny was rushing to the door, phone still in hand, "I don't know," she answered as she opened it, "He's in surgery and... it's bad" her voice dropped off to a whisper.

"Wait!" Mina barked as Bunny was about to run out the door, the smaller blonde turned back angrily and Mina explained, "Haruka will give you a lift. She drives race cars and has the devil's own luck so you won't be caught by any police." Haruka grabbed her keys from bench and strode towards Bunny.

"Come on Bunny, I'll get you there before you blink," the taller girl said confidently.

Bunny looked at her seriously, "If you can do that, I'll be so grateful that I'll even let you call me Meatball Head!"

The tomboy locked eyes with Bunny and though her mouth was smiling her eyes were serious, "Deal." and the door slammed closed behind them.

***

Bunny paced in the waiting room her fear and anguish building as she waited for news of Jase's condition. She'd arrived almost half an hour ago to find Jase in surgery and no one able to tell her anything about his condition. The wait had only made things worse, Bunny could still feel her friend and teacher fading. Her link to him telling her that he was weakening but until she could get close to him she could not do anything. She needed to touch him to heal him.

Suddenly she stopped her pacing and shuddered as her link began to flicker in and out of existence. She staggered to a nearby chair and collapsed, furiously turning her attention inwards. She found the bond between herself and her guardian and gathered her own strength to stabilise it. *Jase? Jason Ice? Jadeite?* There was no rush of emotion to answer her, no indication that her friend had even heard her. She reached along the bond, gradually easing her consciousness out of her own mind and into his.

Mentally she blinked and then she found herself in the middle of a great nothingness. She moved and saw that she seemed to be in her own body or something very similar dressed in a long white slip. As she mantled the huge white wings on her back she finally understood how her friends saw her.

"You shouldn't be here Serenity," she whirled and behind her she saw Jason or rather Jadeite, garbed in the uniform of the Earth Guard and the only expression on his face was one of faint regret.

"Serenity, Jade? What happened to Angel?" she asked softly.

"You shouldn't be here," he repeated.

"Why not?" she challenged him.

"I'm dying, if you're in here when my heart stops beating then I don't know if you'll be able to get back to your own body."

"You're not going to die," she denied.

"You cannot prevent it Serenity," he stated calmly, only a trace of sadness obvious.

"The only way for you to die is for you to give up," she shouted in anger, "Don't you dare! You promised that you'd always be here for me!"

"My sword broke when I fought for Beryl. My word is worthless."

"You didn't swear to me by your sword remember? You said my mother wouldn't accept it, she told you that iron rusts remember and you swore by moonlight, by silver instead!"

"Silver tarnishes," he replied, a hint of irritability in his voice.

"Not that of my people. We are the Moon, we die and yet we always return. Our silver is eternal, my silver is eternal. Do you hear me Jadeite, ward of the Phoenix? I may be only a shadow of what I once was but I am still and will always be Serenity, Princess of the Moon and heir to Selene. I am the Moon and you swore to me by my light. As long as I live your oath will hold so accept it because I'm not letting you go!" and she stamped her foot in emphasis. He looked at her, his eyes mildly bewildered. "Don't you get it?" she shouted in exasperation, "You are mine!"

Following an impulse she couldn't name, she stepped forward, grabbed two fistfuls of his hair and pulled his head down to hers. She kissed him, not the innocent pecks she'd been giving for as long as she could remember but one which proved to him that what ever else she might be she was a woman. For a moment he didn't respond and then his lips opened under hers and his arms pulled her to him demandingly. For an eternity they knew only each other and then, by mutual consent, they broke apart. He held her tightly and they stared into each other's eyes, leafy green meeting crystal blue, and Bunny shivered at what she saw reflected in his gaze.

He closed his eyes for a moment and then opened them again, smiling ruefully. "You're not ready for this Angel, you may never be ready for this."

"But..." she trailed off in disappointment but also in relief.

He understood and smiled. "I'll always be here, always. I promise and if you want I'll promise you the same thing everyday for the rest of your life. You have things you have to do, maybe one day but even if that day never comes Angel, I'll always be at your side."

She allowed herself to be reassured and then she gasped in surprise. The pair were no longer surrounded by nothingness. Instead brilliant flames played around them and she watched, breath taken. The inferno caused no fear, within the circle of Jadeite's arms she saw only the light, the tongues of fire held no danger for her they only danced for her enjoyment. Suddenly she exhaled in delight as a brilliant bird streamed in and out of the fires, soon it was joined by a dozen more and together they watched and listened in exaltation to the birds as they began the glorious song of the Phoenix.

After an unknown time the birds began to disappear and Jadeite drew her gaze back to him. He leant down and kissed her again, lightly grazing his lips across her own. It was an innocent kiss yet it rocked her to the foundation of her being, reminding her of what might one day be.

"It's time for you to go," he murmured into her hair as he held her closer to him.

"But what about you?" she questioned anxiously.

"I'll be here," he answered calmly

"I'll heal you," she promised.

"I'll hold you to that," he laughed.

"Hmph! You just don't want to eat several weeks worth of hospital food!" she replied, reverting to their old mannerisms

"Would you?" he retorted following suit.

"When I could have Nick's cooking? Do I look like I'm stupid?" he began to grin and she added hastily, "Don't answer that!" Jadeite began to laugh and even as she frowned at him she began to fade from his arms. "What's happening?" she exclaimed.

"It's time for you to return to your own body," he answered her stroking her cheek tenderly. "Don't worry," he said to ease her apprehension, "Nothing has gone wrong and you've done something that not even your royal mother would have thought you could do. You shouldn't have been able to do this, not as a human."

"Desperate times call for desperate measures," she replied only half jokingly.

"I understand now," he said, staring at her intently, "I understand what you are to me and to the Guard and to this planet. I understand what your mother meant when she said that as long as your light shone we would be free. You are meant for great things and you will accomplish amazing tasks, overcome impossible odds and perform wondrous deeds. Metallia and this ShadowWar is just a beginning for you. There are things you have to do," he repeated himself, "But I can wait. Until then it might be best if you forget everything. Remember my promise but forget this until you are ready for it." His voice echoed and his arms disappeared from around her as the world went black.

***

"Meatball Head, hey Meatball Head!"

Bunny opened her eyes when the annoying voice refused to leave her in peace. Darien's concerned face was inches from her own and she was startled at how blue his eyes seemed. Suddenly she remembered her purpose in being there and as she sat up she felt in her mind. She found her link to Jason almost immediately and was reassured when, despite the weakness, the link pulsed steadily. A wisp of what must have been a dream came back to her and though she tried she could recall no more than Jason's promise that he would never leave her.

"Hey Meatball Head, have you finished spacing out yet?"

"Huh?"

Darien sat down on the chair next to her and waited patiently as she gathered her wits. She blinked a couple of times and shook her head before turning to face him.

"What are you doing here?" she asked, still slightly mazed.

"I could ask you the same question," he responded.

"I asked first," she shot back.

"I work here," he surrendered, "Now you? Why aren't you at the slumber party?"

She glanced at the door which led to the operating rooms and back to him, "Jase was brought in a while back, the doctors are working on him now."

Darien's expression changed to one of concern, "How long ago?"

"I don't know, about a half an hour after you left, how long ago was that?"

"About an hour then. What happened?"

Her eyes moved back to the door and she shrugged, "He was caught in one of those youma attacks."

"Do you know... what's up?" Suddenly she had jumped to her feet and whirled to face the door. In her mind she felt the physical proximity to Jase changing and she guessed that the doctors had finished. Sure enough seconds later the door opened and a man in blue scrubs stepped through. He looked around the waiting room, when he saw Bunny he started towards her.

"Are you Serena Tsukino? The ward of Jason Ice?" he asked.

She nodded, "Yes I am, is he OK? Can I see him?"

He smiled slightly, "He's still seriously injured and up until a half an hour ago I would have sworn that he wouldn't have made it. How ever he rallied and now he has stabilised. If you would follow me, I'll take you to him."

"Thank you," she turned to Darien, "I'll see you later." Then she followed the doctor to the critical care unit.

The doctor opened the door for her and she saw a very battered and bruised form lying still on one of the room's two beds. The other was empty. Bunny took a step inside but before the doctor could leave she turned back to him, "Are you only allowing close relatives in?"

The doctor nodded, "For someone in his condition that's our policy, why?"

"It's just that he has no blood relatives but his step brother, Kevin Ice, Kevin's fiancée, Zoe Rostek and our house mate, Nick Cook are the next best thing."

"We can't-"

"They all share co-guardianship of me and they've been living together for fifteen of the twenty years they've all been friends. If they aren't family then I don't know what is."

The doctor nodded, "I'll tell the nurses to let them in, they've all been informed?"

Bunny nodded, "They'll be here as soon as they can."

The doctor nodded again and then smiled reassuringly, "OK Miss Tsukino, now if he wakes up notify the nurse's station immediately." He quietly retreated and closed the door behind him. Bunny turned back to the abused body of her friend and pulled a chair over so that she could sit next to the bed. Taking her place she gently picked up his hand and held it to her forehead. Up until then Zoe's broken rib and punctured lung had been the most serious injury she'd ever healed and she had exhausted herself doing so. Jason had promised that he would never leave her, she couldn't remember exactly when he had done so but she knew he had. She knew he would keep that promise if he could and he would need her help to do so. She sent her senses into his bloodstream, using their clasped hands as a conduit as she began the healing.

***

Darien walked down the corridor quietly as he finished his rounds. Everything had been routine for which he was grateful, he hadn't been able to get Bunny or her troubles out of his head. John took her to him three hours ago and there's been no news since. He said he looked in on them every time he went past and she never moved. She just stayed there sitting by his bed and holding his hand. Where are her other guardians? John said that she'd told him that they were coming but hadn't gotten there yet. She shouldn't be there alone. Low murmurs reached him and he looked around to realise that he'd wandered into the critical care ward.

Since I'm here I may as well look in on them. He found the door to the room he was looking for slightly ajar and murmurs coming from within. He cautiously looked in to see the backs of two men, one of whom was moving the spare hospital bed and the other was holding a small blonde form. What the...?

"Are you sure we should be doing this?" the taller of the men asked as he gave the spare bed a final nudge.

"Well she's not about to let him go." At those words Darien noticed that one of the hands of the form in the shorter man's arms was holding on to one of the patient's hands.

"That's not necessarily a bad thing, she's probably the only reason he's held on this long," the taller man commented as his friend placed the girl on the spare bed.

"I'm not complaining I assure you!" the second man responded, "I'm very well aware that we owe her my brother's life, but if we left her in the position we found her in she'd've had a sore neck for a week."

"Somehow I don't think the staff here will agree with our reasoning. I'm pretty sure they'd refuse our borrowing a bed."

Smart man!

"Then let them take it up with me!" the shorter man snorted quietly.

His friend chuckled softly, "A man who's backed down two colonels and a general in the last three months alone. Overkill don't you think."

"Doctors are tougher than soldiers, I thought you knew that!"

Brains as well as brawn, I presume they are Kevin and Nick, two more of Buns' guardians. They got here at last, it's about time! Darien stepped back and closed the door carefully before walking to the exit. Just as he reached the door a woman with light brown hair done up in a messy bun walked through. Darien's gaze slid over her without a thought as she passed him until a sudden sense of recognition hit him. He stopped and turned around to examine her more closely and found her doing the same thing to him. I know her, I'm sure of it. But from where?

"I'm sorry," he said, "But do we know each other?"

She frowned at him and bit her lip for a moment before a soft smile formed on her face, "I believe we do."

I knew it but from where? "From where if you don't mind my asking?"

She looked around the hall and replied, "I think the last time I saw you was in here actually, this same ward, though I believe they've remodeled a bit since I was here last."

"I don't understand, why don't I remember you?"

"Well you were only about five or six, I'm not surprised."

That long ago?

She smiled again when he still couldn't recall her, "You were a patient I think, you had a bandage on your head at any rate and I was with a little blonde girl-"

"The angel!" he exclaimed, "I remember now, you came and got the angel who gave me the roses!" I can't believe it! After all these years and she doesn't look a day older either. I bet Mina would love to know her secret.

"I believe I also told you that you'd meet again, if you're here then that's almost guaranteed."

"She's here?" I don't remember seeing anyone that could have been that girl. Then again a lot can change in fifteen years, she could have become a blimp or something. I can't believe it though.

"If you have the time I would love to reintroduce you..." she trailed of thoughtfully.

"I'd love that," It'd be great, I've always wanted to thank that girl... time? "Oh I'm sorry, I'm supposed to be working at the moment. Maybe another time?" Please say yes.

"Anytime, it looks like I'll be around here for a while,"

"Not anything serious I hope?" The angel's OK right?

"Not anymore," the woman answered in obvious relief, "I'm here for a friend and it looks like he'll be fine after a lot of rest."

"I pleased for you... I'd better get going I guess," What more can I say? "Oh would you be able to give something to the angel for me since I get meet her myself?"

"I'd be happy to," she answered, smiling again.

He grinned and winked at her, better make this look good! "See nothing up my sleeves?" he shook his sleeves out for her and then gestured grandly, "Ta da!" a brilliant red rose appeared in his fingers and he presented it to her. She accepted it with a strangely excited expression and he shrugged embarrassed, "It's not much, I kind of owe her a couple. I'll repay her for the others later."

"I'll make sure she holds you to that," the woman informed him, "I'll pass it on, have a good night."

"You too," he replied before opening the door and leaving. Strange, I wouldn't have thought that she made such an impression on me. Whenever I recall the day Dad died I only remembered the girl never her mother. Is she her mother I wonder? It feels like I knew her from somewhere other than a two-minute meeting when I was a kid. I can't, for the life of me, think where though. Ah well, it'll come to me eventually.

I guess I'd better get the rest of my duties finished with so I can head home and see how the Scouts went. They would have called me if I was needed but I still want an account of the battle. Besides maybe one of them could tell me what happened with the Meatball Head, she wasn't very forthcoming.

***

"Angel's draining herself," Kevin muttered in disgust as he pried the girl's fingers away from his brother's.

"Of course she is, she'd do anything to save one of us," Nick replied dryly.

"He's out of the woods now so it's not necessary," Kevin retorted.

"He'll still be in pain when he wakes up," Zoe said as she twirled a rose between her fingers.

"He'll be in pain for the next couple of weeks and he deserves it too after pulling such a stupid stunt," Kevin snapped.

"Angel did warn him not to get cocky," Nick remembered.

"Hmph! He's lucky that it was Beryl's copy and not me who got him!" Kevin growled, "The clone would just have killed him, I'd have done worse!"

"He's going to be OK though?" Zoe asked.

Kevin touched two of the fingers on his right hand to the unconscious man's forehead, "Yeah, he's going to be fine, his energy's steady so he's completely out of danger. It'll take Angel about a week of visits to heal him up to the stage that they'll let him go though."

"So he's going to be stuck here for a week?" Nick questioned.

Kevin nodded and turned to his friend, "And you're not to smuggle him food either. He's the one who decided to play daredevil, he can live with the consequences."

"A week of hospital food, that's cruel," Zoe chuckled

Nick began to snigger with appreciation, "That's hitting him where he lives, his stomach!"

"I should do worse but if nearly dying doesn't teach him then nothing I do will."

"You know it wasn't really his fault, just bad luck. It could have happened to any of us," Zoe hugged her fiancée from behind and rested her chin on his shoulder.

He leaned back into the embrace and sighed, "I know, but we came close to losing him. I don't know what the Angel did but she pulled off a miracle. We all felt him dying before she brought him back to us."

"I know," she murmured softly and Nick nodded in agreement.

Kevin inhaled deeply and then let the breath out in a heavy gust, "Why don't you two take the Angel home and I'll stay with the idiot."

"Are you sure?" Nick asked, "One of us would be happy to stay with you."

Kevin shook his head as he pulled Zoe to the front of him and hugged her, "Nah, he's not going to wake for a couple of hours yet. I'll sack out on the chair there until then. After that he'll probably be out of it until after lunch-"

"He's not a morning person," Zoe agreed.

Kevin chuckled, "The Angel's going to sleep for almost as long,"

"She's not a morning person either," Nick commented.

"After tonight we can forgive her one lazy morning. I'll be back around breakfast and we can visit the cemetery early."

"What about Angel?"

"I don't think she's going to want us with her tomorrow. Can you unpack the stuff for her Zoe? I think she's going to want to mourn her parents alone tomorrow. The most we can do is have everything ready for her."

"It's after midnight now, she's been in our care fifteen years exactly," Nick noted sadly as he looked at the sleeping girl.

"Ilene and Ken would be proud of her," Zoe commented.

Kevin kissed her head and released her, "We all are and with good reason, now the pair of you had better be off."

Nick nodded and carefully gathered the sleeping teen into his arms, "She's so light, sometimes I forget how small she is," he whispered softly.

Zoe moved and opened the door so that Nick could leave. As she did so Kevin noticed he rose again.

"What's that?" he asked jokingly, "I have competition?"

"Heh!" she winked at him, "No it's for the Angel actually. Endymion asked me to give it to her." She laughed at Kevin's astonishment, "We met in the corridor, he recognised me though I passed it off for when he saw me get Angel the last time we were in this hospital all those years ago. It's a good thing that Endymion never saw me dressed as a female in our last lives or he would have remembered. Anyway he works here so we should be able to track him down again, especially since we're going to be spending a lot of time here for the next week or so."

"I'm so glad you hurried to tell me," he replied dryly.

"There was no great rush," she retorted.

He rolled his eyes at her and sighed as if much put upon, "Good night Zoe."

"'Night Love."

***

Darien closed and locked the front door behind him. It was after three o'clock in the morning and he'd finally finished his shift at the hospital. I'm glad I have the next few days totally off. If it's this bad now it's going to be even worse when I become a doctor. The TV was still going in the lounge room and when he entered Darien saw that the Scouts were sleeping peacefully, with the exceptions of Amy, Mina and Raye who were wearily watching the screen. As he entered the room he saw Setsuna open her eyes to regard him, her sudden awareness alerting the others. Setsuna? The attacks must have been serious.

"What happened?" he asked.

"Briefly?" Mina asked and he nodded in relief.

I'm too tired for a full report right now. We might try that in the morning.

"There were four attacks in total and we were involved in three. All four were met and matched with minor injuries, nothing serious, that Amy saw to," she paused and Amy nodded before Mina continued again, "Three of the armoured warriors fought with us, Dragon, Unicorn and Gryphon. We didn't see a thing of Phoenix or Sailor Moon."

"Phoenix was involved in the first attack," Amy commented.

"By the time we showed up he had disappeared," Mina explained.

"Other than that the only other thing of note is Bunny," Raye added.

"Oh I already know about her guardian being hurt." Not enough but I doubt you know much more.

"You do, how?" Mina asked eagerly.

"Haruka dropped her off at Juuban General remember?" Amy interrupted, "How is he Darien?"

"If he makes it through the night he'll be fine."

"And Bunny?"

"John Carlyle was the doctor who worked on her guardian and he checked in on her a couple of times to find her sitting with him. When I went past she was asleep and there were two other men in there with her putting her into the spare bed."

"Two other men?" Mina sounded worried.

Geez Mina! Have some faith! I wouldn't have left her with anyone I thought might be dangerous. "Both of them were fairly tall, one with pale hair in a ponytail, the other with dark hair in a braid. They were both very familiar with her as well as concerned and the shorter one with the pale hair referred to... Jase right? as his brother. I guessed them to be-"

"Kevin and Nick," Raye finished, "Well I'm glad to know she's OK but that's not what we wanted to tell you. What we had been going to say was that we think Bunny is slightly psychic."

The Meatball Head? "What?"

"She's a low level clairvoyant. I've noticed her reacting before things happen a couple of times and I'm pretty sure she's able to sense attacks before they happen. It think they make her nauseous," Raye clarified.

"Is she-" Surely she's not one of Beryl's pawns.

"Oh no!" Raye reassured him, "She's like a lesser version of Sailor Moon. She practically radiates positive energy just on a lower wattage. I'm not sure if she even realises what she's doing."

"Setsuna? Is there anything you can tell us?" What does it mean that she's here at this time?

The eldest Scout shrugged, "I'm afraid I can't help you Highness. Ever since the first attack the Gates of Time have been barred to all, including myself. The future is still resolving itself and I'm as clueless as the rest of you. If it helps, I don't think she's a danger to us. I've met her and I like her, although I get the strangest sense of recognition whenever I'm around her."

"Darien, there's nothing to worry about, it's just that if she is it clears a couple of things up for us," Mina informed him.

"Like what?"

"It would explain why we have all found it so easy to associate with her," Amy began, "Normally we would all find it difficult to relate to a non-Scout, yourself excepted of course."

"You know what she means Dare, all of us find it hard to get on with most people because they're not on our wavelength. Don't you wonder why you get along so well with Andrew?" Raye interrupted.

"Not particularly." Where is this leading?

"Andrew is slightly empathic. As with Bunny the talent is minor but it is great enough to make their mind sets more compatible with our own," Amy finished.

"Basically they can sort of sense our limits and so they know when to stop pushing us. That means they don't make us uncomfortable with questions we can't answer and we get along better. How many people do you know who could watch us dash off in the middle of a conversation and come back an hour later with out demanding an explanation? Bunny or Andrew'd probably be dying to know what's up but they don't demand answers."

"No they just bug us to death." OK Andrew, I finally understand why I put up with you're teasing when if it were anyone else I would have bailed.

"Bunny's not that bad Darien," Mina scolded.

"I wasn't thinking of her but it applies equally well." Though she's gotten better lately. fighting with her is almost fun...what am I thinking? I need to get some sleep, I'm becoming delirious.

"What ever you say Dare," Mina replied with a knowing smile.

What are you doing? Reading my mind? Get out! I'm tired and I'm not thinking straight, it's unfair to get me when I'm vulnerable!

"Anyway the more important thing is that if Bunny can sense attacks before they happen, before even Amy's computer can then you should watch her when you're with her. If she starts acting weird then you'd better get ready to fight, just in case," Raye continued.

"Fine." Just one little thing though. "How do you tell if she's acting weird?"

Four sets of eyes regarded him levelly.

"I'll take it that that's a serious question Darien and not another crack at Bunny's expense," Mina answered.

"Today she had goose bumps and got nauseous, she went really pale and looked as if she were about to faint," Raye recalled, "She seemed to in pain but that might be because I think she sensed Jase's injury."

"Are you sure? Wouldn't she have told you if she could do things like this?" Darien asked skeptically.

"I've told her I'm a priestess and yet she doesn't know I can read fire. She doesn't know that Lita can gather static electricity, Haruka can whistle up wind or Michiru and Amy can dowse for water. Those are only minor talents, nothing that would reveal us as Sailor Scouts and yet we keep them secret. What's she supposed to tell us? That she's telepathic and knows when her family or friends are hurt? I don't blame her for hiding it, it would sound impossible to me if I wasn't what I am," Raye responded.

"One last doubt." At least for tonight, it is way too late. "Why can she sense attacks and you can't?"

"Ah an intelligent question at last Dare! It proves that senility hasn't set in with your advanced age yet!"

What? Oh, thanks Raye. What a way to say happy birthday. Just wait until your next one. "Just get on with it Raye."

"Hmph! I can sense evil and I can sense trouble but Shadows totally get me. It might require a special sense which she has. I don't know Darien, besides it's too late to speculate, ask again in the morning, I want to get some sleep."

The other three Scouts agreed and Darien headed for his bedroom.

"Hey Dare!" Raye said.

He turned and looked at her tiredly.

"Happy birthday!" she finished, blinking wearily but smiling gently.