Blast Frome the Past 4

Don't stray
Don't ever go away
I should me much too smart for this
You know it gets the better of me
Some times when you and I collide
Or fall into an ocean of you
You pull me out to the sand
Let me drown
Let me down
I'll say its all because of you

"Sway"
Bio Runga

A Blast From The Past ---4
Revelations

By: Serenity Star

Freddy looked out his window, starring out at the endless night skies once more. It seemed to him that it was all he did since his return to the Tokyo Area. His sources had told him that, SHE had moved here, so he stood there wondering where in this huge mass of concrete and glass did his angel reside. Her sparkling green eyes, on whom did they shine. Who shared her musical laughter. Who remembered her cat like grace. In whose dreams did she live? But most of all with who did she share her tender kisses? This last thought filled him with a jealous rage so unexpected, it was startling.
Fredrick Maxfield Stanton looked down to his hands, hands that had held the beauty of the stars. He idly wondered how he could have broken her heart the way he did. Then he remembered the cause; Those damm dreams! His visions of evil, of darkness chasing him, the oily liquid that smelled of garbage and dead blood, consuming him, strangling him, eating him. Later had come the visions of him serving the red headed monster. Him chasing angles to kill and slaughter. And he remembered his angle, the deep fear of her dying at his hands like all those others of him dreams.
So he had called her, his mind protesting, shouting, yelling, dragging, screaming. He heard the joy in her voice at hearing his voice and he died. Later at the gazebo, the rain fell, and he could have sworn they were the tears of the angels above and the dark skies were the mourning stars. He had told her then of his wishes, keeping the cause a secret. "Sorry Lita, I can't see you anymore. I just don't love you anymore."
Her tears were burning lava falling and destroying his soul. The fall of her umbrella and the consequent thud it made, was the sound of his world ending. So he had ran home, through the darkness of the mourning stars, his own tears joining those puddles on the ground.
Then had followed the darkness... He remembered nothing of the months following his breakup. According to most he had disappeared. The psychological examination reveled nothing, no reason why he bought an old cathedral, why he would buy a red Ferrari, why he was seen in Tokyo, London, San Francisco, new York or even Paris. And in that state he had met his best friend Jake.
Now he knew of at least three people who had suffered the same case of amnesia. Jake, his brother Michael, Zach, and himself. All three knew they were gone for the same period of time, had the same dreams, and been involved in mysterious purchases. Thinking this Freddy thanked the lucky stars above Lita wasn't around. But that still didn't make the pain of her departure any less.
Out of this odd ordeal he had come out with three best friends. The three who had taken it up as their duty to help him reunite with he heart's true love. And with the thoughts of Lita on his mind he returned back inside his house.

"So Rei, are you going to see him again?" Mina asked curiously, a sparkle in her eyes.
"Mina no baka. I just finished telling all of you I slapped the guy and left him, what kind of question is that?"
"But you like him don't you? Don't you? Admit it, come on, you can do it." Mina cajoled, but ducking quickly before the pillow directed towards her head hit her.
"So you want to play truth or Dare do you? Alright then, how about you Mina, any new guys in your life?" Rei asked pointing a finger in the blonde girls'' face, who immediately proceeded to blush.
"NO!" Mina said a little too fast. "Besides I never agreed to play!"
Lita who had been silent all this time now decided to join. "Why Mina… are you chicken?"
"I am not a chicken, Lita, but if you want to play then answer this. Truth or Dare?"
"Dare!"
Mina smiled, Lita was going to regret this big time. Serena and Darien may have just started a new adventure but deep down she felt as if they had just embarked on one themselves. "Very well Lita. Dare it is." The other girls giggled, getting into the game themselves. "I dare you to call up your ex boyfriend and ask him out on a date."
Lita's face fell. Freddy! Oh God no! she wasn't strong enough yet.


Michael stepped out onto the balcony. Jake after his ranting on the beautiful Rei had finally gone to sleep, putting the large mansion into a state of eerie silence. As he looked out at the twinkling stars he thought of his current life. After months of blank memories he had woken up in an Alaskan hospital where he was told they found him out in the wilderness.

Apparently he had been wondering alone out there, while severely bleeding and with a severe head injury to boot. It had taken the doctors almost half a month to figure out who he was and where he came from. During all this time, all he remembered were blotches of blur, no real face, no recognizable voice, not even his own. It had taken an extra four months for him to remember who he was and yet still the memory of the time in the wilds eluded him.

He had been shocked to hear that his brother was experiencing the same symptoms a few miles north in a different hospital. In turn his brother, upon their reunion, had introduced him to yet another victim of the same symptoms, Fredrick Maxfield Stanton. Though together the three had spent some time in America searching for the truth, nothing had been uncovered. Admitting defeat they had finally returned to their previous lives in Japan. Each did have one thing in common, and that was they were each well off. Although this was all in his past, he still refused to accept the police's explanations. A crash, they said, a tragic plane accident in the northern wilderness... ha!

Exasperated once more at his past, Michael slammed his fists down onto the marble rails of the balcony. Stars, he thought, Freddy believes they hold the answers to their questions and life, so where were his answers? He wanted to yell out.

The response... their twinkling presence. "No!" he said out loud, "no more!" he looked in through the glass doors, seeing the images of his past life before the 'accident' and made a promise, closing his eyes. "My future is what matters." And when his eyes opened all the images had blended into one single glorious golden image. "My love!" his heart called out. "Mina." His mind recognized. "Oh God!" is what came out of his mouth.

Jake watched his brother leave with the usual sarcastic face and sighed. True in the past he had come home many times in the same state of love, but this was different. He could feel it in his bones. He tried hard not to take to heart his brother's casual ignorance of his feelings but could not succeed. He loved his brother, for Michael had taken care of him when their parents died. He himself had only been thirteen and Michael had just turned eighteen, barley old enough to be considered an adult. It was a touch and go kind of situation for a while where Michael had given up his childhood to raise his brother instead. Jake knew Michael never regretted it but the lack of a normal life early on had left Michael cold to many feelings. Sometimes even to love. Jake sadly shook his head. He wished his brother would find love, love like he felt for Rei.
Rei. Rei. Rei. She was like a chant to him. How was he ever to win her? He had known that he was moving fast, that he should have slowed down a bit, but he had pushed instead. Now she was gone, and he had no idea how to get her back. He wondered not for the first time if he was being a fool once more. He hardly knows the girl for god's sake but the feelings he felt for her were so real, he was sure he had never, never in his life, had ever felt this way before.
He snapped his fingers as an idea entered his way. He had never done this before, never had to, but for Rei he would try anything. In the morning he was going to start on the mission of his life. The seduction of the beautiful Rei Hino.

"Lita, you have to get over him, and the only way is to call Freddy." Rei explained. All the girls were tired of hearing about Freddy this and Freddy that, they felt that anyone who could have left their loving warrior was a fool who didn't deserve another thought for Lita.
"Fine, OK I have never backed down from a dare before and I wouldn't do so now." Lita said half heartedly, even as her soul was crying, no. She picked up the phone and dialed the numbers her heart remembered so clearly.
"Hello?"
"Hi, may I speak to Freddy?"
"Who?" The voice sounded confused.
"Freddy."
"Oh Mr. Stanton. I am sorry, but he has moved to Juban."
"Excuse me?" Lita's mind shut down. He was here. Here in the same city. What if she ran into him someday, what would she say? What would he say?
"Yes he moved to Juban. He doesn't live here anymore, would you like his new number?"
"No, no that's fine, thank-you."

"Well?" Rei asked impatiently.
Lita crossed her fingers. "He moved. I don't know where." She lied her mind a hundred miles away. Out of mind out of sight?
"Oh well, maybe later." Mina said sympathetically. "As for you Ami, how is your new job?"
"HE IS WORSE THAN I EVER IMAGINED!" Ami practically jumped up yelling. Her barrier over her controls breaking, releasing a flood of feelings, mostly negative.
Lita was mildly amused. All this coming from a girl who was the quietest of them all. "Whoa girl calm down."
"He has no morals, no sense of honor, obnoxious, all he cares about are his parties, and his women."
"So why are you working for him?" Lita asked curious. How could her friend hate the man so much and still want to work for him.
Ami smiled shyly. "Simple, Lita, Josh works there."
And so the four girls smiled to each other and went to sleep, safe in their dreams of love.
*******************************************

*******************************************

Lita had a lot to do today. Not had all the scouts promised to help Ami but then there was the rest of their lives as well. She had to sign up for the cooking seminar in Kyoto. Since the world was expecting peace for a while, this was going to give them a chance to do what they wanted before the next attack. In her case it was food as in Mina's case it was modeling and Rei wanted to try her hand at acting along with Mina they had plans for going to America but those hadn't been finalized yet. And as for Ami, she wanted to work with computers at that company, Lita thought for a moment trying to remember the name, Akiko Corporations. She stopped in mid stride. It seemed they were all growing up and fast. Suddenly she wasn't sure she wanted to grow up anymore. What if things didn't work out as they thought what then?
She looked around herself. She was in down town Tokyo and right in front of her was the Tokyo towers the place that had signified so many changes for them. As she stood there looking she gasped. "Freddy?"
There was a tall man with auburn hair tied back. He was wearing a dark blue suit and carried a very professional looking briefcase and was heading towards the Akiko corporation.

Fredrick Maxfield Stanton walked in a fast paced stride to get to his appointment with the CEO of the Akiko Corporation. He was running late. And no wonder. He thought to himself. What with you staying up all night dreaming of green eyes and brown hair. He felt a tingle in the back of his neck. A sense of premonition that he had long ago learned to count on. He turned around wondering what could be setting his senses off. And almost ended bumping into the person in front of him. "Lita?" He shook his head. "No it couldn't be her. Just my overactive imagination."

At the same time Molly was taking a shopping trip with Melvin across the street.
"Oh look Melvin, isn't that Lita." Molly squealed with delight and started to wave her hands wildly at Lita. "Lita, hi. Its me Molly." As she rose her hands she saw a tall man with auburn hair and turned ash white. "No it couldn't be." *Nephrite.*

"Of course its Lita, Molly." Melvin said from her side. "Lita. Wait up." As they approached the tall brunette Melvin saw that both the girls had the same look of utter disbelievement on their faces. "So what is bugging you?" He asked laughing and hitting Lita on the back. "Do you get it bug, bugging, Molly? Molly!"
Molly shook her head lightly and laughed. "Yeah sure Melvin." For Lita's information she continued in her usual high pitched new York accent. "We just came from a bug show. Ugh they still give me the creeps but I would go there just for my Melvin." She said giving the guy next to her a quick hug.

Lita turned her attention to her friends. *No its not possible. I just think I saw him because of that darn phone call.* "Hey Molly too bad about the bugs."
"Yeah. Do you know what happened to Serena. She called me late at night to tell me she is leaving for a while and didn't say much."
Lita turned red. Lying was the worst part about being a Sailor Scout. "Yeah well, she ummm went on a surprise vacation with Darien."
"How romantic, Melvin why don't you ever do these things for me?"
Now it was Melvin's turn to turn red. "Um, Molly we are late." *Good Save.*
"Oh, no we are. Bye Lita it was nice talking to you. Come on Melivn. "
Lita said bye and turned to see if that guy was still in sight, but he wasn't and so she kept on walking pondering her current lifestyle.

"You may go in now Mr. Stanton." The secretary said. Fredrick opened the door to Zachary Akiko's office. Back to business. As he was walking in he saw a young girl with the oddest colored hair. Blue.
Ami turned to leave. Grossed out completely by the company of her boss. How arrogant could a person be. He didn't even ask her about her feelings. Didn't that guy ever think about work. Always he kept asking her about her, flirting like crazy, and nearly making her sick to her stomach. "I'll start on the program as soon as possible Mr. Akiko." As she left she saw a tall man with red brown hair walking in, probably another playboy friend of Mr. Akiko, and with that thought she hurriedly left the office.
Zach sighed as Ami walked out. For the life of him he couldn't figure out what she hated so much about him. It was clear to him she didn't like him, as sad as it made him, but he could figure out why someone with the experience that Ami had would want to work for a company that she didn't want to. But most of all he couldn't figure out why she liked him as Josh but hated him so vehemently as Zach Akiko.
"Zach are you alright?; Freddy asked seeing how his friend and business partner was lost in space.
"Oh, yeah just thinking. You know about life and all." Zach raised his head to look up to his tall companion. "What about you? How is everything going in your life?"
"Fine." Freddy replied with the same dead pan accent as Zach. "I was so sure it was her."
Zach sat up straight up in his chair. Here finally was something that could take his mind off of Ami. His next best love in life was match making. "Her. Huh?" He smiled. "So what's HER name? Someone I know? Someone you want to know? Or are we talking about an interest in Lita once more?"
"Zach please no more, it was enough you did all that stuff back to me in college and now after so long we meet and you start off on it again. I would like to remind you of the last time you tried to mess in my love life."
"So Lori was wrong for you but if you are interested in this girl then…"
"No Zach. Stay out of this." Freddy took out some paper and sat them in front of Zach. "These are the new plans for the super computer. Do you know of any good computer programmers?"

"Hey Ami, how are you?" Lita asked Ami from behind.
"Hey Lita. What are you doing here?" Oh Nothing I just thought that since I was in this area I could come by and see how your new job was."
"Its fine… but I just can't stand the boss."
"Then why are you still here?"
Ami blushed and looked down to her feet. "I know Josh is supposed to work here, and I thought maybe since I don't have any monster to fight for a while," She twisted her hands slightly in a nervous motion, "… well I thought that I might see him again."
Lita jumped up with her hands in the air. "A-hah, so finally you too are chasing a boy. See now you have nothing to complain about." Lita rushed to give Ami a hug. "Welcome to the club."
"I don't know thought… there is just something weird that I can't put a finger on, its almost like a sense of de ja vu but I don't know why."
"So tell me about this boss of yours."
Ami snorted. "What is there to say. He is arrogant, egotistical, a snob who has been handed his entire life on a silver platter."
"Ami why are you so cynical? Yeah so he isn't a good person, but why do you hate him so much?"
"I don't know. Like I said its really weird but I can't help the way I feel."
"Oh well. So have you heard…"
"Miss Mizuno would you please come in here for a few moments." Ami's intercom rang out cutting off Lita.
"I have to go Lita, the boss calls and… well anyway I'll talk to you later. Bye."

Rei swept the steps of the shrine, enjoying the daily ritual with the sun in the sky and the bird's song in her ear. It had been so long since she had had quite time to herself that she had almost forgotten what a relief it is to be on your own. Chad had finally returned to his former life, with a new girlfriend. With full blessings from Rei. Her grandfather had also finally taken some time off and gone on vacation in the mountains. Serena, loving as she may be was also gone. Ami had started her new job, Mina was also on an interview and Lita was also enlisting in a cooking program. She… well she was still thinking about that acting job… but that was still in the future. Right now she had other things to think about in her free time… like people named Jake Sanders.
"Rei." Well speak of the devil… Rei thought as she turned around. She knew who the voice belonged to she heard him everywhere even in her dreams. As she turned to finally face him… she was accosted by a huge bouquet of roses.
"I came bearing gifts. To apologize for my actions from the last time we met. Forgive me?" Jake bent down on one knee.
"Well…" Rei had to think. For some reason she dared not explore she knew that Jake, if given the chance, could mean to her more than any other guy she had ever met.
Jake pushed his luck, hoping against hope. "I have a lunch basket for two ready to go, and I know the temple is closed today, but if you let me, we could return later and together we could finish up the chores around here."
"You really thought this out didn't you."
"Like I said before, I don't like to give up on something I really want." He said looking Rei right in the eyes. Blue clashed with purple to see whose will would overcome, in the end Rei sighed in resignation.
"Fine but we can't be too long." Rei said waving her broom in his face, "or you will really know what the sacred flame can do."

They went to the park. The same park where practically all the yomas seemed to attack. Where Rei's life had been redefined again and again. They chose a secluded part of the park that was covered with thick canopy. The sun, bright today as it was, was blocked from entering the area. So while the rest of the world baked in its hot wrath, this small section of the park remained cool.
"I have traveled so many places and searched for so long… but this is one of the most beautiful moments in my life." Jake said taking Rei's hand in his. The sat on the picnic cloth with the lunch basket in front of them. Rei for her part had no idea how to respond. If anyone was to see her now, they would never recognize the fire headed priestess. Somehow all her defenses fell around Jake. And yet something held her back. How could she, yes she felt very strongly about him, but how could she bring an innocent person into her life. Her life was far from normal and almost always dangerous. How could she in all good conscience bring a person who is an innocent to the dangers of the evil she dealt with as her alter ego Sailor Mars. Would Jake even understand what she had to do, her duty to the earth, to her Princess and the future? Or would he run away, scared of the strange warriors that hid in the nights and had forsaken their lives to save the world.

"Rei?" Jake asked concerned. "Are you alright?" He nervously ran his hands through his hair. "Look I know its all sudden and all, but there was something about our meeting, that I just couldn't get out of my mind… it was like a strong feeling of familiarity, like something that was meant to happen."
Rei just stared wide eyed. Was this guy, this star who had starred in her dreams confessing his love for her?! "I know what you mean. Like de javu."
"So you did feel the same. Rei. There is more…"
"Lets eat lunch."
"Only if you promise to come with me to the opening exhibition of the art museum."
By the time the two of them returned it was near sunset and the work of the temple was still left to be finished. "I promised I would help and I will." Jake said grabbing a broom. An hour later the sweeping of the temple was done and the last bit of light was slowly fading from the world. Rei looked up to the skies and marveled at the amazing time she had with Jake. She had just switched her thoughts to the emerging moon when she screamed as if the hounds of hell were after her. Soaked and cold she turned her blood thirsty eyes to her assailant. Smiling innocently, leaning against the pillar was a golden haired devil. Beside him was his weapon. A bucket now empty of its former liquid contents.
"I am going to get you for this, not even that meatball is crazy enough to try that." Rei said slowly, menacingly as she slowly approached the now nervous assailant. Jake turned to run and the chase began. "But Rei… I just thought you might want to cool down after all that work." They tore through the quite temple life till the sounds coming from the normally quite temple resembled those from a war zone. Two and a half hours later two very wet Rei and Jake said their good-byes. Jake didn't want to leave but he still had to go home and do his share of work, more recordings and memorizing of lines for the next movie. As he took his first set of steps on the stairs, he was jumped by what seemed to him a river of black silk. Before he could even react Rei had kissed him and was on her way back to the temple.

Jake walked back to his car dazed and happier than he could ever remember being. He yelled up to the stars in his joy, inviting them to share the feelings he felt at the moment, ones he knew he would feel as long as he lived. He drove fast, to relive all the energy he was filled with. He took the longer way home just so that he could spend that much more time pondering about how wonderful his life was now that he finally had Rei.
"Well, well so you finally decided to return?" Mike asked as soon as Jake walked in. Mike knew he had no right to make fun of Mike as he himself had just walked in, but Jake didn't know that, and his younger brother needed someone to make sure he kept on track. "So what have you been up to that put that smile on you face."
"I met an angel." Jake simply said. His face fell a little. He knew what was going to follow…but he was surprised.
"I am happy for you. Anyone I know? Melissa, Anna… Rei?"
Jake nodded happily. "Yes, she is this priestess I met at one of the album signings. I think I have met HER."
"HER…?"
"You know who I mean, the one and only. The one everyone waits for. The love of my life."
"How is it that you are so sure." When he saw Jake go in his defensive stance, he held up his hands to appease him. "No I am not being my usual self, but just curious…. How do you really know that this person is the one for you. How is anyone sure. I am not being cynical, Jake, but… I don't know…"
"Mike… in all the years this is the first time you have even remotely shown any interest in the matter of the heart… what happened, did cupid's arrow finally find you as well." Jake asked interested and excited and happy that finally his brother was opening up his heart. "Do I know her? When do I get to see her? Say it'll be soon, because do you know how long I have waited to meet the person who can bring you out of your shell. She must be amazing."
"Like a ray of sunshine. But…"
"But… what?"
"I don't know how to act. I have only but met her once, but that one meeting… there was this feeling of familiarity, like it was someone I know, someone who I have loved all my life, but it was the first time I laid my eyes on her…" He slowly returned to his former place on the couch. "Do you know what I mean, this sense of de ja vu?"
"Strange that you would use that word, I know exactly what you mean. That is how I feel about Rei. It was as if it was destiny." They both gave each other a look and a hug. "I know I am finally home." Jake went to get himself some food and when he returned he found his brother out on the balcony staring once more at the stars and the moon. "So how did you meet her?" Jake asked coming up from behind.
"At Darien's. She is his girlfriend's friend. She came annoying me, distracting me, and ended up dancing with me, all in a matter of minutes. I still don't know how I ended up dancing." Mike said, scratching his head in puzzlement. "Her name is… Mina."
Jake almost dropped his plate when he heard the name. "did you just say Mina, like in blonde hair, blue eyes, red bow and a sense of mistaking quotes?"
"You know her." It wasn't a question but a statement, an accusing one.
"No, no not like that. We worked together on a movie back in England. I have always wondered what happened to her. She is a very nice person Mike. I would never have thought that you and she… but stranger things can happen and have." He said referring to his feelings for Rei. He thought of his life so far. And his smile turned to a frown.
It had been more than six years back. He, Freddy and Mike had been found near the North Pole freezing and without a single memory along with two other people. Jake, Mike, and Freddy had instantly formed a friendship and it wasn't until much later that they had found out that the third person was Zach Akiko. The had spent months in Canada wondering who they were, until their families came searching. Well for Jake and Mike it was their lawyer, but for Freddie it was his grandfather. Who recently passed away leaving the reigns of Stanton Industries in Fredy's hands. Jake and Mike on the other hand had to work hard to get to the life they were in. Even though they had family money behind them, it wasn't the same as Freddy or Zach. Zach they found out had become an orphan while still suffering from amnesia. Both his parents had died over the Atlantic while investigating his disappearance. It was this knowledge that had initially sparked their interest in how the four, who according to all records didn't know each other before their accident, came to end up in the North Pole suffering from amnesia.
Jake marveled at how far they had come since then. The had gotten their memories back in a few months but still had a black area, a couple of months long, for which they had no memory, nor was there any record of them ever to have even existed during that time. The Canadian government couldn't figure out how they had come to be in the vicinity of the North Pole in the first place, but figured that the four were probably in an unknown airplane accident. "Mike are you thinking about what I am thinking?"
"The accident?"
"Yeah. Do you ever wonder about what we did during those dark months?"
"Yeah, but there isn't much that we can do. We can't turn back time and find out what happened, and I for one don't believe in all that magic stuff. We can only continue on with our lives."
"I guess so."
"Go to bed Jake. If I am right, then you have a long day ahead of you tomorrow."
"So do you brother."
"Yes my plans for Mina are just about to begin."

Mina woke up the next day refreshed. It had been a few days since Serena and Darien had left and it had been the same amount of day since the last time she had seen HIM. Michael. Even though she had only met the guy once, the image of him had stuck with her all this time. She felt a connection, a tug on her love scout senses that she had never felt before. And it scared the living hell out of her. She knew what it meant, and wasn't sure if she was ready. "I mean, I am still only so young. I wasn't even expecting this to happen." She said out loud to her image in the mirror and could have sworn that her reflection winked back at her. She padded to the door as the bell rang. "Hold on I am coming. Jeez why did Arthemis have to go on that vacation with the outers anyway, doesn't he know I need him as an alarm clock?" She grumbled. When she opened the doors she was met with a bouquet of a couple dozen roses and balloons, and the barely visible delivery man.
"Miss. Aino?"
"Yes that's me. Are these flowers for me? Who are they from?"
The man just shrugged and handed her the roses and balloons, along with the clipboard for her signature. After he had left Mina searched around in the flowers looking for a note, or any indication who the flowers could be from. Finally amongst the fragrant petals she found a small envelope into which she tore with all the eloquence of a three year old.
"Dear Mina, you have captured my heart like none before. Even to my surprise, you have become like the sunlight to a flower. These are for you, though they are nothing in comparison to your radiance. Love For Now Anonymous."
Mina read and reread the note again and again, going over in her mind all the guys she knew. She paused slightly on Michael but continued on, not even believing the standoffish man to ever even do such a thing. In the end all she came up with were more questions and no answers. In the end she just squealed in joy that she had a secret admirer and left it at that, rushing to the telephone to call Lita.

Lita wasn't having a good week, heck she wasn't have a good month and it was still only the beginning of the month. She woke up after a restless night where she was chasing Freddie who kept on disappearing in a black fog only to reappear asking her to help him and trust in him. What made her believe that she really was going insane was the fact that he was wearing clothes like Prince Endymion and kept on calling her by her Silver Millennium princess name. "Why can't I even get a good night's rest without him ruining it for me. Isn't it enough for him to torture me while I am awake?" She grumbled as she went to pick up the telephone. "Who is it?" She asked out grouchily, mad that the person on the other end had the audacity to call so early in the morning.
"Lita, its Mina. I have to talk to you. Is it possible to meet you today?"
"Mina." Lita immediately brightened up. Now that Serena's sunny personality was gone only Mina remained to bring that unending cheer in the scout's life. "Yeah sure. I have to go make some plans downtown for a trip to Kyoto but I could easily meet you afterwards for lunch at the Lighthouse café."

The lighthouse café was a converted lighthouse that was right on the cliffs overlooking the busiest marina in Tokyo. Today as with the tradition of summer, the day was hot and sunny. The entire world was acting as if they had to make a deadline they forgotten of. Even the seagulls were busily circling the seas. As Lita entered the café she noticed that Mina was already there wearing a bright yellow sun dress that rivaled the sun with its colors. "Isn't it just the perfect day you have ever seen?" "ii otenki ne?" Mina greeted getting up to give Lita a hug. She noticed the not so enthusiastic return and turned a worried face to her friend. "What's wrong?"
"Nothing, just having a bad week. What about you. What the big news?"
"I got a secret admirer." She said excited. "Roses, balloons the works!"
Jumping on the table, Lita grabbed her friend. "No way. Let me see. Do you have any idea who it could be from?" Lita asked after reading the note. "A new guy you haven't told us about, you have been keeping secrets Mina!"
"I don't know, Lita. That's why I called, maybe you could help me narrow the choices down." Mina took out a piece of paper with several names, some scratched other with question marks. "I thought it might be Adonis at first but then he has a girlfriend and so I had to scratch him out, then there was Kit, but he isn't even in Japan anymore, then…"
"Wait… what about this guy Mike… I have never heard of him. Who is he, why did you cross him out?"
"Just wishful thinking… I met him at Darien's place when I had gone to get Serena's clothes… but he is so studious and… well I just don't think it would be him… and besides how would he know how to find me…"
"Isn't it possible that he gave you more attention than you thought?"
"No way!" Mina said looking down. "It isn't as if I wouldn't notice."
Lita gave out another sigh. Now all her friends had guys and she… well she was left with her dreams of a prince who didn't care. "So have you heard anything about Rei?" She asked changing the subject.
Mina shook her head. "Rei refuses to even talk about it. She can be so stubborn."
"Yeah but that's her. Gotta take her as she is."

"Rei I am home. Did any cute girls visit while I was gone?"
"Grandpa… don't start. How was your trip?" She asked helping him with his stuff.
Grandpa looked at Rei carefully studying her. "I saw many interesting things in the fire, while meditating. What happened here while I was gone."
"Oh nothing. Serena left for some trip and that's about it."
The old man just nodded, looking around the temple to see if anything had changed, then he turned his eyes on his granddaughter. "You know I still don't approve of you dating." With that he went to his room leaving a very steamed Rei yelling behind his back. "I am already in high school grandpa. You can't dictate my life forever."
"I said I don't approve. I didn't say you aren't allowed. I just don't like it." He yelled back from some where inside the temple.
"Rei, are you busy?" A voice called out from the bottom of the stairs.
Rei jumped. She knew that voice, and it wasn't exactly a safe place to be for the person with the voice, not right after her grandfather got home. "Jake, what are you doing here?"
Disappointed Jake watched Rei run down the steps. He was expecting her to react better than that, anything would be better than the panicked voice. He had thought that maybe after the picnic that Rei might be changing, but… "Rei…"
"You have got to leave right now!" She grabbed his arms and started to tug at it, trying to get him to leave, but the darn man was just too strong.
"Rei… wait. I thought we were going to go to the museum opening today."
"Fine then lets leave right now." She turned around for a second and yelled up the stairs. "Grandpa I am going out right now, I'll be back later. Take care and don't you dare do anything stupid."

Rei was happy. Her life seemed perfect at that moment. She didn't have to fight any monsters till the beginning of the crystal millennium, school was out, Serena was safely in the past (away from her comic books she thought smiling) and she was on her way to the museum with Jake for the opening of the new line of paintings from Peggy Jones formerly known as Lani Lanai. It was great. The only thing that marred her thoughts was the press. If things got out then… would she be able to cope with them? Jake, as if sensing her thoughts, grabbed hold of her hands and held them through the rest of the drive, driving any other thoughts from her mind.
As they entered the art show they noticed that the crowd had already become quite large. As always there were the group of girls sighing over the dreaming paintings and their boyfriends hanging back with sweat drops on the back of their heads. Both Jake and Rei decided to start from one corner of the show and finish back up at the other. But as Rei approached the paintings she started to get a funny feeling in her stomach. And when she saw the first painting it was a full blown attack of the butterflies. All the paintings had the same theme. They were all about the court of the princess who had been the subject of Peggy Jones last series.
The first painting could only be described as blue. The young girl in the painting was dressed in a beautiful blue gown with, with a Zoisite crown on her head. Next to her was a general who as far as Rei could tell was dressed more or less like Prince Endymion except that his black armor was trimmed with red instead of the silver of Endymion. His hair was long and sort of tied back in a ponytail. Behind the couple was a iridescent blue lake that was glittering in the light of the Earth. Rei almost stopped breathing as she looked into the eyes of the princess and thought of Ami. Quickly she moved on to the next one.
This one looked as if it was taken on the sun itself. Heavily washed in gold, it showed a princess with her prince. Both where wearing court clothes. The princess in this one looked so much like Serena but with out Darien next to her… well there was no Serena without Darien and no Darien without Serena. So the thought took only a moment to pass. The princess though didn't she was dressed in reds and gold. With a palace of gold as her background. Next to her the young man was dressed similarly to the one in the first painting as far as the while armor went, except this time his armor was trimmed with green. The couple held their hands and with their free hands they pointed outwards as if inviting those looking at the picture to join them in their happiness. Jake who had been silent next to her spoke up for the first time. "I thought she was going to do a nature theme. Wonder what happened?" He turned to look at the next one. "Hey check this one out."
Rei was almost afraid to look. Even if no one else noticed, she had already figured out the theme and she wasn't sure how to take it. The picture Jake was pointing to was of course gorgeous, she would expect nothing less from Peggy Jones. This time, the theme was her, or should she say her former self, the Imperial Princess Rei of Mars. Next to her was another Prince. She silently wondered what was up with all the pictures of the Princesses with Princes but dismissed the thought as her concentration shifted to the face of her prince. He had short hair, sort of like Darien's but wilder. They were the color of Mina's blonde, the sunshine kind not the gold of Serena. But his eyes, the were the most captivating of all. Blue fire was the thought that leapt to her mind first. Crystal blue that shinned with a deep fire, for his love? She wondered, if Peggy had any visions like Greg and if so, what was going on? Jake's laughter besides her broke her out of her thoughts.
"What's so funny?" She asked genuinely curious.
"Those two." He replied. "The two lovers they look like us." He pointed to the Princess in red. "She is the exact duplicate of you, Rei, and the Prince, he looks like me. Imagine the two of us like that." And he cracked up. And with each of his laughs a part of Rei seemed to die.
She wasn't sure why. Maybe because she had secretly hoped in her heart that it could be a sign from the higher powers about her new found feelings for Jake. Ones even she hadn't dared to explore deeply. And with each laughter… did it mean Jake had no such feelings. Could he not see the two of them together. In love?
Tears sprung to Rei's eyes. "You don't see us like that?"
Curious as to why Rei was getting emotional Jake answered as truthfully as he could. "Not like that Rei." His only answer was a quite, "I see" before Rei moved on to the next picture leaving a very confused Jake looking at the picture of the beautiful, no gorgeous princess in red and her loving prince in a shinning armor.
"Jake, darling there you are. I haven't seen you in such a long time, honey." A lady dressed in a short, very short purple dress ran up to Jake. She had curly blonde hair to her shoulders and features that reminded Rei of some super model. When she reached Jake she immediately kissed him soundly on the lips by which point Rei was already seeing red. With a cute pout she, she put her arms around Jake's shoulders and leaned back a little to look him straight in the eye. "Have you been avoiding me?" She blinked her blue eyes at him and smiled.
"Katy. Its nice to see you too." Jake leaned in to give her a hug. "I haven't see you in a while." He smiled. "Been so busy with everything here. I didn't even know you were in Tokyo."
"You must make amends, darling. Come dance with me." Katy grabbed Jake's hands and dragged him off to the next room where a soft music was flowing and lovers where dancing to the sweet melody.
"Katy…" Jake tried to stop. "Katy, I have…"
"Later Jake. One dance is all I ask."
"No Katy. Jake said in despair. Rei…" His words made Katy stop.
"Rei?" She smiled. "Who is Rei? " She frowned a little. "How come I don't know about her?"
"I just met her. She is right in the other room. I have to go to her. I can't even imagine what she must think of me…" He trailed off as he realized exactly what it must have looked like to Rei to see him being kissed by Katy. Katy smiled as she saw the worried look on Jake. So her surrogate brother had finally fallen, and hard too. She made a mental note to talk to Mike. Jake ran to the gallery and to the picture of the red princess and her prince. The last place he had seen Rei. Now she was nowhere to be seen. He looked all over and then all over again, but no sign of his lovely raven haired princess could be found. He ran outside to the valet parking, and no sign. He turned around in a panic as he thought he saw her, but instead came face to face with a valet attendant. "You!" He cried out grabbing the shocked attendant by the cuff of his collar. "Have you seen, a beautiful young girl with silk black hair, mysterious purple eyes, and about five feet five?"
"Only in my dreams, sir." He smiled.
"I saw her in real life. She just left in a Taxi." Another attendant informed the deranged man.
"Oh god! Rei." Jake whispered looking up to the full moon.

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Ok finally done. Sorry it took so long and I just want to thank all the people who emailed me. It really helped

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