Disclaimers: Sailor Moon and the Sailor Scouts and everything affiliated with them are the property of Naoko Takeuchi, Toei Animation, Dic, and many other big name people and companies with lots of money and lots of lawyers. I do not own them so don't sue me; I'm only borrowing them for a little while. Any other characters are mine. If anyone wishes to use them, please notify me first.
Just a bit of clarification:
the * * signify a person's thoughts
the ***** before a section signify either a memory or a shift into the mindscape (don't worry, this will make sense eventually, I hope).
Please email me with your comments and/or criticisms at jnkryo@yahoo.com. Heck, flame me if you want to. I'd like any feedback I can get. Enjoy the story!
Brother's Keeper
Part 2
by: Johnny Ng
The dismissal bell had rung in Juban Junior High and a few minutes later, Amy emerged from the school, and Lita joined her shortly. Serena was nowhere in sight.
Lita sighed. "Where's Serena? Did she get detention for something?"
Amy just looked puzzled. "I saw her running out the doors ahead of me. I thought she would be waiting here for us."
Lita was about to say something, but suddenly her ears perked as she heard the faint sound of bells. She smiled and gestured for Amy to follow her. "I think I know where she is."
The two girls turned the corner and saw an ice cream truck parked there. There was a crowd of kids surrounding the truck all shouting for ice cream, with Serena, perhaps, screaming the loudest.
Amy giggled while Lita shook her head and went to get Serena.
"I can't believe you just dragged me away! I was next on line!" wailed Serena as she walked with Lita and Amy to Raye's shrine.
Lita sighed. "We had to get to Raye's. You were not the next on line, and we didn't have time to wait." She smiled slightly. "Besides, if you had filled up on ice-cream, then you wouldn't have had room for my cookies."
Serena's eyes lit up at the mention of Lita's cookies. "You baked cookies! That's great! You're cookies are the best!" A puzzled look flitted across her face. "But how come you didn't take them out during lunch?"
"Well, I baked them for the Scout meeting...and I knew that if I had told you about them earlier, you would have eaten them all," Lita stated.
Serena glared at the tall brunette. She was about to defend herself when a voice tore through the air.
"Where have you guys been?!" Raye screamed from the shrine steps, "I've been stuck here with Mina for the past half-hour and she's driving me crazy!"
"Oh Raaaye!" Mina's voice echoed from inside the shrine, "I still need you to help me choose an outfit to wear on my date with Trent, and then I need to do my hair, and can I look at what make-up you have?"
Raye's eyes widened at this. She turned to Lita and gripped her arms. "You've got to help me! She's out of control!"
Before Lita could answer Raye, Serena's voice rang out. "I'm coming Mina! I'll help you get ready!"
Raye, Lita, and Amy all watched Serena bound up the shrine steps, giggling all the way. Shaking their heads, the three girls followed her up the steps and into Raye's room.
Upon entering the room, the first thing noticeable was the utter chaos. Clothes, half of which were Mina's with the other half belonging to Raye, were piled up everywhere.
Standing in the middle of this mess was Mina, with Serena right next to her.
Raye took one look at her room and saw red. She gave a strangled cry and lunged at the two girls. However, Lita's tall form blocked the way and held her firm.
"Let me go! I'm going to strangle those blond airheads!" Raye screamed, thrashing in Lita's grasp.
"Calm down, Raye, you know you don't mean that," Lita counseled.
Raye struggled futilely for a few more seconds before settling down. Lita slowly let Raye go, watching the young priestess warily. The fury seemed to have left her eyes, but anger still smoldered.
Mina peeked out from behind the dresser where she was hiding with Serena. Seeing that Lita was restraining Raye, she cleared her throat. "Honestly, Raye, I don't know what all this fuss is about," Mina scolded Raye, "You agreed to help me get ready for my date. Now, I admit that perhaps I got your room a bit messy..."
"A BIT messy!" Raye thundered. "A hurricane going through my room wouldn't have caused this much devastation!"
"Raye..." Lita warned.
"Fine! Do whatever you want. I'll be in the Great Fire Room meditating. But when I get back, my room better be spotless!"
As Raye stomped out of her room, Mina just shrugged. "What's her problem?" she asked to no one in particular.
"So," Lita commented, "it looks like you were able to get Trent to ask you out pretty quick."
Mina winced as she remembered the event. "Actually, it was harder than I thought..."
*****
Mina had been keeping an eye on Trent for three days now, which was pretty difficult as she had to go to school as well. However, she was able to find out Trent's class schedule and was able to keep an eye on him going to school and coming home.
"Artemis, quit fidgeting!" Mina hissed. The both of them were hiding out in a tree - today's designated hiding place - spying on Trent walking home. "If you don't stop squirming, I'll miss Trent."
"That would be quite a feat, considering how hung up you are on him," Artemis muttered.
"What was that?"
"I said 'there he comes now.'"
Indeed, Trent was walking down the block.
"Oh, what's he wearing?" Mina asked leaning out further on the branch.
This shifting caused the tree to sway precariously. Artemis gulped as he heard the branch creak. "Uh, Mina, I don't think you should do that."
Mina looked back at her guardian. "Do whaaaAAHH!" The branch gave one last groan before it snapped, sending Mina and Artemis crashing to the ground below.
Right at Trent's feet.
"Mina! Are you alright?" he asked both surprised and worried.
"Oooh," Mina groaned, rubbing her side, "yeah, I'm fine - Oh, hi Trent!" Mina flashed him a big, though somewhat strained, smile.
"I'm glad. That was some fall. What were you doing up there?"
Mina's smile faltered. *Uh oh, gotta think of something quick.* "I was...uh...that is...my, uh...cat, Artemis," she picked up an indignant Artemis and held him in front of her, "got stuck in the tree and I climbed up to get him. Unfortunately, the branch he was on couldn't support our weight and snapped."
Trent smiled. "Well, at least you're not hurt, and you got your cat back." He began to pet Artemis. "So, your name is Artemis, huh? The same as the Greek goddess of the Moon?"
"That's right," Mina said.
"It goes well with the crescent moon mark on his forehead."
An uncomfortable silence settled.
"Um...I guess you have somewhere to go, then?" Mina finally asked.
"Actually, no. School just finished and I was planning on hanging out at the arcade." Trent looked at Mina. "Hey, you want to join me?"
Mina was flabbergasted. "Ar...are you sure? I mean, you, a high school student hanging out with me...?"
"So what? All I see is a beautiful girl in front of me...but if you're too busy..."
Mina was blushing at Trent's remarks, but her head snapped up at the end. "No! I mean, I'm not busy. Let's go!" She grabbed Trent's arm and practically dragged him to the Crown arcade.
Once there, the two of them played a few of the games before going to the snack counter.
"Thanks for winning me the doll, Trent," Mina said. She was playing with the superdeformed Sailor Moon doll that he had won for her in the crane game.
"No problem." Trent chuckled. "It's amazing how good you are at that Sailor V game." Mina had challenged him to a game of Sailor V and she had thrashed him soundly.
"She gets lots of practice," a voice said from under the counter.
"Andrew!" Mina exclaimed looking over the counter, "What are you doing down there?"
Andrew popped up with a grin on his face. "Well, I do work here, and with the amount of time that you spend here, it almost seems like you do, too."
As Mina tried to sputter a denial with her face turning red, Trent laughed and Andrew joined him.
Mina waited for the two of them to stop snickering before introducing them to each other. The three then talked for a bit about Trent's family before Andrew had to go back to work. When he left, Mina and Trent got caught up on each other and each other's business since they had last met. Time seemed to fly by to Mina and when she looked at the clock on the wall, it read 6:15 PM.
"Oh my God! It's so late. My mom's gonna kill me!" Mina exclaimed as she picked up Artemis who had been napping on the counter. "I'm sorry I have to run out on you like this, Trent."
"It's alright, Mina," Trent said, then he smiled, "Tell, ya what. I'll take you out for dinner this Friday. I still owe you from last time."
Mina's face lit up. "That'll be great!"
"Meet you here at 5:00 PM?"
Mina nodded enthusiastically before she ran out the door with Artemis under her arm and a huge smile on her face.
*****
"...and that's how it happened," Mina explained with a starry-eyed expression.
Lita winked and nudged her. "At least the both of you are going out, right? Who cares how it happened?" She looked at the clock. "And you have less than an hour to get ready!"
That snapped her out of her trance in a hurry as she began to panic, but with Serena, Lita, and Amy's help (and even Raye's when she returned a short while later) Mina was all set for her outing with Trent.
"Oooh, you look great, Mina," Serena squealed.
"You really think so?" Mina asked twirling around, her dress fluttering around her.
"You look fabulous, Mina," Trent replied from the doorway.
All the girls turned and looked at him. He was dressed in a semi-formal jacket and tie affair.
"What are you doing here, Trent? Not that I'm not glad you came or anything...," Mina sputtered.
Lita laughed. "I think what Mina is trying to say is how come you're here so early?"
Trent chuckled. "Actually..." He gestured at the clock which read 5:15.
"Oh, I'm so sorry!" Mina gasped.
"I was beginning to think you had stood me up. Good thing Andrew suggested that I check out this shrine or else I would have still been at the arcade waiting." He held out his hand. "So, shall we, my lady?"
"I'd be delighted," Mina breathed with hearts in her eyes. She took Trent's hand and walked out the door.
"Isn't that romantic?" Serena and Lita asked at the same time causing Amy to giggle.
Raye scowled. "I still say there's something not quite right about him."
"Oh come off it Raye, you're just jealous that Chad wouldn't do something like that for you." Serena smiled slyly. "Or maybe he would if you would just admit to him that you like him."
"I am NOT jealous! And Chad's only a friend," Raye retorted indignantly, "And who asked you anyway, Meatball Head?"
"Oooh, don't call me that, Raye!"
"Why not? I'm only stating the obvious."
Lita and Amy began to edge out of the room as the argument started to get into full swing.
Since it was still early, Trent took Mina to see a movie before they went out to dinner. As the couple walked out of the theater, Mina started to giggle.
"Mina, what is it?" Trent asked.
"Oh, it's nothing. I was just thinking that on a date, it's usually dinner first then the movie..." Mina's stopped, her eyes beginning to widen as she realized what she had just said. "Not that we're on a date or anything...I mean it could be...but I'm just a silly junior high student, I'm sure plenty of other, prettier girls have asked you out..." Mina trailed off suddenly, a blush creeping up her face. She couldn't bear to look at Trent's face, thinking she had made a fool of herself.
After a few minutes of silence, she risked a quick peek at Trent. Instead of seeing a look of contempt or repulsion on his face, she was shocked to see compassion, kindness, and even, she thought, a little sadness. Try as she might, she couldn't tear her eyes away from his.
"Is that what you're thinking? That I'm that shallow?" Trent closed his eyes and turned his head away. "Maybe I should take you home now."
The blood that was creeping up Mina's face immediately drained away. "No!" she shouted. "I mean...I don't think...I...I'm so sor...Are you crying?"
Trent's shoulders were indeed heaving and he was making faint choking noises. Mina was about to apologize again when Trent exploded with laughter.
A puzzled look crossed Mina's face, followed by an angry one. "Why you...!! You tricked me!" she huffed turning away.
When he was finally able to control himself, Trent turned back to Mina. "I'm sorry...it's just...you were so tense and nervous that I just couldn't resist." He cleared his throat and continued quietly. "And you were wrong, too."
Mina, still angry with him, refused to turn around. "Oh, yeah? What was I wrong about?"
Trent put his hand on her shoulder. "About other, prettier girls." His hand found her chin and he gently tilted her head until he was looking into her eyes. "Right now, I am going out _on a date_ with the prettiest girl I know."
"Oh, Trent," Mina murmured, closing her eyes. Time seemed to stand still as their head came slowly together and their lips met in their first kiss of the night.
When they finally parted, Trent clasped his hands on Mina's shoulders. "Mina, believe me when I say this," Trent took a deep breath and continued, "You are the most beautiful girl that I have ever met. From the first moment I saw you when you ran into me," Trent smiled at this and Mina blushed, "I couldn't get you out of my mind. I...I felt something special about you."
Mina's eyes started to get watery and she threw herself against Trent and hugged him tightly, her body quivering with emotion.
Trent held her and gently stroked her hair until she stopped shaking. He laughed lightly. "Looks like you ended up the one crying." They both laughed until a rumble coming from Mina's stomach interrupted them. Mina looked down in embarrassment and Trent chuckled. "I guess we should see to
our dinner. I made reservations for us at the Starlight Club. I hope that's ok."
Mina's eyes widened. "The Starlight Club?! That's the hottest restaurant in Tokyo. How'd you manage to get reservations?"
Much to Mina's consternation, Trent just smiled enigmatically. "Let's just say I know people. So, shall we?"
Mina flashed him a smile and nodded.
Daniel Takazawa was in a good mood. He had just completed a major coup on the offshore oil market that would net his company 2.3 billion dollars and controlling interest in the in one of the biggest foreign oil companies that supplied Japan with the precious liquid.
Yes, Daniel was in a very good mood. And to celebrate, he was going out for dinner. However, instead of going to one of his regular five-star restaurants, he decided to go this new one, the one that was supposed to be all the rage.
*What was it again?* Daniel thought for a moment. *Oh, yes. The Starlight Club.*