Here's my first chapter at last. I'm still hoping that I find a way to connect the dots in this fic. I wanna thank the few of you who reviewed my prologue. Your opinions really boosted my confidence. I honestly thought that it sucked but you guys liked it. Rheia, I wanna say thank you for all of your reviews. You seem to have developed a liking for my fics. Lady Light is the same. She had reviewed practically all of them. White Ivory and Ice Blue Eyes also have my thanks for the support they have shown me, especially with An Unlikely Bond.

Now for the chapter. I'm dedicating it to all of you who reviewed the Prologue.

From Stone to Man

by: Lilaclight

Burnt Out

A phone rang shrilly in the background as a frustrated Serenity growled in annoyance. All day long she had been staring at the lump of stone in front of her willing her hands to pick up her tools and get to work. Giving up on ignoring the phone, she left her work room and went downstairs, all the while muttering curses under her breath.

"What!!" she growled into the receiver.

"Well hello to you to darlin'. Got any new pieces? The last shipment you sent us has sold out."

"How am I supposed to do any work if you keep calling!!!"

"I'm sensing some hostility here." her agent and friend Jackie Yamada said lightly.

"How perceptive of you darling." Serenity replied sarcastically.

"Hey don't take it out on me. I'm just the messenger." Jackie said defensively.

"Sorry. It's just that I haven't been able to sculpt in months. That last batch I sent you, they were extras that I had done but didn't send to the gallery. What's wrong with me Jackie? Am I losing my talent?" Serenity asked, her voice tremulous.

A sigh could be heard over the line as Jackie realised what her friend was going through. She knew that it was Serenity's greatest fear to lose her talent, her gift. To Serenity it was her ticket to having what she wanted and needed in life. It was the only thing that she excelled in.

"Serenity, listen to me carefully. You are not losing your talent. It's still there, just dormant for the moment."

"Why now? I don't want it to be dormant!" Serenity replied petulantly.

"It's a sign. When was the last time you took a break huh? Answer me that." Jackie asked sternly.

"Um... well...no that's not it...um...hehehe...I don't remember?" Serenity replied sheepishly, lifting her tone at the end of the sentence to make it sound like a question.

"You wouldn't because it's been over two years. You've been working non stop Sere. You're just a little burnt out right now. A little r and r would do you good. Not to mention getting laid." Jackie added with a laugh

"Jackie!!!!!!!!!!!" exclaimed Serenity in embarrassment. "I am so gonna kill you for that."

"When you come back from your vacation. I know this great place in Greece, up in the mountains that you could go to recuperate. "

"Who says I'm going on a vacation and stop talking like I'm sick or something." Serenity snapped while glaring at the phone. She wished that Jackie could feel the power of her gaze and whither up but alas those tricks did not work.

"You need a vacation and there's nothing you can say to make me change my mind. I'll talk to the galleries and settle things with them. Come back in six months or so. You'll feel a lot better, I guarantee it." Jackie continued adamantly.

"That's what I'm afraid of. Since when does something you guarantee that has nothing to do with art work out?" groaned Serenity.

"Hey! I resent that!" protested Jackie.

"No my dear friend, you resemble that... greatly" replied Serenity with a smirk. The familiar banter was putting her at ease.

"If it makes you feel better then go ahead, rag on po' lil' old me." Jackie responded with a sniff.

"Oh get over yourself. I want time to think about it. I still feel unsure that it's as you say, a temporary burn out." Serenity added softly.

"Don't worry about it. Just get the rest that you need. take a break from the hectic life. It'll do you some good. Call me when you decide ok. I want to know where you're going and for how long. I'll even let you take your tools if it makes you feel better." Jackie replied gently and encouragingly.

"Thanks J. You're a great friend. I don't know what I'd do without you." Serenity replied with a sniffle.

"Let's just hope you never find out but I can take a pretty good guess."

"Oh yeah? And what would that be?"

"Hopeless," she replied and laughter rang out from the receiver in Serenity's hand.

"Ha ha ha. Very funny. Don't you have anything better to do then bug me?"

"Nope." she answered cheerfully. "Besides I'm helping you not bugging you."

"Not now you are. Go find a guy. Take your own advice and get laid." Serenity retorted before hanging up.

On the other side of the now broken connection, Jackie was laughing so much that tears were trailing down her cheeks. Her lover looked at her in puzzlement and thoughts of her losing her mind flittered through his empty head. Jackie was sure that Serenity would appreciate the irony of her last statement and stored the memory away fro later mention. Right now she had better things to do. Turning her attention back to her bronze god of a lover, she smiled seductively and leaned in to kiss him. A last thought crossed her mind and she hoped that Serenity did take her advice.

Well that's all for now folks. Be thankful that I managed to write anything. I hope you guys check out my new short stories. One's an original called Forever Yours. It's under Supernatural. The other is a fanfic. It's in the Sailor Moon Crossovers sections and is pretty short but excellent, or so I was told by a good friend. Both are. Anyways, I wanna say thank you again for the support. Please review this chapter and excuse it's shortness. I'm still laying the ground work for this fic. when I'm absolutely certain of how this fics gonna go then I'll lengthen the chapters.

Now I want you guys to vote for who you want to appear in the fic and where you want her to go.

Rei

Ami

Makoto

Minako

Hotaru

Duo

Trowa

Wufei

Quatre

Greece

A Greek island

Italy

Ireland

South America (think Maya and Aztec)

Japan

Maybe I should have asked for the voting earlier but the error has already been made so I'll just not write the next chapter until I get sufficient votes for the country she's going to visit. That's not blackmail, just an important decision holding back progress until it's made. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed the chapter and had a Happy New Year!!!!

I already have the next chapter for Truth of Cosmos written out so I'll be posting it this weekend after I type it up.

Ja ne.