Hi minna!
It's been a long year, hasn't it? I'm sure most of you have forgotten this story even existed. But here it is, a brand new chapter and two more are already fully mapped out. I hope you'll enjoy this chapter, the first three parts are mostly... mmm... explanations about the girls' plans but for those of you who are interested in S/D interaction... yup, I finally wrote a S/D scene, just remember that they still 'hate' each other, okay?
I know the story is going slowly but, that's the way my muse has planned it. We promise it will be worth it.
TITLE: To Choose A Wife. 1c
AUTHOR: Leni
DISCLAIMER: I wish.
DISTRIBUTION: Ask first.
SUMMARY: Amy is cranky, Lita has questions, Mina is a witness and our favourite couple just... IS.
RATING: I'm maintaining the PG-13 rating. I had planned some... mmm... 'steam' but I'm not sure if I will do them after all. Let's see how it goes, okay?
FEEDBACK: Oh please! I just want to know if the story is worth my time. And, if nobody likes it, then why would I post it? dani_vasq@hotmail.com , a_d_v_v@yahoo.com.ar
"" represents speech.
represents thoughts.
represents 'annoying little voice'. I.e. Conscience.
---------------------
It was 4 am. in Tokyo. Normally, at this early time only silence permeated the city, interrupted here and there by the sounds of motors and maybe the voices in some unbridled party. But here, in a small department, someone was typing furiously while light snores filled the room. Of course, an annoying voice was also present...
"Are you sure this will work?" came for the nth time.
Amy swore silently. "It's the best option."
"But are you *sure*?"
She sighed. Amy understood Lita's anxiety but she really would prefer some peace and quiet to do her assigned task.
"Amy, are you?" Lita insisted
She breathed in deeply. "Not 100%," Amy said calmly, "we're talking about real emotions after all."
"We are so dead," she moaned.
"Worst case, one of us marries Darien," Amy stated tiredly.
"And that's supposed to calm me?"
"You were the one who wanted a truthful answer..."
Lita huffed. "Some friend you are."
"If I am such a bad friend, then what am i doing here at all, huh?" Amy bit out, finally annoyed with her friend's nosiness.
"Geez girl." Lita held her hands in a peaceful gesture. "you really are grumpy when you don't sleep." Try as she might, Lita could help leaking a bit of her amusement at her friend's behaviour, in all these years, she had never seen Amy lose her self-restraint.
"You want to enter all this intel into the computer *and* make sure the program will work as we want in to?"
Lita grimaced at the thought. "You got the brains, Amy, I'll get the coffee." She glanced at her still fuming friend. "You really, really need it..." That stated, Lita turned to the kitchen.
Amy didn't even look back as her friend departed. She just sighed and looked back at the charts displayed on the screen. She estimated which changes were still to be done and resumed typing.
Meanwhile, on the nearby couch, Mina kept on happily snoring.
***
Setsuna smiled.
She willed the images off and left Mercury and Jupiter to continue their conversation privately.
The Inner Senshi were doing their best effort to push Serenity into the Prince's arms. Setsuna grinned, she couldn't have asked for better allies, and she knew that with them things would go, if not smoothly, at least in the needed direction.
She could have told the couple that they were meant for each other, but they would never believe it. Maybe in some other reality, where they fell in love *before* knowing of their past lives...
Endymion had known from his dreams that the moon Princess was important for him, but now he protested his feelings could not have been true after discovering said Princess' true identity. Oh yes, his will was indeed strong to ignore the attraction he felt for her.
On her part, Serenity was afraid of refusal. The dreams of her past had opened her mind to her heart's truths and now she acknowledged that yes, she loved Darien and yes, she would be happy at his side but no, no way would she be the one to make the first step...
Setsuna sighed.
Soon enough Darien would travel to America for several years. If by that time they weren't in a relationship, then the chances of it happening were slim at best. With such a extended physical distance and no commitment between them it was entirely possible that they never got of their denial (his) and fear (hers).
And there was where the Senshi of Time took matters in her hands...
Setsuna was not proud of her role. Deceiving the Earth Prince *and* her fellow Senshi was not in the job's description but then, the job's description could be summarised in 'Whatever It Takes'. Short of telling Endymion at face value who his soulmate was, this had been her best resort. True, her allies were suffering strong headaches and high levels of stress but, it couldn't be helped...
Crystal Tokyo had to emerge.
Only Moon and Earth combined had the power to build the New Era.
And it was Setsuna's mission that what should happen came to pass.
***
She had been trying to make the numbers match without her involvement being obvious. Amy knew that the girls wouldn't understand anything but the final results... this extra work was in Darien's and Setsuna's benefit, just in case they got too curious about how her 'infallible' computer had come out with such an unseeming solution.
But damn it! she had designed this program so meticulously that it was nearly impossible to cheat it--- she pursed her lips tighter in concentration, no way one of *her* creations would best her!
Yesterday night, as she proposed her plan to the girls, she had truthfully believe that it wouldn't be so... strenuous. 'Easy as pie,' she had stated. Ha! Six hours glued at the computer and still going... Amy had already entered Serena's *real* dreams but she was having problems converting Andrew's testimony into veritable data.
Amy smiled at the memory of Andrew's narration. It had included a wild frat-party, several shots of whisky, vodka and beer in less than two hours and Darien's full confession to a sober Andrew. She snickered, the poor guy nearly had a stroke when she confirmed that yes, his best friend *and* the cute girls who frequented the arcade were superheroes. Not to mention that he had been tempted to bang Darien over his head when he had begun sprouting about his 'feelings' for Serena...
Amy shook her head, poor Andrew indeed. The confused guy had looked for her, the most levelled head in the group, he had explained, and he really didn't want to discuss it with Darien because, what for? Darien had forgotten all about that night . Amy was glad Darien didn't remember being dragged out of the party and tucked into bed by his friend. Specially because Andrew confessed not being able to stop grinning upon hearing his usually serious friend singing Moon's Love over and over.
Oh! but she so would have paid for a video of that one! Amy allowed herself a soft giggle at the idea.
Yeah, Andrew had told her everything and then swore her to secrecy. Upon the question of 'what should we do?' Amy had calmly stated that Darien's secret crush was old news for her... all the while analysing the new information and mentally cheering for her hopeless Princess... and that she already had a plan. Yeah, maybe she shouldn't have lied to Andrew, but she really didn't want him doing something as foolish as telling Serena the truth. No, Serena didn't need to know until Darien was ready to accept it himself.
That was how she had known about both enmity parties being in love with each other. She had been waiting patiently for the perfect opportunity to throw them into each other's arms... but Setsuna's arrival had blown up every scheme she had planned... and now she was forced to work against the clock!
Amy thought bitterly that after the chaos Setsuna was causing, she should *at least* stop the time so there would be a larger timeframe to work with.
If only Setsuna wasn't so adamant in Darien marrying *now*! If only he and Serena could put their petty differences at rest! If only Serena would finally make a *real* effort to make Darien fall for her...
But that would be too easy, wouldn't it?
Let Amy Mizuno try to save her single life - for she knew the others were far too idealistic about love and marriage to go through it - while hooking up two stubborn monarchs who were too afraid to openly recognise that they were far more than attracted to each other!
"Amy?"
"What?!" she snapped.
"Your coffee." Lita answered handing her a steaming cup.
"Oh." Amy blushed. "Sorry, Lita. I guess I'm just too stressed today."
Lita shrugged. "No big deal, I kinda noticed it earlier. Don't worry about it, Ames, you're entitled to be stressed since you are doing all the hard work." She smiled. "So, how is it going?"
Amy sighed. "Slowly... too slowly... but surely." She smiled back weakly. "The real 'hard work' will be to convince Serena and Darien."
"I have plain faith in you plan, Amy... even if it didn't seem that way before."
Amy smiled in thanks and took her cup sipping carefully from it.
Lita squinted at the numbers and graphs on the screen but still couldn't make sense of them. Finally she gave up and turned to Amy. "I don't understand this." She pointed at the computer. "You said that they are attracted to each other and... well, I never thought about it but... it kinda makes sense." She sighed. "i mean, they are always fighting and bitching but, when it comes down to it, they still are each other's priorities."
Amy nodded thinking back to past battles *after* the secret identities were mutually discovered. Yeah, more times than not Sailor Moon had threatened to 'moondust' Tuxedo Mask in the heat of the battle but, still, several times they had risked their lives to protect the other's without a trace of doubt. of course, those episodes were always followed by fights in the lines of 'Are you deaf, blind or just plain inane?!', a 'If you don't give me space, then how will I fight?' came next and it was quietly answered by a 'Fine, get killed for all I care.' But they cared, and they followed this crazy pattern once and again.
With time, the Senshi had come to rely on that unspoken truce so they could focus on the battle instead of in the Princess' protection. Tuxedo Mask still cared for Sailor moon and vice versa. Only in battle they forgot about Serena's insults and Darien's barbs. If only...
Amy was broken out of her reverie as Lita continued laying out her thoughts. "When you *really* think *hard* about it, it's easy to notice that they really are into each other. I mean, Serena is the one Darien is *always* interested in, she is the only one who can make him act spontaneously, even if it's only to make a joke about her or to respond to one of her insults." Lita grinned, surely remembering some incident involving 'spontaneous Darien'. "And then, his name is *always* coming up in Serena's conversation, even when we weren't talking about him at all."
"Even if it's only to insult him..."
"Yeah, there's that... but still" Darien is the only one she talks about!" Lita sighed dreamily. Amy nearly snickered thinking how Lita must view this as something out of romance novel. "And then... there are those times where they seem to forget there's people in the room. It doesn't matter what they are saying, there's this... tension between them, as if... Oh! I don't know how to describe it!" Lita sighed at her loss of words. "But I'm sure of this, Ames. If that tension isn't about dislike, then it can only be attraction... and a very strong one at that."
"Then, if you believe that they are good together, what is it you don't understand?"
Lita drank the last of her coffee and looked squarely at her friend. "Why are you working so hard on this? I know that the first phase is to convince those not-in-the-know , specially Darien and Serena themselves, that they could be a couple but..." Lita took a big breath and finally asked, "if they are so good for each other, then why do you need to alter the results so they can be positive?"
"They are already positive, Lita. But I want the numbers to be the highest so Darien can be easily convinced. These are emotions we are gambling with, Lita, and even the Mercury Computer can't fully comprehend human feelings. If I were to make a real emotion-reader, then I'm sure they would reach over a 90% mark in the compatibility department. But machines and programs aren't perfect and..." Amy looked a little guilty now. "And even less when you consider that I forgot to include an important factor in the program..."
She sighed when Lita's eye went round upon hearing that her friend's sharp mind had overlooked something as important as... "Opposites attract."
"Oh," was the only thing which came from Lita's mouth. "I guess it makes sense..."
***
The atmosphere was the one befitting the reknown temple. Tranquillity and peace seemed to leak from every wall and picture in place.
From within the temple a feminine voice called out...
"CHAaaaaaD! Come here NOW!"
And so began another day in Tokyo.
***
Serena was not having a good day. Sure, she was only half an hour into said day but still! Already she could feel a bruise forming on her leg where she bumped onto the postman. But it was *his* fault for being so damn early!! Her stomach was empty, her hand hurt from when she had slapped his brother over the head after witnessing him happily munching on the last pancake. "That damned strong-headed little weasel... He'll see if I give him food when I'm queen!" she muttered through gritted teeth. And of course, half of Tokyo's driving population seemed bent on running her over...
Couldn't they understand that she was running LATE??!!!!!!
So, when Serena glimpsed a green form coming to her at an alarming speed. Brake!" Brake! BRAaaaKE damn it! she forcefully tried to stop her rapid step and avoid the inevitable...
...
So there *is* a reason why the inevitable is called inevitable, huh? she mused darkly with her nose buried in Darien's black T-shirt. She felt Darien's hands going to her shoulders to steady her and a soft chuckle escape his chest.
"So still charging after me every morning, Moonie? This can become annoying after two years, you know?"
The purposeful use of her newest nickname annoyed her to no end. "So why don't you take another way to university, *Rosey-Boy*? Afraid you'll get lost in the big city?"
He merely smiled at her taunt. The nerve!
"I could say the same for you, Moonie. But just this time I'll answer your question. I use this way in order to protect you. God forbids the Princess wanders all lost and confused around Juuban!"
"Why you..."
"are so perfectly gentlemanly? Why, thank you, my princess," he mocked her. "Because I do know, Meatball Head, that you *would* get lost were it not for our daily encounters to assure you this is the right path... and believe me," he added rubbing his chest, "I'm taking the hardest part into this."
"Oh yeah? You poor little darling," Serena cooed, "Can't take a girl falling onto you? No wonder the Senshi was always patching you up after a battle!" she whispered furiously.
He chuckled. "Were it not for some helpless damsel in peril, namely *you*, I would have been perfectly fine."
Serena gasped in feigned pleasure and battled her eyelashes at him. "And does the 'gentleman' want a reward for his kind services?" she asked sweetly.
"A kiss shall be enough, my fair lady," he grinned and grabbed her chin in one hand.
Her eyes showed her surprise but she quickly recovered. "Only a kiss? Why does my knight nor ask for my hand in marriage?" she teased.
Her words seemed to remind Darien of something and he rapidly lost the just-kidding-let's-see-who-stops-first attitude. "I'm sorry, m'lady, but I have swore upon my father's grave only to marry a true princess."
Oh, the audacity of this guy! She angrily slapped his hand out of her face. "Why you... you..."
"are running late? All your fault, Meatball. You should not detain students in their way to knowledge. Shouldn't you be in class already?" He pointed at his watch. "Better get going or you'll miss today's meeting too."
"And you care because...?"
"I don't." He shrugged. "But I think you'll enjoy it."
She opened her mouth to ask for details but then thought better for it. The snivelling little 'prince' was right, she would have detention if she was late. She disengaged herself from Darien's arms Weren't we fighting? Then why am I in his arms? and sprinted towards the school.
Darien stayed in place, watching as she disappeared from his view.
Oh yes, Serena, you wouldn't want to miss me getting laughed at by the Scouts for *nothing* in the world.
You called her *Serena*!
So what? She didn't actually hear it. Darien shrugged at himself and continued his way.
Today would be a long, long day.
***
Mina did not know what had stopped her on her tracks on her way to school. That was until she saw the embracing couple right in the middle of the street Are they...? Oh my God! They *are*! or, more exactly, the soft white luminescence which surrounded them. Aww, that's so sweet!
Of course, the peaceful light vanished as soon as the guy opened his mouth. The Love Goddess within her pouted, and Mina herself huffed in anger. Those damned fools! No doubt they are discussing again!
Last night, her suggestion to Amy and Lita had seemed coming out of the blue. But the reason laid with that warm glow which often enveloped Tuxedo Mask and Sailor Moon two years ago. The then inexperienced Senshi of love had felt it, yet failed to recognise its origins... she had improved a lot since then. In the course of two years mina had glimpsed it in counted occasions, only when both parties were with their guards down.
It looked like Light, it sounded like Peace, it filled her with Love, and yes, she thought smirking, it smelled a little like Lust.
Why Raye, in all her spiritual knowledge and emphatic powers, did not perceive it was beyond Mina's comprehension. Love was in the air when they were together... it was all so clear!
Of course, one might think otherwise witnessing Serena detaching herself from Darien as fast as she could...
Mina sighed, the plan better work or she would put her inner Love Goddess into a restless campaign!
Today would be a loooong day...
-----------------------------------------
So, you liked? The next chapter will be a little shorter but... I'm sure you'll want to know what is what Serena remembers from her past life... and have you noticed Darien's 'annoying little voice'? Hehehe.
K&S
Leni.
It's been a long year, hasn't it? I'm sure most of you have forgotten this story even existed. But here it is, a brand new chapter and two more are already fully mapped out. I hope you'll enjoy this chapter, the first three parts are mostly... mmm... explanations about the girls' plans but for those of you who are interested in S/D interaction... yup, I finally wrote a S/D scene, just remember that they still 'hate' each other, okay?
I know the story is going slowly but, that's the way my muse has planned it. We promise it will be worth it.
TITLE: To Choose A Wife. 1c
AUTHOR: Leni
DISCLAIMER: I wish.
DISTRIBUTION: Ask first.
SUMMARY: Amy is cranky, Lita has questions, Mina is a witness and our favourite couple just... IS.
RATING: I'm maintaining the PG-13 rating. I had planned some... mmm... 'steam' but I'm not sure if I will do them after all. Let's see how it goes, okay?
FEEDBACK: Oh please! I just want to know if the story is worth my time. And, if nobody likes it, then why would I post it? dani_vasq@hotmail.com , a_d_v_v@yahoo.com.ar
"" represents speech.
represents thoughts.
represents 'annoying little voice'. I.e. Conscience.
---------------------
It was 4 am. in Tokyo. Normally, at this early time only silence permeated the city, interrupted here and there by the sounds of motors and maybe the voices in some unbridled party. But here, in a small department, someone was typing furiously while light snores filled the room. Of course, an annoying voice was also present...
"Are you sure this will work?" came for the nth time.
Amy swore silently. "It's the best option."
"But are you *sure*?"
She sighed. Amy understood Lita's anxiety but she really would prefer some peace and quiet to do her assigned task.
"Amy, are you?" Lita insisted
She breathed in deeply. "Not 100%," Amy said calmly, "we're talking about real emotions after all."
"We are so dead," she moaned.
"Worst case, one of us marries Darien," Amy stated tiredly.
"And that's supposed to calm me?"
"You were the one who wanted a truthful answer..."
Lita huffed. "Some friend you are."
"If I am such a bad friend, then what am i doing here at all, huh?" Amy bit out, finally annoyed with her friend's nosiness.
"Geez girl." Lita held her hands in a peaceful gesture. "you really are grumpy when you don't sleep." Try as she might, Lita could help leaking a bit of her amusement at her friend's behaviour, in all these years, she had never seen Amy lose her self-restraint.
"You want to enter all this intel into the computer *and* make sure the program will work as we want in to?"
Lita grimaced at the thought. "You got the brains, Amy, I'll get the coffee." She glanced at her still fuming friend. "You really, really need it..." That stated, Lita turned to the kitchen.
Amy didn't even look back as her friend departed. She just sighed and looked back at the charts displayed on the screen. She estimated which changes were still to be done and resumed typing.
Meanwhile, on the nearby couch, Mina kept on happily snoring.
***
Setsuna smiled.
She willed the images off and left Mercury and Jupiter to continue their conversation privately.
The Inner Senshi were doing their best effort to push Serenity into the Prince's arms. Setsuna grinned, she couldn't have asked for better allies, and she knew that with them things would go, if not smoothly, at least in the needed direction.
She could have told the couple that they were meant for each other, but they would never believe it. Maybe in some other reality, where they fell in love *before* knowing of their past lives...
Endymion had known from his dreams that the moon Princess was important for him, but now he protested his feelings could not have been true after discovering said Princess' true identity. Oh yes, his will was indeed strong to ignore the attraction he felt for her.
On her part, Serenity was afraid of refusal. The dreams of her past had opened her mind to her heart's truths and now she acknowledged that yes, she loved Darien and yes, she would be happy at his side but no, no way would she be the one to make the first step...
Setsuna sighed.
Soon enough Darien would travel to America for several years. If by that time they weren't in a relationship, then the chances of it happening were slim at best. With such a extended physical distance and no commitment between them it was entirely possible that they never got of their denial (his) and fear (hers).
And there was where the Senshi of Time took matters in her hands...
Setsuna was not proud of her role. Deceiving the Earth Prince *and* her fellow Senshi was not in the job's description but then, the job's description could be summarised in 'Whatever It Takes'. Short of telling Endymion at face value who his soulmate was, this had been her best resort. True, her allies were suffering strong headaches and high levels of stress but, it couldn't be helped...
Crystal Tokyo had to emerge.
Only Moon and Earth combined had the power to build the New Era.
And it was Setsuna's mission that what should happen came to pass.
***
She had been trying to make the numbers match without her involvement being obvious. Amy knew that the girls wouldn't understand anything but the final results... this extra work was in Darien's and Setsuna's benefit, just in case they got too curious about how her 'infallible' computer had come out with such an unseeming solution.
But damn it! she had designed this program so meticulously that it was nearly impossible to cheat it--- she pursed her lips tighter in concentration, no way one of *her* creations would best her!
Yesterday night, as she proposed her plan to the girls, she had truthfully believe that it wouldn't be so... strenuous. 'Easy as pie,' she had stated. Ha! Six hours glued at the computer and still going... Amy had already entered Serena's *real* dreams but she was having problems converting Andrew's testimony into veritable data.
Amy smiled at the memory of Andrew's narration. It had included a wild frat-party, several shots of whisky, vodka and beer in less than two hours and Darien's full confession to a sober Andrew. She snickered, the poor guy nearly had a stroke when she confirmed that yes, his best friend *and* the cute girls who frequented the arcade were superheroes. Not to mention that he had been tempted to bang Darien over his head when he had begun sprouting about his 'feelings' for Serena...
Amy shook her head, poor Andrew indeed. The confused guy had looked for her, the most levelled head in the group, he had explained, and he really didn't want to discuss it with Darien because, what for? Darien had forgotten all about that night . Amy was glad Darien didn't remember being dragged out of the party and tucked into bed by his friend. Specially because Andrew confessed not being able to stop grinning upon hearing his usually serious friend singing Moon's Love over and over.
Oh! but she so would have paid for a video of that one! Amy allowed herself a soft giggle at the idea.
Yeah, Andrew had told her everything and then swore her to secrecy. Upon the question of 'what should we do?' Amy had calmly stated that Darien's secret crush was old news for her... all the while analysing the new information and mentally cheering for her hopeless Princess... and that she already had a plan. Yeah, maybe she shouldn't have lied to Andrew, but she really didn't want him doing something as foolish as telling Serena the truth. No, Serena didn't need to know until Darien was ready to accept it himself.
That was how she had known about both enmity parties being in love with each other. She had been waiting patiently for the perfect opportunity to throw them into each other's arms... but Setsuna's arrival had blown up every scheme she had planned... and now she was forced to work against the clock!
Amy thought bitterly that after the chaos Setsuna was causing, she should *at least* stop the time so there would be a larger timeframe to work with.
If only Setsuna wasn't so adamant in Darien marrying *now*! If only he and Serena could put their petty differences at rest! If only Serena would finally make a *real* effort to make Darien fall for her...
But that would be too easy, wouldn't it?
Let Amy Mizuno try to save her single life - for she knew the others were far too idealistic about love and marriage to go through it - while hooking up two stubborn monarchs who were too afraid to openly recognise that they were far more than attracted to each other!
"Amy?"
"What?!" she snapped.
"Your coffee." Lita answered handing her a steaming cup.
"Oh." Amy blushed. "Sorry, Lita. I guess I'm just too stressed today."
Lita shrugged. "No big deal, I kinda noticed it earlier. Don't worry about it, Ames, you're entitled to be stressed since you are doing all the hard work." She smiled. "So, how is it going?"
Amy sighed. "Slowly... too slowly... but surely." She smiled back weakly. "The real 'hard work' will be to convince Serena and Darien."
"I have plain faith in you plan, Amy... even if it didn't seem that way before."
Amy smiled in thanks and took her cup sipping carefully from it.
Lita squinted at the numbers and graphs on the screen but still couldn't make sense of them. Finally she gave up and turned to Amy. "I don't understand this." She pointed at the computer. "You said that they are attracted to each other and... well, I never thought about it but... it kinda makes sense." She sighed. "i mean, they are always fighting and bitching but, when it comes down to it, they still are each other's priorities."
Amy nodded thinking back to past battles *after* the secret identities were mutually discovered. Yeah, more times than not Sailor Moon had threatened to 'moondust' Tuxedo Mask in the heat of the battle but, still, several times they had risked their lives to protect the other's without a trace of doubt. of course, those episodes were always followed by fights in the lines of 'Are you deaf, blind or just plain inane?!', a 'If you don't give me space, then how will I fight?' came next and it was quietly answered by a 'Fine, get killed for all I care.' But they cared, and they followed this crazy pattern once and again.
With time, the Senshi had come to rely on that unspoken truce so they could focus on the battle instead of in the Princess' protection. Tuxedo Mask still cared for Sailor moon and vice versa. Only in battle they forgot about Serena's insults and Darien's barbs. If only...
Amy was broken out of her reverie as Lita continued laying out her thoughts. "When you *really* think *hard* about it, it's easy to notice that they really are into each other. I mean, Serena is the one Darien is *always* interested in, she is the only one who can make him act spontaneously, even if it's only to make a joke about her or to respond to one of her insults." Lita grinned, surely remembering some incident involving 'spontaneous Darien'. "And then, his name is *always* coming up in Serena's conversation, even when we weren't talking about him at all."
"Even if it's only to insult him..."
"Yeah, there's that... but still" Darien is the only one she talks about!" Lita sighed dreamily. Amy nearly snickered thinking how Lita must view this as something out of romance novel. "And then... there are those times where they seem to forget there's people in the room. It doesn't matter what they are saying, there's this... tension between them, as if... Oh! I don't know how to describe it!" Lita sighed at her loss of words. "But I'm sure of this, Ames. If that tension isn't about dislike, then it can only be attraction... and a very strong one at that."
"Then, if you believe that they are good together, what is it you don't understand?"
Lita drank the last of her coffee and looked squarely at her friend. "Why are you working so hard on this? I know that the first phase is to convince those not-in-the-know , specially Darien and Serena themselves, that they could be a couple but..." Lita took a big breath and finally asked, "if they are so good for each other, then why do you need to alter the results so they can be positive?"
"They are already positive, Lita. But I want the numbers to be the highest so Darien can be easily convinced. These are emotions we are gambling with, Lita, and even the Mercury Computer can't fully comprehend human feelings. If I were to make a real emotion-reader, then I'm sure they would reach over a 90% mark in the compatibility department. But machines and programs aren't perfect and..." Amy looked a little guilty now. "And even less when you consider that I forgot to include an important factor in the program..."
She sighed when Lita's eye went round upon hearing that her friend's sharp mind had overlooked something as important as... "Opposites attract."
"Oh," was the only thing which came from Lita's mouth. "I guess it makes sense..."
***
The atmosphere was the one befitting the reknown temple. Tranquillity and peace seemed to leak from every wall and picture in place.
From within the temple a feminine voice called out...
"CHAaaaaaD! Come here NOW!"
And so began another day in Tokyo.
***
Serena was not having a good day. Sure, she was only half an hour into said day but still! Already she could feel a bruise forming on her leg where she bumped onto the postman. But it was *his* fault for being so damn early!! Her stomach was empty, her hand hurt from when she had slapped his brother over the head after witnessing him happily munching on the last pancake. "That damned strong-headed little weasel... He'll see if I give him food when I'm queen!" she muttered through gritted teeth. And of course, half of Tokyo's driving population seemed bent on running her over...
Couldn't they understand that she was running LATE??!!!!!!
So, when Serena glimpsed a green form coming to her at an alarming speed. Brake!" Brake! BRAaaaKE damn it! she forcefully tried to stop her rapid step and avoid the inevitable...
...
So there *is* a reason why the inevitable is called inevitable, huh? she mused darkly with her nose buried in Darien's black T-shirt. She felt Darien's hands going to her shoulders to steady her and a soft chuckle escape his chest.
"So still charging after me every morning, Moonie? This can become annoying after two years, you know?"
The purposeful use of her newest nickname annoyed her to no end. "So why don't you take another way to university, *Rosey-Boy*? Afraid you'll get lost in the big city?"
He merely smiled at her taunt. The nerve!
"I could say the same for you, Moonie. But just this time I'll answer your question. I use this way in order to protect you. God forbids the Princess wanders all lost and confused around Juuban!"
"Why you..."
"are so perfectly gentlemanly? Why, thank you, my princess," he mocked her. "Because I do know, Meatball Head, that you *would* get lost were it not for our daily encounters to assure you this is the right path... and believe me," he added rubbing his chest, "I'm taking the hardest part into this."
"Oh yeah? You poor little darling," Serena cooed, "Can't take a girl falling onto you? No wonder the Senshi was always patching you up after a battle!" she whispered furiously.
He chuckled. "Were it not for some helpless damsel in peril, namely *you*, I would have been perfectly fine."
Serena gasped in feigned pleasure and battled her eyelashes at him. "And does the 'gentleman' want a reward for his kind services?" she asked sweetly.
"A kiss shall be enough, my fair lady," he grinned and grabbed her chin in one hand.
Her eyes showed her surprise but she quickly recovered. "Only a kiss? Why does my knight nor ask for my hand in marriage?" she teased.
Her words seemed to remind Darien of something and he rapidly lost the just-kidding-let's-see-who-stops-first attitude. "I'm sorry, m'lady, but I have swore upon my father's grave only to marry a true princess."
Oh, the audacity of this guy! She angrily slapped his hand out of her face. "Why you... you..."
"are running late? All your fault, Meatball. You should not detain students in their way to knowledge. Shouldn't you be in class already?" He pointed at his watch. "Better get going or you'll miss today's meeting too."
"And you care because...?"
"I don't." He shrugged. "But I think you'll enjoy it."
She opened her mouth to ask for details but then thought better for it. The snivelling little 'prince' was right, she would have detention if she was late. She disengaged herself from Darien's arms Weren't we fighting? Then why am I in his arms? and sprinted towards the school.
Darien stayed in place, watching as she disappeared from his view.
Oh yes, Serena, you wouldn't want to miss me getting laughed at by the Scouts for *nothing* in the world.
You called her *Serena*!
So what? She didn't actually hear it. Darien shrugged at himself and continued his way.
Today would be a long, long day.
***
Mina did not know what had stopped her on her tracks on her way to school. That was until she saw the embracing couple right in the middle of the street Are they...? Oh my God! They *are*! or, more exactly, the soft white luminescence which surrounded them. Aww, that's so sweet!
Of course, the peaceful light vanished as soon as the guy opened his mouth. The Love Goddess within her pouted, and Mina herself huffed in anger. Those damned fools! No doubt they are discussing again!
Last night, her suggestion to Amy and Lita had seemed coming out of the blue. But the reason laid with that warm glow which often enveloped Tuxedo Mask and Sailor Moon two years ago. The then inexperienced Senshi of love had felt it, yet failed to recognise its origins... she had improved a lot since then. In the course of two years mina had glimpsed it in counted occasions, only when both parties were with their guards down.
It looked like Light, it sounded like Peace, it filled her with Love, and yes, she thought smirking, it smelled a little like Lust.
Why Raye, in all her spiritual knowledge and emphatic powers, did not perceive it was beyond Mina's comprehension. Love was in the air when they were together... it was all so clear!
Of course, one might think otherwise witnessing Serena detaching herself from Darien as fast as she could...
Mina sighed, the plan better work or she would put her inner Love Goddess into a restless campaign!
Today would be a loooong day...
-----------------------------------------
So, you liked? The next chapter will be a little shorter but... I'm sure you'll want to know what is what Serena remembers from her past life... and have you noticed Darien's 'annoying little voice'? Hehehe.
K&S
Leni.
