She ran her hand up her arm watching herself in the mirror. She was in the training center of her own castle. She leant casually against a padded wall. It was warm from the fire she had just produced. Her arms were getting strong and wet with sweat. She could not yet feel the pulsing pain in her veins. Her skin felt sticky but by now she was used to it. She clutched her upper arm and watched herself, studying her shape. It was odd in her eyes.
She had a short torso and long legs. Her hair was falling out of the forlorn looking pony tail. She reached up and let it fall down her shoulders and down her back. It swayed a little bit behind her. It felt good to take the weight from her head. She shook it out a little bit and let it flow behind her delicate figure.
She wasn't Sailor Jupiter. She was only Sailor Mars. She couldn't keep doing this.
She let her legs fold under neither her. She sat with her back against the wall and let her arms and legs embrace the cool air sooth her joints.
When she closed her eyes she thought about her bad position with the general. What if someday he recognized her? Impossible? Perhaps. But would like to be discovered? She had to get out of her own body.
Little did she know that she wasn't alone. From the door way stood her two guardians. Phobos bit her nail and Demos, her lip. They silently disappeared into the darkened hallway.
"Princess Mars…"
Of course she wanted to see him again.
Again, she lightly touched the back of her hand thinking about the kiss he had given her. She shuddered and transformed back into The princess of Mars. She showered and put on something clean. She flipped her hair around and made it fly back into it's usually obedient manner instead of a mess of her hard work. In a few moments she had changed completely from The passionate fighter of Mars to the ever-suave princess of the Fifth Planet.
She dulled her warrior gaze and replaced it with a beautiful sullen look of dignity she always wore around the castle.
She walked down halls of carpet and wood to the dinning room for breakfast. She smiled lightly to the servant who pulled out her chair and watched very carefully as she instinctively ate slowly and deliberately.
Soon her forethoughts were taken by the letter that was making it's way to her hands. It was an invitation to the Moon's Annual Masked Festival. It had to be. Of course she would attend she thought. Not only did she go every year but at this moment she yearned to see he best friends once more.
When they were children they used to gather at the moon kingdom and play together, talk together, and train together. Now they were young women with many responsibilities and work to do learning to govern as well as fight.
Sailor Mars never forgot those happy by-gone times. Never forgot her passion for the heat of a battle. Her best battles were always with her friends. They never held back. As for Venus, Mars smiled to herself. Venus had her own way of fighting. She won her fair share of battles there was no doubt. But recently, the blond princess of Venus had been putting most of her time into a special training. She had more classes to take, more weapons to master and strategies to learn. But when they were children, none of them cared about that. They were friends to the end.
What would she say about this event? Without moving her head, she tried to shake the thought of him once more, from her head.
"Think about something else for once!"
She missed Venus smiling face terribly. She missed Ami's sweet voice and Makoto's mature nature.
Mars missed them all terribly.
So when the letter in a white envelope with golden trim came into her delicate hands that morning over breakfast, she was quick to open it once she was out of sight from anyone who might have guess her eagerness.
"Dear Royal Sir or Madam:
The Kingdom of the Moon is holding its Annual Masked Trinket Festival."
Jedite skipped down a little bit. He again admired the queen's elegant handwriting that glowed of gentile holiness.
"Gimmy." Nephrite snapped it from his hands. His red-brown eyes skimmed the page. "I've never heard of that before. Why would you be going?"
"Nephrite, you do realize we have to go with him don't you?"
"Maybe they invited him because they really wanted me to come. Very smart of them." Zoicite had the letter passed to him.
"Don't count on it. You're probably the reason it's taken so long to get him invited." Jedite nudged him with his elbow.
"Yeah." Nephrite took Zoicite by the arm. "We can't take you anyplace nice."
"Shut up!" Nephrite was promptly slugged.
The five were sitting around the eating Zoicite favorite food: ham sandwiches. The food at the Earth palace was always so stiff and hard to eat. So they had all snuck off together and were huddled around a small slightly torn up brown table in a far off back room chewing delightfully on crisp lettuce when the Prince brought up the subject that he had received an invitation to the moon annual festival.
Usually his parents would go but He had never even considered going. It was a good enough honor to have his family invited much less himself and his guardians.
"It's cause I'm of age I guess. Or something. mom don't think I get out enough." He took another large bite of his sandwich.
"Well that makes sense. Right? I guess were special. We'll go, pick up some moon chicks and be home by one." Zoicite swallowed and pushed Nephrite off.
"nope. We're staying for two weeks."
"Two weeks?! What for?" Jedite sat up. Not that he was really upset. Just that he was surprised to be gone for such a long time.
The prince shrugged like any guy would.
"Oh gee thanks Endo." The prince got a tomato in the face. (Nephrite muttered something to the effect of "I hate those things…")
"Look on the bright side." Kunzite picked out a bit of bread from his uniform and heaved it back at Jedite helping the miniature food fight. "We'll get to meet The Legendry Planetary Princesses."
"Dear Royal Sir or Madam:
The Kingdom of the Moon is holding its Annual Masked Trinket Festival."
Mars skipped down a little bit. She again admired the queen's elegant handwriting that glowed of gentile holiness.
Same old time, same place, and same special instructions of the formalities and duties of the inner princesses: it was all there. Near the bottom next to the Queen's fine writing there was a note written in pink. It had a little bunny head next to it. Rei read the scribbled writing.
"Can't wait to see you Rei-Chan." Well that's what it mostly said. The "Rei" was blotched out. They weren't allowed to use their informal names. Not even to one another in private. They didn't care.
Just as guard passed she nonchalantly hid the parchment under a fold in her dress and walked by him emotionless expression in her deep black eyes.
She made the walk to he bedroom as quickly as could seem natural.
She closed the door behind her.
Rei smiled down at the pink ink splotches here and there.
"Serenity." She laughed and hugged the letter to her heart then hid it within a drawer next to her bed.
For the rest of the day, she tried to think of the upcoming festival. Perhaps she could stay at the moon for a little while. This would help her head clear all thoughts of unpleasantness. Including those deep blue eyes that reminded her of great fountains and rivers.
"At least I won't see him there."
Rawther short I guess but hey, deal with it! Thank you for all the support so quickly! I was so surprised! You guys, "::Sniff:: really like it?
MY love this time is for :
Miiaevia: OK OK, it's action you want? Well it wouldn't be a rei/jed fic without it. It's not gonna be in these immediate chapters but don't you worry, because of your words, let's see some blood!
Firenze:Thank you. ::blush:: I really have a hard time FEELING Rei. Jedite's a guy you know. A good one but if you can't understand him, your thinking too hard. ^^
Pyro*Chic: woo hoo! It's been a while since I talked to you! Yeah things are fine here but there is SO MUCH school work! and yeah, I use our schools comp too. ^^;; I'm glad your so excited about my story! ::shock:: and I love to hear from you. So thanks again!...and again!
Minh Minh: I;m on your authors alert list?! You doll! Thank you so much! I really feel great when I get sweet reviews l;ike yours. Thanks for the support! Tell me what yah think of this chapter. Short no? Quite a while ago someone said, They don't do enough talking" So I fixed it. this is justa set up chapter, I hope you don't mind. :D
Jupiter-1685:You like this story? Well, what do you like about it so far? That it never gets updated? OK I'm e-mail you to ay that this is up. ^^ your meh babe!
Venus Smurf: WOAH. I did not expect to see a bout a MILLION reviews from you sitting in my mail box. I'm really really shocked. I mean…WOW. How much time did that take you? And gee, I've read your stuff and I really like it but I never expected a reiview from YOU! Thank you so much! I really feel oh so special…gee. I really.. I mean.. WOW. Please expect other returns like this from my other stprys of which you have reviewed as well. I really loved your comments. Thanks so much!
Rayenna: Where are you?!
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OK that's it!
Wow. I just love when I get a little blopping thing in my box. I mean, I have three more chapters after this already written. So if you ask nicely, I'll post 'em faster!
Thanks to you all! And many thanks but not as much to thoses who read and didn't write "UPDATE" in my box. ^^
All my burning firey love.
Vbabe1
MCD03003@byui.edu