Sorry it's been so long. I've been working on an original novel and doing summer reading and being kept on the phone and computer all hours of the night by my girlfriend. But, I did inally finish this and I am working on chapters or my other stories. They should be up next week, but I'm starting school, so I don't know. Thanks for waiting!

"SHIELDS! TSUKINO!" a gruff voice yelled across the field. Serena and Darien took notice of each other now and they both slowly trudged towards the yelling coach. "Thirty minutes late to my class! I know you think since this is gym that you two can go slink off and make out or whatever, but not with me!"

Darien looked offended. "Sir--" he said, then scrunched up his face, "Ma'am—." Then he let out a nervous chuckle. "Coach Tenoh. Serena and I were not making out! I didn't even know she was late—"

Coach Tenoh looked down at him from under her ball cap. "Why exactly were you late, Shields?"

"Well, I was, uh, um—" he ran his hand through his hair trying to think of a valid excuse. Oh, I know! his annoying voice said. Just tell her how you flirted with Sailor Moon and then were threatened by Jadeite. "I had to ask Kaioh-san how to define 'koi.'" Darien hated himself for saying it, but he really couldn't deal with a detention right now.

Coach Tenoh's nostrils flared and she now glared at him. "What about you, Tsukino?" she gritted through her teeth.

Serena, who had been busy watching the jerk and her coach, pondered this question. "I had to talk to Miss Meioh about Homecoming Week," she lied, way too easily. For a minute, she thought about how her lying skills had improved since she became Sailor Moon, but her coach was ranting.

"—And since neither of you have a pass, you will run one lap for every ten minutes of my class you missed!"

"That's three, Meatball Head," Darien said, patting her on her head.

"Five," said Tenoh's voice.

"You jerk!"

"Seven."

"Why wasn't I included in this Homecoming meeting?"

"Nine…"

"Because you're an arrogant, stupid, son-of-a—"

"TEN! You will each run ten laps and then tonight you will write me a report on how running builds character!" Coach Tenoh yelled. When they opened their mouths to protest, she pointed towards the track and shouted, "GO!"

Both teens rushed towards the track and began alight jog. "So, Meatball Head, what really made you late?"

"None of your business," Serena said, trying to yell, but her huffing made it impossible.

"Are you forgetting the fact that our conversation was interrupted by you leaving?" Darien asked.

"Oh, right." Serena grimaced when she remembered the conversation. "Uh, family emergency." Darien looked at her as they ran, raising an eyebrow. "What about you, jerk? And what was up with Tenoh when you mentioned Kaioh-san?"

Darien blushed slightly. "Uh, um, some things are not for your virgin ears, Serena!" Before Serena could yell at him, he sped off and let her behind, glaring angrily.

"Did you guys hear that Jadeite guy earlier today?" Mina asked excitedly as they all sat in the small booth. "I mean, 'meet me at the airport?' How romantic!"

Serena almost choked on her milkshake. Kevin began to hit her on the back, but Ami scolded him that that made things worse (the things you learn in Health). "Romantic?" she said incredulously. "He was threatening to kill the Sailor Scouts and everyone in this town!"

"But isn't he just soo sexy?" Elizabeth said dreamily.

"Wha-what!" Andrew demanded. "You are way too young to think anyone is sexy!"

"I'm only a year younger than you are, brother! Are you telling me that you didn't think any of those girls in the magazines in your room were sexy last year?" she asked devilishly, causing Andrew to blush.

"You let your little sister find my magazines!" Jed demanded, and then blushed as well.

"Jed! I gave those magazines to you! How did Andrew get them?" Kevin asked.

"Kev, those were mine to begin with!" Nick added.

As the rest argued, Serena turned to Darien. "Don't you have something to say about the magazines?"

Darien smirked and leaned down to whisper huskily in her ear, "I don't need the magazines." He nipped her ear and she leapt up with a squeak. "What's wrong Meatball Head?" he asked innocently.

"Ami, don't we have to go to the temple to meet with Rei?" Serena asked Ami nervously.

Ami looked at her curiously. "Um, no Serena. She's coming here." Then the arcade doors opened with a bells ringing. "There she is now!" The table's heads' turned to the arcade entrance. A pale girl with dark black hair stood there, her violet eyes scanning the arcade. She was wearing a gray school uniform with a darker gray skirt. All of the guys' jaws fell to the floor. The girls merely stared admirably. "Rei, over here!" Ami called to her friend.

Rei turned and smiled, making the guys drool even more. She gracefully walked over to the table where the gang was sitting. "Hey, Ami. Serena," Rei said, and smiled again. "Are you going to introduce me to your friends?"

"Jed."

"Nick."

"Kevin."

"Andrew."

"Darien."

The guys all introduced themselves, managing to get on the table by stepping on Zelda, Serena, Elizabeth, Mina and Ami's heads. Serena looked at Zelda pointedly. Zelda nodded and cleared her throat. "FIRE!" she screeched at the top of her lungs. Shocked, the guys all fell off the table and onto their faces. Then she turned and smiled sweetly to Rei, "Hi, Rei. I'm Zelda!"

"And I'm Elizabeth."

Rei's face reddened a little and she giggled. "Nice to meet you all." The guys calmly got up and sat in their seats, acting like nothing had happened. "Serena, I didn't know so many people would be here," Rei said in a restrained voice.

Serena looked puzzled for a minute, but then caught on. "Oh! Right, heh heh," she said, and then tried to think of an excuse for them to be alone. "I…forgot…that you wanted to, uh…buy your grandpa a…birthday present?" she finished, unsure.

Rei and Ami sweat-dropped. "Yeah, yeah I did," Rei said, annoyed.

"Well, we could help you!" Zelda said enthusiastically.

"Yeah, I have like, a degree in shopping!" Mina said, already getting up.

"No, no!" Serena said too quickly. Mina and Zelda looked at her strangely. "I mean, it's just me and Ami who have met him, so you know…"

"Yeah, we're the only ones who would be able to help her," Ami said, getting up. Mina sat down, a little sad.

"But, pretty soon I'll need your help shopping for Shingo's birthday present. Maybe we could get him another Baby Needs A Change," Serena joked, getting up too.

"Yeah, maybe…" Zelda said with a strained smile.

Serena frowned a little, but a nudge from Rei reminded her of why they were leaving. "Well, I'll see you guys tomorrow!" she said, walking away from the table.

"Bye" See-ya" "Later, Meatball Head!" was heard as the three Scouts left the arcade.

"So what are we going to do about Jadeite?" Serena asked. The girls were sitting in the room with the Great Fire, which Rei was currently consulting. Ami had her Mercury computer out and was going over the statistics from their last battle. Luna was pacing around the room, twitching her tail.

"We have to confront him! If we don't he'll burn down Tokyo," Rei said, but she seemed unsure.

"Rei, we've seen our powers pitted against his, and they've done nothing," Ami said logically. "What do you think, Serena? You are the leader."

"Leader, yeah," Rei muttered under her breath.

Serena thought for a moment. "I don't know you guys. I mean, I really, really don't want to face him, but Rei's right, he'll burn down the city if we don't. But, Ami's right too, if we do fight him, he'll more than likely defeat us and still burn down the city, and get energy for the Negaverse and they will invade our world and take over!" she cried. "I don't know, you guys. I don't want this confrontation, but…I just don't know."

After a long silence, Luna spoke. "Rei, what does the fire tell you, if anything?"

Rei sighed. "It's…foggy. I'm getting bits and pieces, but all I can decipher is suffering. That's the lat thing I feel from the reading…suffering," she finished, looking deeply troubled.

"Serena," the cat spoke, getting her young charge's attention. "I hate to say this but this decision ultimately falls to you. As the leader of the Sailor Scouts, it is your duty to take charge in battle."

Serena nodded slowly and then stood by the window, her head hung. "We should sleep on it. We'll meet again tomorrow, and I'll have my decision by then. But right now, I'm late for curfew." After this short speech, Serena ran out of the temple. The others looked at each other and then out the window into broad daylight.

Serena sat on her bed, thinking. In her hands was the golden locket that she uses to turn into the super-heroine Sailor Moon. With a slender finger, she traced the moon symbol on it. She felt something spark inside of her whenever she held it, like something from long ago, but she guessed it was just from being a Sailor Scout. She looked out her window to the setting sun, wondering where she'd be next time it went away.

I hope you liked the chapter. Lemme know if it was too depressing or if it was just stupid or what have you.