Chapter Two: Fighting Evil by Moonlight, Winning Love by Daylight….

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

A/N: I really want people to read this because it's just awesome how all these anime characters can interact so well. Enjoy please! And review with coupling ideas and more!

With the collaboration of all the board members, they were able to begin the service the next week. The new blind-date service occupied one of the currently empty classrooms in an older dorm. They placed a long table facing the entrance for registration, then created a temporary barrier between the two sides of the classroom via a black curtain stretched across the sides of the room. The student would enter through the classroom door, register at the desk, then be led through the curtain to a semi-private interviewing room, where another desk and two comfortable chairs were set up for the actual consultation. They would ask the student what they were interested in, where they would like to go on a date, what they liked physically and mentally in their date, and last but not least, whether they wanted a random hook-up, a casual date, or a possible relationship. Flyers were posted everywhere; notices were sent out on Facebook, Myspace, and the college's personal website. Now all they needed were customers.

"This idea better work; I just spent my own personal money on all those flyers." Relena grumbled as she nursed a cup of coffee at the long desk. The board had agreed that three people at a time would work in the office; more could be called in if necessary. Mawata was handling registration, Relena dealt with the actual consultation, and Amiboshi was a smiling face and extra aid for the two girls. Currently, Relena had relegated him to the high title of "coffee boy."

"Hey coffee boy, get me another cup; this time, lots of cream, no sugar."

Amiboshi nodded and headed for the mini-coffee bar they had set up in the back of the room, behind the consultation desk.

"So how long's a shift now?" Mawata frowned, glancing at the wall-clock.

"Six hours, more if customers are here." Relena responded automatically. "You've been here ten minutes, Mawata. Just get used to it."

Mawata didn't bother to make any response to that; she had more important things to do, like writing this letter.

Amiboshi came back with another cup of coffee. Relena smiled at him gratefully. "Thanks hun." He nodded and sat down beside her.

The minutes ticked by on the clock.

"You think people will actually come?" Amiboshi asked, hours later. Relena snored gently next to him.

Mawata looked up from her notebook, where she had finally turned to classwork. She opened her mouth to say "No," when she heard a click from the door. "I think someone just arrived."

A ditzy-looking blonde stumbled in, tripping on the doorframe. "Hi-Hi! I hope you're still open!" She beamed at the two still-awake staff.

"Welcome, you're actually our first customer." Amiboshi smiled genuinely.

"Oh, yippee! Does that mean I get a discount or anything?"

"Free tea or coffee and some cookies?" Amiboshi offered hopefully.

"Yes! I knew this was my lucky day!" The girl, obviously a freshman, bobbed her head. The two bauble-shaped buns on her head bobbed to a slightly different tune, but just as ecstatically.

Mawata sighed. This girl was going to give her a headache. "Sign-in over here." She motioned the girl near her, while she set up her laptop. "Name?"

"Serena Usagi Tsukino."

"Tsukino, like the moon?" Mawata frowned at the spelling. Spell-check hated Japanese names.

"Mmhm." Serena nodded.

"Age?"

"Eighteen."

"You have blond hair…is it natural?"

"Of course!"

Mawato typed in: long blonde hair, tied in a distinctive meatbun style

"Eye color?"

"Blue."

"Fairly athletic. Astrological sign?"

"Cancer."

"Your major?"

"Elementary and Secondary Education."

"Can we take a picture of you?"

"Sure! I love pictures!"

Mawata snapped a quick shot of the girl, who blinked, surprised. "That was it?"

Mawata nodded. "And how are you paying today?"

"Um…it's twenty bucks right?" Serena looked worried.

Mawata nodded.

"Cash." She dug in her purse. "Here you go!"

Mawata took the payment and stored it in the cashbox. "Thank you, go right through. Relena will be there in a sec."

Amiboshi smiled and beckoned the now-worrying freshman through the curtain.

"Relena, wake up." Mawata shook the girl.

"Coffee does nothing for you, I tell you." Relena muttered, cracking an eye open. "What up?"

"We have a customer."

"Oh really, wow." Relena nodded, and sat up, straightening herself. She was in a moment, the professional woman.

"She's in the back." Mawata didn't waste time wondering how Relena could change gears so quickly. Her homework was much more interesting.

Relena entered the backroom and sat at the desk. Amiboshi was offering the young woman a cookie and a cup of tea. Relena smiled at him. "Thank you; I'd like a cookie too." Freshman board members were so easy to order around.

Amiboshi nodded and went for the cookie. Relena unfolded her laptop and booted it up, meanwhile engaging the girl in small-talk.

"So what's your name?"

"Serena Tsukino." Serena beamed at her.

"Your parents must really like the moon thing." Relena raised an eyebrow.

"It's a family tradition." Serena blushed. "My…mother was named Serenity."

"Ah, I see." Relena thought that was just lack of originality, although the moon thing was weird. "All right, so Mawata got all your basics down. Let's get a little more detailed."

Serena nodded eagerly.

"What do you like to do?"

"Well, I love eating, video games, and comic books. I also like watching music videos, shopping with my friends, cooking…sometimes, and occasionally drawing."

She sounded like a cross between a nerd and a prep. Was that possible? Relena typed in the data.

"What's your favorite academic areas?"

"Home economics? And fitness classes aren't bad."

"Least favorite?"

"Math, ew. English isn't so hot either."

Relena looked up. "What's your major?"

"Elementary and Secondary education." Serena said cheerfully. "I was thinking of being a home economics teacher."

Relena added that to the profile. "So what's your type?"

"Type O."

"What?" Relena blinked and looked up. "No, hun; not your bloodtype, your date type. Do you like men, or women?"

"Oh! Sorry." Serena blushed again. "Men."

"So any physical aspects?"

"Well, I'd like him to be kinda tall. I don't care about the hair color, as long as it's fairly short. Skin color doesn't matter, eyes…well, I like dark-colored eyes. I want him to be protective, kind, loving – "

"Hang on a sec, we're on the physical. Let me get to the personality."

"Oops."

"All right, kind, loving, protective. Anything else?"

"Older than me?" Serena offered.

"That's most of the males in this school." Relena rolled her eyes. "Is there an age ceiling though?"

"Mmmm….no. As long as he isn't thirty yet, I don't care."

Relena laughed, but typed the information. "Should he be smart?"

"Yes, and successful. But not brainiac smart. And he should be athletic too, or at least work out."

"Any majors in particular he should be in?"

"Not really."

"Play any certain sports?"

"It would be hot if he played soccer, but I don't care." Serena shook her head.

"What kind of date would you want to go out on?"

"Mmm….dinner and a movie, I guess."

"What kind of dinner, what kind of movie?"

"Well, I love American food, but anything's good as long as it's not too ethnic, you know? And I get scared easily, so no horror."

She shuddered. "I hate ghosts."

"All right, we're almost done. Last question: what type of match – hook-up, casual date, or a potential boyfriend / long-term relationship?"

"I really want a boyfriend." Serena said wistfully. "But guys only want hook-ups, right?"

"Most of the time, it seems." Relena agreed. "But you never know." She finished the data and saved.

"So we'll contact you, Serena, when we find a suitable match for you. It should take anywhere from a couple of days to two weeks, but we'll work hard."

Serena nodded. "Awesome, I'm so glad." She literally bounced from the chair. "Thank you!"

Relena smiled. This girl had way too much energy.

They called an informal board meeting that night after closing shop. Serena was their only visitor.

"Well, I can't say business is booming, but it certainly isn't dead." Namba said optimistically.

"Shut-up Namba." Relena sighed. "That was so boring."

"So what do we have about this girl?" Yuki wasn't one to waste time with small-talk.

"Well, here's the info." Relena projected the data on the overhead screen.

"She's not that bad looking, but kinda ditzy." Amiboshi admitted.

" 'Kind of' is a vast understatement, my friend." Sanzo just shook his head.

Ami gasped. "Serena!"

"You know the girl?" Relena looked surprised. Ami and Serena didn't seem to have much in common, judging from the interview.

"We're friends, and we…um, work together." Ami supplied, a bit meek after the exclamation.

"Ah, cool." Relena nodded.

"So do we have any matches that come to mind?" Sango asked.

"Well, I have a friend who has a friend who knows someone in the pre-engineering program who sort of matches her type."

"No kidding?" Leon shook his head. "You're way too popular Namba."

"I'll get back to you tomorrow or so and tell you if it might work." Namba nodded. He pretended he didn't hear Leon's comment.

The next day, Namba met with his engineering friend and the man he had spoke of. They sat down over Starbucks and croissants, talking about random topics until finally, the engineering students got impatient.

"So what's the whole purpose of this meeting, Namba? You only call me when you have something up your sleeve. Presidential elections are pretty far away, and you certainly don't need me for any of your women troubles." Namba's friend stared at the lounging president. The new guy just picked at the croissant.

" 'Maru, don't be like that. Can't I just come to say hello?"

"No." Shikamaru sighed. "This is so troublesome."

"This has to do about me, doesn't it?" The other student finally looked up. "So what do you want from me, President Namba?"

"Have you heard about our new fundraiser?"

"You mean the blind-date thing? It sounds like too much work." Shikamaru replied.

"Well, just be grateful you're not running it." Namba told him. "I called you guys because I think I have a match for your friend."

"Who said I wanted one?" The other student raised an eyebrow.

"You're straight, right?"

He nodded, warily.

"And single?"

Another nod.

"You like blondes?"

"Occasionally." He admitted.

"Intelligent chicks?"

"It would be nice, but I don't really care if her heart's in the right place."

"And not in your wallet." Shikamaru agreed.

"Do you want a random hook-up, casual date, or a girlfriend."

"We'll see when I see her." He replied.

"So you agree to a blind-date with this girl we have?" Namba just wanted to be sure.

"Sure, why not. Not like I'm seeing anyone anyway."

"Great." The men rose from the table. "Thanks Shikamaru, for setting this up." Namba shook hands with the yawning student, then the new man.

"Well, I had to make sure you weren't up to no good, like usual."

"How cruel! I'm here for the student body at large."

"Save it for the campaigning, Namba."

Serena bounced nervously in her seat at the dinner table. She was here early with Relena, getting last minute details before the blind-date.

"So do I look okay?" Serena picked at an imaginary loose thread in the light cotton dress.

"The dress is fine. You look very pretty, don't worry." Relena soothed her. Inwardly she sighed, I really need to be paid for this.

"Is he cute? I mean, the guy."

"Well, I haven't seen him either." Relena admitted; however, she trusted Namba to only know the attractive men. He was a narcissistic bastard, but at least he had taste.

Relena looked at her watch. "Well, time for me to head out." She smiled at Serena. "Good luck!"

Serena gulped, then nodded. "Thanks."

The board secretary left the restaurant, but before she headed for the metro, she paused at the entrance, squinting in the last rays of the sun, considering whether this was such a good idea. They had chosen for her Applebee's Restaurant, one of the many chain food dining where she could eat all the American food she liked. The date apparently didn't mind either. It seemed like a good sign, she hoped. She headed for the metro then, wondering to herself what this mystery date really looked like.

Serena put on her jean jacket, feeling cold from the fans. After a few minutes, she was terribly hot, and had to take off the jacket. She bounced in her seat some more, asked the waiter for some water, and after a few more minutes, donned the jacket again.

She was in the process of taking off the jacket one more time, when she heard a masculine voice behind her say, "Sorry, I'm late, but the metro had a slight delay."

Serena jumped. "Um, that's f-fine. I-I was early, t-that's all." She spun in her seat to see who the man was.

"You!" She exclaimed, jumping out of her chair. "What the hell are you doing here!"

"Apparently, meatball-head, I'm your 'blind-date'." He seemed amused.

"Hell no, you're not! And don't call me meatball-head."

"Then don't wear that ridiculous hairstyle." He sat down opposite her. "Look, it's a date, okay? Just why don't we start off fresh?"

Serena glared at him, brooding. This was not what she had expected. Granted, the guy was hot, but he had insulted her the last time she had seen him.

Serena was running back to her dorm, anxious to hide the horrible grade she had made on her first test in college. Not noticing where she was going, she ran headlong into a young man, sending them tumbling onto the grass beside the sidewalk. She eeped, but looked at the guy who had broken her fall. He was glaring at her. That made her get off of him quickly.

Once they were both standing, brushing the grass off their clothing, he said, still glaring, "Watch it, meatball-head."

"Sorry." She blushed. She really hadn't meant to run into him like that.

"You dropped something." He knelt down to catch a fluttering paper before it flew away in the afternoon breeze. He glanced at the paper, then stared.

"A thirty in College Writing? Are you stupid?" Then his eyes narrowed, looking at her. "Or just incredibly lazy? That class is known for how easy it is."

"How dare you! Don't think you know me! Give me that!" She snatched the paper from his grasp, and ran away, brushing past his shoulder angrily.

That nerve of a guy calling me a meatball-head…and stupid! Still, he sure is cute, Serena had to admit to herself, staring at the man across the table from her. He had short black hair that fell naturally to just above his eyes, which were a dark blue-green. His skin was a light color that seemed temporarily tanned from playing sports, but he didn't have the bulge of a bodybuilder or a football player. He had an almost majestic presence, sitting calmly, waiting for her to be polite and say something. Serena blushed.

"All right. Hi, I'm Serena Tsukino. I'm an education major and a freshman." Serena's well-rehearsed introduction fell from her lips automatically.

"Darien Shields, engineering major and senior, nice to meet you."

Oh my god, I ran into a senior! Serena mentally panicked. They were both quiet, thinking of something to say next. The waitress approached meanwhile. "Hi! I'm Ashley, and I'll be your server today." She said cheerfully. "Is there anything I can get you to drink?"

"I'll have a coke, that's all." He looked at Serena, who stammered that she'd like the same.

"Have you decided on any appetizers?"

"Do you want to try the queso dip and chips?" Darien asked his date.

"S-Sure, that's fine with me." Serena shook her head. This was no way to act around a cute guy.

The waitress left with the orders. Serena thought to herself, I have to make a good impression.

"So what are you interested in?"

"I like soccer. Reading is good too, when I have a good book."

"Hmm…what about foods. What kind of foods do you like?"

"I love chocolate…" He seemed to think about the question.

"Me too! I couldn't live without chocolate!" Serena exclaimed happily.

Darien smiled. Her happiness seems to be infectious, he thought.

They discussed different varieties and brands of chocolate, labeling them from 'orgasmic' to simply 'ok', as well as commented on the different uses chocolate had besides just eating. By this time, the waiter had arrived with the appetizer.

"Do you think we could skip right to the dessert?" Darien asked the surprised waitress.

"Yeah, we'd like to sample your chocolate." Serena smiled; Darien smirked. The two burst into laughter, recalling a joke made a minute ago. They were on their way to being fast friends.

"Uh, sure. That's no problem." Ashley the server was obviously lost on the inside joke.

"How about that 'Triple Chocolate Meltdown'? 'Fudge-filled chocolate cake topped with dark and white chocolate, plus vanilla ice-cream and hot chocolate fudge.' " Serena read off the menu. Darien licked his lips.

"All right." The waitress wrote the item down. "Anything else?"

"We'll also take the chocolate raspberry layer cake and the blue-ribbon brownie."

"Do you want the dreamsicle cake as well? That has white chocolate cheesecake in it." The server suggested.

Serena and Darien looked at each other. "Why not?" They said together.

The server took away the menus, on her way to the kitchen with the sweet-tooth order.

"I can't believe we just did that." Serena giggled.

"I've always wanted to go into a restaurant and just sample the desserts."

Serena nodded. "Me too. So what movie are we watching?"

"How about that new movie, 'Snakes on a Plane'?" Darien asked idly.

"Oh no! Isn't that a horror movie? I get scared really easily.

"Don't worry. It sounds cheesy anyway. I doubt you'll be scared."

"Besides, you could protect me right?" Serena asked, none too innocently as she dipped a chip into the cheese dip.

"With me around, those snakes don't have a chance." He smiled at her. Serena thought; he likes chocolate, he's hot, and he'd protect me? Oh, he's a keeper! I definitely need to tell my friends about this dating service.

The dessert was arriving; heavily laden plate filled with chocolate paradise. Serena leaned forward in anticipation. She was then startled when she felt a sudden painful prick on her calf.

"Ow!" Serena exclaimed. She looked underneath the table to see a pissed-off black cat. "Luna!"

"Shh…I can't explain here." The cat whispered. "Get out of this restaurant, now. You have a mission, missy."

"Shit." Serena muttered with feeling.

"What's the matter?" Darien asked.

"Um." Serena sat up quickly, only to hit her head on the dining table. "Ow!"

"Are you all right?" Darien looked worried. Probably worried I'm mental, now. Serena thought gloomily.

"I have to go." She thought of an excuse on the spot while the server unloaded the desserts. That cheesecake looked so tempting…

"My mother called…I, um, have to go home quickly and help her. Sorry about this!" Serena got up from the table and ran out of the restaurant, knowing that to disobey Luna's commands was usually not a good thing.

The cat was waiting outside the main doors. "About time. Where's your Sailor communicator?"

"I left it at home. I didn't think I'd need it on a date."

"You, on a date, right." Luna laughed, then stopped at her mistress's glare. "Eh-hem. Right. We've got work to do."

Serena sighed. "And this is why Sailor Moon doesn't have a social life." The two disappeared, racing away to the emergency.

Inside the restaurant, Darien frowned. Why does my head hurt so suddenly? He wondered. And Serena's sudden departure seemed also mysterious. He was just getting to like her.

Darien groaned, laying his head on the table. The cool surface didn't help to alleviate the pain.

"Sir, are you all right. Sir?" The server's voice came as if from far away.

"Just…a headache." Darien muttered, but she didn't seem to hear him. Not again, he thought. He was going to black out, just like the other times this headache would come on. It was so sudden…

"Sir?" Ashley shook Darien gently, but no response came from the young man. "Oh, God, did he die?" She asked aloud, her voice panicky.

"I am fine." The patron sat back up, but his voice was slightly different, more refined. He rose from the table. "Here is payment for the dinner."

"Thanks…yeah." She automatically counted the money and pocketed it, assuming the change would be her tip, since the patron was already on his way out of the door.

Once outside, and out of sight, Darien transformed, now dressed impeccably in a suit, cape, and mask. "Sailor Moon will need my help for this battle." He disappeared into the night.

One Week Later

Serena was back again, this time calling Relena in advance to set up the post-date checkup.

"So how was it?" Relena asked eagerly, hands folded on the desk. She would be the first client to finish the entire match-making process.

"He was perfect; however, our date didn't exactly finish." Serena bit her lip.

"Really? Why?" Relena worried, was he a horrible date and left her at the restaurant?

"Well, I had to leave suddenly, so we never finished eating."

"Oh, that's a shame."

"He called me later though, and asked me out again." Serena beamed. "I really like him. I hope he'll date me."

"Well, it certainly seems hopeful." Relena nodded. "So would you recommend this service to anyone?"

"Dude, I already like told all my friends and everyone to try it. It's awesome how well we connected. We talked on the phone for hours!

Relena grinned. Looked like business would be rolling in.