A.N.: Sailor Moon sadly not mine. Notes at bottom.

Chapter Six

By Magawa

Makoto sighed heavily in resignation between the two quarreling enemies. Normally it was quite a lot of fun to listen to the two of them argue, but today she just felt like an extra wheel. Half their comments were veiled; in vague reference to what must have been an earlier squabble. And to make things worse, she was still caught between them.

'Finally.' Makoto thought in relief spying the building where their dancing lessons would take place. "We're here!" Makoto sing-songed playfully cutting into their argument. Usagi and Mamoru stopped dead in their tracks as if both were surprised to see that they had arrived at their destination so quickly.

Makoto smiled in amusement. 'Too wrapped up in each other to know where they are. They could have been on the moon for all the notice they gave their surroundings…' Shaking her head in wonderment, Makoto followed her two friends inside.

When she made herself think logically about it later that afternoon, she was able to understand that the overall hour-long lesson was really not that bad.

Sure Mamoru-baka had only spent the last twenty minutes of class going over the most basic of dance steps – and they had done that individually – no pair work at all. But just the fact that he was there at all and that he was actually teaching the class and not just attending was more than enough to sour her mood.

So when Luna asked how things went, Usagi was careful to stick to just the facts. "Well Mamoru did administrative, teacher-type work for the first bit – you know collecting fees, tracking names, finding out who has experience – stuff like that. And then the last bit we did some stretching and warming up and then we did a very little bit of basic dance stuff while he lectured us," Usagi concluded flopping to lay on her bed. "And it was very boring."

"Oh Usagi, it was just the first class. Give it some time – I'm sure you'll end up loving it."

Usagi laughed. "Well, Makoto definitely had a good time. She saw at least three boys that looked like her old boyfriend…"

Luna chuckled slightly at the comment. "Well good then Makoto can drag you off to your next lesson. Speaking of which, when is your next lesson?"

"Not til Wednesday!" Usagi chirped delightedly. "And maybe by that time Mamoru-baka will fall off the face of this planet and he won't be teaching this dumb class anymore!"

"Usagi!" Luna exclaimed in surprise. "Come now you don't mean that. He took really good care of you the other day when you were so tired and from what I saw he didn't tease you at all about your dream." Luna paused thoughtfully for a second before moving on, a new seriousness in her voice. "Has he talked to you about your dream or that day at all?"

Usagi squirmed uncomfortably before answering truthfully, "No not really. He's only been teasing me about the normal stuff but," she paused choosing her words carefully. "It's almost as if he doesn't mean it anymore or something." She shook her head as if the statement couldn't possibly be true.

"Well," Luna began, pursing her little kitty mouth, "do you really mean it when you tease and argue back with him?"

"I never thought about it," Usagi stated. "I guess not though – It's actually a lot like how Rei and I fight, you know?"

Luna smiled in relief at her princess not really hating her prince before answering fondly "Yes I know." 'At least Mamoru has a chance to make things right yet… I should talk to him or maybe have Artemis talk to him… Yes it would probably sound better coming from him…'

Luna blinked twice as the fact that she didn't know where exactly Artemis was came into her consciousness. All too fast Luna felt loneliness creep upon her and lay its heavy weight upon her slight shoulders. She curled up against Usagi and, as if Usagi could sense her distress, was pulled into her princess' arms and hugged reassuringly.

"Oh Luna, whatever it is you're worried about, it will all come out okay in the end." Usagi smiled lovingly down at her cat before scratching her lightly under the chin.

'Oh my princess,' Luna sighed relaxing just slightly at Usagi's comforting caress. 'I do hope you are right…'

She was dreaming again.

In this one she was at a ball in the grand palace and she and her court friends were huddled together in a little knot off to the side talking about their prospective dance partners. Her friends shielded her from view of the remainder of the room while she rested. She had been dancing all evening with boring ambassadors and overstuffed suitors and she was running out of polite excuses to avoid dancing with them.

Of course her friends were having nearly as difficult a time as she as they were princesses in their own right.But they stolidly defended her from the wayward advances of ill-fitting suitors for a few minutes so she could rest her tired feet.

She was still tired, but she could see that her friends desperately wanted to be dancing. Declaring herself to be okay and bidding her friends to dance only with the most charming and handsome of the men, she watched them leave with a heavy heart. Even surrounded as she was by their love and friendship, she could feel her loneliness set in like a plague on her soul.

She watched the happy couples with an intense longing, wishing for a partner that was neither interested in diplomacy or her title. Lowering her lashes a little in despair she yearned for one that wanted her for her own personal charms, for who she was on the inside and not for everything she owned or stood for.

Shaking her head at her own hopelessness, she stood and gracefully walked towards the nearest balcony. Passing Princess Jupiter she smiled. Her tall friend had finally found herself a dancing partner taller than she was. Her fiery friend Princess Mars was dancing with a mischievous looking blond. Princess Venus had snared herself a devastatingly attractive man with silver blond hair – a striking match for the gold-blonde princess. Even the shy little Princess Mercury was dancing with a very attractive partner. It seemed as if they had all taken her bidding seriously for the rest of the young men in the room were glaring at the four lucky men jealously.

Smiling gently when she passed them, she headed resolutely to the balcony. She needed fresh air desperately. There were just too many vultures in that ballroom with too many uncertain motives. Wincing slightly at this assessment she settled herself precariously on the edge of the balcony. She disliked thinking ill of anyone but the false charm of many in the ballroom was just far too obvious. She sighed and turned herself away from the over-bright room to stare up into the heavens.

Her gaze settled on the gently revolving blue and green earth overhead. How large and lovely it looked on a clear night such as this. Smiling a little at the sheer beauty of it, she wondered at what it would be like to live there. There were very few planets in her solar system that boasted so much color and life. Each planet had its own special charm and splendor but the Earth just seemed to sparkle with bursting life.

She had heard that there was a delegation from Earth coming at some point, although she had no idea of when that would actually occur. She knew from experience that diplomatic conventions always took more time and pomp than was necessary. Regardless, she was still interested in meeting the Terrans. She was certain they would have a new and fascinating outlook on life. If nothing else they would have interesting stories of what living on such a vibrant planet was like. She looked forward to their conversations.

So wrapped up was she in her thoughts that she never even heard the young man behind her. So his words caught her completely off-guard.

"It looks so beautiful from here, doesn't it?"

Her response was a surprised squeak as she quickly turned to see who had snuck up on her. This in turn caused her to lose her precarious balance on the ledge of the balcony and tip forward dangerously. She would have fallen but for the strong arms he wrapped around her slender waist.

"Oomf," she grunted as his arms hefted her back onto her perch and then onto the solid ground. She leaned against him, body shaking as she struggled to gather more air into her lungs. Her heart raced and the adrenaline rush left her dizzy and light-headed. Still clinging to him she began to sob in absolute relief.

The man holding her patted her back awkwardly as he cradled her sobbing form. He didn't seem to know what to do to comfort this strange new girl and so began talking to try to distract her from her brush with death.

"Oh please don't cry. I hate seeing such a lovely young woman crying… I didn't mean to startle you so badly. I thought you knew I was there. I'm so sorry… Oh please stop crying. I'll do anything you wish just please stop crying…"

She sniffled back a small laugh at his blatantly pleading tone. Still shaking slightly she gave him a wobbly smile. "Anything, huh?"

Relaxing now that the girl he'd saved was no longer quite so frightened, he smiled. "If it is in my power to give it, I shall," he answered gallantly.

She giggled at his chivalrous air before smiling impishly. "All I ask is an introduction and a dance invitation, for I do not believe I have seen you before and I must admit that I am in search of a decent dance partner. Most of the young men dance as if they learned by practicing with livestock."

Snorting back an impolite laugh at her assessment of the young men in court he smiled at the pixie of a girl. "That I can certainly provide, but I warn you in advance. And it would only be fair to have your name as well if I am to provide mine."

She mulled his words over for a moment before replying. "Fairs fair. But you go first."

He smiled at her child-like antics; intensely relived she was no longer shaking or crying although he had continued to hold her. His arms tightened involuntarily for the glimmer of a second as he replied to her demand, "Endymion. My name is Endymion."

A.N.: Thus begins my final week in college. Exams are imminent and I will do my best to avoid studying for them… by continuing to write. Probably many of you are in the same boat with exams, so go ahead and waste a little more time by leaving me a review. I have doubts about this chapter (about many things actually) and it would serve to soothe the savage authoress if you left her notes and constructive criticism. Thanks for reading. 03/12/06