A/N: I'm sorry that I'm late on the updating. Busy 2 weeks. Malachite is definitely coming next chapter. R&R!

Dis.: I do not own the world of sailor moon. Dommage.

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I can't change who I am

Not this time.

I won't lie to keep you near me

And in this short life

There's no time to waste on giving up.

Lacrymosa-Evanescence

Zoisite

I followed the two men down the hallway. I was worried about the outcome of this 'match' we were going to have. Sure, it was going to be fun to fight and work all my stress out, but…I couldn't bring myself to think it. I was not going to lose to Nephrite. I am Zoisite, daughter and lady of the North, General of Endymion's army, and I will win. No ifs, ands, and buts about it. I grinned. I was going to kick Nephrite's sorry ass.

We entered a room that was the last one on the left. Inside the floors were covered with mats. And the rest of the room was bare. I recognized the room to be the hand-to-hand combat room I identified earlier when I was on the balcony. Jadeite leaned on the wall next to the door grinning bigger than a kid at Christmas. Nephrite brushed him auburn hair back over his shoulder as I stood in the middle of the room keeping my suspicious eyes on the two generals.

"Let's get started. I don't have all day for this," Nephrite grumbled. I rolled my eyes and shook my head at him.

"Alright, alright. Calm down. We all know you're excited," Jadeite told him as I smirked at his comment. He paused a moment then said, "I guess we have to have rules because I have no idea how out of hand this could get with you two." I nodded just to look like I agreed, but I knew that there would be no need because Nephrite was guaranteed go down in three moves.

"Okay, mmm… Well the obvious one is no killing." Nephrite and I both nodded, trying to make it go faster. I actually agreed with Nephrite when he said he didn't have all day. An evil grin flew to my face, when I thought of Jadeite and the dagger in my boot. Well, this could turn out fun either way. I tiny bit of regret came in my thoughts. I'd miss Jadeite. Odd. I've only known him for a few minutes. I guess it's that sense of humor and our apparent joined love of making fun of Nephrite.

"Any form of martial arts is allowed and a person loses when I feel there is no way for them to win. Agreed?" Nephrite and I replied with an affirmative. Good. The battle begins.

My opponent, Nephrite, and I walked to the middle of the room never taking our eyes off each other. My head filled with all the fun things I could do with Nephrite. Somehow all of them ended with him being saved by Endymion. I guess I couldn't kill him like Jadeite said, but he didn't say I couldn't beat him into an inch of it. We formally bowed and started our match. I don't know how, but my grin grew larger. Now the fun begins.

He moved right. I left, back, down. Boom! I looked down to find myself above Nephrite with my foot on his chest. I moved my gaze to Jadeite to see if I won. He looked like he was in shock.

"Hello? Earth to Jadeite. Are you still there?" I called to him playfully. He shook his head like he was trying to make sure he wasn't dreaming. He stood still for another moment before saying,

"Zoisite wins. She won. Wow." I looked at him with mock concern. Really. It wasn't such a big deal. I beat Nephrite. Woop-dee-do.

"Do you mind taking your foot off my chest? Unless you'd rather like to wash your footprint off my jacket," the said beat man below me stated. I lifted my foot off him and stared at Jadeite.

"I don't think he's breathing," I told the auburn-haired general. I walked to the blond and waved my hand in front of his face. I turned to Nephrite who was busy dusting off his jacket. Shaking my head at his large ego, I figured I was on my own to save Jadeite. I decided to try another method. Smack! He came out of his fog with a start. Jadeite looked at me and then at Nephrite and then did the strangest thing. He laughed. Hysterically. He looked like a hyena on drugs. It was…strange. Let's just say this was not the reaction I pictured from Jadeite. Not at all.

"Umm…Jadeite? Jadeite. JADEITE!"

"Sorry," he said as he turned his head to look at me. "I can't believe that I just saw the best beat up Nephrite ever."

"I think we need a rematch," Nephrite said from the other side of the room.

"I agree. I need to see it again to believe it." I sighed with aggravation as I nodded. Fine. If it was a rematch they wanted, a rematch they'll get.

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"Again?!" I literally screamed at him. This was getting out of hand. I lost count of how many times we have done this stupid rematch.

"Yeah, Nephrite. This will be the 17th time. You've lost every bloody time. Face it. She's better than you," Jadeite told him now sitting by the door. He looked as bored as I felt. I was done with this match the first time we did it.

"Yes, I think we've proven that I can beat Nephrite," I said agreeing with Jadeite. I sighed with frustration.

"Well, I think I am going to go get ready for the ball. If you'll excuse me," Jadeite said standing up. Oh my god…the ball. Damn it. I forgot all about it. I need to get the dress from Mrs. Windsor.

"What time is it?" I asked in a voice that was raising octaves. Please, let it be early. Please, let it be early.

"Six o'clock." Damn. I was supposed to pick up dress two hours ago. Great. Mrs. Windsor is going to have my neck.

"I've got to go," I whispered panicky as I started to run for the door.

"Where are you going?" Jadeite asked me.

"To pick up my dress from Mrs. Windsor. I was supposed to pick it up two hours ago," I said as calmly as I could.

"I think Zoisite's chickening out," I heard Nephrite say. I turned to him and put as much venom in my voice as I told him,

"How about I tell her that it's your fault why I'm late and that you should get punished for it?" He gained a panicked look in his eye and shook his head. "Good. I'll see you guys later." I ran out of the facility trying to remember how to get back to the seamstresses' room.

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I finally recognized the hallway that I was on. My nervousness lessened when I knew I didn't get lost. I ran as quickly as I could to Mrs. Windsor's door. Knock. Knock. A few seconds later the same tough lady opened the door.

"There you are," she told me as she looked at me with a disappointed glare. "I thought you had decided not to go to the ball and waste my time making your dress."

"No, Nephrite thought it would be fun to have a martial arts competition," I said. I then recounted my story of me beating him.

"Serves him right," Mrs. Windsor laughed as she looked at her watch. "Well, don't stand there all day. We got to get you ready for the ball." The older lady pulled me inside and dragged me to the back where a manikin was wearing my dress.

I was shocked by its beauty. The dress was made of forest green silk and black lace and was strapless and fitted at the top and flared out at the waist down. The black lace overlapped the silk at the top, but was nonexistent at the bottom. And it matched the exact shade of green my eyes were. In five words, it was perfect for me.

Mrs. Windsor then pushed me in front of a mirror and started brushing my hair and applying make up on me. I sighed knowing that this should have been coming. I wasn't really a make up kind of girl if you couldn't tell. I was more of a beat-the-boys-at-there-own-game kind of girl. This make up thing wasn't really me, but I wasn't going to get on Mrs. Windsor's bad side so I let her be. She yelled to Rebecca to get shoes and gloves while she was trying to finish. After what seemed like an eternity, she pulled me to the dress and pushed me into it and added the gloves and shoes.

"Okay, we're finished."

I hesitantly looked up. I didn't even recognize myself. My usual ponytail was traded for a half-up half-down do with slight curls. My green eyes looked huge and more mystical. The gloves were black lace that went up to my elbows. And the dress fit me perfectly. I don't think I had ever looked so beautiful.

"What do you think?" Mrs. Windsor asked. I smiled real big.

"It's perfect. Thank you," I said as I turned around. She smiled back at me.

"Well get going. It's 8:00. You don't want to be any later. Have a good time," she said as she pushed me out the door.

I smiled and started walking towards the entrance hall where I hoped to find the party.

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A/N: Party time! Alright! Anyways Malachite's coming up. Yay!

R&R!