Disclaimer: I don't own anybody in the stories so please don't sue me… I'm just a pitiful fanfic writer…

Just in case, I'm putting up a Japanese name translation sheet & description sheet for the guys.
Shinozaki = Ken (brown hair, blue eyes, tall)
Ryo = Greg (brown hair, brown eyes, med. height)
Yuuichiro = Chad (dark brown hair, black eyes, tall)
Motoki = Andrew (blond hair, blue eyes, tall)
Mamoru = Darien (you know what he looks like)

Of Love and War

Chapter Two: "Boys will be Boys"

As he leaned his oak staff against the bench, Shinozaki grabbed a towel from Ryo and wiped the sweat from his face. Then he laughed at Yuuichiro, "Maybe you should stick to sword play, staff fighting is not your thing."

Yuuichiro glared back from the other side of the bench that Ryo, Mamoru, and Motoki were sitting on, "You can use the staff against a sword and we'll see who lives. Staffs can be cut in two, and last time I checked, two halves aren't too good for defending yourself."

"Maybe, but I'll just use a sword against a sword anyways. I'm not that cocky."

"Right"

Then Mamoru spoke up, "We have more important things to think about anyways, move on."

"You're right," said Shinozaki, taking a drink of water from a cup handed to him by a servant, "like how to avoid those ladies that the royals are sending."

"Yeah," said Yuuichiro, "You'd think they'd at least send the princesses to choose."

"We can't help the fact that they're not sending the Princesses and they had a good point." said Ryo quietly.

"Which point was that?" asked Motoki, taking Yuuichiro's used towel and handing him a cup.

"They said that they don't know that the political climate has been alleviated to the point that they can undergo the interplanetary transport of all the Princesses to Earth" replied Ryo evenly.

Motoki sighed, "Lets try that again a little slower. If you insist on using the exact words of political advisors trying to confuse us, you're gonna have to do it at normal speed or slower, not faster."

Mamoru winked, "I didn't catch all of it but from what I could understand, and what I remember from that political conference when we weren't goofing off or sleeping, they basically said that they didn't feel safe bringing all of the Princesses to Earth at once because there are too many renegades running around."

"Right," grinned Shinozaki, "So, who are they were sending instead?"

"A handpicked lady from each of the princesses' courts."

"Lovely…" Shinozaki sighed.

"Possibly" Motoki grinned.

Shinozaki rolled his eyes, "Not what I meant."

"I know, I was giving you hope."

"Ah."

"Actually," said Ryo, "The ladies from the courts of Silver Millennium are said to be of an exceptional quality."

"Well, if that is true," Yuuichiro prayed, "May they be single. Otherwise.."

Mamoru grinned, "Happily married and hoping for twins."

Shinozaki quietly got ready to go; their time in the training room was almost up.

"What do you think Shinozaki?" asked Motoki suddenly.

" 'Bout what?"

"Silver Millennium ladies, are they better then Earthen ones?"

" I guess it depends upon your point of view and what you're attracted to…"

"You're starting to sound like Ryo when you evade questions."

"What are you talking about?"

"You didn't give me an answer."

"Yeah, I did."

"That was a total evasion; you didn't even imply an opinion."

"Sure I did."

"Just answer."

"I already did!"

"What are you trying to avoid?"

Suddenly Ryo spoke up, "He's a lord from Jupiter."

"So?" replied Motoki, "We're all lords from somewhere. What does that have to do with it?"

"He's from the capital, remember?"

"Right," Motoki smirked wickedly, "So he knows what they're like."

"Wrong," Shinozaki corrected, "I haven't been home since I started training."

"So…"

"I'm not going to judge them by that."

"Why not?"

"Because they've probably changed by now! It's been what, eight years?"

"True." Motoki looked away and began gathering his stuff together.

Shinozaki thought what am I supposed to say to that? They could send my sister and then there's Mako - God, I hope she hasn't changed. Damn, she was gorgeous back then - I miss her…

"Shino-kun?"

"Hai?"

"What's your unbiased verdict then?"

Shinozaki shook his head as he picked up his stuff and followed Mamoru, Ryo, and Yuuichiro out the door. Motoki followed muttering something inaudible.

All this training just for a chance at a position that she has to appoint me to, just to get close to being able to have her. What did I get myself into?