IMPORTANT: Here it is! Makoto fights back for her...er...honor! I've
decided to postpone Ami's "revenge" until the next chapter. I have no time
whatsoever to get anything done between school, sports, and sleep. No
motivation (i.e. no ~reviews~) equals no new chapters.
As always, thanks for the reviews.
MORE IMPORTANT STUFF:
Dear Utena-chan and Raegurly13: Thanks so much for making me a favorite!!! Much love!
Dear Happy Noodle Girl:
You are absolutely right; this story does go very slow, and it's going even slower because I'm too damn busy. I apologize for the delays, and I thank you for being so patient and telling me to get the story on a faster pace. But I feel the story will be incomplete if I leave out the past events. I assure you and all other readers who are getting sick of my story that the wait will be entirely worth it. I have formulated the entire story in my head already, and I've planned a whole lot of entertainment when the story goes back to the present. Compared to what the present of "The Winning Losers" will contain, the past portion of this fanfic will seem a very small portion. Thank you again!
Honestly, I feel I am not fit to be a fanfic writer, and although I enjoy it immensely, I _know_ my writing just plain sucks. I feel I always must get into detail about everything I think is important, and that love of details always gets in the way of getting straight to what the reading public wants, and right now, I'm betting that the reading public wants some interaction between Shittenou and Senshi in their grown up age.
In fact, I'm tempted to end this story because I'm afraid my dear readers are quickly getting bored. I'm terribly, terribly sorry for being such a poor storyteller. I will do what I can to improve.
With my threatening and bitching out of the way, on with the show!
Disclaimer: Sailor Moon was created when I was still in first grade. Do you think that some dumb first grader created the delicate plot of Sailor Moon? If you think that's possible, you need to check into the nearest mental institution. It's okay to admit you're not quite right in the head. To put it simply, me no own Sailor Moon.
' denotes thought
AN: =author's notes
denotes mental messages
Characters:
Princesses-
Makoto Kino (Jupiter)
Rei Hino (Mars)
Ami Mizuno (Mercury)
Minako Aino (Venus)
Usagi Serenity (Moon)
Princes-
Nephrite Jusdivinum
Jadeite Amerveille
Zoisite Aufait
Kunzite Acoupser
Endymion Anima-Mundi
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
The Winning Losers Chapter Four: Revenge has Never Been so Sweet, or Obscene!
The five boys were sitting in their shared quarters, alternating between watching the television or chatting. Earlier, young Endymion rushed into the room and gushed to his best friends about his newest best friend. He and Serenity had finished their hide-and-seek game when Luna said that Serenity had to stop playing and begin her tutoring lessons.
He had never had so much fun with a girl in his life. Serenity always smiled, and she wasn't squeamish like other girls. She didn't mind getting a little dirt on her skirts, and she was full of energy, and she was funny, and etc., etc. By the time Endymion had stopped bragging about her, his four listeners were sick of hearing about "Serenity this, Serenity that". The only thing he didn't tell them was that he called her "Usako". His little bunny. Serenity said that only her father called her that when he was still alive, but he died when she was only two. Endymion finally understood why men liked to hang around with women. Did that mean he was finally a man? he thought. He knew if he talked about his feelings around the guys, they would have laughed him out the room. Not only that, they wouldn't have let him live it down for as long as he lived.
Nephrite talked about his terrible day and about the terrifying Princess Makoto. Nephrite's parents had always taught him to be courteous to girls, and he always was, but Princess Makoto was not a girl. 'She's a rabid dog bent on chewing away at my bones to suck out the bone marrow,' he thought.
"I know exactly what you're talking about, Neph," confided Zoisite. He recounted to them the incident that happened between him and the Mercurian princess in the Lunarian Library.
Zoisite could never look at a book the same way again.
"I told you those Senshi girls were no good!" declared Jadeite.
"Great going, you dolts," commented Kunzite. "We've only been here for a few hours, and you guys have already managed to strike bad blood with the inner princesses of the Silver Millennium. What would the king and queen say?"
"It would be best just not to tell my mum and pa," suggested Endymion. "There's no point in worrying them, too. It's your guys' problem, not theirs, and especially not mine. I don't want Usa--I mean, Serenity to know that her closest friends and my best friends aren't getting along. That would upset her because she loves her friends like sisters." So they all agreed not to involve the adults.
In another part of the palace, Princess Serenity was raving about her new playmate to her friends. "Endy is not like other boys. He's sweet and he's nice, and he makes me laugh. He's pretty smart to; I didn't find his hiding place for almost an hour!"
Minako hung onto Serenity's every word and asked many questions, but Makoto and Ami were silent the whole time, their faces hidden in a moody shadow. Rei didn't need to listen; she'd heard tons of stories about her cousin and she talked to him a lot, too. What Rei wasn't expecting were the vibes radiating from Ami and Makoto. She sensed the feeling of deep- seeded anger, hurt, and...hatred? That was the last emotion she would ever connect with two of the sweetest people she knew, but seeing the glum looks on their faces, she didn't want to press them further into irritability.
"Don't tell anyone, you guys, but I just have to tell you. He called me Usako!"
Minako sighed deeply. She was two years older than Serenity, but she hadn't found a guy friend like that. And she was practically a teenager in a couple of months! Makoto and Ami sunk into blacker moods, and Rei was getting nauseous.
"Please, Usa-chan, I don't want to hear about your puppy love. Especially with Cousin Endymion. It's making me feel really queasy. Plus, you're only ten. You and he don't even know the meaning of love."
"Yes I do!" said Serenity defensively.
"Oh really? What is love then? Explain, Usa-chan."
:::Silence:::
"Hmm. That's what I thought."
"Don't be so hard on the poor girl," Minako jumped in. "Love is something that's hard to express in words, and Usa-chan doesn't have a broad vocabulary."
"Are you helping me or insulting me, Mina-chan?" asked Serenity confusedly.
"That doesn't matter. Anyways, don't listen to Rei-chan. It's not like she's well informed about the subject."
"Says the self-proclaimed goddess of love herself," muttered Rei darkly. Minako pretended not to hear her and encouraged Serenity to continue dishing the dirt.
In the middle of her accout about her wonderful day, Serenity noticed Makoto's and Ami's unwillingness to speak. She expected Makoto to be asking all sorts of questions, like Minako, but Makoto was eerily silent. It was normal for Ami not to be interested in these conversations, but she always had at least something to comment about.
"Mako-chan? Ami-chan? What's wrong, you guys?"
Jolted out of their trance, they looked up at their three worried friends. Ami, the usually level-headed one, cleared her throat first and began her tale. "It began when I met this boy in the Lunarian Library...." and she ended with, "he threw my book, that priceless family heirloom, into the fire!" Ami Mizuno, the famed ice princess, was close to tears again.
"You too, Ami-chan?" asked an indignant Makoto. "I met one of those bastards today, too! He stole a couple of the mini cakes I worked so hard on this afternoon, and then he has the balls to ruin one of my best plants in the green house. Just wait 'till I get my hands on him..."
"Wait! I know you guys are really mad, and you have every right to be, but if you do get back at them, please don't let my mommy and her friends find out! Please!" Little Serenity pleaded.
"Alright, alright, we won't," Makoto said for all of them, "But Luna already knows."
"What?! How?"
"Luna saw me storm into my room, and then she asked me what was wrong."
"Oh no...she might tell Momma! And I might never see Endy again, and, and-"
"Cool it, Meatball head!" barked Rei. "Luna's a lot smarter than that. She'll try even harder than us not to upset the queen. I mean, she hates lying to Queen Serenity, but Luna knows that the queen doesn't absolutely need to know."
"Yeah," piped in Minako, "She can keep a straight face with the queen as well as you do, Usa-chan."
"Hey..."
"Anyways, you guys are gonna help me get back at that Nephrite boy, right?" Makoto then put her hand in the middle of their circle. Rei was the first to put her hand on top of hers. Teaching the boys of the universe a lesson, one boy at a time, was worth it to her. Minako put in her hand next; she just liked excitement and making trouble.
Serenity was a bit unsure. "He's Endy's friend, but I gotta stick with my girls." She put her hand on top, too.
They all waited for Ami to make up her mind. "Come ON, Ami-chan!" Makoto whined. "We all have to be in this together."
"I don't know...couldn't we get into a lot of trouble? The chances of getting caught are skyrocketing out of the roof. Plus...it's not right."
"Don't you want to get back at that Zoisite kid?"
Ami's back stiffened right away. 'Make Zoisite pay?' All her good, common sense told her not to do it, but without thinking, she placed her hand on top of theirs.
"It's settled!" crowed Minako. "One of us gets messed with, it's everyone's business!"
"Damn straight! Now, how should I make Nephrite suffer?" They all turned around to Rei. If anyone could humiliate a guy, it was Rei.
She smiled a cold, conniving smile. "Well, we'll need Makoto's baking skills and Ami's chemistry set, and bring your potions book too..."
The sun had already set, and the stars lit up the velvet sky like an everlasting fireworks display. The fountains of angels with pitchers and the silvery vine-covered lanterns along the garden pathways illuminated the Moon palace, making it look more celestial and surreal. Walking up the pristine stairs to the palace doors felt like walking through the gates of Heaven.
On a balcony on the second floor, the five boys were silently admiring the full Earth in the purplish-indigo sky.
Nephrite was in one of his introspective moods. "You'd think that after spending your whole life on Earth, seeing it from outer space would be no surprise. I guess you just have to see things from another point of view every once in a while to appreciate what you've got."
They heard the grandfather clock strike six times, which meant that dinner would start in an hour and thirty minutes. The five of them started to file into their rooms to get ready when a knock was heard on their door.
"Open the door, Neph," instructed Kunzite.
"Who could it be right now?" Nephrite walked quickly to the door and opened it.
Nephrite yelped two octaves higher than his normal voice, slammed the door, jumped back, bumped into the bed, slipped, and crossed both index fingers to make a cross. "They're coming to take me away!" he chanted repeatedly.
With a reaction like that from the generally sane Nephrite, the other three princes shoved Endymion behind them, ready for battle and ready to die for the future heir of Earth.
"Be ready for anything," whispered Kunzite while Nephrite was still whimpering. Stealthily, he walked over to the door, fingered the hilt of his junior-general sword, and swung open the door, fighting stance and sword pointed right at the intuder's face.
There stood Makoto, in a frilly pink and mint green dress festooned with lace and ribbons, a stunned look on her face, and a plate of fresh, delicious chocolate chip cookies in her hands.
The perfect picture of victimized innocence.
"Get her away!" entreated Nephrite. "She's a bloody abomination out for revenge! She won't rest until she has my head, and she'll probably hunt you all for sport! Run, man, run!! Use that sword while you can!"
"I'm sorry, Lady Kino, will you excuse me for a moment?" Without waiting for her answer, Kunzite gently closed the door in her face and walked over to Nephrite.
Makoto, still standing outside, was vaguely aware of an echoing smack from within the room.
"Owwwie...." Nephrite mumbled, along with some choice words a sailor would have been proud of, as he rubbed the back of his head. "What was that for, Kunzite?"
"You dumbass," cursed Kunzite, making sure his voice could not be heard from outside. "Do you realize what you just did? You've just insulted the crown princess of the planet Jupiter! Ye gods! You called an inner planet princess a "bloody abomination"! One of the future inner senshi of Her Royal Highness, Princess Serenity! We are the Moon Queen's guests, and we haven't even been here a whole day. We are supposed to be honorable representatives of Earth, and you've already been at war with the Silver Millennium's largest planet's princess! Not only will you be disappointing King James and Queen Gwendolyn, you'll be making the rest of us look bad. You'll be making *me* look bad."
"But Kunzite, she started it! Why'd she have to go psycho on me earlier today? She threw gardener's shears at me! She missed me by this much," and here, Nephrite made a centimeter's space between his index finger and thumb.
"I don't care what she tried to do to you. I almost regret that the blades missed you. Even if she is the savage monster you claim, as a citizen of Earth, and more importantly, as a future member of the Shittenou, you should not stoop to her level. You will be more dignified, and you will show her she is not worthy of your concern. If anything else happens between us and the Princess Serenity's guardians, I will have a discussion with their leader. Venus, I believe. Is that understood?" Kunzite was not expecting a negative.
"Yes sir," Nephrite dutifully replied.
"Good. Now go open that door and greet Princess Makoto like the prince you're supposed to be."
Nephrite, still fingering the bump forming on the back of his head, walked begrudgingly towards the door.
Makoto was still standing patiently outside, with the same innocent look on her face, still holding the plate of gooey cookies.
"I'm terribly sorry if I've startled you, Lady Kino," began Nephrite. "The five of us were...er...acting out scenes of our favorite play."
That was lame, said Jadeite's voice through their mental connection. The others tried hard not to actually smack their foreheads with their palms and yell "Oi!"
It was the best I could come up with! argued Nephrite.
Makoto knew perfectly well that the boy was lying, and she tried not to grin. 'If he's scared of me now, he's going to be scared to death of me later.'
"I'm sure you were. Pray tell, what play were you acting out?"
Oh crap! Now what? questioned Nephrite frantically to his comrades.
Zoisite jumped in to save the day. "It's amateur dramatics, my lady. There are many unknown plays on Earth, and we are all fans of the lesser known ones. Lots of undiscovered talent, that. We were acting out a scene from a play by a young playwright. It's called 'His Fear of Women Hath Made Him Mad.' Great stuff. I suggest you visit Earth and watch it if ever you get the chance."
Makoto looked at Zoisite strangely, as if he was from another planet....though technically, he *was* from another planet....but that was besides the point. She didn't care whether or not they were telling the truth. Nothing, not even squealing princes and strange stories about strange plays, could distract her from her mission.
*~*Flashback*~*
(Earlier in the kitchen)
"Are you done mixing the cookie dough, Mako-chan?"
"Almost, just a--Usa-chan! Stop eating it!"
"But it's so good!"
"Mina-chan! Quit stuffing your pockets with the bags of chocolate chips! Hand it over."
"Aww, you're no fun. Here."
"Ahem....the other bag, too."
"What are you talking about, Rei-chan?"
"You should know by now not to lie to a freaking psychic."
"Damn [muttering]...."
"Are you done heating up the potion, Ami-chan?"
"Yes, I've finished. According to the book, it should be strong enough to have a definite effect, but it will not really harm the....victim."
"Ami-chan, are you still hesitant to participate? If the elders find out about this, I will take full responsibilty. This is my fight against that stupid Nephrite kid, so I don't want you to feel pressured-"
"Don't worry. You know I'll do anything for you guys, but this is illegal! Plus, we are insulting the Terran royalty! The queen will have our heads, princesses or not. I must admit, Rei-chan's plan is absolutely genius...I almost wish that I came up with it...but aren't there other options?"
"Ami, Ami, Ami-chan--always the logical one of all of us. You're entirely right!"
"You mean that, Mina-chan?"
"Of course I do. Other options...let's see. We could let him get away with what he did to Mako-chan and let justice go undone. Do you really want that rather than give him what he deserves? Don't forget: he's in close association with ZOISITE, and friends of ZOISITE, as *you* already know, dear Ami-chan, must be a bad influence and must be taught a lesson."
"Grrrrrrrrr.....Zoisite......"
"So do you still have second thoughts?"
"Count me in."
"Alrighty! Is it time to mix in the greenish-brown stuff that the good Ami-chan has so graciously concocted? Usagi, for the last time, for Jupiter's sake, keep your grubby fingers out of my cookie dough!"
"Why do you always blame me?! I wasn't even near the bowl this time!"
"Sorry, you're right. Fine, both you and Minako will put your hands flat on the counter where I can see them."
"[Grumble grumble] stupid [mutter]--"
"That's enough, you two! The book says that if we don't mix it right about now, it will be useless."
"Quickly! Pour it in!"
"Let me do it!"
"NO! Don't let Usa-chan get anywhere near it! She'll spill it all over the place!"
"What do you know, anyways? I'm perfectly capable--oops."
"See! Darn it, Usagi! You got it everywhere *but* in the cookie dough!"
"Calm down, everyone. Somehow, I knew this would happen, so I mixed and heated three other emergency back-up vials of the chemicals."
"Three?!"
"Well, I never know who might screw up and how many times one of you will ruin something."
"[Pause] We see your point."
"Okay. Now, mix well until the greenish-brown color disappears."
"I'm the cook! I don't need to read a book to make a good batch of cookies."
"A good batch of toxic cookies."
"I heard that. Wait a minute, this whole thing was your idea, Rei- chan."
"It may be my idea, but it's full of your intentions."
"Hush. No time for philosophy. Now, into the oven."
~*~End of Flashback~*~
"Lady Kino? Excuse me, my lady, are you alright?" Zoisite started to wave his hand frantically in front of her face. In response, she blinked a couple of times before returning to the business at hand.
"Oh, um, yes, I'm fine. I was just thinking about that play you were talking about. I'll be sure to ask Luna and Artemis about that. Sounds interesting. But anyway, I came for Prince Nephrite."
"See!? SEE?! She came for me! She's going to try to kill me! What are you guys doing? Stop her, you idiots, stop her now!"
Kunzite made a mental note to kill Nephrite after Princess Makoto left. Endymion and Zoisite were both speechless, so it was up to Jadeite and his big mouth. "Hehehe, improvisation, my lady. He's playing off of your words and actions to befit the play. Talented boy, don't you know." Incredibly stupid, too, he added in his head.
'These Earth folk are definitely smoking something.' Makoto waved off the thought. 'But why do they keep distracting me?! Focus, Makoto- baka (baka=stupid, idiot), focus!"
"Umm, yes, quite talented. What I meant was that I felt guilty about our earlier...encounter. I really don't want to get on the bad side of our esteemed guests. As a kind of peace offering, I've baked these chocolate chip cookies especially for you, Prince Nephrite. Will you accept my humble gift?"
Nephrite was even more scared than he was before. 'First, she comes off as some psycho scissors thrower, and now she's acting sweet and decent. What the hell is she up to?' Right away, he felt bad for assuming such things. He was judging her without being entirely sure, and she probably did go out of her way to make it up to him, judging by her gentle posture and sincere tone. It would be rude to turn away and not try to make peace.
"I'm touched by your sincerity, Lady Kino. But do not worry because I forgave you a long time ago."
'Forgave me? I did nothing to him. What a conceited snob!! He should be begging for my forgiveness.' Makoto tried not to speak through clenched teeth: "I'm so relieved. Here, take this plate of cookies. Please eat at least one before dinner. It won't spoil your appetite. I will see you all by dinner."
She curtseyed to the five young boys, like a perfect little lady, and they bowed in return, like perfect little gentlemen, and Jadeite opened the door for her and saw her out.
Before Makoto turned the corner of the hall, she swore she heard 'thumping' from the room she had just left.
Nephrite was black and blue after the other four boys thoroughly ganged up on him and beat him until their fists hurt. Kunzite felt that the beating expressed what words and logic couldn't make sense out of, so he saved the lecture for another time. Endymion kissed his fists tenderly, Jadeite cracked his satisfied knuckles, and Zoisite prepared some ice for his sore hands. They were all so amazed at Nephrite's loss of wit in the presence of the Jupitarian princess; it was shameful to be associated with a wuss. The beating was meant to toughen him up, they reasoned.
"Alright. Now what do you have to say in defense, Nephrite?"
"Aren't you supposed to ask that before you kick my ass, Kunzite?"
"Yes, but what you did was so retarded that it justifies our actions."
Zoisite eyed the cookies carefully. Then, he picked one up, put it as close as possible to his nose, and inhaled deeply.
"Ya know, Zoi, if you inhale deeply enough, you might actually suck up all the chocolate chips."
"Shut up, Jed. I'm just checking to make sure there's no poison."
Endymion was shocked. "You don't think she'd really try to kill him, do you?"
"No, I know she wouldn't do anything of that sort. But she could be trying to pull some prank. But from my observations, I don't see anything wrong with the cookies, and I could only determine the ingredients with my lab at home. I think it's safe."
"You think? You *think*? What if I eat one and something bad does happen? I'm not taking my chances. Just throw it all away."
"What about that whole 'I forgave you' bit? Plus, as leader of the four princes of Earth, I forbid you to further insult the royalty of the Silver Millennium by throwing away these cookies."
"Don't worry. We can destroy them in the disposal and not leave any evidence."
"No way. You eat one of those cookies right now before I stuff one down your throat."
"And if you do die, we'll make sure not to eat them."
"Shut up, Jed." Nephrite gulped. He had no choice. 'If I die, at least everyone will know I was brave enough to actually eat *her* death cookie.' He took the cookie from Zoisite, closed his eyes, and popped the whole cookie into his mouth. As he chewed slowly, the other four waited anxiously.
"Where'd you get that stomach pump, Zoi?" questioned Jadeite.
"From the corner of the room."
"But I thought you said the cookies were harmless!"
"No. I said it *looked* harmless."
After wait seemed like an eternity, Nephrite finally swallowed. Then, miracle of miracles, he smiled. "Hey, that was really good!"
Zoisite put his hand to Nephrite's forehead. "You don't feel sick or anything, do you? Nausea? Headache? Dizziness?"
"Nope! In fact, I feel pretty good right now. I feel bad now for doubting Princess Makoto. You guys should try some."
They were about to each grab a cookie before Kunzite stopped them. "Maybe later. Dinner is in about half an hour, so I think we should save them for an after dinner snack. I just wanted Nephrite to eat one to see what would happen."
"You were going to risk my life as an experiement?!"
"You say it so bluntly."
"What a great leader and friend you-"
In a split second, Nephrite was on the ground, rolling back and forth on the floor as he clutched his stomach and groaned in agony. Zoisite jumped to his friend's side, worry evident on his face, but he was also very pleased that he had a patient to run tests on. "Back away, everyone! I'm an expert. Let the boy breathe! Damnit Jed, go make yourself useful and get some water for him."
He continued to snap orders, and Kunzite and Endymion helped Zoisite to get their tall friend Nephrite to sit up. Suddenly, just as quickly as he fell to the ground earlier, Nephrite shot up with surprising agility and dashed to the lavatory. It was then that Jadeite returned.
"Hey, where'd he go?"
"The bathroom," the three perplexed boys answered.
"Okay....why?"
"Don't know."
After twenty-five minutes, they started to get really worried. They had banged on the door, asking Nephrite if he was okay, but all they heard was the flush of the toilet. In the last twenty-five minutes, they heard it flush twenty-five times.
Endymion tried to communicate through the locked bathroom door again. "Neph? Neph, answer us! At least tell us you're alive."
They heard a low moan. At least they were sure that he was still healty enough to give some kind of response.
Kunzite made another effort. "Neph! Dinner with the royals is in five minutes. Do you feel fit enough to go? Neph?"
Jadeite shook his head in knowing disgust. "I knew those damn senshi girls were no good. No good at all! All of them are crazy bitches! Do you believe me now?"
Endymion nearly slugged Jadeite hard. "Watch it, Jed. What they did wasn't right, but they are my Little Serenity's friends, and I won't have you insult her by insulting her friends."
"Don't get your panties in a bunch, Endymion. I think Princess Serenity is a sweet little girl, but it's her hell-raising friends I'm warning you all about. And I bet on your grave that this whole thing was planned by that evil Martian princess."
Zoisite picked up one of the cookies with a pair of tweezers. To his surprise, he saw something that he didn't see before. The cookies began to turn a strange green color. "I know this potion!" he exclaimed. "I've read about it in a book about witch stews. Oh god. Poor guy! I feel so sorry for Neph right now."
"Why?" the others nearly shrieked.
"Umm...well...the potion is called a 'cleanser' because it...how should I say this...cleans the system."
"What do you--Ohhhhh. You mean-"
"Nephrite has a bad case of-"
"HA! Nephrite is dying of diarrhea! HAHAHA!"
"GO TO HELL, JED!!!" hollered Nephrite within the restroom.
This reaction relieved them. "Great. He's able to answer in words now. That's definite progress."
"You seem to be enjoying Nephrite's pain more than necessary, Zoisite. You're acting like some freak scientist studying a lab rat," Jadeite commented.
Before Zoisite could accept Jadeite's insult as flattery, the bathroom door slowly creaked open, revealing a very pale and tired-looking Nephrite. His long brown hair was matted to his sweaty forehead, and he was leaning against the wall for balance. Jadeite whistled.
"Wow Neph. You look great. You needed to lose those extra ten pounds anyways."
If Nephrite had the strength, he would have pulled off one of his boots and thrown it right into Jadeite's mouth. The others weren't very helpful. They unsuccessfully muffled their chuckles.
"I think I lost an intestine and a kidney in the toilet."
"Oh no...bad imagery! I'm not going to sleep tonight. Thanks a lot, Neph."
Nephrite smiled a weak smile. "If I can't sleep, none of you can, either."
The room was dead quite, and Nephrite was beginning to get scared. They were all just staring at him like some freak show. Kunzite did the deed; he told Nephrite to look in the mirror and smile. At first, Nephrite thought Kunzite was joking, but he always knew when Kunzite was joking, and at that time, he wasn't.
Nephrite nearly slammed his forehead into the mirror after he understood the meaning of his comrade's cryptic instructions.
His teeth were the same color as the greenish-brown liquid mixed within the cookie dough.
Luckily, no one in the palace heard Nephrite swearing and cursing Princess Makoto like a madman.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Sorry it took so long to get this chapter out. Damn volleyball. I hate that sport, yet I play for my athletics credits.
During the middle of this chapter, I've decided to mix present and past in the next chapter. If that doesn't make sense to you now, it will later. Real easy to follow.
Review? Minh Minh is very insecure. Minh Minh want to see review. Minh Minh is a conceited donkey who likes to get praise. Review?
As always, thanks for the reviews.
MORE IMPORTANT STUFF:
Dear Utena-chan and Raegurly13: Thanks so much for making me a favorite!!! Much love!
Dear Happy Noodle Girl:
You are absolutely right; this story does go very slow, and it's going even slower because I'm too damn busy. I apologize for the delays, and I thank you for being so patient and telling me to get the story on a faster pace. But I feel the story will be incomplete if I leave out the past events. I assure you and all other readers who are getting sick of my story that the wait will be entirely worth it. I have formulated the entire story in my head already, and I've planned a whole lot of entertainment when the story goes back to the present. Compared to what the present of "The Winning Losers" will contain, the past portion of this fanfic will seem a very small portion. Thank you again!
Honestly, I feel I am not fit to be a fanfic writer, and although I enjoy it immensely, I _know_ my writing just plain sucks. I feel I always must get into detail about everything I think is important, and that love of details always gets in the way of getting straight to what the reading public wants, and right now, I'm betting that the reading public wants some interaction between Shittenou and Senshi in their grown up age.
In fact, I'm tempted to end this story because I'm afraid my dear readers are quickly getting bored. I'm terribly, terribly sorry for being such a poor storyteller. I will do what I can to improve.
With my threatening and bitching out of the way, on with the show!
Disclaimer: Sailor Moon was created when I was still in first grade. Do you think that some dumb first grader created the delicate plot of Sailor Moon? If you think that's possible, you need to check into the nearest mental institution. It's okay to admit you're not quite right in the head. To put it simply, me no own Sailor Moon.
' denotes thought
AN: =author's notes
denotes mental messages
Characters:
Princesses-
Makoto Kino (Jupiter)
Rei Hino (Mars)
Ami Mizuno (Mercury)
Minako Aino (Venus)
Usagi Serenity (Moon)
Princes-
Nephrite Jusdivinum
Jadeite Amerveille
Zoisite Aufait
Kunzite Acoupser
Endymion Anima-Mundi
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
The Winning Losers Chapter Four: Revenge has Never Been so Sweet, or Obscene!
The five boys were sitting in their shared quarters, alternating between watching the television or chatting. Earlier, young Endymion rushed into the room and gushed to his best friends about his newest best friend. He and Serenity had finished their hide-and-seek game when Luna said that Serenity had to stop playing and begin her tutoring lessons.
He had never had so much fun with a girl in his life. Serenity always smiled, and she wasn't squeamish like other girls. She didn't mind getting a little dirt on her skirts, and she was full of energy, and she was funny, and etc., etc. By the time Endymion had stopped bragging about her, his four listeners were sick of hearing about "Serenity this, Serenity that". The only thing he didn't tell them was that he called her "Usako". His little bunny. Serenity said that only her father called her that when he was still alive, but he died when she was only two. Endymion finally understood why men liked to hang around with women. Did that mean he was finally a man? he thought. He knew if he talked about his feelings around the guys, they would have laughed him out the room. Not only that, they wouldn't have let him live it down for as long as he lived.
Nephrite talked about his terrible day and about the terrifying Princess Makoto. Nephrite's parents had always taught him to be courteous to girls, and he always was, but Princess Makoto was not a girl. 'She's a rabid dog bent on chewing away at my bones to suck out the bone marrow,' he thought.
"I know exactly what you're talking about, Neph," confided Zoisite. He recounted to them the incident that happened between him and the Mercurian princess in the Lunarian Library.
Zoisite could never look at a book the same way again.
"I told you those Senshi girls were no good!" declared Jadeite.
"Great going, you dolts," commented Kunzite. "We've only been here for a few hours, and you guys have already managed to strike bad blood with the inner princesses of the Silver Millennium. What would the king and queen say?"
"It would be best just not to tell my mum and pa," suggested Endymion. "There's no point in worrying them, too. It's your guys' problem, not theirs, and especially not mine. I don't want Usa--I mean, Serenity to know that her closest friends and my best friends aren't getting along. That would upset her because she loves her friends like sisters." So they all agreed not to involve the adults.
In another part of the palace, Princess Serenity was raving about her new playmate to her friends. "Endy is not like other boys. He's sweet and he's nice, and he makes me laugh. He's pretty smart to; I didn't find his hiding place for almost an hour!"
Minako hung onto Serenity's every word and asked many questions, but Makoto and Ami were silent the whole time, their faces hidden in a moody shadow. Rei didn't need to listen; she'd heard tons of stories about her cousin and she talked to him a lot, too. What Rei wasn't expecting were the vibes radiating from Ami and Makoto. She sensed the feeling of deep- seeded anger, hurt, and...hatred? That was the last emotion she would ever connect with two of the sweetest people she knew, but seeing the glum looks on their faces, she didn't want to press them further into irritability.
"Don't tell anyone, you guys, but I just have to tell you. He called me Usako!"
Minako sighed deeply. She was two years older than Serenity, but she hadn't found a guy friend like that. And she was practically a teenager in a couple of months! Makoto and Ami sunk into blacker moods, and Rei was getting nauseous.
"Please, Usa-chan, I don't want to hear about your puppy love. Especially with Cousin Endymion. It's making me feel really queasy. Plus, you're only ten. You and he don't even know the meaning of love."
"Yes I do!" said Serenity defensively.
"Oh really? What is love then? Explain, Usa-chan."
:::Silence:::
"Hmm. That's what I thought."
"Don't be so hard on the poor girl," Minako jumped in. "Love is something that's hard to express in words, and Usa-chan doesn't have a broad vocabulary."
"Are you helping me or insulting me, Mina-chan?" asked Serenity confusedly.
"That doesn't matter. Anyways, don't listen to Rei-chan. It's not like she's well informed about the subject."
"Says the self-proclaimed goddess of love herself," muttered Rei darkly. Minako pretended not to hear her and encouraged Serenity to continue dishing the dirt.
In the middle of her accout about her wonderful day, Serenity noticed Makoto's and Ami's unwillingness to speak. She expected Makoto to be asking all sorts of questions, like Minako, but Makoto was eerily silent. It was normal for Ami not to be interested in these conversations, but she always had at least something to comment about.
"Mako-chan? Ami-chan? What's wrong, you guys?"
Jolted out of their trance, they looked up at their three worried friends. Ami, the usually level-headed one, cleared her throat first and began her tale. "It began when I met this boy in the Lunarian Library...." and she ended with, "he threw my book, that priceless family heirloom, into the fire!" Ami Mizuno, the famed ice princess, was close to tears again.
"You too, Ami-chan?" asked an indignant Makoto. "I met one of those bastards today, too! He stole a couple of the mini cakes I worked so hard on this afternoon, and then he has the balls to ruin one of my best plants in the green house. Just wait 'till I get my hands on him..."
"Wait! I know you guys are really mad, and you have every right to be, but if you do get back at them, please don't let my mommy and her friends find out! Please!" Little Serenity pleaded.
"Alright, alright, we won't," Makoto said for all of them, "But Luna already knows."
"What?! How?"
"Luna saw me storm into my room, and then she asked me what was wrong."
"Oh no...she might tell Momma! And I might never see Endy again, and, and-"
"Cool it, Meatball head!" barked Rei. "Luna's a lot smarter than that. She'll try even harder than us not to upset the queen. I mean, she hates lying to Queen Serenity, but Luna knows that the queen doesn't absolutely need to know."
"Yeah," piped in Minako, "She can keep a straight face with the queen as well as you do, Usa-chan."
"Hey..."
"Anyways, you guys are gonna help me get back at that Nephrite boy, right?" Makoto then put her hand in the middle of their circle. Rei was the first to put her hand on top of hers. Teaching the boys of the universe a lesson, one boy at a time, was worth it to her. Minako put in her hand next; she just liked excitement and making trouble.
Serenity was a bit unsure. "He's Endy's friend, but I gotta stick with my girls." She put her hand on top, too.
They all waited for Ami to make up her mind. "Come ON, Ami-chan!" Makoto whined. "We all have to be in this together."
"I don't know...couldn't we get into a lot of trouble? The chances of getting caught are skyrocketing out of the roof. Plus...it's not right."
"Don't you want to get back at that Zoisite kid?"
Ami's back stiffened right away. 'Make Zoisite pay?' All her good, common sense told her not to do it, but without thinking, she placed her hand on top of theirs.
"It's settled!" crowed Minako. "One of us gets messed with, it's everyone's business!"
"Damn straight! Now, how should I make Nephrite suffer?" They all turned around to Rei. If anyone could humiliate a guy, it was Rei.
She smiled a cold, conniving smile. "Well, we'll need Makoto's baking skills and Ami's chemistry set, and bring your potions book too..."
The sun had already set, and the stars lit up the velvet sky like an everlasting fireworks display. The fountains of angels with pitchers and the silvery vine-covered lanterns along the garden pathways illuminated the Moon palace, making it look more celestial and surreal. Walking up the pristine stairs to the palace doors felt like walking through the gates of Heaven.
On a balcony on the second floor, the five boys were silently admiring the full Earth in the purplish-indigo sky.
Nephrite was in one of his introspective moods. "You'd think that after spending your whole life on Earth, seeing it from outer space would be no surprise. I guess you just have to see things from another point of view every once in a while to appreciate what you've got."
They heard the grandfather clock strike six times, which meant that dinner would start in an hour and thirty minutes. The five of them started to file into their rooms to get ready when a knock was heard on their door.
"Open the door, Neph," instructed Kunzite.
"Who could it be right now?" Nephrite walked quickly to the door and opened it.
Nephrite yelped two octaves higher than his normal voice, slammed the door, jumped back, bumped into the bed, slipped, and crossed both index fingers to make a cross. "They're coming to take me away!" he chanted repeatedly.
With a reaction like that from the generally sane Nephrite, the other three princes shoved Endymion behind them, ready for battle and ready to die for the future heir of Earth.
"Be ready for anything," whispered Kunzite while Nephrite was still whimpering. Stealthily, he walked over to the door, fingered the hilt of his junior-general sword, and swung open the door, fighting stance and sword pointed right at the intuder's face.
There stood Makoto, in a frilly pink and mint green dress festooned with lace and ribbons, a stunned look on her face, and a plate of fresh, delicious chocolate chip cookies in her hands.
The perfect picture of victimized innocence.
"Get her away!" entreated Nephrite. "She's a bloody abomination out for revenge! She won't rest until she has my head, and she'll probably hunt you all for sport! Run, man, run!! Use that sword while you can!"
"I'm sorry, Lady Kino, will you excuse me for a moment?" Without waiting for her answer, Kunzite gently closed the door in her face and walked over to Nephrite.
Makoto, still standing outside, was vaguely aware of an echoing smack from within the room.
"Owwwie...." Nephrite mumbled, along with some choice words a sailor would have been proud of, as he rubbed the back of his head. "What was that for, Kunzite?"
"You dumbass," cursed Kunzite, making sure his voice could not be heard from outside. "Do you realize what you just did? You've just insulted the crown princess of the planet Jupiter! Ye gods! You called an inner planet princess a "bloody abomination"! One of the future inner senshi of Her Royal Highness, Princess Serenity! We are the Moon Queen's guests, and we haven't even been here a whole day. We are supposed to be honorable representatives of Earth, and you've already been at war with the Silver Millennium's largest planet's princess! Not only will you be disappointing King James and Queen Gwendolyn, you'll be making the rest of us look bad. You'll be making *me* look bad."
"But Kunzite, she started it! Why'd she have to go psycho on me earlier today? She threw gardener's shears at me! She missed me by this much," and here, Nephrite made a centimeter's space between his index finger and thumb.
"I don't care what she tried to do to you. I almost regret that the blades missed you. Even if she is the savage monster you claim, as a citizen of Earth, and more importantly, as a future member of the Shittenou, you should not stoop to her level. You will be more dignified, and you will show her she is not worthy of your concern. If anything else happens between us and the Princess Serenity's guardians, I will have a discussion with their leader. Venus, I believe. Is that understood?" Kunzite was not expecting a negative.
"Yes sir," Nephrite dutifully replied.
"Good. Now go open that door and greet Princess Makoto like the prince you're supposed to be."
Nephrite, still fingering the bump forming on the back of his head, walked begrudgingly towards the door.
Makoto was still standing patiently outside, with the same innocent look on her face, still holding the plate of gooey cookies.
"I'm terribly sorry if I've startled you, Lady Kino," began Nephrite. "The five of us were...er...acting out scenes of our favorite play."
That was lame, said Jadeite's voice through their mental connection. The others tried hard not to actually smack their foreheads with their palms and yell "Oi!"
It was the best I could come up with! argued Nephrite.
Makoto knew perfectly well that the boy was lying, and she tried not to grin. 'If he's scared of me now, he's going to be scared to death of me later.'
"I'm sure you were. Pray tell, what play were you acting out?"
Oh crap! Now what? questioned Nephrite frantically to his comrades.
Zoisite jumped in to save the day. "It's amateur dramatics, my lady. There are many unknown plays on Earth, and we are all fans of the lesser known ones. Lots of undiscovered talent, that. We were acting out a scene from a play by a young playwright. It's called 'His Fear of Women Hath Made Him Mad.' Great stuff. I suggest you visit Earth and watch it if ever you get the chance."
Makoto looked at Zoisite strangely, as if he was from another planet....though technically, he *was* from another planet....but that was besides the point. She didn't care whether or not they were telling the truth. Nothing, not even squealing princes and strange stories about strange plays, could distract her from her mission.
*~*Flashback*~*
(Earlier in the kitchen)
"Are you done mixing the cookie dough, Mako-chan?"
"Almost, just a--Usa-chan! Stop eating it!"
"But it's so good!"
"Mina-chan! Quit stuffing your pockets with the bags of chocolate chips! Hand it over."
"Aww, you're no fun. Here."
"Ahem....the other bag, too."
"What are you talking about, Rei-chan?"
"You should know by now not to lie to a freaking psychic."
"Damn [muttering]...."
"Are you done heating up the potion, Ami-chan?"
"Yes, I've finished. According to the book, it should be strong enough to have a definite effect, but it will not really harm the....victim."
"Ami-chan, are you still hesitant to participate? If the elders find out about this, I will take full responsibilty. This is my fight against that stupid Nephrite kid, so I don't want you to feel pressured-"
"Don't worry. You know I'll do anything for you guys, but this is illegal! Plus, we are insulting the Terran royalty! The queen will have our heads, princesses or not. I must admit, Rei-chan's plan is absolutely genius...I almost wish that I came up with it...but aren't there other options?"
"Ami, Ami, Ami-chan--always the logical one of all of us. You're entirely right!"
"You mean that, Mina-chan?"
"Of course I do. Other options...let's see. We could let him get away with what he did to Mako-chan and let justice go undone. Do you really want that rather than give him what he deserves? Don't forget: he's in close association with ZOISITE, and friends of ZOISITE, as *you* already know, dear Ami-chan, must be a bad influence and must be taught a lesson."
"Grrrrrrrrr.....Zoisite......"
"So do you still have second thoughts?"
"Count me in."
"Alrighty! Is it time to mix in the greenish-brown stuff that the good Ami-chan has so graciously concocted? Usagi, for the last time, for Jupiter's sake, keep your grubby fingers out of my cookie dough!"
"Why do you always blame me?! I wasn't even near the bowl this time!"
"Sorry, you're right. Fine, both you and Minako will put your hands flat on the counter where I can see them."
"[Grumble grumble] stupid [mutter]--"
"That's enough, you two! The book says that if we don't mix it right about now, it will be useless."
"Quickly! Pour it in!"
"Let me do it!"
"NO! Don't let Usa-chan get anywhere near it! She'll spill it all over the place!"
"What do you know, anyways? I'm perfectly capable--oops."
"See! Darn it, Usagi! You got it everywhere *but* in the cookie dough!"
"Calm down, everyone. Somehow, I knew this would happen, so I mixed and heated three other emergency back-up vials of the chemicals."
"Three?!"
"Well, I never know who might screw up and how many times one of you will ruin something."
"[Pause] We see your point."
"Okay. Now, mix well until the greenish-brown color disappears."
"I'm the cook! I don't need to read a book to make a good batch of cookies."
"A good batch of toxic cookies."
"I heard that. Wait a minute, this whole thing was your idea, Rei- chan."
"It may be my idea, but it's full of your intentions."
"Hush. No time for philosophy. Now, into the oven."
~*~End of Flashback~*~
"Lady Kino? Excuse me, my lady, are you alright?" Zoisite started to wave his hand frantically in front of her face. In response, she blinked a couple of times before returning to the business at hand.
"Oh, um, yes, I'm fine. I was just thinking about that play you were talking about. I'll be sure to ask Luna and Artemis about that. Sounds interesting. But anyway, I came for Prince Nephrite."
"See!? SEE?! She came for me! She's going to try to kill me! What are you guys doing? Stop her, you idiots, stop her now!"
Kunzite made a mental note to kill Nephrite after Princess Makoto left. Endymion and Zoisite were both speechless, so it was up to Jadeite and his big mouth. "Hehehe, improvisation, my lady. He's playing off of your words and actions to befit the play. Talented boy, don't you know." Incredibly stupid, too, he added in his head.
'These Earth folk are definitely smoking something.' Makoto waved off the thought. 'But why do they keep distracting me?! Focus, Makoto- baka (baka=stupid, idiot), focus!"
"Umm, yes, quite talented. What I meant was that I felt guilty about our earlier...encounter. I really don't want to get on the bad side of our esteemed guests. As a kind of peace offering, I've baked these chocolate chip cookies especially for you, Prince Nephrite. Will you accept my humble gift?"
Nephrite was even more scared than he was before. 'First, she comes off as some psycho scissors thrower, and now she's acting sweet and decent. What the hell is she up to?' Right away, he felt bad for assuming such things. He was judging her without being entirely sure, and she probably did go out of her way to make it up to him, judging by her gentle posture and sincere tone. It would be rude to turn away and not try to make peace.
"I'm touched by your sincerity, Lady Kino. But do not worry because I forgave you a long time ago."
'Forgave me? I did nothing to him. What a conceited snob!! He should be begging for my forgiveness.' Makoto tried not to speak through clenched teeth: "I'm so relieved. Here, take this plate of cookies. Please eat at least one before dinner. It won't spoil your appetite. I will see you all by dinner."
She curtseyed to the five young boys, like a perfect little lady, and they bowed in return, like perfect little gentlemen, and Jadeite opened the door for her and saw her out.
Before Makoto turned the corner of the hall, she swore she heard 'thumping' from the room she had just left.
Nephrite was black and blue after the other four boys thoroughly ganged up on him and beat him until their fists hurt. Kunzite felt that the beating expressed what words and logic couldn't make sense out of, so he saved the lecture for another time. Endymion kissed his fists tenderly, Jadeite cracked his satisfied knuckles, and Zoisite prepared some ice for his sore hands. They were all so amazed at Nephrite's loss of wit in the presence of the Jupitarian princess; it was shameful to be associated with a wuss. The beating was meant to toughen him up, they reasoned.
"Alright. Now what do you have to say in defense, Nephrite?"
"Aren't you supposed to ask that before you kick my ass, Kunzite?"
"Yes, but what you did was so retarded that it justifies our actions."
Zoisite eyed the cookies carefully. Then, he picked one up, put it as close as possible to his nose, and inhaled deeply.
"Ya know, Zoi, if you inhale deeply enough, you might actually suck up all the chocolate chips."
"Shut up, Jed. I'm just checking to make sure there's no poison."
Endymion was shocked. "You don't think she'd really try to kill him, do you?"
"No, I know she wouldn't do anything of that sort. But she could be trying to pull some prank. But from my observations, I don't see anything wrong with the cookies, and I could only determine the ingredients with my lab at home. I think it's safe."
"You think? You *think*? What if I eat one and something bad does happen? I'm not taking my chances. Just throw it all away."
"What about that whole 'I forgave you' bit? Plus, as leader of the four princes of Earth, I forbid you to further insult the royalty of the Silver Millennium by throwing away these cookies."
"Don't worry. We can destroy them in the disposal and not leave any evidence."
"No way. You eat one of those cookies right now before I stuff one down your throat."
"And if you do die, we'll make sure not to eat them."
"Shut up, Jed." Nephrite gulped. He had no choice. 'If I die, at least everyone will know I was brave enough to actually eat *her* death cookie.' He took the cookie from Zoisite, closed his eyes, and popped the whole cookie into his mouth. As he chewed slowly, the other four waited anxiously.
"Where'd you get that stomach pump, Zoi?" questioned Jadeite.
"From the corner of the room."
"But I thought you said the cookies were harmless!"
"No. I said it *looked* harmless."
After wait seemed like an eternity, Nephrite finally swallowed. Then, miracle of miracles, he smiled. "Hey, that was really good!"
Zoisite put his hand to Nephrite's forehead. "You don't feel sick or anything, do you? Nausea? Headache? Dizziness?"
"Nope! In fact, I feel pretty good right now. I feel bad now for doubting Princess Makoto. You guys should try some."
They were about to each grab a cookie before Kunzite stopped them. "Maybe later. Dinner is in about half an hour, so I think we should save them for an after dinner snack. I just wanted Nephrite to eat one to see what would happen."
"You were going to risk my life as an experiement?!"
"You say it so bluntly."
"What a great leader and friend you-"
In a split second, Nephrite was on the ground, rolling back and forth on the floor as he clutched his stomach and groaned in agony. Zoisite jumped to his friend's side, worry evident on his face, but he was also very pleased that he had a patient to run tests on. "Back away, everyone! I'm an expert. Let the boy breathe! Damnit Jed, go make yourself useful and get some water for him."
He continued to snap orders, and Kunzite and Endymion helped Zoisite to get their tall friend Nephrite to sit up. Suddenly, just as quickly as he fell to the ground earlier, Nephrite shot up with surprising agility and dashed to the lavatory. It was then that Jadeite returned.
"Hey, where'd he go?"
"The bathroom," the three perplexed boys answered.
"Okay....why?"
"Don't know."
After twenty-five minutes, they started to get really worried. They had banged on the door, asking Nephrite if he was okay, but all they heard was the flush of the toilet. In the last twenty-five minutes, they heard it flush twenty-five times.
Endymion tried to communicate through the locked bathroom door again. "Neph? Neph, answer us! At least tell us you're alive."
They heard a low moan. At least they were sure that he was still healty enough to give some kind of response.
Kunzite made another effort. "Neph! Dinner with the royals is in five minutes. Do you feel fit enough to go? Neph?"
Jadeite shook his head in knowing disgust. "I knew those damn senshi girls were no good. No good at all! All of them are crazy bitches! Do you believe me now?"
Endymion nearly slugged Jadeite hard. "Watch it, Jed. What they did wasn't right, but they are my Little Serenity's friends, and I won't have you insult her by insulting her friends."
"Don't get your panties in a bunch, Endymion. I think Princess Serenity is a sweet little girl, but it's her hell-raising friends I'm warning you all about. And I bet on your grave that this whole thing was planned by that evil Martian princess."
Zoisite picked up one of the cookies with a pair of tweezers. To his surprise, he saw something that he didn't see before. The cookies began to turn a strange green color. "I know this potion!" he exclaimed. "I've read about it in a book about witch stews. Oh god. Poor guy! I feel so sorry for Neph right now."
"Why?" the others nearly shrieked.
"Umm...well...the potion is called a 'cleanser' because it...how should I say this...cleans the system."
"What do you--Ohhhhh. You mean-"
"Nephrite has a bad case of-"
"HA! Nephrite is dying of diarrhea! HAHAHA!"
"GO TO HELL, JED!!!" hollered Nephrite within the restroom.
This reaction relieved them. "Great. He's able to answer in words now. That's definite progress."
"You seem to be enjoying Nephrite's pain more than necessary, Zoisite. You're acting like some freak scientist studying a lab rat," Jadeite commented.
Before Zoisite could accept Jadeite's insult as flattery, the bathroom door slowly creaked open, revealing a very pale and tired-looking Nephrite. His long brown hair was matted to his sweaty forehead, and he was leaning against the wall for balance. Jadeite whistled.
"Wow Neph. You look great. You needed to lose those extra ten pounds anyways."
If Nephrite had the strength, he would have pulled off one of his boots and thrown it right into Jadeite's mouth. The others weren't very helpful. They unsuccessfully muffled their chuckles.
"I think I lost an intestine and a kidney in the toilet."
"Oh no...bad imagery! I'm not going to sleep tonight. Thanks a lot, Neph."
Nephrite smiled a weak smile. "If I can't sleep, none of you can, either."
The room was dead quite, and Nephrite was beginning to get scared. They were all just staring at him like some freak show. Kunzite did the deed; he told Nephrite to look in the mirror and smile. At first, Nephrite thought Kunzite was joking, but he always knew when Kunzite was joking, and at that time, he wasn't.
Nephrite nearly slammed his forehead into the mirror after he understood the meaning of his comrade's cryptic instructions.
His teeth were the same color as the greenish-brown liquid mixed within the cookie dough.
Luckily, no one in the palace heard Nephrite swearing and cursing Princess Makoto like a madman.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Sorry it took so long to get this chapter out. Damn volleyball. I hate that sport, yet I play for my athletics credits.
During the middle of this chapter, I've decided to mix present and past in the next chapter. If that doesn't make sense to you now, it will later. Real easy to follow.
Review? Minh Minh is very insecure. Minh Minh want to see review. Minh Minh is a conceited donkey who likes to get praise. Review?