Sorry that I've taken so long getting this newest chapter up. I was on holidays but I was still busier than ever. Getting ready for Moving Day is so much fun … Not.

Many, many, many thanks to rosa lunae for her constant support and always almost instant reviews. You are my muse, Luna R, and my inspiration to keep going. Having a genius like you telling me that I am also great is very uplifting and heart warming. This chapter is dedicated to you. Thanks!

Disclaimer: Just in case you've forgotten, I don't own the characters that you would normally spot in the manga or the anime. I do own Guardian Eos/Yoake/Rory, all the villains, the special jewellery, and most of the fashions. (Even I can't take credit for the simplicity of jeans and a shirt!) If these creative fashions exist already, it's a case of "great minds …"

I've kinda mixed together the anime and manga versions of Raye's Grandpa. He looks like the manga version, but has a bit of the humour of the anime version. He thinks Raye is way too serious for her age.

Please enjoy!

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Chapter 18

Jewels of the Heart

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The morning light shone gently on the flowers as strong, skilled fingers carefully removed the weeds from between the stems of the plants. Lita sighed as she placed the offending weeds in the plastic bag beside her on the balcony and leaned back on her bare heels, raising her face to the warm morning sun, eyes closed. It was looking to be a beautiful day and yet, she felt unsettled.

Rubbing her forehead with the back of her wrist, she turned to the last pot and pulled out the few weeds that managed to find purchase in the soil. She and Mina had decided to try a potted vegetable garden to help balance out their budget. Mina had laughingly insisted that with Lita around, the garden would have to do well. Unable to help herself, Lita had also planted a few flowers here and there in the pots.

Sighing again as she finished, Lita looked out at the horizon, not sure what she was looking for but not finding any relief at seeing anything troublesome either. Hearing a step behind her, the brunette peaked over her shoulder, then busied herself with closing the bag of weeds to throw away later. Dropping it into a corner, she turned and managed a small smile at the blonde who stood in the door way.

"It's bothering you too, isn't it?" Mina asked, not bothering to smile back. Her face was completely serious, a look that Lita was far more used to seeing on Sailor Venus than she was on Mina.

"I keep feeling that a storm is coming …" she paused as she glanced over her shoulder again, then turned back. "I can feel it, but there's no sign of any kind of storm." She noticed that Mina wasn't really looking at her but over her shoulder. She refused to look. "What is it?"

"I thought I sensed something too. Every now and then, I think I see a movement out of the corner of my eye, but it's quick enough that I never actually see anything and doesn't happen often enough that I can keep my guard up to watch for it."

Lita nodded and headed for the kitchen, gesturing for her friend to follow her. "Well, we'd better get on with our day. Never let it be said that one of us was too afraid to leave the house because it was a beautiful day outside." She looked at Mina and smiled gently as she began to wash her hands. "Smile, V-babe. You're making me nervous!"

Mina blinked, then gave Lita a startled laugh and then grinned at her, flashing her a "V" with her fingers. "Yeah. I guess we all have to keep our best faces on for our Princess. She has enough to worry about without us adding to it." With a wink, she ran to her room to change for the picnic in the park while Lita packed up the food they were bringing.

Lita was wearing green denim shorts with a creamy, sleeveless blouse. Around her neck was a pendant on a green velvet rope choker. The pendant was a round, flat, polished stone that reminded Lita of her planet, Jupiter. Other than her usual rose earrings, she wore one other piece of jewellery. On the pinkie finger of her right hand was a stone ring. It caught her eye as she placed the last package in the basket and she stopped to look at it fondly. The deep lime green band gave a polished shine as she turned her hand slightly to admire the creamy coloured specs and crevices. It was the most beautiful example of green nephrite jade that she had ever seen. Her name was carved delicately on the inside along with a carefully etched rose. Lita had been deeply touched by the simplicity of this present which she had discovered on her pillow when she awoke this morning.

A small squeal broke into her thoughts and she looked towards her room-mate's room, which Mina soon came rushing out of. Wearing deep orange capris, a black tank and a light beige, crocheted, short sleeve sweater that came together with a single brass button in the puffy shape of a heart just below the breasts. Dangling from her hand was a golden necklace with a crystal pendant, but Lita couldn't get much more detail from it as Mina was waving it around and she couldn't focus.

"Mina, if you don't stand still so that I can see what you are excited about, I'm going to feed you a lightening bolt and give you a reason to dance!"

Mina froze, a look of mock horror on her face. "And lose our damage deposit? How would we ever explain the burn marks on the floor?"

Lita snorted, and looked at the object that swung slightly from Mina's hand. The gold chain was made up of heart-shaped links that were alternately closed or open. Each side ended in a solid heart-shaped piece of rich, golden amber and between them was a heart-shaped faceted piece of kunzite. It looked absolutely translucent, almost colourless, until it turned a certain way and Lita caught the pink highlights of the stone. About three times the size of the rest of the hearts, it was obviously the centre-piece of the creation. Looking back up, Lita caught the pleading look in Mina's eyes and, smiling, took the chain from Mina who turned and lifted her hair out of the way so that Lita could work the catch.

"I found it on my dresser with the most beautiful bouquet of flowers," sighed Mina as Lita finished. Lita wiggled her finger at Mina.

"I found mine on my pillow as I opened my eyes."

"Oh! That's so romantic!"

Lita grinned agreement, her eyes sparkling. "Come on, we're gonna be late if we don't get you moving!"

Walking to the entrance, Mina groaned as she put on her black, low heeled shoes. "I wish we had a car!"

Lita tugged on a pair of creamy socks and then quickly slipped on her casual suede hikers. "Heh. The day I need a car is the day I hang up my fuku and my henshin (transformation) stick for good! Besides, it's not that far, and I'm the one carrying everything!"

Mina sighed dramatically and opened the door so that Lita and the basket of goodies could precede her, then closed and locked it behind them.

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"Raye!" The muffled voice was followed by a tapping noise. "Raye, there's a guy here asking for you. Did you want to see him or should I get him to come back later?"

Raye's hair brush paused mid-stroke at this announcement. Was he? Had he? He said he would …

"Raye?"

"Did he say who he was, Chad?" If he turned out to be a vacuum sales man, she was going to fry him for raising her hopes like that. Just one fire arrow in the-

"He said his name was 'Jed' and that he was an old acquaintance."

Raye heard the slight doubt in Chad's voice. "What's wrong?"

"I'm not sure. Are you positive that you want me along on this picnic?"

Raye smiled to her self at the change in subjects and finished brushing her hair. Setting the brush down, she rose and walked over to the door and slid it open. She wore black denim shorts with a red and white checked, sleeveless blouse that buttoned down the front and ended with a knot at the bottom. She'd left the top two buttons undone, offering the faintest hint of cleavage but was not yet immodest. Settled around her throat was the phoenix pendant that her cousin had made and given her when she was a child. (A/N: Sailor Stars Anime)

"Don't be silly, Chad. I wouldn't have invited you, and your lady, if you weren't going to be welcome. Send Jed to me and we'll walk down together. She's going to meet us there? The girl you want me to meet?"

Chad nodded, not quite meeting her eyes. Raye leaned forward and tilted her head so she could look into them herself.

"Chad, don't you want to go?"

Chad shrugged and scratched the back of his head. "I don't know, Raye … I just feel that … this picnic … well, things will be different after it."

Raye carefully kept her smile in place. "Life is about change, Chad. You can't go forward without it. If you really don't want to go then I won't force you, but I really do want you along."

Chad smiled, but did not raise his eyes. "Then I'll go. I'll be ready in about 10 minutes." Then he turned and left. Mere moments later Jadeite came around the corner, a small backpack slung on one shoulder. He was wearing blue jeans with a white cotton shirt with the top two buttons undone. It was a fairly simple combo, but Raye found it to be very sexy. Jadeite walked up to her and, placing a kiss on her lips, handed her a long rectangular box.

"What's wrong, Firefly?"

Raye made a face at the name. "I still don't know why you named me after a bug."

Jadeite shrugged and grinned. "Hey, you light up my life, Bug-lette. Besides, "Pyro" was already taken."

Raye sighed and decided that getting angry was useless with Jadeite. Besides, there had already been too much time wasted with anger between them. "To answer the original question, I was just thinking that today might be bigger than I thought. We'll have to be on higher guard if even Chad is picking up a strong sense of change."

"Maybe you are projecting. Where's Grandpa?"

"Hello, there!" called Grandpa, as he came around the corner, dressed in his temple robes. "Come to court my Raye, have you? Well, you should be warned that she has a wicked temper and hangs out with crows."

"GRANDPA!"

Jadeite just laughed. "I'm quite aware of her temper, sir, and I know of Deimos and Phobos, although I have yet to meet them."

"Well, she'll probably expect lots of gifts too. It's a girl thing, you know."

Raye started to grind her teeth as she glared at her grandfather. "Grandpa! How can you say such horrible things about me?"

"Hey, if he sticks around after hearing all of that, then he just might be worth keeping!"

Trying to put on a straight face, Jadeite looked to Raye, his blue-grey eyes twinkling with held in mirth. "Speaking of presents, are you gonna open that?" he asked, pointing at the box she still held.

"Starting the present giving already? Whatcha got, Raye? Is he worth keeping?"

"Quiet, Grandpa," Raye admonished as she turned her attention to the glossy green box that somehow had escaped being mangled during her grandfather's outlandish statements. Lifting the lid and placing it under the box, she folded back the red tissue and gasped, her free hand flying to her mouth and her eyes slightly widening and beginning to fill with tears.

"That bad, eh? What is it, Raye?" Grandpa asked, trying not to give in to curiosity and peek for himself.

"Oh, Jadeite, they're beautiful!"

Carefully laid out in the box was a set of hair sticks made of violet jadeite. Carved into the ends were roses and Casablancas entwined. Nestled at the base of the sticks was a brooch in the shape of a flower. Another Casablanca. The petals were individually carved from white jadeite and the single leaves on each side were made from Imperial Jade. The centre was created with a combination of yellow jadeite and gold.

(A/N: Anyone needing a visual of what a Casablanca looks like can look in story two of Sailor Moon: Book 11 – Casablanca Memory)

Jadeite smiled warmly as he watched his lover's face while she gazed at the gift he'd given her. Taking a step closer, he reached out and lifted the brooch from its place in the box.

"May I?" he asked.

Raye nodded, still a little stunned by the gift. Jadeite undid the clasp on the back and carefully fastened it to her shirt, just above her heart. Grandpa nodded approvingly of how Jadeite managed the action in a gentlemanly manner. Looking back to his granddaughter, he reached out a loving hand and patted her gently on the shoulder.

"Go put the sticks in your hair, Raye. We'll wait here for you."

"Thanks, Grandpa." With a lingering glance at Jadeite, Raye quickly went into her room and put her hair up, carefully inserting the sticks to hold everything in place.

Grandpa Hino looked fondly in the direction that she had gone. "That's the first time she's actually kept a present that was given to her by a boy." He quickly glanced at Jadeite who had also watched the raven-haired woman's flight. "Boy, or man, I guess I should say now."

Jadeite looked to the old man and smiled. "Well, she's a particular woman who knows what she wants in life and won't accept anything less. We've actually known each other … for a long time. I love her just as she is."

"Well, I love her too, but even I wish she would lighten up a little now and then. She's such a serious girl. Always has been. Hanging out with those two crows just made her look even odder to people. I was very relieved when she finally found some friends, even if they didn't go to her school. I tried to get her father to transfer her to the public school so that she could be with her friends, but he wouldn't hear of it. Wasn't good enough for his daughter's station, he said."

"You never told me that."

Both men turned at the sound of the feminine voice and stood transfixed at the sight before them. Raye had her hair pulled gently back into a bun at the back of her head, just near the top. The stray tendrils of hair that she allowed to hang only served to soften the look even more and delicately frame her pale face.

Raye smiled, pleased that she looked good. She felt it did honour to Jadeite's gift and made him proud to be seen with her.

"I've always been proud to be seen with you," Jadeite winked.

Just then, Chad came jogging around the corner, dressed in black jeans, red tank and black denim jacket. He had white tennis shoes in one hand and the basket of food that Raye was bringing in the other. He glanced at Jadeite and then looked at Raye … and came to a dead halt.

"Whoa."

Grandpa chuckled. "Get your shoes on, Chad, or we're gonna be late."

Placing an arm around Raye's lower back, Jadeite waited for Chad to get his shoes on and gestured for the two men to lead the way.

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If you needed a pee break or a chance to rub your eyes, this is it!

Commercial!

If you are enjoying this story, then you'll love the SM trilogy written by rosa lunae:

In Happy Hiding; Escaping Oblivion; and Kooin Ya no Gotoshi

Read them today!

Okay, I gave Amy's mom a name. I couldn't find one in the books – although I admit I didn't take a whole lot of time to look hard. "Judith" seems sensible, practical and suitable for her station, yet allows her to have a softer side.

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Judith Anderson watched her daughter walk around in circles in her robe as she tried to decide what to wear. She wasn't sure if she should be amazed or amused. She herself had taken this rare opportunity to dress casually in a soft blue flare skirt that came to mid-calf, a matching blouse with 3/4 sleeves that was left untucked, belted at the waist with a narrow navy leather belt and only buttoned halfway to reveal the sapphire blue cotton tank with wide shoulder straps and delicate silver scrolling stitched at the neckline. The blouse was gathered at the waist with a narrow navy leather belt that showed off her still slim figure. Around her neck was a choker length string of powder blue pearls with a small diamond-shaped sapphire pendant. Matching pearl and sapphire earrings hung from her ears. Her dark hair was still kept cropped shorter than most women kept it, but she maintained that it was easier to take care of with her usually busy schedule.

"Do you know," she spoke from the doorway, "I think that this is the first time I've ever seen you flustered and seemingly at a loss. Is there anything I can do to help?"

Amy's reply was forestalled by a brisk knock at the door. Judith left her daughter to her pacing as she went to answer the door. Stopping to stare at her closet again, Amy's mind zipped through over a dozen combinations and dismissed them all with a sigh. Her mother was right. She was feeling frazzled. She needed something to help her focus. But there was no time to do any reading or studying. A focus. That was it. She needed to find something to base her outfit around. A single piece to create the theme. But what?

Her mother walked back into the room and presented her with a small, square box the size of her palm and a card. The card was unsigned and simply read, "Hope this helps." Curious, Amy carefully opened the box to reveal a bracelet and matching anklet. Created with far-spaced beads of pale blue-violet tanzanite on a delicate silver chain, there was a simple faceted disk of sapphire for the focal point. Amy blinked. Focal point. She smiled and looked up at her mother, who was still admiring the gift.

"If you'll excuse me, Mother, I know what I want to wear now."

Nodding, Judith turned and left the room, still wondering who had given her daughter such a wonderful gift.

Moments later, Amy stepped out of her room wearing a practical, but pretty outfit. Walking shorts of a pale blue-violet, similar to the tanzanite stones, and a white spaghetti strap tank top with a pattern of small blue and purple flowers. A light, short sleeved cardigan hung from her shoulders. The anklet twinkled in the light as she walked to the front door to place a pair of leather sandals on her feet. Her usual blue earrings sat in her ears, but as she turned her head, her mother noticed that she had added a gold ear clip with a solitary sapphire to her left ear. Judith hadn't known that her daughter had even owned such a piece, but she liked the effect. Amy's shoulder length black hair was pulled back on the left side with a simple silver barrette.

Amy glanced up at her mother and caught her watching her. "Are you coming?" she smiled at the elder Anderson.

"Oh!" Judith laughed softly at herself for her wandering thoughts and grabbing the basket from the entry hall table, she placed it in Amy's hands. Slipping on a pair of navy weave sandals. As she followed her daughter out the door of their apartment, she allowed her thoughts to wander for a quick moment. It was so amazing how her daughter had grown into the woman who now stood before her. It still felt like yesterday that she was a precocious, mature-for-her-age child. She felt the gap of the years gone by and wondered how long her daughter would still be with her. She thought of the jewellery that had arrived and was suddenly very glad that she had arranged for this time off from her duties at the hospital so that she could spend the day with her only child.

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Wow! I'm sitting at the top of page nine! This will be my longest chapter ever! Hope you are enjoying this and not wondering when it will end. Probably the biggest piece of cheesecake ever made. (Inside joke)

Got your nag today, Luna R. Thanks bunches! Get yours up soon too!

Snack break!

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Michelle glided into the living room wearing a flowing skirt in a tropical floral design and matching form-fitting crop top with short sleeves. The deep, rich colours of royal, purple, green and creamy whites floated wit each of her steps as if she always moved under water. Her beautiful hair was bulled back into a gentle tail at the nape of her neck with a purple ribbon. Above her left breast was a brooch that Amara had given her recently. It was a mermaid with her tail curved in front of her like she was sitting or floating. Her closest arm lay in a relaxed position against her side and slightly behind her. Her far arm reached up and over her head, her pale gold hair flowing with it, so that her overall shape was that of a crescent moon. Dangling from her hand above her was an emerald in the shape of a star. The scales on the tail were made of shell and shone like an incandescent rainbow, but was predominately green. The skin was also made of shell, but it was a pearly white. The violet eyes and golden brown lashes and brows had been very carefully hand painted, as well as the coral pink of the softly smiling lips.

"I envy you your grace," came a small voice from over by the window.

Turning her head, Michelle saw Hotaru standing in the sunlight in front of the big window. She was wearing a lilac sundress with spaghetti straps and a spaghetti tie at the back. On her left wrist was a small pink peony corsage, made with pink and white ribbon. A matching pale pink ribbon was tied gently around her neck. Smiling, she moved to stand behind her and see what she was watching outside.

"One day," she promised as she walked toward the girl, "you will also move with such grace."

Hotaru shook her head, then continued to look back outside. "Yours is a fluid grace that all from your planet share. I have the grace of stealth. I move with purpose."

Looking outside, Michelle observed that Trista and Rory were walking among the flowers and talking. Rory had a corsage that matched Hotaru's placed in her hair on the right, just in front of the buns. Another was pinned above her heart. She wore a grey rough silk sundress with a flare skirt that rippled in the light breeze below the formed waistline. The flowing short sleeves and the sweetheart neckline softened the look.

Trista wore a scoop necked cream T-shirt with embroidered vines along the neckline. Olive green walking shorts with rolled cuffs, and dark green suspenders completed the unusually practical outfit. A small watch fob hung from one of the belt loops. She wore creamy socks and green suede hiking shoes on her feet. On a dark green velvet rope choker was a square pendant with cut corners. Written on it was "TIME FLIES". (Not that Michelle could read it at this distance, but she recognised it as a gift that Hotaru had given Trista for her birthday.)

As they moved slowly through the garden, gathering flowers as they went, there seemed to be an obvious bond between them. It was in the way they moved … they always seemed to be aware of each other. The conversation seemed pleasant and yet, Michelle was sure that there was almost a sad quality to it. She couldn't place her finger on why she felt that way though. She glanced at the young girl from the corner of her eye.

Hotaru's eyes contained a mixture of warmth and coldness that Michelle had never seen anybody else ever able to pull off. Was this a quirk of the people of Saturn, or just the Saturn Scout in particular?

"Hotaru? Is something wrong?"

Hotaru gave a little sigh. "I cannot change the roads of others. I can but follow my own destiny and hope to find kindreds along the way." Turning she quietly left the room, passing Amara on her way out.

"Don't go far, youngling! We leave soon!" golden-haired Amara called after her. Hearing a muffled affirmation, she turned to smile at her lover. She wore navy and green striped baggy pants, rolled at the ankle. A navy belt cinched her waist. A navy form fitting crop top with wide straps on the shoulders was covered by a loose green blouse, left unbuttoned. Two fine chains were entwined around her neck – gold and silver. A matching chain was on her wrist. Running shoes were already on her feet. Seeing the troubled look on Michelle's face, she walked toward her and held out an arm. Stepping into the embrace, Michelle wrapped her arms around Amara's waist and leaned her head on her shoulder.

"What's wrong? No, let me guess. She's gone and said something cryptic again," she said gently, referring to Hotaru. "You always get that look on your face when she gets all 'old lady wise' on you."

"Well, it's odd to hear such things coming from a child's mouth. I guess I should be used to it by now though."

"What were you discussing this time?"

Michelle turned her head and looked at the pair outside again. Amara followed her look.

"I see." Amara paused in quick contemplation. "Well, we were going to be on our guard anyway." She leaned her head down and rested it lightly against Michelle's. "Mish."

"Hmm?"

"Mish, who was that woman on the beach? The name she used … it was-"

"It was a reference to my youth, yes, and may be a trap." She shook her head slightly. "I will not be swayed from my duties with such tricks." Michelle leaned deeper into the embrace. "My mirror will not show me what I need to see in this case."

Amara reached a hand up and stroked the woman's hair soothingly. "We should get going. Go get Hotaru and I'll load up the car." She kissed Michelle's forehead and gave her a light push to get her going. Michelle turned her head and smiled over her shoulder as she left, but the smile was almost sad. Almost forced.

'If this is a trick,' Amara thought as she watched the aqua-haired beauty leave the room, 'then I'll never forgive that woman for the pain she is causing.' As soon as Michelle was out of sight, she trotted to the kitchen and got their contribution to the picnic.

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To Be Continued

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Wow! 11 pages! Feel the burn! I had hoped to get descriptions of everybody but I'll think I'll move that into a part two … this is getting to be quite long already and I have to unpack my notes for some stuff coming up. Hope this satisfies for a bit … until next time!

Special for the day … black forest cheesecake!

Hope you enjoyed!

Review PLEASE!

Jade's Rose