Standard disclaimers apply. I don't own Sailor Moon, but I want to!

CHAPTER FIVE

The Champion

"Oh! You've got to be kidding me!"

"What is it now, Rena-chan?" asked Rei.

"My email got bounced back again. I've been here for nearly three months, and I've still been unable to talk to my parents or even friends in L.A. It's too expensive to call, and even if I did, they ought to be in bed when I'm up."

"Have you thought about sending a letter?"

"An actual letter? As in snail mail?" she laughed. "Honestly, I haven't. I guess that's the only course left if email doesn't work." She glanced at Rei and did a double take. "Hey! You look great! Hot date tonight?"

"No, just dinner with my brother. I'm running late and he hates that. Have you seen where I put my new handbag?"

Serena to the reached under the credenza and pulled out the purse. "Here you go. I forgot you had a brother."

"That's right, you haven't met yet. I'll arrange something so we can all meet, okay?"

"Great! Just let me know in advance so that I won't be working overtime then."

"Don't worry, I won't. Bye!"

********

"You're late, little sister."

"No kidding, big brother. Loosen up, will ya? It takes time to look as fabulous as I do." Rei walked over to the tall man and gave him a kiss on the cheek. "Haven't seen you for a while, where've you been?"

"Things have been busy at work." A waiter came by and gave them menus.

"Things are always 'busy at work'." Rei continued after the waiter had left. "You never take a break! You sound just like my roommate, although it's not her fault she never has time off."

"You have a roommate?"

"You see? I've told you about her before, but you never pay attention!"

"Sorry Rei. Uh...tell me about her now."

"I'm not sure I want to. Why should you suddenly be interested?"

"C'mon Rei, I apologized. Seriously, I want to know what's going on in your life. I worry about you kid."

Rei rolled her eyes. "I'm not a kid anymore. But if you must know, things have been going great. I'm still the lowest on the fashion industry totem pole, but some of my designs have been selected to show to the head of the firm. I've been informed that I'll be working at the fashion show in Spring Hill, only as a fitter for the models, but it's a step up. How about you? Did you get that promotion? What was it for again?"

"To be Head Director of the entire manga department. Right now, my boss oversees it all, but she wants to delegate more responsibility. That firm in America, Mangazine, didn't help with her trust issues, but she's decided to take a chance. And right now, my chance is in jeopardy because I can't control one of my workers."

"What do you mean, 'can't control'?"

"I mean totally out of control. We always disagree on the instructions I give, my authority is undermined, and--hey! It's not funny!"

Rei continued laughing. "I'm sorry. It's just that I've never known you to lose your cool. This person must totally get under you skin if you lose grip."

"Nothing I've tried seems to work, but I'll get things to go my way."

"Well, you've got a lot on your plate already, so I won't ask you for a favor just yet."

"What favor? Might as well tell me."

"No. Not just yet I said. Besides its for my roommate, not me."

"Your roommate? Oh yeah, what's she like?"

"Rena-chan? She's awesome! You'd like her. She's a lot of fun, so full of life! Best of all has great taste in fashion."

"Meaning she really likes your designs."

"Of course. She wants to meet you too. I haven't told her what a stick in the mud you are."

"Thanks for the support," he commented dryly.

"I'm kidding. No, really. I want you both to meet. When are you free?"

"I'm not sure. Like I said, things are hectic at work."

"Well make time! You two are unbelievable. There's never time to do anything!"

"She has scheduling problems too?"

"That's only part of the problems Rena-chan has. But I'll let her tell you about them."

"Well, I'll call later this week so we can set up something."

"I can't believe this. I have to set an appointment to see my own brother."

"It happens when you're around such an important person as myself."

"You're impossible!"

"I try."

"That wasn't a compliment."

"But I'm taking it as one, sister dear." He smirked.

"I see that you're conceit has reached new heights. I'd watch that if I were you."

"Yeah? At what height do you think I should I stop? I haven't reached a decision. One ought to have goals."

"Darien!"

********

"Yes, bossman?"

"Why do you insist on awarding me that title?"

"I could call you something else, but I might get fired."

He ignored that comment. "How do you always manage to know that it's me, Carroll-san?"

"Easy. My skin starts to crawl whenever you're nearby."

"Funny. Two for two, the lady's on fire today."

"What can I say, I'm on a roll. Is there a point for your visit to my workstation?"

Darien regarded Serena with adoring eyes, secretly longing to tell her the wishes of his heart. He loved talking with her, arguing with her, just waiting on baited breath for her fiery comebacks.

She turned to look at him when he didn't answer. Serena was confused by the look in his eyes. For the first time, she didn't see him as a harsh and sorry excuse of a human being, but as a warm blooded, handsome man. If he weren't such a vulgar Neanderthal, she'd consider him as a potential boyfriend. Realizing where her thoughts were taking her, she shook her head as if to toss them away.

"Well?" she asked again.

Darien too shook himself from his thoughts. He realized that he had been staring. Now how to come away without looking like a fool was the tough part. "I just wanted to remind you to turn your work directly to print. They're fine for once."

Serena watched him as he quickly walked away. She looked over at Yoshimi's workstation. "Was that a compliment?"

"From the way you two go at it, it sounded like one to me. What do you think, Akira?"

"Hard to say," he answered. "Let's find out." He stood up and made sure none of the supervisors were around. "How many of you think that was a compliment for Serena? Show of hands." The entire departments hands shot up. "There you have it, Serena."

"You guys are all crazy!" she exclaimed. "Don't you have anything better to do than to watch what goes on between me and the Baka?"

Yoshimi jumped at that. "You mean that there's something going on between you two? Are you holding out on us, Serena? Are you two having an affair?"

"Serena's having an affair with Darien-san?!" someone else shouted in the department. All heads shot in her direction.

"NO! I'm not having an affair with him! Gross, Yoshimi! How could you think that? You know I hate the guy, why would you say something like that?!"

"You gotta admit, there's a lot of tension going on there," Yoshimi answered.

"Yeah," Akira put in. "Sexual tension."

"Eww! Mental pictures! Shut up!"

"You two need to hook up and soon. It can't be good for your health to bottle all that stress." Akira continued.

"Either change the conversation or get back to work!" announced Serena.

"You see, Yoshimi? She's even starting to sound like him."

"Shut UP!"

********

*ring* *ring* "Hello! You've got Rei and Rena's place! We're not here right now, but if you leave a message after the beep, we'll get back to you. Oh, and by the way! Make sure you state who you want to talk to! Bye!" *beep*

*click*

"I hate answering machines," Darien muttered.

"What did you say?" asked Motoki, coming into Darien's office.

"Nothing. I was just trying to call my sister."

"Rei? How she doing?"

"She's fine. She's got a new roommate that she wants me to meet."

"Oh yeah? She's trying to hook you up? I guess you haven't told her about Serena yet."

"What about her?"

"C'mon! Give me some credit buddy. I've seen the way you look at her when you think nobody's watching."

"Enlighten me. How do I look at her?"

"Like you want her. Admit it! You've got the hots for her."

"I do not! I can't stand her! She's so annoying and disruptive, she never follows instructions the first time, and she makes a spectacle of herself at every opportunity. Not to mention me. She draws attention to me whenever she opens her mouth!"

"You don't exactly try to fade into the background, Darien. You give as good as you get, you know."

"Have you seen the department? They hang on to every word we say. I'm not there to entertain them!"

"Strange words, seeing how you're in the entertainment business. But I gotta say, I'm out there watching too. Your arguments are like a show. Frankly, I'm sorry whenever I miss one. I can't wait till the next. When do you need to talk to her again?"

"I'm not if I can help it. You do it!"

"Oh no. Not me. Forget it."

"Oh, c'mon Motoki! She likes you."

"Perhaps if you made the effort, she might like you too. Why are you so mean to her anyway? You got something against her?"

Motoki's words brought Darien back to the day when Serena accused him of revenging himself on her. He had been surprised that day, especially when she knocked over her stool and repeatedly stabbed her finger in his chest, forcing him back. In her fury her glossy eyes turned a deep midnight blue, and a flush overcame her alabaster cheeks. She was cold. She was angry. She was beautiful.

"Hello? Buddy? Darien!" Motoki called, snapping his fingers in Darien's eyes. He finally fell back into reality. "I know where you were," he said in a singsong voice. "Dreaming about Serena walking towards you in a white gown, am I right?"

Darien scowled. "Forget it, Motoki. I don't want to have anything to do with a pest like Carroll-san. It's bad enough that she works here, but that's as near as I'd ever want to get to her. I wish we didn't have to work so closely to one another. I can't stand her."

"My feelings exactly, Motoki," a voice called from the doorway. "I could never stay around as something as offensive as bossman here. Thankfully, this is only a temporary assignment, and early next year I'll be back where I belong--as far away from him as possible!" Serena started to walk out, but turned back. "Oh, and Akira asked me to turn this in for him. He said he had to leave early and that you'd understand why." She threw the file on his desk and stormed out.

"Aww man! Are you in trouble! Are you gonna apologize for this one?"

"What's the point Motoki? I've never given her a reason to believe anything I say to her. She's not missing out on anything."

"But you are. Go out there and make it up to her. Get her candy, flowers, heck jewelry, but do something!"

Darien just watched Serena fume at her workstation then turned to Motoki. "I'm gonna look Akira's file over and run it by the writer's shop. Are you gonna check on Kimi and Yoshimi's copy?"

"You're not going to say anything to Serena?"

Darien just blankly looked at Motoki.

Motoki sighed. "Yeah, I'll check on those two." He started to walk out. "I can't believe you're gonna let this slip by. Serena's a funny, vibrant, clever, smart, and very beautiful young woman, Darien, and if it weren't for Reika, I'd ask her out myself. She'd be good for you, Darien. Real good. She's a one in a million kind of girl."

"I know. I know."

He and Motoki regarded each other in silence for a moment, when Motoki sighed again shook his head. "You're a fool," and he walked out of the office, shutting the door with a soft click.

"I know," Darien answered. "I know."

********

"That horrible, snotfaced, ego-centric, no good...donkey's behind!" Serena seethed at her desk.

"What happened? What did I miss?"

"Yoshimi? Why'd you have to leave out for a few minutes? If you hadn't left just then, then you could've taken Akira's file to that crabby piece of work in there!"

"What?"

Serena sighed. "I'm talking about that black-haired, blue-eyed thing in there. Akira asked me to drop of his work because he had to leave right away, but as I walked in, I heard him talking about me with Motoki."

"What? About your performance here?"

"No, just me in general and how he doesn't want to have anything to do with me. He said I'm a pest and went on about how horrible it is for him to work with me and yet that's as close as he's willing to come." She looked down so that Yoshimi wouldn't see her watery eyes. "He said he couldn't stand me", she whispered.

"What'd you do?"

"I said that I'm glad that this assignment is only temporary because in a few months, I'd be away from him for good."

"Serena! You didn't!"

"You know I did. How dare he insult me? He didn't even know I was there. He was talking about me behind my back! What's his problem?"

"I don't know," Yoshimi answered. "Maybe he feels threatened."

Serena just threw her a withering look. "Threatened. About what?"

"I don't know. It was just a thought."

Motoki came over looking abashed. "Serena?"

Serena sighed and looked up. "Yeah, Motoki? What can I do for you?"

"Serena, I came to apologize. I'm sorry for what happened in there. Really I am. Darien didn't mean it, I'm sure of that. He's just stressing about a promotion he put in."

"Please, Motoki, don't make excuses for him, and don't apologize for him either. If he's upset, then he can walk out here himself and say he's sorry." She turned back to her work. "I'm not sure I'd forgive him anyway. Coming from him, they'd just be words. Empty. Words."

'Ouch.' Motoki winced for Darien at her cold tone. He saw that Darien's words had really upset Serena, but she never had this frosty atmosphere about her. Serena was the warmest, most cheerful person he knew, always ready with a smile. She brightened up the entire department.

"Look, Serena, why don't you leave a little early today. I can come up with something to tell the higher-ups?"

"Thanks, Motoki. I appreciate that, but I think I'm going to stay the full day. I won't be bullied by that black-haired baka." She smiled, "I won't be killed from his harsh words, I can't say the same holds true for him though."

"I'll talk some more to him, don't worry. Cheer up, kid, you've just yourself a champion."

"You're a pal. I need all the help I can get with that guy. You know, normally I'd want to try to see if I could figure someone like him out, but since it's only me he has a problem with, I don't see the need."

"Give him some time. I see potential where you two would be really great friends. You have so much in common."

"Please, I'm not ready to even look at him yet, let alone be friends with him."

"No," he continued, "I mean it. Maybe you two could even--"

"Don't say it!" she interrupted. "I swear to God, Motoki, if you're even thinking about what I think you're thinking..."

He grinned, "And what might that be?"

"Don't go there, Motoki. I mean it."

Motoki laughed. "Alright, alright, peace! But if you change your mind--" he stopped at Serena's glare, "ok...no. How about this then," Serena watched him warily, "why don't you come out with Reika and me sometime? How 'bout tonight?"

"Definitely not tonight," she gestured to the large stack on her desk, "look at what I've got for homework."

Motoki frowned as he saw the unusually high stack of files piled on the desk. He casually looked around at surrounding workstations, noticing less than half as much paperwork and sketches on each desk. He'd certainly have a few words with Darien.

"Well, if not tonight, then definitely soon. Don't want you thinking that Japan is work, work, work all the time. We have fun too." He scribbled something on a piece a paper, "here's my number for my cellphone, give me your number. We'll set something up."

"Alright," she reached for another scrap of paper, "wait a minute. This isn't a trick is it?"

"Serena," he said in mock pain, "I'm hurt. Surely you don't think I'm capable of such things? Seriously, what do you mean?"

"What I mean is that this isn't some sort of way to reconcile things between me and the Baka is it? Cause I already told you that I'm not in the mood to make friends with him."

"I can honestly tell you that it never occurred to me. But now that you mention it..."

"Motoki..." she cried in warning.

********

Back in the office, Darien sat at his drafting table scribbling fervently on paper. On the storyboard, an interesting idea was developing not unsimilar to reality. The feature character, which he was now focusing on down to the slightest detail, looked incredibly like Serena Carroll.

Several versions of her were neatly piled nearby, though hidden from whomever should walk in. Each sketch caught different emotions that Darien had personally witnessed. Serena's anger directed at him, Serena laughing with her co-workers and friends, Serena's determination when she was focused on her work. Even Serena's eating habits. He captured them all. But what he could not capture was her passion, or what he desired the most, her love.

He had never been so ashamed of himself as from his treatment of her. It wasn't just today either. Lying to his best friend about his feelings and having her hearing his harsh words had just been the icing on the cake. He had brought her grief ever since he saw her in the department that first day. How could he possibly make amends? It was impossible, so why try? He tried to explain that to Motoki earlier.

Darien had seen that Motoki had made his way over to her workstation, had seen her bitter scowl, and accompanied by, he was sure, a further shredding of his character. He had even seen her brief smile directed at Motoki. For a moment, a red mist formed in his eyes and fisted hands had accidentally crumpled a creation he had just perfected.

How could he have been so cruel? Never in his life had he acted like such an idiot. Motoki had it right the first time--he was a fool. He was so attentive to his drawings that he didn't even hear Motoki's return.

Motoki stood there looking at his friend a moment. He'd known Darien a few years now, and mostly he was a cool guy. Certainly the ladies had thought he was a gentleman. Though he'd never pay any romantic attention to any of them, he was always kind and courteous, even when they started to irritate him. He'd figure out what was going on with him. But right now was time to help out the damsel in distress.

"Look, Darien I think you've gone beyond apologies. You should reconsider that gift idea or something, cause Serena's just short of inflicting some serious hurt on you." He stopped when Darien didn't look up. Was he even listening? "Darien. Hey, dude!" Still no response. He picked up an eraser and hurled at him. "Darien!" He finally looked up.

"Ow! Motoki! Careful, you could put someone's eye out! What do you want?" he asked, rubbing where the eraser bounced off of his head.

"I wanted to talk to you--"

"Well," Darien interrupted, "all you had to do was call my name, not try and kill me!"

"I tried doing just that, but you were in your own art world. I came to talk to you about Serena."

Darien sighed as he casually put up what he was working on so as not to arouse suspicion. "Motoki, I already told you, I can't even begin to apologize. You talked to her, surely you can see that."

"I sure did talk to her, and I agree, you can't apologize--"

"Thank you."

"What you need to do is something that goes beyond apologizing. I haven't figured that part out yet, but I'll help you bounce ideas around. You really messed up man."

"What did she say?" Darien asked.

"You really want to know?"

"Yeah," Darien answered. He sighed again and leaned back into his chair to give Motoki his full attention. "Give it to me straight, doc."

Motoki turned and closed the office door and returned to take a seat also. "Darien, I'm not gonna lecture you on manners or whatever. I know you know better. As for Serena...well she's really upset. She has the right to be! And what's up with you assigning her all that work? No one else has half as much as she does."

"Are you sure she's just not behind?"

Motoki threw him a dry look, clearly not amused. "I'm serious, man! You are in hot water this time. You think your sister can get angry, I'm telling you that Serena's got her beat! She's ready to do you bodily harm."

"It's really that bad?"

"It's possibly worse", Motoki answered. "You have to do something, dude. If pushed further, I wouldn't be surprised if Serena left the company. Ito-san personally handpicked her from that American company, so what would she say? Or worse, what if Ito-san herself had to deal with you two? I'm sure she wouldn't hesitate putting you in your place, and that's out of the door--permanently."

"Yeah, she already gave me a warning."

"She did? Man, that's bad. I was hoping for a miracle that she wouldn't have noticed the sparks flying around you and Serena."

"You really think that Serena would leave?"

"I tried to get her to leave early, you know, time to cool down, but she wouldn't have it. She's tough, but everyone has their limits. I'm sure if pushed far enough, that she'd eventually give up on you. Right now she's saying that she doesn't even want to be your friend. That's way harsh coming from a girl like her. She friends with everyone! Even that homeless guy we've seen in the alley, who happens to be Nobuyuki Yuasa."

"Nobuyuki Yuasa! He's one of the richest men in Japan! He's even one of Ito-san's main sponsors. What's he doing in an alley?"

"Apparently watching the going-ons here. He seems impressed by Serena's attitude to a supposedly homeless man. Of course she doesn't know that she's talking with a man who's rich enough to own Tokyo. If rough comes to rough, then my guess is that he'd step in favor of Serena and not you."

"Amazing."

"Yeah. You know, you always hear about those rich guys pretending to be someone else, but I never thought I'd be one to witness it."

"I was talking about Serena."

"Yeah? Well, that's a start." Motoki watched as Darien got up from the desk and walked towards the door. "What are you going to do?"

"If you'll excuse me, Motoki," and he walked out.

There was only one thing to do.

Only one thing to do?  Like what?  Stay tuned to find out what Darien's gonna do!  In the meantime, please R/R!  Let me know what you think.  Thank you!!