Tales of the Stars

Book 1: Homecoming

Chapter 16

Over the next few weeks things did get back to normal, for the most part. Mamoru and Staria had a little heart to heart about him being Tuxedo Mask and their shared healing abilities. He did warn her that it would be best if she kept this information away from the host club, for her safety and theirs.

She did tell him what she'd told Kyoya and he reassured her, she was still vague enough, that it could be passed off as some kind of possession as well. They both had a bit of a learning curve with their abilities and were figuring it out as they went.

Staria also kept him updated on her dreams. They were sure at this point that they were indeed memories of their past. The princess from Mamoru's dreams though still hadn't shown her face. So they were no closer to finding her in their current time.

Two new senshi had appeared to aid Sailor Moon though, so Tuxedo Mask's role was at the moment more of being a watching eye and gathering information on the enemy. He'd aid the girls when needed, but they were bit by bit getting stronger. They had even defeated Jadeite, only to have a new villain appear.

Sailor V's appearances were also becoming less frequent, even though the dark kingdom was still out in full force. Their tactics had changed with the new face behind the monsters. The dark kingdom was now targeting one person at a time. Bringing out the full potential of the individual and the draining them dry. However Nephrite was doing it, had them baffled on finding a pattern beyond that. They could only wait until the person turned into a monster and go from there.

Staria pulled out an envelope and handed it to Mamoru. They had gone out for dinner and were back at his new apartment to talk business.

"These were in all of the girl's lockers at school today. Including mine obviously, and unless you've gone crazy in the last forty-eight hours I'd guess that the Dark Kingdom is trying to lure Sailor Moon out using you."

Mamoru read over the love letter, "I can see that. She'll probably fall for it too, along with who knows how many love crazy by-standards."

"Well you shouldn't have an issue from my school. The girls all thought it was something the Host Club did as a joke or something. Like they'd really invite elite rich girls to meet them at a random shopping center. Not likely. The guys said they had nothing to do with it, but if it is the Dark Kingdom who knows how many other schools they sent these to just to bring Sailor Moon to them."

"They're probably trying to figure out who she is so they can catch her off guard and get rid of her before she becomes Sailor Moon. Guess I'd better plan to be there too, when did that say again?"

"Tomorrow night."

"Alright. You stay away from there, you hear me. I don't need to be worrying about you too."

"Please, I don't even know how to fight. Why would I willingly risk myself?"

"Out of curiosity. Just don't be dumb ok."

"I won't. I know better than to jeopardize things, and I'd only distract you. That's all I've got. Will you help me with my math homework now?" She gave her big brother sparkly puppy eyes hoping he'd just give her the answers.

Tamaki was getting sick of their little game. If one of them didn't just up and confess soon he was going to loose it. Ever since the monster attack, Kyoya and Staria had been dancing around in a seemingly endless game of tag. One moment they'd be flirting and the next it was as if there was nothing. It was just getting worse the longer it went on. He cornered Kyoya on it the next day before club.

"Would you just ask her out already!" Tamaki snapped.

"Whatever do you mean?" Kyoya smiled playing dumb. It amused him to see the blonde so worked up over the topic.

"Staria! You two have obviously been flirting with one another and the girls are starting to question what relationship you two have. For that matter so are the rest of us. Quit playing around and make it clear."

Kyoya patted Tamaki on the head, "Calm down. Staria and I are friends who just happen to be in the middle of a private game. When one of us wins you'll get a clear answer. Until then, don't worry about it."

"You better not be toying with her, Kyoya."

"Teasing yes, toying no. You know that if I wasn't interested at all this wouldn't be going on. Now I suggest you drop the issue. The others will be here soon."

Tamaki pouted. "Fine but don't do anything that will hurt her."

"I wouldn't dream of it."

The club was really packed that day. Staria was sure it was the most customers she'd seen in there at one time. She had gone to the pantry to get some more tea leaves before the drinks ran out.

She had recently found herself doing little things at the club to help the boys out. Making fresh tea and snack runs had been among them. The tin of leaves she needed was just out of reach even on tip toe. When she was about to give up and go get a chair, an arm wrapped itself around her waist. Kyoya leaned against her back and brought down the container she needed.

"Here you are." He handed it to her, keeping her body close to his.

"Thanks." She turned a bit so she could see him better. "Shouldn't you be out there though?"

"True, but we have business."

"Oh? What would that be?" She had an idea, but this was becoming a game to him, and she wasn't about to complain since it meant she got his attention.

"The matter of paying off the interest on my debt." He tilted her chin up gently and gave her a soft kiss. Staria smiled when he pulled away.

"Aren't you supposed to pay off your principal as quickly as possible so you don't have to deal with interest?"

"Normally yes, but I don't think you're ready for that yet." Staria blushed at the tone he used. He'd been doing this once a week since their talk at the hospital. He'd find her alone, pull her close and give a gentle kiss, then call it a payment. It was starting to drive her crazy. She tried to play back and fluster him, but he always won their little flirting matches.

"Well you could always pay just a little more each time." She untangled herself from him, before she started getting too excited and did something stupid. "You should get back out there. I'm going to make some fresh tea."

"Very well Princess." He kissed the top of her head and went back out the main floor. Staria sighed and waited a little bit before going to make the tea. She'd gotten herself into an odd relationship. She had decided on one thing though. She wouldn't confess to Kyoya unless he did first or at the very least properly asked her out.

Plus if he tried anything beyond just kissing, without asking her out, she'd clock him upside his rich head and cuss him out for being a letch. She may be in love with him but that didn't give him the right to take advantage of her. Part of her mind told her to not even let him get away with the kisses, but she enjoyed it too much to make him stop. It was alright to allow one guilty pleasure right?

Mamoru called Staria late that night. He slumped on his couch waiting for her to answer. He had promised to call as soon as he got home from the incident at the shopping center.

"Hey, you ok?" Staria asked, only managing to sound a little tired.

"Yeah, considering what happened."

"Go on? Don't leave me hanging."

"Funny you should say that. I spent part of the night clinging to a wall for dear life in an elevator shaft. With the added weight of Sailor Moon on my back I might add."

"What?! How'd that happen?" Staria was wide awake now.

"He knew exactly what he was doing Star. Nephrite knew that this little plan would somehow get me there too. He got Sailor Moon and me right where he wanted us, forced us into the elevator and condescendingly told us when it reached the top floor it'd drop us to our deaths. So I bashed in a panel on the ceiling and we climbed out, but there wasn't time to do much other than jump when the cable broke. If I wouldn't have grabbed onto Sailor Moon's wrist before I told her to jump I don't think she would have made it."

"So you hung there one handed?" She didn't really want to believe him.

"No I got her to climb on my back so I could get a better grip and I was able to get a footing on the floor sign inside the shaft, but even that broke under our weight after a little while. Luckily Sailor Mercury and Mars showed up shortly after that and help us up. The point though is that tonight was about getting rid of us, not gathering energy, though I'm pretty sure he did that any ways. One other foolish girl showed up, Sailor Moon seemed to know her. She was freaking out more than she has in a while any way."

"I'm just glad you're alright. Take it easy for a few days, if you can."

"I plan to. Any new dreams?"

"Not that you want to hear about." Staria laughed a little.

"And what's that supposed to mean?" though Mamoru figured it meant they weren't memories.

"Oh you know just the fantasies of a romantically frustrated teenage girl who spends ninety-nine point nine percent of her time around gorgeously handsome guys."

"Still haven't made any female friends huh?" He changed the subject knowing she wouldn't go into detail to him.

"Nope. Same old story. I'm either black listed or they only want to use me to get info or closer to the Host Club. The guys are amazing though. They banded a couple of girls from the club permanently the other day for getting in my face and being rude to me over just that topic. It was actually a little scary how pissed they all got over it. I think that's the first time I've even seen Honey glare at someone."

"Well I'm glad you at least have some good friends there even if you can't have girl time with them."

"Maybe I should ask Motoki to introduce me to some girls at the arcade. There's enough hanging out there every time we stop by." Staria mused.

"I'll mention it to him. It might do you good to hang out with some normal people too."

"Yeah I'm just swimming with the rich and abnormal aren't I." She laughed. "Though I'm pretty sure at this point normal just won't be an option in my life, well since it's not in yours right now and I have no intention of cutting you off."

"Good to know, but I'd be happier if you could have a normal school life if nothing else. Have you thought about changing schools any more at all?" Mamoru had been careful not to bring the subject up too much but it felt like a good time.

"Yes and no. I do think it would be a good idea, but I want to see how something pans out first. I'll make a decision before the third term starts. I'll still have time to take transfer exams then if I do decide to leave Ouran."

"Alright. I won't ask again, just tell me what you decide when it's time." He was pretty sure the thing she was waiting on was the Ohtori boy. Even he could tell her crush had escalated to something more, but he wasn't about to embarrass her by pointing it out.

They both agreed to call it a night a little while later and hung up. Mamoru went to go get a shower and wondered if his princess was ever going to show her face. He was curious if love would strike him when it happened.

He hadn't really dated anyone seriously his entire life. Even then he was causally seeing a girl, Rei Hino, but even then he wasn't romantically interested. The girl was a bit younger than what he'd normally date, still in middle school for that matter, but she kept asking him out places. Thinking about it more she was really only two years younger that Staria, and four younger than he was. That wasn't a horrible age gap. Unless you were an over protective father. Still he didn't want to hurt the girl so he never made a point to show too much interest.

"I really need to stop doing this before she get's hurt though." he muttered out loud to himself. He wasn't the type to lead girls on.

Staria was helping Tamaki brain storm new costume themes while they and the rest of the club had a rare moment of getting to eat lunch together. She wasn't sure how the twins manage that one, but they were having fun so she wasn't about to ask. As they chattered away, two recently new regulars to the club wandered over. The girls were nice, but very overbearing. They got on Staria's nerves a lot, which few of the girls did. It's like the club gained two spoiled brats who felt that the boys should just belong to them. It was painful, but they hadn't done anything yet to warrant being banned.

As the girls started to butt in Staria cut them off.

She waved a hand slowly in front of the girls eyes, getting their attention, and said, "These are not the hosts you're looking for. Move along." The girls blinked blankly at her and some what confused state walked off, calling her weird and possessive amongst other things. Staria smirked, not caring what they thought.

"Um…Staria…what was that?" Tamaki finally asked.

"Oh come on it wasn't that bad." She turned back to the guys.

"What was?" Honey asked.

"The pun. You know, these are not the droids you're looking for?" Staria watched as none of them got it. "Really?" she paused and stared right back at them.

"What?" Tamaki asked again.

"You really don't get it?" Staria was flabbergasted. "You honestly don't get it?"

"No we don't." Kaoru stated.

"Get to the point." Hikaru was getting bored.

"You mean to tell me that none of you, not a one, has ever seen Star Wars?" Staria was about to have nerd rage waiting for them to answer.

"No." they all came to a consensus. Staria shook her head and rubbed the bridge of her nose.

"You boys hurt me….if you were girls I could forgive it, sort of but not really even then. Not even once? Any of them? I mean your all rich you go to the movies don't you? Hell there's probably home theaters in at least one of your homes?"

"Well yeah." the twins said like it was normal.

"That's my point. Star Wars is a staple. A must. It pains me that you haven't seen the wonderfulness of it's being. You're missing out." She paused feeling silly giving the 'oh my god you've never seen Star Wars' speech to a group of rich kids. "That settles it. It has to be done. You are all coming over this weekend and we are having a marathon. Bring stuff to sleep over cause it will take two days. I will not take no for an answer."

"Are you really going to waste our time with this?" Kyoya asked.

"Damn straight buster." she grinned knowing full well that before it was over Tamaki would want them all cosplaying as Jedi. She loved it and wasn't about to back down on it.