"Oh my god Serena, these buildings are just so tall!" Molly gushed doing a full body turn and admiring the high rises of the city. "Can you just imagine being in one of these?"
Serena smiled. "I mean I wouldn't mind, especially at night."
"Oh the view is probably spectacular." Molly froze and turned to Darien, "Does the city light up a night."
A quick over the shoulder look from Serena, with a side smile and suddenly he forgot how to speak. All he could do was nod, then turn away.
"It is especially beautiful during the holidays." Malachite chimed in. "They do different color lights for the respective holidays."
"Ooooh!" Molly said excitedly. "I hope we get to come see it!" She jumped up and down clapping. "Wouldn't that be great Serena?"
"What would be great is if I wasn't surrounded by 5 men who are blocking my view." Serena said crossing her arms. "Then maybe this would be just a tad more enjoyable."
"Sorry princess," Jadeite."
"Jed, I am Serena, not princess okay." She paused, pointed her index finger up. "I want you all to call me Serena, and that is an order."
The guards quickly glanced at their prince.
"You do not need approval from this stick in the mud. I do not want to be referred to princess, I want to be called by my name Serena," She said sternly. "Especially out here...remember the last time someone heard that p word?"
"And that is the exact reason we need to keep you surrounded." Darien finally jumped in. "We re further from the car, and getting you two there safely in an emergen-"
"Blah...blah, don't you ever just..." Serena slumped her shoulders.
Darien looked at her confused.
"You know... relax, chill out," She gave him a second to make any emotion. "Maybe have fun?"
The guards laughed. Darien shot them a side glare.
"I am going to take that as a no." Serena just nodded and turned here attention to Molly. She linked arms with her. Pulled her closer. Kept looking forward. "Let's make a run for it." Serena whispered under her breath.
"Huh." Molly turned to her.
Serena made a face signally Molly that she is ruining her plan. Molly caught the hint. Looked forward.
"If you are planning to make a run for it, I beg that you do not." Darien threw in before she could repeat herself.
Serena just shook her head and looked to the side.
"Serena...oooo that sounded awkward coming out of my mouth." Zoisite called.
"You're such a dork." Serena half smiled.
"What is it that you want to do?"
"Yeah Sere, what is it that you want to do?" Molly asked.
"I am not sure..." She looked around. "All these people have those red stick things with -"
"You mean a hot dog?" Nephrite asked.
Serena jumped back. "Is it made of real dog?" The look of terror on her face.
Nephrite's face said it all.
"What?" Serena looked at Malachite who was trying not to laugh.
He coughed twice. "Do you not have hot dogs back on the Moon?" He turned his face to the side, to hide his smirk.
"No!" Molly answered. "We do not eat dogs."
And with that the guards all started laughing. Serena looked at Molly thrown off.
"Molly maybe, there is not actual dog in it?" Serena shrugged.
They 4 continued to laugh. She turned to her side to see that Darien was not laughing, but he did have a smile across on his face.
"Wow I didn't know your face did that." Serena pointed out.
"And I didn't think you could be anymore-"
"Darien!" Nephrite scolded.
"What?" Darien put his hands out confused. "I was going to say foreign? What the hell did you think I was going to say."
Nephrite straightened himself out. He nodded awkwardly. "Foreign..." He coughed. "I was thinking foreign." He vigorously nodded.
"Right..." Darien turned to the girls. "Did you want to try one? It is not made of dog."
Serena looked at Molly. Molly smiled, "Let's do it!"
The ran to the closest stand. Stood in line. Waited.
"I wonder what all that stuff is that they are putting on it."
"The red sauce is ketchup, kind of like a tomato paste." Jadeite informed them. "Yellow is mustard, kind of sour and spicy at the same time is the only way i can describe it. I hate it." He then pointed to the white sprinkles. "Those are onions, you know what those are, and the green stuff is relish. Taste like a sweet pickle."
"And people put all that on it?" Molly looked disgusted. "Looks like it makes it messy."
"Only if you want to." Jadeite explained.
Serena just nodded it was finally their turn to order. She looked at the group with her. "We might as well all have one." Before any one could reject the notion. "Sir, may we please get 7 of these."
"Serena," Darien called out.
"Nope, we are going to all be in this experience together!" Serena demanded.
Darien stepped back.
"That will be 42.80." The vendor answered.
"I am sorry?" Serena looked confused. "We don't need that many just 7 of these please." She pointed at the dogs in the water.
"Yeah... that is 42.80." He said again.
Serena turned to Darien. He sighed, took a step up to the vendor. "Here on Earth we have to pay for things with money." Darien said with an obviously tone. "Do you know what that is?"
"Darien..."Malachite said with a warning voice.
"We will talk about this later." Darien said handing the vendor some cash. "Keep the change." He put his wallet back in his pocket. "Someone remind me to get my wife some cash and credit card."
"What is a credit card?" Molly asked.
"Maybe we should hold off on those..." Zoisite expressed. "Can't have the the two accidentally swipe the whole family fortune away."
Darien disregarded Zoisite's words as the vendor handed Darien the dogs. He passed it to each person.
"Serena, do you want any sauces?" Malachite offered.
"No, I am going to try it on its own." She stepped to the side with Molly. They looked at each other, nodded and took a bite. Serena's face went from interested to disgusted. She stopped chewing, looked around, started scrambling, she was about to run to the bush, when she was handed a napkin. She turned around, so nobody could see, and she spit out the piece.
Molly took a hard swallow, and started breathing in and out. She pierced her lips and continued to breath rapidly, fanning her mouth.
"I am going to assume the two do not do spice very well." Nephrite said taking a bite of his hot dog like nothing.
The other guards just nodded.
Serena finally turned around. "You guys did not tell us the hot, in hot dog meant spice!" She screamed.
"Well it actually doesn't." Darien fired back. "And I tried to warn you."
"No you didn't!" Serena yelled, fanning her mouth.
"Yes...I said Serena..." Darien explained. "And you completely disregarded me." He took a step back in line. "Had you not, I would have been able to tell you, that you were pointing at the spicy hot dogs, not the regular ones." He pulled out his wallet. "Now I will have to stand in this line, again, to get you a soda." He looked at her dead on. "Do you know what a soda is?" He smirked.
Serena's face turned red. She threw her hot dog down. "I hate you." And she stormed off.
"Sere wait!" Molly screamed following her.
The guards all gave Darien the annoyed glare.
"What? You guys joke with her." Darien said stepping out of line. "Go follow her before she get herself in danger." He went and picked up her trash, tossed it in a near by trash and sped walk to catch up to them.
"I hate him..." Serena just kept saying to herself.
"Serena hold on..." Molly called finally catching up. "When did you get so fast?" She tried to catch her breath. "He was only joking."
"No. He was not. I know joke when I hear one." Serena just crossed her arms and started looking around to see where they could go to get away. "And he is just poking fun to make me feel inferior to him."
"Serena." Molly still trying to catch her breath. "He would not do that."
"Yes! the situation with the credit thing. We are not from here, am I just expected to know!" Serena shouted. "Let's go this way." She pointed left.
"Sere, we should really wait for them." Molly insisted. "We could get lost out here. Or something bad can happen to you."
"Molly, danger never scared us before." Serena said pulling her to the right.
"But Sere, your husband." Molly tried to explain.
"People need to stop calling him that." Serena huffed.
"He is your husband Serena, whether you want to be married to him or not." Molly stopped and pulled her hand out of Serena's grip. "You are blowing his comment out of proportion. And I am starting to think this whole act you have going on is to hide the fact that you do-"
"Never!" Serena yelled. "He and I are day and night."
"He can be your balance." Molly pointed out.
"No he will be the death of my sanity, I cannot do this." Serena just face started to get hot and red. "Every chance he gets to make me feel beneath him he does. For god sake, we didn't need money back home. I just asked and got what I wanted!" Serena just stomped.
"Serena you are acting like a child." Molly said as calm as she could. "Things are different here, and your life is different now. You are married, you cannot just run away and avoid."
"I am not!" Serena said walking and looking for another route.
"What we are doing now..." Molly just looked around and nodded. "Some could see it as running away."
"He is such a kill joy. This place is magical and I want to have a good time exploring it!" Serena turned to Molly, "And I cannot do that if him and his guard just..." Serena just sighed.
"Serena, things are different here." Molly pointed out. "It is bigger, more crowded, louder. They are just trying to keep you safe."
"More like bored." Serena looked around, and caught the eye of none other than Malachite. They did not look happy. "Looks like the found us."
Within seconds they were there again surrounding the princess and her maid, until Darien finally caught up.
Before he could say a word, Serena blurted, "If you are going to yell at me, we can just go home."
Molly's face dropped and she just took a step back with her head down.
"I am not going to be here, being yelled at. I can do that in the palace. And honestly if you guys are just going to be serious the entire time and be killjoys, I will do the same." Serena stood there, legs apart, back straight. Turned to Molly, "you are more than welcome to stay and a guard can stay with you."
Darien watched as Molly just kept her head down."
"I was not going to yell at you." Darien argued.
"Right..." Serena turned around rolling her eyes. "You just take a jab every chance you get."
"And you don't!" Darien disputed.
"I am not getting into this." Serena said stepping forward, with her back still to Darien.
"Serena, it was a joke..." Jadeite insisted. "We joke all the time." He forced a smile.
"Yeah, but we all." She circled her index finger, turning to him. "Actually have relationship where we joke." She side glared Darien, "Not more than two words from him on an average day, does not give him that luxury."
"Look we should stop this conversation before it gets out of hand." Malachite enforced. "We will try our best to let you have a good time, Serena, but remember our duty above all else is your safety. We cannot have you running around without us." He expressed calmly.
Serena rolled her eyes with a frown on her face. "Fine."
"Alright, let's try to salvage the rest of today." Malachite said stepping forward.
Serena did not make any eye contact with him. She just started walking. Looking up at the sky and taking in the fresh air.
Molly just tapped the center of her forehead in frustration, as she walked.
"Molly if you do not pay attention, you will hit somebody." Serena warned as they waited at a crosswalk.
"Serena, your actions..." Molly scolded under her breath.
"Excuse me?" Serena whispered back.
"He is your husband and how you are treating him..." Molly said with a disappointed tone. "Your mother would have never allowed this behavior and you know it." She looked at Serena with a stern look. "She raised you better than this. You are purposely hurting him. This is not who you are."
"She left me here to be with a man who can't stand me!" Serena hissed. "Sorry if I am not sunshines and butterflies."
"No Serena! He doesn't!" Molly argued. "He loves you and you can see it all over his face, if you just took a second and stopped being so stubborn!"
The guards just stood there with their backs to the girls listening to it all.
"Ha!" Serena threw her head back in a sarcastic tone. "You were not there."
"Serena he could have been joking..." Molly justified.
"Did he tell you that?" Serena asked.
Molly did not answer.
"Yeah, didn't think so." Serena replied with nothing but anger. "And everyone saying he loves me...did he tell you?" Serena's widened eyes stared Molly down.
She just shook her head no.
"Whatever you may think. This does not give you the right to purposely hurt him." Molly raised her whisper. "Your feelings are hurt. You are adjusting. I understand. But under no circumstance do you have any right to treat him like dirt."
Serena just scoffed and rolled her eyes. It was then something caught her eye. At the building in front of her were a flight of stairs. At the top there was couple taking photos. The way he smiled as he looked at her. The way his arm supported her. He leaned in for a kiss, she met him half way. She stopped staring and chose to look at the ground because she didn't want someone to catch her staring. She tucked her hair behind her ear.
"Come on Serena, let's go." Molly called crossing the street.
The five men trailing behind her. Darien was tense, and stoic.
"She didn't mean relationship in the way you are thinking." Malachite reassured.
Darien made no comment.
"We have just spent more time with her and..." Malachite stopped when he saw Darien's hands ball up into a fist. "You can fix this and make it work. The princess is known to be very forgiving and very caring."
Still no comment. Darien just looked on.
"Being silent isn't going to win her over either." Malachite said giving up, taking a step back to allow Darien to walk in front of him.
"If he cared so much, why doesn't he come up here? If someone really wanted to attack me they could come up and he would be too late." Serena pointed her finger back so Molly could see.
"Honestly Serena, if you were that mean to me, I wouldn't want to walk near you either." Molly said with no hesitation.
"That is hurtful."
"Truth hurts." Molly fired back.
"I am hungry and my brain is getting fried... can we just?" Serena paused ran her hand over her face.
"Serena are you okay?" Molly's anger turned to concern.
"I am fine, just this arguing, not eating..."
"What's wrong?" Darien's deep voice came in between the two.
"I think she just needs water or something." Molly recommended.
"I will get it for you," Zoisite volunteered.
"I am okay. I am just probably overwhelmed." Serena said rubbing her face even harder, and then using her hand to fan it.
"We can go back... wanna go back?" Molly asked.
"I can call a car." Darien stated putting one supporting hand on her back, incase she was going to fall back.
"No." Serena straightened herself up. "No. I didn't get to see it all last time." She sighed. "I want to do it all now."
"It is probably too warm, here, give me your sweater." Molly tugged her sweater as Serena removed it. "I always carry a bag for this reason." She put the sweater in the bad and threw over her shoulder.
"Signs of a perfect lady in waiting." Serena tried smile.
She must have twitched in an odd way, because again Darien placed his hand behind her back to keep her supported she looked at him. Before she can say anything, Zoisite returned with Serena's water and one for everyone else. Serena took her sip, exhaled and started to walk. Darien still right next to her, hand still gently on her back. Molly just stayed a few steps back, walking with the guards. She couldn't help but smile at these two in front of her.