Preface: After my character's initial debut in Sailor Moon Defenders, I tried finding out how I can expand the character's growth a bit more. It took a couple of years, but eventually, I ended up coming up with this story.

For context: This story coincides with the Defenders of the Earth series. Inspired by Marzena's story "Defenders of the Earth: This is Their Story", I created these chapters which would be set during certain points of the series, and the Defenders will be making at least one appearance during the story, hence the crossover.

Disclaimer: See chapter one!

Plot: (Set during "The Vampire") During a trip to the beach, there are implications of romantic relationships between Richie and Tori, as well as Rick and Jedda, with both couples in denial; Tori's surfing skills are also introduced to the series.

A Day at the Beach

Richie enjoyed the nice weather as he laid on the beach towel. It had been a couple of days since he and Tori joined the Defenders of the Earth, and after stopping one of Ming's plans the day before, the Defenders decided to take the day off for a beach trip, and the weather was nice enough for the day at the beach.

He looked up, noticing Tori with a surfboard in hand, "Hey, Tori, what's this?"

"It's a surfboard," Tori answered with a smile, "I'm about to hit the waves. Care to watch?"

"Um, sure," Richie sat up as he prepared to watch Tori.

The next thing Richie knew, he saw Tori surfing. He was amazed on how good she was doing in regards to surfing. It was like she had been doing this for years. He was amazed at how good she was at surfing, staring in awe.

Before he knew it, Richie saw Tori finish and walk over to him.

"Well," Tori asked, "what did you think?"

"Tori," Richie answered with a smile, "that was amazing! Why haven't you told me that you could surf?"

"You didn't ask," Tori replied.

"Fair enough."

"Care to go for a swim?" Tori asked, putting down the surfboard.

"Sure," Richie answered. The two hurried over to the edge of the water before swimming. They weren't too far off into the water, but far enough to where the sand wouldn't bother them. They enjoyed themselves in their swim before finishing.

Tori managed to find a boulder to sit on. Richie caught up with her.

"Enjoying the beach?" Richie asked.

"You bet," Tori smiled, "it's much beautiful."

"So, are you," Richie knelt down to Tori's feet and kissed it. She blushed in reaction. He looked up at her, "Don't ask. I just felt like it."

"Eww, that's mushy!"

The two glanced over to see Kshin crossing his arms, looking disgusted. Tori rolled her eyes, annoyed while Richie glared at him, "You really should mind your own business."

"But it is," Kshin retorted.

"Kshin," Mandrake walked over to his ward, "you need to leave them alone."

"Fine," Kshin sighed before he left the area. LJ walked over to where they were this time and grinned.

"Why are you grinning?" Richie asked.

"So, you are now Tori's boyfriend?" LJ asked.

"What?!" Tori and Richie both exclaimed simultaneously.

"LJ, you really should mind your business," Lothar said as he walked over to the area.

"Well pop," LJ replied, "Tori and Richie seem to be a couple based on how they're acting."

"Your dad's right," Richie retorted, "you should mind your own business."

"Rude," LJ scoffed as he crossed his arms.

"Well," Lothar replied, "he's not wrong because you really should mind your own business."

"And what if we were together?" Richie couldn't help but to blurt out.

"Richie and your dad are right," Tori glared at LJ, "you should mind your own business."

"Whatever," LJ rolled his eyes and left the area.

"Sorry about that," Lothar apologized.

"And I apologize for Kshin's actions as well," Mandrake added.

"Don't worry about it," Richie replied.

"Yeah," Tori added, "LJ just got a little too curious, and Kshin is just a kid. One day, he'll grow out of it."

Mandrake nodded as he and Lothar walked away from the area.

Richie looked over at Tori.

"Well," he said, "let's not talk about what just happened from this point on."

"Agreed," Tori nodded, "it's not really worth talking about."

Richie smiled before kissing her foot again.

-Defenders-Chronicles-Highlander-

Jedda emerged out of the water. She made her way out of the water and sat down on her beach towel, "I think this was a great idea for a little vacation."

"I agree," Rick replied as he walked over next to her.

"Care to join me?" Jedda offered, placing another beach towel next to her.

"Sure," Rick accepted the offer before sitting next to her, "Enjoying the trip?"

"You bet," Jedda answered, "Tori is an excellent surfer."

"I agree," Rick replied, "I saw her surfing back there, and she's been doing it for years."

"Really?"

"Yeah. It was a hobby she picked up when we were growing up."

"That's really cool."

They were holding hands and enjoying each other's company.

"Ewww, more mushy stuff!" Kshin exclaimed, annoyed.

Rick and Jedda looked over at him, annoyed.

"Kshin!" Jedda exclaimed, annoyed.

"Well, it is," Kshin replied.

"Kshin," Mandrake hurried over to where they were, "are you going to ruin this trip for everyone?!"

"I wasn't trying to," Kshin insisted.

"But it still isn't nice to invade other people's privacy," Mandrake stressed before warning him, "if you keep up this behavior, you will end up being punished for a week."

"Sorry," Kshin apologized before leaving the area.

"Are you two okay?" Mandrake asked.

"Yeah, we're fine," Rick answered, "I'm used to Kshin's antics by now."

"So am I," Jedda admitted, "but it's still kinda rude of him to eavesdrop."

"I agree there."

"I guess I shall leave the couple back to their conversation," Mandrake replied before preparing to leave.

"Couple?!" Rick and Jedda exclaimed in unison. Mandrake glanced over at the pair.

"There's not much going on between us," Rick insisted.

"Rick is right," Jedda added, "we are just talking and enjoying the day."

"That's how it begins," Mandrake replied, "simple stuff, and it eventually leads to romantic stuff."

Rick and Jedda looked on in surprise as he left the area. Then Rick looked over at her.

"Don't worry about it," he assured her, "we are just talking."

"I know," Jedda replied, "I'm not worried."

Author's Note: For some reason, I don't really like writing Kshin all that much, unless I have to. At least LJ isn't annoying and I can potentially work some things around him. Maybe I can work some things with Kshin as well. Only time will tell.

Tori managed to find a boulder to sit on. Richie caught up with her.

"Enjoying the beach?" Richie asked.

"You bet," Tori smiled, "it's much beautiful."

"So, are you," Richie knelt down to Tori's feet and kissed it. She blushed in reaction. He looked up at her, "Don't ask. I just felt like it."

After James shown a picture of Dean and Emma on the beach from the Blue Lagoon: the Awakening on Tumblr, I was compelled to write a little bit where Richie and Tori are in this scenario. I think it worked out just fine.

"Why are you grinning?" Richie asked.

"So, you are now Tori's boyfriend?" LJ asked.

"What?!" Tori and Richie both exclaimed simultaneously.

"LJ, you really should mind your business," Lothar said as he walked over to the area.

"Well pop," LJ replied, "Tori and Richie seem to be a couple based on how they're acting."

"Your dad's right," Richie retorted, "you should mind your own business."

"Rude," LJ scoffed as he crossed his arms.

"Well," Lothar replied, "he's not wrong because you really should mind your own business."

"And what if we were together?" Richie couldn't help but to blurt out.

"Richie and your dad are right," Tori glared at LJ, "you should mind your own business."

"Whatever," LJ rolled his eyes and left the area.

It seems that Richie and Tori are more of a will they, won't they kind of couple than I thought. The reason I thought the couple was a good girl – bad boy trope is the fact that Richie used to be a petty thief before he met Duncan MacLeod. It could still be that kind of trope given that Richie is a wild personality, but he is starting to mellow out as he is one of my favorite characters on Highlander. On the side note, it appears that they might not be able to deny their feelings for one another for too much longer.

"I guess I shall leave the couple back to their conversation," Mandrake replied before preparing to leave.

"Couple?!" Rick and Jedda exclaimed in unison. Mandrake glanced over at the pair.

"There's not much going on between us," Rick insisted.

"Rick is right," Jedda added, "we are just talking and enjoying the day."

"That's how it begins," Mandrake replied, "simple stuff, and it eventually leads to romantic stuff."

Well, unlike Tori x Richie, Rick and Jedda are a straight on will they, won't they. However, if you have followed the Tumblr posts regarding Earth N, you will know that (spoilers) Rick and Jedda end up together and eventually have their own family.