"So, about that holiday again. Before we ask Hotaru, any place in particular you want to go?"

Setsuna still had her fork in the hand, looking up from her plate, she had ordered hummus and flatbread in the breakfast place SunTzu had took her out for their first meal of the day.

"Hm… I know where I don't want to go."

"Italy."

"And Greece. Also Egypt. All of Minor Asia. Not that it's not beautiful but I don't want to feel any sad on our first holiday."

The smile aimed at him that followed made his heart melt.

"I just want to be happy with the man that I love and not spare a single thought about my past."

"Okay, that narrows it down a lot. China is out as well."

SunTzu put his cutlery down and put them on his plate, where the rest of his omelette was sitting on. His first plan to order had been bacon and eggs but after Setsuna }reminding him that bacon was almost as unhealthy as smoking he had decided otherwise.

"If you don't want to spend most of the time avoiding national security, yes. And I guess I speak for both Hotaru and me, some beach time would be nice. I need to work on my tan again."

"Asia?"

"Hotaru wants to see new places and she's been to most places with beaches here with either Haruka and Michiru or all of us."

"Oceania?"

"I wouldn't mind Europe again."

"Europe with beach…"

"Sand beach, please."

SunTzu pursed his lips, this wasn't easy but then it hit him.

"The Iberian Peninsula!"

Setsuna's head moved as she thought about it.

"Barcelona?" He asked as it was the most common destination.

"Too crowded."

"Lissabon?"

"Same. Also, I wouldn't mind a smaller town, less people that might know us. I want to have my peace as family."

She was right, SunTzu thought, last thing he needed was the press annoying them on their holidays. Life somehow had been easier before Rei had became Galactic Senator and him a war hero. It wasn't even funny, that they sometimes still took pictures of him. Propaganda was the one thing but just because he was Rei's ex was a tad bit too much.

While SunTzu was tormenting his head where to go, Setsuna had an idea.

"I got it."

SunTzu looked up, curious what and where that place would be.

"Have you ever heard about Alicante?"

"That's in Spain, right?"

"Yes, on the Costa Blanca. Not too small, not too big, rich history, nice beaches."

"You've been there before?"

"It's been a few centuries but I wouldn't mind visiting it again. They still have that castle up there, from which you have a great view. And they had some great beaches back then. Hold up and let me see." She grabbed to the chair beside her, where her handbag was lying on and fiddled her phone out, typing into it.

A few moments later she looked up again.

"They have some nice looking beaches in the city and with a small drive you can get to some real beautiful and not so overran ones as well."

"Sounds good."

"Great, I let Hotaru know. And I bet Chibiusa wants to join in as well."

Two days later they, meaning Setsuna, Hotaru, Chibiusa and SunTzu, boarded an intercontinental shuttle to Madrid on the small island that housed Haneda International Air- and Spaceport.

Usually it would have taken week long preparations and a small entourage of Royal Guardists for the Princess to go on a holiday and although Major Furuhata as leader of the Royal Guard objected at first, the Neo Queen and the King both did let him know that there was no danger in the Galaxy for the Princess with the Senshi of Space and Time and the Senshi of Death and Rebirth around. And it would be a chance for the Princess to have a little bit of a normal life for once.

If taking a First-Class-Space-Flight counted as normal life.

At least the flight from Madrid to Alicante was in a regular plane and didn't had any higher class than business.

Since it was summer in Tokyo it had been hot and sunny there but here it was even more warm here.

Apart from the hot weather, making sure that the girls were taken care off and somewhat regretting that because of the rather short duration of the flight he hadn't had the chance to renew his Mile-High-Club-Membership with Setsuna, well it wasn't the same as in AICA anyways, SunTzu still felt oddly happy.

Sure he had traveled with Setsuna and Hotaru before but it was somehow different this time.

All the time on his side was a yearning for him Setsuna, this was something she had used to dream of and SunTzu naturally excelled in his position as the dad of the travel quartet. Alone how he treated both girls, spoiling them whenever he could but also making sure they were in line and doing what they needed to do made her heart leap in joy.

Alicante International was a rather small but charming airport and wouldn't it have been for the nature of the travelers which meant, just like before in Madrid, having their documents thoroughly checked, especially the ones allowing them to carry weapons, they would have been out in a few minutes after exiting the plane. The only that really was bothered by it was the Princess as SunTzu went full German, happy that everything had his order and was checked, and the Meious went into their stoic mode, which was pretty common for them.

"How can you guys be so calm? That took like forever" Chibiusa remarked, visibly displeased after they left the customs office on the airport.

"C'mon Chibs, that weren't even fifteen minutes. And those guys were just doing their jobs, as supposed to be." SunTzu replied, which draw a huff from the young princess.

"Anyways, let's grab our rental car and head to the city."

Of course it was SunTzu who had to push the luggage cart, with a ridiculous high amount of luggage for ten days. SunTzu had been shocked the first time he saw the amount of suitcases the three women had brought, and again as he saw the price for the baggage excess, but in all honesty, what had he been expecting, traveling with three Fashinonistas?

When they left the air-conditioned airport they ran into a wall of heat, and although it was just a few degrees more than in Crystal Tokyo it felt different.

The two girls were eagerly walking in front with Setsuna in between them and SunTzu, pushing the cart. She turned around and smiled into herself, she had missed to feel like a family. it felt so good to be normal for once and let the Galaxy be the Galaxy for a few days.

SunTzu had quite the load to push and she was grateful for him silently taking care of things, although he had the most work. But she had something to make it up, she knew him, just like another man before in her life, he loved big boy toys.

Her smile grew wider as they made their way to get the rental car in a parking facility over the street.

A member of the car rental company was waiting for them and while Chibiusa didn't care and Hotaru only nodded acknowledging one time, SunTzu reacted with pulling down his sunglasses when he saw the car. Setsuna couldn't help but giggle at the display of her boyfriend's happiness, before she greeted the employee and took the key.

"A Bentayga? You rented a Bentayga for us?"

She smiled at SunTzu as she turned around and wiggled the key around before she firmly placed it in a hand.

"Why you don't put the luggage in already while I do the paperwork, honey?"

SunTzu didn't need to hear that twice and while Chibiusa and Hotaru commented the bustle at the airport on the other side of the street and Setsuna talked with the employee of the rental company and checked the car for any damages, SunTzu began to manhandle the luggage into the luxury suv, the hybrid variant of course.

A few minutes later everybody was done and the car rental employee had taken leave.

SunTzu had happily showered Setsuna's face with kisses after he had sat down on the driver seat, with her next to him and the two teenagers in the back.

As SunTzu adjusted the rear mirrors he noticed something, Hotaru had handed over a small subcompact pistol to Chibiusa and it made him stare at them from the rear mirror.

"Did you just handed Chibiusa a gun?"

Setsuna turned around on the co-driver seat and looked at the girls as well now.

"Affirmative." Hotaru answered as if it would have been a chewing gum.

"I should be able to defend my self." Chibiusa chimed in as well.

"Chibiusa, that's a Glock 43."

"42, it's the smallest they have. And I'm actually certified for it, you can call Uncle Motoki. And if I'm able to defend myself, it takes away from you always having to look out for me."

SunTzu looked at Chibiusa for another second and then to the side, where his and Setsuna's gaze met.

A tiny tilt of her head and her gaze gave him an answer.

"Fine. But that doesn't mean that you don't have to take care."

On the backseat, Hotaru and Chibiusa fist bumped.

"Stay strapped…" Chibiusa began the sentence.

"…or get clapped." Hotaru ended the sentence.

The drive from the airport to the city center and to the very central lying hotel, of course the best in the city, was a short one and gave the four tourists a quick overview of the city.

Larger hotels were mostly located outside the center although there were a few skyscraper ones on the beachfront, close to the large yacht harbor, the city itself had sandy and rocky beaches and lots of shopping avenues.

There was a beautiful beach promenade near the harbor as well and above all, enthroning on the mountain Benacantil and it's Cara del Moro, rocky and brown like a lot of the area here, sat Castillo de Santa Barbara, one of the largest castles when it came to terms of area and over a thousand years old.

The service of the hotel was exquisit and since it was around noon the four travelers decided to have lunch in the hotel right after checking in and bringing their luggage to their rooms, one for the two teenagers and one for the two adults.

Almost instantly it was decided to have a traditional local Paella as lunch.

Served in a huge black iron pan the traditional Spanish dish consisted of fresh seafood, Safran-colored rice and other fine ingredients and tasted heavenly.

After having a copious lunch the quartet decided to rest, it was Siesta time and why not getting used to the local traditions SunTzu explained before they split up and entered their rooms.

But while Chibiusa took a nap and Hotaru unpacked and neatly stored her luggage, Setsuna and SunTzu were in their room's bed but not exactly resting. At least they tried to be quiet since it was Siesta time.

The small group met a few hours later for a walking trip down the harbor promenade, topped with exquisite ice cream from a hut on the promenade.

A small walk to the beach followed and the girls were more than happy be able to take off their shoes and walk the beach barefoot. SunTzu needed some conviction to remove his shoes as well but when he did so, he actually enjoyed it.

As sunset was nearing Hotaru and Chibiusa had walked away for some distance to give the newly found couple a moment of twosomeness in the setting sun.

Something Setsuna and SunTzu were very happy about and for a quiet moment they just watched the sun go down on the horizon over the sea, tightly embraced before a romantic kiss followed.

After arriving at the hotel again, they changed into something more nice and headed out to a traditional Spanish restaurant.

After another great meal they soon headed back to the hotel soon, it had been a long day.

The next day, at the early afternoon, laying under a sunshade at the city beach, Setsuna wearing a black bikini observed Hotaru, Chibiusa and SunTzu play frisbee near the sea and again couldn't help but to feel thoroughly happy for this moments of normality and being a family.

After the beach they got ready for the evening and dinner and afterwards they took a long stroll through over the promenade and into the historical city center with its narrow but beautiful alleys.

The following day they got up rather early as it had been decided to visit Castillo de Santa Bárbara, something that excited Setsuna a lot. For her means the Ice Queen was rather excited as they walked to the entrance of the elevator which had been constructed into the rock and led up to the castle.

The elevator stopped inside one of the buildings of the castle, richly decorated with crimson flags, drawing a "Whoa" from Chibiusa as she hadn't expected to find herself inside the castle.

While outside it was over thirty degrees warm with dry, sunny heat, inside the sand-colored masonry it was very pleasant to stay.

Setsuna herself took the lead and apparently she knew her way around, it had been a few centuries since she had been there she told but she still seemed to know her way around.

The castle was kept very spruce including the gardens, green spots in midst of the brown, consisting of Mediterranean vegetation like olive trees.

SunTzu was busy taking pictures of the three women, be it because he had been asked, by the teenagers, or because he wanted to, as it was in Setsuna's case. And the summer dress she was wearing, the bright color of the dress contrasting with the already more tanned tone of her skin, along with her frisky attitude and the beautiful, permanent smile on her lips made for what in his opinion were the best pictures he ever had taken.

"You have to see this!" Setsuna suddenly declared as they had reached the upper parts of the castle. She took SunTzu's hand and hastily led him onto a wall of the Castillo, right out to the battlement.

When SunTzu saw where he was he stopped for a second. From here they could overlook the whole city and onto the sea. The view was breathtaking, just like the woman marveling at him, marveling at the view.

"I came here so often for the view back in these few weeks I was here." She explained softly and after a moment he turned to her and both smiled at each other.

"Come, there's a place you can get a nice view along the coast."

As they arrived there the two teenage girls had closed up again and it was Hotaru who then urged her mother and her superior to get close together for a picture with the amazing view in the background.

After the day of cultural sightseeing two days of beach and soaking up sun followed. SunTzu earned himself a small reprimand from Setsuna as he had developed a light sunburn and she reminded him strongly to take better care of his sunscreen.

The sun was warm, the sea and the hotel pool refreshing, the food, no matter if tapas or full blown meal, was amazing and Setsuna found that the wines of the region were excellent as well.

One night, Chibiusa, legal of age in Spain, had asked if she were allowed to Sangria. The other three were quite surprised when Setsuna had allowed her to order a glass, but she told the dumbfounded trio that it would have been pure double morale if she would forbid Chibiusa to drink it, especially after she drunken wine with her mother at the same age, not to mention the times when she started drinking it. If it was just one glass she was okay with it. Not to mention that Chibiusa sure enjoyed that glass.

The weekend came and as they had seen in the evenings already, the city had a bustling nightlife and lots of bars inside its city center.

But while they had spent the Friday night together, being a bit overwhelmed by the sheer masses of people inside the city's narrow's streets, the two teenage girls asked if they were allowed to go out on their own in the evening. While Chibiusa put emphasis on the fact that the two finally found together lovers were in for a romantic night of togetherness, Hotaru went her usual pragmatic way and explained that both of them were not only Senshi but also armed.

Again it was Setsuna who allowed it, as SunTzu had been against it, very hard fighting to not melt from the two girls' pleading puppy eyes.

In the end it was the cherry-red eyes he loved to get lost in of his girlfriend and her telling him, that they were on holidays and pretty much adults that made him allow it as well.

The two girls had left earlier than the two adults, probably for a bar to get their pregame on, nobody would check their IDs anyway, not to mention that Chibiusa was of age and Hotaru had a military service card and nobody would check the age on that thing, SunTzu had been complaining.

Setsuna had silenced him with a kiss and reminder that he once had been young as well. And probably been drunker than those ever could get before he had been of age. His silence on the topic draw a victorious smile from her.

A few minutes later they were having dinner in the best restaurant of the town, enjoying themselves and SunTzu almost had forgotten about his worries. Of course he had told AICA to keep an electronic eye on the two teenagers and the AI was monitoring their position over their mobile phones.

But what AICA didn't monitor was the telephone calls the two teenagers held.

The duo, Chibiusa in a summer dress and Hotaru in jeans shorts, bikini top and a blouse, it was almost thirty degrees even at night, sat in the sand of one of the city's beaches, each of them a cup filled with ice, red wine and cola in one hand and mobile phone in the other and while Chibiusa called her boyfriend to ask where he was, Hotaru was sending voice messages over an app that enabled to sent messages to the Holonet.

"Hey Alask, I'm thinking about you…" She began her message.

Setsuna, dressed in a long, white skirt, a black top, linen blazer and a straw hat and SunTzu, having joked before he should go out as German in shorts, wifebeater, sandals and socks was wearing a beige light summer suit, also made out of linen and a white collared shirt, had a romantic dinner for two in the best restaurant of the city and both, even SunTzu, had to admit that it was great to just be a couple for a night.

But they wouldn't have been themselves if they still wouldn't have cared what the two teenage girls were up to.

They just had finished dessert, they shared a Creme Catalan, and had fed each other, when Setsuna asked SunTzu.

"You have them under surveillance, right?"

SunTzu's lips formed into a disarming smile.

"AICA is tracking their cell phones."

Now Setsuna had to grin too.

"Want to see what they're up to?"

SunTzu's answer was that he turned to a nearby waiter.

"La cuenta, por favor."

After the beach the two teenagers went back into the city alleys, into the alleys that offered the most for young people when it came to going out.

A short talk later about where to go they decided to head into a cocktail bar, which seemed to be one of the most filled places of the whole area. Dozens of young people, locals and tourists were either sitting outside on tables or inside, enjoying themselves.

It took way longer than expected and a stop at what could be described as the place's dance floor, as their presently favorite song played, also prolonged the time until they reached the bar but they weren't even standing at the counter when the first guys approached them and asked if they could buy them a drink. Both girls looked at each other with a wink, before they nodded.

On the other side of the bar two pairs of eyes were observing them.

"How did you know, that they would come to this place?"

"A mother's intuition. And I know both of them well enough, Chibiusa likes the places with the most people and Hotaru follows Chibiusa wherever she goes."

Setsuna and SunTzu were standing in a dark corner of the bar, their faces not visible, she was standing in his front and he had one arm around her waist, as they watched the two girls at the bar, each a drink in their hands.

"See this guys, they're looking at them like a predator watches it's prey."

A giggle as she laid and arm over his on her waist and then leaned her head back that he could understand her better over the loud chatting and music.

"Don't worry, they'll take the drink, say thank you and go."

Setsuna's prediction was right, the two teenage girls took their drinks, said thank you and were out to leave.

Of course this sparked a reaction from the young men, and not a happy one.

With a resting bitch face Chibiusa turned around.

"You said you wanted to buy us a drink, and that's what you did. I said thanks."

More complaining which only sparked a half grin on Chibiusa's face and after a moment she pulled a fifty euro bill out of her bra.

"Here, have a drink on the Kingdom of Crystal Tokyo."

Most of the guys accepted it but one called them sluts, but Chibiusa kept her grin and just used her thumb to motion to the raven-haired behind her.

"Better calm down Bro, don't want to make her angry. She's with the military and pretty efficient with blades, and she never leaves the house without one. Would be a shame if someone cuts up your face."

The guy looked at Hotaru staring at him, a cold glare and the way she looked, the seriousness behind it, made him realize that this wasn't a lie, that little black haired, scared him.

"Hey, it's cool. Guys let's have a drink and look for some other girls. Who are more grateful."

But the men didn't went back to the barkeeper, the guy who had complained the most lead them straight out of bar, with steps faster than usual.

As soon as they were out of sight Chibiusa turned to Hotaru and both started laughing.

"You gave him that look, right? I swear, dude almost pissed himself."

In the dark corner at the other side of the bar, Setsuna could feel SunTzu slightly relax his muscles again. She knew he had been seconds away from attacking the group of young men. Not that she had been ready to give those guys a proper lesson in how to handle a lady but she knew that Hotaru had everything under control.

"We should tell the girls that we're here and they are a bit too young for the nightlife of this city."

"Let them have some fun, they're young and they have to make some experiences. It's not that they're more or less caged into either a golden cage or fighting."

"I still don't like it."

Suddenly SunTzu could feel a hand glide down on his waist, moving to his crotch.

Setsuna leaned back, until she was near his ear.

"Gods, your overprotective dad behavior is making me so hot."

The hand moved up from his crotch, were a bulge had been swelling up to the opened collar of his shirt before as she turned around and leaned in again.

"Let's have some fun on our own. Just the two of us."

Chibiusa and Hotaru drank their cocktails and then moved over to the dancefloor again, before their drinks were empty SunTzu and Setsuna had already left.

Setsuna had told SunTzu to just be themselves tonight and have fun.

They had danced in another bar and then left the place.

At a 24 hour store they had bought a bottle of vodka, some Fanta Lemon, cups and ice.

"I think that's how they do it here… at least I think so." SunTzu had explained and a small sting of guilt had shot through Setsuna, probably a memory from his life before she had taken him to this universe.

They had just left the store when a guy in a corner they passed waved friendly at them and asked if they were looking for some Ganja, the man himself was smoking a joint and the air was filled with the smell.

SunTzu was about to pass but Setsuna stopped and turned to the guy.

In Arabian she talked to the man, SunTzu didn't understand a word, and she handed the man a twenty euro bill and he handed her a joint.

Not even a minute later both parties had vanished in the next alleys.

To say SunTzu was dumbfounded was an understatement.

"C'mon, do you really think I never smoked the fruits of the hemp? The Ancient Greek already did this. If it's natural it's definitely not worse than alcohol."

"And both together?"

"Make for a good time. Which of course should only be very scarce." She smiled and SunTzu couldn't help but to smile as well, the holiday and finally accepting her feelings had changed her into another person and his heart overflowed with joy just to see her this happy.

"Want to do something forbidden?"

Setsuna lead him up the road to Castillo de Santa Bàrbara.

"Help me?" She asked and SunTzu helped her to climb over the fence that closed the castle in and then climbed over the fence himself.

Setsuna laughed happily when she ran to the front and lead their way to the crenellations.

She waited for SunTzu at one of the walls' ends and turned to him. She put the joint in her mouth and her body language signaled seduction when she asked him.

"Got fire?"

As soon as he was over he put down the bag containing their drinks down safely and then lighted her joint.

After a first drag and releasing thick white smoke she kissed him on the mouth.

"Let's toast to life. And love."

A few moments after soaking in the view of the lights of the port town beneath them in, and sharing the joint, while having a drink in relative silence, the substances began to work.

The Guardian of Space and Time, pressed herself against the Guardian of Guardians.

"Thank you." She said and his gaze turned to her.

"For what, my love?"

She took another sip of her cup before she began to tell, her ruby eyes had become glassy.

"For being my troublemaker." She kissed him again, a strong kiss on his lips but she stopped before it turned into fully making out and cleared her throat before she began.

"Truth is… I knew you meant trouble the first time I saw you. But I never told anyone which kind of trouble, I always knew you meant trouble for me. That rubdown I gave you after you took Hotaru flying for the first time? Our first flight together? My detachment and cold demeanor towards you? Our first dance back at the Eternal, where I just left you standing there alone afterwards, after you confessed to me how much my visit before your trial meant to you? The times you tried becoming closer to me and I rejected you? It was to protect myself. I didn't want to fall head over heels in Love with you, I couldn't allow myself to. I didn't wanted to be rejected because you had Rei. But soon came the fear to loose you in this war and suffer from an unhealed broken heart for another hundreds of years like I did with Marcus Antonius. That's why I was so harsh in training with you. I thought, that if I can grind you into the best Warrior you can be, you'll be harder to kill and I won't loose you that easy. But first and for all I just tried to keep you on a distance.

But… but then, that night in that jail cell on Coruscant. I finally let go of everything holding me back and fell in love with you. Your hug, that genuine gratitude you showed that i might have been the last person to be have been there for you. It made me feel things I thought i could never feel again. I was ready to die with you in that court. But I still couldn't open up my heart enough to let it happen. I tried to reject it, i tried to deny it."

A laughter followed, a hearty one, which brought a tear to her eyes.

"And now, I, Doctor Setsuna Meiou, Princess of Pluto, Daughter of Chronos, the God of Time, Guardian of the Underworld and Keeper of the Portal of Space and Time and last crowned Pharao of Egypt, sneaked into a closed place in Spain and smoke weed and drink Vodka like a teenager in her end-of-school-trip."

Herr giggling stopped and she became quite severe.

"If you life forever all things get trivial, but your love, your love isn't."

She put her cup down and her hands slung around his neck, her eyes meeting his.

"Thank you for being so persistent with me."

She took a deep breather.

"I love you. I love you for loving me. I love you for caring for me. I love you for opening my eyes to love again. I love you for caring for Hotaru and I love you for protecting the Royal Family and the Senshi. I love you for saving my soul."

The most sensitive and loving kiss SunTzu ever had followed and his heart had bursted into fire after hearing her words.

Suddenly they heard something behind them and spotted the light cone of a flashlight coming closer.

Both shot each other a glance and then they began to run.

Apparently they had been spotted and after a few minutes into spurting towards the fence again, hand in hand, SunTzu in front, it seems they had gotten some distance in between the security guard who had spotted them in.

With swift movements SunTzu helped Setsuna over the fence again and then got over it as well.

The couple hurried down the hill on the street and one time had to hide in the bushes as a patrol car of the Guardia Civil with siren and signal light on rushed to the Castle.

After a few minutes they were back in the city and it's anonymous alleys.

"That was close." SunTzu brought out, slightly out of breath.

They took a big breather to calm down before they broke into laughter, that had been a rush and still giggling they kissed.

There was mischief in Setsuna's ruby red and now glassy eyes when they ended their kiss and her hand was again at his collar.

"I feel like Sex on the Beach, and I don't mean the cocktail."

They had passionately made out all the way to the beach, kissed in touched in dark corners, the entrances of houses and out in open public not caring if people would see that they were hot for each other and although it had taken it's time they had made it to the beach and had even been lucky enough to find a secluded place, close to a rock formation where they were safe from onlookers.

SunTzu sat down in the sand and instantly Setsuna was sitting on his lap and he laid down as she leaned down and kissed him.

She threw away her jacket and then pulled off his jacket, all while kissing him.

A hand pressed him down while the other wandered to his waist and she slipped a bit off of his middle so she could open his pants.

He was already hard as he pulled out his dick and the slid forward again.

With fast hands, she pulled her panties to the side and guided him to her wet entrance and as soon as he was in her, she began to eagerly ride him, while she leaned down again to kiss him.

Two days later the quartet took a small road trip along the coast line to the town of Moraira, located between Benidorm and its high-rise hotels and the city of Denia.

SunTzu had booked rooms in a beautiful hotel directly at the Playa del Portet, a wonderful small beach inside a natural bay.

A day after arriving, at noon, the four Guardians were lying at the beach, Setsuna and SunTzu on beach loungers, a sunscreen shielding them from the sun. Hotaru and Chibiusa were taking a swim in a swim in the azure blue of the Mediterranean Sea at the beach, which wasn't that overcrowded at all, when suddenly a Lambda Shuttle coming in from the sea, flew past them overhead.

SunTzu and Setsuna, both in swim wear and wearing sunglasses didn't even flinch, while the two girls hurried back to their place.

"That was the Royal Shuttle."

"Indeed."

"It's not like I am surprised."

"I might have told Minako how nice it is here."

"You want to go and say hello?"

"Not if the girls don't want. I'm sure they'll find their way to the beach on their own."

"Mhm."

As expected a caravan of vehicles, black minivans with tinted glass soon held in front of their hotel.

Chibiusa and Hotaru had gone back to the hotel and welcomed what probably would be the rest of the Inner Court while Setsuna and SunTzu stayed at the beach, giving them a few more minutes of silent togetherness.

A few minutes after the rest of the Inner Circle of the Crown of Crystal Tokay had arrived at the hotel, Hotaru was back at the beach. As she came Setsuna propped out on her elbows and took off her sunglasses.

"They're all here, just moved into their rooms. Apparently her Majesties have rented all of the remaining rooms of the hotel out, Chibiusa stayed back, Helios came along as well." Hotaru told them.

"It's nice that they are all here. I missed them." Setsuna was honest, she loved the family holiday so far but she always missed the rest when they weren't around, she had been all alone long enough after all.

"Yeah, I don't mind either. But what do you guys say we have lunch before we meet them, just us three?"

After lunch Hotaru, Setsuna and SunTzu, all of them smiling full of joy, SunTzu was holding hands with Setsuna, walked back to the hotel to welcome the others.

And they hadn't wasted any time and were getting ready for the beach.

Of course SunTzu and the Meious decided to join them, but first Setsuna insisted to put a double layer of sunscreen on SunTzu.

In the afternoon the whole group, meaning all the Senshi and their partners and the Mau were lying at the beach.

The women, except Hotaru who was building a sand castle with Diana and without Haruka, were lying in the sun and tanning themselves, lying on towels next to each other.

An alarm clock did let them know when to change to front or back tanning.

The guys, newly including Owen now, were sitting in a circle on camping chairs out of earshot of the girls, some of them under sunshades, two coolers full of ice cold cans of San Miguel were in front of them and they were having a few.

Right now they observed how the girls turned to lay on their bellies again.

"First Rei and now Setsuna. You're one lucky fella." Yuichiro sitting next to SunTzu, under a sunshade.

"Hey, you're talking about what's basically my sister." Haruka chimed in, she was sitting on the opposite side of SunTzu, taking a sip of her beer can after. "But yeah, it's not that they aren't all beautiful." She nodded appreciatively.

"She's even hotter, when she's got that much tan." SunTzu stated and the reactions of the guys showed agreement.

"Setsuna-San seems to take it easier than Rei, when the rest just appears in her holidays." It was Ryo and his sentence sparked a nod from all the men, even Helios, except Owen. Ryo, sitting next to the Welshman, saw it and leaned to him. "They can be quite a handful."

"Yeah."

"Yes."

Another round of affirmative nodding followed from everyone, and Artemis and Mamoru nodded the most affirmatively.

"But you'll learn that. Just as we all did."

A round of laughter followed and as most of them took a sip, Yuichiro turned to Owen.

"Keep your Senshi happy and you're a happy man. It's that easy."

This sparked a wheeze from almost everybody.

A few meters away the Senshi and Luna, laying on their stomachs, some of them with headphones in, Setsuna and Ami with books in their hands lay in their swimwear.

Minako pulled out hear iPods and nodded towards the guys.

"I bet they talk about something stupid. Like cars or sports. Probably Soccer."

"Oh god… the next time that I hear that ManU is going to become champion again, I'll commit a murder." Michiru, laying next to Makoto who was laying next to Minako replied. "But I do have to admit your Owen sure is an attractive guy."

"Yeah, and he's such a gentleman. In bed also."

"Ah, Venus finally got him inside her clam."

"And it was worth the wait. We haven't done it that often as I don't want to push him, guy just lost his sister after all, but it was… romantic. And I really enjoyed that."

"Romantic? What happened to the woman that one time had three different guys in 24 hours?"

"I think it's time to become an adult. Oh and don't worry, as soon as he really gets to know the freak that I am, I'm gonna fuck every bit of sadness out of him."

Luna and Artemis had a small surprise for the others and had organized a beach party for the Royal Court that night.

As always the food was amazing and the drinks plenty. But it was kind of a redress, the war and Coruscant were waiting and they unfortunately had to leave in the next evening again. The Royals and the Senator were expected with the Chief of State and, in Rei's case, also in the Senate, the Meious had been invited to the Jedi Temple along SunTzu and Artemis and Ami had meetings within their service headquarters as well.

The night ended with the group of people singing Valery as last dance before they all headed to their rooms.

The next day, when they were leaving the hotel, SunTzu was in the back of the group, Setsuna was further ahead and chatting with Owen.

"Mom's like a changed person." Hotaru stated what she had seen the whole week. "Thank you."

Both looked at each other and shared a warm smile.

"That was a nice holiday but I do look forward to Coruscant now."

"Urban children... Coruscant is just concrete like any other Metropolis." SunTzu replied and shook his head before both laughed.

A few minutes later everybody was onboard the Royal Shuttle and the luggage also had been safely secured.

Owen was still surprised how much luggage there had been and Minako had seen it and explained to him that it had to be that much. Women always needed to have alternatives and be ready for any circumstances.

Setsuna was sitting next to SunTzu, who was on his phone and was cancelling their flights to home, he also was listening to music as he had his wireless earphones in.

Setsuna and him were holding hands and with a soft smile she turned to him, making him pause the music.

"What are you listening to?"

"Walking On A Dream, Empire of the Sun. I always loved that song. But now I really understand it, how it feels to walk on a dream."