I Don't Have A Title Yet

Two

1


“Usagi!” Her cousin screamed, “When I get my hands on you!”

The petite blonde super heroine of Tokyo fell out of the open front window and right into the hedges but she did not stay down for long. Usagi pushed herself up on her hands and knees and scrambled away in an odd crawl walk/run before she completely pushed herself to her feet. The terrified girl a desperate last ditch effort for the front walkway but came to skidding to a halt as her pursuer came barreling out of the front door.

“Usa.” The tall, strawberry-blonde haired girl lunged at her cousin. “Get back here.”

“NO!” Usagi horrified screams could have been heard a mile away. “You are not going to make me do that Lita! You can’t!” She finished shrilly.

But the older girl was without sympathy. This was the final straw for her temper and right now she was looking for a reason to put that horrid little back rodent (not cat) in the grinder. “You will clean up that mess or so help me, I will tell Aunt Ilene about that stash of chocolate in your closet.”

“I don’t care.” Usagi leapt nimbly over a hedge and landed in her mother’s vegetable garden. She carefully picked her way through it and when she made it out, the larger girl tackled Usagi to the ground. “No!” She cried, “Please, Lita, don’t make me do this! I swear that I will stop eating your homework just don’t make me do this.”

“Hell no.” Lita stood up and hauled the girl up too. “That cat hacked up three hairballs in my spinach pasta and that little rodent knocked over my homemade citrus punch.” She slammed her cousin on her feet like a spade. “Now, you will get in there and clean that mess up. My guests will be here in two hours along with your friends. I have to now make tomato and basil pasta to replace the spinach and create a punch to go with the hors d’oeuvres that I haven’t finish making.” She yelled in Usagi’s face. “You will clean up after that cat and lock it in the basement.” That was not a request.

Usagi shrank back from her cousin’s rage. “Alright.” She squeaked.

“Fantastic.” Lita said grimly. “You don’t put that cat back in its cage, if I see her again, I’m making fur ball soup. ‘Kay?” And she marched back into the house, her long braid slapping the center of back like a whip.

Usagi cringed. Then she became angry. That damned cat was getting on her last good nerve. Muttering to herself, Usagi stalked back into the house. She cleaned up the spilled punch on the sideboard table, changed the table linens, and tossed the hairballs. Once everything was restored to its proper order, Usagi went to help Lita finished her meal.

“So, who’s Hotaru bringing?” Usagi asked. She risked this attempt at civility to see if Lita had regained a measure of control over her emotions.

Lita was calm. Cooking always helped when she was stressed. She flashed little cousin a smile as she slipped her antipasto tray into the refrigerator. “No one special. Usa, be careful with those quail eggs. I don’t have time to buy any more---“ She looked closely at her cousin’s mouth and her eyes narrowed. “Are you eating the caviar?”

“No,” she told her. But the tell-tale blush gave her away.

“Usa.” She a put a hand to brow to rub away the headache she could feel coming. “I don’t know whose worst, you or Uncle Kenji.”

Usagi felt bad, “I’m sorry, Li, I’m just hungry. I didn’t have breakfast this morning.” This was the truth. She had been at Rei’s temple all morning helping her grandfather with chores.

Lita went over to her cousin and threw an arm about her shoulders. “Sam told me about your new friend—what’s her name, Rei?” Usagi nodded, “Yeah, he said that she was injured when one of the mutant critters attacked those kids at her family’s Shrine yesterday.”

“Yeah,” she pushed work aside, propped her elbows on the counter, and dropped her head in her hands. “Rei was so brave and selfless.”

“Luckily for her those two girls and that guy in the tux’s showed up and your friend walked away with only a sprained wrist and concussion. She could have seriously been hurt.” Lita rubbed Usagi’s back absently. “Some tourist got the whole thing on film. Can you believe it? Man, those kids are rough! I’d hate to have come across them on a bad day.” She smiled down at the smaller girl with her trademark cheerfulness. “After the party, how about I drive you over there with a basket filled with my special chocolate chip cookies and some of this pasta.”

“Did Sam invite Dave and the others?”

“Yeah.”

Usagi sighed as she sat up. “Then there won’t be any leftovers. Those guys could clean out a supermarket and still not be full.”

“Coming from you, kid, that’s something to worry about.” She laughed at the other girl’s offended expression. Lita winked at her cousin as she headed to the fridge. She opened the freezer and rummaged about a bit. “I still have some of this tortellini and cream sauce.” She pulled out both containers and transferred them to fridge.

Just then the front door opened. Usagi’s brother shouted where everyone was.

“We’re in the kitchen, Sam.” She called back. “Lita, you better hide that stuff, if I’m going to take it to Rei’s…”

“What are you taking to Rei’s, baby doll?” Her brother asked as he scooped her up in his arms and blew a raspberry on the back of her neck.

Usagi screamed and tried to squirm away from her brother’s embrace, but Sam had her cradled in his arms and at six-one, he had his little sister at a disadvantage.

“Mmm, something smells good.” And in followed the Spanish Menace himself aka Francisco Alvarez de la Santa Maria del Toro, (Frankie to all those who had the misfortune to know him). Frankie made himself comfortable in the Tsukino kitchen. He was comfortable everywhere he went and at that moment Frankie was headed straight for the fridge. “Lita, me amore, my offer still stands. You wouldn’t even have to sleep me and I would give you the entire world.” He swatted her bottom playfully as he reached past her to pull out the pasta she had just put in.

“And get what you have?” She scoffed. She grabbed the containers and shoved them back inside and him away from the door. “That’s for Usa’s friend and everything else is just off limits. Don’t you people have food at home?”

“We do, but none of us can cook as well as you.” Frankie flashed Usagi his mega-watt smile. “Holla, babe, how’s it going?”

“It ain’t.” She was now back on the ground and away from the counter. “I gotta broken friend and high school entrance exams in a couple months. And I’m pooped.”

“Heard you blew up the Chem. Lab at Takeuchi Hall, Frankie.” Lita smirked.

Frankie threw a dishtowel in her face. “Hell, it wasn’t my fault. Darien was supposed to meet me there at three-thirty.”

“He told you that he was running late.” Sam dropped down on Usagi’s stool and started spooning red caviar into the quail eggs. He had been around Lita long enough to know what needed to be done. “He came by the house to pick up some notebooks or something.”

“And you blew up the lab.” Lita hooted. “Boy, you are lucky you’re rich or else your ass would have been kicked out.”

Sam nodded his agreement.

Frankie tossed his fair hair and stuck his nose up in the air. “You just wish you could be me.”

“Hey, Lita.” Dave came in with a strange look on his face. “Usa, your cat is trying to claw Darien’s eyes out---“

Usagi was out of the kitchen, not in flash, she ran into a terrified looking Jiro.

“Oh, my God,” Jiro said hysterically as he helped Usa to her feet. “That animal just came out of no where and started hissing at Darien. When he tried to move, the crazy little beastie jumped on his leg.” His hazel eyes were large with fright. “Lita, do you have knife or something—“

Usagi swore under her breath as she marched into living room ready to toss that mangy animal on the street, but came up short when she saw Ami standing guard over a tired but happy looking Rei who held the disconcerted Luna in her lap.

“Rei-chan.” Usagi went on instant mother hen mode as she rushed over to her friends.

Both girls looked up and both smiled shyly at Usagi’s overly concerned tone.

“What are you doing here?” Usagi scooped the evil black feline up into her arms and at the same time
pressed her cheeked to Rei’s in greeting. “God, honey, I thought you would have been in bed a week after what you had gone through.” She turned to Ami and they shared a hug. “Hey, Ami.” She smiled brightly as she took in Ami’s outfit. “You look wonderful. Is this a new dress?”

Ami blushed becomingly as she looked down at her dove gray sundress with the white lace edgings around its sweetheart bodice. “Not really.” She said quietly. “It is something that’s been in my closet for a while—I, umm, never had the opportunity to wear it before now.” She looked down at her feet quickly.

“Well, it’s very pretty on you.” Usagi gushed, “I’ll most likely be trying to borrow it one day. What do you think, Darien?” She finally acknowledged her boyfriend. “Doesn’t Ami look lovely in that dress?”

Darien looked at Ami critically for a moment, “You do look nice, Ames.” He winked at her, “If I wasn’t already a fallen man, I would ask you out, myself…” He noticed the warning look Usagi was giving him and he coughed nervously.

Ami’s blushed deepened. She had been praised by one of her idols and gushed over by one of new best friends and it wasn’t because she had achieved some high mark or accomplished some great feat on an exam. All the attention flustered the small genius, but it was a happy flustering. She looked up at Usagi; Darien had moved behind her friend and was resting his hands on the blonde’s shoulders. A bright, happy grin broke out on her face.

“You two are the most wonderful friends anyone could ask for.” And she should know, she had asked for them a million times over.

“Oh, Ami.” Usagi had dropped Luna in order to give her friend a hug. Over Ami’s shoulder, Usagi held a hand out to Rei. “Rei, when you are better, I am going to kill you.” She said laughingly.

Ami turned around and Rei moved into their fold. “Rei, do you know how worried we were when we heard the news.” Ami scolded gently.

“I had to do something.” Rei said a hint of defensiveness in her tone. She knew they cared for her, but she had been alone for a very long time and she was still getting used to sharing her emotions with others and dealing with theirs, especially when it concerned her well-being.

“Yes, of course,” Ami still sounded displeased. This was new for her. She never would have pressed on with a topic if someone wanted to beg it off. That was before her life had been taken over by one Tsukino Usagi “However, you should have waited for the Sailor Senshi to come. They always do as you know, yet you chose to put your in harms way. What purpose would it have served those children or your grandfather had you suffered even more serious injures than what already have?”

“Oh, Ami, not you, too.” Rei said impatiently. She tried to turn away, but the girls had a good hold on her. “Usa-chan, Ami-chan, please…”

“No, Rei.” Usagi snapped. “You scared the dickens out of us.”

“I had never been so terrified in my life.” Ami was the first to initiate the group hug. “Please, each of us for all of our mental sakes please, let’s practice more caution in the future?”

Rei nodded. “I will be more careful, you guys.”

“Me, too.” Usagi promised.

“As shall I.”

And as one, the girls turned to the only male in their little group. Darien made a show of looking about the room, then he pointed at his chest, “Oh, you three must mean me?”

“Yes, dear.” Usagi let go of Ami to make room for him.

“We can’t have our masked hero running about without giving the same promise.” Rei said impishly.

“We care about you, as well, Darien.” Ami added shyly.

Darien really did not want to participate in the overly sentimental moment. Hell, it was uncomfortable for him just being in the room with them all. Too much estrogen. But after a brief hesitation, Darien reluctantly moved into the group hug and the girls converged about him.

“What’s this?” An older male voice boomed from the doorway. “Shields, you’ve got some explaining to do.”

The girls released their hold on Darien at the sound of Usa’s father’s voice.

“Darien, if you can pry yourself from the company of this young ladies, why don’t help bring in the rest of these bags.”

“Yes, sir.” Darien hurried out the front door.

Kenji could not keep the smirk from his face as he watched the boy go. Usagi shook her head at her father’s childish behavior. “Daddy, I don’t know why are so mean to Darien. He is to the most generous and kindest boy in the world.”

Kenji snickered, “Boy?” He hooted, “That boy looks as old as Sam.”

“Darien is only seventeen.” Usagi reminded him.

Rei stared at her in surprise. “Really?”

Usagi nodded, “Yeah. Well, he’ll be seventeen in a couple weeks…Oh! That reminds me. I am putting together a surprise party for him and I was wondering if I could enlist you two—“

“Of course.”

“Yes.”

Rei and Ami looked at each other and started laughing. Usagi couldn’t keep a smile from her face and neither could her father.

“Great.” Usa peeked out the open door. Darien, being a perfect gentleman that he was (sometimes,) had taken all the bags from her mother's arms and whatever that happened to be in the back of the car. Ilene Tsukino was making fussing noises over him. “Dave, Josh, and my cousin Lita are in on this. Andrew says he’s going to pitch in and he is going try to talk the rest of their friends into helping. We are meeting Monday at four o’clock at Crown Fruit Parlor.”

“Gotcha.” Ami smiled.

Usagi blinked. “Wow, I’m really rubbing off on you guys.”

“Now, if you could just rub off on Usa, Ami-chan.” Kenji gave his daughter a little nudge.

Usagi pouted. “Hey, old man, I’m not doing that bad!”

“That math grade is killing you.” Kenji said seriously. “If you want to go to Harvard…”

“I know, I know.” Usagi lamented. “I’ve got to place well on the High School exams and get into a high math.”

“That’s right, Usa.”

There was a cry from the kitchen. The next moment Frankie came running into the living room with an angry Jiro on his tail.

“Frank! I can’t believe you—Kami, when I get my hands on you!”

“It’s just a car.” Frankie ran over to them and ducked behind Usagi.

“It’s my car. I worked hard to buy it.”

“You needed another anyway.” Frankie told him.

“And how the hel—“ Jiro noticed the hard look on Kenji’s face and amended the oath. “How the heck am I going to buy a new one? All my money is tied up in my education. With tuition, rent, and my share of the grocery bill, how am I going to afford a new car?”

“Hey,” Darien called out to his friends. “What’s the problem, guys?”

Jiro took a deep breath, but it didn’t calm him down. “The Menace jacked up my car, man.”

“You know what.” Usagi went to Darien and started taking the bags from his loaded down arms and distributing them to her friends. “We are going see if Lita needs some help. Mom, I wanted to talk to you about that thing we’re having in a couple weeks.”

Ilene looked somewhat confused and then understanding hit. “Oh, yes, the thing.” She turned to three young men and said sternly. “Jiro, Frankie, play nice. You know Darien is a snitch.” His two friends glared at him and Darien silently groaned. The Tsukinos were a messed up family.

In the kitchen, Lita had just finished with her pasta. Dave was now seated at the island with a peeler in his hand and two pounds of white asparagus before him. He had the earpiece of his cell phone in his right ear and he was pleading with the person on the other end.

Usagi went around to the breakfast nook and put her bags down. Sam was also on the phone and from the sappy sound of his voice, Usa knew who he was talking to.

“I know you don’t like her, babe, but I’ve already asked Darien and he laughed in my face.” He was saying. “Come on, Frankie is really desperate here. He needs a date to the embassy ball. Naw, Usa is going with Darien, not that I would have let Frankie take my kid sister out. Not to mention Darien would cut off both of Frankie’s hands. What! Hotaru, honey, no…God, you hate Mina Aino, why wouldn’t you want to wish Frankie on your worst…?” He hung his head and rubbed at his tired eyes. “Yes, dear. I know you are not evil and cruel bitch…”


“Sam!” Ilene scolded.

The youth looked up at his mother and mouthed his apology. “Sweetie, please just hear me out. Frankie has issues besides the obvious mental ones. Yeah, a lot of girls want to date him because of that---You still won’t do it.” He sighed wearily. “No, no, that’s fine. I’ll see you when you get here. Yeah, I love you, too.” He hung up and then fell back in his seat with a loud moan.

“Come on, Seiya.” Dave said desperately. “Frankie will owe you big time—What do you mean she’s gay? Fifty bucks she only said that because she didn’t want to go out with you—Seiya? Hello?” He ripped out his earpiece.

“No luck either, man?” Sam asked.

“I can’t believe that prick hung up on me.” Dave said in disbelief.

“What are you boys trying to do?” Ilene put her bags on the counter. “Lita, that sauce smells fantastic. But, honey, I though you were making spinach pasta with an alfredo sauce?”

“So did I but someone’s fur ball got loose and decided my food was a good watering ground.” She glared at her cousin.

“Again?” Kenji shook his head, “Usa, I know how much you wanted a pet. But this cat is a menace. I’m sorry, honey, but Luna has to go.”

“We’re trying to get Frankie a date for the Embassy Ball.” Dave said with a cheeky grin, “Maybe we can dress this cat up and teach it to walk on its hind legs…”

“Usa, why don’t you try asking one of your friends?” Ilene suggested.

“And risk being ostracized for the rest of my high school career?” Usa said baldly. “I’m sorry, Mommy, but I don’t think so.”

“Usa,” her mother said warningly.

“I can’t do it, Mom.” She cried defensively.

“We don’t say can’t in this family.” Ilene reminded her.

Usagi groaned, “Fine,” she said exasperatedly. “I won’t do it. I like all my friends and I enjoy my social life. I’m not going to risk it because Frankie is a jerk.” She wanted to say looser, but that word was frowned down upon in the house as well. “Besides all my friends are dating someone.”

Sam eyes fell on Ami and Rei and the idea hit him. “Hey, what about these two?” He asked nodding at them.

Usagi’s eyes went wide with horror. “Samuel Shingo Rensselaer-Tsukino have you taken a complete leave of your senses?” She demanded shrilly. “You won’t inflict the Menace on your girlfriend but you want to force him on my two new best friends?”

Belatedly, Sam realized what he had done and quickly tried to defuse his irate little sister before she became Mt. Serena. “Usa, no one wants to force anyone—“

Unfortunately, he was not quick enough. “How could you be so mean, so callous and shallow to suggest that I introduce two of the most sweetest and innocent girls in Japan to that lecherous, absentminded, wasted flake from Spain?”

“Usa!” Sam backed away from his sister.

She grabbed him by his shirt front and hauled up, somewhat. “Well?” She said through clinched teeth.

“I’m sorry.” Was his terrified reply.

Usagi let him go. “It’s not the eloquent speech of forgiveness I had in mind but it will do.” She smiled sweetly at her brother. “But luckily for you guys, I know Mina Aino.”

“Whoa.” Dave said.

“You do?” Sam asked now that terror was gone.

“Yeah.” She went to the fridge, “Ames, Rei-chan, you guys want a soda or something?”

“Yes, please.” Ami was having a hard time not laughing at her friend’s and her family’s antics.

Rei made a small face. “I don’t like carbonated drinks.” She said as she and Ami slid onto the bench behind the breakfast table.

“Oh, yeah, I forgot.” Usagi reached into the cupboard for a glass. “Well, we’ve got iced tea, Lita’s homemade lemonade, fruit juice---“

“Could I have the lemonade, please?”

“I got that.” Kenji took the pitcher from his daughter and carried it to the table. “So Rei, we’ve had the pleasure of getting to know Ami. It’s now time we’ve gotten to know you.”

“Yes, dear.” Ilene put a plate of butterscotch cookies on table. “Usa told us you live with your grandfather at the Hikawa Jinja on Sakura Oka?”

“Hai.” Rei said quietly.

“Mom’s loves working over in the area.” Sam took the glasses his father handed over to him. “She’s a photojournalist for Life Magazine. She’s done several pieces on your temple and the neighborhood.”

“I am impressed.” Rei sounded a bit in awe.

“Don’t be. Be impressed when I finally take home the Pulitzer.” Ilene smiled down at the beautiful girl. Her artist eye had captured Rei’s ethereal qualities and she was impressed by what saw. “My god, your face seems so familiar to me. Ken, doesn’t she remind you of someone?”

Kenji took a long look at Rei, his eyes deep in thought, “Yeah, honey, now that you mentioned, Rei sort of reminds me of Lin Far Yow, she was an Japanese-Chinese actress from Hong Kong…”

“She is—was my mother.” She picked at her nails nervously.

“Oh, honey.” Ilene laid a comforting hand on the girl’s shoulder.

“No, it’s alright.” Again, comfort. Rei now understood why Usagi was always touching them. A pat on the hand, touch on the arm, or a hug even when they weren’t sure they needed it. Her entire family just oozed comfort. They opened their hearts as well as they're home.

While Rei endured the gentle questioning and teasing from her parents and brother and cousin, Usagi made a quiet exist and escaped to the living room to rescue her boyfriend from his friends.

Darien was leaning against the entryway from the hall to the living room. Frankie and Jiro were talking quietly. Usagi peeked around Darien and saw that her mother’s living room was still in one piece and so were the guys. She jumped slightly when Darien slipped an arm about her slender shoulders . She turned her large eyes up at him and then she leaned against and wrapped her arms about his waist.

“I know about my surprise party.” He whispered into her hair.

She pouted slightly. “Alright, who told you?”

Darien noticed a couple twigs in his love’s fair hair. “What were you doing? Playing in the bushes?”

“Lita was on the warpath earlier.” She snuggled deeper into his embrace. “You haven’t answered my question, nerd-boy?”

“You know Frankie’s a snitch, right?” He said teasingly. The Tsukinos were really rubbing off on him. “But seriously, before you claw out Frankie’s eyes. He didn’t tell me. I overheard Drew recruiting Asanuma and the Kou Brothers to help out with your plans.”

“Well, drats.” All that hard work, the crazy missions she had planned and the hours of torture for Darien were wasted. Then she remembered something. “Dare, has Wilhelmina returned from England yet?”

“Mina?” He propped his chin on the top of her head. “Naw, she’s still in England, she just e-mail me this morning. She’s going to be over awhile longer.”

“What about her classes over here?”

“She’s gets her work in and she’ll be back for finals. Why?”

“Sam wanted set her up on date with Frankie.”

“Set who up on date with me?” Frankie demanded. “If it’s that pretty little brunette with the how do you say amatista ojos?

“Amethyst eyes.” Darien told him.

“Yeah,” his blue eyes shone with an unholy light. “What’s her name, Dare?”

“None of your business.” Usagi was back in fighting mode.

Frankie took in Usa’s angry face and he laughed, “Seriously, babe, who is she. I’m not going looking for a girlfriend, I just need a date for the Embassy Ball. ¡Por favor!, Usa. I will do anything to prevent Princess Dia from jumping my bones.”

“You are such a pig.”

“I’m a desperate man, amore.”

“My friends are off limit, Francisco.” She warned him.

“I never though you would be so merciless, Usagi.”

“I’m not merciless. I just don’t trust you.”

“I promise, I will be on my best behavior. And I will make the same promises and vows that I did for Lita. I won’t touch her except to dance and maybe hide behind.”

“Look Frankie, I’ve known you for almost two years now,” Usagi said.

“So you should trust me.”

“No. No, Rei is her own person.” She said, but she wasn’t happy about it. “You can ask her to be your date, but if she turns you do, that’s going to be the end of it. Understand, Frankie?”

Frankie held his hands in surrender. “Sí, hai, whatever…I just need a date, Usa.”

“Yeah, you keep saying that.” She growled. “But I’m warning you…”

“Usagi.” Ami tapped her on the shoulder. Usagi looked at her over her shoulder. “Your mother wanted to know if you would go to florist to pick up the roses she ordered…”

“Oh,” Usagi had forgotten about Lita’s gift. “Yeah, I—“ She looked up at Darien imploringly. “Sweetie, could you give me a ride. I forgot all about grandma’s surprise.”

“Sure, but why didn’t you just have them delivered?” He patted himself down for his keys. “Jiro, you got my keys?”

Jiro patted himself down but came up empty. He looked about and saw them on one of the end tables. “Cover boy, what would you without us?” He said as he snatched up the keys.

“Have more privacy.” Darien quipped.

Jiro tossed him the keys. “Not with that girl as your chick.”

Darien snagged the keys from the air with practiced ease. “That’s what I meant. I’d have more privacy.” He flicked his eyes in Usa’s direction and winked.

Jiro grinned knowingly.

Usagi shoved Darien aside as she stormed past him. “God, half the time I don’t know why I put up with you, nerd-boy.”

“Ah, she loves me.” Darien followed behind her making silly faces and kissy noises. Usa stopped, glanced back at him over her shoulder. Darien was still making those horrid funny faces. He was incredibly bad at it, but it touched her that he go so far as to make a fool of himself just for her.
She smiled gently. “C’mon, clown. You can buy me an ice cream cone.”

He straightened up as he took her hand. “Anything to make you happy.” He leaned down to kiss her but their tender moment was interrupted.

“God, get a room.” A tall, raven-haired girl slammed the front door as she stared at the two young lovers in disgust.

Darien raised his head slowly, his sensual lips curled into a snarl. “Tomoe.”

“Child.” She said acidly.

His snarl relaxed into a cruel smirk. “Still crying because you failed your bio exam?”

“I didn’t fail, Shields.” She said indignantly.

“Could have fooled me with that fifty percent mark on your test booklet.” He smiled down. “But I don’t have time to argue with you right now.”

“Hotaru, Sam’s in the kitchen. I though you were bringing someone?” Usagi told her. She was getting so tired of these sniping at each other. She then remembered Ami, “Did you want to come—“

“No,” the girl said with a brief shake of her head. “Your mother have Rei and me helping with...hmm…spinach balls?”

“Oh, Mrs. Tsukino’s specialty.” Hotaru said reverently. “Those things are hell to make, but they are SO good.” She went forward and with her right hand out. “By the way I am Hotaru, Sam’s girlfriend.”

Ami started to bow, but she caught herself at the last second. With a sheepish little laugh, she took Hotaru’s hand. “I’m Mizuno Ami.”

“I know who you are.” Hotaru smiled warmly. “I am the owner of Infinity College.”

Ami was thunderstruck. “Why—Oh, you are Dr. Tomoe’s…”

“So that’s how you render a genius dumb.” Usagi laughed. “Taru-chan, shame on you. Help Ames to kitchen and fortify her with chocolate. She'll come out of her stupefaction in couple minutes.”

Ami blinked, she blushed from mortification at what Usagi had said. But she caught the teasing look in her friend’s eyes and she laughed. “Oh, why don’t you go pick up those flowers. And bring me back some ice cream.” She folded her arms under her breast.

“Oh, I am scared.” Darien ducked behind his girlfriend. “Ami’s fighting back and making demands.”

“Please, let’s go before she decks you.” Usagi opened the front door and took his hand. “God, sometimes you can be so immature.”

“Naw.” He pulled her against his chest and wrapped his arms about her. “I’m spon-ta-ne-ous.”

“Oww, big words. I didn’t know you knew any.” She was forced to duck walk but she wouldn’t trade her place for the world.

“But I am still curious, Buns. Why didn’t Grandma Rensselaer just have the flowers delivered here?”

“Because she did not want Lita to know about them.” She told him. “This is where Li lives, duh!”

“I’m hurt.”

“Kiss your own boo-boos.” She told him.

“No, idiot.” He dropped his arms and started towards his car without her. “I finally said that long and complicated name correctly and you did not notice.” He jerked open the passenger door for her.

“Aw, is my little Darien not feeling like a big boy today?” She mocked.

Darien glared down at her. “No ice cream.” He said venomously.

Usagi froze in her tracks. Her large blue-gray eyes went wide in horror. She gasped. “Oh, no!” she screamed shrilly. “Anything but that. No!”

2

Hours later. Darien was giving Ami and Rei rides home. Usagi had come with along under the pretense of picking up a couple DVDs and ice cream.

Darien stopped at a red light. “I don’t care Luna.” He said in a voice as cold as death. “I think the enemy will attack the Embassy Ball.”

“I don’t agree, Tuxedo Mask.” The cat said condescending.

“Darien,” Usagi corrected for the umpth time.

Luna hissed, “Darien.”

“Road kill.” He muttered.

“Guys.” Rei said tersely. Those two bickering had even pushed her to her breaking point. “This is a Senshi meeting…”

“Which begs the question as to why is he here?” Luna demanded.

“Because it’s my car.” He growled.

“Besides that.”

“He’s Tuxedo Mask.” Ami reminded her. “He’s looking for the same exact crystal as we are and he is also searching for the Moon Princess.”

“Where ever she is.” Usa huffed.

Darien’s right brow rose questioningly. Ami and Rei exchanged a look.

“Buns?” Darien ventured.

Usagi closed her eyes slowly as she shrugged off her jealously. “I’m alright.” She told him.

But there was a cloud of tension around her that was almost palpable. Darien realized what had caused it, but he did not know what to say to make her feel secure. The light changed and he drove on.

“Luna,” Ami said shortly. “We have decided to look into the Demetrios’ Crystal. There is a 91% probability that enemy will crash the ball for the crystal. We just want to be ready.”

“And if they don’t?”

“We will still see the crystal.” Usagi told her. “I don’t know why you are fighting us on this. We are trying to locate this crystal and the Princess. You should be encouraging us to pursuit every lead.”

“I know and I am…” Luna lowered herself into Usagi’s lap and closed her eyes. “You girls are right. You should investigate the Embassy Ball.”

“Good, because we are now all going.” Ami grinned at Rei. “Even you, priestess.”

Darien hooted. “I still can’t believe Frankie talked you into being his date, Rei.”

Rei sighed. “He didn’t. David did.”

Usagi half turned in her seat to face her friends. “I told that jerk to leave you alone if you rejected him.”

“Don’t worry about it.” Rei told her. “Francisco will be volunteering at the shrine for three months starting tomorrow.”

“You can’t get something for nothing.” Usagi laughed.

“I have to see this.” Darien laughed. “Frankie has never had to do a lick of work his entire life.”

“Neither have you.” Usagi reminded him.

Darien shrugged. “I’m different.”

“Not by much.” She scoffed.

“You want to walk?”

“Please, you would not put me out on the side of street.” She said confidently.

“One day, Buns.” He growled

“Yeah, yeah. Talk to the hand, Shield.”

He laughed, “That is so out dated.”

She smiled. “Take a camera when you guys go to hassle Frankie.”

“How do you know I’m taking the fellas with me?”

She gave him a superior look. “Because I know you and my brother. You guys are twisted on so many levels it’s not even funny.”

“True.” He pulled around a curve and into up scale apartment complex. “Alright, Ami. You’re the first stop.” He stopped before the lobby revolving door. The night doorman came forward when he recognized Ami stepping out of the back of Darien’s BMW sports coupe.

“Good evening, Miss Mizuno.”

“Hello, Satoshi.” She said politely. “You’ve had a pleasant evening, I trust?”

“I have and thank you, ma’am.” The handsome young man was all dimples and smiles, but Ami was completely oblivious.

She turned back to her friends. Rei held out a large paper bag and that was closed up tight. “Thank you guys for a wonderful evening.” She bent forward to kiss Rei and Usagi’s cheeks. “And please, Usa, thank your cousin for me again. With all the leftovers she and your mother pressed on me, Mom and I will not be having take out all week.”

“Lita was more than grateful and so was my mom.” Usagi assured her.

“Nevertheless…”

“Hey, don’t forget our meeting at the Fruit Parlor.” Usagi told her.

Ami nodded. “I’ll call you.” She took a step back. “Thanks for the ride, Darien.”

“No problem, Ames.” He called back.

“Bye, Rei.”

Rei smiled warmly at her friend.

“Go to sleep.” Usagi told her. “I’ll call you when I get home.” Darien put the car in gear and then sped off.

Ami watched as they all waved from the edge of the drive and then pull off into traffic. Those were her friends. She smiled to herself as she cradled her bag of goodies close and headed inside.

Ten minutes later, Darien and Usagi dropped Rei off at the temple. She was carry a bag similar to Ami’s when got out. When they were half a block from the temple, Usagi put Luna in the back and she moved as close as she could to Darien.

After a couple minutes of this peacefulness in the middle of downtown traffic, Darien risked a glance down at his girlfriend’s face and he saw the contented little smile on her face. “What are you thinking about, little woman?” he asked softly.

She raised her face to the moon roof and stared up at the stars and the towering skyscrapers that lined her vision. “I was just thinking about how lucky we are to have found each other so early in life.” She whispered, not ready to disrupt the stillness that enveloped them inside the car. “Promise me something, Darien.”

“Anything.” He reached for her left hand and carried it to his lips.

“That we will always be together.” She let him drop her hand to shift the gear, but he caught it soon after.

“I promise.” He told her. “You and I will be together for eternity and beyond. We’re soul mates.”

“But what if this Princess—“

“I don’t care about some girl I don’t know.” He told her. He looked down at her, “You are all I care about. You are the only one I love. Nothing ever going to change that, Serena.”

She kissed his hand and then let it go when the car started to protest. “I love it when you get territorial and indignant.”

“You better.” He pulled into the video shop. “Because I only feel that way about you.”

“Mmm.” She sighed happily. “I have to go in for another fitting tomorrow.”

“I though you were planning my party?” He pouted.

Usagi looked at him strangely. “I thought you were not going to mention that.”

He rolled his, imitating her favorite gesture. “I want a humungous chocolate cake made of nothing but chocolate.”

“You need flour, eggs, and milk.” She opened her door and he followed suit.

“I want chocolate.”

“You want a giant candy bar, don’t you?” She demanded.

Darien looked away quickly.

“When was the last time you had chocolate, Darien?”

“Not since we made that bet.” He told her.

“Are you lying to me?” She marched over to him and tried to intimate him, but she was at a serious disadvantage being only four-eleven and Darien a whopping five-ten and still growing.

“Buns.” He took her angrily little face into his hands and kissed her tenderly. “I love you, but you are nuts.”

“I just want my money.”

“You’re going to lose.” He touched the tip of her nose and then let her go and took her right hand. “So what does this gown look like?’ he asked as he led her into the store.

“I know you’ve had some chocolate.” She said stubbornly.

“Yep. You are completely nuts.” Darien told her.

“You owe me, buddy.”

“I’ll keep a video log of Frankie’s torture.” He offered

“Oh,” she blinked a couple time and then beamed beatifically at him. “Well, then, have all the chocolate you want.” She said sweetly. “By the way, it’s backless and sleeveless.”

“What is?” The way she jumped around something left him so confused.

Usagi just rolled her eyes and groaned. “The gown.” She reminded him. “The one I am wearing to the Embassy ball.”

He frowned, trying to picture it in his mind. And it came to him, slowly. “Oh—OH!” He looked down at her interestedly. “So it’s going to be…”

“If I go home with another hickey, my father said he’s going to kill you.” She dropped his hand and went towards the horror section. “Hurry up, Shields, Lita wants to see…” The rest went unsaid. Her communicator was beeping.

Darien’s cell phone rang. “Rei. Yeah, we’ll be there in five minutes.” He put away his phone and turned to Usagi. “We gotta go.”

She slipped her hand into his and they hurried from the store.

“It’s two mutated critters.” He told her once they were in the car.

“Jedite?”

Darien nodded.

Usagi touched his hand to give comfort and receive it. “We will get him, Darien.” She promised. “This time, Jedite is going down.”