I Don't Have A Title Yet

Seven

1

Almost a week after the incident that almost claimed Darien’s life and destroyed half of downtown Juuban, Usagi had tried to assimilate and process all the information that was pouring in from her own memories of her past life as Princess Serenity of the White Moon.

After Darien was released from the hospital, the entire group sat down with their closest friends and family members to talk this out.

There was a lot of anger at first, most of it coming from Sam who couldn’t understand why his little sister, his cousin, and his girlfriend were Senshi. Hotaru, as the Goddess of Death related the sad history of the Silver Millennium. Hearing of their daughter’s suicide had shocked the Tsukinos. Darien didn’t take it well either. His final moments of life had been of those watching the woman he loved using his sword to murder herself. The brilliant kingdom had died with its Queen, a powerful sorceress and Senshi, who sacrificed her life so that her daughter and her friends would live again.

When asked if there was life still on the moon or the other planets, Hotaru told them that the time was not right for that information to be revealed. The Universe, like they were, was awaiting the return of its Queen. Only at her accession would it reveal itself.

And just like that, Usagi’s world was yanked from beneath her feet.

All this talk about finding the Princess now took on a different meaning. Usagi was not just the Princess of tiny floating white moon, she was the heir—no, the ruler of a freaking star system.

But who would want her as their ruler? She had killed herself. She had chosen to follow Endymion into death rather face her life and duties without him. She had put the Moon and the Solar System second, her own life had meaningless compared to loosing him and not being with him.

Was she so weak? Didn’t her kingdom or her people matter? Oh, Goddess, she was horrid person.

Darien watched helplessly as Usagi pulled away from him and everyone else. He knew what she was doing and he knew no matter what he either said or would do, Usa would still blame herself.

She had died to be with him, it was not something he would have recommended, yet unlike herself, Darien was willing to give Usa the benefit of the doubt. She was in a state of shock and had acted without thinking. He had done the same thing to protect her. But Usa wouldn’t be so generous to herself.

She was infuriating, Darien declared when returned from another failed attempt to see his ladylove. Why couldn’t she accept that she hadn’t done anything wrong?

Josh had the misfortune of being home when Darien returned from the Tsukinos in a foul mood for the fourth time that week. Josh knew he should have gone out with his roommates, but no, he had to stay home and study. Idiot that he was, Josh didn’t think to lock, much less, close his bedroom door.

Darien was in rare fit of temper while he complained about Usa’s feeling guilty for committing suicide in the past.

Darien was still going when his cell phone rang. Darien of course chose to ignore it. He knew it wasn’t Usagi because she wasn’t talking to anyone. Hell, she hadn’t been to school all week. But if it was Mina, he really didn’t want to talk to. His sister was yelling at him for not being with Usagi when she needed him. Darien’s defense was short of breaking in and kidnapping her, Usagi would not see him.

Josh grabbed the phone on the second ring and answered it.

“Hello?” A soft, whispery voice asked on the other end. “Darien?”

Josh blinked. “No, this is his roommate.” He said, confused. “You want to leave a message?” If Darien was cheating on Usa the Senshi and Sam were going to have his head. But Josh would have won the house other bet.

The girl hesitated, “Is he there?” She asked somewhat impatiently. “This is really important.”

Josh was ready to tell her to go to hell, but something in her voice made him say, “No, he’s kind of busy.” This was true, since he stormed out Josh’s room and was now beating the hell out of a wall. “Maybe I can—“

The girl sighed. “Could you tell him it’s Ami.” She told him. “And that I am lost in downtown Tokyo and I need ride. I tried to telephone Lita, but I got her voicemail. Mina’s not answering her phone and Rei doesn’t drive and Hotaru is Kyoto. Short of calling Frankie, I would hitchhike back to Juuban.”

“Why not take the train?” Josh suggested. He shoved his feet into his running shoes and was looking around for his car keys.

“I can’t,” Ami told him. “I came here with my anatomy class and I brought enough money for lunch. I didn’t think the immature idiots would actually leave me while I was in the restroom.” She blew out a deep breath. “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t be unburdening myself on you like this…”

“Hey, we’re all friends now, right, Mercury?” Josh smiled as he connected the sweet little dark haired girl’s face with her name.

“I’m sorry, but who are you—“ Josh could practically feel her blush on the other line. “Oh, Usa is my best friend yet she is a horrible influence.”

“She has everyone in the house convinced we are all snitches.” He stopped by Darien’s room and found the boy draped over his bed staring at photograph of Usagi. “Yo, Cover-boy, Ami got left in Tokyo and needs a ride. I’m going to pick her up, man.”

“Take my car,” Darien pointed to his keys on this desk. “It has GPS.”

Josh nodded, “Thanks man.” He said to Ami. “Are you on cell phone?”

“No, I am on a pay phone.”

He swore, “Alright, where are you?”

Forty-five minutes later, Josh parked Darien’s car in front of a Western Style coffee house in an upscale neighborhood in Tokyo.

He got out and hurried up to the front door. It was one of Darien’s little side ventures that was doing rather well in the in the fashionable location. Ami sat in a corner booth munching on a sandwich and with a bottle of cream soda compliments of the owner.

Josh thought she looked cute in her Infinity College uniform. With her glasses on, she was studious and seemed aloof. Without them, Ami was just your average Japanese school but with a pretty face and shy blue eyes. Josh had a weakness for girls with dark hair and blue eyes.

Unfortunately, so did his housemate Eiji Kaiou, the rat.

The rules of their house stated who calls it first gets it. And Eiji, that punk, had called Ami Mizuno. Now Josh had to settle with just being friends with the pretty genius until his roommate (not friend, that jerk would never be his friend again.) got bored or she just flat out turned him down.

Josh put on his best I’m-not-out-to-hook-up smile as he walked over to the booth and dropped down on the bench opposite of the dark haired girl. He signaled a waiter as he glanced at Ami’s blushing face.

“Sorry it took so long.” He said, “But you’re okay, right?”

Ami nodded as she raised her right hand to the mouth. Such dainty gestures. She was adorable.

After she swallowed Ami asked, “Is Darien alright? Usa-chan refuses to see anyone and I am worried for both of them.”

“Darien’s fine.” He assured her, “He’s upset, more with himself than anything else. But he’s getting through it.”

“It seems as if that is all we are doing.” She flashed him a self deprecating smile. “It’s not everyday you learn you are the ruler of planet or in Usa-chan’s case, the ruler of the entire solar system.”

Yeah, Josh had forgotten about that. The girl sitting across from him sipping her soda was not just a warrior and companion of the Princess of the Moon. Ami and the other girls were Princesses in their own rights and of their own worlds. Man, he was sitting at the table with a queen; the freaking Queen of Mercury and all he could think about was snagging her pickle.

Ami pushed away the rest of her sandwich and sighed. “I just wish she would talk to one of us.” She told him. “I want to know that she’s alright.”

Josh could sympathize. “It’s rough not knowing what’s going on with those who lives you are entrusted to protect and care for.”

“It’s completely different from how we lived on the Moon.” She told him, “Do you ever feel like you are living in a dream and that at any second you will wake up and you will be back in your rooms in your palace?”

He nodded, a sheepish blush staining his cheeks. “Before we all, you know—died, I a twenty-five year old man, chief strategist in Endymion’s army and leader of my own forces in the Northern Territories. I know more about this world than my professors and it bothers me that I can’t do half of the things I know I am capable of because no one believes in magic anymore.”

“Ah, you are so lucky.” She told him. His expression was skeptical until Ami waved her right hand before face, she stifled a giggle as Josh jumped back, his pale green eyes were large as saucers as he gawked at her altered features.

“I frightened my mother three days ago when I forgot to replace my glamour.”

“Glamour?”

Her features shifted and the alien ice princess was replaced by the sweet faced, dark haired girl Josh was familiar with.

“Ice blue skin does not sit well with most people.” She joked.

“God,” Josh managed once he got over his surprise. Then he laughed, “Wow. You look like a—I mean, that was really cool, and you…”

“You should see Rei without her glamour. She a goddess of flames from the tips of her hair to her feet.”

“You mean she’s red all over? Like a lobster?”

“No,” Ami laughed. “I meant figuratively, except for her hair. Her hair is red now and her eyes. It’s just broke her heart.”

“It’s going to kill Frankie.” Josh let out a hoot. “The Menace swears he’s in love with your priestess friend.”

“Oh, dear, I guess I feel sorry for him.”

“I feel sorry for Rei. Frank has been known to very persistent when he decides he wants something.”

“I doubt he will have much success with Rei.”

“I wouldn’t count the Menace out,” Josh said grinning. He knew where this conversation was going, now he just had to maneuver the conversation towards his…

“Why do you all call Frankie “The Menace”?” Ami asked out of the blue.

“It should be the horror, but Drew talked us out of that. He said it would hurt Frank’s feelings.”

“And the Menace does not?”

Josh shook his head no. “Frankie’s our boy, he knows we are not calling him that to be insulting. He also knows, like everyone else in the house, that we all have his back if some punk ass loser tries to start with him.” He laughed sheepishly, “We have been close to getting kicked out more than a few times because of the fights we got in on each others’ behalf. But we’re like brothers, you know, a carry over from our past life. Even Sam, Drew, and that punk Eiji, we’re all together.”

“Fraternity, brotherhood, sisterhood.” Ami pushed the rest of her uneaten sandwich away as she reached for her soda. “We are all bound to our allies by these ideas, we all have the same goals.”

“Yeah.” Josh picked up her pickle and took a big bite. “Between you and me, Merc, there’s going to be serious problem between our two leaders.”

Ami looked at him in surprise. “Usa-chan and Darien?” she cried in disbelief.

“I’m talking about Mina and Dave.” His eyes were grave as he met hers. “If those two don’t come to terms soon about Dare, he’s going to find out and they might force him to make some choices Darien isn’t ready to make.”

“What kind of choices?”

“The kind that could hurt everyone in the long run.”

2

From below her bedroom window, Usagi could hear Lita and her friends laughing and goofing around in the front yard. The smell of grilled duck and tuna made her mouth water and caused her empty stomach to clinch, but Usa did not move from her spot beside her window.

She pulled her laptop closer and checked her e-mails. Mina had footed the bill for the band that was playing at Darien’s party; it was one of Darien’s favorites groups. Mina offered to chip in for everything else; Usa emailed her back, thanking her for the getting Linkin Park to come, but she had everything covered. Lita was catering the party, she wanted to use this as a lunching pad for her own business, and Usa was glad to let her do it, but it cost her a pretty penny to cover the food and pay Lita’s friends who would be the servers. Moreover, the food bill just went up as some Greek heiress Mina knew decided she wanted to attend.

Usa was starting to feel the pressure to make this a memorable as well spectacular social event. Goddess, this was becoming something almost bigger than herself. Damn it, why did she have to be in love with the freaking Chiba heir? Why couldn’t she have fallen for some nice, normal guy whose family and personal life wasn’t fodder for the tabloids and the masses?

Usa added the new name to list and compared it to the master list. Everyone she had invited had responded and was going to be there for the big event. That added to the twenty five people Mina just added, plus the servers, the band, and security, (nope, she couldn’t forget those guys or Frankie who was providing them), the Crown was going to be at full capacity and her baby was going to have the best birthday party of his life.

Now, if she could just stop feeling sorry for herself long enough to see her precious boy friend, Usa felt that she would be complete until next month.

Reaching up, Usa brushed her long hair over shoulders and frowned.

“Usa!” Lita called from below. “I know you’re hungry. Come down and have a bite with us.”

She was hungry, but when she looked down, Usa groaned at the rivers of pristine white hair that trailed across her bedroom floor. The stuff stretched from bed to where she sat near her window seat. As if that wasn’t bad enough, after two days of effort, Usa had just managed to leave her bed and walk about her bedroom by herself without falling down. She didn’t want anyone outside her immediate family to know about what she was going through.

It was the day after she regained her memories; Usa awoke before dawn, feeling like she was suffocating. Lita felt her distress came to her rescue and shock and horror of her parents, Usa had white hair, and her crescent moon insignia was shining brightly on her brow.

Days past, both Usa’s and Lita’s features changed to mirror their former lives. Usa had a good laugh when Lita came screaming down stairs with rose coloured hair. Lita could handle the increased height and added strength, but the pink hair was something else all together.

She watched as Lita dyed her hair twice, morphed and un-morphed, just to make sure didn’t have pink hair.

Usa thought of doing it for herself, being Lunarian seemed to have bleached the colour right out of her, but with over six feet of hair, Usa didn’t want to deal with the mess or the hassle. She didn’t want to deal with much of anything now, including her own thoughts. Usagi pushed her computer away and dropped back on her pillows. She missed Darien.

“Princess.”

She closed her eyes and ignored the cat.

Luna jumped down from her perch outside Usagi’s window to the plush window seat, leaping down to land noiselessly between Usagi and the girl’s computer.

“Luna.”

“Yes, your Highness?” The cat said eagerly, ready to of service to her mistress.

“Get off my hair.”

As Luna leapt back, Usa sat up. She bunched her legs beneath her and rose. Her body was top heavy, with all that extra hair and her body filling out to what it once was in the past. Usa felt ungainly and overbalanced as she made the short walk from the window to her bed.

“Your Highness?” Luna tried again.

“I am tired, Luna.” Usagi reached for favorite sleeping shirt, one of Darien’s old KO U tee shirts, and then she started to undress.

“We need to talk about the crystal…”

“There is nothing to discuss.” Usagi looked back at the cat over her shoulder, her pale eyes were cold and forbidding. “I have far more weightier issues that require my attention other than my crystal.” She snapped coolly. Mentally, Usa frowned as she caught the strange inflection in her voice and lack of contractions. “Now leave, Luna. I am yet to forgive you for your malicious behavior towards me and Endymion.” She turned her back on the cat and stripped off the rest of her clothes and kicked everything aside. She pulled on her sleeping shirt and then climbed into bed.

She would be a good queen. High above her home, the moon hovered over it’s ruler, watching her and blessing her.

3

“Usagi?” Molly cry could be heard from across the school’s courtyard.

Usagi turned around just in time to be caught up in her best friend’s crushing embrace. “Oh, honey, you scared the wits from me.” Usa panted as she returned Molly’s embrace. She pulled back and reached down for her bag that she dropped.

Molly took in her friend’s appearance in a quick glance, her eyes lingered on the headscarf Usagi had tied over her hair. and speaking of Usagi’s hair.

“Did you get a hair cut or something?” Molly asked.

Usagi shook her head. “No, but I have to go. Darien’s party is next week and I haven’t even talked to Andrew’s parents about the band, security, and them giving up a full day’s revenue just so my love can have the best day of his life.” She turned to Molly. “You wanna walk with me?”

“How are you feeling?” Molly asked as they left the campus.

“Like I am the world’s greatest idiot for not coming to school all week.”

“No, I mean—“

“I know what you mean and I’m not ready to talk about it with anyone.” To soften the harshness of her tone, Usagi reached for Molly’s right hand and linked their fingers. “I have so much on my plate right now and I want to do is be with my baby.”

“You haven’t seen him all week.”

“I haven’t seen anyone all week other than my family.” She laughed softly. “My parents don’t know left the house.”

“Why were you stay in your house all week? And I’m not asking about—“

“I was falling over.”

“Huh?” Molly asked confused.

Usa laughed softly. “Terran gravity. I had to get used to it--again.”

“But you were born here.” Molly was still having trouble adjusting to the fact that her best friend was not only a super hero but an alien princess as well.

“Tell that to my body. Goddess, my bag feels like it’s been weighted down by a ton of rocks or something.” They crossed the street and Usagi was side tracked by a teddy bear in window. “I have spent two months worth of allowance on this party and I had to begged Sam and Lita for some money when I ran out. I am so broke it’s not even funny.”

“And you are going to the Crown?”

“I need to give the Andrew’s dad the final installment and talk to him about the security. Also, I can eat off Darien’s tab for free.” She said piteously. “Other than that, I am up the creek.”

“So that’s why we’re walking?”

“I don’t even money for the bus.” She wailed. They stepped into the Crown and she smiled. “Now I am happy.” She declared before she bounced off and threw her arms around Darien’s waist.

“Who is this woman and where is my baby?” Darien reached up to remove the headscarf from Usagi’s head.

She ducked from his hands and kissed him full on the lips.

“Hey, hey.” Andrew called, throwing a towel at the two. “Enough of that, this is a family place.” He nodded in greeting at Molly. “Hey, Red want you usual?”

“I’m going to play a game first, Andrew.” Then she said to Usagi. “I will see you love birds later.”

Usagi caught Darien’s hands as they wandered up to her hair once again. “Quit it.” She pressed her lips to his for a final kiss before moving back. “I’ve missed you so much.”

“We were all worried about you, Buns.” He reached for her bag and led her to an unoccupied booth. “Are you ready to talk?” He asked once they were settled.

She shook her head no. “I want to forget a lot of it.” She told him. “Like me killing myself and loosing you…”

“Hey,” Darien reached out and took her hands into his. “I’m not leaving you. We went through this and you need to accept it because you’re scaring the hell out me.”

“I wish it was that easy…”

“Damn it, Bun.” Darien dropped her hands as fell back against his seat. Usa looked as if she was on the verge of tears and he was already there. “I haven’t seen you since that night. But knowing you, you take things in and make them your own problems. You internalize everything and so do I.”

“So what should I do about it?” She asked sarcastically.

“You be good a girlfriend and help me clean my room.”

Of all the selfish things he could have said.

“I’m serious.” He told her. “You and I need to talk and my room needs to be cleaned. Let’s kill two birds with one stone.”

Usagi almost did a double take. “Of all the—“

“I also have this pile of laundry that seems to be growing.” He flashed a brilliant, disarming smile that had her laughing softly.

“Let me talk to Andrew’s dad and then we can leave.” She slipped out of the booth and headed around to the back.

Thirty minutes later, Usa was sorting through a pile of Darien’s laundry, while he rooted through the mess that was his desk.

Every few minutes he glance back at Usa and drink in the sight of her sitting in the middle of his bedroom floor surrounded by his dirty clothes. Before coming to his house, they had stopped at the Tsukinos so Usa could drop off her school bag and change out of her uniform. Darien fought off a grin as he recalled the startled look on Mrs. Tsukino’s face when he and Usa entered. Apparently Usa’s parents hadn’t known their daughter had left her room after a week of self-imposed isolation.

Now she was here with him, in dressed in one of his favorite outfits, pink and white shorts, and a sleeveless hooded jacket. The only thing that threw off the entire effect was the pink bandana that covered her glorious hair.

“Sometimes I find it hard to believe that you were once a super clean neat freak, Nerd-boy.” Usa laughed as she chucked a pair of dark blue surfer pants into the growing pile of darks.

“Have you forgotten the type of people I live with?”

“Bad influences, all of them.”

“Yeah, but they are some of the best friends a guy could ask for.” He reached for the phone beside his computer, “Sam mentioned that you put yourself in the poor house for my party.”

“That snitch!” She cried, incensed. “Can’t he keep his mouth shut for…”

“Yeah, yeah. Anyway, how much do you need?” He asked.

Usa’s left brow rose dramatically. “Excuse me?” she demanded gravely.

“I asked how much money do you need for the rest of this venture and I’m going to give you enough to get by on until you get your allowance.” He told her.

“In a pig’s eye!” She shrieked in outrage. “I’m not taking a handout from you.” They already had this talk and every few months it would come back like cankerous toothache.

“Honey, you’re broke and it’s because of me.” He began.

She frowned, “I’m broke because I want to be.” She retorted.

He smiled, flashing his dimples at her. “You know most girls would love to have their super rich and very generous handsome boyfriends spoil them.”

“And you do, my gorgeous, hunky, intelligent, genius beloved.” She fluttered her long lashes at him. “But it’s my turn to spoil you.” She poked at a pair of his boxers gingerly. “Sweetie, didn’t we discuss the Spider-Man undies?”

Darien rolled over and snatched his favorite under garments from her reach. “You made me give up my favorite jacket. Spidy stays.”

“That green tweed thing was ugly as sin.” She declared. Fire sparked in Usa's now silver eyes as she recalled the horrid abomination that not even Mina had been able to pry from Darien’s hands.

“It made me look studious.” Darien said defending the piece of clothing that he had loved.

“It made you look like a damn fashion victim crying out for help.” She spat. She had taken the thing and personally destroyed it. She swore if she ever saw another piece of green tweed in Darien’s closet she would burn it right in front of him.

“And what does that bandana say about you, my sweet?” He countered mockingly.

Usa’s hands flew to the pink headscarf in question, her eyes wide with shock. “What’s wrong with my bandanas?” She demanded.

Darien could hear the pout in her voice, but he ignored it so he could get to the truth. “It’s covering you hair, sweets—“

“That’s what’s it’s supposed to do.” She said defensively.

“Why?”

“Because I didn’t feel like combing my hair this morning. You know how much hair I have…”

“I do and never in the two years since we started dating have you ever not worn it down. I like seeing your hair, just like I love seeing you.” He reached out and removed the offensive thing. “Why didn’t you talk to me, Buns?” he whispered as he started to remove pins she had used to plaster her hair to her skull. “I was scared, I was thinking that you blamed me—“

“No,” She cried, “No. I would never, never, blame you for what happened then, Darien. It was my fault—I was weak and I couldn’t stop Beryl. I’m sorry!”

Before she knew it, Usa was in Darien’s lap, wrapped up in his arms. She wrapped her arms about his neck and pressed her face against his shoulder.

They stayed that why for sometime, doing the one thing that both had thought impossible, they were healing.

Just when she had begun to get sleepy, Usa felt Darien’s hands back in her hair. She didn’t protest, having all that weight top of her head was giving her a headache, not to mention the pins that had been constantly scratching her scalp all day. It was a relief to have it all coming down until Darien started screaming.

“Oh, my God!” He yelped.

Without moving from her comfortable position, Usa opened one eye, glanced down at the pile of snowy white hair that spilled down her back and surrounded them. She yawned broadly before closing her eye and snuggled closer to him.

“Oh, yeah, my bra increased, too.” She murmured.

That caused Darien to stop gawking at her hair. “Really?” He asked excitedly. “Can I—“

“No, touchy until I’m eighteen.” She reminded him.

Darien pouted like a three year old. “But I just wanna—“

“Eighteen.” She said firmly, but to soften the harshness of it, Usagi reached up and kissed his cheek. “But we make out until it’s time for you to take me home.”

“I don’t wanna make out,” he whined, “I wanna see ’em.”

Usa opened her eyes and tried not to laugh. “What are you, three?” She snickered. “My god, you look like just lost your best friend or someone kicked your dog. Geez, they're just breasts.”

Darien knew she would never understand. She just wasn’t a guy. Guys understood, heck, even Mina understood ( she was the one that told him about the birds and bees in the first place.) It was just his luck to have a frank and open yet completely naïve hot girlfriend.

Darien picked her up about the waist and turned her around in his lap, making her straddle his legs. He touched his brow to hers as he placed his arms about her waist.

“Baby, you make my life hard.” He said plainly.

She beamed up at him, her silver eyes sparkling with mischief. “No more than you mine, sweetie.”

He tipped his head to one side and brushed his lips across hers. “But I’m loving every minute of it.” He whispered against her parted lips before diving in for an all consuming kiss.

4

Usa squeaked and hid behind Lita.

“Leave me alone, Mina.” The girl cried shrilly as the taller blonde made another desperate grab for her.

“Usa, please,” her mother barked as she rubbed at her sore temple. “Just sit down and let Wilhelmina cut your hair.”

“No,” the petite Moon Princess said defiantly.

“You can’t walk around with seven feet of hair.” Ilene told her. “She’s just going to take off three feet…”

“This is my hair.” Usagi cried as she bundled it all around her.

“You can’t afford it.” Lita tried to reason with her cousin. “You’ve gone through two bottles of shampoo in three days.”

Usa stuck her tongue out her as she walked over to the television. “I don’t want to all of this hair, but I can’t it either. I mean, don’t think I tried?” The looks on the three women’s faces clearly said they did not believe her. “Okay, so I didn’t, but the point is—“

“Darien’s party is in eight hours.” Ilene reminded her. “We have to get there and supervise the decorating, Lita has to deliver the food and then come back here with Jiro and Taiki Kou to pick up the cake and make sure that arrives safely to Arcade. And we all have to be dressed, including you, the hostess.”

Usa stopped fiddling with remote and dropped her hair. “Two meters, Mina, and not a centimeter more.” She growled.

“Fine,” Mina threw her hands up in relief. “You think I was getting paid for this or something.”

Lita was about to commit only to have the doorbell sound. She waved Ilene back to seat as she started for the hall.

“Yes?” She asked as she glanced out the peek hole.

“Lindsey-chan, open the door, it’s us” A familiar voice called out.

Lita hurriedly pulled the door open and stepped aside for sorority sisters. “Alex, guys. Wow, I wasn’t expected you all for hours.”

“I’ve come to help you guys here,” Alex informed her.

“Is there anything we can take over to the Arcade?” Another girl asked her.

Lita snapped her fingers for a moment as she tried to think of something. “Oh, yeah, but it’s at Tomoe-san home.” She told her, “You guys know where she lives, right?”

There were a lot of shaking heads.

Lita sighed, “Let me grab my car keys and purse. Alex, come with me. Mina could use some help trying to deal with my cousin.”

In just in time to, from the load crash in the family room followed by both Usagi and Mina apologizing profusely to Ilene for almost breaking Ilene’s favorite lamp. Lita and Alex had run in and found both girls close to tears as they begged for forgiveness.

After Lita let her aunt know that she was heading over to Arcade to start with the preparations and reintroduced Alex to Usa and Mina, she left. Ilene sent the other girls to Usa’s room while she remained downstairs, straightening up and gathering up Usa’s hair.

While Usa showered, Mina and Alex when downstairs to help Ilene finish up with the cleaning. As soon as they had finished, the doorbell rang, Mina went to answer it and returned with Rei and Ami followed by Frankie, Jiro, and Taiki Kou. Rei and Ami went up to Usa’s room. Jiro and Taiki went to kitchen while Frankie and Alex followed Ilene out to the garage for the decorations. An hour later they were all at the Arcade. Andrew’s mother and sister were there helping out along with Darien’s housemates and friends while Dave and Sam had the task of keeping Darien distracted until evening. (They hit golf range, were to have brunch, and then go to Tokyo Giant’s game. Sam needed a baseball fix.) By mid morning, neither the Arcade nor the Fruit Parlor no longer resembled themselves. It was like stepping into a fantasyland dedicated to child in everyone. There were streamers, banners, and off course party hats, (Usa insisted on the hats). There was a crown of course, that was just for Darien. Ami had made it, showing her artistic side. Usa gushed appropriately and nearly ripped Frankie’s head off when he attempted to don it.

There was the run to the Tsukinos’ for the rest of the food, everything that needed to prepared on the premises had Lita and her friends in the kitchen. Ami went with Jiro and Taiki for the cake. Lita had spent three days making that giant confection that could melt in direct sunlight, She was happy that Ami went along, since the girl could create an cage of ice around the thing that would not melt, but would keep her masterpiece from cooling or getting wet.

Hotaru showed up around two-thirty to whisk Usa, Ami, and Rei off to a spa. Mina has assured Usa that she would make sure that everything would alright and that she would personally monitor everything, (that was before Lita ran her out of the kitchen with a giant chef’s knife.)

As she watched the black limousine drive off, Mina though of everything that Usagi had done for her beloved little brother and she smiled. Before Darien had met the little bunny, he was a very lonely and introverted kid. His genius used to alienate children his own age and people of his intellectual level treated Darien abominably since he was a child and they were usually jealous of his gift.

Mina fell in love with Darien at first sight. Their parents had always been close; their mothers had been like sisters and had been friends since grade school. Mina had grown up thinking of Jonathan and Midori Shields as her uncle and aunt. When Midori told them about the baby, Mina happily claimed the unborn child as her baby. Her mother used to tell she and Darien that Mina knew the baby was boy; Mina would always talk to him and she called him her little brother. Mina wasn’t ashamed of that, she said that she had been right and she was right, she had her brother.

From the moment Darien had been born, Mina had always tried to be there for him. She was always there to encourage him, she believed in him, and loved him, but their visits were not enough to erase the pain caused by others who he saw and interacted with daily. After his parents died, Mina’s father brought Darien to their home and when he told Mina that Darien would be living with them, her love for the sad face little boy overflowed in her childish heart. They were now and forever siblings.

Mina remembered sitting up with him that first night, hugging him as she told him that he would never have to be sad again. She would always be there for him because she was his big sister and big sisters never let anyone hurt their little brothers.

Of course Darien had worshipped her and he adored her just as much as she did him. Mina was always there to protect him from bullies, tend to his hurts, and dry his eyes. The only time their relationship suffered was during her first year as Sailor V.

Things between she and Darien were strained during that horrid time because for the first time, Mina was keeping secrets from her brother. This hurt Darien more than anything when he found out the truth. Of course, he got over it when Mina came home, injured from a fight.

He helped her clean and treat her injuries. Through it all, Darien never said a word, even when he bound the long bleeding gash in her waist. After he helped her dress for bed and helped her to bed. Silently, he cleaned up her bathroom and wiped off the blood on her windowsill and was tracked over her bedroom floor.

Unable to bear the terrible silence between any longer, Mina weakly called to him. Her heart caught in her throat when she saw the tears streaming down his face.

“Dare,” she whispered, tears stung at the backs of her eyes as she held her arms out to him.

He went to her then. Darien climbed onto the bed beside her and held onto her as much as he frail, boyish body would allow as he sobbed against her chest.

“I won’t lose you, Sis.” He vowed, his voice broken by tears held onto her. “I won’t lose you like I lost my parents. I won’t!”

From that night on, Darien was her constant shadow when she went out as Sailor V. She tried locking him in his room and arguing just did not help. Darien was just as stubborn as she was and like all kids his age, he though he was invincible. Not even a broken arm could slow him down. Soon, Mina found that she liked having sidekick, but they had to do something to protect Darien and hide his identity. She came up with the tuxedo and mask after running into Ace in London. She and Darien started taking martial arts classes and both were already proficient swordsmen, since they had been fencing for over eight years. He became more than her little brother in that time, Darien became her best friend and oddly enough, he was her hero. However, he would always be her little brother, the one person she loved and trusted most in the world.

And more than anything, she wanted his happiness. Usagi Tsukino made her brother happy. Sure, when the two first met they fought like cats and dogs. Mina had serious doubts about them until she quiet literally stumbled over the two in a very serious make out session in their father’s office.

The only thing Mina could say was “Next time, use the game room, Dare.”

Oh, Mina was grateful that Usagi had come into his life and wiped away all the pain and sadness with her love and brightness that she could give and more.

Darien deserved that and more.

The merry little twinkle of her cell phone brought Mina out of her thoughts of the past. She plucked it off her hip and glanced at the Caller I.D. and smiled happily as she opened it.

“Hi, Daddy.” She said brightly, “Where are you?” she headed over to an empty booth and sat down, “No, Dare’s at a Giant’s game with Sam Tsukino and Dave Rothschild. Yes, Daddy, you’ve met them both as well as Sam’s parents.” She laughed softly. “I trust them, Daddy,--well I trust Sam to take care of Darien. No, no, I was kidding! I’m kidding. Dave’s a good guy and a great friend to your one and only son. Alright, I love you and yes, your gift did arrive this morning. Hmm, I’m sure he’s expecting your call. Alright. Bye, Daddy.”

“Daddy?” Alex dropped across from her.

Mina put her phone away with a nod. “Our dad called from New York.” She explained. “He wanted to be here for Darien’s party, but you know business is?”

Alex knew from first had experience. “Missed birthdays, holidays, and recitals.” She picked at one of the papier-mâché decorations on the table. “My mother always had somewhere to be, a party or something that seemed more important than me.”

“Ah and how is Princess Anastasia Alexandrova holding up in everyday society?” Mina asked, flashing her a teasing smile.

Alex waved her off. “I have no idea of how the Princess is doing, but Alex is just fine and is enjoying her new station as simple college student.”

“You could have gone anywhere in the world, Anastasia.”

“I needed sometime to find myself and discover what I want to do with the rest of my life.” She then speared Mina with a hard gaze. “Don’t call me Anastasia, Wilhelmina, only my mother does that to annoy me.”

“Da, dyevushka,” Mina said.

Alex burst out laughing, Mina’s accent was atrocious, and Alex did not mince words in telling her so.

“Oh, shut up.” Mina laughed at her.

Just then, Lita came out of the kitchen, in her normal cooking attire, jeans, chef’s jacket with her sleeves rolled up to her elbows, and a bandana over her hair. She saw her two friends in the corner booth and walked over to join them.

“What are you two blonde bimbos up to?” She asked as she dragged over a chair.

“Just shooting shit about Russian dikes with twisted attitudes.” Mina smirked.

“And stuck up Japanese bitches.” Alex flashed her a saucy grin.

Lita looked non pulsed by this. “So Mina, Eiji said his sister was transferring to Mugen Delta in the fall.”

“Really?” Mina asked interested. “Wow, Michiru Kaiou would be a wonderful addition to the Tokyo cultural scene, not to mention what she will do for the music program at Hotaru’s school.”

“I knew Hotaru was excited, but you?” Lita was caught off guard by Mina’s enthusiasm.

“Of course I’m excited and Darien will be, too.” Mina sounded a bit miffed. “We are both fans of her work.”

“I’ve met her a few time in Vienna and London.” Alex was rather awed herself. “She is a gifted violinist, a true genius if there were ever one.”

“Great, I just stepped into the ‘We-Love-Michiru’ fan club.” Lita snorted disdainfully.

Mina and Alex exchanged a look, “Americans.” Alex said.

“They have no appreciation for the arts.” Mina agreed.

“Go to Hell, the both of you.” Lita told them.

5

Darien tried to sneak a sip of Sam’s beer only to have Dave pluck it from his hand.

“I’m not having your over protective sister or crazy girlfriend trying to kill me if you get drunk, kid.” Dave said before Darien could even protest.

“You guys have me sitting in the sun, roasting,” Darien growled testily. “Since I could not stay in bed like I wanted to, you can at least let me have a beer.”

“Like the man said, o future brother-in-law of mine,” Sam drawled, “I don’t want to have fight off your crazy sister or my sweet, loving, but very deranged when it comes to you little sister because you are drunk.”

“I can’t believe you are afraid of my sister.” Darien laughed at them. “Mina wouldn’t hurt fly—“

“Don’t lie.” Sam admonished him.

“She single handedly beat the hell out that freak that used you as pin cushion.” Dave told him.

“Only after Usa gave him a black eye.” Sam reminded him.

“Never thought the little bunny had it in her.” Dave admitted with a grin.

“What? You’ve forgotten how she runs me about like her whipping boy and slave.” Sam cried in mock horror.

“Now that you mention it—“

“Yeah, yeah.” Sam turned his attention back to game and the other two followed suit.

After awhile, Darien stood up, saying he was going to the concession stand. While he was waiting in line, his cell rang.

“Yeah?” He asked distractedly.

“Is that how you are answering the telephone now, Darien.”

A smile as big as all out doors graced Darien’s face as recognized the voice on the other end. “Dad—Sir, I’m sorry—Where are you? How are you?”

A warm chuckle stopped Darien’s sputtering. “I am still in America and I am well, my boy. How are you today?”

“I’m good, actually, I’m better than that.”

“Mm, Min said that you were doing well and that you are out with couple of your friends.”

“Yeah, they are baby sitting me for my girlfriend while she sets up everything for my surprise party.”

“It’s not a surprise if you know about it.” His father pointed out.

“No it’s not, but Buns is really putting a great deal of work into this and I don’t want to disappoint her.” Darien ordered a hotdog, nachos, and a bottle of water. “When will you back, Dad?”

“I don’t know.” His father hesitated briefly before continuing. “I had planned to stop in London to visit your mother and your parents.” He swore immediately. “Son, I am sorry, I did not mean—“

“It’s alright, Dad.” Darien rushed to assure him, “It took a while, but I can talk about them and today.”

“Your Miss Tsukino again?”

Darien grinned, “She’s the best girlfriend in the world. She insisted no tears on my birthday.”

“And she is right, son. There are tears on this blessed day.” His father said firmly, the warmth and love just slightly hidden beneath the surface. “I must go, Darien. Remember, I love you.”

“Yeah, old man, I will never forget.”

His father laughed, a deeply rich chuckle. “Happy birthday, son. I’ll will telephone later this week.”

“Thanks, Dad, and thanks for the sword.”

“How do you know it’s a sword?”

“I know you that well, Dad.”

They both rung off after another set of good byes.

As Darien started back towards his seat, a feeling of unease moved through him. It was very brief which caused him to dismiss it as nerves. He found the guys and trotted over to them and spent the rest of the afternoon enjoying the game.

6

Usa put down a butter cream coloured dress and held up a shell pink sundress with a flared skirt.

“What about this one?” She asked her fellow Senshi nervously.

“I like the lilac one,” Ami told her.

“Personally, I think she would look good in the white one,” Lita said.

“She needs some colour,” Mina said with authority. “She should wear the pink one.”

“The yellow one,” Hotaru put in.

“Then she would match the decorations.” Mina replied snipped. “I say the pink one—ooh, what about that heather dress with the halter top?”

“Can’t be backless,” Usa pouted, “Darien hands tend to wonder and mess with ribbons around my neck.”

Every girl stared at her in shock.

Usa nodded sadly, “Mina, I hate to ruin the saintly image you may have had of your brother, but Darien is lecherous pig.”

“Of course he is,” Mina replied non pulsed, “He’s a normal teenage boy. If he wasn’t trying to cop a field every chance he had I would have been worried.”

Hotaru just dropped her face into hands while it was Usa’s turn to stare at her blankly.

“You know, he’s going to knock you up first chance he gets.” Mina told the stunned girl.

Ami and Rei turned to Hotaru. “We want in,” the girls cried in unison.

“In on what?” Usa demanded.

“Oh, the guys have a bet going to see when your first child will be born.” Ami told her.

Usa blinked. “What?”

“The current pot is two hundred thousand American,” Rei added.

“Does Darien know?” Usa asked them.

The girls turned to Hotaru, she shook her head no.

“Then I want in,” Usa said to the surprise of her friends. “And I say four—no, five months.”

“Why five months?” Ami asked curiously.

“The wedding of course,” Usa cried. “I want something some elegant and tasteful, not rushed looking like a shotgun wedding. And also, I will need to fit in my dress and at my height, four months will be pushing it.”

“Make sense.” Mina laughed.

“We are all in for five months.” Rei told Hotaru as she hugged Usa.

“I want to know who put in two thousand dollars.” Lita said.

“Me and Frank,” Hotaru groaned. “Man, I hate to lose.”

“Does Sam know about this?”

Hotaru gave her a dirty look, “At the risk of sounding like that Spanish twit; Do I look stupid.” Mina started to open her mouth. “Shut up, Aino.”

“Guys, we are getting off track here,” Usagi whined. “I still haven’t decided on a dress and I have to be at the Arcade in an hour.”

Everyone shouted out their favorite colours. Usa threw her hands up in exasperation and screamed.

There was a knock on her bedroom door and the next second, a welcomed face peeked in.

“Puu,” Usa shouted happily as she hurried over the woman as she came into her room.

Trista caught the girl in her arms easily at the same time, she surveyed the wreckage of clothes and shoes and influx of the Sailor Girls’ paraphernalia that was everywhere.

“Wow, it looks like I’ve come at the right time,” Trista laughed once she and Usa separated.

Lita pointed at the garment bag in Trista’s left, “What’s in bag, Trista?”

“Oh,” for a moment, she had forgotten about the thing. “It’s just a little something Darien asked me to deliver to his “personal eye-candy” on his birthday.” She turned to Usa and laughed, “My guess is that he meant you.”

“Eye candy?” Usa frowned as she cautiously opened the bag. “Mina, you need to have a long talk with your brother—Oh, my God, he got me Vera Wang!” She screamed, ripping out the dress.

“There is more outside—“ Trista jumped back as Usa raced to her bedroom door and flung it open. “Yeah, shoes and—“

Usagi was kneeling in the doorway, ripping open a boxes. “A Harry Winston pink diamond necklace and matching ring!” Usagi squealed. “Ha! Eat your heart out world, my man loves me.” She cackled like a madly, like something from B-horror movie. “Vera Wang shoes and in my size, too. Ah, he’s so sweet.” She sniffed loudly. “Oh, my baby, he’s so—“

“Horny.” Hotaru snickered.

Lita cuffed her upside the head.

Rei picked up the dress and gave it a critical once over while Usa was digging through her treasures. “Usa,” she called absently, “I can see through this.”

“I was right.” Hotaru said smugly.

Usa stopped singing Darien’s praises and glared at the dress over her left shoulder before she scrambled to her feet and grabbed it. She held it up to the light and her eyes got as round as saucers.

“Oh, my.” Ami tried not to laugh.

“Mina, your brother is a pervert.” Usagi tipped her head to one side as she regarded the dress. “I have a slip. There is no way I am not wearing this dress.”

“Good,” Trista picked her away around to Usa’s desk and sat down. “The sooner you’re ready, the sooner we can leave.”

“We?” Lita asked.

Trista nodded, “I am invited of course?”

“Yeah, Puu.” Usagi smiled at her. “Thanks for the—“

“Just hurry,” she told her, “We wouldn’t want the hostess to be late for her own party.”