Hi everyone! Okay, first off, i want to
sincerely apologize for this taking so long to get out-
if you read Follow, you know why. Between that and 
just being busy in general, it's pushed this update 
WAAAAY back. So I'm sorry. Hopefully, God willing, it
won't happen again. Thank you sooo incredibly much,
everyone who's stuck with me on this fic and is still 
reading and offering opinions/advice. It's appreciated 
lots! I hope I don't disappoint with this chapter - 
it's a long one, so if nothing else, it'll keep you 
occupied for a while. And, as always, I love feedback!
You can either e-mail me (Diamond_Rouge@hotmail.com), 
go to Fanfiction.net and submit a review, or drop me a 
line on Shittenou.com (under Diamond Rouge). Any way 
you do it is great! Okay, okay, I'll let you get on 
with the story now!


General disclaimers apply, duh. None of the characters
are mine, yadda yadda yadda. Quit reading this, you 
know it already. Seriously! Get on with the story! I'm 
not kidding - you shouldn't be reading this anymore. 
Do you want your life dictated to you through
copyright infringement warnings? If I told you that 
Sailor Moon was mine, would you believe me? Would you 
call the cops? Okay, now quit reading this. NOW. 
Because I'm going to quit writing it. Ha!



I'm really done now...

Alliances, Chapter 3

	Minako pulled herself up a mere ten or fifteen 
minutes later. She could have easily continued crying 
well into the night, but the cursed corset that had plagued 
the majority of her evening had struck again. With her 
body being slightly crumpled, the haphazard position 
was really starting to kill her lungs. When she finally 
could stand it no longer, she crawled weakly back up to 
a sitting position. 
	-I have got to get out of this damned dress,- she 
thought, pulling at the lacings in the back. It untied 
relatively easily and with a whoosh of breath, was 
loosened up considerably. She pulled the entire garment 
down to her ankles and kicked it across the room. 
Usually, she would have been much more careful to not 
make such a mess, but with the given circumstances, she 
didn't much care. She walked over to her closet and 
pulled out her favorite robe, a bright gold silk one that 
cinched around the waist and ended a few inches above 
her knee. 
	-I'm so glad to be out of there,- she thought as 
she heard the music and chatter radiating through her 
balcony door, the sound traveling out of the open 
balcony of the ballroom and drifting its way to her ears. 
Being in her room was making her feel better; the 
comfort of her personal space was a refuge after the 
stressful evening. Thoughts of General Kunzite were 
quickly leaving her mind, as were thoughts of Queen 
Serenity, the Alliances, the other Senshi, and pretty 
much everything that was worrying her. She relaxed and 
let her hair down, placing the crown carefully back on its 
stand on her vanity. She brushed the golden strands until 
they glittered in the soft lights of her room.
	-I'm not in the mood to do anything to it 
tonight,- she thought as she gazed out her balcony 
doors. The Earth was hanging overhead, a beautiful 
swirling ball of green, blue, and white. It reflected a 
gentle light into Minako's room and she longed to see it 
for herself.
	-It must be beautiful,- she sighed as she walked 
out to her balcony, opening the leaded glass doors that 
led to the elegant, silver inlaid marble terrace. It was 
adorned with hanging foliage and flora, all in splendid 
bloom in the cool air. It certainly was chilly, Minako 
noticed as she shivered slightly in the night. Her balcony 
overlooked the Gardens of Venus, which were flanked 
on the far side by the Sea of Serenity and by the Moon 
Gardens on the left. The right side bordered the east 
gate of the Moon Palace, separated from it as well as 
from the Moon Garden by two tall marble walls. All the 
Inner Planetary Senshi had private gardens, arranged 
around the palace like a circular spectrum of flowers. 
Buttercups, irises, daisies…Minako saw to it they were 
all there, suspended in a state of perpetual blossoming. 
This state was, of course, aided by magic, as was nearly 
everything else in the splendid Moon Palace. It didn't 
matter to Minako that they were grown by magic, it 
simply made them prettier to look at and saved her the 
trouble of gardening, a chore she wasn't too fond of. 
Not to mention it gave some of the flowers interesting 
qualities, like bioluminescence in the case of the lilies and 
tulips. Also, all the flowers were cultivated to thrive 
under the energy of Venus that the woman possessed, 
making them almost like mood flowers. They were 
always beautiful, but when Minako was depressed, they 
seemed to cry out to her and make themselves positively 
radiant, in a seeming effort to cheer up their master. Her 
mood lightened as she looked at her gardens, each of 
the flowers touched by her energy when she walked out. 
They all stood tall and beautiful. Gentle waters trickled 
down a creek that ran through the middle of the garden, 
fed by a magical source at the top of a waterfall further 
in the back. The garden scene, coupled with the soft 
music, gentle shine of the stars, and the reflection of the 
Earth off the calm Sea of Serenity, was enough to make 
her forget her woes. She closed her eyes and let the 
wind sweep her hair back off her shoulders; it reminded 
her of the volatile weather on her home on Venus. She 
hadn't been there since she was five years old, but the 
vivid memories of the beautiful planet never left her. She 
had left a part of herself there when she departed, by 
royal decree, for the Moon, comforted only by Artemis, 
her guardian, who was allowed to come with her due to 
his association with Lunar Royalty. 
	-Artemis,- an image of her guardian flashed in 
her head, along with the look he had given her during 
their telepathic conversation in the ballroom. –He was 
smiling, but the look on his face,- she thought, -It was so 
sad.-
	She could empathize with how he must feel, 
seeing the woman whom he had practically raised being 
married off to someone she didn't love, for a cause she 
didn't care about, much less support. But he had been 
optimistic, for her…to keep her happy.
	-He's always been an optimist,- she 
remembered with a smile, leaning on the balcony's 
railing, gazing at the flowers. She sighed as she thought 
of the years they had together, recalling times when he 
had proven himself to be the father she never had. 
Minako loved Artemis dearly, and she didn't want him 
to be sad for her…a sudden feeling of guilt invaded her 
emotions. Had she let him down by running out? Her 
actions suddenly seemed headstrong and childish. She 
had to be strong, for him. She had to suck it up and 
keep smiling, just like he had told her to do when she 
was younger. She didn't want him to see her in pain; he 
wouldn't see her in pain, not anymore, she promised 
herself. No one would see her in pain; it was a 
weakness. And Minako didn't like to be weak.
She left the balcony a few minutes later, a new 
sense of resolve gathering strength in her mind. She 
climbed into her huge bed and with a soft call of 
"Lights!" was enveloped in a comfortable darkness, her 
body already warming the cool satin of the sheets. She 
yawned and turned on her side, the thoughts in her head 
lingering quietly while her consciousness faded.
	-Lonely,- she mused sadly, -Is that what I am? 
No, I'm not lonely, I'm just upset and tired. The last 
Venusian Senshi wasn't a lonely woman, and neither am 
I. I have so many people that love me – and I love my 
friends and family so dearly. How can I be lonesome 
with them around me? It's my job to take care of them 
all; it's a burden of love. I am the leader of the Planetary 
Senshi. They say it's always lonely at the top; that must 
be what I'm feeling now. I'm just a leader, though. This 
just comes with the position-
	At this point, her eyes were opened again, 
staring sternly into the darkness. She could barely trace 
the outline of her crumpled dress in the corner, the faint 
sheen of gold glinting softly showing in the night. She 
recalled the ball in her head again, thinking about her 
dance with Kunzite. His hair…it was the Palace's silvery 
swirled marble in liquid form, and his eyes…they were 
like the pictures she'd seen of the Earth's oceans when a 
school of silver fish were swimming by, intensely blue 
with hints of silvery sparkles thrown about. When he 
touched her, from the very first time when he caught her 
on her way down, it was magnetic, the power that 
radiated through his hands flowing through the satin of 
her dress and hitting her skin like a spark. And the way 
he smiled at her, she could tell it was genuine, from the 
lines it created on his tanned skin to the way it made his 
eyes squint ever so slightly. It made her want to 
melt…were it not for her sheer determination not to.
	Her eyes passed over to another part of the 
room, where shards of glass still littered the floor, each 
one glinting menacingly, reminding her of her outburst 
earlier. She fingered the scar on her palm, feeling its 
roughness cutting across her silky skin. She was bound 
to another as of tonight, Minako reminded herself. A 
political alliance.
	-He's a very nice man,- she thought, shoving the 
unwanted thoughts of Kunzite's good qualities out of her 
head, –I'm sure he's going to make a fine companion.-
And with that thought in her head, she finally fell 
asleep.

	"Good morning, Angel," a deep, melodic voice 
chimed Minako's ear. "It's time to get up."
	She groaned and shifted slightly, hearing the 
sound of something heavy being set down on her 
dresser. A pair of familiar lips pressed chastely against 
her forehead, kissing her gently, helping her return to 
consciousness.
	"Artemis," she muttered, turning over on her 
stomach. "I don't wanna get up. It's too early."
	"That it is," he agreed, sitting on the edge of her 
bed. "But you are needed in the land of the living."
	"No I'm not…and turn off the sun."
	Artemis laughed good-naturedly and stood back 
up.
	"But Minako," he said sweetly, "I made you 
breakfast."
	Immediately, Minako was fully awake. She 
flopped back over, opening her eyes just a bit, allowing 
them to adjust to the sunlight.
	"Really?" she asked, disbelieving. She hadn't 
had breakfast in bed in years…since she got sick with 
pneumonia when she was twelve years old.
	"Uh-huh," he replied, lifting the tray off her 
dresser and placing it on her expectant lap. She smiled 
excitedly and Artemis sat down beside her.
	"You're so sweet," she said as she stuffed her 
face with pancakes. "So what'd I do to deserve this?"
	"Well, I just figured it'd be nice to have a little 
privacy for once."
	"Liar," she replied, calling his bluff, "What is it 
really?"
	He smirked, picking up a grape off her tray and 
popping it in his mouth. She began to protest, but he cut 
her off.
	"I just figured you wouldn't want to be around 
the other Senshi this morning."
	"Oh, and why's that?"
	"No reason! I just wanted to spend some time 
with you, like we used to do when you were little."
	Minako continued to stuff her face with food in a 
most unladylike way. She didn't care about manners, it 
was just Artemis.
	"You are such a liar!" she laughed. "You aren't 
good at it, you know. Now tell me, why do I get to eat 
by myself this morning?"
	Artemis sighed defeatedly, "Like I said, you 
probably don't want to be around the girls for a while."
	"Are they mad at me or something?"
	"Oh no! Well, you see," he changed his tone 
slightly, becoming a bit more tender, "They're all quite 
smitten."
	Minako's face fell. She had completely 
forgotten.
"Oh, right. That."
	She set her fork down and sighed dejectedly, 
putting the cover back on the silver platter and setting it 
on the floor beside her bed. She leaned her head on 
Artemis's shoulder and he picked up her hand, rubbing it 
consolingly.
	"Wanna talk about it?" he asked gently.
	She sighed again and shrugged her shoulders, 
remembering the promise she had made to herself.
	-Pick up your head,- she ordered herself, -
Don't seem upset.-
	But she couldn't. It stayed there, comfortably 
resting on her guardian's comfortable shoulder, feeling 
just as weighed down as its owner.
	"Well," he began, shifting so that he could wrap 
an arm around Minako, "If you want to know, I talked 
to him after you left last night."
	He paused, waiting for a response, but Minako 
felt too dead to even move her eyeballs. She just sat 
there, slumped over on Artemis, mind blank.
	"He's very nice, Mina," he said, "Just like I 
thought he would be. Did you even give him a chance?"
	"Yes," she muttered. "Did you tell him why I 
left?"
	"No, I thought I'd let you do that."
	Minako was silent. 
	"So do the others really like their fiancées?" she 
asked finally, almost disbelieving.
	"Yeah, they all had wonderful times last night. If 
it's any indication, Makoto is actually cooking again."
	Minako picked up her head and looked at 
Artemis with disbelief. 
	"You're kidding," she said, astonished.
	"Nope, she was going crazy in the kitchen, 
making breakfast for everyone."
	"Whoa," she said, settling her head back on 
Artemis's shoulder. Makoto was an amazing cook, and 
used to do it all the time. She stopped, however, about 
three years before, after an awful breakup with a 
kitchen's apprentice. She said the kitchen reminded her 
too much of him, and she hardly set foot in it since then, 
much less made the effort to cook anything.
	"I'm sorry I missed that," Minako said, sincerely 
wishing she had some of Makoto's food. It was the best 
for when you were feeling down.
	"It's probably better you weren't there, 
actually," Artemis told her, "They were all still practically 
reenacting the ball when I left. You wouldn't believe 
Ami."
	"Why, what'd she do?"
	Artemis laughed softly before continuing, "Let's 
just say I haven't seen her smile that much since 
she…actually, I haven't seen the girl smile that much. 
And she was talkative, too."
	"Huh," Minako said blankly. She couldn't 
believe this. They were senshi, too…how could they just 
accept their fates like this? 
	-Wait, maybe Rei…maybe she didn't get swept 
off her feet,- she thought hopefully. But then she thought 
about the General who she was promised to. What was 
his name, Budlite? Jedite? He was very handsome, and 
blonde, to boot. Rei had a propensity for blondes.
	"What about Rei?" Minako asked, her voice 
getting weaker every time she tried to talk. A lump was 
forming in her throat and, try as she may, she couldn't 
get it to go away.
	Artemis sighed again.
	"Rei…you'll just have to see her for yourself. 
See what you think," he said softly, as if he were trying 
to lighten the blow by wording it gently. "For some 
reason, he seems to know how to handle her outbursts, 
though," he added, referring to Rei's fiery temper.
"And the Princess?" Minako asked timidly, part 
of her not even wanting the answer. She already knew it 
before he told her.
	"I'm sorry honey. She's more taken than the rest 
of them, if that's possible. Apparently Prince Endymion 
charmed her off her feet."
	Minako sighed, but somehow wasn't surprised. 
One thing, though, she was now truly alone. Princess 
Serenity should have been going through the same thing 
Minako was. How could she just give in that easily? At 
least Rei was still opposed to the idea – for the moment. 
She thought about all her friends, surely giggling and 
chatting away like they all used to do after their first balls 
on the moon, full of stories about the boys who danced 
with them and girls who looked on with envy. Only this 
time, the boys were men, men who would marry them 
very soon. The thought must have been gaining approval 
amongst the others, however, Minako still could not lift 
the sense of gloom off the entire situation. She was 
alone…the thought magnified the lump in her throat and 
sprung tears in her eyes. She sniffed and reminded 
herself that she was to be strong for Artemis, but that 
thought was quickly drowned as tears crawled down her 
cheeks.
	Suddenly, she felt as if she were 5 years old 
again, pulled into her Guardian's comforting hug, crying 
at her sense of alienation. She had done this 13 years 
previous, shedding tears over abandoning her planet. 
She cried now for abandoning her tradition; the same 
tears falling on Artemis's chest as he held his daughter in 
his arms, allowing her to fall back on him as she had 
done so many times in the past. She was so strong, 
Artemis thought, taking on the position of the leader of 
the most elite soldiers in the solar system at a young age, 
training hard and learning how to be in charge of the 
three girls who fell under her and the Princess who 
looked up to her.
	Minako sniffed. "I'm sorry," she muttered. 
Artemis kissed the top of her head.
	"You don't have to be, and you know that," he 
told her, "You never have to be."
	She looked up at him and smiled thankfully.
	"And he is very nice," he added.
	She sniffed again and laughed, pulling herself out 
of her Guardian's lap.
	"I'm sure he is," she said quietly, thinking for a 
moment.
	"The Queen wants to see me, doesn't she?" she 
asked. She felt Artemis stiffen.
	"Yes, but she's busy today. She told me to ask 
you to come by tomorrow."
	Minako grimaced at the thought of her imminent 
conversation with the Queen. If it was anything like the 
previous ones she'd had with the powerful woman, it 
wouldn't be pleasant. The Queen was always 
particularly harsh to Minako, more so than to the other 
Senshi, and even than to her own daughter. She 
assumed it was because of her rank, the fact that she 
was in one of the highest positions attainable. But all the 
same…it still made her dread even being in a room alone 
with the woman.
	"Thanks for the breakfast, Artemis," she said to 
Artemis, crawling over him to get out of bed, "I'll finish it 
while I'm getting ready. I'm going to go see the girls. Do 
we have any other things we have to do today?"
	"At six, you're all going to be briefed on the 
schedule of the wedding preparations," he replied. 
"Mina, are you sure about this?"
	"About going to see the girls?" Minako asked, 
placing a smile on her face as she brushed the tangles out 
of her hair. "I'll be fine, Artemis. Trust me."
	-You can't hide your emotions from me,- he 
flashed to her.
	The smile fell from her face.
	-Artemis,- she flashed back, -I'm telling you to 
trust me. Now please do.-
	"I do," he said out loud. "I just want you to be 
sure.  Nobody's telling you that you have to do this."
	"I know, I'm doing it because I want to. I 
promise."
	Artemis rose from her bed and placed a warm 
hand on Minako's shoulder. She turned to him and 
hugged him tightly.
	"I love you, Artemis," she said.
	"I love you, too, Minako. I wouldn't trade you 
for a daughter of my own, you know."
	"Oh, I wouldn't be so sure about that!" Minako 
giggled. "You may change your mind someday."
	Artemis rolled his eyes and started towards her 
door.
	"Don't worry about that breakfast," he told her 
as he exited, "I didn't cook it myself anyway. Go get 
some of Makoto's, while there's still some to get."
	With that thought in mind, Minako got dressed 
quickly and made her way down to the kitchen. She 
needed to have some serious conversations with her 
friends.

	The inviting smell of muffins led Minako in the 
direction of the Jupiter Senshi first. She found her in the 
kitchen amidst a sea of pots, pans, and assorted 
bakeware. Makoto was busy washing pans off in the 
sink, humming a tune that Minako didn't recognize.
	"Did you save any for me?" Minako asked as 
she sat down on the top of one of the counters.
	Makoto turned abruptly, startled by her friend's 
entrance. She smiled when she caught sight of her and 
sat down the pan she was currently drying.
	"There's just a little. The Princess was starving 
this morning," she said as she picked up a tray of muffins 
and brought them to Minako.
	"Was that a surprise to you?" Minako said with 
a laugh, taking a particularly large muffin off the tray. 
Makoto shook her head and laughed, returning to the 
sink.
	"What kind is this?" Minako asked as she 
peeled the paper wrapper off the fluffy confection.
	"Cinnamon and sugar – your favorite."
	"Thank you!" Minako exclaimed, and bit into it. 
"Oh dear Goddess, this is good. Nice to have you back, 
Mako."
	"Thanks," Makoto replied with a smile. 
"So…are you okay, Mina-chan?" she asked as she 
dried the last dish in the sink.
	"Yeah, I'm good," Minako replied softly, 
concentrating on the muffin.
	Makoto put the final pot down, dried her hands, 
and hopped up on the island countertop opposite 
Minako. They sat about four feet apart, their feet 
propped up on the opposite sides. Makoto looked 
Minako directly in the eye, concern painted on her own 
face. Apprehensively, the Venusian's eyes rose to meet 
that of her friend.
	"Are you REALLY okay?" Makoto asked 
softly.
	Minako sighed. She couldn't keep a secret from 
any of her friends, and Makoto was particularly difficult. 
She had a sort of mother's instinct, and had mastered 
the art of prying to get what she wanted.
	"No, I'm not," Minako gave in.
	"I knew it!" the brunette exclaimed. Years of 
friendship allowed Minako to interpret the nurturing look 
that was coming over Makoto's face, but she wasn't 
here for a lecture. She cut her friend off right before she 
started into her tirade that would've ended with Minako 
spilling her guts.
	"But I'm not here to mope about me," she 
asserted with a smile. "I came to talk to you…about 
you."
	Makoto searched her face for a moment, 
judging mentally how honest Minako was being. After a 
pause and an eyebrow raised in doubt, she said, "Okay, 
what's up?"
	"I just want to hear about the ball," Minako 
replied with a smile.
	-The goddess of Venus does not love, but in 
turn, can make others love,- she thought, repeating the 
mantra her successor had engrained in her head, -Take 
joy in my friend's loves. They don't have tradition 
lingering over their heads…let them be happy.-
	"It was nice," Makoto replied.
	"And?"
	"It was…enjoyable."
	"And, what about him?" Minako prodded.
	"Oh, he was nice."
	"That's all?" Minako was smiling genuinely at the 
way Makoto was holding back.
	"He was charming," she replied, a small smile 
creeping on her face.
	"And handsome?" Minako added. They both let 
out a small laugh.
	"Yes, handsome," Makoto said wistfully. 
"Gorgeous," she added.
	"Sexy?" Minako asked.
	"Definitely sexy!" Makoto exclaimed with a 
laugh. Minako's smile grew larger.
	-I want some camaraderie, but it's nice seeing 
Makoto so happy. I think she deserves this, if it all 
works out,- Minako thought.
	"I don't know about marrying him, though," 
Makoto decided after a moment, "It's all so sudden. I 
can't get comfortable with it."
	She paused and looked at Minako, wondering if 
she should continue.
	"Go on," Minako encouraged.
	"Well, I always had this ideal for getting married; 
the way it's traditionally done on Jupiter. I would choose 
a suitor, and we would court for almost a year before 
deciding whether we wanted to get married. The 
wedding would be small, too, none of this lavish crap 
that Serenity's arranging. That's the way my mother said 
her wedding was. She was the Princess of Jupiter at the 
time, along with being a Senshi, too, of course, but her 
parents would send suitors for her to the Moon. If she 
liked them, she would keep him around until she 
basically got sick of him. And then she met my dad."
	She paused a moment to sigh.
	"She said she knew as soon as she saw him that 
she wouldn't be sending him home any time soon. Within 
a month, they knew they were going to get married, but 
they had to wait that entire year before her parents 
would let them. Then, finally, my mom got to go back to 
Jupiter and they were married. I guess I always thought 
it would be the same for me."
	She sighed again, but this time it was a bit more 
melancholy. Minako felt the sudden urge to cheer her 
up.
	"Hey, don't be sad," she said, touching 
Makoto's leg gently. Makoto looked up at her and 
smiled softly. "Think about it like he's just a suitor. 
Would you keep him around?"
	"Yes!" Makoto said immediately.
	"Okay, then put him to your own test in these 
next couple weeks. Judge him on how well you think 
he'll be a companion, a support, a father, a lover-"
	Makoto couldn't stifle her giggle when Minako 
said that. 
	"You've never been one to beat around the 
bush," she said, shaking her head.
	"Not with people I'm comfortable with," 
Minako replied, "But anyway, see how he measures up 
in these two weeks. That way, you can feel like you 
know him a little better when it's time for you to tie the 
knot with him. You won't feel like you're going into it 
blindly. I know how you hate to be unprepared for 
things."
	"You've got that right. Thanks, Minako, I think 
I'm going to try that," she said, her attitude lightening 
again.
	"Good! And who knows; your mom said she 
knew in a month? Maybe you'll know in two weeks. 
Besides, he's got to be some kind of special, if you're in 
here again," Minako said gently, hoping not to throw the 
tall Senshi's mood by mentioning her absence from the 
kitchen. Makoto just looked around and smiled softly.
	"Yeah," she said quietly, "It's been too long. It 
felt good to cook this morning."
	"Feel up to making me lunch?" Minako asked 
playfully.
	"Ha! No. If you want my food, you can get 
some when everyone else does."
	Minako put on a fake pout. "But Mako-chan…"
	"Get out! If you're just going to pester me for 
food, then go!" she replied with a laugh.
	"Fine! Be that way!" Minako said, hopping 
down off the counter top. "I don't want your horrible 
food, anyway!"
	With that, Makoto had officially been provoked, 
though both girls still wore smiles on their faces.
	"Horrible?" she retorted, sliding down on the 
floor. "See if you get breakfast tomorrow, you little 
mooch!"
	"That's okay, I'll just see if I can get Sere to 
cook! Hers tastes better, anyway!"
	That did it. One reference to the Princess's 
characteristically charred food sent the Jupiter Senshi off 
running after Minako, who had the common sense to 
move after throwing an insult at the girl. She chased her 
around the kitchen with a spatula until they were at a 
standoff across opposite sides of a particularly long 
countertop.
	"Jolly Green Giant!" Minako yelled at her.
	"Venusian Slut!" Makoto retorted. The smiles 
never left the girl's faces. It was all in fun.
	Minako picked an apple up off the counter and 
lobbed it at Makoto's head, but the brunette caught it 
easily. She reared back to throw it again, but Minako 
ducked and scurried over to the exit of the kitchen.
	"Thanks for the muffin, Mako!" she said as she 
tossed the empty wrapper on the closest countertop, 
"But I don't want to stick around and become your 
target practice!"
	Makoto re-aimed the apple.
	"Then you'd better run!" she laughed.
	Minako took off down the hall, laughing heartily. 
"I am!" she called over her shoulder.
	
	Makoto's threatened apple never came, though, 
much to Minako's relief. Makoto had quite an arm.
	-Where's Ami?- Minako thought, changing 
gears as she wound her way around the corridors of the 
palace. The standard places to check would be the 
library and the pool, which were conveniently on the 
complete opposite ends of the massive palace. And 
Minako, also conveniently, was right in between them. 
She approached the intersection of hallways where she 
would have to choose right or left and thought for a 
moment. Closing her eyes, she drew into her powers to 
try to find the Princess of Mercury. Her energy was 
always tinged blue, and since there were very few with 
blue energies in the palace, Minako always had luck with 
pinpointing the pixie-like girl's location. She reached out 
her mental "feelers" and searched for blue. To the right, 
in the direction of the library…blue. 
	-Aha!- she thought.
	But then, something showed up to the left. Blue. 
	-Well, shit. This is good. Time to use some logic. 
Let's see, Ami and I are both left-handed, so…I'll go to 
the right. The library it is.-
	With that, Minako started down the long stretch 
of marble hall.

	The library was a beautiful place, a massive, 
three story haven of books, computers, art, and artifacts. 
People from all over the solar system come to the 
Library of the Moon, drawn by its extensive collection of 
literature from all the planets. Some of the most rare 
books imaginable were contained on its shelf, books 
written in the days of the Gods and Goddesses, before 
the formation of the planets as the world knew them. 
There was even a coveted collection of Earth Books, 
taken during dangerous expeditions many, many years 
ago. The library, like most of the palace, was open to 
anyone in the kingdom, and as a result, was almost 
always crowded. Today, Minako noticed as she walked 
in the main doors, was an exception. Nearly no one was 
there. Minako approached the check out counter, 
scanning the room for any sign of her blue-haired friend. 
She wasn't in sight. 
	"Excuse me, ma'am," Minako asked the 
receptionist quietly, "But has Lady Ami
been in today?"
	"Good morning, Lady Minako," the woman 
addressed her warmly. "I'm sorry to say she hasn't. 
You're the second person to ask that, though."
	A mischievous grin crept on to the receptionist's 
face.
	"Who else has inquired, may I ask?" Minako 
said.
	"Well, my Lady, I'm not positive, but I believe it 
was one of those Earth Generals that came up here 
yesterday. He had long blonde hair and these sparkling 
green eyes-"
	Minako stopped the woman. 
	"Yes, that is one of them," she replied, returning 
the woman's smile.
	-So it seems Ami's suitor is equally enraptured.-
	"Could you tell me the direction that he went?" 
she asked sweetly.
	"He asked me to point him in the direction of the 
Rare Books – that is, after he was positive I hadn't seen 
Lady Ami," the receptionist informed her. "Are you 
going to go see him?"
	"Yes," Minako replied, turning the thought 
around in her head, "I suppose I will. Thank you, 
ma'am."
	"My pleasure," the receptionist replied.
	Minako made her way up to the top floor and 
into the Rare Books room. It was relatively small in 
comparison to the rest of the library, but lavishly 
decorated in rich, deep blues. General Zoicite was in the 
back corner, scanning the shelves with his back toward 
Minako. He didn't seem to notice the tall girl enter, but 
he looked up when he heard the door click shut.
	"Princess Venus," he greeted her with a smile.
	"General Zoicite," she returned, walking over to 
him.
	"Please, don't call me General, Princess," he 
said with a charming smile, "Zoicite will do fine."
	"Well then, I forbid you to refer to me as 
Princess, Zoicite. You may call me Minako."
	-He seems very nice,- Minako thought, -He'd 
better be, though, or he won't make it to the wedding. 
Ami deserves someone who's going to treat her like a 
Queen.-
	"Very well," he conceded with a grin. "Have you 
seen Lady Ami today?"
	-Right to the point – she must be on his mind,- 
Minako thought, suppressing a giggle.
	"No, in fact, I came here hoping to find her. I'm 
sorry," she said, laughing inwardly.
	"It's alright. I'm so fascinated by all that's 
contained in this library, I'm not sure if I'd even make 
good company at this point."
	-A library fan! Perfect! They can read together 
and talk about reading and other boring things. How 
adorable!- 
	"Oh, believe me, Zoicite, Ami's positively 
enchanted by libraries. She'd talk to you for hours on 
everything in here," Minako informed him. 
	 Zoicite's smile grew a little larger. "I should very 
much like that." 
Her smile was uncontainable at this point; feeling 
the happiness from Makoto and now Zoicite was 
making her swell back up with joy. It wasn't like she 
could help it – she was too connected with love to not 
feel happy in its presence.
	"Well, when I find her, I'll send her along, then. 
Are you finding anything interesting on these shelves?"
	Minako herself wasn't sure exactly why she was 
making conversation with the quiet General. -You just 
need someone new to talk to,- she told herself, -And 
Zoicite doesn't seem like that bad a guy.-
	"Interesting hardly describes it!" he exclaimed, 
his expression brightening. "I could spend days in this 
room alone. Look at this!" he said, taking down a 
particularly large book off the top shelf. "The Lament of 
Jove, written by Zeus. And by the looks of it, I'd say it 
actually was written by him, millennia ago!"
	"Well, it was," Minako informed him. -Oh, 
Ami's going to positively adore him.-
	"But-" Zoicite seemed too dumbfounded to 
speak. "It's almost as old as time itself…it seems as if it 
should be deteriorated much more than it has!"
	"Ami could tell you the details, but I know that 
as soon as we acquired it, a charm was placed on it to 
block the aging process."
	"It's positively amazing," he said almost 
breathlessly as he returned the book to its place. He sat 
down at the nearest table and leaned back comfortably. 
"Care to sit down, Minako?"
	"Thank you," she said, and sat down opposite 
him.
	"But you know what the most fascinating thing 
is?"
	"What's that?"
	"This is the rare book room, yet over half of 
these books can be found on shelves in any Earth 
Library. Common Earth books are found to be rare on 
the Moon; it seems logical, but I had never thought of it. 
Through my scanning of the shelves in here, it looks like 
I've read almost everything in here – well, excepting the 
ones by the Gods and Nymphs and Satyrs and such. I 
didn't even know those existed."
	-So, the quiet General appears to be a bit more 
talkative. That'll be good for Ami – bless her, it's not 
that she doesn't have things to say. Maybe he'll bring it 
out of her.-
	"So is it really that common?" The question was 
a bit redundant, but Minako was just trying to get Zoicite 
to keep talking. A plan was formulating in her head as he 
rambled on.
	"Oh, yes. The library has an extensive collection 
of Earth's classic literature; it's interesting that you 
should have compiled an archive like that. Where did 
you get them?"
	"They were gathered about 200 years ago, on 
an expedition. I'm not sure of the details, seeing as how 
it was quite a ways before my and your time. Ami 
knows, though. In fact, she's rather an expert on Earth 
literature. Or, as much of an expert as a native of 
Mercury can be. I'm sure she'd be interested in 
discussing it with you. She's always looking for people 
who can speak with authority on it."
	"Great. I'll have to remember to bring that up. 
By the way, did you come to discuss anything in 
particular? I don't want to bore you with my talk of 
books," he asked.
	"Not really, I was just curious as to how you 
and the other Generals were liking your stay at the 
Palace.  Did you enjoy the ball?"
	"The Palace is marvelous," Zoicite commented. 
"Simply amazing…the combination of magic and 
technology, the artistry of it all. We're all enjoying that, I 
assure you. And the ball was very nice. You'll have to 
forgive me, I'm not much for dancing, but I believe that 
meeting Lady Ami made it worth it."
	"Oh, really?" Minako couldn't help but smile. -I 
like this one,- she thought, -He's going to be perfect for 
Ami. I hope the Rei and Makoto get such perfect 
matches.-
	"Yes, very much so," Zoicite said fervently. His 
attitude was lightening as he grew more comfortable. 
"She's-" he began, but cut himself off.
	"What were you going to say?" Minako 
prodded gently.
	"You are the Senshi of Love, are you not?" he 
asked.
	"Yes," Minako replied questioningly.
	"Well, that must be why I'm so eager to open 
my heart to you. Let me just say this: I, along with my 
fellow Generals and the Prince, had my doubts and 
reservations about this Alliance. We weren't exactly 
taken with the idea of marrying a group of strange 
women whom we had never met. But – meeting Ami, 
she's just…she's amazing. I haven't spoken to any of 
my comrades in detail since the ball, but my sentiments 
are that if this Alliance means that I'll be able to learn 
more about her, then I can't help but support it."
	Love. Minako could identify that feeling from a 
mile away, and here it was, pulsating all around her. 
Zoicite had it bad; that was obvious to her now.
	"Zoicite," she said quietly, "You don't know 
how happy I am to hear that."
	He simply smiled, and blushed softly underneath 
the wavy blonde locks that framed his face.
	"Tell me, would you like to play some chess this 
afternoon, before the meeting?" she blurted out, 
practically giggling at the plan she had formed.
	"I'd love that, Minako. I would have found Ami 
this morning and asked her, but I'm afraid I get lost 
anytime I step foot into those hallways. I wandered for 
an hour before I ran into Luna and had her direct me 
here," he said with a small laugh.
	Minako laughed, too. "I've been living here for 
thirteen years, and if I'm not careful, I'll do the same 
thing. Will you still be in here in, say, an hour and a 
half?"
	"Yes, I'll probably be in here all day. This place 
is incredible."
	"Great! In an hour and a half, then, go down to 
the second floor. In the very back, behind the section for 
Interplanetary Fiction, there are about ten chess tables."
	"My god, there's an Interplanetary Fiction 
section," he interjected, amazed. "Oh, sorry, go on."
	"Anyway, go to the table in the back right 
corner. It's right next to a window that overlooks the 
stables, and there are some scratched tally marks on it."
	"Okay, I follow," he agreed.
	"In an hour and a half, I'll be there to join you. 
Does that sound good?" she asked with a smile.
	"Wonderful," he replied, an exciting grin 
spreading on his handsome features.
	"Great, then!" Minako exclaimed, standing from 
the table. She had a new mission. "Zoicite, it's been 
wonderful meeting you."
	"You, too, Minako. I see a nice friendship 
developing."
	"As do I. I'm off, though. I have some…things 
to take care of. Enjoy looking at these books!" she told 
him, and started toward the door.
	"I will. Trust me, I will."
	"Oh! And one more thing-," Minako 
remembered. "Sit on the left side, because Am- er, I 
prefer the right. Okay?"
	"Okay," he said, grinning like an idiot, "Thank 
you again, Minako, I appreciate your company."
	"It's my pleasure," she said, and flashed him a 
sweet grin. "Good day, Zoicite, I'll see you at the 
meeting."
	-Sucker,- she thought, and stepped out the 
door.

	There was an unusual bounce in her step as she 
made her way out of the library and back down the 
hallway. The walk to the pool didn't take nearly as long, 
and Minako realized about halfway there that she had 
nearly forgotten about her worries.
	-They aren't gone,- she thought as she entered 
the pool area, -But they're certainly taking the back seat 
right now. I don't hardly think I can be overly angry at 
any of the girls for taking this so well – I mean, if their 
betrothed is good for them, then it goes against my 
nature to be opposed to it. Me, on the other hand…- 
Minako shook off the thought as she found Ami 
swimming laps.
	"SHARK!" she yelled as Ami came up for air at 
the side of the pool. It succeeded in scaring the blue 
haired girl, and she coughed out the breath she was 
about to use to go back underwater.
	"Good goddess, Minako!" she exclaimed as she 
turned to see who had scared her, "I didn't see you 
come up!"
	"That was the point," Minako said playfully as 
she sat down on a dry diving board. Ami swam up to 
join her.
	"You're in surprisingly good spirits this 
morning," Ami said, floating with the ease of a lotus.
	-I still don't know how she does that,- Minako 
noted, -I guess there are advantages with being the 
Senshi of Water.-
	"Yeah, Makoto put me in a good mood, and the 
day's only gotten better since."
	"I'm glad to hear that. We all missed you at 
breakfast this morning," she added.
	"Thanks. I was talking to Artemis, or I would've 
come," Minako explained.
	"It's okay, I understand."
	"You always do, Ami-chan."
	The nymph-like girl just smiled and lay back in 
the water. She didn't make any effort to keep herself 
afloat, yet she bobbed up and down at the surface like 
she was made of cork.
	"How did you like the ball?" Minako asked.
	Even though her ears were a good bit 
underwater, Ami heard the question and responded. It 
was another Water Senshi ability; Minako was used to it 
by now.
	"I enjoyed it. It wasn't the same after you left; 
we were all really worried, you know," she said.
	"I was okay," Minako said, "I've just got to sort 
some things out."
	"I know. You'll figure it all out soon enough, I 
trust you."
	Minako smiled. "Thanks," she said, "But go on. 
I want to hear more about the ball."
"Well, you know I don't like dancing all that 
much, but I was in good company. Zoicite isn't at all as I 
anticipated."
-You got that right! He fooled me, too,- Minako 
thought.
	"What did you expect?" Minako asked.
	"I'm not sure, really. I suppose I was expecting 
him to be older, first off, and also for him to be more 
militaristic. He's actually quite the intellect."
	"Sounds good for you."
	"I suppose. And he's very frank, too, which I 
appreciate. Late in the evening we both discussed our 
opinions on the whole Alliance issue. He told me outright 
that he and his fellow Generals weren't fond of the 
concept, and I told him that we Senshi were of the same 
opinion. Only…" she trailed off and righted her body in 
the water again. She looked up at Minako with her 
piercing blue eyes. Minako waited for her to go on. A 
bit of her natural shyness surfaced as she searched for 
the words to say.
	"Only, I don't think I was totally truthful. I know 
that in situations like this, it's best to go with my head, 
and all logical thought insists that this isn't right, and I 
should be feeling opposed to this, but…" Ami trailed off 
again, and Minako couldn't help but smile. Ami could 
figure out differential equations in her sleep, but in simple 
matters of the heart? She was clueless. Minako decided 
to help her along.
	"Only your heart's telling you something 
different, right?" she asked.
	"Right," Ami replied softly. "I think I've met my 
match in him."
	-I think I'm the only one who knows how right 
you are, Ami,- Minako thought with a small smile.
	"I only hope he warms up the idea, also. Last 
night he was very adamant that the Planets were making 
a mistake," she said worriedly.
	Minako laughed inwardly. -So, it seems Zoicite 
couldn't be quite honest with Ami, either. This is 
positively adorable.-
	"Ami, would you like to play some chess later?" 
she asked, barely concealing the mirth in her voice. She 
couldn't wait any longer to put her plan in action; already 
she was bursting at the seams for not being able to tell 
anyone.
	"Sure," Ami replied as she swam leisurely. "You 
haven't wanted to play in months, Mina-chan. What 
gives?"
	"Oh, nothing. I was just thinking of a new 
strategy. I wanted to try it out. What are you doing in 
about an hour and a half?"
	-It's a strategy, all right. I'm going to put them 
both in checkmate,- she thought with a grin.
	"I don't have anything planned until the meeting 
at six. So I'll meet you in the library?"
	"Yeah," Minako said, "At our regular table."
	"Great! I haven't played in a while. This will be 
nice." 
	"It sure will," Minako agreed, "I'll let you get 
back to your laps, though. Do you know where Rei is?"
	"Yeah, she was grumbling about going to work 
out, I think. Go check the gym; you know how she gets 
when she's worked up over something."
	"Do I ever! Anyway, Ami, I'll see you in the 
library, okay?" Minako said as she stood from the diving 
board.
	"Alright, it's a date," Ami replied, and ducked 
underwater for another lap.

	Minako giggled as soon as she stepped out of 
Ami's earshot; this was working out better than she had 
thought. The gym wasn't far away from the pool, so 
within a minute she could hear the distinct sound of a 
punching bag being hit…hard.
	"Rei-chan?" Minako asked boldly as she 
stepped into the Senshi's private gym. It was a huge 
room, complete with an indoor track, exercise 
equipment, a fighting ring, and a weight training area. Rei 
was currently found assaulting the punching bag next to 
the ring, beating the dead weight with her taped fists. 
She made no move to greet Minako. Minako grabbed 
the bag from behind, giving her friend something to work 
against.
	"Ready to go ten rounds with Jadeite?" Minako 
provoked.
	"Like…hell…I am," Rei replied, throwing 
punches between her words. She kept her focus on the 
bag.
	"What'd he do to you?" Minako inquired. Rei 
dropped her hands and looked at Minako furiously.
	"You wanna know?! Ugh! He is the most 
insensitive asshole I've ever met!"
	Minako laughed at her friend's temper. She was 
just as fiery as the element she controlled.
	"Well what'd he do? Quit bitching and tell me."
	She was dying to know. The things that set Rei 
off were nearly always minor, laughable, even.
	"He insulted me like you wouldn't believe!"
	"I have a hard time believing that, Rei-chan," 
Minako said, lowering her arms from the punching bag.
	"Well believe it!"
	"What did he say?"
	"He said that if I was as incompetent a wife as I 
was a dancer, then he'd have to re-think his stance on 
marrying me! Can you believe it? I could have kicked 
him!"
	Minako was shocked. "Did he really say it like 
that?"
	"Yes! Well, yeah, kind of."
	"Rei…" Minako said threateningly, "How did 
the whole thing happen, exactly?"
	"He said it, I blew up at him, and he…he just 
STOOD THERE and smirked at me, Minako! Just like 
you do! Oh, that makes me madder than anything else!"
	-That's the only way to deal with you, Rei,- she 
thought, -It's a good thing he learned that quick.-
"Why did he say it, Rei-chan?"
	"Because…well, we got tired of dancing, and I 
was being nice-" she put emphasis on 'being nice', 
knowing the impending reaction from Minako, "So we 
went out to the balcony. I was actually enjoying myself, 
and jokingly I apologized if I stepped on his feet at all, 
because you know how much I hate to dance, and this is 
exactly what he said – he goes, 'You didn't, thank 
goodness, because if you were an incompetent dancer, I 
don't think I'd want-'" and then she stopped. "Well, it 
was something to the effect of what I said before! 
Anyway, it made me furious!"
	Minako burst out laughing. 
	"Oh, he said it exactly like that, did he?" she 
choked out. She had caught Rei in her mistake, having 
once again let loose her wrath on a poor, undeserving 
victim. Minako leaned on the punching bag for support. 
"Rei, you and your temper! Poor Jadeite, I hope you 
apologized to him!"
	A swift punch to the bag sent Minako stumbling 
back, stopping her laughter.
	"Good goddess, what was that for?"
	"You! I hate it when you do that!"
	"Do what?" Minako asked. -Don't mess with 
me, Rei,- she silently warned, wondering how far her 
best friend was going to push her.
	"When you…you never let me be angry!" Rei 
yelled, throwing her hands up in defeat.
	"You say that now…you know you'll thank me 
later," Minako said, exhaling her apprehensive breath. 
Rei was her closest friend, but with the volatility of a 
tornado, it wasn't an odd occasion for the two to really 
get into it. 
	"Yeah…I know I will. Shut up," Rei muttered, 
sitting down on a nearby bench.
	"No," Minako refused with a smile.
	"I'll kick your ass," Rei threatened, but the 
seriousness was gone from her voice.
	"Bring it on," Minako replied, joining her on the 
bench.
	"Oh, I'd just embarrass you," the raven-haired 
girl sighed. She was smiling now.
	"Suuure. You're just afraid I'll give you a black 
eye – what would your blondie say to that?" Minako 
knew she was treading on dangerous ground now, but 
she was determined to get Rei talking about this guy. 
Minako already had her thoughts about their 
relationship, but she needed to hear a little more before 
making up her mind.
	"I don't care what Jadeite would say to that! If 
he made any comment at all I'd give him one to match 
it."
	"And you know, it's true what they say – you 
always hurt the ones you love," Minako mused and gave 
a look of exaggerated wistfulness, batting her eyelashes 
at Rei. Rei glared daggers at her friend.
	"I hate you," she muttered.
	"I know, dear," Minako replied consolingly, 
"But I know something you don't know."
	Rei stood up and stuck her tongue out at 
Minako.
	"I don't care what you know," she said, and 
began punching the bag again. The ferocity was gone 
from her eyes now, though, and she was more subdued 
in her attack.
	"Oh that's a lie!" Minako exclaimed, laughing as 
she stretched out on the now empty bench. "You really 
want to know what I know, you know."
	Rei grinned at her little tongue-twister.
	"What's so important about what you know, 
then?" she asked.
	"Oh, only that it concerns Ami being put it a 
situation that'll scare her to death."
	Rei stopped punching again and perked up. 
"Are you going to put another cockroach in her tea?"
	Minako laughed. "Oh god, Rei, we were ten 
years old when I did that! No, it doesn't involve anything 
with more than two legs."
	"So what two legged thing DOES it involve?" 
Rei asked, leering suspiciously at Minako, who was 
presently lounging on the bench, eyes closed.
	"Oh, nobody important, only General Zoicite," 
she said nonchalantly, a grin creeping at her lips. Rei 
gasped excitedly.
	"Nobody important, my ass! Mina, what did you 
do? Tell me!!" she exclaimed, dropping to her knee and 
shaking her friend. Minako sat up and smiled.
	"Meet me in the library foyer in an hour and I'll 
show you," she stated, fighting the temptation to giggle 
like she did when she was ten years old and putting 
roaches in her squeamish friend's drink. "This one's 
gonna be good."
	Rei didn't fight the temptation. She stood up as 
she burst out into laughter.
	"I can't wait!" she exclaimed.
	"I know, me either – you don't even know 
what's going to happen yet!" Minako pointed out.
	"Yeah, but I've got a feeling you're really right 
about this one. I'm gonna go get a shower and get 
ready, and then I'll meet you in there. One hour," Rei 
confirmed.
	"Yep, an hour! If you see any of the girls, 
especially Ami, don't tell her where you're going. She 
can't see you or me before she goes in the library, 
okay?" Minako instructed, walking with her friend in the 
direction of the showers.
	"Okay, gotcha. So where are you going until 
then?" Rei asked.
	"I think I'm going to go find the Princess," 
Minako said. "I've –
	Rei rolled her eyes and cut Minako off.
	"Go check the Moon Gardens," she advised, 
"I'm sure you'll find her flitting around the new 'plant'."
	"Hmm, okay," Minako agreed curiously. Rei 
didn't seem to be offering any more information than 
that, however, just a slightly exasperated expression and 
a roll of her eyes. The taller blonde turned to the left, 
headed towards the exit.
	"Thanks for the tip, Rei," she called to her 
friend, "I'll see you in an hour."
	"Yeah, sure thing. But Minako – I'm warning 
you. The Princess has it BAD. You're gonna be 
shocked."
	-I can't wait…- Minako thought as she exited 
the gym.

	Rei was right. Finding the Princess was a breeze; 
she was right where Rei said she would be. However, 
the new plant wasn't the only thing she was fawning 
over. The great Prince Endymion had made an entrance 
in the sprawling Royal gardens, and now the younger 
Serenity was caught between gazing wistfully at him and 
gazing wistfully at the freshly planted, fully bloomed, red 
blossomed flora. It was upon sight of Endymion's 
smirking grin and the Princess's wide, dreamy eyes that 
Minako changed her plans.
	-I'll just stay right here,- she thought with a sigh 
as she leaned against an apple tree, shaded from the 
Royalty's sight by a particularly tall Azalea bush. 
Crossing her arms over her chest, she watched as 
centuries of tradition were washed away by deep blue 
eyes and flowers. Watching the young Princess made 
Minako's heart pull – she looked so happy, so 
consumed by the element that flowed through Minako's 
core. In any other situation, had it been any other 
person, the sight would have made her elated, thrilled at 
seeing the blossoming of love between two young 
people. But she just couldn't feel that. Minako had long 
since placed her barrier between love and destiny – and 
consequently, decided resolutely which was to take the 
precedence in her life. She understood not only her duty 
as a soldier and a leader, but also the value of her 
culture's traditions, and her responsibility to uphold that.
	-I get it,- Minako wondered, -Why doesn't the 
Princess?- 
	It wasn't as if she hadn't been told. The rigid 
guidelines that made up the Senshi and Princess's lives 
had been firmly engrained in them since childhood. As 
youth, accounts of preceding Senshi served as their 
bedtime stories, tales of protecting the Queens of long 
ago and the very elements which they now possessed 
filling their heads as they drifted off to sleep. As they 
aged, so the stories changed, until they became a mantra 
during their training and a constant reminder during their 
schooling. It made the Senshi all keenly aware of their 
responsibilities to their Princess, above all, to their 
elements, after that, and finally, to their native planets.
	-The Princess had a different order of duty,- 
Minako recalled as Endymion deftly plucked a 
particularly large blossom. He snuck it behind his back 
while the Princess played at the edge of a nearby 
fountain. -Her Kingdom first, then her element, purity, 
and then peace. Now, she's unknowingly sacrificing all 
three.-
	Minako looked away as the Prince snuck up 
behind Serenity and presented her with the flower, much 
to the sprightly girl's excitement.
	"So much for a good day," Minako muttered 
softly, glancing back up in time to see the Prince whisper 
something in Serenity's ear. A moment later, Endymion 
walked away, after a few steps turning to subtly motion 
to the Princess. With an innocent glance around her, she 
took off after him, flower in hand, out of the gardens. 
Minako, by force of habit, began to dart after her when 
a voice stopped her dead in her tracks.
	"It must be difficult having a bundle of curiosity 
for a Princess," he said quietly, and Minako turned 
abruptly, emitting a tiny "Eep" of surprise. It would have 
been more, but her heart seemed to jump into her throat 
as she turned, effectively squelching her larynx. Eyeing 
Kunzite carefully, she searched for a response.
	"More than you know," she finally replied, and 
unconsciously let out a quiet sigh.
	-My defenses must be way down,- she thought 
angrily, -I didn't even sense him coming.-
	But there he was, leaning on the same apple tree 
that Minako had just vacated, staring at her with a look 
combining hurt and intrigue. His formal attire had been 
shed for more casual clothing, and his hair was loose 
from its previous binding, making him look less like an 
affianced General than, well, just a man.
	Minako was caught in a fight-or-flight situation, 
both wishing to make amends for her sudden exit the 
day before and wanting to get as far away from him as 
possible. As a result, she was frozen to the patch of 
grass her feet happened to be planted on. She made no 
move to speak.
	"The plant is called a rose," Kunzite informed 
her, his voice still quiet. "Endymion had it delivered from 
Earth. I think it's technically called a Rose Eternas, but, 
basically it's just a rose."
	Minako softened a bit and glanced over her 
shoulder, eyeing the garden's new addition.
	"It's pretty," she commented, matching the 
volume of his tone. "I've seen prettier, though."
	"So have I," Kunzite remarked, the slightest hint 
of suggestion in his voice. Minako's head snapped back 
in his direction as she read his expression, trying to 
decide if there was meaning behind his words. His 
impassive face offered no clues.
	The General was so different than he was the 
night before, she realized. At the ball, he had been much 
more lighthearted and open. Now, he seemed 
mysterious, and Minako's attempt to grasp his aura 
resulted in meeting a hard, well-placed barrier.
	-It seems I've met another telepath. Must be 
why I didn't detect him,- she thought as she sensed 
around the artificial wall. After a moment, she gave up 
and closed off her mental connections.
	"So it's safe to say that you're not impressed, 
then," Minako asked, wondering silently why she was 
still having this conversation instead of running far, far 
away.
	"With the rose? Well, it's a beautiful flower," 
Kunzite replied.
		At his silence, Minako raised an urging eyebrow.
"Roses are common. There's really only one 
flower I'm particularly impressed with," he continued, 
"It's rare, but it's worth the search."
	Minako pondered the double meaning. Or was 
there a double meaning? She wasn't sure if perhaps she 
was making the whole thing up. Maybe he just liked 
flowers. She chose her next sentence carefully.
	"And have you found this flower?" she asked.
	"Very recently," he replied, holding her attention 
with his eyes. They were unwavering in their investigation 
of her own.
	"And was it worth the search?"
	"More than you know," Kunzite replied, and 
shifted his weight off the tree. "Good day, Minako," he 
said, and set off before she could reply.

	It had to be at least ten minutes before her 
nerves were quieted. The encounter with her betrothed 
had left every part of her shaky, from her knees, to her 
hands, to her mind. A walk around the garden helped 
calm her turbulent thoughts as she tried to simply push 
Kunzite and Serenity from her mind. Serenity was a 
worrying presence, Kunzite was an unnerving one. The 
resulting combination made Minako feel as if she were 
going crazy. The lack of control only served to make her 
angry, and it was in that mood that she stalked around 
the serene gardens. Finally, desperately, she plopped 
down on a bench beside a bubbling stream and closed 
her eyes. She slowed her breathing first, and 
concentrated on the inhalations and exhalations. Nagging 
thoughts still bit at her mind, but she was able to quiet 
them as she turned her concentration to the rushing 
water. Meditating, she pictured the water washing her 
worries away, promising herself silently that she would 
face them soon. Just not now, she thought as her 
shoulders relaxed. She sighed gently and focused on the 
sound of the stream, listening as it consumed more of her 
thoughts than did the annoying questions and 
contemplations. After a few moments of refreshment, 
she opened her eyes, feeling exponentially more peaceful 
and genuinely better. 
	-The water has an amazing effect,- Minako 
noted as she reluctantly stood from the bench. -Must be 
why Ami is always so calm.-
	"Wait a minute," she said out loud, before 
exclaiming, "AMI! I almost forgot!"
	Suddenly, all Minako's fears and worries were 
truly forgotten as the tall blonde rushed off to the library. 
At that moment, love was in the air, and Minako knew it 
might be just the thing to give her friend's elemental 
tranquility a good scare – and she wasn't about to miss 
it.

	Ami and Zoicite should have known better, 
really. Well, maybe not Zoicite, since he had just met 
Minako, but Ami had no excuse. It was too obvious a 
plan, too typical a concoction - a trick so easily pulled 
off it had Minako's name veritably written all over it. 
But, for all its blatancy, the trap worked like a charm, 
and Minako and Rei couldn't have been happier. They 
had earlier settled in at a conveniently located bookshelf, 
sitting on the floor to peer through the open space on 
one of the shelves, out of sight from the players in their 
set-up. On their way in, they had commented about the 
convenience of their friend's lack of psychic powers – it 
enabled them to simply sit back and watch the show and 
not have to worry about detecting energies. Watching 
the show was exactly what they did, smiles plastered on 
their faces as they quelled their giggling and chatting, 
happy as the scene unfolded in front of them.
	It began with an ever-punctual Ami. Wandering 
in at precisely three o'clock, she took a seat at the table 
that had all but officially been made hers, easing into the 
chair the same chair that she used to have to climb up to 
in her youth. Crossing her legs and leaning her head on 
her hand, she traced a fingernail down the many tally 
marks lining the edge of the table. That was one of the 
few rules that Ami had ever broken in the palace, but 
defacing that particular piece of public property had 
worked its way into a habit for her. It had begun years 
ago when winning a game of chess against her school 
tutor, her visiting parents, or her elders was an occasion 
to be proud of. Very quietly, as she worked her 
opponent into checkmate, she would scratch a tiny line 
into the lacquer of the wood. At five years old, the 
marks were few and seldom, each one a tiny celebration 
in itself, but through the years they multiplied, just like 
her ability, until they covered nearly half of the border on 
her side of the table. 
	She traced the marks again, probably counting 
them for the umpteenth time, for close to five minutes 
before a confused-looking General Zoicite came rushing 
up to the chess area. He stopped abruptly when he saw 
who was sitting at the table he was notified to go to, 
thinking for just a moment before realization dawned on 
him.
	"Lady Ami," he said coolly as he approached 
the table, extending a hand as he approached her. She 
didn't stand, but smiled and offered her hand to him in 
return. Placing a kiss on it, he smiled warmly. The 
slightest bit of color sprang to Ami's cheeks.
	"How wonderful to see you, General Zoicite. 
Have you seen Lady Venus today?" she asked politely.
	"Actually, yes – I spoke with her earlier. Are 
you expecting her?" he asked, cleverly playing dumb.
	"She was supposed to meet me here for a game. 
Did she happen to say anything about it?" Ami inquired.
	"Not a word, Lady. But she did seem busy. 
Said she had things to do right up until the meeting this 
evening," Zoicite responded casually, playing everything 
off with the ease of an experienced actor. Ami was 
buying it.
	"Well that's odd," she mused, "I wonder why 
she would have asked me to play chess if…" Suddenly, 
a knowing smile crept onto her face. Too clever to 
reveal what she had just discovered, she did like Zoicite 
had, and faked it. "Nonetheless! She must have simply 
been forgetful. Since you're here, would you care to join 
me for a game?" she asked boldly, offering the seat 
opposite her with a smooth gesture of her hand.
	"I would love to," he accepted with a beaming 
grin, and sat down opposite her. It couldn't have gone 
more perfect if Minako were standing there delivering 
lines. The Kings, Queens, and Pawns were set up, and 
the game began amidst lively conversation. However, 
after an hour of game play, concentration had moved to 
the board as they both realized their opponent's ability. 
At this point, Ami had just added a Rook to her 
collection of Zoicite's pieces, making her count one 
more than the five he had taken from her. Zoicite now 
stared at the board firmly, taking his time to make his 
next move.
	"Damn it, Minako, chess is boring," came Rei's 
whisper from behind the bookshelf. Minako shushed 
her, even though the whisper was sufficiently quiet.
	"I know," she replied, "But give them some 
time."
	"They're not going to do anything on their own. 
They're both way too concerned with winning the 
game."
	Minako sighed with mock exasperation. "You're 
always so impatient, Rei."
	"Shut up and do your thing, Aphrodite," Rei 
replied, nudging her friend with her elbow.
	"Okay, okay!" Minako whispered, "Now you 
shut up before they hear us. I can't do it to Ami, you 
know. She may not be a telepath, but she will recognize 
my voice if I'm sitting there whispering in her head."
	"So do it to Zoicite, then!" Rei replied anxiously.
	"I am! Hush, I need to concentrate."

	It started out as a tiny prick in Zoicite's thoughts, 
but it was enough to make him glace up from the board 
at the woman sitting opposite him. It wasn't as if he 
hadn't noticed her beauty before, but for some reason, 
he had been snapped out of total concentration by a 
request to look at her again. He studied Ami for a 
moment, the game momentarily forgotten. She bit her lip 
softly as she studied the chess board, oblivious to 
Zoicite's studies. He noted the glow of her skin, the 
contradiction it made against the cerulean blue of her 
hair. It made the artistic side of him long to recreate that 
color, to find the rich sheen of it's cropped beauty and 
put it on canvas.
	-And just look at her eyes,- the voice in his head 
whispered softly, melodically. It was unusual to have 
someone guiding his thoughts, but it wasn't a particularly 
unpleasant experience. Anything that gave him the 
opportunity to look at the goddess in front of him was a 
welcome distraction. At that precise moment, Ami 
glanced up and met his intent look.
	-Isn't she gorgeous?- the voice asked. Zoicite 
stared, dumbstruck, his gaze traversing the two feet 
between them to meet the intensity of her eyes. Ami 
returned his look for a long moment before speaking 
softly.
	"It's your turn," she whispered.
	-Look at the board,- the voice in Zoicite's head 
whispered again. -Check, right there.-
	And sure enough, there it was. Zoicite took the 
opportunity after a moment's contemplation, moving his 
last Bishop into a spot opposite her King. Ami's mouth 
dropped a bit – nobody had managed to put her in 
check in years. Not since she took that trip to Neptune 
three years ago, but that was an exception – Neptune 
was home to some of the best chess players in the 
Galaxy.
	"Check," Zoicite announced softly.
	"I…I see that," she replied, eyes back on the 
board, searching for the best move. Her fingers tapped 
anxiously on the table as she calculated before 
successfully removing her King from danger. After a few 
minutes and a few more moves from either side, Ami 
smiled triumphantly.
	"Checkmate," she announced, relief obvious in 
her voice.
	Zoicite checked the board.
	"Au contraire," he retorted a moment later.
	"What?" Ami was shocked.
	"Look," Zoicite offered, picking up his King and 
moving it to the complete opposite side of the board. 
	"There, now it's better."
	"What?!" Ami gaped, "You can't do that!"
	"Why not? My King can jump really well."
	Ami laughed, amusement tickling her voice.
	"Oh yeah?" she threatened, "Well, my queen 
can come back from the dead!"
	With that, she plucked her previously taken 
Queen from Zoicite's side of the board and used it to 
knock his King over. He gaped in mock disgust.
	"I can't believe you would do such a thing! 
Cheating at chess, Lady!" Zoicite exclaimed, aghast. 
	Ami couldn't stop giggling.
	"That's it! I'm leaving!" she announced, faking 
offense, and stood up from the table. She sniffed 
haughtily and began to walk away, but was followed 
instantly by a smiling Zoicite. He grabbed her arm and 
she turned abruptly in his grasp, a giddy smile matching 
his on her face. He didn't let go, and their bodies were 
just inches apart.
	"Oh, don't leave!" he begged, tugging a bit on 
her arm. "I was just about to win!"
	"You most certainly were not!!" she retorted, 
twisting her captive limb free.
	"Well, you started the whole thing!" 
	"By what, winning fair and square?"
	"Yes!"
	She shoved him gently on the chest, her smile 
increasing more than seemed possible, a very un-library-
like laughter escaping her lips. And Zoicite thought she 
looked all the more beautiful for it – he didn't need 
Minako's help to be falling in love now. Her caught her 
hand easily and grinned. Ami's smile softened with 
curiosity as she glanced at the now immobilized digits, 
after a moment taking initiative that shocked even 
Minako by intertwining her fingers with his. Zoicite's 
breath caught in his throat as she looked up at him 
timidly. She stood on her tiptoes, and craned her neck to 
reach his height.
	"Well I'm going to finish it, too, then," she 
declared softly, and brought her lips to meet his. After a 
bare brush of a kiss, she pulled away and blushed. 
	"Checkmate."
	"Oh, I won't contest that one at all. You win."
	Ami giggled softly and looked into his eyes. She 
barely had time to note his surprised expression before 
their lips met again.