GOM ITF:
AN:
1. Here's chapter 5. Two more to go. Again, I apologize for messing up the spelling of the names...so much for my resolution to be consistent! I'm too busy with schoolwork to edit right now, and as I have internet access for only a month and 1/2 more, I'd rather post hastily than not at all. The one promise i *will* keep is to post the whole story--I refuse to leave people hanging. :).
2. If you want more, before its posted, write alinasan@yahoo.com and tell me what you've read up to (so I know which chapters to send you) and I'll send it to you as soon as I can. I have the next two chapters for this, and all of the next two stories after this. (Lita's and Amy's stories...the final one is Mina's. I've only written the first chapter of that.)
Silver Millenium Ball
"This was a good idea, it was extremely hot in there!" Rei breathed in, as Jaedite escorted her onto the balcony room overlooking the Gardens of the Moon Palace.
He laughed. "That's because you kept wanting to dance...you do that very well by the way!"Forming his powers he concentrated and produced a small white lily like the one she wore in hair...
"A Casablanca....these are my favorite flowers!" "She said enchanted by the simple spell... "Oh it's beautiful..."
"Not as much as you..." He whispered, leaning forward to caress her cheek. "You're something special... " She blushed.
"You shouldn't say these things...I might think you mean all those compliments." She teased.
"You think I don't?" he said, his tone light. A smile played on his lips.
"You aren't the serious type...OH! Look, I never noticed it before, but all the trees form the pattern of a Rabbit!" She looked out over the gardens below, neatly changing the subject.
He leaned over the balustrade next to her. "You're right! Funny..from the Earth all we see is the back side of the Moon... The side with the craters."
"That's the ugliest part of it too! How sad!" Rei commented. "It's a beautiful place though..."
"The Moon does look beautiful on Earth-- the thing is I mentioned the craters because they *form* a rabbit--at least, that's what I see when I look up at it. I wonder what the significance of the rabit is?"
"Not everything has symbollic meaning. Look at the Earth! It's beautiful, but I don't see any patterns in it. And isn't that Mars" She pointed. He leaned in closer... "Where" he whispered in her ear--"I don't see it...but then, I'd rather look at *this* Mars..."
She turned, her eyes meeting his. Slowly, her face moved into his, and he leaned forward and gently kissed her. She pulled back surprised.
"Lord Jaedite!!" She said.
"I've wanted to do that for a year."
"Then what stopped you!?" She blurted out, her hand coming up to late to stop the admission.
"Your cousin, your father...and You." He smiled. "I hope you didn't mind?"
She turned away, so he could see her only in profile..."And now?" She asked... "What changed?"
He smiled, and moved forward to hold her again... "I decided that I was more afraid of not telling you how I feel, then of telling you."
"I see.."She seemed to be weighing his words. She turned back towards the garden.
"So...are you going to give me another punnishment now, for insulting you?" He asked smiling boyishly.... "We're a little far for me to clean the canals..."
"Oh no!" She blushed again, half-turning to face him... "I was so mean to you that day! "
"You weren't, I deserved everything you did...I thought too much of my self, and needed to be taken down a peg or two." He took her hands in his. "But, then I've never enjoyed a punnishment so much either...." The movement pulled her around to face him again.
Her blush and smile deepened. "So you said." Her voice was coy. "And I told you then you'd enjoy the reward much more..." He grinned and lowered his head again to hers-- "About that reward..." Rei closed her eyes, as she felt his arms encircle her...She was so glad no one else was there...it was like their own private world...
A little while later, Jaedite went to refill their glasses of Moon Punch, and Rei gazed over the gardens. As she heard him approach she said. "Isn't that Queen Beryl?" She pointed to the figure of a woman stalking through the gardens.
He peered down. "Wonder what she's doing out there?"
"Does she know Endymion's here? Perhaps they arranged to meet...That's so romantic...I didn't know he had that in him..." She smiled down.
"Actually, I think he's avoiding her. I wouldn't mention him to her if I were you." He cautioned.
"But why? They *are* engaged.." She said sipping the frizzy white beverage.
"I doubt he's meeting her...he can't stand her." He laughed. "I'm sure she doesn't know he's here... He's not supposed to be after all."
"If he doesn't even like her, why is he marrying her? He never told me that!" She asked her voice softening out of sympathy. "Why is she so awful?"
" To know Beryl is to...dislike her." He put down his glass... "I can't explain why....I feel bad for him..."
"Oh! I do too...I wish he could marry for love!" She sighed. "But I suppose politics and duty prevent such things..."
"Would they prevent that for you?" He asked, his voice suddenly serious.
She frowned... "I don't know...but then, I had not thought about that..." She blushed. "Somethings you cannot talk about...."She said more quietly, as she drained her glass and set it down.
"I'd like to know...." He said leaning down and taking her hand, as he knelt below her. "Otherwise, I'm not sure that a lowly warrior such as myself has a right to court you."
"Be serious." she said pulling her hands away and pushing his shoulder playfully.
"I am, though I feel too happy to be serious ...Will you marry me?--" He said, the words forming of their own accord....
"Rei? Did you hear me?" He asked as she leaned against the balcony wall, wide eyed in shock.
"What did you say?" She said, regaining some composure.
"I said I want to marry you...The Goddess of the Moon protect me, but I think I fell in love with you the moment I saw you!"
"This...it's too much!!" She said, pulling away and leaning over the balcony. She took a huge gulp of air. She was drawn to this man...she felt alive and warm when she was near him--but marry? How could she when she'd just started her duties gaurding the Princess? He was the Prince's gaurd...She was only eighteen!
She heard him utter a low oath... "I'm Sorry, Princess Mars....."He bowed slightly.. "I..." IDIOT...he thought to himself...why had he said that? He shouldn't...at least not so *soon*.... He couldn't shake the feeling though, that he would never get another chance..."If you would prefer, I never said ...what I just did."
She looked up, and then turned around to face him. She met his eyes, holding his gaze she stepped forward, leaned in and kissed him.
He held her, until his curiosity won over passion and he pulled back and asked "Does this mean..." He trailed off again.
"I mean yes." She said. "Yes I will marry you, Lord Warrior Jaedite!" Her eyes shined... "That is...*IF* My Father and Queen Serenity approve and permit me to do so...and IF" She smiled coyly "You earn such a reward!"
He laughed, the tension shooting out of him. "And...how would I do that, My Lady?"
She merely smiled. "You'll figure that out..."
He grinned... "Would it hurt my cause to give you this?" He handed her a small case, holding a delicate gold ring of rubies and moonstones,forming an infinity symbol. "This was my grandmother's ring." He said.
"It's so..."She didn't complete the words ..."But I can't wear it...not yet! I have ..."
"Permission from the Queen? Surely you could wear it as a necklace then?" He asked..."I wish I had one...or that I were Mal, he can form gold with his power... Or..."
"There..." She said having put it on the simple gold chain she was wearing. "Until the ring can answer for my heart, I shall wear it near my heart..." She smiled...
"If only you weren't leaving tomorrow!" She cried then.
"Then let's make the most of tonight then, my love..."he smiled, at being able to finally call her that. She blushed, but moved closer in his embrace.
present day
After the plane took off, Serena went to meet Darrien and Rei and Lita walked off together towards the temple. Lita smiled, admiring the view "It's too bad Ami and Mina will miss Chad's wedding, ...I bet it'll be really pretty here with the Cherry Blossoms in bloom." Rei suddenly noticed a flower box with two dozen white roses in it. " If things work like I think,there won't be one to miss. Chad'll come to his senses before this Saturday ...."Rei said excitedly, noting the expensive floral shop signature. "These are probably to thank me for saving him last night! She smiled, lost in her fantasies as she said. "I better go put these in some water." Lita began to read the card. Rei returned with the vase just as Lita's breath drew in sharply. "What's that?" She said, tenderly touching the flowers-- revelling in the scent. She noticed Lita reading the card. "Hey, that's private!" She said snatching the card away.
"They're not from Chad! "
"Well who else would they be from?" Rei asked her voice growing sharper
"They're from Sarah! The card says--"thanks for saving my love...do you think these flowers will work for the wedding? See you for tea? Sarah"" Lita could barely finnish she could not stop laughing. "Sorry Rei" She wiped the tears out of her eyes but your're expression when I told you that!"
Rei's face grew as red as her jumper. She opened the card, and read for herself. Lita could almost see the steam coming out of her ears.
"She's got really bad handwriting doesn't she?" Lita said, soothingly.
"GET OUT!" Rei screamed, shoving Lita, card, and the flowers out the door. Unfortunately, she didn't do this too gracefully, and Lita ended up getting hit with the vase.
"OUCH" Lita said. She grumbled looking back at the door, and rubbed her head. Fortunately,all the vase broke was the clipholding her hair, so not much impacted her skull. She shook her hair loose, its brown strands framing her face. It felt messy and in her way--Lita was a little annoyed. She turned around and pounded the door. "REI--YOU WENT TOO FAR THIS TIME--CHAD OR NO CHAD!"
Though both were prone to fighting, they usually didn't get into it with each other. This would probably be a dangerous situation that sensible people would avoid.
Two men who didn't ordinarily visit temples observed this, but were not sensible people.
"This is the temple all right where the wedding is to be--"One said.
"Yeah, and our source said that the girl was coming here for tea.."
"That must be her!" They said to each other hearing the girl yell out Chad's name. "Looks like the right color and length of hair...seems taller."
"Got to be her. Let's get this over with...the boss wasn't too happy that the first team botched the job--turns out it was even the *wrong* girl."
"What idiots. Let's show Ôem how its done." The first said.
They charged and grabbed Lita, who, not expecting to do any fighting other than verbally with Rei was at first shocked.
But not too shocked to be taken down. She shrugged, throwing her assailants into the wall,at that moment Rei opened the door. "Lita get in, I felt something ev----"
Seeing Rei, one of the men tried to grab her. She threw him backwards, and he fell down the first set of steps. The other sunk as Lita got in a good roundhouse kick to his chest.
"Rei...what's going on here?" Lita asked, confused. "Why are thugs attacking you?"
Rei looked up from checking the pulse of the man she'd pushed down the stairs..."I don't know...twice in two days...."
She looked up to see Chad's whitened worried face.
"Rei--have you seen Sarah?" his voice was barely a gasp.
"What?" Rei asked, letting the thug's head fall to the ground.
"Oh god...you've been attacked again! They've got Sarah then..." As if someone had drained his energy, he lowered himself to the ground... "We got a ransom note...but I thought she was coming here....she'd have been safe if she were here...." He muttered to himself inchorently..."But they must have taken her before she got here..."
He looked at the man at Rei's feet. With one hand he picked him up, slapped him awake "TALK DAMN IT--WHERE IS SHE?" He barked.
"I don't know man...stop it" The guy whined. "I didn't do anything... This psycho priestess just attacked me..."
Roughly, Chad shoved the guy to the ground. "Yeah, well tell that to the police...you're in a lot of trouble."
"Not half so much as your girlfriend" The other thief said crawling up, clutching his stomach. Lita turned, but he was too quick, as he scrambled away, leapt onto Jed's bike and drove down the steps of the temple.
That sound brought Jed out quickly, his robes swirling about him "Rei--what's going on, did Gramps--hey" He saw the figure speeding away on his bike. "That's my bike!"
Without thinking, he took off running...and as he ran, almost unbidden the words formed in his mouth "Earth Mineral Power" and suddenly, he was flying over the side of the temple away from the steps.
Fortunately, Chad's back was turned, staring at the thug. But unfortunatley the remaining thug, as well as Rei and Lita saw the transformation. The thug kept saying "Flying man" in a litany...
"So much for your four points." Rei said under her breath to Lita. "Chad, you'd better call the police. Come on Lita, we've got to follow him."
"One second, I was right about point number four.... look behind you."
Lita was staring and blushing, Wolf Malder strolled up the steps. A light sheen of perspiration glazed his brow, and he was breathing slightly quick. He raised an eyebrow. "Another attack, Ms. Hino? Rather unusual at a Shrine isn't it?"
"What are you doing here?" She said unceremoniously. Lita began to try and fix her hair.
"I told you I had some questions for you...thought of a couple more... But now it looks like I'll have to add to that." He glanced over at the shocked thug.
"Flying manflying man flying man"
"He hit his head." Rei said.
"Oh really....pattern with you isn't it?" Malder said, looking over and up at Lita. "Who's your friend?"
"I'm Lita...Kino..." She smiled shyly.
"Care to tell me what happened here Miss Kino?" He asked.
"Sure thing.." she looked at Rei who was saying "But not right now."
The two took off running down the steps...when they were around a corner, Rei shouted out "Mars Crystal Power" as Jupiter cried "Jupiter Crystal power" Each was bathed in her color right, as warm winds spun them around, their uniforms appearing and replacing their clothes... they stood for barely a second, poised for battle, before they started running faster than humanly possible.
"Where are we going Mars?" Jupiter said.
"After Jaedite." Mars said, jumping over a fence, to land on the other side of an alley. Jupiter did the same. The buildings flew by beside them
"Gathered that--but how? I can't see him"
"I just *sense* where he is when he's transformed...it's odd... But I can tell which direction to go--" she stopped short as they almost ran into a brick wall. "He's on the other side"
"Guess it's up and over then--" Jupiter said, boosting her friend over the 10 foot wall. Then jumping and scrambling over herself. Gingerly they landed on the other side...
"I lost him" Mars said.
"See him--over there" Jupiter responded, pointing to a young man in a temple robe lovingly checking out a bike.
"Where'd the man go you were chasing?" Mars asked.
He looked up his face shocked---"HEY! You're the one that saved me!!! Sa sa sailor Mars?" he said in shock.
She sighed. "Would you answer?."
"Ssssailor Jupiter--you're real? I thought it was a dream..." He said wonderstruck.
"Look Jed,"
"You know my name? Did you come about my powers?"
Jupiter noticed something then. "Mars, look up there!" She pointed. To a balcony in one of the apartments. The two deftly jumped up the fire escape and scrambled, kicking in the glass of the window.
The thief shrank back. "Oh no!"
"Oh yes!" Jupiter declared, posing, ready to attack. She and Mars circled around the small room, trapping him.
Mars exhaled sharply "I thought she'd be here....but its empty."
"Why were you attacking that girl at the temple?" Jupiter demanded.
"Hey they attacked us....how do you know about that?" he whimpered.
"Don't like to us." Mars said. "You know who we are don't you?"
"You don't really want to experience what its like to be hit by lightening do you?" Jupiter threatened.
"All right! I was supposed to kidnap that girl" He said. "Why do you care.... Please don't hurt me." he added as Jupiter edged closer.
"We'd rather not." Jupiter said. "But if you tell us what we need to know, we wouldn't have to hurt you, would we?"
"Who hired you?"Rei asked.
"I don't know" He reached behind him and pulled out a gun. "Ok girlies, tables are turned aren't they now? I'm going to leave... And next time I'll get your friend." He laughed evily. He barely turned his head as he tried to open the door, but it was enough. Jupiter leapt forward, kicked the gun out, and trapped him in a headlock.
"Talk. Answer the lady." She growled. He whimpered as Jupiter tightened the hold."I just know he's some rich guy, never lets us see him." She pushed him again.
"I swear I"m telling the truth. He just leaves us instructions in the mailbox....." He mumbled it.
Rei concentrated... "He's not lying. Ok, second question, Do you know where Sora Tamaguchi is?"
"What?...Isn't she at the temple? OUCH--(Lita shifted her hold again) all I know is we were supposed to take the girl to a wherehouse near the harbor...hold her there." He paused, and continued. "Maybe one of the others got her... If she's already missing.....I'm going to be in big trouble"
"You already are" Lita thundered. "So which wharehouse?"
"All I know is on that" He said, nodding to the picture on the floor. "The wharehouse street's on the back"
They picked up the picture of Sora, which was ripped down the middle, and flipped it over. In blurred numbers it read 58 Grain...The letters looked as if they'd been torn too. "Where's the rest?"
"Moe has it...we split it so we could each have the picture to look."
"Where's Moe...?"
"I left him..when we got attacked by those crazy girls at the temple.. Hey...why do you care about those girls so much?"
"We're defenders of justice...and that includes helpless girls who are kidnapped before their wedding!" Mars said. "The police'll be paying you a visit. Sit tight." They tied him to the chair with the curtains, and then exited the way they came. Jed and the bike were gone. "Lets get back to the temple then, and see if Chad knows anymore details."