Note of warning: this is going to be a VERY boring chapter.

Rated PG

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The Legend of Serenity
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by: Spatula Gurl

-- Chapter Eight



Nephrite was close to seething. What did she mean by that
comment she made about 'having a rendezvous with his little wife'?
Was she referring to Glynis? And how dare she accuse him of toying
with a child's feelings? She didn't know anything about him, so she
should swallow her own preaching and not make assumptions of her own.
What did she know? Nothing. She couldn't possibly understand what
went between him and Glynis, because she didn't know anything.

Damn, she wasn't the only one who was harping about the girl
Glynis. He remembered having a brief discussion of it with Zoicite,
and that didn't turn out so well for him, too. Well, what could he
do about it? He did not make a habit of breaking young girls'
hearts, no matter how jaded he might seem. Why was everyone getting
on his case all of a sudden, anyway?

After their heated exchange, Makoto had stormed out of the
room, taking half of the work with her. When he followed her out the
door, it was already too late. She was out of sight. And with her,
the maps they were working on. How were they to accomplish anything
if she kept running out on him like that and doing everything by
herself?

This whole arrangement was beginning to be a pain. Hell,
will they ever get along? Did they have to fight over the pettiest
things for crying out loud? They were no better than bickering
siblings...or worse yet, squabbling lovers.

Disgusted with himself for having that unexpected thought
cross his mind, his scowl turned even darker. Admittedly, he was
always provoking her temper with his droll digs, but he couldn't
seem to help himself. Never had he met a person who was quicker
with his or her temper...it was too easy.

But today he had totally lost control, and had nearly
exploded. This was the first time she had actually succeeded in
making him angry. When she retaliated, the blow had struck a
nerve...particularly that one about Glynis.

Nephrite was so busy stewing about his thoughts and rage that
he almost collided with Kunzite who was walking the opposite
direction. The latter extended his arms to make sure they would not
bump into each other.

"My apologies," Nephrite quickly ammended. When he realized
that it was Kunzite, he asked him, "Where have you been? I haven't
seen you around all morning."

Kunzite acknowledged his apology with a nod. "I have been
talking matters over with Saitou," he replied. "By the way, have
you seen Minako?"

"I saw her a while ago with Artemis in the library, but I
think they were just about to leave." Nephrite answered. Kunzite
thanked him for the information and was about to go on his way,
when Nephrite called out to him again.

"I know you just came from Saitou's study, but did you happen
to pass by Makoto on your way here?"

Kunzite shook his head. "No. Why?"

"Never mind. Thanks, anyway."

And with that, he walked away, muttering to himself and
leaving Kunzite looking puzzled.



Saitou put down the papers he was holding, and neatly filed
them on top of his desk. It was going to be another long day. He
could easily tell by the way he found himself staring at a couple of
reports and accounts, once again stuck inside his stuffy den, and
that crick in his neck wasn't helping matters. Closing his eyes,
his tired blue eyes, he put a hand behind his nape and tried to ease
the growing pain from too much constriction. He pushed back from
his desk and relaxed against his seat.

Just a few more work, and he would be all done. The
accounts had taken up more of his time than usual, since Glynis took
a trip out of town for awhile. She was usually the one who helped
him with the bookkeeping. After that was done, there wasn't much
left to do, which was a relief. His coronation as king, though a few
years overdue, wasn't until a few weeks time, thank the gods. Lately,
he hadn't been able to attend to his guests as well as he wanted to,
because he was too immersed in his duties.

And there was still the festival.

He let out a tired sigh.

It was an annual celebration for the people of Silverwood, a
long-kept tradition that existed to keep the spirit of his people
happy despite the suffering years. For three days and three nights,
they would leave behind a world of troubles, and lose themselves in
a realm of frivolity. The seemingly impracticality of it all was
frowned upon by some neighboring kingdoms, especially during the
dark times that befell over them all, but most of them did not mind.
In fact, people from these neighboring lands would come all the way
from wherever they came from to visit, and experience for themselves
the much awaited event. Such was the enchantment of fun and laughter
for these people.

And as ruler of the land, he was expected come down from his
castle and enjoy himself with his people, if only for one night. And
he had done so every year without qualm. It was, after all, a
welcome distraction from all the headache befitting an heir to the
throne like himself. But now, he thought with yet another sigh, it
didn't seem particularly inviting. Not when Endymion's generals were
currently residing inside his palace, and just about everyone within
a 50-mile radius was curious as to why that was. And he was sure that
another bevvy of hopeful females was awaiting his approval as soon as
he left his workload. That, especially, was enough to anticipate the
visit with dread. Didn't the same thing happen the year before, when
young princesses and such were practically pushed in his direction by
rulers seeking a strong alliance, wealth, and more wealth? And did
he mention wealth?

The inevitable hounding which came with the smooth, and
successful running of a kingdom--with a handsome ruler--was
sometimes too much to bear. Silverwood was notably holding its own
when it came down to it, despite the unkind years. The harvest was
better off than most others, and they were one of the few kingdoms
left which still managed to enjoy a bit of luxury and bountiful
resources.

And they thought he couldn't do it. He, young Prince Saitou,
who had taken over managing the kingdom when his father died a few
years back.

He had proved them wrong. And now he was going to be crowned
King. But not only because he was his father's son, but because he
deserved it at the very least. That was the reason he refused to be
crowned officially after his father's death. He deliberately had the
coronation postponed until he had proven himself in the eyes of
everyone else, especially his people.

And now those who had doubted in his ability, who had
mercilessly criticized him for every mistake he had done in the past,
were grovelling about his feet and hinting on arranging an
alliance. But he had seen through their two-faced masks. The
audacity! He'd show them that he was not a man to be reckoned with.

His eyes were still closed, but a frown now marred his
handsome features as he pondered on these very thoughts. It was a
good thing that a sound, which came through his window, interrupted
his train of thought.

His eyes fluttered open upon hearing it.

Then he smiled.

It was the laughter of his younger siblings, Akira and Yokio.
They too, haven't seen much of their older brother these past few
days. Granted, he had always been busy with his duties, so the
upbringing of the young prince and princess fell upon the shoulders
of Lady Kimiko--the late queen's dearest friend, and a second mother
to them all. Kimiko had seen to their need for mother-like
nurturing, and Saitou had always been grateful to her. Even so,
Saitou had always been close to his younger siblings because they
relied on him for strength, most of all. Especially after the death
of both of their parents. But he needed to secure the kingdom first,
so he spent less time with them than he usually did. He made sure,
though, that he would devote at least a break for himself once in a
while to be with his younger brother and sister. Now, he would
make sure to make up for his absence by treating them to a wonderful
night in the festival. They usually went in the mornings since they
were too young to be out so late, but just this one special time, he
would let them come with him in the evening of the second night.

The wind outside once again carried the merry sound of
their laughter. They rang high and clear, each betraying a youthful
timbre. But there was another sound, too, laughter which came from
someone else.

Curious, Saitou stood up from his seat and found his way to
the window. It overlooked one of the many gardens in the palace,
but this particular garden was his favorite, and his father's
favorite before him. This one had a small fountain with a statue
of an ewer-carrying cherub in the center of it. And in his younger
days, he played in it, driving his mother mad with the sight of
her eldest child going back inside the palace in wet disarray.

His eyes immediately fell upon this small fountain, for he
found his two siblings by it. Akira was sitting close by, a
garland of roses in her hair, splashing her hand with the water in
the fountain. Yokio, on the other hand, was running around it,
being his usual hyperactive self, making noises loud enough to wake
up the dead.

Then with a thoughtful glance, his eyes wandered to the
figure sitting comfortably in the shade, not far from Akira. It
looked like she was eating half a loaf of bread in one hand, while
waving the other one at Yokio.

She was one of the ladies who came with the generals. His
mind searched for a name...and amazingly, he remembered.

Lady Kino. The tall, pretty woman who was wearing the
tailored trousers. He was surprised at himself for remembering her
name, since they didn't have the chance to meet that much. The
only one whom he talked to so far was the Lady Aino, which was only
yesterday.

He looked at her now curiously. Perhaps he remembered her
name because she was a bit different from the women he usually meet.
She did have a pretty face, but he had seen too much of beautiful
women already to notice another one. Must be the way she dressed
and carried herself.

He was surprised to see her there. If anything, he had
expected either Glynis or Kimiko to be with his siblings, but she
was there. And it was odd, because little Akira and Yokio usually
didn't take kindly to strangers. Akira was too shy, and Yokio didn't
care for the visitors they had in the palace. Especially female
visitors, who were usually out to get their hands on his older
brother. But now there they were, laughing and carefree, obviously
comfortable with the presence of this woman. They even seemed to
enjoy her company.

Odd. That had never happened before.



"Are you feeling better now?"

Minako opened her eyelids and Artemis' face came into vision.
She sighed. "I'm fine, don't worry."

"I know. You're made of sterner stuff." He grinned down
at her.

Minako had wanted a breath of fresh air, so the two of them
walked around in one of the palace gardens for a few minutes before
she decided to rest under a shady spot. Right now, Artemis was
sitting under a tree, and her head lay in his lap.

"Just let me know when you're up for it."

"A few minutes more. How long have we got?"

"I'd say about a quarter of an hour."

She closed her eyes again. "We should be out of this castle
by the end of the week. We should be getting a move on and get
those other crystals..."

Artemis shook his head. "Is that why you're getting these
spells? You're worrying yourself sick?"

She smiled ruefully at his concern as she opened her eyes.
"The risk is growing everyday. And it has been too quiet for us
lately."

"I know," he said quietly. "But Usagi-chan has been
holding her own for quite some time now. That much we know.
Otherwise, you girls should've felt something if she was hurt in
any way."

She remained silent. Artemis was right. She didn't know
how the other girl was doing it, but she was unharmed. They knew
that for sure. And her presence was still felt strongly within
them, so they knew that she was very much alive. But it wasn't
enough. They still haven't found her.

It wasn't enough.

"We should look for a magick-tempered land next," Minako
suddenly said. "I think we have a good chance of extracting the
other crystals--if that's what we're going to do, that is--in an
area where there is the needed balance. Who are working on the
maps?"

Artemis thought for a moment. "Mako-chan and General
Nephrite, I think," he replied.

"Good. Then we'll ask them about it later. Then I'll
consult Ami-chan on our chances for finding those crystals. Rei-chan
should be focusing on the inner workings of the crystal right now."
She paused for a moment, feeling another wave of headache. But at
least it wasn't as bad as before. She decided to make the most of
what was left of her break, to at least restore some of her lost
energy, even for a little while.

Artemis peered above her, and smirked. "If I didn't know
better, I'd say you were pregnant, with you suddenly feeling nauseous
and all...maybe that's why you're so touchy as of late--hey!" Laughing,
he swerved out of the way just in time as Minako's hand came to swat
his head.

"Baka!"

"Well it certainly hasn't improved your aim!" he joked again.

"Don't push it, you mangy feline," she half-growled,
half-grinned. "That was probably just my monthly visitor talking.
I don't appreciate being made fun of as a pregnant woman." She
frowned, and said, "I don't look that big, do I?"

"Certainly not. I was but jesting," he laughed. "By the
way," he said, changing the subejct, "Have you seen General Kunzite
around?"

Minako rolled her eyes and responded dryly, "What, so you
can accuse him of getting me in my 'current condition'?"

"Now that you mention it..." he started, then retreated
at Minako's look. Chuckling, he said, "It's just that I haven't seen
him around since this morning. Wasn't he supposed to help you out?"

She shrugged. "He and Prince Saitou was talking about
something this morning, and I haven't seen him since. Maybe he'll
help after, then." She thought for a moment. "You know, Artemis, I
think I have an idea."

"About what?"

"About General Kunzite."

Artemis looked at her with a raised brow. "Pray tell, what
ideas do we have about the particularly good-looking general?"

"Definitely not what you're thinking," Minako rolled her
eyes heavenward. "I just thought that maybe I could get him to
trust me more, if you must know."

"If I must," Artemis feigned a tired sigh, until Minako
pulled on his hair and he grinned. "And how are you going to do
that?"

"Simple. I do something nice for him. Something he'll
appreciate."

He laughed. "That starch bag? That doesn't sound simple
at all."

"Don't joke," she said. "This is serious! If I can't get
on his good side with a nice peace offering, he'll never trust me!
And you know how important that is."

He scoffed. "Well, what do you plan to do? Cook for him?"

Her eyes brightened. "That's a great idea!"

His own widened in shock. "No it's not!" he quickly
disagreed.

"Yes, it is," she insisted. "And just what was that
supposed to mean?"

"It means you can't cook to save your life."

She frowned. "You cannot be serious. I am not that bad!"

"Not as bad as Usagi-chan, but still..." He smiled at her
smugly. "You're no Mako-chan."

She smiled brightly. "Well, there you have it! I'll ask
Mako-chan for help. What could possibly go wrong then?"

He groaned. "Remind me to shut my trap next time."

She merely laughed and patted his cheek. "Cheer up,
Artemis. With Mako-chan's help, it's a fool-proof plan."

Right at that moment, whether coincidentally or not, Kunzite
caught sight of them. Neither Minako nor Artemis was aware of it,
however, because just when he was about to approach them, he
abruptly stopped. But for the life of him, he could not clearly
comprehend the reason why he did so.

The sight before the silver-haired general had unconsciously
made him uncomfortable, almost as if he were invading someone's
personal space. He suddenly felt his presence as the unwanted
interloper.

But during those few moments, he simply stood there, staring.
His eyes beheld the scene before him, of Minako basking comfortably
under the tree's shade with her platinum-haired companion. His gaze
was inadvertently drawn to the former, who looked like she had never
been so happy. She was laughing softly, a glow in her face as she
gently touched the other's cheek.

Kunzite's expression resumed its stoic countenance as he tore
his gaze away from what was in front of him. Without another thought,
he turned around and walked away, not realizing that he was being
talked about by the two people he had almost approached.



Nothing.

Rei sighed and turned the nijizuishou upwards. She examined
it closely. There were a few scratch marks here and there, but it
didn't seem to hold any significance at all. Tomorrow, she promised
herself silently. She would start working on the crystal tomorrow
with her own energy. But she would have to consult the rest of her
friends, because it could be risky. She brushed her hair back with a
single hand and placed the crystal down in front of her. As she did,
she found herself being stared at by General Jadeite.

"What?" she asked, seeming perturbed.

"Oh, I'm sorry," Jadeite apologized. "I didn't mean to be so
rude. I meant no offense."

"None taken," Rei said, with indecipherable consciousness.
He was making her uneasy again. That wasn't the first time she had
caught him staring at her, as if observing her.

Then she remembered the discussion she had last night with
Artemis and the rest of her friends. She had a feeling that she was
indeed under close observation by this particular general. He might
be harboring suspicions, after all, but who could blame him under
the circumstances? They were inadequately informed, regarding this
mission, and they knew it.

Jadeite on the other hand, was unaware of whatever Rei was
thinking. He was merely chiding himself for staring at her too long,
like a smitten schoolboy.

'Hell, I'm probably making her uncomfortable,' he concluded,
after having received a tight smile from the woman before him. 'Or
worse.' He winced mentally. It was his own fault that the woman was
back on her guard again. If he was supposed to gain her trust, he
wasn't making much progress. Was he?

He thought about this as he went back to perusing the notes
and records that was his part of the work.

Maybe he wasn't doing that bad. The Lady Hino was aloof, and
her coldness rivaled that of Kunzite. But he remembered that just
yesterday, he had made her laugh. Not the small smiles she was wont
to give, but a real geniune laugh that had seemed to surprise even
herself. It was when he heard her play the piano.

But today, she seemed distant all over again, as she was on
the road before they stopped over at Silverwood. He noticed that
this morning, when he met her and Makoto coming inside the main hall.
And it confused the hell out of him. Damn, he didn't know how to
handle situations with her.

Especially since he was aware of his fascination for this
beautiful, raven-haired woman.

Yes, and he didn't dare deny it now. She held his interest.
She was simply too enigmatic, too intense... Even with the simplest
gestures, these qualities were apparent. Like that time when she
played the piano, gliding her fingers smoothly over the ivory keys.
Or just a moment ago, when she held the crystal in her palm and held
it up for a closer examination.

And damn it all, she was beautiful. Too beautiful, in fact,
with her long, luxurious hair, and piercing violet eyes. Her face
alone was proving to be a much bigger distraction than anything else.
And he was aghast after realizing that he was acting like Zoicite,
easily magneted by a pretty face. Well, that wasn't exactly the
truth, since the women were usually the ones who were magneted to
his blonde, green-eyed friend that he hardly had to insert any effort
when it came to bedding them.

Jadeite combed his hair with his fingers and sighed in
frustration.

It unknowingly brought upon a pair of scrutinizing violet
eyes.

Rei stared at the handsome blonde man through carefully
lowered eyes. This general was acting strangely, she mused.
Something was troubling him, she was sure of that. But what was it?

She couldn't bring herself to ask it of him directly. She
still felt awkward around him, more so since yesterday, when he had
heard her play the piano. He certainly was something, she'd give him
that. For those few moments, she'd actually felt more relaxed with
him than any other man she'd been around with. She never could deal
with men very well. Her upbringing had seen to that. She was never
close to her father, even as a little girl, and she rarely saw him
even though they lived in the same palace. And at the early age of
four when she had started her training as Keeper of Flames, she was
more isolated to groups of shrine maidens and no one else. She
hardly saw other people, much less those of the opposite sex.

"Rei?" Jadeite's voice broke through the silence.

"What is it?" she asked in return, tucking wayward strands of
ebony hair behind her ear.

"Pardon my ignorance, what do we do next with the crystals?
We can't stay inside lost in piles of notes and records forever."

She stood up. "Oh, we won't be for long," she replied.
When he looked at her askance, she added, "I will be doing a more
advanced exploration of the nijizuishou. But before I do, all of us
should meet and discuss this. The rest of us shall explain."

Jadeite accepted this with a slow, thoughtful nod. Seemed
to him it was the only thing he and his fellow generals ever did
these days. He quickly dismissed the thought, however, for he knew
it was about to change soon.


"Akira-chan, be careful!" Makoto called out to the little
girl who was balancing on a marble stone in the fountain. "You might
spoil your dress," she added, with a fond smile. She didn't want to
curb the little girl's fun, but she couldn't risk her getting wet,
either.

Akira merely looked at her and giggled. Fortunately, she
was at the last marble stone, so she hopped off safely onto the
ground with a flourish. Makoto clapped her hands delightedly, and
stood up. She hurried towards Akira and straightened the lopsided
wreath of roses atop the girl's head. The child waited patiently,
smiling contentedly to herself as she stood still for a few moments.
Shortly, as her eyes wandered aimlessly, she caught sight of a
lone figure approaching them. Her eyes brightened as she realized
who it was.

"Oniichan!" both Akira and Yokio cried out.

The two children whisked past her as they burst into greeting
at the newcomer's arrival. Makoto turned around and came face to
face with the children's older brother, Prince Saitou.

He was walking towards them in swift, powerful strides. Even
from the distance, she saw how devastatingly handsome he was. He
basically had the same features as Yokio--the ebony locks, the finely
chiseled features--and she smiled at the thought of the boy growing
up to be as comely as his brother. When he reached them, she could
not help but notice that he also had the same deep, azure eyes of
Yokio. But as the latter's was brimming with youth and childish
mischief, his gazed with an intensity that Makoto found unnerving,
which was a very rare case for her. But a small, hesitant smile
crept up to the corners of his mouth, and she found that it was
enough to keep an open rein. In fact, she gave him a small smile of
her own. She hadn't really talked to him that much, only for a few
moments during meal times in the dining room. She never saw him
much, anyway. She wondered right then, what purpose brought him down
to meet them.

"Konnichiwa, Lady Kino," he greeted, his two siblings by his
side, beaming up at him. He looked down at them for a moment and
smiled widely in return.

"Konnichiwa, Your Majesty," Makoto returned. She was about
to curtsy, but soon realized her dillemma: she wasn't wearing a
skirt. Flustered for the barest of seconds, she could only stare at
him, not knowing what to do next.

Fortunately, Saitou shook his head and intercepted her. "You
needn't be so formal, m'lady. Saitou will do just fine."

"In that case," she spoke, smiling hesitantly at him, "His
Majesty should also call me Makoto."

"Makoto.." He returned her smile, then nodded in approval.
"You have a very beautiful name, m'lady. It suits you quite well."

She blushed. "Th-thank you."

A gentle tugging by Akira dragged his eyes back to his little
sister. When he looked at her askance, she motioned for him to bend
down so that she could whisper in his ear. When he did, Akira smiled
satisfactorily. "She's very nice, oniichan," she told him
confidentially.

"I'm sure she is," he whispered back, then laughed and fondly
tousled the girl's mane. He glanced back at Makoto. "I hope they
aren't troubling you, Makoto. They can be a handful."

"Oh no, they're not," Makoto was quick to assure him. She
smiled fondly down at the two children. "We were just keeping each
other's company."

"That's good," he said, and smiled. "I heard you all the
way from my den, actually."

"Gomennesai, I wasn't thinking. Were we too loud?"

"No, not at all," he assured her. "In fact, I'm grateful to
you for keeping my siblings from trouble, not to mention, for putting
up with their mischief," he added with a chuckle. "But I came down
here to tell you that Madame Saeki has already arrived. You can go
in and have yourself measured; she's waiting inside."

"Oh," she said. "I--thank you...very much... I guess I'll
be going now." She looked at the children and smiled. "Thank you
for spending some time with me, Akira-chan, Yokio-chan. I had fun."
Then she turned to Saitou. "You have very fine siblings, Your--I
mean, Saitou-san." He nodded his approval. She continued, "Well
then, if you will excuse me..."

Makoto gave them a slight nod and went on her way, smiling as
she left. It was moments before the three took their eyes off her
general direction.



"Hmmm... Good, good! Very nice!" Madame Saeki exclaimed in
appreciation, as she bent down once again to scribble something in
her little notebook. "Don't put down your arms yet, dear," she
called out over her shoulder to Ami, whom an assistant was currently
measuring.

Madame Saeki, a robust, middle-aged woman, who seemed to exude
a bountiful amount of energy, was highly appreciative of nice
figures. Whether it be slender, delicate curves, or voluptuous ones,
she had an eye for beautiful female bodies, and was all the more
enthused to work with such. And it was obvious in the way she moved
about in an excited manner, that she was not disappointed.

Ami sighed, and shook her head in amusement. The busy woman
was a sight to see, and her apprent delight in what she was doing
was even more so. She obeyed, and raised her arms so that the woman
could proceed with her work.

In one corner, Rei remained silent all throughout the fitting.
She did not mind having to spend some time so that they could acquire
a decent wardrobe, especially if they were needed to socialize for the
meantime.

Madame Saeki had four assistants with her, and two of them were
already working on Rei and Minako. Close by Minako's side was the Lady
Kimiko, who decided to help out her guests, inevitably raising polite
protests from Madame Saeki. But the kindly lady refused to be budged,
and so she set about helping with their fitting and even made suggestions
to the younger women. Along with dresses, she had taken the liberty of
ordering a dozen or so sets of lacy undergarments, silken handkerchiefs
and others. She sympathized with the three younger women, when she was
told that they had not enough time to pack as theirs was a hastily
planned sojourn.

Lady Kimiko wanted this time with the female guests of
Prince Saitou. It was an understatement to say that they were the
talk of the whole palace, for everyone was truly curious as to who
they were or even why they were here. Coming to Silverwood escorted
by all four generals was most certainly news, and it could only mean
something terribly important. She herself knew that the young Prince
Saitou was not made privy to any of the generals' plans, if there
were any. The secrecy of it all only heightened Kimiko's anxiety.
Her only consolation was the fact that Saitou had not voiced out any
concerns. She trusted in the young ruler's judgment, and if he
didn't think anything was wrong, then she would wisely put her fears
to rest.

"You really didn't have to do this, m'lady, but I thank you
anyway."

Kimiko started at the young woman's voice, and turned to
smile. "You are quite welcome, my dear," she replied to Minako.
"I apologize for not being as helpful as I should have been when you
women arrived. I should've seen to your needs immediately, but I had
been a bit busy..."

"We're really sorry to be so troublesome--"

"Nonsense, my dear. The bad timing simply couldn't have been
helped," Kimiko waved her apologues off with a bright smile. "By the
by, you look a little pale. Are you feeling alright?"

Minako hurriedly explained. "Oh, it's nothing, really. I
don't think I'm coming down with anything serious."

"Hmmm, maybe not," the woman said, peering closer at her face,
and feeling her temperature. "But it's best to be careful. You never
know. I'll get you something later and I'll bring it to your room. I
advise you retire early tonight and get enough rest."

Minako smiled weakly, and thought to protest, but she sighed
instead. She had a feeling it wouldn't make a difference to the elderly
lady. In truth, she wasn't really feeling that sick; it was just a bit
of a headache. But then again, Lady Kimiko might be right. It wouldn't
hurt to make sure. Maybe she really should get some decent amount of
sleep...but only after finishing up whatever she had to. Also, she had
to meet up again with the other girls tonight. They still had several
matters to discuss.

The sound of opening doors broke through Minako's reverie, and
she swung her eyes towards its direction. In came a tall brunette, and
Minako, realizing who it was, smiled. "Mako-chan!"

Lady Kimiko, too, started at Makoto's entrance. "Saeki," she
called, "It is the Lady Makoto who will be needing more of your
assistance. We weren't able to find dresses that would fit her as well
as they should."

Madame Saeki, just finishing up on Ami, waved to Makoto to
move over to her side. Makoto, with a faint tint of pink on her cheeks
for being given special attention once again, quietly obliged.

The older woman surveyed the length of her with a critical glance.
"You're built very nicely, and you're awfully tall," she remarked.
"I do have some gowns ready made, but I will have to alter them to fit
your size exactly. I shall have them delivered on the day after
tomorrow," Saeki told her with a bit of a smile. She motioned for
one of the assistants to come closer, then turned back to Makoto.

Gesturing with her hand for Makoto to raise her arms, the
assistant proceeded to take her measurements. "You've got nice coloring,
my dear," Madame Saeki told Makoto. Perhaps a gown in peach or light
tan would suit you very much. What do you think?"

"Whatever is fine," Makoto replied, if a little meekly. She
gulped nervously. She wasn't certain why she felt that she had
something to explain, but in any case, she was still a little
embarrassed to say anything at all.

But it was not for long. For a while, Madame Saeki frowned
thoughtfully as she inspected the tall figure before her. She motioned
for the assistant to pause for a moment. Then finally, she said: "You
bind your breasts."

"I..I didn't..." Makoto struggled to find words to explain her
situation, but the older woman interrupted her, hardly fazed.

"Come now, let's see. We can't possibly do with erroneous
measurements. You'll have to take them off now."

Makoto let out a sigh of defeat, and did as she was told.

Madame Saeki clucked her tongue and wasted no time in chastising
her. "I understand the need for binding when one is dealing with
strenuous activities...such as riding, perhaps. But really m'lady,
you shouldn't be doing it so often. It isn't natural! It is unhealthy!"

Makoto nearly winced. "But..."

"Well do you?"

"Do I...what?"

"Do you bind your breasts often like this?"

"Well... Not really... I...ahh...take it off when I go to
sleep," she finished lamely.

Madame Saeki's eyes widened, and Makoto realized her mistake
too late. "Why do you do this?"

At this, Makoto flushed scarlet. The older woman's eyes
softened as she understood. "My girl, you needn't be uncomfortable
with..well, with them. It's perfectly natural; a girl of your frame"
at this, her gaze travelled down the length of her, then back up "to
have a proportional set of bossoms."

Makoto smiled weakly and hung her head in defeat. "Yes, madame.
I'll try."



Dinner was pleasant, and a much welcome break for Rei, who had
spent most of the afternoon with Jadeite, drowned in work and
research. For her part, concentrating on the crystal they had now was
draining. Probably because she was having difficulty reaching into the
depths of it for the entire day. And she had to examine it bit by bit,
progressing slowly but not going overboard and extracting more
complicated questions from the general who accompanied her. They had
too much to explain, and too much to hold back, as well. She wasn't
even sure anymore what to tell them, and what to leave out. And it was
already dangerous as it is, immersing Jadeite in too much research
for possible clues. They'd had little suspicion if they understood
little information...not that that was necessarily their plan. Tonight,
surely, she had to come up with an agreement about this with the
others. She momentarily dismissed these thoughts from her mind, and
chose to concentrate on her meal instead.

She surveyed the table with a thoughtful glance. The mood was
particularly lighter than the past evening. The whole family was there,
not just Prince Saitou. His much younger siblings had come to dine
with them, as well. Prince Yokio was obediently finishing his meal--
and Rei thought with a hint of amusement that such a display was
suspiciously out of character--and his sister, Princess Akira, was
boredly, quietly, playing around with hers. Beside her was the Lady
Glynis, and across her, beside Yokio, was Lady Kimiko.

"Oh, that's right, I almost forgot," Glynis suddenly said.
She looked at Saitou, her gaze a bit apologetic. "I may not be able
to make it to this year's festival, Saitou-sama. I have promised
Coraline I would come to her for a visit next week."

"Glynis-neechan, can't you visit her some other time?" Akira
asked softly, her eyes pleading. "You always come with us every year.
I thought you'd come with us!"

"That's right," Yokio quipped. "You promised!"

"Now Yokio-chan", Glynis turned placatingly to the young boy.
"You know I didn't promise you guys anything. If I could come with you
to the festival, I certainly would, but I'm afraid I have to pass out
this year."

"Akira is right, Glynis," Saitou spoke up. "Are you certain
you want to miss the festival? You can schedule your visit after the
event. After all, you just came home, and now you're going to
travel again. Why don't you just invite Coraline over, and have her
come to the festival herself? It's been a while since her last visit."

Glynis shook her head. "I would, if I could, but Coraline
can't. She's gotten herself ill, though originally, that wasn't
the reason for my visit. And besides, she's been looking forward to
seeing me after all these months. I can't possibly let her down now."

Saitou nodded. "If that is what you have decided, far be it
for me to convince you otherwise." He turned to his siblings. "Don't
look so down. I've decided you can both come with me to the festival
in the evening."

This seemed to have the desired effect on the children. They
brightened up, and looked at their older brother with wide eyes.
"Really, niichan? You mean it?" Yokio asked with a grin.

The older brother grinned back. "Hai. I mean it."

Minako had been listening to the exchange for a while. And
she could not help but be a bit curious. When they had been outside for
a while looking for Artemis, she and Kunzite had passed by the town
square. She had glimpsed on the preparations. She even remembered
asking the silver-haired general about them. "This festival," she
began, "what is it..err, exactly? I've been outside yesterday, and
I was wondering what all the preparation was about."

Finishing a sip of his wine, Saitou brought down his glass
and turned to Minako. "Silverwood has an annual festival of the
moons. It's been such a long-kept tradition, but now almost nobody
remembers what it was originally for." He smiled briefly. "In
present time though, it's just a good excuse for a break. Merchants,
artists and entertainers come from all over the country to do business,
but mainly it's just for harmless enjoyment. So people can forget
their work and troubles for a while."

Minako's eyes grew soft, and she smiled. "I think it's a
wonderful idea."

"Well, why don't you all come over and see it for yourselves?"

"Oh, well..." Minako broke off and glanced at her companions,
as well as the generals. "I really don't suppose we can manage it."

Kunzite cleared his throat and spoke up. "We didn't plan on
staying for too long, and we're already pressed for time, as it is."

"I understand," Saitou nodded. "But if you change your minds,
and let up for a while, the festival lasts for three evenings." He
chuckled. "The whole point to it is to forget heavy thoughts, after
all."

"I'm sure it must be something really wonderful, though,"
Minako added. "I often found these kind of festivities rather
enjoyable myself." She accidentally caught Kunzite's eye as she said
this, and almost blushed when she realized that she must seem so very
anxious about the idea of going to the festival, even if it was out of
the way. She chose to say nothing more, as if suddenly self-conscious.

"Well, if we ever need to go out along the way, it's just
there anyway," Zoicite said. "It probably won't hurt to look around
a bit." He looked at Ami and smiled.

Saitou agreed. "It's all up to you, or if your schedules
would permit it. It would be a pleasure to have you all in my
company, if you ever change your mind about this."

"We'll see," Ami said. "We don't have definite plans as of yet,
but that will be taken care of by tomorrow." She glanced meaningfully
at Rei, who in turn looked at Jadeite.

"Yes, well, there are matters we have to discuss", Jadeite
said. "But as Lady Ami has mentioned, let it wait for the morrow.
Tonight," he smiled, lifted up his wine glass and nodded to them,
"We rest. I have a feeling we won't be having much of it for the
next few days."

Hearing that, Nephrite turned to glance at the woman across him
from the corner of his eye. He had a feeling Jadeite was right. He
looked away before emerald eyes could pierce his own.



"May I join you?"

Makoto turned around to see Saitou, smiling and holding his
wine glass. She smiled at him in return, and moved slightly to her
side as Saitou took a place at the other. "I didn't hear you come near,"
she told him.

Saitou was looking up at the nightsky, just as she was before
he came into view. Still smiling, Makoto resumed her place and remained
silent. She, too, looked up at the starlit heavens. She always did
this, alone, especially, but she didn't really mind the presence of
Saitou right now. The night breeze was cool against her skin, and
the sparkle of stars above her made her feel unreasonably content.
She almost laughed in spite of herself. After all this time, she
could still be such a romantic.

Both were a silent for a few more minutes before Saitou spoke
up. "You know," he told her, "I haven't done this in a long while."
"What do you mean?" Makoto asked.

"Looking at the stars at night. Like this."

"I see. Did you used to do this often, then?"

"No. Not really." He laughed, and his eyes crinkled in a
boyish way as he did. "In fact, I can count with my one hand the number
of times I actually took the time to look at stars. My mother used to
tell me, even when I was a child, that I was sometimes too serious." He
tore his gaze away from the sky to look at Makoto. "Not much of a
romantic, she says. Not like my father. I'd like to think she was
wrong, though. Maybe I didn't spend my evenings tracing stars, and
wishing on them, like all true romantics should...but then again..."
He shrugged.

Makoto shifted uneasily, and turned to him. "Is your
mother...?"

"She's passed away."

"I'm sorry."

"Don't be. I've learned to cope without a mother since I was
16. Two years after that, my father followed her. He loved her very
much." Saitou looked away. "Of course, it's not the most pleasant
of memories, but it made me the man that I am now."

Makoto smiled ruefully, and told him, "I'm glad for you, then.
That couldn't have been easy. Your mother and father would have been
so very proud of you."

"Thank you." He turned a curious gaze at her, noticing her
expression. "Is there something wrong?"

"Nothing...It's just..." She hesitated.

His brows burrowed slightly. "Was it something I said?"

"It's not like that," she quickly assured him. "I was just
remembering some things."

Saitou didn't say anything, but just looked at her. Makoto
was grateful for his silence. "I was orphaned myself."

He continued to look at her, his eyes dark and serious. "So
we're in the same boat, I see." He was silent for a while before
he asked, "How old were you when it happened?"

"I was 10."

His surprise was evident when he heard this. "I'm...sorry to
hear that. You were so young. Much younger than I was."

Makoto sighed audibly and shrugged her shoulders. "Yes, well.
I hated it at first. But it wasn't as bad as everyone perceived it
to be. I had my friends. They became my family." Of course, she
added to herself silently, even before the incident of her parents'
death, she was spending more and more time with the other girls at
the Lunarian Kingdom. The death of her parents had been a disastrous
shock, but the terrible blow was softened with the presence of her
friends who had never left her alone in her depression.

Saitou smiled. "You are very fortunate. You all must have
known each other from childhood?"

She nodded in reply. "I guess you could say that."

"I never met kids my own age, and I never had that much friends.
Not that I minded it as much as other people would like to think," he
said. "Kimiko-san--Lady Kimiko, I mean--thinks I am this lonely little
boy who grew up much too early." He shook his head, a wry grin on his
lips. "She feels responsible for not being here earlier to stand as a
mother figure. She was my mother's closest cousin, and she came to
live with us a few years after my father died."

"By that time, you were a man of your own..."

"Yes." Saitou smiled at Makoto, feeling strangely comfortable,
and glad, having someone understand without having to say so much. He
cleared his throat and looked away. "But it was good that she came here
to live with us when she did," he continued. "Yokio was much too young,
and Akira-chan was just a baby herself. If it weren't for Kimiko-san and
Glynis, my little siblings would've grown up much too lonely themselves."

Saitou had just finished talking, when, from the corner of her
eye, Makoto caught the figures of a couple entering the balcony. When
she turned her head slightly to see who it was, she realized that it was
Lady Glynis and General Nephrite. She watched with a small, curious
glance, as the two of them took place on the other side of the balcony.
They seemed to be absorbed in their conversation. Well, actually, it
was more like Glynis doing all the talking, but it also seemed like
Nephrite was listening to her intently. Whatever it was she was
saying, it must have been something serious, Makoto noted.

Saitou was looking at them as well. "Speaking of the devil,"
he said, and he smiled amusedly. "She's hanging around General
Nephrite again."

'Again.' The word and its implication did not go unmissed, but
with an air of nonchalance, Makoto turned to ask him, "Is that so bad?"

"No, no," Saitou told her. "It's not that, it's just..." He
laughed to himself. "I'm sure you've met Glynis, haven't you?"

"Yes," Makoto replied, keeping her tone and facial expressions
carefully neutral. "I have."

"She's a nice girl. Very sweet and good with children. My
siblings love her."

Makoto fought the urge to cock a disbelieving eyebrow at his
statement. She waited for him to continue.

"I'm sure by now her feelings are obvious. She's--how to put
this delicately--head over heels in love with General Nephrite."

Makoto smiled in spite of herself. In fact, she almost laughed.
"I think that was the impression I got."

It was Saitou 's turn to glance at her thoughtfully. "May I
ask you something?"

"What is it?"

"I'm afraid you may think it's a little prying, but... is
there anything between you and General Nephrite?"

Makoto was undoubtedly surprised at his question. She looked
up at him with eyes wide, momentarily speechless. She couldn't even
begin to wonder why he would ask such a question. Whatever gave him
an impression that something was going on? Mayhap, they were bickering
sometimes...maybe a lot, ever since they've arrived at the castle, but
Prince Saitou wasn't around much to notice anything like that...and it
wasn't even *like* that!

Seeing the confusion in her eyes, Saitou hastily followed up
with an explanation. "It's just that when you said you got the
impression... Well, what I meant to ask was if there's anything going
on between you and Nephrite, anything that would possibly inspire
Glynis' jealousy." He chuckled amusedly. "And she does get jealous
over the smallest things. She's," he scratched his head, "quite
possessive."

"But--" Makoto bit her tongue. She was going to retort that
Glynis didn't own Nephrite, but Saitou might get the wrong impression.
She answered him instead, "Lady Glynis doesn't have to worry about me.
Nephrite and I are just partners...for what we need to do. It's a
strictly professional relationship, nothing else."

"You see, sometimes Glynis gets jealous over some women, and..."
he trailed off. "She isn't really so bad. She's a very nice and
sweet girl. She's just unreasonable at times, when it comes to General
Nephrite, but one would simply have to understand."

Now everything started making sense to Makoto. Why the girl
seemed obnoxious to her at first when they didn't even know each other's
names. "When I first met her, I was with Nephrite. And I take it she
wasn't very happy to see me."

"You mustn't mind her. She loves him," Saitou said simply.

At this, Makoto arched a brow. "She's awfully young. Does she
even understand her own feelings?"

A rueful smile formed at Saitou's lips. "She owes him her life."

Makoto was chagrined at this new piece of revelation, and she
stared at Saitou, wordlessly. She watched as his expression turned dead
serious. Finally, he began to speak. "Six years ago, Lady Glynis lost
everything. Her family to murder, and her home to pillaging."

Makoto was shocked into continued silence at the sudden turn of the
conversation. But Saitou still had more to say. "Her parents were
killed in front of her, and the loyal servants she grew up with tried
to protect her, but they were mercilessly slaughtered," he said. "She
had two older sisters who were abused cruelly before they too, were
killed. There was a brother, as well, but he wasn't much older than
she was. He and Glynis were helpless against the attackers."

"Kami-sama..." Makoto breathed in, before shuddering. Glynis
couldn't have been older than she was when she lost her own parents,
but still...it wasn't the same.

"Glynis was the lone survivor of their family. A few of the
servants who had fled to get help were alive, too, but it was almost
too late when General Nephrite and his army arrived."

"Nephrite...?"

"Yes. Lady Glynis owes her life to that man," Saitou nodded in
the direction of the two at the other side of the balcony, still deep
in conversation as they were. "When he arrived, they were about to kill
the little girl, too. But he came just in time. He saved her life."

Makoto fell silent as she felt something stab at her heart. She
tried not to think about the poor, frightened little girl who witnessed
the death of all who were dear to her. She closed her eyes, and in a
voice that wavered slightly, she asked Saitou, "Why did it happen?"

"Some greedy bastard wanted to get his hands on their property
for years. He claimed that it was rightly his, but he couldn't prove
anything, and was almost put to death himself when he tried producing
fake papers. He was given pardon for the atrocious lie, if you can even
believe that, but it only served to make him angry. So he decided to
extract his revenge on Glynis' family."

"What happened...after the incident?"

"Well, as you already know, it was General Nephrite who came to
her rescue. It was him who brought her over to Silverwood, since it was
the closest kingdom at that time, and my parents knew him personally, so
that made it all the more convenient. When Glynis first came to this
palace, she wouldn't even speak. She wouldn't even come near us. The
only time she stirred from her stupor was when General Nephrite was
around."

Makoto took a deep breath, absorbing everything that Saitou had
revealed. It had put a different perspective on a lot of things. She
knew these were people she barely knew...had just known, in fact.
Simply because circumstances had thrown them together in the same
boat. But somehow, it seemed like everything had changed...about
Glynis, and about him. "I--I had thought that Lady Glynis was of your
family, too..."

Saitou shook his head. "No, she isn't. We're not related. We
barely even knew her family. When my father took her in, my mother
felt sorry for the orphaned girl. She's been living here ever since."

"But what about...her old home?"

"Most of it had been destroyed. But the place is hers, now.
General Nephrite took care of that personally. The land is hers alone,
since she's the only one left of her family. She refuses to go back,
though," Saitou said quietly. "I can't say I blame her. She will have
to deal with it eventually, but we don't want to rush her into things.
She's become part of my family, too; she'll always have a home here."

Makoto nodded. She understood how facing a painful past could be
especially difficult.

Saitou glanced again at the direction of Nephrite and Glynis,
now that they were departing. "When she's with him, it helps her forget.
It's been years."

Makoto's eyes followed them, too. She felt strange. Very
strange. Somehow, things had changed at how she looked at the girl,
Glynis. And much more, Nephrite. She frowned, when she remembered
their heated exchange that started since yesterday. What did he say?
That it wasn't what it looked like. That she didn't know anything
about him. Her frown grew deeper, and a gnawing feeling started to
grow inside her...

"You look cold," said Saitou, breaking into her reverie. He took
off the jacket he was wearing and placed it around her shoulders. She
looked up at him gratefully. "Would you like to go inside now?" he
asked her. "It's getting colder here. And you still have to catch up
on rest."

Makoto nodded. "Alright."

Maybe she really didn't understand. And maybe she didn't know him
at all.

But maybe she was just beginning to.



She looked...tired.

Ami sighed to herself as she picked up the hairbrush and continued
to untangle her short, blue locks. She was tired, and she looked it.
She wondered, suddenly, if she was older than the score of winters she
had lived to see. She never really thought about it before.

She looked at herself again at the mirror. She guessed she looked
just fine, albeit tired, but that couldn't be helped. She was so
exhausted that she almost toppled over the books she was reading
earlier. Zoicite had laughed good-naturedly, and advised her to get
some rest, but she protested against it. He couldn't have had more sleep
than she had, but he wasn't complaining.

Sometimes Zoicite seemed overly concerned about small matters
like those. Ami didn't like him to think she couldn't handle it, when
she's been through worse in the past. But he couldn't know that, could
he? Of course not.

They were already pressed for time as it was, so she tried to
accomplish her part of the work as fast as she could. It wasn't helping
that every now and then some tittering maid would come inside the room
and distract them from work.

Ami frowned slightly, remembering how many times it occured that
morning alone. At first, she dealt with it some slight disregard, and
ignored it as best as possible. By the time it happened more than
twice, she was sorely tempted to lock the doors.

Zoicite didn't seem to mind, but it was becoming increasingly
annoying on her part. She shook her head. A man as good-looking as
Zoicite was attracting too much unwanted attention. Well, she didn't
know how he felt about the attention on his part, but as for hers...
She caught three of the maids who came in eyeing her quite strangely.
And not at all too friendly. It wasn't in her nature to glare off
disturbing scrutiny. She told herself that those occurences came with
her handsome companion. Maybe a man like General Zoicite was so used
to the fawning female attention that he was already oblivious to it
all. Or maybe he was enjoying it.

That deepened her frown. Well, she really couldn't--and
shouldn't--care less if a rogue like him did as he pleased and played
with a dozen women's fancy.

Perhaps that was what the three other women were wondering.
What was she doing with someone like Zoicite?

She placed the hairbrush down, gently. She looked at herself
in the mirror again. She wasn't beautiful. She didn't have a curvy
body, either; she could never be described as voluptuous. In fact,
she had never been described as anything else other than fragile and
delicate-looking, aside from the occasional obligatory compliments
she received about her supposed beauty.

And Zoicite...he was far too handsome. His was a face to kill
for. She couldn't describe it herself very well, but there was a
certain drowning light to this particular general's handsomeness. It
was almost like he had a woman's ethereal beauty...but he had a square
jaw and a strong chin emphasizing that he was truly, wholly, a male.
And well, she didn't even dare venture pondering on how the rest of him
was built. She shook her head, surprised at herself. Maybe she had
spent too much time admiring him herself.

Sighing, she looked at the mirror again. Was this someone who
didn't look right, being seen with him? Zoicite was handsome, certainly,
but he was also charming. A rake to the core, as she had begun to
suspect. She had never met any of his type, just heard of every now and
then...from stories of escapades that made her blush when she was much
younger. Well, she was no longer sixteen of course, but sometimes, she
would have to admit, those whispered tales still made her blush. But
she had never dealt with anyone like him. Not in close quarters, anyway.
Maybe if the circumstances were different...if they didn't have to be
together, and if she was just someone ordinary, someone like him probably
wouldn't even give her the time of the day.

Ami suddenly stood up from the dressing table and tried to dismiss
her thoughts. She was so silly, thinking about trivial things. She
suddenly felt like she was five years younger. What was the matter with
her?

Her gaze wandered around the room. Rei's bed was empty. When
she turned around, she found her friend curled in another corner,
reading.

"Aren't you going to sleep, Rei-chan?" she asked softly.

Rei didn't look up from her book. "You go on ahead. I'll just
finish this last chapter before I go to sleep."

"Okay then. Don't forget to turn off the light when you're
done."

Lying on her back a few minutes later, Ami found herself still
awake, and not even drowsy. With a sigh, she turned on her side, and
faced Rei.

She bit her lip. She stared at her friend for a while, before
she finally opened her mouth to speak. "Rei-chan," she called out
softly.

Rei had finished reading her book, and she placed it down. As
she stood up, she turned expectantly to Ami, who had called her
attention. "What is it?"

"Do you... do you think I'm..." she trailed off, searching
for right word. "Do you think I look alright? I'm not ugly or
anything, aren't I?"

Rei was genuinely surprised. Whatever she had expected her
friend to ask, that was the very last thing on her mind. "Of course
not. I think you're very pretty."

At this, Ami smiled a little sadly. "Oh. Thanks, Rei-chan."

Rei threw a puzzled glance at her direction. Her friend
obviously did not believe her. But more than that, there was
something else. Why was she asking about something like this?

"You may think I only said that because you're my friend,
Ami-chan," Rei told her. "But I am telling you the truth. I'm
surprised you haven't realized something like that."

Bright blue eyes looked at her quizzically. "I never really
thought about things of that sort. I guess I never paid much
attention to how I look. How about you? Have you always known how
you look?"

Rei thought for a while before answering her in all honesty.
"Yes," she replied. "I know how I look. I know that I am beautiful.
I took after my mother. I don't really need anyone to say it for me."

"Oh." Ami couldn't think of anything else to say. She was right.
Rei had always been greatly admired for her beauty. Sometimes Minako,
and even Makoto admitted to being envious of Rei. But they often
wondered about her attitude and silent regard for all the praise. She
was never anything but indifferent. Being admired for her exquisite
loveliness didn't seem to matter much to the Princess of Mars.

Rei could see that Ami was thinking about what she said. She
still couldn't quite guess what brought on this topic; nevertheless,
she told Ami, "You know as well as I do, it doesn't make much of a
difference how or what you look like, Ami-chan. You are beautiful...
and you're more than just a face. That's all that matters." She
smiled briefly, and bid her goodnight. "Oyasumi."

"Oyasumi, Rei-chan."

Closing her eyes, Ami came upon a realization. She wished she
had the same confidence.


=====================================================================
This story was written by Spatula Gurl. All comments and suggestions
should be sent to [email protected]. Naoko Takeuchi owns
Bishoujo Senshi Sailormoon and its characters. I am not making any
profit from this fanfic.

AUTHOR'S NOTES:
---------------
Sorry this chapter was such a booore... I kept talking gibberish!
*_* Anyway...

While I was doing html versions of this fic, I was able to reread
all of the chapters all over again. And I noticed that I was
inconsistent with the characterization and storylines! Gome, minna!
This is my fault, for leaving in long intervals, that I couldn't
remember how I wrote it in the first place! I did write a few outlines
before I left the story, but unfortunately, I write pretty vague
outlines, so... ^^; I'll just try to get 'em all back in character...

Meanwhile, I am contemplating whether or not to rewrite the first
few chapters. My style has greatly changed, and I find it
increasingly hard to stick to my old one for the mere sake of
consistency. However, it's also highly impossible...I barely
finish a chapter every other month, and I'm going to rewrite it?!?
Well, let's see. When I finish the whole story, I may do the
necessary changes, but until then... ^_^