I don't own Sailor Moon. I've been aware for some time that people didn't like RubyMoon-Snape's pairing of Malachite and Zoycite, preferring the pairing of Malachite and Mina (or Kunzite and Minako actually). So I wrote this story to fulfill that preference. On the side if you like Jedite and Raye (Rei) pairing, this story is also for you. I will be using the North American names as I grew up with them and thus, I'm comfortable with them.

Chapter One- Summer Engagement

The waves crashed against the rocks that dotted the shallow waters that led to a beach that, in turn, led to a tree-lined path where a castle loomed above the treetops. The sky was a brilliant blue; the storm that had raged earlier gave no sign that it had been there save for the waves crashing harder than normal and the sea shells that had washed up on the beach.

Malachite smiled as he strolled along the beach, occasionally examining shells before putting them back down or placing them in a satchel he wore around his waist.

"Hey, Malachite!"

The man looked to the beach's entrance to see a blond man run up to him, also wearing a satchel around his waist.

"Lord Jedite," Malachite nodded to him.

Jedite grimaced. "You know I hate being addressed like that."

"Unlike me, who enjoys hearing it."

"Fine, fine. Lord Malachite."

"That's better. So, what brings you here?"

"What else? To collect shells for a necklace for my future beloved."

Malachite and Jedite, along with Nephlite and Zoicite were lords to Prince Darien who was engaged to Princess Serena, daughter of Queen Serenity of the merpeople of Crystal Cove.

Crystal Cove was a special place to the people of the land and sea. A harmonious relationship existed between the humans and merpeople for five hundred years. Every summer solstice, teenagers and young adults would gather at the cove; the men holding seashell necklaces while the girls held cords with a single pearl on them.

At high noon, Queen Serenity would appear with mermaids and mermen of the same ago as the humans. The Pairing was a ceremony where mermaids and mermen would be matched up to their land counterparts at which point, engagement gifts would be exchanged telling all that they would be married in a year's time.

The gifts held by the merpeople is what the pairing. The mermen each held a crystal fashioned into a ring that would glow when passing a girl, mermaid or human. When the crystal gives off a bright glow, that girl is his soulmate. He would give her the ring and she would present him with the pearl necklace. The mermaids all wore silver sea star necklaces with a piece of crystal in the center. It worked the way the mermens' gifts did. The men would then give the mermaid a shell necklace in return for a sea star necklace like their beloved wore.

The pearls and crystal rings bestowed upon these lucky people the power to travel between land and sea during the engagement. The following summer solstice, at the wedding, Queen Serenity would perform the ceremony and then her scepter would change the merperson human or the human into a merperson. The scepter made the decision at the time of the engagement and informed Serenity who would pass on the message. It was not always an equal trade. Sometimes more humans became merpeople; other times more merpeople became human.

This year Serena and Darien would be married and Serena would become human and live with Darien in the castle. Malachite hoped he would be one of the lucky ones to be paired this year which would occur in a week.

"It's odd that only Prince Darien and Princess Serena were paired last year," Jedite said as he placed a red and purple striped shell in his satchel.

"It could be because they're royalty or because the time wasn't right for other pairings."

"Well, I hope I'm paired this year."

"That makes two of us." Malachite picked up a shell patterned with yellow and orage stripes. How unusual to see yellow and orange together like this. This will be the centerpiece of the necklace.

A week later, Malachite was at the cove along with Jedite, Nephlite, Zoicite, and the other hopefuls. Prince Darien was near the water's edge dressed in his new wedding outfit. He wasn't wearing the sea star necklace Serena had given him because the magic in it was gone and tradition dictated that engagement gifts not be worn on one's wedding day.

The sun rose higher in the sky and the crowed watched the water in eager anticipation. Finally at noon, a red heart slowly rose out of the water along with the gold handle it was attached to before a beautiful mermaid with silver-white hair, a gold seashell bra, and a pale pink tail appeared, a crown of coral and ivory sparkled on her head.

The crowd cheered and applauded at Queen Serenity's arrival. She smiled at them as Serena and the other hopeful merpeople also surfaced. Serena was easily the happiest one there. Her blond pigtails gleamed in the sunlight and was adorned with beautiful pearls and shells and topped with a white veil. She swam to the shallows near Darien and everyone noticed that her pink tail was quivering with excitement. Two of Darien's handmaidens came forward and slipped a wedding dress on Serena: When she became human, she would be naked and it was up to the human to provide clothes for his or her beloved, if they were to become human.

Serenity raised her scepter and silence descended on the area. "Humans and merpeople, this is a joyful day for I have the honor of marrying Serena and Darien." There was quick applause before Serenity continued. "Our relationship has lasted for five hundred years and I know that we hope it will last forever. And so, Prince Darien and Princess Serena, do you promise to love and care for one another for the rest of your days?"

"I do, Your Highness," Darien stated with a courtly bow.

"I do, Your Highness," Serena responded, bowing to her mother.

"Then, I pronounce you husband and wife. Serena, tit was decided a year ago that you would live on land with your husband and with the scepter, I turn you into a human." There was a brief white flash and then Darien swept Serena into his arms and two feet peeked out from under her dress. Darien and Serena kissed and both humans and merpeople clapped and cheered at their union.

"And now," the queen announced as Darien set Serena down. "Let The Pairing begin!" She waved the scepter once through the air amidst a loud cheer. The humans lined up at the water's edge and waited for the merpeople to use their crystals to seek out their soulmates. Malachite was inwardly shaking as he stood there holding the necklace. What if he wasn't chosen, just like last year? He had been so disappointed, he had smashed the necklace before realizing he could have held on to it for the following year.

Well, if I'm not chosen this year, I'll just come back next year until I turn thirty, at which point I'll seek my bride from the village women who weren't chosen, just as the women not chosen will seek their husband from the village men.

He brought himself back to the cove to see a pretty black-haired mermaid with purple eyes and a red tail smiling happily at Jedite, her crystal shining brightly. Jedite returned the smile as he knelt down to present his gift and receive his own.

Queen Serenity swam over to them and waved the scepter over them. "Lord Jedite, the scepter has told me that you will be a merman next year." Jedite nodded as did the mermaid; both started talking once the queen left to check on the others' progress.

Malachite looked at the hopeful mermaids and his eyes were drawn to one in particular: She had blond hair and blue eyes like the princess, but she had a blue shell bra, and an orange tail with a thin yellow line running down the center of the tail. She's lovely. I wonder if she'll get lucky and if so, who the lucky man will be.

He watched as she swam closer and she watched her crystal as she went past the men. She stopped when her crystal gave off a bright glow, and turned to look at…Malachite! "Hi," she said. "My name's Mina."

"Mina. That's a lovely name. I am Lord Malachite."

Mina couldn't believe her luck. Not only did she meet her beloved, he was one of the four lords! Oh, Amy and Lita are gonna be so jealous once I get home and tell them. She reached into a pouch and pulled out a necklace like hers and placed it around Malachite's neck once he had knelt and she lowered her head to accept her shell necklace. She noticed that the center shell had yellow and orange striped that seemed to symbolize her hair and tail and she was about to asked about it when Queen Serenity, beaming, swam over and waved the scepter.

"Lord Malachite, it has been decided that you will be a merman next year."

Once the queen had left, Mina said, "I've been dreaming of this moment since I became old enough to participate."

"As have I. Mina, since we have four seasons before our wedding, what if we were to split our time? I'll be a merman for two seasons and you be human for two seasons."

"A little unusual, but that sounds wonderful. What seasons do you want?"

"I was thinking summer and fall."

"Perfect. Then, I'll take winter and spring."

"Good. Meet me here tomorrow morning."

"Agreed, Lord Malachite."

"Please, just call me Malachite. After all, we will be getting married."

This chapter may seem longer than my usual few pages, but I had a lot of explanations to give and I hope everything made some sort of sense. The necklaces I described were inspired by a similar looking necklace I have which looked like a sea star to me.