Hola, fans! This is ALL of part two, elaborating on the piece you read last week. Sorry about that...oh well, last time I did that was with "Stranded". *grin* DISCLAIMERS: 1)Well, guess what? I don't own nothin' but the villians here! So don't sue me, all right? 2)Um...the song at the beginning of each part MAY NOT match the theme of the part itself. I'm trying, I really am...oh well. 3)You know what? I have no idea what Nate's father does, only that its a service. If you have any ideas, send me them. 4)Perkins is the name of an American restaurant that serves great coffee and hot chocolate. No infringement intended on the name...its a compliment! 5)Before you begin, this is a SERIES. If you haven't read "Stranded" "DitH" "HiaP" or "Interim", you may be more than lost. 6)Not to the PG-13 (R) parts yet..that's later. ATTENTION READERS: See end of the story! Please! I need help! Feedback to jkc1984@niia.net. Enjoy this, please. The Four Lovers Air On a Cosmic String II. Saddle Up! I've spent so many mornings Just trying to resist you I'm trembling now You can't know how I've missed you --"As If We Never Said Goodbye" from "Sunset..." "Nate," Kev asked, "are you nuts?!" Nate's laugh reduced to a giggle, but he kept it going for a couple more minutes. All of them stared blankly, even angrily at him, but he didn't care. he thought in a giggle, "No, no, Kevin," he breathed, his stomach aching as the last fitful laughs escaped from it. "I'm not crazy. Just...surprised. And HAPPY!--just in case you couldn't tell." "Oh, I never would've guessed," Jade muttered sarcastically. "What's going on, Nephrite?" Serena asked, her tone half stern, half wondering. Immediately he caught himself on a smart remark, and said, "I just received word that we all have jobs in Japan." Then, "Oh, Princess! Stop using that formal tone! It ruined the surprise!" "Pardon me, Nate, but I don't think the lady's in a mood to be toyed with," Petal tossed off in a Brooklyn accent. Petal's pronouncement hit the air, and immediately there was silence. All four of them stared at Nate in an odd way, like they'd just seen him smooch with a large, ugly youma. He, on the other hand, still retained his grin, as if he'd just had something refreshing to wash down his cherry pie. They stared at each other this way for a few moments...a minute...a few more moments... And then the cacophony----broke lose. "We have WHAT?!" "WHERE?" "WE have WHAT WHERE?!" "We're going to Japan!" "I'm not going home alone!" Another moment of silence as the news began to sink into their brains. Serena slowly collapsed to a sitting position, scooting up by the other three, who now ringed Nate as if he was a lead about to sing a song in a fresh musical. Indeed, he'd turned his charm on full, and you could almost hear the music starting in the background as he rose and began. "Yesterday, while I was at work," he began, "I started to overhear bits and pieces about some big new project going on. And when I say big, I mean BIG. The buzz was all over the office, but I couldn't catch any of it with real meaning. A few people even came up and congratulated me, which was odd enough, considering most of them were about ready to string me up on charges of nepotism. Anyways, I didn't hear anything about it from any of you, so I assumed it'd just been a random phenomenon." "Then, last night," and here Petal uttered a cough, and he glared at him. coursed through his head, but he ignored it and went on, "my father was waiting up for me when I came home." "THAT'S strange," Jared chimed in. "Your dad NEVER comes home," Kevin added, sounding so serious it was hard to see the joke. He nearly rolled his eyes in reply, though it was true- -his father was rarely at home. But then again, with a flourishing business to run and the personality that demanded excellence, he wouldn't have expected less. That's why he was here, to watch over the house, his mother, and various other things. It was a sign of age and respect, and he wore it proudly. Still, he did wish he could get out more often... "Go on, Nate," Serena urged, her eyes questing, wanting the rest from him. "I was a little more than buzzing at the time, but I could see that he wasn't going to wait until morning. So, when he motioned me to sit down, I did." His eyes fluttered to half shut as a hazy, sparkling image of himself and his father sitting heavily on the fine couches winged its way across his vision. His father had hair that was darker than his--except for the tips of white at the roots, but it enhanced him in an eaglish, noble way--eyes darker than his, skin darker than his, and ways darker than his. He was a businessman, plain and simple, and the look that he'd pinned Nate with as he groggily tried to push his way back to being had helped him along significantly. "What then, Nate?" Jade asked in a hushed breath, and his eyes came fully open again, turning their power on the others. He caught a breath, shaking the vision----and then started to speak again. "He was unusually talkative, which only piqued my curiosity even more; it took us a record five minutes to get around to his business. Which is what the conversation was about--his business. You see, the company has been pushing for some time to expand into the Asian market; the need for our services is primed there, but Dad was hesitant. He didn't have anyone he really trusted to go over there, and besides that, no one in the company knows the culture, speaks the language, etc. etc." "Except for us," Kevin said softly, his eyes jumping with his mind to the conclusion. "Except for us," he nodded. "Which is why the five of us, in about a month's time, are heading to Japan." The silence descended upon them again, except for the small scooting sounds Serena made as she came closer to Jade, leaning on him as he leaned on her. Nate sat down in his chair again. Petal stayed put, a mild shock on his face. Kevin went to the piano, sat down, and put his fingers to the keys, playing some nonsense melody, adding harmony, each touch of the white an emotion around them. Right now, the music was mostly soft and low, like the rumblings of thoughts around someone's mind. Kevin had never been sure where the talent had come from; the core of Kunzite he had was as puzzled as he to learn of the talent, but it had surfaced around the same time he had. One of those little "mysteries" that surrounded them all. Suddenly, the music changed, and a glow sprang into Petal's eyes. In fact, the whole atmosphere of the room seemed to change, and one by one their gazes all fell on Petal. The piano tune in the background moved effortlessly from minor to major, and intense anticipation seemed to waft from the instrument. Petal licked his lips, and whispered softly, "We'll get to meet our women." WHAM! Kevin's ten fingers came down mercilessly on the piano keys, and Nate winced. "Watch it, Kev!" he yelled. There was no apology as the light haired man slipped back in among them, but a growing excitement on his face. And it was catchy. Jade seemed to glow. Petal bloomed. Inside him, he felt a warmth rise from the tip of his toes, sluicing through him until it touched the tips of his hair, and he felt like he was blushing. It was like he'd been in a closed room, and someone had finally pried open the window and let in some fresh air. "Mako," he whispered, his lips the first to get around the name. Even now he could hear Nephrite singing within him; that name always brought out the best of the memories. "Rei," Jade said, smiling a secretive half smile, his eyes the burning blue of a pale, morning sky. "Ami," Petal chimed in, his voice half nervous, but eyes so bright that it seemed they start sparking green gray points of light. "Minako," Kevin said finally, the name coming out as if he'd exhaled his last breath. It was incredible to watch a change wash over him, as his features seemed to relax, his steel eyes soften, and his heart suddenly appeared on his sleeve. Not that it lasted long, but some traces remained. The beautiful atmosphere they exuded lasted a few seconds after Kev breathed last. And it was Serena's voice that burst their bubble. "Actually," she said, painfully matter-of-fact, "Lita, Raye, Amy and Mina, now." "Your friends?" Nate burst out. "The ones you wrote to before you left?" She nodded. "They were my Senshi." Their eyes widened in comical unison, and except for the serious atmosphere of the room, Serena nearly started to giggle. She'd told them some stories of her friends over the years, and of her and her Senshi fighting the Negaforce, but she'd never connected the two for them. And apparently, neither had they. "You mean the same friends who you used to hang around with, fight with, scream at, talk to...they were your Senshi?" Zach asked slowly. She nodded. "WHY didn't you TELL US!?" Kev suddenly burst out, eyes so gray Serena could feel their power on her. "SERENA!" She swallowed, and took a breath. "I didn't think...I wasn't...I didn't want to. I couldn't." "And WHY not?" her brother asked, voice ice. No, not quite her brother. The mention of the Senshi had brought more General to the surface, and that part of them was calmly reasserting itself over them. "Because..." she stopped for a second, then plunged ahead. "Well, because I was never going back, and you always told me you'd be with me. And if I wasn't going back, I didn't want to play with you by revealing their identities and then staying here...it'd be too cruel...I know how I'd feel..." she stopped herself as the tears welled up in her eyes. "Sometimes I feel him," she whispered as her hand brushed away the cool drops, "here, right here, in the room with me. And I smell him...and I couldn't..." She choked on her air, and stopped. "Oh Serena..." Nate said, but Petal intervened, calmly hugging her. "I understand," he whispered softly. "I understand, dear Princess." "We all do," Jade said softly. "It's just that...well, it was a long night." A lopsided grin appeared on Nate's face, and even Serena smiled. That was Jade's famous line, and one he used every time he failed to totally get himself out of something. It had turned into something of a joke between them all; best of all, it broke the tension in the room. "Don't worry, Serena," Kev said, kneeling down behind her. "Soon, you'll be home, and in the arms of your prince again, and we'll have our ladies once more...Serena, what is it?" She'd risen out of Petal's arms, and looked up at him, a peculiar smile on her face. "It may be sooner than that, Kev," she said. "Help me up." Automatically he pulled her to her feet, and the rest stood with her, wondering what kind of news she was going to spring on them now. "Serena," Nate began cautiously, "its not another surprise, is it?" "Well, sort of," she said with a smile. "A pleasant one, though. But first," and now she turned to Zach, "I need you to drive me to the video store." Zach's head cocked a little, and he smiled. "Good plan, Princess," he murmured. "Good plan." "Be back in five, boys," she called, and the two of them left three very confused Generals wondering just what was going to happen next. * * * * The next week's went both fast and slow, were hectic and boring at the same time. For one thing, all of them were refreshing their Japanese skills, and learning a little more culture than they'd known before. For another, Nate's dad was drilling them completely on everything, from hiring natives to getting the office completely set up. The four of them were moving up in their positions (though Serena, at her insistence, remained where she was), and they needed to get used to that command feel. Which wasn't a problem at ALL for Kevin. Unlike the other guys, Kevin had no problem in adapting to Kunzite. The two of them seemed to have been a pair separated at birth, yet still connected in a strange, psychic way; therefore, the meshing brought around by Serena's arrival was less of an upheaval for him than for anyone else. In fact, unlike the others, there seemed to be no separation. Calling him Kevin was just like calling him Kunzite. However, for the first time, the meld seemed to be slipping. And the reason was Minako. The other three had been so pumped about seeing their women again, even Petal, who Kevin knew did not have the best memories of his last moments with his woman. He'd caught some of the enthusiasm--it was hard not to when around the others--but at night, when he should've been sleeping, he would pick through Kunzite's memories of Minako. he reminded himself softly, but it didn't help. She was still Minako in his mind, their mind, and that was what the problem was. She was all Kunzite's, not his. How he acted around her, how he thought of her, how he LOVED her--it was all his. This was the schism between the two. He didn't know this woman except through the other man's biased sight! What if she was some bubble headed twit? He couldn't stand that! Yet according to Serena, they could be soul mates! Soul mates! WITH A WOMAN WHO COULD HAVE THE INTELLIGENCE OF AN OYSTER SHELL! He couldn't deny her beauty, though, or the way Kunzite leaped within him when he saw her. He still wondered what it would be like just to touch that mass of shining blond hair, to run his fingers through it, or press his face into it. And the sparkle in her blue eyes, her adorable face...that brought a certain fondness to his mind. But he didn't know her. And so, he couldn't love her. He wondered if he really ever could. There was also another problem the five of them discussed. They were going back not only because of their jobs, but because the Senshi needed them. There was only one problem, though--what to do with Serena? "You can't be Sailor Moon," Petal pointed out over cocoa. They were sitting in Perkins, working through the last details of their departure, and the conversation had (inevitably) turned to the Senshi and fighting. "I know," she replied with a sigh. "The minute they saw Sailor Moon, they'd hunt me down unmercilessly. Then they'd determine if I was a fake or not." She sipped the cocoa, wiping a spot of whipped cream from her nose. "And with you four around, there is a good chance they will think I'm fake." "What do you mean?" Jade asked. "Well, we've already fought the Four Dark Kings," she said. "And they were NASTY. Constantly attacking our friends, turning people into youma, hunting for Sailor Moon all the time, calling me 'Sailor Brat'..." she shuddered at her memories. "It wasn't fun." "But what does this have to do with us...our uniforms!" Nate asked, then answered himself. "We wear similar uniforms to the Dark Kings, then!" "Except for the fact that your lining is purple- blue...yep, you do wear about the same uniforms," she replied. "There's got to be some kind of alteration we can make, both to ourselves and you," he put in. "With our powers and the crystal...there's a solution somewhere." The boys found themselves grinning proudly as Serena nodded. They were fiercely proud of their abilities, even if they did cause a little havoc once in awhile. "Yea, Serena, don't worry! We'll cook up a disguise so good, even the Prince won't notice you!" Jade crowed. At the mention of her Prince, Serena abruptly clammed up. She stirred the whipped cream into her hot chocolate and staring at the sworls on the surface, contemplative. When Jade finally noticed, he gently asked, "What's wrong, Serena?" "It's Darien," she replied softly. "I know you four have wonderful, caring women to go back to, and once they understand your story, they'll be no separating you eight. But Darien...its not like he ever lacked for women company...I think he was dating before I even left Japan." That shocked them out rightly. Their memories painted different pictures of the many sided Prince, but when it came to how he loved his Princess, they were all in shocking accord. He wouldn't give her up for anything-- not even death. "Serena..." "Maybe I shouldn't go back," she started, eyes glossy with tears. "I don't know how I'm going to face him...and what if he has found happiness besides me, what then? I can't just barge into his life and demand his love! What..." she trailed off. The four men sat silent for a minute, and then each of them suddenly began to talk. "Serena..." "There's no way!" "Another woman? When he has you? And canines pass through my alimentary canal!" "I'll kick his..." They stopped, realizing they were talking, and that she was looking at them, expressionless. "And canines pass through my alimentary canal?" he whispered to Petal. "It sounds better than 'when pigs fly out of my butt'," he replied. "And I prefer dogs to pigs." "Serena," Nate started, brown eyes soft, "I know you think that Darien was wrong in what he did. And he was. But you have to remember that this man will ALWAYS love you, whether he knows it or not...so don't lose hope." She still looked a little unsure, so he (unexpectedly) chimed in. "Serena, I know your memories a little hazier than ours, but from what I know, the Prince would rather walk naked through a volcano rather than lose you. He'd take a thousand paper cuts and then walk through an ocean to get to you. There isn't..." His words were suddenly interrupted as Jade brashly sang out, "Ain't no mountain high enough!" and danced in his seat a little bit. Nate joined in, and soon the two had a regular chorus going, attracting the attention of some of the patrons in the restaurant as he turned beet red. Only when the waitress finally came over to ask them if they needed anything else did they stop. "Well, that was effective," Petal murmured. "And even though it was a rude interruption, its true," he added. "He loves you that much." Serena had turned both pale and red, so it looked like she'd been scared in the cold, but her eyes shone with acceptance and amusement. "Thank you," she whispered. "All of you. I can't even imagine what life would be like without you four." "Ditto, Serena," Jade said, giving her a side hug. The rest of them smiled, and she rewarded them with a radiant smile in return. It was then that a light bulb went on over his head. Quickly, he leaned forward and asked, in a lowered voice, "Serena, do you have your Luna Pen?" She blinked for a moment, confused, then nodded. "Can I have it?" "Why?" asked Nate as she took her pen and passed it to him. "Because I have an idea," he replied mysteriously as his hand closed around the pen. And that was all he needed to say. -------------------------------------------- All right, my friends, here's what I need! A) Songs to go at the beginnings of the parts. I'll take any suggestions, but I prefer them to be in the category of love, with the added bonus of being about home/wistfulness/ returning. B) If any of you know where I can find the following Love Revolution .mp2 (AWESOME VIDEO) Pictures of the SMR movie Manga pics...definetly need those C) A shovel. To hit my sister. In the face. Seriously, she's acting out the lines above the line in the worst acting style possible. It's hilarious...I'll tape it and send it to you if you're depressed.