Hey all you peops actually following this line! Anyone actually get the title for Chapter Four? Wonderous, huh? Also, there may be a slight change in style due to my English class (re: long story); ignore it. And above all, enjoy! Still craving Feedback! jkc1984@niia.net, all right? ALL DISCLAIMERS STILL APPLY. I'm dedicating Chapters Five and Five and a Half to Time Nolan, who has written some of the best SM fanfiction I've EVER read. You have to try it after reading my garbage. I swear I used every romantic cliche in the book, and felt through the whole thing that I should stick to H&H. THE FOUR LOVERS: STRANDED by: Guess who? CHAPTER FIVE MAR'S LOSS, JUPITER'S GAIN Dawn broke in rays over the dry and dusty plain, it's warming and comforting sunshine spreading light and bringing to life the beautiful morning. Plants and animals began to awaken all around it, and with them came the others forms of life who just happened to be on this plain. "KIYA!" Mars shouted as she sliced through another imaginary opponent. Flipping backward, she swung around and fiercly kicked another. Then she jumped away, landed in a crouch, and swept someone. And heard the faint pitter-patter of clapps behind her. "Very nice, Lady Mars," Jaedite called out as she stood and brushed the hair from her face. "Thank you, Lord Jaedite," she replied courteously. Though the argument that had put her at odds with Venus was days behind them now, she still felt uncomfortable with the Generals. Well, except with this one; she'd warmed up to him internally, even if she still held a grudge against the group as a whole. He nodded in reply, smiling a little, then asked, "I was wondering, Lady, if I could perhaps spar you?" In the crimson morning, she couldn't see the faint blush on his cheeks as he asked; she still daunted him somewhat, though she'd grown from the cold warrior to the lukewarm, nearly warm sometimes warrior in the last days. "Of course you may," she replied. "But I spar without my powers." "Of course, Lady Mars," he said, voice sharper now. "Perhaps, maybe later, you could demonstrate yours and we could compare them to mine." "Perhaps, Lord Jaedite. Perhaps." They squared off against each other, the two lone figures on a blood red plain. Mars studied him intently, sizing up his lean figure and studying his face and the short, curling hair around it. His eyes were the same clear blue, yet somehow brighter now, as if anticipating the challenge. she thought uncharacteristically. He also sized her up, noting the strong legs and graceful form; again, he let his eyes follow her raven hair into her violet eyes. "Ready?" she asked. "When you are," he replied. A pause, and the fight was on. At first, the battle was Jaedite's easily. Mars was surprised to find a block for every move she made, and a counter move right beside that. However, Mars wasn't about to let herself lose to this man, despite how she thought he looked or the little pangs she felt around him. So she altered her attack style to dance more, and present him a moving target. She managed to score a few hits on him, and the tide began to even out. He now admired her choice of footwear; besides making her legs look great, it HURT when they connected. Finally, the battle began to take its toll on both, though neither could think of any non-injuring way to stop it. Mars, hitting upon an idea, summoned enough energy to flip away a few times, raise her hands, and yell, "MARS FIRE...EXPAND!" The fire raised from her hands and, being pointed up, spread harmless around her. Jaedite got the message for what it was, and both trotted toward each other, breathin' fast and feeling worn. "No powers, I thought," Jaedite breathed out first. "Just trying to get your attention," she replied heavily as she sucked in air. "Don't worry...Lady...Mars," he panted. "You...already...have it." The remark ripped her attention away from breathing, and she cautiously made eye contact with him, wondering, he thought. Casually he remarked, "Good fighting, Lady Mars." "Oh no, Lord Jaedite," she replied, caught off guard and still locked in eye contact. "Your fighting was excellent as well. Superb, in fact. Honestly, I couldn't believe you..." she caught herself on the statement, but couldn't look away from his blue eyes. Purple joined the red on her face as she finished, "..fight so well." He chuckled inside, but gently took her hand instead and replied, "I thought so too about you, Lady Mars, but you proved me wrong." "I..uh, thank you, Lord Jaedite," she replied, surprised at the warm contact of his hand. It was then, and only then, that she noticed the scratch on his cheek, inflicted by a high heel during the fight Truthfully, he'd become so accustomed to injury that he barely felt it himself, but the redness that marred his face hit a nerve deep within her. "You're hurt, Lord Jaedite!" she exclaimed, reaching up to touch it, proving to herself that yes, it was a REAL scratch. Somehow, touching it made it less painful to him, and moreso to her. "Lady Mars, please, its just Jaedite," he replied warmly. "And its only a scratch." "It look painful. Maybe we should let Mercury look at it," she said, worriedly. she thought. Unknown to either, or anyone else, Mars and Jaedite had fallen prey to a peculiar form of love at first sight--the only one that didn't overwhelm its owner. Cupid's arrow had become a slow syringe, injecting at a snail's pace its elixer of love into their hearts. It could be sped up, though, by events bringing the two close together. The rare moment or two they'd shared in the past days had tapped the plunger; the fight, though a fight, had also hit it a bit. But her concern for him and his awareness of her abilities had caused the plunger to descend to the rim as if it had been hit with a hammer. The sudden shock of feeling hit them both, and caused Jaedite to place his hand over her slight touch and say, "With your hand here, I feel no pain." Now, silence. Only eye contact and body language could speak between them without ruining the moment. His hand slowly removed hers from his cheek, and in a moment unexpected to both, he lightly kissed it. She gasped softly, and stepped away in shock. His grip tightened and tugged as his heart (slighty) panicked, and she found herself sliding effortlessly into his arms. Looking up, she could see the scratch was much worse than he let on or she'd seen; gingerly, her fingers touched his face, and the soft touch of her fingers sent chills through him. They slid down as if they were unaware of what they were doing to touch his lips, running lightly across their pale thinness. she screached inside, then finally snapped to herself, Meanwhile, he'd somehow managed to kiss her fingers lightly, teasing her. She pulled them away and slid her arms instead around his neck, gazing up at him with a half-smile on her lips. he thought, uncharacteristically poetic. He usually left that to Zoicite, but gazing down at her violet eyes and half-curved, full lips, he couldn't resist it. His next thoughts were of drowing in those eyes, and his mind cried out a half-dozen things those lips could do, most of them insanely naughty. And when he finally touched his lips to hers, he felt like it was his first kiss and last kiss in one heart shapped moment. The kiss, though nothing but a feather's touch, sent shocks through her, and she applied the pressure to part his lips under hers. Her stomach was doing triple sommersaults while her heart did backhandsprings, somewhat imitating the motions of his own inards. A thought jolted through the completed circuit: came a frantic call froom Jaedite's mind. Abruptly, he cut the kiss off and ported away from her, body shaking as the emotions of complete surprise exploded onto her face. Her eyes flew open in shock, and she called, "Jaedite, what's..." "Princess...Lady Mars...I'm sorry! But I...I'm.." he gave up on words, shook his head in frustration, face reddening to the same crimson shade they'd fought on. "Don't be hurt!" he burst out. "Please...don't be hurt.." "Jaedite!" she called hopelessly, feebly, heart wrenching inside her. "Wait!" He shook his head, ignoring those foolish, demanding impulses inside him, and ported away. "At least tell me what's wrong," she finished in a whisper. He materialized back at the camp, near his quarters, and leaned against the pole. "What was THAT, Jade?" he asked himself. "What were you thinking?" "Habit of talking to yourself, Jaedite?" He nearly leapt on top of the pole, and felt his heart clang against his ribs in surprise. "Only this morning, Nephrite," he gasped out. "Jade, you're up awfully early," said the auburn haired man coming into view, tying his hair up with a length of green yawn. Emerald green, in fact, to match Jupiter's eyes; a subconcious decision, but something Jaedite would've normally caught and commented on. But his thoughts were on a pair of violet eyes, ruby lips, and their touch. Nephrite noticed immediately that his friend wasn't really where he stood, and it sent a spark through his brain. "What's wrong, Jade?" he asked cautiously. "Lady...Lady Mars," he said, managing not to let his voice warble. "The shrew?" He had apologized, and never referred to her that way in public, but his private grudge still held some footing. "Don't let her bother you, Jade." The blond chuckled unintentionally at his friend, the nervous feeling channeling themselves into the laugh. "Oh no, not that. Something totally different, my friend." "What? Come on, Jade, tell me what happened." He struggled for a second for where to begin, but finally just skipped the middle and said, "We kissed." Nephrite was stunned for a moment, and he slowly began to understand why his friend was rattled. "And then what?" "I broke it off and took off," he said. He thunked his head against the pole. "Nephrite, what was I thinking?!" "Um, does she kiss like a pig?" "No! It was fine!" "Then you were thinking that she's an attractive, free lady." "Much more, Nephrite. Much more. Incredible fighter, smart, a fire reader...and a Royal Senshi of the COURT Guard to boot!" he sighed, ticking off her good attributes in a bell-like, dreamy tone. "And gorgeous." "And gorgeous. Yes, Jaedite--say it with me--you are..." "...an idiot," he replied in unison with his friend. "I know, I know. But don't you think it's rushed?" "You sleep with half of your 'girls' on the first date; you think a little kiss is going to hurt?" "I've only known her a few days!" "You and her fellow Martian noblewoman--the one from the Ice Cap--were all OVER each other in hours. A personal record, you said." He leaned in close. "Are you just afraid to fall for her? Or has that already happened?" He stared at his friend, then thunked his head against the pole again, one hand entangling itself in a thatch of his hair. "I didn't think about that," he said quietly, "but I guess I am. No, I am. I have. I'm in love with the Princess Mars, and there isn't a damn thing I can do about it." He blew out a rough sigh. "Timing is perfect, too. Right in the middle of our mission to find the prince, and I go and fall for her." His eyes closed delicately. "The best, worst thing about it is that I feel like a youngster again. As if this were my first relationship. Worst of all, I don't even know what _she_ thinks of me." Nephrite smiled; it was interesting to watch his friend struggle with getting serious for once. "Did you ask her?" "Uh..no." "Then we'd better take a walk and call on Lady Mars. I'm sure she wants to talk to you." "All right, Nephrite," he replied, his face starting to brighten. "And maybe I can patch this little mishap up." "Of course. And maybe I can do the same with Lady Jupiter, too," Nephrite replied, voice and face a little graver. He looked up at his friend, pacing by his side, and his keen eyes narrowed. "You have a thing for her, don't you?" "Maybe." "Maybe." A pause. "Oh, Nephrite?" "Yes, Jade?" A characteristic I'm-a-rascal smile broke over Jaedite's face. "Why are you wearing green yarn in your hair?" "And then he kissed me." Mars and Jupiter sat inside Jupiter's quarters, Mars having awakened her best friend to fill her in. The bleary eyed Princess of Jupiter had been barely awake until those words. "He what?" "He kissed me!" "Oh. Congratulations! Then what did he do?" "Apologized and took off." "Really? That much out of practice, Lady Mars?" She blushed the same purple-red of that early morning and replied, "I hope not. He sure isn't....I hope he enjoyed it as...as...as much as I did." The blush deepened. "Why Lady Mars! What's all this teenage stars-in-the eyes blushing nonsense? This is not what I expect from the women who has tackled--literally--half the men in the Queen's court." "He...just thinking of him makes my knees quiver and my heart turn to slush." "You know, you two aren't such a bad match," Jupiter said sagely. "He's Royal Guard to the Prince, and you're a Court Guard to the Princess. You two are each other's counterparts. It's fated." Mars nodded. "It's so strange; all this time I've been so drawn to him, and I fought it every step of the way. But this morning after the fight and I saw that gash on his cheek...adn being in his arms..it was just right to me." Jupiter laughed and produced her pen. "If you don't mind, I'm going to get dressed." "No problem," Mars replied, both standing and she moving back to the door. The green crystal piece with the wreath on it flashed, and she watched the electricity spark as her friend donned the normal Senshi uniform, nightgown melting away. "I was just thinking, Mars," she said as she emerged, fresh, "that if you and Jaedite are counterparts, that would make Nephrite and I counterparts, too. I mean...he's probably not such a bad guy. In fact, he seems like a perfect gentlemen." "You could use a man in your life, Mako." "Why do you persist in using my name, REI?" she replied, emphasizing the name. "Because..." Her words halted as the chimes clattered, their bell-like tones ringing through the air. Both turned to the door, and Jupiter called out, "Who comes?" "Generals Jaedite and Nephrite to see Lady Mars and Lady Jupiter," came the brisk reply. "Oh!" exclaimed Mars softly. "And I'm a mess!" Her pen appeared and she flicked it, sending a flare out. Swinging it around her, Jupiter watched in amazement as the fire roped about her, forming a sheet that covered her from head to toe. When it disappeared, she emerged sparkling and clean. "Okay," she whispered to Jupiter, and they stepped outside. Jaedite's eyes nearly came out of his head as the two Senshi appeared, and he stilled his face carefully. Was it really possible for her to look ten times more lovely now than she did this morning? He was able to get off a "Good morning, Lady Jupiter. Lady Mars, again" rather freshly; it covered the coiling nervousness within him. "You as well, Lord Jaedite," she said, and the use of his title sent a flurry of questions through him--all of which he tamped down with a sledgehammer. "If I may say, Ladies, you outshine the sun this morning," Nephrite entered smoothly, voice a touch deeper than normal. "Thank you, Lord Nephrite," Jupiter replied, her voice a touch smoother than his. To Jaedite, "Excuse my lack of greeting, Lord Jaedite. Good morning to you." A bit of a pause, letting a breeze through to sweep up some dust and blow a few strands of hair around. "Umm..." Jaedite started, and Nephrite shot him a look of confidence and courage. "Lady Mars," his voice intoned, "can I speak to you in private? I believe we have something to discuss." "As you wish, Jaedite," she replied softly, the half-smile flashing onto her face for a fraction of a second. "Lead the way." He smiled slightly now, and offered his arm. She took it with grace, and the two stepped off toward the forest area. Jupiter and Nephrite watched them till they disappeared, then looked at each other. Automatically, they blushed. Unlike Nephrite and Mars, or Jaedite and Mars, Nephrite and Jupiter never chanced to heal the bad blood between them. However, neither one could continue denying the strong, yet strange, attraction that seemed to surge up when they met. Yet they never got around to saying what they needed to say. It was Jupiter first. "A few nights ago, I offended you," she started bluntly. "I apologize greatly. I was upset and distraught and plagued with four millions types of mental anguish." "Forgiven," he replied lightly. "Though I must say..." "Forgiven," she said quickly. "I don't like long apologies. They make me nervous." He smiled at this, and she smiled back, and for a minute or so they were caught up in their eyes smiling at each other. Then, Nephrite said, "Jupiter, do you know how to cook?" "Yes....fairly well. Why?" He started to walk now, a slow pace leading toward their 'cooking' area. She followed, intruiged. "I myself love to cook--it's a hobby I've had since I was young--but the other Generals can barely make a piece of toast. Very few others in the Palace can even identify their fork from their spoon. So I rarely get to exchange recipes." His eyes sparkled. "Would you like to?" She smiled brightly. "I'd love to, Lord Nephrite." "Please, Nephrite. Or Neph, it you want to shorten it." "Neph then. Call me Jute." He nodded his approval as they broke from the quarters into the 'kitchen' area--if you could call it that. Though not really roughing it, they had to cook all of their meals through the fire, or over it, or in it. However, unlike the Princess and her companion, they had a few more conveniences. This morning, the fire was arranged but unlit, and Nephrite frowned. "Zoicite usually lights it," he said, puzzled. "Is there anyway you could..." "Step back," she replied, and he obeyed, wondering. She stood over the fire, and called out "JUPITER LIGHTNING...." as she stretched out her hand over the well-made pit. Her middle finger contacted with her thumb, and with a loud "SNAP!!!!" she snapped her fingers. From the clear sky fell a bolt of lightning, easily starting a fire from the dry materials. "Bravo," he said. "It's rare to find power and beauty together." "Thank you," she replied modestly. "Now, I believe you wanted to show me some of your recipes?" He nodded, and indicated that they needed the materials before they began to cook. She agreed, and they scrounged up whatever they could find for supplies that fit with a breakfast theme. Carefully, he went step by step through each preperation, making her repeat it after him. After they finished (and ended up with two cheese omlettes), she turned the tables and instructed him, being surprisingly patient. When both dishes were completed, they scrounged up the other materials they'd need to eat, and proceeded to sit and feed each other. It started from Jupiter's need to show him the correct way to wrap cheese around a fork; it escalated into each taking turns. They turned to more dishes after they'd finished, making food for the whole camp and then some, just to cook. She found he was a delight to cook with; he liked her easygoing, almost rough manners. It was a partnership made in heaven. When Mercury and Zoicite happened upon them, dragging Venus in tow, they found the two peeling the brown skin off a local fruit to reveal a sweet, blue fruit underneath. "They're like strawberries," Jupiter announced when she saw them. "Only better," Nephrite agreed. She nodded emphatically, and both laughed. The three others, still tired and not quite alive, wondered what had come over the two of them. "Are we interrupting something?" Venus asking drily as she watched Jupiter playfully pop the fruit into his mouth. "Nothing but breakfast," Nephrite replied. "More, Jute?" "I couldn't, Neph. I just couldn't," she replied. "Looks good," Zoicite said. "There's plenty for all," Jupiter said. "And healthy too, I suppose. If you feel up to it, you can eat," Mercury pronounced. "Thanks for your permission," he said, moving to take part in the festive breakfast, Senshi and General taking turns pointing out what was good and what was merely okay. "They look cozy," came Kunzite's voice from behind Venus, and she straightened in surprise. "Did I scare you?" "Slightly," she replied. "Finally hoist yourself out of bed?" "I heard lightning." "Twas Jupiter lighting the fire. By the way, have you seen Mars?" "No, nor Jaedite." "They went for a walk," Nephrite popped in. "They had to discuss..." It was then that a scream reached the camp. What had happened in the woods was this. The two had walked silently through the camp and into the forest that bordered on the edge of it. Jaedite had been trying to coax from his brain a way to start the conversation, and had stalled. Finally, she took the initative. "You want to speak with me, Jaedite?" He stopped then, and turned, slipping his arm out and grasping her hands. "Yes, Lady Mars, I do need to talkwith you. I sincerely don't want anymore anger between us." He took a deep breath, pausing to center himself. "Yes?" she asked quietly, expectantly. "I like you alot, Lady Mars, yet I don't know why. It's not that you don't have your qualities; to put it simply, I usually prefer blonds. You're unique, however, and beautiful. Yet what I did this morning was uncalled for and I apologize," he said quietly, and she read the truth in his clear blue eyes. "I already have, Jaedite. I know from long experience that men cannot control the impulses inside them." She smiled a hazy, nostalgic smile, and added, "Though it was a pleasant, if unexpected, surpise." "Really?" he asked, a little stunned. She was as well, wondering how and WHY she let that loose. "Yes," she replied as she let her hands drop and slid closer to him; she embraced him them, and his arms slid around her waist in reply. "I would've kicked your butt if it wasn't." "Don't be so cocky, Mars," he said. "Not unless you have a reason to be." "Do I?" she asked quickly, inching closer in his arms. Abruptly all the smart comments he could've said vanished, leaving him to blurt out his only consistent thought all morning, "You're beautiful." "So are you," she replied, touched. It seemed like she could never be close enough then, and he tugged her until she laid her head upon his chest and he could stroke her hair. "Never felt this way, Mars," he confided in a hushed voice. "Never. And I've had women from..." "I understand," she interjected quietly, smiling gently at him with the understanding bright in her hidden eyes. He smiled back, a good feeling developing in his mind of what she meant. he thought, eyes twinkling. She looked up at him to see her merriment reflected back at her; both smiled. Leaning down, he brushed her lips once again with his, and felt a murmur of bad feeling go through him as she stiffened. "What?" he asked. "I feel something....evil," she said, eyes pinched in an attempt to feel out the feeling. "Don't worry--it's not you." "That's a relief," he said, letting her loose so that she could search out this "evil" feeling. Of course, she didn't have to look long. Jaedite had started searching around the clearing, trying to see if he could figure out what activated her intuition, when an inhuman screach filled it. He whirled around and saw Mars, stepping back, looking for space. Her persuer was an ugly reptile thing, bristling with claws and a mouth crammed with teeth. Before he could move, it crouched, hunching on his legs, and sprung at her. "No!" he yelled, blue-white energy flying from his hands and slamming the beast back. "Mars, get outta there!" She was wordless as she sprung away; the beast, however, gave a cry of pain, snarled, and sprang forward, yowling. It was on him before Jaedite could muster another blast or a shield, claws raking across his chest. He screamed; Mars screamed; the beast chuckled. It was that sound that prompted Mars to send a flying kick to it, knocking it down. Anger, rage, and pain flashed through her, more than she expected, and she raised her hands as she called, "MARS FLAME WALL...." The beast raised it's head. "...SMASH!!" she yelled, bringing down her hand and creating a wave of fire that tore into the beast and incinerated it. She took a breath, paused, and whispered, "Jaedite." Spinning, she came back and dropped down by him. "Jaedite," a pause, "love, are you still with me?" "I'm here, Lady Mars," he replied, his voice strangled and soft. "Though a bit less of me then what there was before." "You're hurt," she said, looking over his chest. The beasts claws had raked deeply, leaving three bloody gasges across his chest. She vainly tried to cover them with material, but there wasn't enough left on his chest to do so. She produced her pen, sparking, and looked at him with it. His eyes widened, and she whispered, "Do you want me to cauterize it?" "No...I'd probably go into shock from the pain..." he replied softly. "And I'd rather not watch you cry, or have you watch me cry." The crystal disappeared, and she asked in puzzlement, "Why?" "Because it'd hurt me not to be able to comfort you," he rasped. She looked down, and nodded, and tore a piece of her skirt to wipe his face clean."I have to get you help, Jaedite," she finally said, fraily. "Lady Mars, please, stay with me. Stay here with me as I..." he coughed. "Oh no, Jaedite," she said firmly. "You can't...." "Die? I haven't gotten a final kiss, how could I?" he quipped lightly. She took his face in her hands and kissed him slowly. "There's more of that if you stay alive," she whispered fiercly, passion twisting with hopelessness in her voice. He attempted nod, or chuckle--she wasn't sure--and instead began to cough. "Deal," he finally spat out. "All right," she replied. Taking his hand, she said softly, "Don't leave me, Jaedite." "Jade." She paused for a second, seemingly about to say something...something person. Suddenly, footsteps sounded like cracks of broken branches, and in burst Venus and Nephrite. "HERE!" Venus yelled, waving; Nephrite ran forward. "What happened?" he growled as he slid to a stop near them. "NEVER MIND!" Mars snapped back. "We have to get him OUT OF HERE!!" He nodded, and a whirl of smoke enclosed the three of them. * * * * "Star power, show me the way out of here!" he called to the grid that appeared in front of him. A picture of Jupiter appeared. He gritted his teeth and canceled the vision. he thought bitterly. Disgusted with himself, he decided to go for a walk, be by himself for awhile. His footsteps took him to the plain, the very same plain that had turned crimson this morning, as if predicting the future of its two participants. He could still see his friend, bandaged and angelic looking, Mars by his side, hand in his, and Mercury and Zoicite hovering around him. It had stamped itself cruely into his brain, his last look before Jupiter had kicked him out some time ago. His head was low and his step light, but his thoughts would not clear of this vision. Actually, the vision DID dissipate, but the pieces melted in Mars again, sitting by Jaedite, stroking his hand and watching him with a spiritual calm on her face. Then, it shattered into Jupiter in the doorway as he looked up from the bedside, pale and nearly fragile looking at her green eyes trembled at Mars. This faded to Zoicite and Mercury exchanging small, worried glances. "This trip is a failure!" he roared to the dead plain, barely realizing his voice was coming out. His hands lit with fiery rage, flaming, and a strangled growl escaped him. His fury channeled itself, whether that built from this trip or from before, into a flurry of power that ripped into the ground. When the dust had settled, a streak of exposed ground lay before him, twice his height and a quarter of that deep. He inhaled, and looked at his work. he thought harshly. He immediately rescended the thought, turning miserable. In fact, he was so preoccupied with this newfound yet comfortable motion that his feet began moving again, taking him to the scrub at the edge before the actual forest. His outside was so into his inside that he nearly tripped over Jupiter. "Oh!" she cried out, coming to her feet quickly. It managed to jar him from his bitter self-dressing down, and he stepped back. "Sorry Nephrite," she quickly apologized with a sniff. "I..I uh, wasn't watching my steps, Jupiter," he replied. "It's all right," she said, quicker than she probably should've. Not that he noticed. Or maybe he did. Something in her tone set off a warning bell in his head, and he took a closer look at her...and surprised himself. "Lady Jupiter, have you been crying?" he asked. "What?" she replied half-heartedly, slowly looking down. "Yes...yes...I guess I let it loose." His finger cautiously lifted her chin, and now he could see clearly the thick tear tracks down her face, the redness rimming her now dull emerald eyes, and the sad lines of her face. "You have been," he pronounced. "On Earth, we say that pretty girls like you shouldn't cry." "Well, those girls probably have no reason," she tried to snap back, but failed. Her lips began to quiver, and she turned away from him and used her long legs to make long strides away from him. "Jupiter, wait," he said, and groused at himself again as his feet moved after her. Then, we a silent flourish, he teleported in front of her, hand out and saying imposively, "STOP!" She glared at him as best as she could, but failed. "Nephrite, what else can I do? Mercury says Jaedite...Jade, has such little hope, and it will kill her. Absolutely kill my best friend Mars, though I couldn't tell you why or how I know that. And the Princess is gone, with those...those THINGS out there. I'm..I'm lost; absolutely lost. I just don't know what to do." "I know, Jupiter." His reply stunned her; he was so together, so calm, so not frazzled, even at his best friend's bedside. She looked at him again in disbelief, and asked, "What do you mean?" He beckoned her with his hand, and guided her swiftly over to the furrow and said, "You cry. I try to make a farm field." He sighed softly. "I feel as helpless as you, Lady Jupiter. Jade and I have been friends for years, and the Prince..he's not only our liege, but our good friend and we've sworn to protect him. But now..." "I understand," she replied. "We've both lost, and scared, and alone." Unconciously, she moved closer to his turned back, and fingered the emerald tie in his hair. "It reminds me of you," he said heavily. "And your eyes." He turned around, and looked at her. "Perhaps we aren't so alone then..." "Maybe we aren't," she replied, moving closer. The stars shone bright that night over their master...and his new mistress. His only mistress. --------------------------------------------------------------- WHOA! What next? Well, Chapter Five and a Half features Venus and Kunzite talking...and talking...and talking. And Six finally gets the Princess and the Prince together. Sort of. All DISCLAIMER APPLY. No time for long intros. Address applies, too. Enjoy. THE FOUR LOVERS: STRANDED NINX CHAPTER FIVE AND A HALF V & K Venus sat on a cliff, far, far, out from the two ships and the lover's hospital and the lover's plain. She had no counterpart here; she never would; she was the Leader; she stood alone. And now more alone than ever. The night of Jupiter and Nephrite had passed into the day, and into this night of Venus alone. The two had been as inseperable as Mars from the hand of Jaedite, or Mercury from the data Zoicite provided her. She was the Leader; she wasn't blind. Her Senshi and his Generals were falling in love. He stood behind her. He'd been standing behind her for some time now. She understood his grief, his loss. She could feel comradeship with him, and worked well with him, and regarded him as a friend. A stoic friend. A good looking friend. But a friend, nontheless. He'd stared at her back for the longest time now. Actually, it was her hair that interested him--the length of blond that streamed from her scalp, always free and flowing and blood, never more than dusty, never more than slightly dusty. In some way, like his own white hair, though it tended to tangle more than he liked. He could put her together in his sleep now, the way he was accustomed to her face and her blue eyes with the silver flecks. He felt, somehow, that she could do the same. Finally, she broke the silence with, "Are you going to sit or stand?" He responded by sitting next to her and staring down at the choppy water. She had a couple of questions to ask him, but let the first go first, "How did you find me?" "Easy enough." "Cryptic, aren't you?" "I don't feel like using words now. No one else does anymore." "We didn't at first." He nodded; she could see his head bob from the corner of her eye. "Mercury mentioned it to me. She called it a 'rapport'. I think she was just trying to approve of my decision," she continued. "You need approval?" "No. Nice to be backed up occasionally." Pause, then a softer voice. "You approve of what's going on?" "I can't say no, and I dare not say yes." "That makes sense." Her voice was dry as the dirt they sat on. Below, the water crashed several time against white rocks before he spoke. "The Earth and the Moon don't get along, but I trust my Generals to make decisions for themselves." He looked at her profile, and his will made her turn to look at him. "As you trust your Senshi." "As I trust my Senshi..." she echoed, looking back, then at him again. "Understood, Lord Kunzite." He took a breath, and it exhaled in a light snort. "Why continue with the formality. I'm Kunzite, you're Venus." "All right. Always thought 'Lady' went better with 'Venus', though," she replied. "If you put a 'the' in front of it, it sounds positively marvelous," he said drily. "The Lady Venus." "No, no, no, don't even start. They announce me as that when I return home." She looked up now, away from his intent eyes. "Home. Home. You know I'm not the only Venusian at court?" He nodded, and then said, "Yes." "Amazing what gets to Earth." He shrugged. "It was a miracle." "How cliched. I know that already. Tell me something else that I know," she bit back, tone harsh. It normally rolled off him; this didn't. He felt a little sorry to be so normal; she felt bad that her emotion poked through. Immediately, a "Sorry, Kunzite. I guess I haven't quite seeped all the frustration and other emotions to the sea yet." "Perfectly all right. I'm used to Zoicite's irregular bursts. Did you know he has the worst temper of any man I ever met?" She looked from the starry heavens to him. "No, I didn't. Did you know that you can never beat a mad Mercury? DON'T piss her off. She'll turn you into an ice block. I saw her do it once." "That never escaped to Earth." "Like they'd care." "True. We take care of such an ecletic bunch." "Uh-huh. Kunzite, did you ever feel like stepping down?" It was more than a casual question to both, but to be treated as one. "Yes, I have," he replied heavily. "When Jaedite and Nephrite ganged up to become silent, or crystals were hung by horsehairs above my bed, or the Prince gave me a look with his blue eyes black. Then, I felt that there was no way I could be a Leader anymore. But there are moments in my service I wouldn't trade for anything. Not life, not love, not anything." "I get your point. Mars and I could kill each other-- sometimes Jupiter might help, too. Or the Princess is unruly, and I want to crawl in a hole and die. Yet, when she smiles..." she smiled. Then, an addition, "You've been in love?" He looked at her; she was staring at him, almost doe-eyed. "Once," he admitted heavily. "Once. Long ago." "Myself too," she replied. "Not something I'd care to repeat." "Me neither." He stood now, stretching and enjoying more breeze from his height. "I hate to leave you here alone with those out there, but I have to sleep. We actually have to continue the search tomorrow." "No problem," she said, dismissing him with a wave of her hand. "I am Venus, hear me roar. I could take on one of those things." "I'd prefer you didn't." "Why?" Genuine curiosty. "Because your second-in-command is Mars, and I don't think she'd up to it." She smiled at the ground and said, "Go to bed, Kunzite." He disappeared noiselessly; the smile still remained on her face. It was nice to be in the company of another Leader sometimes, someone who understood her. Someone good looking, too. She pushed that thought down, tamped it under her Leadership thoughts, and stared at the sea some more.