Hey, fans! Guess what! IT'S THE LAST CHAPTER!! Well, the last named chapter--there's an epilogue to follow. But the Epilogue is nearly done as I write this. Therefore, THIS STORY IS FINISHED! Yea, two in two weeks! *does a little Ninxer happy dance* As I said before, though, this is one of many--about seven-- stories, the next one being "Deep In the Heart," coming to a local fanfic site near you pretty soon. DISCLAIMER: Same as the last bunch. I don't own it, no creative infringement is intended, blah, blah, blah. THANKS: Again, this whole story was inspired by "Soulmates" by lady, which is a much finer read than this one. Also, Lianne's stories rule, and like me, she never knows when to sit down and finish one before starting another. Bunny Annyla's stories rule! Romantic, and adventerous, and inspiring. "Blood Moon" by becka is violent and not for the sensitive reader, but it did help shape some characters in this story. Finally, Tim Nolan, whose stories are right below mine but ten times as good. Thanks, all of you. The Four Lovers: Stranded NINX CHAPTER SEVEN RESOLUTION "Mars....oh Princess Mars...." "Hmmm...?" He sighed, a sense of relief in him. It probably wasn't a good idea for him to be sneaking in here--especially in his FRAGILE condition--but he couldn't help it. Ever since he'd woken up three days back, filled with aches and pains and a searing, screaming voice in his head, he'd been looking for Mars. When asked, he only replied, "To claim a bet." It wasn't just the thrill of her kiss that sent him after her, though. It was seeing her again, watching the light play in her hair and in her eyes, or trying to measure how long her legs really were, or--and this was his favorite--seeing her smile. Which she'd done at him whenever she could since she'd found him sitting outside her quarters, humming a strange tune that had posessed his head. He could not describe the pain he felt when he'd slipped into unconciousness that day in the forest. Nor could he describe the fight he'd been through to make it back to life. All he knew was that deep inside him, somewhere in his inner soul, he knew it hadn't been his time to leave her. Especially since he knew he loved her. Which is why he sat next to her as he slept; it was no trick to get inside a Senshi's quarters, not when he'd been teleporting since he was knee high and had used the same trick to get into many a noblewomen's bed. She was as incredible asleep as she was awake, a peaceable fire here as opposed to a lively fire there. He was also a little worried about her; she, along with Venus, had been rotating shifts for the last three days watching the Princess. When she hadn't been on shift, she'd been doing things around the camp, or out looking for bandages, or praying for the Princess. This had been the first time she'd slept since she'd awakened to find her liege in the bed where he once lay. It had taken a hell of a lot of people to restrain her from avenging herself; it'd taken almost as many people to actually get her to bed. he thought, brushing a strand of hair away from her face. Her fingers suddenly wrapped around his, and yanked, causing him to choke. Her eyes opened, fierce until they met his. "Good morning, Mars," he said, voice quivering in pain from his wrenched fingers. She had a grip like a steel vice!! "Morning, Jade," she replied, eyes softening, voice softening, grip FINALLY softening. "What are you doing here?" "I came to check on you, Lady," he replied, standing, rubbing his fingers. "To see if you were awake." "The name is Rei, Jade," she replied, sitting up along with him, giving a luxurious stretch, luminous purple nightgown catching a ray of sunlight here and there...and there. "What?" he asked. "No, you're Mars." "My given name, Lord Jaedite," she said softly, "is Rei." "You're given name? If I understand royal rules, you should never repeat that to someone.." "...for it gives them power over you," she finished. "I know, I know." She smiled before adding lowly, "I like the power you have over me." "I concur," he whispered, stooping down to kiss her. "I wish I had a given name to tell you, but when born into my position, we don't get one." "Then how do they distinguish you from your predecesor?" "Numbers. Letters. How do they distinguish you?" She seemed thoughtful for a moment, but said, "They tack your given name onto your office. My predecessor, for example, is Mars-Naru. It's not dangerous when you're dead." "Rei," he repeated. "Short and sweet. Like Mercury." "Jade!" she replied, eyes lashing out at him; he just smiled. "She is short and nice," he defended. When her angry look refused to back down, he added, "You'd be twice as offended if I called you short, which you're not. You're tall, and gorgeous, and I'm damn lucky to be able to sit here, with the knowledge of your name, and still not be toast in a few seconds." She seemed to consider it for a second, then smiled softly. "I'm sorry, Jade. I've just been a little on edge...because of the Princess. It makes me so...MAD to see her this way, and the way Merc and Zoicite are talking, I don't know if I'll ever get to see her alive again." A tear appeared in her eye, matching the one cascading down her cheek, and he brushed both away. "She's got the best people helping her," he soothed. "You can't think like she's not going to make it." "How's the Prince?" He looked down, and she was amazed to watch his whole body suddenly droop. "He hasn't set one foot outside of his room since he got to it. Nephrite brings him food and water, but he hasn't touched a single bite." "Something really awful must have happened out there," she chimed in. "Something awful," he echoed. "Yesterday, when Kunzite went in to talk to him, he snapped at him and ordered him out. SNAPPED at him, Rei. The Prince, in all his years of being with us, has never denied Kunzite access to his thoughts, not even after the death of his own mother. But yesterday...whatever did happen out there, it hit him. Hard." She studied him and his eyes, his blond hair and his drooping frame, before saying, "We're depressing ourselves here, aren't we." "It is the nature of the Guard to be down when the liege is down, and up when the liege is up. To live while he lives, and die when he dies," Jade said, voice mimicking Kunzite's. Suddenly, he clapped his hand over his mouth, saying through open fingers, "Rei, kill me. Kill me now, I just sounded EXACTLY like Kunzite. I swore if that ever happened to me, I'd do something hideous and disfiguring to myself." "No, you won't," she replied. "Why?" "Because I love you." He perked up instantly, going from sullen to spritely in less than a half-blink of the eye. "That changes my perspective on things," he said, smiling. "I thought it would," she purred. "Now, get out." "Why?" "I'm hungry, I can smell Jupiter and Nephrite's cooking, and I need to get dressed," she said matter-of-factly. A darker glint entered his eye. "Can I help?" "No." "Can I watch?" "No." "Give me one reason not to," he said. Leaning forward with a catty smile on her face, she said, "Because you're job is to remove the clothes, Jade. Now move it." He smiled back. "I'll consider that a promise," he replied before standing and disappearing in a swirl of glittering light. "I thought you would," she replied as she hopped out of bed and grabbed her pen. * * * * "I need a break," Zoicite said quietly to himself as he peered at the tiny wires. They were attempting to hook up a salvaged scanning device to the computer of the ship, trying to access its database so they could try to help the Princess more than they already had. "Go ahead." He looked up at Mercury, who smiled faintly. "Are you sure?" "Yes. I managed a few hours rest while Mars was last here, but you haven't rested at all," she said. "It..concerns me." He stood, letting the wires fall back to their natural positions. "I think I will go try and speak with our non- communicative prince," he announced, prompting Mercury to give him a sympathetic glance. Venus, who sat near Serenity looking as pale as the uniform she wore, quietly added in a whispery voice, "Good luck." "I'll need every drop," he called. Once clear of the tent, he stepped behind it and called, "ZOI!" He appeared behind the Prince, barely making a sound as he stared over his leader's bent head into the depths of the rose in his hand. Gently curved petals tucked tightly in the bloom were shaded from a night without stars black on the outside to a striking, dark blue of the inner core. "A Saturn rose," he breathed. Normally, the Prince would've jumped, spun around, and greeted him cheerily. Now his head rose in a flinch, and he didn't look back. Finally, he said back, "Yes." "Serenity gave it to you," he said, coming around to sit beside the depressed prince. "Yes. Is it obvious?" he replied. "Not to them," Zoicite said. "It was a guess, Endymion." He clasped his, closed his eyes and tried, "What happened out there?" "As I told Kunzite, I refuse to tell," came the Prince's reply, sauterated with rising anger and quiet anguish. "I don't mean what happened between you and Serenity. I have a feeling that will remain between you and the Princess, as what happens in my own...life does. I want to know about the crash." "I...can't..don't remember really anything. All I know is that I woke up very thirsty and with a headache. I made my way through the brush toward a stream, and got a drink. That's also when I found Serenity; we joined up there." A flicker of the Prince he knew surfaced as he asked, "What happened here?" "After the crash, I found myself on the ground, my shoulder throbbing in pain. Something had lodged in it, I found. I lay there, trying to get up, like the turtle on his back, when Lady Mercury appeared." He couldn't help the note of dreaminess in his voice. "She treated me until Kunzite and Venus appeared, and we stumbled into the others. The two leaders had already agreed to join, so we started that night." He chuckled softly. "Though it wasn't easy." "Is it...now?" "No, my Prince. It's hard to have a Princess like this and a depressed Prince. After all, Jaedite just woke up and.." "Jade?" "Attacked by one of those creatures, m'lord, while talking with Lady Mars." "Lady Mars? The one with the raven hair who nearly tore my throat out?" "Yes, m'lord, that's here. She and Jaedite have been...coozy since the day of his attack." "Coozy? He got involved with her?" The Prince was increduluous. "I thought he preferred blonds." "He did. But she managed to 'get' his attention," he replied. "She does have nice legs, after all." The Prince chuckled. "I didn't notice--all I saw were her hands--but apparently you did. Interested in her? Or the brunette?" "No, my liege. I have my eye on someone else," he said. "Lady Mercury. She and I have worked together and I've grown rather fond of her." He smiled a little. "Besides, Lady Jupiter--the brunette--and Lady Mars are well taken." He shook his head. "Well, I hope that Jade can handle her when he breaks her heart. She came pretty close to giving me the strangling I deserve." Zoicite chose to ignore his last words, biting off a laugh instead. "He won't. He wouldn't dare lose his heart." The Prince choked. "He lost his heart...to HER? JADE! That's incredible!" "Lady Mars certainly is. When he was injured, she stuck by him day and night, just because she couldn't leave him." His tone was almost reverent; the truth was, he had grown to respect her much more now, being one of the attendants at her vigil. "Amazing. I go away for awhile and my Generals all get hooked up with the Senshi. I suppose Kunzite and Lady Venus..." "Nothing's for sure. His last heartbreak was a rotten one, and she apparently leaves all the romance with her brother...but bets have been placed." "And Serenity and I in the forest...Zoicite, my friend, how is she?" He grew serious in the face of his Prince's change of mood. "She is not out of death's doorway yet, my Prince. But she looks better. However, Lady Mercury and I are slightly less than optimistic about it." He watched Endymion's eyes darken considerably, not in pain, but in anger. It took a minute for him to realize where it was directed. "I failed her," he spat out. "I wasn't close enough to protect her, Zoicite. I did not keep my promise." "Which was?" "To protect her and be her travel companion, since she couldn't survive alone. But that beast..." his fists clenched in cold anger, "...the beast attacked her, right under my nose. So I failed, and she may have lost her life." His head was bent over again, staring at the rose. For a moment, Zoicite would've sworn a tear lay in his eye. Then, his head shifted, and he knew his Prince was crying. "She means a lot to you, doesn't she," he said quietly. "More than even I realize," replied Endymion. Zoicite stood. "Then you should see her, and be there for her. I think she really appreciate seeing your face when she awakens." For the next minutes he couldn't read his liege's face; it was impossible to get past the tumult in his eyes. Then, he stood, and placed his hand on Zoicite's shoulder. "You're right, my friend. I can't wallow in my own sorrow when she needs me there. I need to be there. Please, take me to her." He nodded, and with a whispered "zoi!" they disappeared. They reappeared in a near empty tent, Mercury gone, leaving Mars to monitor her. Her eyes widened to see Endymion, shocked at both his haphazard condition and the fact that he was here at all, and she stood. "Greetings, Prince of Earth." "Hello Mars," he replied. "Please, no formality. All of that died when we crashed." "Good." A silent second. "Where have you been?" "I'll go check for Mercury," Zoi said, disappearing out the tent with a silent whoosh. The Prince didn't answer Mars right away, instead sitting near her and taking her empty hand. "How is she?" "She's not dead, but that's about all we know. Mars and Zoicite bandaged her head and her back, but without good equipment, no can be sure." "She always seemed so strong," he lamented, "that I never even thought of her as fragile." "She's always been that way, Prince," Mars replied, studying him carefully. He was a wreck--a handsome wreck, but he still had the air of being dragged down a rocky road too many times. "It always seemed to us that she'd never be sad; she never was sick, either. Always a happy, bubbly, cheerful, clumsy girl." "Clumsy?" he asked, dark eyes questioning her. His thoughts drifted back to her tripping into walls--but to also the delightful, delicate skip in her walk, and movements he usually associated with flitting butterflies. "She grew out of it," Mars replied quietly. He turned away, and looked down at her, staring at the view that never changed; a girl who appeared to be sleeping, if it wasn't for the swatch of white that peeked at you from her hair, or the less than normal pallor of her skin, or the slightly cold hands. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see--or did she imagine it?--his jaw clench, leading her to ask, "Where have you been?" "What do you mean?" "I have this feeling...that you should've been here a long time ago. That Serenity expected you here, caring for her instead of pitying yourself." He flinched visibly at her words as they struck a target no one could see inside him. It was also then that a loud, sonorous boom resounded outside. "I'll go see what it is," she quickly assured him, walking out quickly--but not quickly enough for a part of him to notice that she indeed did have nice legs. he scolded. he dimly recalled. He was a red blooded Earth prince, and liked women as much as any other man--but preferred to work out his passions hunting. His mother had installed in him a need for grace, compassion, beauty and brains, instead of the usual beauty and a willingness to open their legs and close their mouths. This was, he thought bitterly, the total opposite of his cousin, who preferred to later to the former by a infinite margin. His hand suddenly squeezed hers a little tighter, and his thoughts cruelly ran, flickered daintly through his mind. He nodded with the silent thoughts, agreeing with them as the back parts of his mind grumbled. Forcefully, he told them to SHUTUP, then looked back at Serenity. For a moment, the image of her fall came to him, and the sad, sad look in her eyes when she had fallen asleep, the contact of her hand on his cheek. In that instant, he felt something connect inside him, a golden light in the palm of his hand, and she--the sleeping beauty--smiled at him. It was also then that Mercury ran inside, crying and smiling all at the same time. She hastily pulled out her computer and scanned her, then called out, "Computer!" along with a bunch of medical terms and techno stats. Immediately, on the tray beside her appeared instruments, and she gave a joyful cry. It was then that Zoicite appeared by her side, and someone was behind him, taking the bewildered Prince outside. "They need room," the voice explained, the one he finally recognized as Kunzite's. Outside, Jupiter and Nephrite were hugging, Mars and Jade locked in a passionate kiss--and he still had no idea what was going on. "What happened?" he finally gasped out. "Jupiter!" "Jupiter what?" he asked. "My liege," Nephrite cried out, "I've asked the stars ever since we've been here how to get out of here. It was giving me the answer all along--Jupiter--but in my foolishness, I didn't realize what it was telling me." "Which was?" "Prince Endymion, Jupiter is the Senshi of Electricity; her attacks electrify things!" Mars shouting, smiling brillantly. "So when I finally got my head together, I had her restart the ship's computer with her attack!" Nephrite finished. It dawned on him then that this could easily help them to heal the Princess, and he shouted, "YEA!!!" and ran over to Jupiter. Kneeling and taking her hand, he said, "Lady Jupiter, I'm in your debt. You have saved a very dear friend of mine today, and there's no way else to repay that." She flushed; Nephrite seemed awed. "She could claim your life, my liege!" he stammered out. "She has saved it," Mars pronounced. "It is a fitting gift from an honorable Prince." "I...I accept, Prince Endymion. But I cannot state a request now. Perhaps later, I will finally come to a decision on what I would ask from you," she said, stammering yet with the proper royal tone to her voice. Now everyone gave cheers again, dancing around the grounds, hugging, exchanging hellos and apologies, hugs and kisses--especially between Jade and Mars. Mercury, appearing from the tent with a smile on her face to see the romp outside, could only call out, "MERCURY ICE....ASSAIL!" The sudden spears of ice twinkling in the air got their merry attention, with Kunzite calling out, "Lady, you have news!" "Yes. The Princess is going to be all right," she pronounced. Cheers louder than before went up, and the Generals unleashed fireworks into the sky, along with a Mars Flare and even a blue sparkle from Endymion. She waited patiently for them to calm before adding, "And she wants to see the Prince." He nodded to them all before following her through the flap to see the Princess. "Ion," she greeted him weakly. "Nity," he replied, coming by her side and kneeling, taking her hand and marveling at the sudden warmth it held. "Ion...you look terrible," she said. "You're not exactly one to talk, Princess," he replied warmly, and she smiled at him. It seemed, to the hanging back Mercury and Zoicite, that a glow had spread from her to him when he touched her living hand. Already, he was looking better, they marveled, and the feelings radiating out from the two suggested that both would be normal soon. In the happiness of the moment, Mercury looked up shyly at Zoicite. "I believe I owe you something, sir," she said quietly. "Yes?" he said, wondering what it was that she could be indebted to him for. She smiled quietly, then leaned up and kissed him lightly on the lips. "We were interrupted last time," she whispered. "May we be interrupted more," he replied at last, and she gave him a graceful grin. "It's good to see you looking better, Princess," he said. "Yes," she replied, her brow furrowing a little. "Endymion, have you seen Venus?" "Venus? No, I haven't seen at all. In fact, she wasn't outside with us at all," he replied, puzzled. "I have this terrible feeling about her," she whispered. "I think I need to talk to her right away." "Zoicite, go ask the others about Lady Venus," he called out, and abruptly the General disappeared. When he reappeared seconds later, it was with disturbing news. "My liege, Lady Venus has not been seen since Mars releaved her. She's not in her tent, either," reported the anguished General. "Oh no," Serenity whispered. "Kunzite says he knows where she could've gone, but her lead on us is great. We may not be able to find her," said Zoicite. "I'm sorry, Princess." "Serenity, don't worry, we'll find here," Endymion quickly consoled. "I know," replied the Princess, eyes growing troubled. "I just hope we do before it's too late." * * * * The condition of the Princess had worried the Lady Venus sick. If Mars hadn't slept since that night, Venus hadn't slept at all. She'd followed the same pattern Mars had, only with more fervor and more anguish. That morning, even as the two had pronounced her stable, Venus could see that her liege was knocking on death's door and asking to come in. It was then that she decided to kill herself. She had walked to the cliff's edge again, and sat, but with no intention of doing any heavy thinking. Heavy, broad leaves were in her arms, the kind Nephrite used to flavor food; her knife, the sharp, poisoned blade hafted to a bright handle emblazoned with her house symbol, was in her hand. To anyone else, it would seem that Venus, in her grief, had been cutting leaves in alone with the wrong knife and had accidently cut herself. The poison was special; she'd be dead in an instant. She looked over the choppy dark sea and thought of home. Of her mother, who'd promised her long before she was a thought to the Court Guard. She also thought of her brother, her twin, the man she cherished in place of a lover, and wished him luck with his Outer lover. Finally, she pictured Serenity, and how she would look at the funeral she wouldn't attend for her. Dressed in white, blue eyes closed, mourned loudly for. And her own name whispered among the people, and cruely slaughtered. It hardened her resolve; if she wasn't going to fo it now, it'd be later. She bent over and sliced one of the lives as she had the others, stopping a short way down and nearing the edge of her fingers to the knife. "Goodbye," she whispered lightly, then made a motion to drag it across her skin. "I wouldn't do that." She nearly threw the knife over the cliff in surprise, but caught herself. "Kunzite, what are you doing here?" she demanded, not sparing her dark tone. "I suppose, Lady Venus, that is my question." Her eyes strayed out to sea, away from him, as she debated what to say. "Suicide," she replied finally. "The Princess is dying as we speak. I'm disgraced." "No, she's not. The Princess is alive and on her way to well," Kunzite assured her. "She is...I'm sorry, Serenity, but I cannot go back. I'm disgraced," she repeated, voice sharpening to a hard edge. "Lady Venus, it isn't true." "True? Kunzite, please, don't try to ease my mind with feeble excuses. If I could have found the Princess before, this whole mess would have been avoided. Even as she lives, there is nothing I can do to wipe that stain from my name. At least now I will have some honor. Here, at my..." she stopped, tears trickling down her cheeks. "Surely, Lady Venus, there is something you could do," he said slowly. "Like what, Lord Kunzite?" she said, rounding on him, eyes fierce and angry at him. "Is this the same man I spent these days with? The same man who I thought understood the pressure I am under, because he shared that pressure? The same man who swore to me that if his liege was hurt, he would pay the price? I doubt it. That man, the one I knew--he would understand." Her tone was sharp, and surprisingly clear even as the tears ran down her face. She turned back to procede, sure of no objection due to the stark look in his eyes..and found her knife gone. Getting to her feet with a twirl, she found him examining it. "Standard Venusian knife, Royal Class. Most likely poisoned edge using that Royal recipe no one's been able to ferret out," he said as he studied the blade. Turning his grey eyes on her, he said, "I collect blades, and this would be a fascinating addition." Her crescent beam flashed, forming into a sharpened edge. "Don't make me use this," she warned. "It's much messier." A cynical smile darkened her face. "As a dying gift, the blade poision is a combonation of hemlock and crater water from the far side of Venus. Deadly and effective stuff." Her expression wavered a bit, and she whispered suddenly, "Give me back my knife--please." His steel eyes focused in. "I can't, Venus. I'm going to need it for myself, later." Shocked, her beam collapsed. "WHAT? But the Prince is..he's all right, isn't he?" "He...while Serenity lay there, he collapsed into a deep funk as well. I could...not alleviate his pain, nor console him, nor offer him anything but another thorn in his side. He was in pain, Lady Venus, a pain sharp enought to cut me. Also, as you may have not noticed, he did not escape this without injury--he had minor scrapes, scratches and bruises. I must fufill my words, no matter how wrongly spoken they were." "Are you saying that you want to take your life as well?" she asked. "Aren't you bright," he replied without malice. "And, since this seems like confession time, I must admit that the thought of your death is as devestating as the thought of the Prince in pain." "what?" she asked, again caught completely off guard. "Over these days, you've come to understand me so well. It's almost like you were inside my head, Lady Venus," he said, voice low and soft, as if spoke to himself and not her. "You have become a friend closer than any General; only Endymion could supersede you. And somehow, you've warmed your way into my heart as well. I fear that my double loss of you and my honor would slaughter my heart and break my mind." He finally looked away from her, handing the knife to her. "So if you must strike yourself down, strike me down as well. I'll have nothing to live for without..." and he trailed off, his voice failing abruptly. She looked at the knife he'd handed to her, and now looked at Kunzite. He stood still, hands at his sides, head slightly bowed, eyes closed. A breeze touched them then, shifting her hair around her and blowing his back, letting her admire his sharp features once more, noting the pain creased into them. And she decided to help him release it. She softly holstered the dagger, then pressed her nail against his chest, leaned up, and kissed him lightly. Then she quietly pulled back and looked at him. Eyes still closed, he whispered, "Does this warm feeling spreading through me mean I'm dying now?" "No, Kunzite. It means you're very alive," she chuckled. His eyes opened, steel grey to silvery blue, and he caressed her face. "I thought you wanted to end your life," he said simply. "I did. Until you opened your mouth, and showed me there are reasons to live." He studied her. "I meant it all." "I wouldn't expect less from you, Kunzite, then the truth." "But how do you...feel about this?" he asked, and she almost heard nervousness in his voice. "I owe you. You saved my life, and took me away from a cliff I readily would've jumped off of," she said carefully. "You're just grateful, then," he said, retracting his hand. "No, Kunzite. I doubt you knew it, but my friendship with you has been a rock since we've been here. And to know that you understood me so well has been a blessing." She took his hand in her own, and held it tightly. "For being my support and my confidant and my friend during this hard time, you've won a place in my heart that I have only given once, and swore never to give again." He was silent for a moment, absorbing the full impact of her words before saying lightly, "Does this mean I get to kiss you again?" "Yes," she replied, and he slowly leaned down and pressed his lips to hers, savoring thier feel as they parted gently beneath his. The hand she held slowly fell free as she wrapped her arms around his waist; he pulled her closer as his arms wended their way around her back. The kiss was gentle, tenative, and the slow warmth that had been between them warmed their hearts. When they mutually broke, Venus couldn't resist saying, "What a beautiful reason to live." "You are," he replied, pulling her gently to rest against him in a tight hug. As they stood there, warming each other, she sighed--and he knew something was up. "What?" "I think I may love you, Kunzite." "It's very early for love, my dear Venus." "It's never too early to tell someone you care." "You're right." A pause, and then softly, "I love you." "I know." "Conniving little thing, aren't you?" he teased, and she laughed richly with him. "Now, Venus, do you love me?" She looked up into his rich eyes, and smiled brightly. "Yes, Kunzite. I love you." They held each other for only a little moment longer before he said, "We have to get back. There are people who are worried about you, you know." She broke his embrace, smiling a tiny smile. "I know." Then, it turned to a wry grin. "Besides, I skipped breakfast and I'm starved." "Hmmm....Jupiter did say she was making that grain and fruit thing again." Her laughter swirled with the wind as they teleported away.