the website: http://members.xoom.com/sailmoonSol/solitair3.html CHAPTER TEN **************************************** Crystal Tokyo **************************************** The light seeped through the cracks of the blinds into the cool bedroom where Solitaire slept. She had awoke earlier, but it was just so much easier to stay in bed, half-asleep, half- awake. Slowly her eyes opened, and she struggled to look at the clock - it was half past nine. She decided she better get going, as she pushed the blanket aside, wondering where it had come from. She looked towards a small sofa on the other side of the room, and a pile of newly-pressed clothes were laid across it. She looked down, still seeing her royal gown. As she got up and made her way towards the bathroom, she noticed the royal symbol of Serenity on an envelope, and she opened it. It was nothing interesting, just Serena trying to be kind. Solitaire let the note slip out of her hand. She wasn?t going to take pity from anyone - all what she had left was her pride. ************************ Fayate was preparing breakfast quietly in the kitchen, debating whether or not to wake Solitaire. He heard footsteps from the staircase, and as he looked up from peeling an orange he saw Solitaire, dressed in ordinary clothes make her way towards him. "Morning" she said smiling as she walked towards Fayate. Fayate looked at her somewhat stunned - the change in clothes caught him off guard, but even more novel was her good mood. Could she be faking it? "Did you sleep well?" he asked as she looked at him. "Yes, thanks. I don?t know what I would have done without you." Solitaire continued in a sugary tone. She reached towards the key to her car that was lying on the table, hoping that Fayate wouldn?t notice. "Are you going somewhere?" Fayate asked of her. "I thought I should thank Serena." "Oh. Maybe I should come with you. You won?t find your way to the Palace." "No, its okay. I remember it. I used to live in this city, too." "I have to talked to Serenity myself. We should go together." Fayate insisted. Solitaire couldn?t be alright - he felt that she was devastated inside, despite what she was trying to pretend. Solitaire?s urge was to continue denying his help, but before she was about to demand that he stay, she realized that that is something she *would* have done. No, the *new* Solitaire wouldn?t be so stubborn. She knew that if she was ever going to leave this place, she had to convince Fayate and Serena that she was fine. "Thank you. That?s very kind of you." Solitaire continued, smiling. Fayate was stunned. Could it be that Solitaire was actually, for some reason, recovering? He wanted to believe it, even though he knew he shouldn?t, but deep down there was a reason he was letting himself be fooled. He liked Solitaire a lot. He looked in her eyes, trying to find her sadness there. It was easily distinguishable, and Solitaire knew, as she turned away. She was already plotting - she hadn?t changed from what she used to be. She had to have her freedom, though. She wanted to go back to North America - maybe what was left of her old friends and family would be there. Solitaire did not realize that they were long dead - Serena could not save everyone after the Great Sleep, and the world that was outside of Tokyo was not spared like the city. Infact, the population had been reduced to about ten million after the Sleep, but it was slowly rising and expanding. Only those who shared proximity to the Silver Crystal and the palace remained alive. None of this stopped Solitaire; she was convinced that back in the US no one would recognize her, and she could at least evaluate the worth of going on with her life in peace. Fayate wanted more than anything to believe that Solitaire ha come to terms with reality, but in the back of his mind he knew it was just a game. She didn?t even trust him enough to tell him the truth. Yet how could she - she had known him for two days? And yet he understood her like no one else could. "I want to see the city. Can I meet you somewhere in two hours?" Solitaire asked, fiddling with the key. Fayate debated her leaving. He shouldn?t let her go by herself, and yet he wanted her trust so much. "How about in the lobby?" "Okay." Solitaire smiled. "In two hours." He thought of offering to go with her, but he wanted even more to gain her trust. "If you need anything, just call my cellphone" Fayate offered as he wrote the number on a piece of paper and handed it to her. "I?ll find you in the lobby?" "Yes. Thanks for all your help." Solitaire said as she began to leave. She tried to open the door, but it was locked still. Fayate opened it by punching a code in the door. Solitaire didn?t note it - she wasn?t planning to come back again. She was going to the city - all she had to do was find some way to get enough money for a plane ticket, and she was out of here. Fayate did not wait for very long before he followed her. ******************* Solitaire strolled along the street, as she noted the people looking at her strangely. She saw her reflection in a shop window, and she decided that it must be her hair. The style, afterall, was the royal hairstyle, so no wonder she looked strange. Solitaire pulled the pins out of her hair, but it had grown so long that she couldn?t do anything with it other than put it up in a sea of blue. There were less stares now. The day wasn?t warm, but it was not so cold that one would need a jacket. The air was calm and the sky clear with the exception of a few wispy clouds. Solitaire wondered how she would get money. Maybe it would be easier to take Serena?s help. Did it matter, after all, if she was leaving anyway? She didn?t plan to see her sister for a long time after she left. Maybe she would never see her again. It mattered very little to Solitaire; her sister was a different person from the one she had known. Really, she didn?t know this Serena. Darien, too, had changed, though not as much. She had never been very close to anyone - she didn?t really understand what missing someone was. Maybe she missed the old Serena. Solitaire took the purse she was carrying off her shoulder, to put the keys in it, and when she looked inside, she saw a wallet. Opening it, Solitaire saw it was full of money. Serena had to have done it. She didn?t know whether to feel grateful or angry at the gesture, but quickly she bought a pack of cigarettes. ******************** Meanwhile at the palace ******************** "So does this mean we are supposed to take orders from *her*?" Lita demanded, being the straightforward one of the group. All of the inner scouts and Serena were talking in one of the many lavish palace rooms. "No, not exactly. By the order of my mother, Solitaire?s role is to continue to be the advisor to the present Queen, and also to serve as a replacement for Sailor Moon." Serenity commanded. "I don?t think that?s what your mother meant." Amy interjected. "Yes, she would advise the queen, but she would replace Sailor Moon only if Sailor Moon was dead or unable to perform her duties." "Does it matter? Why are you all so against this? We are not at war now anyway. I am the Queen of Crystal Tokyo - therefore, I am unable to perform the duties of Sailor Moon. As such, it is Solitaire?s responsibility to assume that role." Serenity lectured. She thought it would be good to give her sister her position, because not only would it giver her more time to spend with her daughter, but also because it would help Solitaire adjust. This would have been something her mother would have wanted. "She doesn?t know the first thing about being a scout or a leader." Rei added, although not harshly. "Neither did I. Maybe she doesn?t know how to be a scout, but she would make a very good leader. She basically ran the Moon Kingdom." Serenity quickly rebuked. "I?m not taking orders from her. Maybe none of you realize it, but I know perfectly well what she was like. Doesn?t anyone care how she used all of our husbands - you especially, Serena. Remember what she tried to do to Darien?" Lita continued. "For God sakes, she nearly tried to kill Neflite!" "That was a misunderstanding. It was all a misunderstanding, and I know there is more to Solitaire than people notice. She had a hard life, and considering that, she turned out pretty well. Besides, you are not to take orders from her; she would simply be the leader of the Sailor scouts, and Mina is still in charge." Serenity continued. "I don?t know, Serena. Why mess with this?" Mina added. "Its up to you, but I just thought it would make sense. I don?t want her to end up like Diamond and his family had. Full of resentment and hatred towards us. She should have been Queen - it was all because my father died that she grew too independent to fill that role. I was supposed to support her, not the other way around. If it weren?t for that tragedy, and that she found out my mother would not let her be queen, she would have fallen in love with Darien and taken my place. I know he loved her - he won?t say it, but I can tell by the way he looks at her. He wants nothing more for her than for her to be happy, no matter how she finds it. I don?t know what you are all afraid of." "She?s scary. She doesn?t seem real." Lita added more softly. "Its like she has no feelings." "I know she seems like that, and she was distant even during the moon kingdom. Why do you think she was such good friends with the generals? They all gave her a chance, because they weren?t put off by her sadness. Ask them what she was like. I think they?ll give you a very different description than the one you know. Ask Jaedite" Serenity said, pleading. "What?s that supposed to mean?" Rei demanded, her usual indignation returning. Serena gave her a look of ?nothing - grow up?. "What?s the worst that could happen?" Serenity cleverly asked. There was silence. Lita eventually came up with an answer. "She?ll get too close to them. I mean, from their point of view what do you think they see - a woman, who is just as beautiful, if not more than all of us, and she?s almost as smart as Amy, plus she?s such a lady, and yet now she?s all hurt and vulnerable - what would you do if you?re a guy?". Finally, the truth behind their worries was revealed - a feeling of jealousy that found it roots all the way to that final ball during the moon kingdom. Everyone knew this was a ridiculous reason, and yet it somehow seemed justified, for reasons from two millennia ago. "You?ve got to be kidding me!" Serenity burst out. "I mean, Darien was *in love* with her, and I?m not afraid of the two of them. Besides, I have a feeling that someone else is already there to comfort her, if you know what I mean." "No! Not Diamond!" Mina exclaimed. "No!" Serenity quickly assured her, although her tone was scornful. "Someone else. Common, its so obvious." "Fayate?" Amy wondered. Serenity?s smile revealed that she was right. "They?re so perfect for eachother! They?re both so weird!" Rei added delightfully. "How are they weird?!" Serenity demanded. "Look at them - its almost sick. They?re both geniuses, both of them are so diplomatic, and quiet. Not to mention, Fayate - my gosh, he is sooooo nice to everyone, and Solitaire is always so proper, and they must be the two most beautiful people on this whole world, well, besides us of course." Rei answered. "Of course! Why didn?t we see it before? Fayate can finally stifle someone with that kindness that really needs it!" Lita exclaimed, with Rei?s excitement. Everyone resented Fayate?s kindness, because it was so addictive. "You can?t let them know, though. They both have so much pride. Maybe we should ask Neflite." Serenity added, her eyes taking on the gleam they had so often in her youth when she played matchmaker. ***************************** Moon Kingdom ***************************** Serenity admired the ball from the throne in the front of the ballroom. She was happy that things had gone smoothly earlier, especially that Solitaire did not make a scene and that Setsuna was so gracious. She saw Solitaire enter the room and drop a smile here and there, but soon she found her way to her. "Mother, I have to ask you something." Solitaire whispered as she sat next to Serenity. "I know what I said today came as a surprise to you, Solitaire, but I know in my heart that it is all for the best. One day you will understand." She said, taking Solitaire?s hand. "No, its not about that." Solitaire quickly cut her off. "Serena said that you were inviting the Earth Generals here in a month. Is that true?" "Well, I thought it would be good to have them come at the same time the other four scouts arrive. Beryl, too should attend. Its very important that we?re all together, with the war that is going on." "She also said that you were not inviting Endymion." Solitaire continued softly. "I don?t want Beryl to feel like she has to compete against to the Kingdom of Earth. He was here last time, and she was not. I don?t want her to feel neglected." Serenity lied. Solitaire was satisfied with the answer, although she knew it was not the real one. Maybe it was better that she would not see him, because she knew she liked him, and that it would never work out.." "And what about the shields? Won?t they interfere with the visits?" "I plan to have them activated after the meeting." "Oh." Solitaire said. "Well, we?ll talk later." Solitaire said as she rose. Her lips hinted at a smile. "Alright, dear." Serenity replied. Solitaire blended into the crowd, but Serenity saw her make her way towards the exit. Solitaire walked towards her room. She walked past Serena?s room, and for some strange reason she felt like she should talk to her sister. She knocked on the door, and a sleepy voice answered. Solitaire entered, her gown shimmering in the bright lights of the room. Serena was only pretending to sleep. "Why aren?t you at the ball?" Serena wondered, losing the fa硤e when she realized it was Solitaire. Solitaire usually ignored her and everyone else. "Those things are so boring - if there?s no one there that interests you." Solitaire replied. "I wish I could go. Why won?t mother let me go?" "Remember that one time, when you drank the wrong drink - that?s why." "Oh. But its not fair! You get to go to all of them, and you don?t even enjoy it." "Life isn?t fair." Solitaire said, although not harshly - more sadly. Serena quieted down somewhat, realizing that Solitaire wasn?t talking just about the ball anymore. "Maybe she?ll let me go next time." "That would make sense. Your inner guards will be here - it will be in the honor of their arrival. It would look very bad, if you didn?t or couldn?t come." "Do you really think so?! That would be so cool!" Solitaire smiled at Serena, thinking of her as the future queen. It would be important for Serena to always be happy. As for her, there was little chance of happiness, especially with the curse. Solitaire wondered, however, how strong the curse was if she was able to make friends with the generals. She never thought it really possible - maybe she would not have to be so alone after all. Solitaire continued to talk with Serena, her mind also drifting to other issues. The coming month would be extremely hectic - the shield had to be extensively tested, and Solitaire was still solely responsible for communicating with Earth. The war had worsened, but there was so little that was known about the enemy. The only thing that Solitaire was sure of, along with the earth generals, was that no Earth lands had been attacked yet. The Mineral Kingdom, however, was already battling on the outskirts of the kingdom. Nevertheless, it was still relatively safe, and no one would have suspected that either the Earth or the Moon would be threatened, if it were not for Serenity?s and Neflite?s premonitions. Every day was full of training for the outer scouts, as well as Solitaire. Serenity made Serena train, but she didn?t take it very seriously, which made Solitaire somewhat angry. Consequently, Solitaire took it upon herself to learn to be Sailor Moon, in case Serena would not be able to pull through. Solitaire had the strongest powers on the Moon, being the only one with part of the silver crystal It never occurred to her at what a price her crystal had come - it had taken away just enough strength from Serenity?s crystal so that Beryl could not be defeated. The month passed quickly, due to the preparations for war. Neflite visited at least twice, to talk with Serenity and to carry the invitation back to Earth. Endymion was outraged when he learned that he was not invited. He had been there before, and he did not see what was different about this time. Serenity did not mention her reasons to anyone but Luna - that Serena had to attend the formalities this time, and Beryl would also be there. Prince Endymion could not be there. But what about another High General? Serenity had only met four of the guards from Earth - under some hinting from Neflite, who knew it would be better if Endymion did go - a Lord Darien WOULD attend the ball. Endymion wondered what would happen if the Queen recognized him under the disguise, but Neflite assured him mysteriously that she wouldn?t. Neflite was one of the few people who knew that Serenity?s forbidding Serena and Endymion to meet was only for appearances - both he and Serenity knew that one way or another, they would fall in love, and it would be better to get it over with before Endymion is not married. Of course Serenity would recognize that Lord Darien was infact Endymion, but she wouldn?t reveal that she knew. The danger would be if Beryl was able to attend, but Serenity counted on Endymion himself for dealing with that matter. Neflite secretly informed Serenity that Endymion would be attending as Lord Darien, but Solitaire did not know until their arrival. ******************************** Crystal Tokyo ******************************** Fayate watched contently as Solitaire commanded her car towards the palace. He was very relieved to see her in the lobby, when they were supposed to meet. He wanted her to drive so she would remember the route. Solitaire continued to be unusually pleasant, twirling her hair in one of its long strands. She changed back to her usual hairstyle so that she would not offend Serena. ************** "Serena isn?t here - she went into the city." Darien informed Solitaire and Fayate within the palace. He wouldn?t look Solitaire in the eye. "Oh. " Solitaire replied weakly, but she tried to smile. Footsteps were coming from down the hall, and a blur of pink hair rushed past Solitaire and Fayate, latching onto Darien. The father smiled, as Pluto eventually made her way into the room. Rini looked away from Darien and observed the other woman who was also staring at her. "Who are you? Why do you have my hairstyle?" she asked without conviction. Solitaire looked up at Endymion for an answer. He was waiting for her to say something. "Is this your daughter?" she asked monotonously. Darien nodded, while Rini wondered why she was being ignored. Solitaire looked down at the girl again, noticing the red eyes. They were so familiar. Who else had such eyes? "I didn?t know you had a daughter." Solitaire said to Pluto. Pluto was completely shocked, and flushed somewhat when she looked at Endymion for an answer, but he was also equally speechless. "She is not my daughter." Pluto said finally, without harshness. Solitaire was very embarrassed. "Oh, I?m sorry. I didn?t mean..." she began, but Pluto hadn?t recovered from her comment, while Endymion was simply confused. "Its just that - her eyes - they are just like yours." Pluto finally recovered. "No - this is Princess Rini, Serena?s daughter." She finally said. "Who is she, daddy?" Rini asked again. Darien looked at Solitaire again, but got no response from her. "This is.....uh....Lady Solitaire." He said, using her formal name. "You look a lot like mommy." Rini said. "I?m her sister." Solitaire stated. A sigh of relief was invisibly released within the room. Solitaire?s answer meant that she was still willing to be a part of Serena?s family. "Mommy never had a sister." Rini continued skeptically. "Well, honey, you just haven?t met Solitaire yet. She hasn?t been to visit in very long." Endymion quickly added. "No one ever talked about her." Rini continued. Endymion looked worried, because he didn?t want Rini to upset Solitaire. "Just because we don?t talk about someone, doesn?t mean that we don?t think about them." Fayate said smoothly. Rini looked at him disinterestedly for a moment, but soon she returned to Endymion. "We?ll talk about this later. Why don?t you get started on your studies?" Endymion began. Rini sighed. "Thank you, Puu." She said to Pluto, who smiled at her warmly and watched the girl leave into another part of the palace. "Thanks for taking care of her. Endymion said, as the slightest traces of red could be detected in Pluto?s cheeks. She had all but lost any past feelings she had had for Endymion, now that she and Diamond were together. Looking back, she wondered what she had seen in him; Diamond was more intelligent, kinder, more tactful, and more sensitive than Darien could have ever hoped to be. Perhaps it was the challenge, or that Darien nevertheless embodied the ideal of male physical perfection, but Pluto admitted that she had matured. Solitaire?s comments had brought back some of those painful feelings she had for someone that would never be hers. She smiled at Endymion, the old feelings subsiding. "Anytime." She said simply. Endymion smiled back at her, as she waved to everyone and left the room. Pluto was always busy, as she had to attend to arranging the most extravagant marriage that was being planned since Ami and Ziocite?s, among her other duties. Diamond was having similar difficulties as Solitaire - after all, what do ex-world-leaders do when there is no longer war and conflict? He, however, was content just as long as he was with Pluto. "I can?t believe you?re a father." Solitaire said, smiling genuinely. She forgot all about her problems, when she thought about how happy Serena and Endymion must be. "What? Why?" Endymion asked. "I don?t know. I didn?t think you had it in you." She continued. "What?s that supposed to mean?" "Its hard to imagine you loving anyone more than Serena, or yourself, for that matter." Solitaire continued. Endymion didn?t know whether she was being serious or not. "Things change." He said with a simplicity characteristic of Pluto. "I?m glad everything worked out well for you." She said with sincerity. Endymion could see that she had forgiven him for the lies he said about the war. She wasn?t ever really angry at others - she would always be angry at herself. "I?m sorry about what I said." He continued. "So am I. Sometimes...I just wish the past could be erased." Solitaire sighed, looking towards the ground. The past was not only the things she had said to Endymion, but also all the bad that had happened to her throughout her life. "But the past is essential to appreciating the future." Endymion said, taking Solitaire?s hand. "Right?" he asked, as he lifted her eyes to his with his other hand. There weren?t tears yet, but Endymion sensed them. Solitaire tried to smile anyway. "What are you doing?" Lita demanded, storming between Endymion and Solitaire and facing the other woman. She had only been passing through the room, when she saw Solitaire and Endymion in such an intimate position. She was quick to jump to conclusions, and she failed to even notice that Fayate was there as well. Both had stepped back from her, quickly judging how enraged she was. "Is this all what you spend your time on?" she continued. "Lita, what are you doing?!" Endymion demanded, enraged. He had been trying to be nice to Solitaire, to prove to her that he cared about her even if she felt like no one else did. "You should talk! What about Serena? Have you forgotten all about her for this cheap floozy?" Lita indignantly continued. Her loyalty to her friends was always put above everything else, even protocol or common sense. "*This* is the girl Neflite loves? I would have thought, out of all of you, he was the most sensible one." Solitaire interjected. She somehow always knew the exact words that would bring out the most pain in the people she faced. "What?!" Lita shouted, turning to the other woman again, who, wearing high heels, was almost as tall as she was. In a split second, a ball of lightening had materialized and was hurled in Solitaire?s direction. Solitaire didn?t even know to avoid it, but it didn?t matter because it was absorbed by someone else?s body, as Solitaire was pushed out of the way. "Lita!" Endymion yelled, as he rushed to help Solitaire up, ignoring Fayate?s still form on the ground. "Oh my gosh!" Lita whispered out of horror, as she rushed to Fayate, shaking him gently. "Fayate! Fayate, please!" Endymion helped Solitaire to her feet, wiping the blood off the side of her face and her arm where she had crashed into the rough texture of a stone wall. She looked away from him when she saw who had absorbed the blow. Without even understanding why, she knelt beside him, her eyes full of tears. "Fayate!" she pleaded. "Get away from him!" Lita demanded. "Everywhere you go, you hurt people! Why don?t you just disappear back to wherever you came from?!" "Lita, please! Leave her alone!" Endymion ordered, but Lita looked at him scornfully. He pulled Lita off of Fayate. "She tried to kill Neflite." Lita finally let out. Solitaire continued to cry. She felt Lita was right, and even worse, Fayate showed no signs of coming to. He was not a scout, after all - he could not absorb such impacts easily. Endymion tried to calm Lita down, explaining the truth to her quietly. A tear rolled off Solitaire?s cheek, mixing with blood before it landed on Fayate?s shirt. A bright light flashed through the room for a moment, as the Silver Crystal passed from him into the air. Solitaire ignored it, concentrating on Fayate?s face. He murmured something. Solitaire was so relieved to see that he was alright, and she almost admitted to herself why. There were feelings there. Destiny. "Idiot. Why...did you? If only you hadn?t..." she whispered to him. The blow could have killed her, although it was unlikely Lita would have tried to do that. Lita, of course, was often unaware of her own strength. Solitaire held the crystal in her hands, and the air rushed back into Fayate. He sat up, and saw Solitaire?s angered expression, but it turned more to pain. The crystal had absorbed most of Lita?s energy, allowing Fayate to recover, but in trying to control it Solitaire had to absorb some of it herself. Tears slipped out between her closed eyes, as she turned away from him. "Why?" she whispered. "You don?t even know." Fayate replied sadly, holding her as she trembled beneath him. "How could you even know?" Lita watched the scene irately, seeing only how Solitaire was seducing another willing participant. She had no intention of apologizing to Solitaire, even though Endymion had explained the truth to her. But she felt very bad for what happened to Fayate. "I?m sorry, Fayate." She said to him quietly. He either didn?t hear it or was too preoccupied with Solitaire to notice. Lita was further angered. "Fine. I?m out of here." she said, turning to leave. Endymion decided to follow her, feeling that the crisis was not resolved. "I don?t belong here." Solitaire finally said. "This isn?t my home - its Serena?s. They all hate me. I knew they all hated me. They think I?m a traitor, and they?re right." "Oh, Lita was just exaggerating. You don?t know her very well, but sometimes she does things without thinking." Fayate replied. "You shouldn?t have done that. She could have killed you. It was meant for me." "I knew nothing would happen to me. I had the Silver Crystal, after all - your Silver Crystal." He lied. He had forgotten all about the crystal - what he did was something entirely uncalculated and instinctual. "If she would have hit you, it would have been all my fault. If I hadn?t taken the crystal from you, you would have been fine. And look what I did - " he said, wiping the blood from her cheek. Solitaire took his hand into hers. "I don?t want to sound ungrateful." It was the truth. Despite what she thought she felt, she was happy that she was alive. She was also relieved that Fayate was alright, otherwise she would have truly never been able to forgive herself, or Lita. "I?m sorry to involve you in all of this." "I involve myself." "No, I know Serena is making you." Solitaire continued, as Fayate helped her off the ground. "What will it take for you to trust me? She?s not making me do anything. I want you to understand that I?ll still be here even if no one is making me." "Why? You should have better things to do." Fayate wanted to tell Solitaire that she was the best thing that happened to him. Solitaire was not only beautiful and intelligent, but she was someone that could understand him. More importantly, he could understand her. He felt it would be too much if he told her how he felt - he had only known her for a few days. He tried to analyze why he felt the way he did - he hardly knew Solitaire, but the truth was that he knew Solitaire very well. She even knew him, although she didn?t realize it. "Try to forget about others for once and think about yourself." "What? Are you kidding? All what I do is think about myself. That?s all what I?ve ever done." "You only think about others when it comes to yourself. Don?t worry about whether or not Serenity is making me spend time with you. Do you want me to spend time with you?" "No." the answer was short and harsh - clearly a lie. "Well, too bad. I want to spend time with you. You?ll have to deal." Solitaire almost hinted at a smile. "I like spending time with you. I just don?t want you doing something you don?t want to do." "But what if I want to?" "I don?t think that you want to." *************** "They?re so idiotic!" Rei giggled from behind the door of an adjacent room to the one where Fayate and Solitaire were. Mina was spying with her. "Why don?t they just tell eachother they like eachother and get it over with?!" she said, almost too loudly. "That?s how we did it in the old days." Mina sighed. Everything that had happened brought back memories of the past - right before the war. Sometimes she longed for the excitement of those days, when she was so shy, and Malachite was almost just as shy. And even though Solitaire was older than her, she felt very old some times, watching Solitaire now. Indeed, and despite the mature image Solitaire projected, she was more childish than any of the others around her. "Solitaire seems like the type to never admit to anything." Rei sighed as well, closing the door again quietly. Mina?s comment made her feel immature for spying on others. "I can?t believe she?s going to be Sailor Moon." Mina said, breaking the silence. "I know Lita?s not to thrilled about it." Rei said, sadly. "But she shouldn?t be worried. You?re not worried either, and neither is Serena." "Why should I be worried?!" Mina asked, somewhat scared. Rei looked at her blankly. Had Malachite not told her that he had once been involved with Solitaire? Rei thought all of this was common knowledge. She couldn?t tell Mina *now*. She waved at Mina "Nothing." "NO - tell me? Why should I not be worried?" Mina pleaded. "You shouldn?t! What do you have to worry about?!" Rei demanded. Mina looked puzzled, so she decided to let the issue slide. Author's notes: The upcoming chapters are linked directly to my site, as I could not get the formatting right through this host. Sorry for any inconvenience.