Author's Notes:
	HOORAY!!!!! I have an archive!! Visit my site at 
http://www.angelfire.com/anime3/palin/index.html.  So far, its just this 
story to date, and one other that I made from boredom, but its a start! 
So let me know what you think. Also, I'm not too fond of this chapter 
right now, so don't be surprised if it changes. Hope you like it! 
Feedback, please!

Chapter 4
Birthday Surprises

	True to his word, Paul did speak to Minako, who admitted that yes, 
Usagi was right, but that she wasn't too serious about him. That having 
been taken care of, Paul set out to talk to Ami. But first, he had a 
surprise party to plan.
*****
	June 30th, Usagi was treated to a surprise (to her) lunch by 
Mamoru, who had flown in that morning to surprise her. He had been 
informed about the party, and had been asked to take her to Paul's 
apartment after everything was done. At lunch, Mamoru began to notice 
the change in his girlfriend. She was reserved, eating less than usual, 
and slower as well. But besides that, she seemed to be holding something 
back.
	"Usako, what's going on."
	Pehaps a month before, Usagi would have avoided the question, and 
gotten uncomfortable, probably changing the subject quickly. But since 
her change in the past weeks, she felt alittle more confident, but still 
very nervous about the conversation she was about to brooch.
	"Mamo-chan.. uh... I don't know exactly how to say this..."
	"You're seeing someone else." It wasn't a question.
	She sighed. "Sorta."
	"Its Rei, isn't it?" 
	"How did you know?"
	"I just knew, Usako."
	"Do you hate me now?" She was tearing up at this point.
	"I could never hate you Usagi. I still love you. Part of me, at 
least."
	"I understand."
	"I know we have a future, so I want you to take care of each 
other, do you promise?"
	"Hai, Mamoru-san."
	He smiled slightly. "I'm glad you brought this up. Are you okay?"
	"Yes, just... its wierd, you know?"
	"What do you mean."
	She grinned, "The fact that I'm breaking up with the guy who's 
paying for my lunch." He broke down laughing, and the awkwardness 
vanished. They chatted together for about an hour more, about school, 
and life, and about the newcomer to the group of friends.
	Mamoru, as per the scripted need he had been given, told Usagi 
that he needed to make a phone call. He did so, and called the group at 
Paul's apartment. He told them that they were coming, and left. When he 
returned to the table, Usagi asked where he had gone.
	"I called your parents. I wanted to assure your father I wouldn't 
be a threat."
	"What did they say?"
	"They weren't home. Shingo was, though, and said that Paul had 
called, and you had left your bag at his house. I can take you by there 
if you like. I'd like to meet this guy."
	Usagi, none the wiser, agreed. Mamoru almost broke his poker face 
with a sly grin, but reigned it in at the last minute.

	Paul heard the 2 coming in, and told the group to hide. When Usagi 
knocked, Paul led them in, and said "Surprise!!"
	About 15 people jumped out with streamers and started singing 
"Happy Birthday" to Usagi. She turned red, and smiled. Mamoru snuck 
aside while Usagi was being wished well by others. He pulled Rei aside.
	"Rei-san, Usagi and I had a talk."
	Rei's lip trembled, afraid Mamoru was mad. "And...?"
	"Take care of her, Rei. I'm here for you if either of you need 
someone who understands. And if you hurt her, I'll come back here and 
beat you over the head with a shovel."
	Rei smiled, her eyes wet, "Arigato, Mamoru-san."
	He nodded, "I'm leaving for now. I have a flight back soon. 
Goodbye." He walked away, slowly, taking one last look at Usagi. Rei 
knew he was hurting, but didn't know what to say. She also looked over 
to Usagi, who looked back. When their eyes met, they both began to 
smile.

	That night, Usagi came home, and was getting ready for bed when 
she heard the phone ring. She crept to the edge of the stairs and 
listened downstairs. Her mother was speaking in a quiet, strained voice 
into the phone. Usagi was getting worried, and it compounded when she 
heard her say goodbye, and hang up the phone, and start crying.  
	"Usagi-chan," Her father's voice came up the stairs "Please come 
down here."
Luna followed behind Usagi, concerned for her young charge. Her concern 
grew when she heard the conversation that followed and watched a 
hysterically crying Usagi run up the stairs and heard her scream "WHY 
DIDN'T YOU TELL ME!!!" to her parents. She slammed the door behind her. 
Luna heard Usagi's mother break down again. She sighed.
	"That was unexpected, and didn't go very well."

*****
	In the Dark Kingdom, every youma felt it. A surge of power greater 
than that possessed by Beryl or Metallia at the height of their power. 
	"He's here!" the youma whispered excitedly, as they rushed into 
the throne room. Upon the throne a man, if you could call him that, 
appeared. His skin was almost reptilian, and blood red. Greed eyes 
flashed, surveying the gathered youma.
	"Where are the generals?" He asked, his voice echoing in the 
chamber.
	"M... My lord," One brave youma spoke up. "Jadeite was 
imprisoned in crystal. The other 3 were killed."
	"Bring me the crystal."
	A large tower of ice was brought to the man, and he stared at it a 
moment, studying the man inside. He extended a taloned hand, and a beam 
of light flew from it. The crystal exploded.
	"Jadeite," he said. "rise."
	Breathing heavily, Jadeite rose from among the shards of crystal 
and stood before the throne.
	"I am the Dark Lord." The man said. "And you are now my 
servant."
	"Yes, my lord," Jadeite said, bowing before him. The youma 
cheered.
	"Hear me, minions of the dark kingdom!" The chaos lord said. 
"Too often, you have been defeated by those pathetic Sailor Senshi. 
That will all change. Within a year, you will be given powers beyond 
your dreams, and training to combat those miserable girls. And you will 
be unstoppable."
	"Long live the lord of Darkness!" The youma all shouted. An evil 
gleam formed in Chaos' eyes. 
	"Come Jadeite. We have planning to do."
*****

	The next morning, Luna managed to sneak in behind Usagi's mother 
who had come to wake her up. Usagi hadn't slept. She was in her 
nightclothes, curled up looking out the window.
	"Usagi-chan" Her mother said. "I'm sorry."	
	"No," Usagi replied, cutting her mother off. "I am. I shouldn't 
have yelled at you like that. I just... it hurts. I never knew, and 
now..." she trailed off, sniffling.
	Luna knew that the young girl wouldn't be going to the meeting 
that was planned for that afternoon, and left to tell the others, as 
Usagi's mother gathered the crying teenager into her arms.

	At the temple, the 4 senshi were worried.
	"Its not like Usagi to be late anymore." Ami fretted.
	"I hope she's okay," Rei said.
	"She's very upset right now," Luna said, trotting into the room. 
"She just got some bad news." 
	"What news?" Rei asked, concern evident in her voice. The other 
three, for just a moment, smiled at the change in the fire-priestesses 
attitude towards their leader.
	"I don't know if it's my place to say this, but I think you all 
need to know. Usagi was born with a twin brother."
	The girls were silent, until Minako asked. "How is that bad 
news?"
	" When they were a year old, her brother was kidnapped. For the 
last 15 years, the police and INTERPOL have been searching for him, 
following every lead they could. Their last lead just ran dry, and the 
search was called off. The people that they think were responsible for 
kidnapping died in an explosion that night. They had a child with them, 
the police just learned, and they declared her brother dead. Usagi 
learned all of this just last night."
	"How did she take it?" Makoto asked.
	"She blamed her parents at first, for not telling her. But she 
realizes it was for her own good, so they are working on dealing with 
the grief that has been 15 years in the making." Luna grew silent, 
worry for the young girl she almost thought of as a daughter welling up 
in her. Artemis jumped down from the desk, and rubbed against her, 
purring softly.
	"I'm sure it'll be fine," he said. "She'll be okay."


	She was alright, too. After a few days, she began to be her old 
self again. She talked to Paul about it, who was sympathetic and caring. 
She managed to get the few pictures she had of her brother and make 
copies to put in her scrapbook. Finally, after about a week, she was her 
normal, bubbly self again. She woke up one morning, a Saturday, and ran 
down the stairs. Her parents had left for while, and her brother wasn't 
home, so she decided to pay a visit to Rei.
	Rei was sweeping the stairs, as usual, at the temple when Usagi 
ran up. 
	"Hi!!!!" Usagi called out. Rei smiled at her.
	"Hello yourself, Usagi-chan. Feeling better?"
	"Much. Thanks for asking."
	"So what brings you here so early."
	"Well, I was thinking."
	"Really? That's a first." Rei said with a grin. Usagi stuck her 
tongue out and continued,
	"No, I was. I realized that, since Mamoru and I broke up, I'm 
single now. And I thought to myself, 'Hey, Rei is single too' so I 
wondered if..." Usagi grew hesitant, and nervous, "maybe... you'd like 
to be unsingle... with me"
	Rei didn't answer, she just stared at her blonde friend for a 
moment, as a goofy grin worked its way onto her face. Finally, she asked 
"Are you asking me to be your... girlfriend?"
	Usagi nodded. "Hai. I guess I am."
	"YESYESYESYES!!!" Rei practically screamed, threw her arms around 
the now grinning blonde, and kissed her.
	"Did I just hear what I think I heard?" Came a voice from the 
sidewalk. Rei and Usagi separated to see Minako grinning at them. 
"Cause if I did, I think this may be appropriate." she took a deep 
breath, and, at the top of her lungs, sang (really off-key) "REI AND 
USAGI SITTING IN A TREE. K-I-S-S-I-N-G!!!"
	"Get her!" Usagi yelled, and she and Rei descended on their 
laughing friend. "Tickle attack!!"
	"Take that, laughing girl," Rei said, tickling her helpless 
friend.
	From the temple stairs, Rei's grandfather watched his 
granddaughter and her new.... girlfriend?... tickle another friend of 
theirs. He had heard every word of the conversation, and just shook his 
head. "I wonder if she'll ever tell me." He whispered, and walked back 
inside.
	As the three girls lay panting on the sidewalk, Usagi finally 
asked, "So what brings you by here?"
	"Well, I wondered if Rei would be opposed to a training session, 
seeing as its been awhile since we've had a chance. Since you're here, 
I'll ask you too."
	"Sure thing," Usagi said. "Why don't we call the others, and 
teleport to that field outside town we use."
	"Sounds like a plan!"

*****

	Paul had also gotten up early that morning. He strolled around his 
apartment, trying to find something to do. He had too much energy this 
morning. He did some kata he learned from Karate, but it seemed to just 
make it worse. So he tried to call Ami, so he could talk to her. No one 
answered. The same was true at Usagi's, Minako's, Makoto's, and Rei's.
	"where could they all be?" He wondered.
	He sighed. "I guess I'll just take a jog." he put on his running 
suit and shoes and headed out into town. 
	After he had been jogging for almost an hour, he heard some 
commotion off in the distance. He ran towards it and heard
	"Fire.... Soul!" He then heard a blast. He realized that he was 
hearing the Sailor Senshi in a battle, and, despite reason telling him 
near a fight was a bad place to be, he snuck closer.
	In the middle of a clearing, the 5 Senshi were in a circle, each 
of them attacking a charred and smoking peice of wood. 
	"They're practicing!" He realized. 
	"Crescent... beam!" He heard, and Sailor Venus fired at the 
stick, blowing it to peices.
	"Way to go, Minako-chan!" Sailor Moon shouted. 
	"What, she gets a 'way to go' and you don't even acknowledge me?" 
Sailor Mars said. Sailor moon grinned at her. "Aww... did I neglect 
poor widdle Rei-chan?" 
	Mars smiled slyly as Sailor Moon kissed her softly.
	"Ahh Get a room you two!" Jupiter shouted. 
	"You're just jealous, Mako-chan!" Moon and Mars replied in 
unison, and broke into giggles.
	"Shabon Spray!!"
	The clearing filled with bubbles. "Aww... Ami!" 4 voices came at 
once.
	Mercury giggled. "Now you can't see well enough to kiss!"
	"Oh yeah!!!" a scuffle could be heard beginning in the bubbles.
	Paul stood dumbfounded. He knew the names being shouted. The names 
of his friends. His friends were the sailor senshi. He couldn't move, he 
was so shocked. Well... he finally did move when a tree, hit by a stray 
attack, fell in front of him. He screamed, and dove out of the way.
	Immediately the 5 senshi crowded around him.
	"Hello?" Sailor moon said "are you okay?"
	"I'm fine... Sailor Moon." he looked around at the five faces, 
and now that he knew, he realized that he recognized them all. "I'm 
sorry I disturbed you. I was running by, and" he stopped. <should I let 
on like I know? Should I just play dumb? God Ami looks good in that... 
Stop! What do I do?> he made a decision. "I didn't hear you all until 
all of a sudden this tree fell in front of me."
	He could see relief written on their faces. They knew good and 
well who he was, and they were worried they had compromised themselves. 
He would let them think otherwise.
	"We're sorry if our practice had any problems for you." Sailor 
Mercury said, "We didn't think anyone came out here."
	<I think I'll have alittle fun> Paul thought. "Well, I don't 
normally, but I couldn't reach any of my friends, and we had planned to 
do something today." He grinned. They had made no such plans, but he 
was getting alittle twisted pleasure from them silently wondering. Some 
traded looks. Sailor Moon just stared at him thoughfully.
	"Well you be more careful," Venus said. "Take care. C'mon 
Sailors." The 5 leapt away.
	Paul walked back to his apartment, rather than running, things 
playing out in his mind. Things beginning to make sense. He walked 
inside, and saw his poster of Sailor V. The fact that it was Minako was 
now painfully obvious. "Why didn't I see it before?" he wondered aloud.
	"You aren't supposed to." came a voice from the open door of his 
balcony. Sailor Moon stood there.
	"S... Sailor Moon?" She gave him a look, and then, in a flurry of 
ribbons, turned into Usagi.
	"I wanted to thank you for holding your tongue back there. You 
fooled the others. I knew better." She sighed, and sat on his sofa. 
"How much did you hear?"
	"Enough to know who you all are. And to know that you must have 
asked Rei to be your girlfriend." Usagi smiled, then her face darkened.
	"We face alot of horror, Paul-chan. I don't want you to get 
caught by more than a tree next time. Some of the things we have faced 
have killed people. I don't want to lose you."
	"I know, Usagi-chan. I promise you, I'll be careful, and I'll 
stay out of the way."
	"Good. I'd better go, Rei and I are going to a movie tonight."
	"Have fun, Usagi."
	"Call Ami." she said meaningfully. "I mean it, Paul. She's dying 
to hear from you."
	He nodded, grinning.
	"I'd better leave the way I came. MOON... CRYSTAL.... POWER, 
MAKE-UP!!" She cried, and transformed into Sailor Moon. Paul looked on 
in wonder. She winked at him and jumped from the balcony to the building 
across the way, and on into town. After she had gone, Paul went and 
picked up the phone. He dialed a number, and waited for an answer.
	"Moshi Moshi, Mizuno residence," Ami answered.
	"Hi Ami, its Paul." Ami gave alittle squeak, which he thought was 
too cute, and replied, calmly.
	"Hello Paul. How are you?"
	"Fine." He said, then paused. "I was wondering if you wanted to 
go to the movies with me tonight?"
	She squeaked again, and said. "Of course! I would love to!" 
	"I'll pick you up at 7?" 
	"Its a date!" she said.
	"It sure is," Paul replied, grinning. He could hear her 
stammering on the other end of the line. "I'll pick you up at 7. Ja ne, 
Ami-chan."
	"Bye Paul!" She said, and hung up the phone. <I have a date..> she thought dreamily, followed by, "AHH!!! What will I wear?"

-Palin
	http://www.angelfire.com/anime3/palin/index.html