Part V

That night, everyone was at the ball.

HLM and Mercury were chatting about their respective cultures and technologies, Nephrite and Jupiter were joking around like friends do, while Kunzite and Zoisite where exchanging pleasantries with the Moon and Earth royalties along with Sailor Venus and Jadeite and Diana were doing their best to avoid Mars.

Jae peeks around the bushes they're hiding behind.

"Did we lose her?" Diana whispers.

Jae grins, "Hai, I don't see her anywhere."

He steps out from behind the bushes and helps Diana out, who holds her skirts high off of her legs so it doesn't get damaged.

Jae whistles, eyeing up her shapely legs, "Have I ever told you what nice legs you have?"

Diana grins, her eyes sparkling playfully, holding the skirts at upper thigh level, "The better to lead you on a chase with, my dear!"

She giggles and takes off, shouting back, "Catch me if you can!"

Jae laughs and takes off after her, running past Neph and HLM who are emerging from the palace.

"Wha'?? Where's he going in such a hurry?" HLM asks with some confusion.

"Hmm, after her, I suppose," Neph answers, pointing to Diana as she runs.

"Ah...but, uhm, aren't they already lovers?"

"Hai..."

"Then why is she running from him?"

"To escape either Mars or the boredom of the ball or both," Neph answers with a soft chuckle.

HLM's brows knit as if she were about to ask another question.

Neph looks down at his companion and smiles a little, "You have another question, M-chan, I can see it in your eyes."

"Well, hai, I do, but I'd imagine answering all these questions must be getting annoying," she smiles sheepishly at him.

"Iie, of course it's not getting annoying, so go ahead and ask your question," he tells her with a smile.

"Well, ah, is that how one who is interested in another romantically shows their feeling? By running from then?"

"No...there are other ways to show one's affection. Why?"

"Well, I was wondering if I should start running," she answers with a shy smile.

Jae finally catches up with Diana and tackles her from behind.

She turns on her back and grins up at him as he pins her down.

"Now that you have me, what are you going to do with me?" Diana asks, whispering in mock fear.

Jae play growls, "Me take you."

Diana grins and plays dumb, lying there, she asks, "Take me where?"

Jae mock grunts, "Me take you. Me make you mine."

Diana pretends to look shocked, "The very thought!" She grins, "Here? Now?"

Jae leans in and whispers into her ear, "Why not?"

"Because Kunzite and Zoisite are looking at us?"

"WHAT?!"

Jae gets up off of her and nearly runs headlong into Kunz, he turns around so quickly.

Zoisite laughs as he helps Diana disentangle her skirt from her legs and stand.

"Honestly, little brother, I thought you had more self control then that. I mean jumping on poor Diana in public like that," Zoi teases, a
playful twinkling in his eyes.

"Oh come on, big bro, as if you and Kunzy wouldn't do it in public or enjoy watching us."

"Ugh, hentai Jae! Hentai!" Zoi says, making a face, "I don't need the picture of you and Diana...yech."

"Hey! We're that repulsive?" Diana asks, pouting.

Kunz chuckles at the look on Zoi's face.

Zoi was about to make a comment when he notices the look in Diana's eyes.

"Diana? What is it?" Jae asks his lover, worried.

"Youma," is her whispered answer.

At that a hug creature with scaly purple skin, yellow eyes and bright blue, spiky hair leaps from the bushes at Diana.

She falls back as Jae leaps to knock the monster back, then she runs to get help as more monsters appear.

"Neph?!?" HLM gasps, her long lavender dress suddenly turning into her black battle uniform.

"M-chan? What is it?" Neph asks in surprise as HLM  takes her hand from his and starts sprinting towards the group on the other side of the
garden, unsheathing her claws as she runs.

"Youma?" Neph asks, voice squeaking a little, running with her.

"You...ma?"

"I'll explain later."

HLM nods as she dives in, fighting furiously and skillfully in a style never before seen in either the Moon or Earth kingdoms.

Diana returns with reinforcements and in her battle gear.

After three of the youma are destroyed, the rest retreat.

There's silence as all the combatants look around cautiously, never dropping their stances.

Once everyone's certain there's no one around, Zoi breaks the silence.

"Shit, we have to let Queen Serenity know about this attack," he says, looking grimly at the others.

Part IV
Part VI
Beginnings and Endings Index