“They’re on WHERE?!” Haruka exclaimed, gawking at Setsuna in amazement. “They are on Ni,” Setsuna stated calmly, “now, would you like to help them?” Michiru gazed at the bounty hunter in confusion. “Help? I…I don’t understand. I thought you were hunting them…” Setsuna smirked. “I WAS… and now I am not. I do not think the union between Serenity and Endymion will be cause for celebration. I plan to stop it. Now,” she murmured, brushing a strand of silky black hair from her face, “will you help us?” Both Haruka and Michiru nodded in consent… ================ “Why don’t you talk to her? I mean, I know you two are fighting, but..man!” Serenity sighed and smiled at Minako. “Listen, if she wants to be mean, let her. I’m just fine. I don’t like her anyway!” Makoto laughed. “Suuuure you don’t…you two should stop beating around the bush.” Ami chuckled a little bit. “Mako-chan is right…go talk to her..” Serenity pouted. “No..she’ll have to talk to me first.” Mitsuki laughed. “Heh...well, good luck getting that to happen.” Serenity smiled weakly. “She’s very stubborn…but so am I!” The other girls all shared a laugh at that, and walked out of Serenity’s room. “Good luck!” Minako called before she closed the door. Serenity sighed, and flopped down on the bed, staring at the ceiling. “I am really going to need it…” ================ Endymion smiled cheerfully, patting Serenity’s father on the back. “Sir, I’ve found them! Thanks to Setsuna, those kidnappers and Serenity have been located on Ni!” Drake smiled brightly. “You mean it boy? You’ve really found my daughter?” Endymion chuckled. “Yes sir! Serenity will be in safe hands in a little while! All that’s left is journeying to Ni!” Drake laughed and caught Endymion in a bear hug. “My dear boy, you are a genius! And we must pay Setsuna extra! She deserves a bonus!” Endymion laughed. “Yeah..I know.” He had to admit, tapping into Setsuna’s phone lines was a bit underhanded, but he was actually worried about Serenity now. She was with criminals! As aggravating as the girl could get, he didn’t want her hurt. And besides, he and Drake had formed quite the friendship. He would be quite happy to join Serenity’s family. And she would warm up to him, eventually. He sighed. “Well, sir...let’s go!” ================ Rei paced back and forth nervously in her room, trying to think. “So what do I say? How can I say it? Should I blurt it out…or say it slow..? Hmm…I’ll have to apologize before I say it…what will she say back? She’ll probably…she’ll probably disgusted with me..or maybe not…I’m so…confused.” She sighed, and sat down on her bed, shaking her head softly. “But…if..I don’t say anything…I’ll always wonder…I have to tell her.” Steeling herself and taking a deep breath, she walked out of the room… …and ran into a very frazzled Ami. “Oomph! Ami, watch where you’re going!” When she noticed the upset expression of the blue-haired girl, however, she gazed at her in concern. “Ami…what’s wrong?” Ami took a few deep breaths before she spoke. “We can’t find Usagi, Rei. She’s run off somewhere!” Rei gawked at Ami for a moment before responding. “WHAT?! We have to find her!” =================== Serenity had no idea exactly where she was going, but she was sure she would find wherever it was if she kept going. She needed time to think and relax. The other girls were all very sweet, but they worried about her too much. So she walked among the streets of Ni, smiling at the people, and hoping no one recognized her. She stopped at a beautiful, spacious park, and sat on a bench near a crystalline lake, watching the swans swim about. She sighed weakly, twirling a strand of her pale silver hair around her index finger. Her eyelids lowered, and she yawned. “The swans….are like you, you know?” Serenity turned and stared back at a pair of familiar violet eyes. She shuffled awkwardly, and scooted over to give Rei room. “How so?” The redhead chuckled, and blushed slightly. Serenity certainly realized that the girl seemed very vulnerable. Rei cleared her throat, and began to speak. “Well…um…swans are um…awkward, when they’re born…” Serenity frowned, her sapphire eyes lighting up in anger. “Gee thanks,” she muttered, turning away from the red-haired youth to stare at the swans again. Rei put her hand on Serenity’s shoulder, and turned her back around. “I wasn’t finished.” Serenity sighed. “I’m waiting.” Rei lowered her head, and continued. “But…when they get older...they blossom…they become so..” “…beautiful. I think that…that swans are the most beautiful birds of all…when my father was still around…before he left me with Grandpa,” she laughed bitterly, “he would take me to the parks to see the swans…I thought that they were the most…magnificent creatures I had ever seen…so graceful...not like me, you know…” Serenity looked down. “I think you’re very graceful Rei….” She blushed again, and slowly lifted her cerulean eyes to meet Rei’s own amethyst depths. “You think I’m like that?” Rei laughed. "No, not at all..” Serenity was about to respond, but Rei lifted her finger to the girl’s lips, silencing her. “You’re so much greater than that…” Rain started to come down in tiny droplets, but neither girl took notice of it..nothing else mattered anymore. Serenity took refuge in the other girls’ arms; gently grazing her fingertips against Rei’s rain soaked cheek. “Rei..why didn’t you tell me before—” She was silenced by a kiss. They stayed like that for a long time, unaware that four figures were watching them silently. “Oh man,” Haruka muttered, “what in the hell are we going to do now?” Setsuna, Hotaru, and Michiru all shrugged…
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