OK, OK, I know that Love Revealed and Matters of the Heart are not
finished, but so help me God, I don't know what to write. Not one
single word is flowing like it is when I have inspiration and I can't
write like that. I promise, when my Muse comes back to me on those
two stories, I'll get them out. I've been told that the worst
possible thing to do when you have unfinished works hanging over you
is to start a new project, but let's face it, unless you want to
wait my writer's block out, its either this or nothing.

This is basically an alternate timeline story. It was partially 
inspired from Kimagure Orange Road; think of Serena as Madoka (I love
that girl; probably one of the coolest anime characters ever) and
Darien as Kyosuke, and Rei as a not-so-annoying Hikaru... For anyone
who hasn't read about KOR, go look at it. For those who do, yes, I
realize that Rei looks more like Madoka but that would defeat the
purpose of this fic.

This is a special fic; dedicated to Pandora, Myrna and the soon-to-be
Madoka (who got me looking at KOR in the first place). Lianne,
Fushigi, Crystal, MJ, Razzzberi, aishiteru. And special *special* 
mention goes to Kim, the Sun Princess, who gave me my hope back. 
Sorry I haven't replied yet; I'm in the midst of frantic prep for a
Founder's Day Service I have to march for. Oh, and if Lilac Summers
is reading this, I love your 'The BIG Wish'. It had me in tears, it
was so funny.

I also have a new homepage, the Anime Fanfic Writer's Center (AFWC)
and it's for any experienced or budding writer. It's at www.geocities.
com/Tokyo/Palace/6042/. Join Project STAR now! The page is at
http://members.xoom.com/Project_STAR/. MJ's done a beaut job on it.

All usual disclaimers apply, and Sailormoon does not belong to me,
dear. It belongs to that nice artist, Naoko Takeuchi. *I* don't think
a guy in a lavender tux is *sexy* ^^;; Still trying to figure that one
out. Now go ahead and enjoy the prolouge!

                        WHISPER OF YOUR HEART
                              PROLOUGE
                             BY SUE MEI
                        ~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~@

Thrust, parry. Adjust the grip.

She shook the silken bangs, turned dark gold with sweat, out of her
eyes, making a mental note to cut it later. It was getting too long.

She circled him warily, feet moving in an intricate dance on the
stone, the wooden staff held at ready in the classic stork position,
one hand high, palm face down, the other stiffly pointing the
staff, hovering mere inches from the ground.

They were contrasts to each other, dark and light, male and female,
yin and yang. Warriors both. Even friends, if they would only admit
it. Maybe even something more, though they would rather die
slowly with a stomach wound on a strange battlefield before either
would admit *that*. 

Serenity tried desperately to ignore the tiny beads of sweat trickling
down her forehead, praying fervently that it would not fall into
her eyes. She knew that all it would take was one distracted blink 
and she would lose for sure. It was already dusk, having decided to
loosen up after lessons, she had taken one wild, carefree run. She
felt as if she could fly over the red Martian fire-flowers, after
being cooped up all day within four walls. Finally, panting for
breath, she had come to whack the stuffing out of any hapless 
trainee, or failing that, a straw dummy, when she and Endymion had
happened to cross paths.

She could feel the ticklish progress of the tiny bead, erratically
fast and slow by turns, like an eager, but bashful suitor, daring 
one moment and hesitating the next. It was perilously close to
her eyes. Still, they circled, planets revolving around an unseen 
star, eyes locked on one another, cooly calculating as they watched
for any flicker of the eyes which would betray a forthcoming move.

She *had* to challenge him, of course. He was the Captain of the
Guard, she was the future Royal Advisor as the next Daughter Heir of
the Moon Throne. That included being an unofficial personal bodyguard
as well, and so she had been literally dragged, kicking and screaming,
to training. She took personal pride in that it had taken them six
weeks before they actually got her to hit somebody. Albeit it was 
weak and more of a slap, but they saw hope in that one act of violence
alone and refused to let up on her until finally, lying curled up on 
the ground in a fetal position to stop any blows from hurting too 
much, she had finally blown her much-controlled temper and socked the
instructor squarely on the jaw. So taken by surprise was he that he
actually fell back, one thing Martian Red Medallion Trainers were not
supposed to ever do. He later assured her that he was crying in relief
and not in pain. That was the night her mother had told her what she
didn't think she could ever forget.

"You must learn to fight, so that the Millenium will stay peaceful."

"That doesn't make much sense. We are always in preparation for war
when there is none. Won't other systems take that as a threat?"

"Serenity, would you rather have other people live in fear of you and
keep the peace? Or would you welcome your enemies, and allow him
close enough to see your weaknesses before he decides to attack you?"

"But there isn't any war. Why prepare for it? We are all content. I
don't want to think of war, and hurting other people."

"That is the paradox. In order to have peace, we must prepare for war.
Do not forget, Serenity, that you are the representative of the people
and the keeper of the ginzuishou. When Mars was elected the Queen of
the Millenium, we supported them with the ginzuishou. We are, *you*
are the counterbalance to their haste and short-temperedness."

"And beating me up? Was that part of the paradox?"

"Sometimes we have to be cruel in order to be kind, Serenity."

It felt like an eternity ago. Soon, so soon now, she would have to 
take up the mantle of the Royal Advisor, and Rei, the princess' 
childhood name, would take the role of Daughter Heir of the Throne of
Mars and the Millenium. Serenity, however, would be her spearhead,
her spokesman and her apprentice. She was, in effect, the leader of 
the Millenium.

The tickle in her forehead grew stronger, drawn inexorably down by
the g-forces in the training field. She studied the man before her,
praying for a mistake, a fumble, anything. The glistening drop slipped
down another few millimeters.

Rei, the future ruler of the Millenium. Friend and ward and princess.
Mako really had known what she was talking about after all, when she
had told them that only best friends could fight as they did. Then
again, she always did. She allowed herself a mental grin as she 
remembered the steam coming out of Rei's ears when she had dunked her
in the marble fountain when they were kids. That had been a lot of 
fun.

The tickle had turned to a buzz now, as the drop came closer, too 
close. It was hanging on the verge of an eyelash. Oh God, oh God, 
do *not* drop do--

The sting of the sweat was there only for a moment before she rapidly
blinked it away, but it was more than enough. He lunged forward. 
Wood met against wood before he overpowered her counter-push,
and, with a smooth, cat-like motion, sent the staff flying out of her
hands. It landed with a clatter some distance away.

She could feel the roughness of the wood scrape lightly against her
throat, and she lifted her chin, unwilling to get splinters she 
would have to dig out later. She eyed him defiantly, fire in her
eyes, and he stared cooly back.

The staff tapped her chin once.

"All right, I yield! Satisfied?!," she snapped at him.

"That's better." He stepped away. "You really should learn to accept
defeats more gracefully."

"Comes with the Martian training. And the Jupiterians," she
grumbled as she pulled the arm and leg pads off. "Their assumption is
that you will always win."

"Stupid philosophy. We learn more from losing than from winning."

"Don't you dare go Zen on me. I already spent the afternoon taking in
all I can accept of the Plutonian 'Don't get involved' theories of
time-spatial differences. Try that *now* and I *will* whack your
head."

"All right, all right," he muttered, grabbing his cape. "See you
at dinner."

"Right. I'm just *counting* the minutes."

"Sarcasm doesn't suit you, Odango. Gotta go now." He wiggled his
fingers at her and leapt off before the stick she threw could actually
connect with his head. She sighed.

"I wonder if killing the Captain of the Guard under extreme 
frustration is within interplanetary protocol of honour..." She
debated that with herself back to her room.

~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~

I tried to explain as much as possible here. You know how to get me.
Love, Sue Mei