Story # 23 from Sailor DKC. It's been a year since September 11, 2001
when the whole world was changed forever. I still grieve for the loss
of many innocent people that day, but I marvel at the fact that we
are still trying to pull through. So, all I say is let us not give up
hope that making peace is still the best way in our struggle to make
this world a better place to live. Take care and enjoy this story!

This story is the sequel to the long awaited "Girl! You There!"
It was inspired by drawing of Chisaii Hikaru whose work is in the
site Generals Love. The couple of this story are Jupiter and
Nephrite.  When you see this *, I am describing the artwork in a
scene.

Rated G.  There will be a conclusion! Naoko Takeuchi owns Sailor
Moon, not me. Entertainment only and have fun reading!

Dedicated to Chisaii Hikaru. What an adorable portrait!

Please e-mail me at sailordkc@hotmail.com for comments!

PEACE!



IT CAN'T BE!
By Sailor DKC


On the moon, in the castle...

Lita checked her dress in front of her mirror of her room.  It looked
all right, not a wrinkle in place. 'Boy, am I nervous,' she thought.
'Tonight is a very special evening.'  She is going to see Nephlite,
a.k.a. General Nephrite again. It has been a few weeks since they
last met on Earth. He had given her a good combat which showed off
her fighting skills.
Raising her fingers to touch her lips, she smiled shyly as she
remembered the kiss he gave her. It was her first actual kiss, not
counting the ones she practiced with her childhood friend Ken, a.k.a.
Lord Kenneth of Shinozaki. Giggling she recalled his reaction when
she told him what happened between her and Nephlite.

FLASHBACK BEGINS

"WHAT!?" Ken yelled out. "You kissed a guardian of the Earth!"
Laughing, Lita placed her hands on his shoulders to settle him back
on the bench they were sitting on. "Kenny, calm down! You're acting
like he's got the plague or something."
Her friend resumed sitting as he turned to face the gardens of the
Moon Palace. He crossed his arms, lifted his chin, closed his eyes,
and said, "Sorry about the outburst, but I don't seem to trust this
guardian whom you-" He stopped and opened one eye at her as if daring
her to say it. "-got acquainted with," he finished.
"How can you say that?" Lita placed her hands on her hips, huffing.
"You haven't even met Nephlite!"
"Nephlite, huh? I heard of him. Rumor has it that he's a pathological
liar. Tell me this. When you were in combat with him, did he give you
any reason to fight?"

"I told you the reason, Ken. It was to show him that I improved on my
fighting skills. And I beat him!" She smiled proudly. "And as for him
being a liar, I don't believe it! It can't be!"
"Hmph! Then he kissed you!" Ken gave her a stern look. "Why?"
"Well..." Lita blushed as she folded her hands on her lap and looked
down. "It was because I kissed him first on the cheek when I was 12."
Sighing, Ken shook his head sadly. "Oh, Lita, I'm just worried that
he'll break your heart if you got involved with the likes of him.
Remember your last boyfriend?"
Lita stood up abruptly. "I don't consider that guy my boyfriend," she
said, angrily clenching her fists. "We never even kissed. Nephlite
was my first."
Ken stood up and placed his arm around her shoulders. "Just don't get
too close to him, OK? Hey, you're my best friend, and I'm here for
you if you need me."
Lita smiled at him. "Thanks, buddy."

FLASHBACK ENDS

Sitting at her dresser, Lita sighed as she fixed her hair in front of
her mirror. She tied on a satin green ribbon on her ponytail in the
form of a bow. Its material matched her dress. Standing up, she
smoothed down her gown and adjusted her strapless top where only her
bare shoulders show. 'I wonder if he'll recognize me again,' she
thought.
A knock sounded on her door. "Yes?" she responded.  The door opened,
and Princess Serenity, a.k.a. Serena, entered. In her hand was an
envelope. "Hi, Lita!"
"Princess!" She gestured to a chair, and Serena sat down. Lita turned
her dresser chair around and sat down before her.
"Here it is!" Serena presented the bunny stamped envelope.
"Oh, no, not again!" Lita protested, taking it.
"Now you know where to put it during the ball?" the princess asked.
"Yes, I do. And later I come back and find a rose stamped one in its
place," Lita sighed. "Oh, Serena, please tell me who you're seeing! I
promise I won't tell anyone, not even to your mother, the Queen!"

"It's not that easy, Lita," Serena explained. "It's not that I don't
trust you. I do! When I'm ready, I want to tell everyone."
"Is he an Earthling?"
"Yes, and that's why I'm hoping this evening will be a success. So
far from both sides, the Earth and the Moon allowed only guardians
and the sailor soldiers to visit. When this party is over, hopefully,
civilians from both worlds can be encouraged to visit back and
forth!"
"So this Earthling is not a soldier?"
"He is, and he's also an authoritative figure. I care for him so
much."
"Really?" Lita grinned widely. "Sounds like you're in love."

Serena didn't answer, but she was smiling and blushing. "Anyway, this
party is a great opportunity for you. You might find a new boyfr-"
Stopping abruptly, she covered her mouth, aghast.
Lita's face fell. "It's OK, you know."
"Oh, I'm so sorry, Lita! I shouldn't be too pushy. Not after what you
have been through."
"No. It's all right." She stood up. "Besides, there is someone I have
my eye on. Maybe I'll see him tonight."
Brightening up, Serena jumped up and gasped happily. "Ooooh! Who is
he?"
Raising an eyebrow, Lita smiled and crossed her arms. "I'll tell you
his name if you tell me your guy's name."
The moon princess pursed her lips. "Never mind. We'll both tell when
we're ready." Grabbing her friend's arm, she pulled her to the door.
"Let's got to the party."
Laughing, Lita closed the door behind them.

"Presenting the sailor princesses of the Moon Kingdom!" the valet
announced at the top of the staircase which led half-spiral down to
the ballroom. Everyone crowded to greet the princesses. Nephlite,
a.k.a. General Nephrite, stood at his post with the other generals
and Prince Endymion, a.k.a. Darien. He looked up as the valet
continued.
"Princess Amy of Mercury!"  A girl with short blue hair in a blue
gown started to descend the stairs.
"Princess Raye of Mars!"  Next came a girl with long dark purple hair
in a red gown.
"Princess Lita of Jupiter!"  Nephlite focused on the girl with the
brown pony-tailed hair, wearing a green gown, coming down the steps.
'It's her!' he thought. 'More beautiful when I last saw her.'
"Princess Mina of Venus!" As the blonde girl with the red bow wearing
an orange yellow gown walked down, Nephlite kept staring at Lita
while she stood at her post with the other princesses. 'She sure is
something!' he thought. Chuckling to himself, he recalled his dear
friend Molly's reaction when he told her that he kissed a sailor
soldier.

FLASHBACK BEGINS

"Nephlite!" Molly gasped. "You kissed a sailor soldier?"
"Uh-huh. From the Moon!" Nephlite bragged, eating a chocolate
parfait. The two of them were sitting in a booth opposite each other
at a small café. Molly stared at her friend, wide-eyed, her hands
cupping her chin and her elbows resting on the table. Another
chocolate parfait was before her.
"Who was it?" She leaned forward.
"Sailor Jupiter." He stirred his parfait, lost in thought. "She sure
is something. Strong, athletic, quick, witty, and..."  He drifted off.
"And what?" Molly persisted.
"Beautiful." He kept on stirring. "When we kissed, she was as sweet
as this parfait."  He then took a slow bite from his spoon and closed
his eyes, savoring the sweet moment. When he opened them, he noticed
his friend staring at him, wistfully, as if thinking of someone else.
Crossing his eyes at her, he broke her concentration, and they both
burst out laughing.  "You miss him, huh?" he asked.
Molly nodded. "Melvin's away on another trip but he's going to take
me to the ceremony on the moon in a few days. I can't wait to see
him."

"I remember when I first met him. He thought I was a rival for your
affections." Nephlite took another bite.
"Boy, that was embarrassing!" Molly replied as she ate her parfait.
"He mistook your hugging me for something else besides friendship."
"He tried to beat me up!" He laughed. "Of course, he was no match for
me."
She gave him a scolding look. "Now, Nephlite, you know he can't help
it if he thinks every guy is competition to him. And besides, he got
to know you and you're both friends now."
"Well, I would never behave like that!"
Molly looked at him seriously. "Really, Nephlite, you have a temper
if you're pushed too far. What if someone tried to kiss your Sailor
Jupiter?"
He gave her a yeah-right look. "I don't think so. I can tell I was
her first. I don't think she would let another guy kiss her!"
Taking another bite from her parfait, Molly shrugged. "Don't be too
sure of yourself. I know how you can get mad. It can be bad!"
Nephlite smiled at her. "Nah, it can't be!"

FLASHBACK ENDS

Snapping to attention, Nephlite heard the next announcement.
"Presenting Princess Serenity of the Moon!"  The princess descended
down the steps and stood before her princess court. The whole room
quieted down for the last announcement.
"Her Royal Highness, Queen Serenity of the Moon!"  The queen came
down and everyone bowed as she reached the bottom.
"Thank you all for coming," she began. "I wish to begin the ceremony
by introducing our guests, Prince Endymion of Earth and his Earth
Guardians."  Everyone applauded as the group came forward.
"My generals are assigned to escort the princesses for this evening,"
the prince said.  The first general with long white hair stepped
forward to Princess Venus.
"General Kunzite, a.k.a. Lord Malachite," he greeted, offering an
orange blossom.  Curtseying, Venus took the flower and his offered
arm, and they both walked out to the dance floor.  One by one, the
other generals did the same.
"General Nephrite, a.k.a. Lord Nephlite."  Nephlite held out a pink
rose to a curtseying Lita who took it and sniffed it, eyes closed.

* Opening an eye as she smelled the rose, Lita looked at Nephlite who
smiled warmly at her and placed his right hand around her waist. *

As she put the rose in her hair he led her out to the dance floor as
the other generals presented themselves.
"General Zoisite (ZOH-site), a.k.a. Lord Zoicite (ZOY-cite)."  He
produced a blue violet to Princess Mercury.
"General Jadeite, a.k.a. Lord Jedite." He produced a purple lily to
Princess Mars.
Both princesses curtseyed, took the flowers and were escorted to the
dance floor.
"Hi," Lita said.
"Hi," Nephlite said.
As they danced, all they did was stare at each other. Then, as if in
mutual silent agreement, they held each other closer with Lita
resting her chin on his left shoulder and Nephlite leaning his head
against hers.  Inhaling her scent of sweet roses, Nephlite closed his
eyes as he felt his body warm all over. She felt so good in his arms,
so soft and so firm.
Lita also closed her eyes, feeling his strong arms around her. He
felt powerful yet so gentle. And he smelled so good, like spice and
the rich earth.

The crowd applauded which made the couple open their eyes to beheld
Endymion and Serenity dancing together. Suddenly Nephlite remembered
a task his prince wanted him to do. When the song ended, he released
Lita and asked, "Uh, Princess Lita, I'm feeling thirsty. Would you
join me in a glass of punch?"
She was dismayed that their dance ended, but then Lita remembered
what she was supposed to do for her princess. She replied, "Oh, of
course!"  They walked to the punchbowl table. After giving her a cup,
Nephlite poured himself one and was about to drink it. Then he raised
his head as if he saw someone in the room.
"Ahem, would you please excuse me, Princess Lita, but I think I saw
someone I know. I'll be right back!"  With that, he put his cup down
and disappeared into the dancing crowd.
Lita watch him go into the crowd, then put her cup down and went into
the crowd in another direction.  Quickly, she made her way to the
staircase and went under its arch. Luckily, no one paid attention, so
she took out the envelope from a concealed pocket. She placed it in a
corner of the understairs where it held in place. Then she casually
walked out and headed into the dancing crowd. Ahead, she could see
that Nephlite had not returned to the punchbowl table.

Biting her lip in anticipation, Lita decided to privately see who
will switch the envelope. 'I just want to see who Serena's in love
with,' she thought. 'Since she's a princess and she fell in love with
an Earthling, I just want to make sure he's worthy.'
She stood by the punchbowl table and was able to get a good view of
the understair archway. 'I hope he shows before Nephlite gets back.'
Then to her surprise, she saw Nephlite breaking from the crowd and
heading toward the stairway. 'He must have missed me at the
punchbowl.'  She started to move but then froze when he went under
the archway! 'Wha- Why is he going there?"  A moment later, he came
out again and went back into the dancing crowd.
Breathing in small gasps, Lita shook her head as she started to walk
to the archway. 'It can't be!' she thought, her heart beating fast.
'It can't be!'  Going under the archway, she looked at the very spot
where she left her envelope. There it was, but when she pulled it out
and looked at it, her throat tightened. The envelope had a rose
stamp!
"Nephlite is Serena's secret love?" Lita whispered and began shaking
all over. "No, it can't be! It can't be!"  She then took a deep
breath and finally calmed down. Pocketing the envelope, she stepped
from under the archway.

Nephlite returned to the table and frowned in confusion when he saw
Lita wasn't there.  As he looked around, he noticed he could see the
understair archway across the ball room from where he just switched
the envelopes.  He patted on his chest where his inner pocket held
the bunny stamp envelope.  The prince would not tell him who his
secret love is.  All he could say that the person was a lady of the
Moon.
'If I watch from here, I could see when the lady presents herself,'
Nephlite thought. 'I just want to know what she looks like, and if
she's worthy for the prince.'  Then he saw Lita coming out from the
dancing crowd and heading toward the stairway. 'Is she looking for
me?'  His eyes then widened in shock as he saw her enter the archway.
After a while, she came out again, and she was pocketing an envelope!
"No, no, it can't be!' he thought, feeling numb all over as he
watched her thread her way through the dancing couples.
"Lita is the prince's secret love?" he whispered to himself. A low,
boiling anger started to swell within him. "It can't be! It can't
be!"

Lita finally approached Nephlite, and they both faced each other.
for a long while, they stared at each other as if they never saw each
other before.
'It can't be!' they both thought simultaneously.


					THE END


9/02
Never forget 9/11/01 -_-