Disclaimer: Naoko Takeuchi once thought up a strange idea, about super
heorines who wore sailor outfits.  She named it Sailor Moon and for
some odd reason that strange idea caught on so here I am along with
millions of others wishing we had thought of it and writing about her
idea.  In other words, she created Sailor Moon so this isn't a solo
act! =)  Here's the first chapter of Lita, I'm excited!  This thing is
really starting to come together.  Anyway, Author's Notes are at the 
end and send any and all email my way at 
inspiredthoughts@hotmail.com

 
                       Lita: Last Kiss 
                        Chapter One


        Lita moaned and raised one hand to her forehead, trying to
wish the pounding pain away.  Her stunned ears could barely register
the urgent voice right above her.  She could hear concern and worry
but had trouble concentrating on the words.  She slowly became aware
that she was wrapped in... warm arms?  And that strong masculine
fingers were taking her pulse on her other wrist.  She didn't
recognize the man but he seemed familiar and it felt so right being
there.
        Finally she managed to force her emerald eyes open and found
herself gazing into fields of dark, almost violet, blue.  Cringing at
the pain that still echoed throughout her long body Lita tried to sit
up, aided by the still unidentified man's arms.
        "Are you okay?" murmured a deep voice in her ear.  One hand
still on her forehead she shrugged.
        "I don't know..." she said truthfully.  She sensed him raise
his head and was aware of someone addressing him.
        "Yes, she's awake, your majesty, but still not very coherent."
Steps rang out on the wooden floor and Lita was aware of a woman
dressed in white kneeling next to them.  Still blinking Lita turned to
look at her and squinting could make out flowing silver hair and
worried eyes that masked anger, not directed at her or any other in
this room but anger still.  Anger that she somehow should share?  
Anger for what?
        "Princess Jupiter, are you all right?"  The musical voice was
serene and calm yet commanding in its very nature.  With a groan Lita
struggled to place it.  Finally she managed and smiled weakly in
answer to Queen Serenity's question.
        "I will be, I think, what happened?"  Softer footsteps
followed and a small ebony form appeared at her elbow.
        "You don't remember?" asked a concerned voice.
        "Luna?  Not really I just remember Mars and Jadeite and then
pain like I've never known before...  Something inside me doesn't feel
right, like there's something missing."  Luna sighed.
        "Follow the link that connects you and the rest of the
scouts."  Frowning weakly Lita did as she was told.
        "There's orange for Venus, red for Mars, blue for Mercury,
olive green for Pluto and..." Her world fell away with what she found.
Nothingness greeted her where there was supposed to be aqua, midnight
blue, and violet.  Voice trembling she asked the question, not wanting
to know and yet needing to so very badly.
        "Sailor Neptune, Uranus, Saturn...where are they Luna?"  When
Luna didn't answer Lita knew the terrible answer.  Unaware of the
tears that ran down her cheeks Lita instinctively turned towards the
broad chest that belonged to the arms that held her still and sobbed,
great wracking sobs that tore through her body as her soul cried in
agony.
        "Michiru, Haruka, Horatu..." she whimpered over and over again
as her body shook in sorrow.  They were gone, the senshi were no
longer whole.
 
	                       *       *

        Nephrite gently held the young woman close, his arms
protectively wrapped around her grief wracked form.  His own words
haunted him... 'The stars say we'll find true love here, on the Moon.
And they say we'll find the greatest adversaries that we have ever
know.  And in them we'll find the truest friends we'll ever have.'
        He had thought that the princesses were their true loves, the
scouts their truest friends, but now he found that they were all one
in the same.  Wonderingly he stared mutely down at the copper waves of
hair that belonged to Sailor Jupiter, Princess Jupiter.
        He glanced around the rest of the room.  Zoicite held Ami,
Sailor Mercury, Princess Mercury on his lap, her limp form still
unconscious.  His expression was complete and utter amazement.
Nephrite smiled gently.  That woman would definitely keep him on his
toes...
        Kunzite stiffly held Sailor Venus, Princess Venus.  He too was
in a state of shock and Nephrite grinned.  His leader's usually stoic
expression was amusing, to say the least.  The woman warrior he had so
admired yesterday for her skills was the same sickeningly cheerful
woman who had chased him all around the ball.  It might turn out that
the hunter was becoming the hunted.
        Nephrite shifted his gaze to Jadeite.  He alone of all the
generals didn't seem unnerved by the truth revealed to them and he was
at the moment whispering reassuring words to the unresponsive Mars.
Eyes narrowing, Nephrite pursed his lips as he studied his comrade and
friend.
        He had known!  Jadeite had known before hand who the senshi
were!  Nephrite shook his head wonderingly.  He had some explaining to
do.  Luna nudged his arm, her large eyes full of worry.
        "General Nephrite, would you mind taking her to her room,
please?"  The Queen nodded in agreement and raised her voice to be
heard around the room.
        "Yes, would all of you mind terribly much?"  As one the
generals shook their heads.  Nephrite gathered Jupiter close and rose.
Princess Serenity who was wringing her hands let Endymion hug her
close and take one before nodding for the generals to follow them.
        In a single line they walked through the palace.  Servants,
maids, courtiers, everyone scattered before them, their faces mute
with shock.  The Queen and Luna walked at the end of the entourage,
talking plans of war with each other the whole while.
        When they reached the hallway that housed the princesses'
rooms they stopped.  Facing her daughter Queen Serenity gently took
her hands from Endymion and spoke earnestly to the princess.
        "My daughter, when your friends awake they are going to need
you there to be strong for them like they are always so strong for
you.  Please, I know this is hard for you, but stay here with
them.  I must go call my advisors and council to order.  We have to
warn and mobilize the rest of the planets and figure out what we're up
against.  We have to prepare for the worst."  Touching her cheek Queen
Serenity smiled sadly.
        "Do you think you can do that, my darling?"  Through her tears
Princess Serenity smiled a bit as she stepped back and into Endymion's
warm embrace.
        "Of course mother.  Don't worry about me, with Endy here I can
get through anything."  The crowned prince of earth nodded regally.
        "I, along with my generals," at this he nodded towards them,
"will remain here and see if we can be of some assistance to the
prin...um... the senshi."  The Queen sighed wearily and gave them one
last pitying look before motioning Luna to follow and leaving them
behind.
        Nephrite shifted the weight of Jupiter more comfortably in his
arms and she responded by whimpering and clinging more tightly to him.
It felt odd, and yet so right.  "Princess Serenity," he asked
carefully as the Moon Princess turned her tearful sapphire gaze to
him.  "May I beg a name for her?  If I am here to comfort her she may
wish to be called by her name instead of simply Jupiter."  Serenity
bit her lip and clung tighter to Endymion before sighing in defeat.
        "You already know their secret, a name shouldn't hurt.
Princess Jupiter's name is Lita."  Turning to the rest of the generals
she continued.  "Venus's name is Mina, Mercury's Ami, though I believe
you know that already General Zoicite and Mars's name is..."
        "Rei," Jadeite finished softly.  "Her name is Rei."  Serenity
nodded before letting the tears course down her cheeks.
        "I'm sorry," she gasped as she turned towards Endymion for
support.  "We weren't connected like all the scouts were but they were
still my friends!"  Endymion gathered his princess close and waved his
generals away with his hand.  Taking the hint they went into the
bedrooms of their respective princesses.
        Nephrite entered Lita's room gingerly.  It was beautiful.  The
carpeting was a rich forest green and the walls a gentle lime.  Thick
white curtains hung from huge bay windows that lit the room with
cheery sunlight.  Sparse white furniture was made up for by the
literally hundreds of plotted plants that occupied every available
nook and cranny.  Leaves every hue of green served as decoration and
many of the plants were blooming vibrant colors with incredible
flowers that he had never seen the likes of before; the room was
dominated by a large, airy canopy bed with white sheets and huge 
pillows.
        Walking to the bed Nephrite carefully sat on the edge and laid
the still weeping Lita on the mattress. Reluctantly letting go of him
she grabbed a pillow instead and buried her beautiful face in it and
continued crying.
        Not sure what to do and feeling horribly awkward he hesitantly
began to rub her back comfortingly and talk, hoping his voice would
soothe her.  Not really sure what he was going to talk about he told
her stories and legends of earth.  He whispered about the stars and
about life.  He told her of anything and everything until his clear
baritone nearly croaked in response.
        He had to get her to stop crying.  The sound horrified him,
those great wracking sobs that tore through her strong body and seemed
to come from her very soul.  He had never seen someone who could
experience such heart felt emotion.  She didn't just feel pain, she
was the pain.  There was no other way to describe it.  In all his life
he had never been confronted with a situation like this.
        He was mysterious, aloof, but not in shyness like Kunzite.  He
was just as charming and gallant as the bold Zoicite but he reserved
it for occasions he deemed it worthy of.  He had had his dalliances,
his flings, and he could read women like books.  He knew of their
vanities, their fears, their weaknesses and their strengths but never
had he seen the likes of her.
        As a princess he had thought her beautiful enough, certainly,
with a homey charm that was, in contrast to the peacocks he usually 
dealt with, rather attractive.  She was learned, he had gleaned that 
much, but still rather 'rough around the edges' in both manner and 
speech.
        As a warrior she had been eager and willing, putting her whole
being into fighting and enjoying every minute of it.  In fact her
performance with Jadeite had amused and captivated him.  That such an
incredible warrior could be so invigorating was a novel idea, that she
didn't have to be consumed by rage or deadly calm to still fight with
a skill that surpassed almost all others.
        She was a puzzle, an enigma, and he found himself wanting to
solve her and wondering at the same time if he ever could.  Snapping
back to reality Nephrite noticed that the sobs were quieting, though
her shoulders still shook with emotion.  Finally she rolled over and
he found himself staring into beauty itself.
        Grief filled jaded eyes looked sorrowfully up at him.  Her
nose was red, as were her cheeks from weeping but not even that could
disguise the almost delicate features that hardly seemed to go with
her fighter's body.  Not that he didn't admire that also...  Pushing
those thoughts away he turned his sole attention to her, casually
putting the hand that had been stroking her back on his lap and
resisting the urge to brush away the stray tendrils that had crept
across her forehead.
        "General Nephrite?" she asked in a small voice.  Deeming this
a time to turn on his charm he smiled reassuring.
        "Nephrite, Lita, just Nephrite."  She started at her name as
her eyes suddenly became suspicious.
        "How do you know my name?" she demanded as his admiration of
her rose a notch.  Ridden with grief yet still full of spirit...
        "Princess Serenity told us all.  When you were all struck down
after learning of the Outer Scout's fates you all detransformed."  She
looked away from him, her jaded gaze carefully studying the wall
before turning solemn eyes back to bravely meet his.
        "Princess Serenity, the scouts, Queen Serenity, where are
they?" she demanded.
        "The Princess is out in the hall with Endymion, the scouts in
their rooms with a general most likely still unconscious, and the
Queen is making plans for war."  Lita's fathomless eyes widened as she
struggled to get up.  Alarmed he gently held her down with strong
arms.
        "Don't Lita, you need to rest."  Still struggling vainly
against him she finally collapsed back against the sheets, shaking her
head in mute frustration.
        "You don't understand!  I have to be there."
        "But I do," he said softly.  "You think you have to be there,
to do your duty, but right now the best thing you can do is rest."
        "No, if I'm not there nothing will happen!  Father will not
deal with Queen Serenity unless he knows and sees that I am well."  He
bit his lip, mulling the information over before sighing deeply and
moving back, allowing Lita to sit.  As she tried unsuccessfully to
stand he went to her side once more.
        "Do you need help?" he asked hesitantly.  Shaking her head
determined she waved him away.  With a raised eyebrow Nephrite moved
back, powerful arms crossed across his broad chest.  Lita finally
stood, her entire body shaking with the effort, and put one foot out
to take a step before falling with a small cry.
        Rushing forward Nephrite caught her neatly and scooped her up
easily.  "I can walk!" she protested as he snorted and settled her in
his arms again.
        "Not if we want to get there before next year."  With a loud
'humph' Lita leaned back into the cradle he made for her, glaring
darkly down at the proud arms that were wrapped around her.
        "Fine," she growled angrily but allowed her head to rest
against his chest, the only admission she made of the incredible
weakness she still felt.
        He went out into hall and waved to Endymion who sat with
Princess Serenity on a bench, the blonde angel curled up sleeping
against his side while one protective arm snaked around her slender
form.
        "Princess Jupiter must be taken to the Queen at once..."
Endymion nodded and answered quietly, careful not to awake his
sleeping beauty.
        "That's fine, the others are still out.  We'll wait here until
they are revived and join you."  With that Nephrite turned his heel
and strode down the hallway, following Lita's directions.
        They were silent for several minutes save the terse one worded
answers she gave him when he asked her the way before she reluctantly
broke it.  "Why are you doing this?  Why are you helping me?  Did
Prince Endymion ask you to?"  Nephrite looked down at her, a slight
smile lighting upon his lips.
        "Yes but I am glad he did.  I'm enjoying getting to know you
better, the real you."  He sensed rather than saw her blushing and he
felt her tense a little in his arms.  With a grin he bent his head and
gently kissed the top of her coppery hair, marveling at the silkiness
of each and every strand that tickled his nose.
        Lita gasped a bit at the action and looked resolutely forward,
resisting the urge he knew she had to look up and meet his dark gaze.
But then her body relaxed again as she allowed him to carry her, all
fight drained from her body as it mutely proclaimed the trust she gave
him.
        Marveling once more at the enigma she presented they paused in
front of the plain wooden doors that could only be the council room.
Subconsciously clutching the fabric of his uniform sleeves Lita
finally looked up and met his eyes.
        "We're here."


Author's Notes:  A wee bit short, sorry people!  Next week I'll try to
lengthen it, promise.  Well what do you guys think of Lita: Last Kiss?
Email me and let me know!  Please!!  After all these weeks I'm sure
you guys are familiar with my pleas for mail.  *impish grin*  Oh a
question for ya'll.  What exactly are Serena's parents' names?  Ken
and Irene, Ilene?  Please let me know, kay?  Thanks ya'll.  Anyway
this is neat cause Lita's sorta my fav scout though I waver in between
but I think Nephrite is cool so anyway this is fun. =)  Have a good
week everyone!  Here's the spiffy people who emailed me this week bout 
my fics, ya'll are the absolute best: Lady Mars, Spring Angel16, MCRK, 
Mn, lady ice, Amber and Yoshi!  Oh and thanks bunches for the feedback 
on Reunion and everyone give a round of applause for mercurami who 
proofread this for me! LOL Have a nice week!!