Sailor Moon Fan Fiction ❯ Jewel Senshi Saga ❯ Guess Who's Coming to Dinner - Part 1 ( Chapter 11 )

[ Y - Young Adult: Not suitable for readers under 16 ]

Bishojo Senshi Sailor Moon
Jewel Senshi
By Sakura
Part Eleven: Guess Who's Coming to Dinner - Part 1

Ariel put her head on Alan's chest. She felt him wrap his arm around her. She loved it when he held her tight against him. She loved the feel of his muscular chest and arms surrounding her.
The two had been living together ever since the incident with the Doom Tree. She insisted that he move into her house instead of her moving into his abandoned apartment building. It wasn't hard to convince him. He'd been more than willing to do anything for her.
It was because of her resemblance to Ann. She had hair a similar color to hers and somehow her eyes had the same sparkle as Ann did. He hadn't been able to totally forget her. Even now he was thinking of her. He stroked Ariel's hair hoping to forget that day in space.

They were on a barren planet somewhere in space. The Doom Tree was slowly withering away. So was Ann. There was no more energy left on the planet. Ann had refused to take energy from the tree.
"I'll be fine, Alan. The tree needs the energy more than I do," she kept saying.
There was no use arguing with her. Once Ann made her mind up, there was no turning back. He held her in his arms under the tree.
"Don't worry Alan, I'm just tired. That's all. I just need to rest. Yes. I need to sleep." She put her head on his lap. He began to stroke her hair.
"It'll be all right, my darling. We'll find another planet. One with more than enough energy for all of us." She closed her eyes. He went on stroking her. "We'll find a better planet. One that's a beautiful garden and you can have all the flowers you want Ann. Sleep, my love. Rest. You'll be stronger in the morning."

He couldn't remember falling asleep. When he awoke, he saw it was well past sunrise. Ann was still asleep in his lap. He gently picked her head up and rolled her on her back. He was surprised she hadn't woken up yet.
<She really must've been tired.> he thought. He bent and kissed her lips. Nothing.
"Ann? Ann, wake up, beloved. It's morning. Ann?" He gently shook her then began to shake harder. "Ann! Come on Ann! Don't do this to me! Don't leave me here! Ann! You've got to wake up! Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaannnnnnnnn!" He pounded on her chest, but she was dead. Nothing would ever wake her again. He threw himself on her still body and sobbed as if his heart had been shattered. For it had.

Later, he dug a shallow grave and covered her with a cairn of stones. A seemlingly endless river of tears fell down his face.
"Ann, forgive me. I never meant for you to die here. I never meant for you to die at all. Don't worry, my love. I'll find a planet with more than enough energy for the Doom Tree. It's what you would have wanted. Maybe one day we'll be together again. Until then, wait for me. Farewell, my beloved. I love you." he knelt and kissed her exposed face one final time then placed the final stone on the cairn. His tears watered the stones.
He walked back to the tree.
"Doom Tree, it is time for us to leave this hunk of rock. I don't want you to end up like poor Ann. I don't want to lose the only friend I have left."
The tree began to float upwards and slowly began its departure. Alan held onto its branches as they drifted off in space in search of more planets.

Had he looked back at the grave, he would have noticed a small, red flower blooming. The flower opened revealing the upper half of a man. He began to laugh evilly as he watched the tree and Alan leave the planet.

"Oh Ann..." he whispered.
"Did you say something Alan?" asked Ariel rolling over so she could look at him.
"Whu? Oh Ariel. Good morning, love."
"Thinking about her again?"
"Yes. I'm sorry. I know I should have been over her by now, but-"
"You're not. It's ok. I understand. It's been months since my parents died, and I'm still not over it. You really must have loved Ann a lot if you still think of her."
"I did. To tell the truth, Ariel, I still do. I love you too, but I still love Ann."
"It's ok. A wound that deep's gonna take years for it probably to heal. I don't mind. I'll be here for you, Alan. I want you to know that." She put her arms around him and held him tight. He was about to say something when the alarm clock went off.
"Damn! Why'd today have to be a school day!" she said as she sat up and turned it off.
"We could, you know, call in sick today," he said putting his hands around her waist.
"Sorry, love. Can't. We've got midterms remember?" she wriggled out of his grasp and began to get dressed.
"Well, maybe next time." He began to get dressed himself.
She left the room and brushed her teeth. When she came from the bathroom, she met Salem as she came down the stairs.
"Ohayo, Salem."
"Good morning, Ariel." he yawned. "Ariel we've got to talk."
"Wait for cat? There hasn't been any signs of youma or the Talamasca for months."
"It's not about that, Ariel."
"Oh? Then what is it about Salem?" she asked. She didn't like where this was heading. She had an idea what he wanted to talk about and she wasn't about to discuss it with him.
"Well, to be frank, I hope you and Alan are playing it safe."
"What do you mean? Safe about what?"
"Don't be coy with me girl. I know what you and Alan've been up to almost every night for the past few weeks."
"I don't know what you're talking about. Alan and I have been doing nothing."
"Nothing huh? Then I suppose I'm beginning to feel my age. Come off it Ariel! The noise you two make is enough to wake the dead!"
"I'm not going to stay here and listen to this! You're not my parent! I'm going to school!" She grabbed the knob and nearly pulled the front door off its hinges.
"Now? I hope you realize you've still got an hour before school starts," said Salem.
"Good! I've got some more studying time! Don't wait for me!" She stormed out, slamming the door.
"What's her problem?" said Salem as he went to the kitchen in search of food.
"What was all that about Salem?" asked Alan who heard the shouting.
"Uh, nothing."
"Salem, if you said something to upset Ariel, I swear, I will personally sell you to a catgut factory. I'm going after her."
He left Salem to be alone with his guilty conscience. "Gomen nasai, Ariel. I was just worried about you." He began to search for the catnip. "Now where did they hide it? Hey Skie, do you know where they put the catnip?"

Outside on the streets of Tokyo, Ariel was still fuming over what Salem had said. She failed to notice a young man with short silver hair and silver eyes watching her from the other side of the street.
<Arielle? It has to be. No one in the Millennium had hair that color.> the silver haired man thought as the magenta haired girl walked down the street. <If she's here, maybe the others are here too. Maybe SHE'S here.> He started to cross the street and approach the girl. Then he saw the look on her face. <Looks like she's in one of her moods. Might as well wait 'till later. Same old Arielle.> He smiled as he watched her dissappear down the street.

"Damn that Salem! Why did he have to be so blunt. I probably wouldn't have minded if he'd been less direct," she muttered under her breath.
"Ariel! Hey Ariel! Wait up!" said Alan as he ran down the street after her.
"Damn it Salem! I told you I didn't want to talk about it!" she spun around ready to kick the cat. "Alan! I'm sooo sorry! I thought you were that baka cat." She grabbed hold of him and kissed him.
"I could be a cat if you want me to, darling." He smiled. "'A rose by any other name would smell as sweet' but, never as sweet as you my queen." He handed her a rose the color of her hair.
"Oh Alan! It's beautiful! You're the sweetest man I've ever known!" She kissed him again.
"Let me pin it on you my love." He pinned the rose on her bow and it complimented her uniform beautifully.
"Thank you sooo much Alan. You always know how to cheer me up." She heard a low grumbling noise. She began to blush. "Oh dear, I was so mad, I forgot all about breakfast."
"Allow me to assist you by taking out for a meal, my lady." He offered his arm. She took it.
"I'd be honored kind sir." She giggled as they went in search of an open restaurant.

Later the two were walking down the street as a blonde haired blur whoosed past them.
"Uh-oh! There goes hurricane Usagi again. We'd better get a move on if we don't want to be late like her," said Ariel as she began to pick up her pace.
"You're right as always, my love," said Alan, and he followed her to their school.

They managed to make it to class on time. Ms. Haruna was taking attendance as Usagi tried to sneak in again.
"Melvin?"
"Present," answered the class nerd.
"Naru?"
"Here!" came a nasal voice with a thick Brooklyn accent.
Ms. Haruna heard Usagi's stomach growl as she snuck by her. "Usagi! You're late again!! It's another detention for you young lady!"
Usagi sadly went to her desk and sat down.
"Skipped breakfast again, Usagi-chan?" whispered Naru.
"Ms. Haruna, there's a phone call for you," said a secretary.
"Thanks Sarah. Class take a five minute study hall. I'll be right back."
As soon as Ms. Haruna had stepped out of the classroom, the students began to collect in groups and gossip.

"Hello?" said Ms. Haruna into the receiver. "Keith! I thought you had to fly to Australia today. Oh you're flight was cancelled? What? Sure I'd like to go out for dinner tonight? You made reservations at that new French restaurant? Great! You'll pick me up at six-thirty? Sure I don't mind the last minute notice. I'll see you at six-thirty. Bye." She could barely contain her excitement. In fact she couldn't at all she whooped and jumped for joy to the astonishment of the office staff.
"Gomen nasai," she said sheepishly and quickly ran out of the office.

"All right class, settle down," said Ms. Haruna with a huge smile on her face.
"Looks like she's got a hot date for tonight, Naru-chan. Now I can sleep without getting into trouble," Usagi whispered to her friend.
"Oh, Usagi-chan, you're impossible," whispered Ami.
"I'm afraid I have some bad news. Something has come up and I won't be able to teach this afternoon. Since we can't get a substitute at such short notice, you all will have to go home after the lunch bell."
The whole class cheered, except for Ami and Melvin (of course). "Told you so," said Usagi to Naru.
"All right, that's enough! Let's get started. I'd like to cover as much as possible," said Ms. Haruna and she began to write on the blackboard.

"So Ames, watcha going to do?" asked Usagi.
Usagi and some of her classmates were outside discussing what they were going to do for the rest of the day.
"I'm going to the library so I can catch up on my physics."
"Geez, Ami all you do is study. You really gotta lighten up girl." said Ariel. "I'm taking Alan on a shopping spree at the mall."
"Hey maybe I'll meetcha there later. I'm going to Crown's to see if there's any new games," said Usagi.
"Usagi-chan you really should be studying. I know you failed your English test. Hey! You want me to tutor you?" asked Melvin.
"Get lost Melvin," she answered. "You wanna go with me Naru-chan?"
"Can't. Maxfield's taking me out for lunch today. I wasn't going to tell anyone because I'd get into trouble if I left school. But now it doesn't matter."
"It must be getting serious if you're always going out with him, Naru-chan."
"Usagi-chan!" she blushed profusely.
"Hey, I'll go with you Usagi-chan. I need to brush up on my coordination," said Makoto.
"Your coordination or your relationship with Andrew, Makoto?" smirked Ariel.
"Hey! Keep your nose out of it, Ariel. This has nothing to do with Andrew. You know he's got a girlfriend."
"Yeah and she's in Africa."
"What's that supposed to mean?" she glared at the magenta haired girl.
Ami saw Makoto was ready to kill her and thought she'd better do something about it. "Why don't we get started. We're wasting the day just standing here and talking."
"You're right Ame! Let's go Alan!" Ariel grabbed Alan's arm and pulled him off in the direction of the mall.
"Well, I'd better go. I've got a lot of studying to do plus a history paper," said Ami and she left for the library.
"Well, see ya later Naru-chan. C'mon Usagi-chan." said Makoto. She and Usagi went to Crown's. Leaving Naru alone to wait for her boyfriend. A few moments later, he showed up.
"There you are Naru. Where is everybody?" he asked after he noticed how quiet it was. Usually you could hear Usagi laughing or crying about some silly thing around lunch time.
"Ms. H. had a date for tonight, so she gave us a half day. Everyone just left."
"Well, then no one will mind if you leave with me. Shall we go?" he offered his arm.
"Sure," she said taking his arm and left with him for their lunch date.

At the mall:
Ariel was having a ball going from store to store trying everything that caught her fancy. Alan however, was not. He got stuck with the packages, as usual, but he really didn't mind. As long as she was happy, he was happy.
"Ariel how long are you going to be in there?" he asked as Ariel struggled with a dress she had found.
"Almost finished, dear. Would you do me a favor and hold this for me?" she tossed her purse over the door and it landed on the packages causing them to fall out of his arms.
"Um, sure." he said and picked up the packages.
Moments later, Ariel came out wearing a strapless, magenta dress. "Ta-da!"
Alan gave an appreciative whistle as she turned around for him.
"You like it?"
"Very much."
"Good." She went back into the dressing stall and came back out a few minutes later carrying the dress. "I'll take this dress," she told the saleslady and paid for it.
Later Alan began to feel a little hungry, not to mention tired from carrying all her packages. "Um, Ariel, do you think we should get something to eat now?"
"Just as soon as I find some shoes to go with those dresses I brought," she said. "Tell you what, if you're tired, why don't you sit here and wait for me. I won't be too long. 'Kay?"
"I'm not tired. I just thought you might be hungry."
"You're so sweet," she kissed him on the cheek. "Go sit down and wait for me. I won't be long." She went off to a nearby shoe store.
Left with nothing else to do, Alan went and sat down on a bench where a similiarally tired young man was sitting. He had long, shaggy brown hair that dangled over his eyes and he too was loaded with packages.
"Your girl got you carrying her things for you too huh?" he said as Alan sat down with a sigh.
"Yeah. She's a real shopaholic. But I can't help loving her."
"Me too. Only she's not really my girl. She doesn't even know I exist most of the time. My name's Chad by the way."
"Nice to meet you. I'm Alan." They shook hands.
"CHAD!!! There you are! C'mon you're wasting time sitting there," said a black haired girl in a red dress. "Let's get going! Grandpa's going to have a fit if we're not back in time for dinner!"
"Comin' Rei! Maybe I'll see you around!" he called to Alan as he gathered up the packages and followed Rei. "Later, dude!"
"Hello Alan," said an all too familiar voice behind him.
"ANN!!!!" He turned around and there she was. Just as she had been when he last saw her. She was still wearing her red outfit. In her hair was a red flower. "What are you doing here?! I-I thought you died!" He embraced her, overjoyed she was alive.
"It was hard to find you, my love. Very hard. How long have you been here? Is the Doom Tree all right?"
"Don't worry Ann, the tree's fine. In fact it's doing great. Maybe I'll take you to see it sometime."
"I'm glad to hear that, darling. Why can't I see it now?"
"Well, um, it's because, well I'm kind of busy now."
"Oh? With what? Hey what's all that stuff?" She finally noticed all the packages near him.
"These? They're um -"
"Alan you won't believe it I found all the shoes I needed! And in one store! How 'bout getting some food now? Oh, hi."
"Alan, who's this human? And what's she doing here with you?" said Ann glaring at Ariel.
"Uh, Ann, this is Ariel. Ariel this is Ann."
"Hi. Alan's told me all about you. It's nice to finally meet you," she said extending her hand. "Isn't she supposed to be dead?" she whispered to Alan.
"Alan! How could you?!! After all we've been through!"
"Ann, I swear I didn't know you were alive."
"Ann, that girl has done something to him. She must be punished," whispered a tiny figure within the flower. Her eyes began to glow and she became even more furious.
"Get away from him you hussy!" she blasted Ariel knocking her unconscious.
"Ariel!" Alan ran to help her. "Ann how could you do this? She's done nothing to you. Please listen to me."
"No you listen to me Alan! That slut's done something to your mind. She's trying to take you away from me!"
"Ann, please. I beg you, stop this."
"I'm sorry, Alan." She blasted him and he too fell unconscious. He began to glow and then disappeared. Seconds later he reappeared in Ann's arms. "This is for your own good, my love." She kissed him then disappeared in a swirl of lily petals.