2 June 1999

First Times
A Sailor Moon fanfic by Kristin Renee Taylor
(gelles@yahoo.com)

This fanfic is rated PG for some mild swearing.


She was the most annoying person I ever knew. I'm not kidding either.
Every day for the past two years all I ever heard was "Why are you so
mean to me?" and "How come you're always picking on me?" and "Did you
have to yell at me like that?" and "How come you don't like me?"
(Which wasn't true. I did like her; it's just that she was so
*annoying*.) I had always answered more or less the same: "Because
you deserve it you lazy, uncaring twit!" At which point she would cry
and run away and everyone would get upset and try to make me
apologize. I didn't. I said what I thought she deserved to hear.

   Last night started off as a typical night. I had been in my room,
doing some boring piece of writing that the teachers at my school
dared to call an essay assignment, when she came in. She didn't knock
or anything, she just walked in, sat down on my bed, and watched me
do my homework. I decided against arguing with her, at least for now.
I couldn't really kick her out because she wasn't disturbing me in
any way. So I tolerated her.

   For about five minutes.

   I sighed and set down my pen. "Is there a reason why you're
here?" I asked her, irritably massaging my temples. I watched her out
of the corner of my eyes as she shook her head. Her silence was
slightly distrubing. She was never silent. "Well," I said, turning
around so I could look at her directly, "you can't just sit there all
day. I've got to finish my homework and then I've got to do my
chores."

   "I know, Rei. I'll try not to be in your way," she said quietly.

   I knew that when she started talking like that, then something
must have been wrong. For the first time since she had entered, I
looked at her. I mean I really, really looked at her. I noticed with
no small amount of shock that she had been crying. Her eyes were red
and puffy and her cheeks were all blotchy. Her hair was kind of a
mess and her clothes were slightly rumpled, but I assumed that was
from the strong wind blowing outside.

   I moved to sit next to her, the bedsprings creaking slightly as
the bed grudginly accepted my weight. It was time to go on another
diet.

   I studied her for a long moment, and she looked right back at me.
There was an unspeakable, and totally familiar, sadness in her clear
blue eyes that had never been there before. I knew immediatly what
had caused it and I hoped to God that I was wrong. "What did he do to
you?" I asked, surprised at how calm my voice sounded. I was not calm
at all.

   She seemed surprised that I had asked. She opened her mouth to
answer me, but I cut in harshly, saying, "Don't you dare lie to me,
Serena." Her jaw snapped shut with an audible click. She stood
silently and walked to my desk, absently running one finger along the
top of my computer's moniter. I heard her mumble, "He broke up with
me..."

   I stood as well, growling, "That stupid bastard! When I get my
hands on him, I'll--"

   "It's okay, Rei," she said, interrupting me.

   I whirled around and, with my usual tact and wit, shouted, "'It's
okay!?'" She winced at the harsh, angry sound of my voice. "'*It's
okay*?!'" I repeated, enraged. "Dammit, Serena, this is *not* okay!
The two of you are supposed to be together!"

   "Rei," she began, but I cut her off.

   "You died for him, Serena! Twice! You've waited one thousand
years to be together and if you think that I'm just going to let him
break your heart, then you're crazy!"

   "Rei," she said and this time it was not Serena that had spoken,
but Princess Serenity. I stared at her, surprised and infuriated by
the unspoken command she had given me. Somehow I managed to choke
down what I had been about to say, but I still glared at her fiercly.
"Rei, please calm down," she said and there was no hint of her former
steel in her tone. Now she just sounded tired and sad. "I think
Darien did it for a reason."

   "It better be a damn good reason," I muttered darkly.

   "I think he has a reason, and I don't know what it is, but I'm
going to find out."

   "And if he doesn't tell you?" I asked.    She pulled out the chair
and sat it in with a heavy sigh. "Then I guess I'll just have to
wait. He'll tell me eventually."

   I stared at her hard. "You don't really think he will, do you?"

   She looked up at me and said nothing. Her silence was all the
answer I could ask for.

   Her faith and loyalty in the man that had just dumped her shocked
me beyond belief. She didn't even seem mad at him. How could she have
forgiven him so easily?

   I immediatly answered my own question. She loved him. She loved
him so much that she would forgive him for hurting her. Given similar
circumstances, I sure as Hell would not forgive him.

   "You forgave him," she said, responding to my thoughts.

   "W-What?" I stammered. And I thought I was the psychic one.

   She looked at me knowingly. "You may act all high and mighty, Rei
Hino, but you are not made of stone. I knew you never stopped loving
Darien." She stood in front of me, staring me in the eyes. "When you
found out that we were destined to be together, you hated me for
taking him away from you and you hated him for leaving you. But you
forgave us because you loved us.

   I started to rebuke her, but trailed off. In my mind I was
remembering when Darien had been captured by the Negaverse. Serena
had been devestated. As for me, his sudden ex-girlfriend, I hadn't
taken it to well either.

   Her eyes were beginning to make me uncomfortable. In desperation
to avoid that disconcerting gaze, I reverted to using a tried and
true method of mine. I stoked the fires of my dying anger until it
was blazing once again.

   "I didn't do it because I loved either of you," I raged, "I did
it because you were the Princess and he was the Prince."

   "Even if I wasn't Princess Serenity, I bet you still would've
given him up."

   I glared at her. "Don't give yourself to much credit, Serena. Had
you not been a princess, I wouldn't give my boyfriend to you or
anyone else without a fight."

   She finally smiled and nodded in satisfaction. "Good. Then you
know that I won't give mine up without a fight, either."

   I blinked in confusion. "Excuse me?"

   She continued on, ignorant of the fact that I had no idea what
she had meant. "You see, Rei, I don't intend on letting Darien get
away with this. I especially don't intend on letting him date anybody
else. I had enough competition from Ann. The last thing I need is
somebody else moving in on my territory. Besides, if there is one
thing that you have taught me, Rei, it's to stay determined and to go
after what I want."

   She grinned at me, quickly regaining her normal levels of
jubilence and hyperactivity. She threw her arms around me, giving me
a large and painfully tight hug. Any ounce of anger that I might've
had dispersed like smoke from a dead fire.

   "Oh, Rei, this is just great!" she cried happily. "I'm *so* glad
I talked to you about this." She pulled back, but held on to my
shoulders. She said sternly, "Now promise me that you won't go and
kick Darien's butt."

   "Sure," I said, feeling slightly dazed and dizzy from the
aphyxiating embrace.

   She smiled again and released me. "Great! Now all I have to do is
convince the rest of the Scouts not to kill him. Oh, and Luna and
Artemis, too."

   She was already leaving by the time I had recovered enough to
think straight. I leaped out the door after her. "Serena!" I called
out.

   She looked at me. "What is it, Rei?"

   "Are you going to be okay?"

   Now it was her turn to look surprised. "Of course I will," she
said calmly. She smiled and shrugged. "Actually, now that I've told
you, telling everyone else should be easier." Including myself, her
eyes added silently. I wisely managed to avoid saying that part
aloud.

   "You told me first?" I asked her, switching topics.

   She nodded and, seeing my look, explained. "Well, Rei, I thought
it might be best to tell you first, seeing as how you know more about
Darien and I then any of the other Scouts. I knew you'd understand me
better." And so saying, she turned and walked away.

   I stared at her retreating back, to stunned to say anything. *I*
had understood *her*? I, Rei Hino, had understood that vapid, ditzy,
meatball-brained, well-meaning, loving, forgiving, *annoying* girl?

   I snorted derisvely and walked back into my room, sliding the
door closed behind me.

   Well. I guess there's a first time for everything.



Fin.



Author's notes:

The story takes place after Serena's first battle with Catzy's droid
and after she breaks up with Darien (As if you couldn't tell.) in the
second half of the Sailor Moon R arc. (Then again, some people may
not be able to tell.)

Comments, criticisms, and ideas are gratefully accepted.
Flames are... well, heck. I'm in a good enough mood. I'll take
flames, too.
Please address all the aforementioned stuff to gelles@yahoo.com.


Disclaimer:
Nothing belongs to me except a bunch of stuffed elephants and my
occasionaly dark sense of humour.


Kristin Renee Taylor - Bad Gal Extrodinare