"Zoe Johnson! I have had it with you!"

Twelve pairs of eyes were riveted on Ami as she stamped her foot for good measure on Mamoru's carpeted floor. Had Setsuna not left right after Mina and Konnor she might have been surprised by the normally sedate Ice Senshi's passion.

Ami was severely displeased by Zoe's continued overly-famliar behavior and she firmly disengaged his hand from her arm by freezing his fingernail.

"Oh, don't be that way, Ami – honey, I didn't mean it – I mean I did, but I didn't mean -"

"I do not care one jot what you meant or did not mean," Ami declared, "You have abused my trust and over stepped your bounds for the last time. I told you that I don't enjoy being grabbed up like a cushion or physically imposed on by a person I barely know -"

"Ami!" Zoe's voice sounded hurt, "You do know me! We are enga-"

"We were or might have been engaged," she pointed out, "At one time – a very long time ago. You were very vague on that point, as you would do well to remember! But that was then and this is now – and I don't want to discuss it!"

"You don't really mean that – if you just remembered -"

"I doremember," Ami's voice could have frozen fire at this point. Luna, the only cat remaining, as Artemis had left five minutes earlier to trail after Mina and Konnor, perked her ears up. The others also seemed very surprised at this previously unknown fact.

"You do?" Zoe voice sounded hopeful...and a bit apprehensive.

"Oh, he's dead now," Jade murmured to Nolan.

"Uh, about that time with the -"

"It will not be necessary to explain anything. I have a perfectly good memory, I assure you."

"Ami - I'm a normal male - anyone before you was just that - B. A. - Before Ami - and therefore negligible."

"And because she hasn't been out with every available male in sight, that makes her abnormal?" Makoto demanded, starting to get a little irritated with this pipsqueak.

Zoe groaned. The three men winced. The Senshi rallied behind Ami, causing her to appear three times more impressive in her ire.

"You'll be the death of me..."

"You always were over-dramatic," Rei muttered.

Ami finished, " And from now on, if you don't want me to freeze your fingers off, then keep them away from me!"

"Ami -"

"And that goes for your - for everything else too!"

Here the men really winced.

"Ami!"

"I mean it!"

"Ami...please...just let me explain..."

The pleading tone in his voice was very hard to resist – especially with the face he was making – big green eyes deceptively moist.

"He's good," Mamoru commented to the other two with surprised admiration - they nodded.

"Zoe, unless you promise to behave like a gentleman, I will never speak to you again for as long as I live, and you know I am capable of keeping that promise."

"Alright. Then I solemnly promise on my honor as a Shitennou that I will not touch you unless you expressly ask me to."

"Or call me any of those ridiculous names!" she added in a prim tone.

"But you said you -"

"I am in the middle of lecturing you," she interrupted him, "And you will call me Ami-san or Mercury when appropriate."

"And you won't act like a stuck-up peacock when you're around her!" Makoto chimed in.

"And you will not arrive uninvited anywhere we happen to go." Rei added.

"And - " Usagi began, but couldn't seem to think of anything to add to this list.

She settled for crossing her arms and look disapproving.

Zoe wilted.

"I think it's time to leave the poor boy alone, while there's still a shred of his dignity left," Jade announced, snatching the younger man's sleeve and tugging him toward the couch.

The women did not seem to agree, but they were more than willing to leave at the moment. Especially when being in the same room with their long lost soul mates was beginning to be very weird - for a variety of reasons they would later discuss over the comforts of warm pillows and chocolate.

"Let's go, Ami," Usagi said, slipping her arm through Ami's. She gave a last goodbye air-kiss to Mamoru who looked embarrassed that he had to return it in front of the other men.

Rei didn't make any goodbyes - Jade hadn't really expected her to, but he still felt a little disappointed.

Nolan looked hopefully at Makoto, who did at first seem to make a move toward him - but then suddenly changed her mind and bolted out the door. Nolan was rather crestfallen at this, but reflected that her running away was better than Rei's aloofness or Ami's antagonism. Wasn't it?

"Where do you think you're going?" Makoto called through the doorway and the men heard Luna's pleading voice disappear outside.

There was a thud as the outside door closed - it seemed to rouse Jade and Nolan who had been staring at the closed door, lost in their own thoughts.

Zoe sat on the couch, morosely playing through a lower level of Twilight Princess and looking utterly dejected - as if the eerie howls on the screen were echoing the cries of his lonely and misunderstood heart...

"Tell me one thing, Zoe, my friend."

"What's that?"

"How in the name of the Golden Kingdom did you ever manage to win that woman over the first time around?"

Mamoru tried very hard not to laugh at Jade's quip, for Zoe's sake. He settled down on the couch beside Zoe and offered him a much needed drink.

Zoe took a long swig on the drink, let out an even longer sigh, and said:

"Ice-skating."

---

Haruka dusted her hands on her long evening gown of deep blue and slipped her feet back into the gold heels. Looking across the ruptured street corner she spotted a turquoise head.

"Well, that was about the weirdest thing I've seen since - well since Galaxia threw us into a pot of -"

"Cauldron - dear."

"Whatever. Where's the munchkin?"

"Here I am, Haruka-papa!"

Hotaru's dark hair appeared above a perilously balanced piece of concrete.

"There you are, indeed. Gimme your hand, Hota-chan."

Hotaru extended her slender hand to the older woman and was promptly lifted off of the slanted slab and onto solid ground of the streets of London.

"What was that thing?"

Hotaru, being careful not to dirty her dress, crept through the debris to see the enemy they had just dispatched.

"Careful," Michiru warned, putting a hand on Hotaru's shoulder. Together she and Haruka approached the place that held the most damage.

"It looks sort of like a...leather colar?"

"That's it?"

Michiru held out one elegantly gloved hand (they had been on their way to an opera) and Haruka passed her the leather belt.

"It does look like a dog collar - an ancient one."

Michiru held the collar between her finger and thumb with delicate repugnance.

"Well that thing looked like a dog too - sort of."

"I thought it was a werewolf!"

"Where did you learn about that?" Haruka demanded.

"Where indeed..." Michiru slanted her eyes at the other woman.

"Don't look at me! I don't let her watch horror movies."

"But you said if I was with you, Haruka-papa, that it was -"

"Isn't it getting late?" Haruka announced, quickly, giving Hotaru a gentle shove toward the theatre district.

"You know how much you hate to be late for the first act," she reminded Michiru.

Michiru rolled her eyes, but slipped her arm through Haruka's and together with Hotaru they made their way to the opera house and the recent production of Orfeo ed Euridice without another thought for the powerful enemy they'd just destroyed so easily. But then, Michiru hadn't checked her voicemail yet.

---

"I call this Senshi meeting to order!" Usagi announced.

"I haven't gotten my chocolate yet," Makoto informed her - waiting by Rei's microwave for the chocolate to heat.

"Well, then we're starting without you!"

"Wait-wait-wait-wait-wait!"

Makoto scooted into Rei's bedroom trying not to spill hot chocolate on herself. Rei and Ami moved aside for her and she slipped down between them on a pillow conveniently arranged on the floor for her.

"Ok."

Usagi nodded, took a deep breath and began:

"First - Luna, you have got some explaining to do."

"Now, Usagi -"

"Nope," Usagi grinned, "I'm asking the questions here."

Luna grumbled but curled her tail around her legs and waited.

"Why didn't you tell us about the Shitennou?"

"That was because we felt it would be in your best interests to - to -"

"Let sleeping dogs lie?" Ami suggested.

"Yes. I have never cared for that particular expression, but yes."

"I don't get your reasoning on that one," Makoto spoke up, eying Luna with a bit of annoyance, "I mean, you sealed my memories without my permission."

"Well, I did think perhaps...they might be too much for you."

"But you could have let me deal with it - figure it out for myself. You didn't have any right -"

"But I'm your guardian!" Luna was desperate.

"I only wanted to protect you. That's all Artemis and I have ever wanted to do, to see you happy and safe." She actually teared up toward the end of this and the girls felt a sudden and communal wave of guilt.

It was like reproaching your mother for being over-protective...

"Well, I understand," Makoto mumbled, "But I wish you had asked me or something..."

"I'm sorry."

Makoto couldn't stand Luna's pained expression. She snatched the cat up and hugged her:

"I'm sorry! Luna, don't -"

"Can't breathe!"

"Oh, sorry."

Mako put her back on the floor, and Luna tried to look as though she had enjoyed the girl's heartfelt yet suffocating embrace.

"Thank you, Mako-chan. I'm ready to unseal your memories whenever you wish."

Makoto got a funny look on her face - almost a frightened look.

"Well, about that," she began, "Ah, the truth is I kinda don't think you need to do it anytime soon...maybe I should wait a little while..."

"You don't want your memories back?" Rei asked.

"Uh, not right now."

"Why not?" Usagi seemed bewildered.

"Uh, well...I guess because...I'm...scared?"

Everyone was a bit startled.

"You...scared?"

"Well, I'm human! Yeah!"

"What are you scared of?" Ami asked, "I mean, in particular with regards to remembering the Silver Millennium?"

"It isn't so much the Silver Millennium I'm worried about - it's certain people - ahem."

Makoto's cheeks tinted lightly.

"Oh, that's it."

Rei shook her head.

"I knew those two would be trouble the first time I saw them coming up those steps..."

"But, Mako-chan," Usagi interjected, "I don't understand. You're afraid to remember Nephrite? Is that it?"

Makoto nodded, blushing harder.

"But he loves you."

"That's putting it lightly," Rei added, "I'd say he's besotted."

Makoto stuffed a pillow over her face.

"That's what I mean!" she yelled into it - making it very difficult her very difficult to understand.

"It's - It's...weird!"

"Well, if it makes you feel any better, Mako-chan, I remember everything, and I don't find it scary...annoying, perhaps, but not scary."

Makoto dropped the pillow - her face now very red, and her hair in a confusion of bangs around her face.

"Yeah, how did that happen, Ames?"

"When did you get your memories back?" Rei asked. Luna looked attentively at the little blue-haired girl.

"Well, I suppose about thirty-minutes ago."

"What?"

Ami sighed.

"Setsuna had just explained that there were other beings like us in the universe, and I was thinking about the Silver Millennium, and then I started thinking in terms of logic about my memories. I thought about having memories, and the fact that they belonged to me - that I was the me then and now - the same person, and thus that person should have the same mind...and after I reasoned it out logically - it was like a door opened, and suddenly my memories were there - as if they'd always been. And really, they always had..."

"Ami, you really are a genius," Usagi breathed, "You reasoned your way into remembering?"

Ami shrugged.

"It was logical, after all."

Luna blinked.

"That surely is highly unusual."

"I don't know," Rei spoke up, "Memory is a notoriously tricky thing. The things that can trigger memories are as varied as the memories themselves sometimes."

"That's true," Ami nodded, "For instance, Makoto's memories came back after she had a shock. Mine returned once I reasoned that they must always have been in my possession."

They all turned to look at Rei.

"It was a feeling," she said, quietly, "My other sense. It recognized something in him that...well...something that opened up the past to me in that moment between being Rei Hino and becoming Sailor Mars. But I suppressed it then - it was too much. And by the time we had leisure to think about it I...I didn't want to..."

"That's not hard to understand," Usagi answered, giving Rei a brief squeeze on the shoulder.

"So you've been suppressing your memories all this time?" Luna asked.

Rei nodded.

"How hard it must have been on you...no wonder you didn't want us to tamper with your mind," she gave a wry smile as she finished.

"But what about you, Usa-chan?" Makoto asked.

"Me?"

"Yes, you remembered your past with Mamoru fairly quickly - or rather, in one go." Ami put in.

Usagi squinted in thought.

"I'll be honest, I didn't remember a thing really - not until the crystal appeared. I mean, sometimes I would get these weird feelings - or these dreams - but it wasn't until I found the crystal that I remembered being the princess and that Mamoru was actually Endymion."

"But you were ok with it when it happened?" Makoto pursued.

"Well...yeah. I didn't have much choice. And when I remembered, I realized then that I'd always loved him - even when I didn't know that I did."

"Huh."

The other women were silent for a long moment - thinking.

"Is that possible?" Ami asked, "To love a person without knowing it?"

She seemed troubled.

"Not if you're talking about Zoe Johnson, it's not."

"Rei!"

"What?" the priestess ducked Makoto's pillow.

"That's mean."

"It's true though. He has no respect for Ami's feelings."

"Well, I don't think he means to be that way," Ami began, "I think he just doesn't realize that -"

She stopped, looking startled.

"Well," Usagi slipped slyly in, "You seem to be on his side, eh - Ami-chan?"

"Certainly not!" Ami blushed.

"It's just that I can see his side of things too, I suppose."

"Which is?"

"Well, if memory serves me correctly," she explained, "Zoe has never been a patient person. Even when we were courting in the Silver Millennium he never could seem to -"

She stopped again, and belatedly blushed at her own words.

"This is getting good!" Usagi chuckled, "Do tell, Ami."

"That's it," she snipped, "Just that he is always impatient when it comes to everything. Impetuous."

"Which is kind of exciting, right?"

"Yes, - I mean no!" Ami squealed, "I mean - I don't know!"

Usagi and Makoto burst into laughter at Ami's comical confusion - and even Rei and Luna cracked smiles.

"Poor Ami-chan."

"Oh, hush!"

Ami grabbed Makoto's pillow and hid her face under it.

"Sorry, Ami-chan. We didn't mean to tease you. It's just that Zoe is the only one of the Shitennou who is...well, who seems to be obviously interested in 'renewing old aquaintances'..."

"The only one?" Rei echoed, staring at Makoto.

"Did you not get the memo that Nolan is in love with you?"

Makoto tried to tug her pillow back from Ami, but Ami wouldn't budge.

"I don't know that," she muttered.

"You are really serious?" Usagi demanded, "For real? Mako-chan, you can't be that dense."

"I'm not dense!"

"Then open your eyes! The man practically stops breathing whenever you walk into the room."

Mako desperately tried to hide behind the pillow but Ami wouldn't share.

"But we don't know each other - I just met him two weeks ago!"

"I guess a thousand years of history doesn't count for anything?"

"I don't remember it!"

"You did and you could if you'd quit being a chicken!"

"I'm not a chicken!"

"Girls!"

They all turned to look at Luna.

"This is giving me a headache. Now, Mako-chan, if you want me to give you your memories back, then I will. But if not, then I'm going to bed. This day has been far too long. And after that battle I am surprised you have the energy to argue with each other."

They quieted down at this.

"I think...I'll hold out a little longer," Mako decided at last, "But I'll let you know. There's something I want to do first."

"Hmmm..."

"Alright then," Luna nodded, padding toward the door, "Then I am going to curl up in Rei's grandfather's chair. And you best have no more arguments or you will wake those children."

"Oh! I forgot to tell Haruhi goodnight!"

Rei jumped up and almost trampled Luna in getting out of the room.

"Does anyone else think that housing orphans has worked miracles for Rei-chan's social skills?"

"That's for sure," Makoto answered Usagi, "She's way more out-going than she used to be."

"I think she's a bit more relaxed as well," Ami observed, "I think it does her good to have someone besides her grandfather. She hasn't even spoken about her father - and she usually has a bad week when he calls around New Year's..."

"True...I think Rei-chan is looking happier than I remember her looking in a long time."

"What are you all talking about?" the priestess demanded, coming back.

"You, of course," Usagi quipped, "And what a cute 'soul mate' you have. If I didn't have Mamo-chan I'd totally crush on Jade-san."

Rei blanched a bit, but scowled to cover her reaction.

"Oh? Well, if you like that type."

"What do you mean by that?" Makoto demanded, "Jaden-san is very handsome."

"Not as handsome as Nolan, of corse," Usagi added.

"Of course - hey!" Makoto blushed angrily at Usagi who was already twittering away.

"This is too much fun! If only Mina was here!"

"Somebody called!"

They all looked toward the open doorway and there stood Mina, resplendent as usual.

"I swear, it's almost as if you have a built in radar for your own name."

"I love you too, Rei-chan."

"How did your date - I mean, your leader meeting go?"

"It went very well. We got everything sorted out."

"Really!" Usagi asked, everyone else being silent in shock.

"Yeah," Mina shrugged, dropping her purse to the floor and sinking down amongst them - stealing Rei's cup of chocolate and sipping it.

"We're going to contact Haruka and Michiru tomorrow - we'll try to set up a meeting and see if it's safer to be together or apart, since the enemy seems to want both of you. Then we'll -"

"Wait - wait, hold on."

Mina looked at Makoto, pausing politely.

"You mean, you went to a classy restaurant with a drop-dead gorgeous man, and you actually talked about business?"

Mina raised a displeased eyebrow over the implications of this question.

"Yes."

"You mean," Rei added, "That you, in fact, really didn't go on a date with your supposed soul mate - after you just found out that he is your soul mate..."

"Yes, that's right."

"Are you feeling alright, Mina?" Ami asked, with genuine concern.

"YES!" Mina roared.

"Whoa, Mina-chan, this is so - so - not you!"

"What do you mean it's not me!" the blond demanded, "I am the leader! I went to do leader business!"

"I just never expected - of all the people -"

"I am a professional," Mina sniffed, "And on top of that a Venusian. We do not mix business with pleasure."

"Well I'm glad to hear that -"

"Business comes first," Mina went on, "Followed by pleasure, of course. In large amounts."

"I think that's more than I needed to -"

"And just what have all of you been up to? Lounging around and up to no good, while I've been working hard!"

"Yeah, I'm sure staring at Konnor's - I mean looking into his eyes - is really hard work."

"He does have nice...eyes," Mina said with a smug smile.

Ami grabbed her chocolate and tried to ignore the present conversation.

"I'm curious though," Mina interjected, "What have you been talking about?"

"Memories, mostly."

"Really? I thought Rei was the only one who had any of the Silver Millennium recall."

"No, Ami remembers too."

"Really!"

Ami cringed at the all-too-familiar look of curiosity stealing over Mina's features.

"Spill, Ames."

"There's nothing to tell, really - "

"Not from the way Zoe's been acting."

Ami blushed scarlet.

"Come on, Ami, you and Rei are the only ones who remember details," Makoto pleaded, "At least give us some idea of what it's like."

"Ask Rei!"

"Yeah right!" Usagi snorted. Rei looked offended, but still declined to answer any of their questions, citing them as 'nosy'.

"Please, Ami-chan. If you do...I'll...I'll...I'll let you teach me to play chess!"

"Really?"

Ami perked up at this offer on Makoto's part. The other girl winced but nodded.

"And I'll learn too," Mina added to sweeten the deal.

Ami considered this - it was very tempting.

"Alright," she finally agreed, "Provided you promise to practice the game, I will answer questions."

Makoto threw Mina a doubtful look but the blond smiled with satisfaction.

"Excellent. First - how did you and Zoe meet?"

Ami groaned.

"I've changed my mind -"

"No way! No backing out!"

"That's very dishonorable, Ami." Makoto put in.

Ami looked extremely uncomfortable, but neither Rei nor Usagi seemed inclined to help her out of her predicament. On the contrary, they were all poised to listen to the story.

"O.K.," Ami took a deep breath and tried not to look at them:

"We met while I was guarding the princess. At first I took him to be an enemy and he did the same, but as soon as we discovered each other's identities, we apologized and formally introduced ourselves."

"What happened then?"

"Well," Ami said slowly, taking time to recall, "I think we started talking, while we were waiting for the princess and prince to - ah - uh -"

She blushed while looking at Usagi, who also blushed.

"Ah hah - so you were naughty while I was away!" Mina declared, "I knew I couldn't trust you, Serenity."

They all paused to stare at her, and Mina paused with her mouth hanging open.

"Wow...I have no idea where that came from..."

"Do you remember -"

"No," she shook her head, "No, it just sort of came out."

"That's what happened with Makoto," Rei spoke up, "After she fainted she started to say things like that."

"I never noticed," Makoto noted, in considerable surprise.

"Back to the story - Serenity and Endymion were getting it on -"

"Mina!"

Mina stuck her tongue out at Usagi, who retaliated in kind.

"Ah - yes, well, Zoi and I - that is, I used to call him that - " Ami blinked, the name had slipped out without intention, "walked along the lake and struck up a conversation, naturally, since there was nothing else to do. And by gradual degrees we found we had a great deal in common."

"This is like a Jane Austen novel," Makoto sighed.

Rei rolled her eyes, but kept her comments to herself.

"Did he come at you like he does now?" Mina wondered, "Because I would have slapped him silly a long time ago."

"No," Ami frowned, "That's just it. In the past, though he often acted impatiently, he was very polite to me. I remember once there was a full Earth -"

"Did she just say 'full Earth'?" Makoto muttered to Usagi, who shrugged.

Mina shushed them, getting caught up in Ami's softening voice and expression.

"And I wanted to go skating on the frozen lake. But I needed a chaperone, naturally -"

"Why?"

"Because I was a princess and a lady," she answered, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

"Oh..."

"Anyway, he offered to accompany me and then I found out what a marvellous skater he is - was - and we spent almost the whole night there - it was beautiful."

"Wasn't it cold?"

"Not with the advanced technological climate control on the Moon. You could have worn a bathing suit on the Ice, or a coat to the Beach, if you wanted to...though it would certainly have looked odd."

"That's amazing."

"Rei do you remember this?" Mina asked.

Rei shrugged.

"Something like that, my memories aren't as clear as Ami-chan's..." She neglected to mention that this was due mainly to her trying to suppress any clear recollections.

"Go on, Ami...what happened after that...?"

"Uh," Ami blushed even hotter, "Well, we talked about a lot of things that night. Mostly our future plans, and that was when we - ah - we...confessed our mutual...inclination..."

"When you had a DTR." Mina supplied.

"A what?" Ami seemed confused.

"Define the Relationship," Makoto answered.

"Oh, well, yes. In so many words. He asked permission to formally court me."

"Is that like dating?" Usagi crouched closer, absently munching on a cookie.

"Something like."

"It usually means he's got his mind set on marrying you, though," Mina added.

Usagi inhaled her cookie and had to be strenuously hit on the back - a task Rei proved very enthusiastic to perform.

"Marry!" Usagi wheezed, when she had breath.

"Sort of?"

"Ami-chan, how can you be 'sort of' engaged?"

"He never actually asked me to marry him."

"He was a player!"

Makoto looked angry.

"No!" Ami shook her head, "Well, acutally, technically he was rather...promiscuous, but I believe I'm not vain in saying that he seemed cured of that particular vice when he began our courtship."

"Ami-chan," Mina smiled in admiration, "You caught yourself a reformed 'rake' - those make the best husbands, they say."

"Who is 'they'? The Society for Generally Bad Ideas?" Rei wanted to know.

"Pipe down, Virgin Priestess!"

"Venusian Virago."

"If we can do without the alliterative insults for two minutes?" Makoto suggested, annoyed.

"Sorry."

"Go on, Ami."

"That's all really. I think he was going to ask me to marry him, to be perfectly honest," her voice became lower.

"I think he had planned it for the day we would have announced your engagement, Serenity - I mean, Usagi."

Usagi's eyes widened.

"Mamoru and I were going to -"

Ami nodded.

"But that day Beryl attacked. And I never saw him again - until her last forces arrived, and he was leading the enemy...I couldn't believe it..."

Ami's face was pale.

"Wow."

"Would you have said 'yes'?" Mina asked, softly.

Ami didn't look at them, but slowly nodded.

"I think so," she whispered.

They were quiet for a few moments before Usagi, putting her hand on Ami's, asked:

"How do you feel about him now?"

Ami's dark eyes rose to meet hers.

"I'm not sure. His persistence to pick up where we left off is annoying. But...the things I remember when I look at him...what my heart remembers...it's very hard to resist that feeling...but, I really don't know..."

Makoto and Mina nodded, though they were thinking of other people who confused their hearts.

"It is confusing," Rei murmured, almost without knowing she was speaking out loud.

"Well, you guys certainly have it harder than I did," Usagi declared, "Or, I guess I'm just simple when it comes right down to it - I love or hate - and there's nothing in between."

"Oh, to be Usagi and never have to worry about thinking!" Makoto teased.

Usa hit her with the pillow.

"What do we do with these feelings?" Mina wondered, "I mean, it's not like we can ignore the past...but it's not like we can just pick up where we left off, either. We're different now. The Shitennou too."

"I bet they feel the same way," Rei pointed out, "I mean, they seem to be dealing better with their memories, but for the most part I think they're pretty confused too."

"I guess we'll just have to wait and see how it works out."

"Well, good thing we have a dangerous, insane band of baddies to keep us occupied. Otherwise we might all have dates and Usa-chan might have an even bridal party - huh?"

"That's the truth," Usagi sighed, "That's why I'm going to make sure you all fall in love, like your supposed to. I'm not having an uneven arrangement at my ceremony!"

"Sometimes," Rei heard Mina mutter to Ami, "I'm terrified at the thought that this is the person who controls the power of the universe..."

Ami snickered into her cup of chocolate.

---

Zoe, having died for the fifth time, clicked Twilight Princess off with a sigh.

Nolan was reading quietly on the couch behind him, sitting beside Mamoru who was engrossed in listening to the plans Konnor and Mina had made, and which Kon was explaining to him.

Jade sat down beside and Zoe, on the floor, and put a cup of hot tea in front of him.

"I want to talk to you about something," the older man said, keeping his voice low.

"What is it? Thanks for the tea, by the way."

"It's about the past."

"Memories?"

Zoe squinted his eyes in concentration as he sipped the tea.

"Sort of. Tell me, when you woke up that day and remembered everything - how did you feel?"

"Are you psychoanalyzing me?"

"Just answer the question, punk."

"O.K.," Zoe chuckled, "Let's see. I was confused, as you may imagine...a little angry, even...but then when I thought about it, it all made so much sense."

Jade nodded.

"So I just went with it...and then, I saw her."

Jade didn't have to ask who 'her' referred to.

"And...yeah."

Jade suppressed a grin at Zoe's sudden loss of vocabulary.

"Yeah, what? What was it like, seeing Ami again?"

"Why do you want to know?"

"I'm just curious." Jade decided not to metion that he wanted to give Zoe advice, but knew better than to just offer it to him. Zoe was the type who had to be eased into good sense.

"Ok...uh, well...it was...incredible. I mean I liked her before I got my memories - she's cute, smart, absolutely adorable when she's flustered - and so funny. She's so calm and wonderful that it makes me relax just by being near her, but she's also so proper that she's just begging for someone to ruffle her feathers...and quite pretty feathers they are..."

"Alright, Casanova, stay on topic."

"Yeah, yeah...but seeing her alive - I think my heart almost stopped beating. I'm not exaggerating. The last memory I have of her is that last night we were together - in the Moon Gardens at twilight...and I was going to ask her to marry me the next day... and then she was there and alive. Well, what would any sane man have done if he found his soul mate again, when the odds were practically impossible?"

His voice was almost inaudible at this point, but Jade caught every word.

"So the two of you did have an understanding during the Silver Millennium. I thought so, at the time."

"No," Zoe shook his head, sadly, "It never got that far. It took me nearly half a year to get her to let me 'court' her...I don't think she knew how serious I was...she would have - if that monster hadn't -"

"I know. I know..."

"And now," the young man added, almost bitterly, "She won't even let me call her 'Ami'."

Jade mused quietly for a moment before saying:

"You know, I think you are looking at this the wrong way."

"My soul mate doesn't love me...I kind of think that's the only way to look at it."

"It's like..." Jade cast around for something and his eyes fell on the game controller.

"It's like Twilight Princess."

"Beg pardon?" Zoe choked a little on his tea.

"When you die, in the game, what happens?"

"I...go back to my last save point," Zoe answered as if explaining this to a two year old.

"Exactly. I think you are looking at your relationship with Ami as if there was a save point and you can just automatically start from there. But relationships don't work that way."

"I think I'm starting to see your point, and I find that vaguely unsettling."

Jade smiled.

"So pretend that you and Ami don't have a save point - that there's no history between you. Would it change anything?"

Zoe thought about this for a long moment, and considering the amount of brains the boy was gifted with, Jade's suggestion was being given the third degree in logical dissection.

"Ok, well, then...if Ami and I were starting over...I'd be acting like a disinterested colleague - just like I did last time...it was torture, by the way. You know I have no patience."

"Oh, I am well aware of that. But I think, considering that Ami is your choice -"

"No question."

"Then patience is something you're just going to have to get used to."

Zoe looked glum for a few moments, but his expression slowly lightened.

"And you think if I start over...she might like me again?"

"I think it's got more promise than your present, rather cave-manish method."

"I'm not being a cave-man - you just don't know how hard it is being in a school that's male dominated and having to worry about who might be flirting or bothering my princess while I'm not there. Just last week there was this punk little football player -"

"I didn't think it was possible for anyone to be more possessive than Kunzite, but I think you take the cake on this one, Zoi."

"You know the saying that takes one to know one? Well, players know players - and we're pretty much bastards - you can't expect me to let some loser like that talk to Ami - she's practically a defenseless little lamb!"

"And that would make you the Shepherd or the Wolf in this metaphor?"

Zoe pondered.

"Both."

"Uh-huh."

"Did you just call me Zoi?"

"Yeah...it happens some times. Does it bother you?"

"Nah. I actually like it."

"You girls through kissing over there?" Nolan called, tilting his reading glasses down to eye them.

"Because I'm trying to read."

"Bite me, Connelly," Jade muttered.

"Not at all appetizing, thanks."

"You won't do for Nephers," Zoe smirked, "He only likes Amazons with rather remarkable...talents."

The look Nolan gave Zoe could have melted a diamond.

"You wouldn't have the bad taste and judgement to be referring to my - to Kino-san, would you little brother?"

"That was a compliment. You can't say you haven't noticed, Neph...however much you may pretend to be virtuous and high-minded, when it comes to Jupiter you're just as much of a man as the rest of us.."

Nolan snapped the book shut and Mamoru and Konnor stopped talking. Jade acknowledged that Zoe did have a perfectly good point: Nolan's thoughts towards Kino-san were quite 'normal' for any male - the only real difference between him and Zoe was that Nolan liked to pretend that he was above such things.

"Uh, Zoe, I think you may want to -"

"You, me, the park outside the apartment. Now." Nolan tried to stare Zoe down.

"Let's do it! Winner gets free laundry for a month!"

"You are so unbelievably lazy," Jade sighed.

"Uh, where are they going?" Mamoru asked, as Nolan and Zoe raced for the door, ripping their shirts over their heads.

"They're dueling."

"What!"

Mamoru started up, but as neither Konnor nor Jade seemed at all perturbed by this, he slowed to a halt.

"Run that by me again."

"Zoe said something about Kino-san that Nolan took offense to. And so he is going to settle Kino-san's honor by beating beating Zoe to a pulp. Unless Zoe beats him..."

"Zoe is fast," Konnor mused, "And has quick reflexes."

"And he cheats," Jade added.

"Well, there you go - and neither of you is at all upset about this fact?"

Konnor looked at Jade and Jade looked at Konnor. They shrugged in unison.

"But we could go watch, that's always fun."

"And educational," Kon noted.

"Well, by all means, then."

Mamoru allowed the other two to proceed him out the door in search of the two combatants for Makoto's honor. It was another typical day with the Shitennou, he reflected - and found the observation strangely comforting.

"I hope we don't kill each other before the enemy tries to kill us," he muttered.