CHAPTER TWO A GREEN DECISION The snows of Tokyo didn't stick around for long; the white powder that had so liberally dusted Amy on her visit to the hospital turned to slush rather quickly. In a city of millions, the fact that snow survived a fall to the earth, conquering the heat of industry and population, was a miracle to many. Its short survival on the ground was seen as by many as a blessing on the city itself. Another blessing, though one much of Tokyo knew nothing of, were the cool heads of Amy Mizuno and Zachary Petal. As December became January and that turned to February, they kept their heads in the midst of the planning of what was, arguably, the most important event of their lives. The others did not fare so well. There was a sudden commitment anxiety that seemed to spring up, and not just amoung the men. Raye, for one, was quite adamant that she would have NOTHING of any marriage talk from Jared, and that resulted in not a few spats. Lita and Nate, despite their forceful approach to other things, remained tense and silent on the issue. As to Mina and Kevin--well, they saw the least of each other of any of the couples, and it was speculated that either they had broken up or were already married. The men favored the latter, the women the former, their intrinsic knowledge of one side of the pair giving rise to what Wesley called "pages of unwritten proof." The sharpest sting, though, was that they couldn't avoid immersion in wedding plans. Amy and Zach had been rather careful to not include those who didn't volunteer; they were not blind to the tensions, especially Zach. When the Gens had reinstated practicing with their powers in order to let off these "tensions," Zach found himself on the defensive. A lot. Yet not involving their friends was paramount to a rather nasty insult, and in the end, Fate saved them by prompting all to volunteer. As such, Raye came to coordinate the place and time of the wedding--they would hold the reception at Amy's house, as the large mansion was pretty much designed for this small function. Lita took charge of cooking and what they called "floral duties," and Mina split with Setsuna the duties of decoration and dress chosing. The ceremony was to be Westerly traditional, the hybrid common fashion, and thus the details of dresses needed to be settled. Sets was already a designer by nature and showed excellent taste, and to this Mina brought her knowledge of the world in which she worked. It was, as Amy related to Zach, "a most fortunate match." The men were not left out in the slightest. Zach enlisted them for aid at work at first, and then various setup duties followed--all except for Kevin, who promised to handle "security" and left it at that. Nate had the heritage for the reception--he had helped his parents plan several of their "grand" parties--and Jade, who'd been roped in with Nate, got pressed into shuttling between Raye and Mina in order to co-ordinate things. "How he manages to keep in a good temper, I have NO clue," Zach confided to Amy one evening as they were going through their accounts. While this wedding was small, it did take a chunk of money to get everything set; he was just glad they weren't in the US, where...he shuddered and stopped that thought completely. "It's his nature," Amy replied lightly, then passed the book over to him. "Check, please." Zach's eyes skimmed colums as his mind calculated. Amy stood up and stretched, letting out a slight yawn, and walked to the window. The night was a mix of city orange and nature gray-black, the colors diffusing into each other to create an undefined fog of blaah. She sighed, and reached out for a moment to touch the window with her finger, mind feeling for the soft mist outside. There was a slight ping, as if registering on some psychic scope, but there was no power behind it. She let her finger fall away and sighed softly, an internal ache pulsing in her chest as she was reminded once again of what she had lost. she thought softly. She sighed again, arms crossing her chest, and her eyes squeezed tight against suddenly surfacing tears. Silently, her mind cried out for something within the mist, some reassurance of a life within her, something to make her whole again... Wordlessly, warmth spilled over her arms, and she inhaled a soft breath as the presence behind her hugged her tight. She let her eyes open, and from behind a finger wordlessly stroked her cheek, the few escaping tears disappearing with that movement. She pulled a little away and the grip let her loose, and she turned, expecting to see her General--and finding only Zach there, hands tinged lightly with his green aura of power, gorgeous eyes looking patiently at her. She met them for a moment, and then embraced him again, her head resting against his shoulder, his chin touching lightly on top of her head. They didn't speak for awhile, and then Amy whispered, "I wish she could be there." "As do I, amante," Zach replied softly. "But there's been no change..." She shook her head. "No, love, there has been a change," she replied. "You told me of it, but it doesn't seem..." "For them...it does mean something. Something is going to happen." She turned a little, one eye catching the ghastly glow through the window. "Perhaps tonight..." "Hrm," he replied. "I do feel a strange air." "As do I," she whispered softly. "There's no power, but..." She could feel him nod, and knew he did understand, for she knew the story of Zachary Petal and the power that almost wasn't. And aside from that, there was just a...current... between them that spoke of communication on a level different from the physical. She was no believer in the mystical vibrations of planes, but she did know something about what the power of love and friendship could do, and the understanding it could bring. They were quiet for a few moments more, and then Amy pulled away and turned, asking, "Did my figures check?" Zach grinned slightly, leaning back against the couch. "Most of them," he teased. She flicked him a dark look, asking, "Most?" "Well..." She looked expectant, and he gestured at the register, moving it closer. His finger traced a row, and as she leaned in to catch her supposed mistake, he kissed her quickly on the cheek. Caught off guard, she shot him a blushing glance; in return, he kissed her again, a little slower, letting his lips leave their mark on her soft skin. By this time, a blush had sprung up, and quickly she muttered, "You still haven't shown me my mistake." He grinned, then moved his finger over a row; she followed it with her own, and in the way that things happen, twined it with his. He stopped, and as she looked up, he seized the moment to lean down and kiss her again, the pressure now on her lips. She grinned slightly against him, and pulled back, saying, "I don't think this is my mistake." He smiled back. "No...but that was..." "What?" "Pulling back." She blushed instinctively, and her eyes dropped. "We need to finish this," she whispered. "You need a break," he reminded her. "We've been at this for..." "Zach..." "Hush, Amy Petal nee Mizuno," he tossed off, and the blush on her cheeks deepened at the words, despite their sing-song tone. "We both feel the oddness of this night...let us enjoy it for a bit, neh?" She grinned, and then placed her hands on his chest. "As you say," she whispered--and then pushed him over the edge of the couch. "Hey!" he yelled, arms flailing for a moment before he fell, at the last moment drawing her with him. "Zach!" she cried out. "No fair!" "Sometimes, power has its uses," he replied, sounding prudent and wise. Then he grinned in a wicked sort of way, something Jade was prone to doing. "And I'd say this is one, neh?" She shook her head helplessly, giggles suddenly spilling out of her, then adjusted her position so they were both more comfortable. As one, they let out a quiet sigh, and a silence filled the air between them. It was comfortable, peaceful, loving, and familiar, and they relaxed into the way they always did. Across the city, another couple was not so happy. Nathan stirred his tea for the...the...he wasn't sure how many times it was not, but it had increased. And his patience was lessening. After all, Lita had called him here to pick her up, and she was..? He sighed, and rubbed his head. What *had* happened to his fabled patience? The cool calmness that allowed him not only to be a reaper in battle, but to not kill anyone annoying in his everyday life? he thought, running a hand through his hair. "How is your tea?" asked soft, slightly stilted English. "Huh?" he asked, looking up. His face relaxed as he looked into a pair of inquisitive blue eyes topped by a crown of brillant red hair. "It's perfect," he replied, flashing her a small smile. She giggled a little, then gave a bow and walked off. "Do you always flirt with the waitresses, Nate-kun?" Nate paused for a second, then looked up--and another smile appeared on his face. "Mina-chan...what a surprise!" he crowed, and then gestured at the place across from him. "Please, take a seat." "My pleasure," she replied, sliding into the seat. She wore a dark wool coat against the chill, and underneath that a thin blouse and skirt--work clothes, he knew. Mina occasionally still helped them out at the office, though that function had more fallen to Setsuna and Ami now; still, she had an invaluable way of cheering up the day. For most of them, at least. "Just get off work?" he asked. She shook her head. "No, I've been off for about an hour now." "An hour? Ooh, they work you to death, don't they Mina-chan?" he replied, sipping at his tea. She shook her head. "You DO flirt with everyone, don't you, Nate-kun?" she asked. He shrugged. "One of my talents, mostly unknown to me," he replied. "But honestly, Mina-chan, how are things at your workplace? I haven't seen you in...oh, ages." "Well..." She paused, then pointed to his teacup. "Is that good?" "This?" He nodded. "Yea, I'd say so." "Good," she replied, then signaled to the redheaded waitress. "Naru-chan, one of what Nate-kun's having." "You know her?" Nate asked as she turned back. A small smile touched Mina's lips. "She used to be Serena's best friend some years ago," she replied. "Around the time we first became Senshi. She always seemed to be around to take abuse--her or Umino, her fiancee." "UMINO? The same guy who..?" Mina smiled wider, and nodded. "Wow. So many people engaged these days," he said softly, and didn't miss the wince that crossed her face. "Mina-chan..?" She paused, then looked up to accept the cup of tea Naru brought. "Arigatou," she whispered, then looked down into her cup for awhile. When she looked up, her expression was softer, deeper than it had been before. "How are the wedding preparations on your end?" For a moment he thought she meant he and Lita, and began to stop that, but then realized what she was talking about. "Pretty well, actually. I think it should all come together in the end...though I still need to ask Ami about this list of food she wants. And you?" "Designing is a nightmare, but at least I know what everyone wants," she replied. "I think." She sipped her tea and grimaced. "How can you drink this stuff black?" He ignored her question, and asked, "Have you talked to Kev lately?" he wondered. He was a big proponent of the secret marriage theory, because unless they were connected so, how could they get along without seeing each other? He and Lita may have had some strained moments--and one was certainly coming up tonight--but he was always happy to be around her. Those two, though... "It really does need a little sugar," she replied, seemingly oblivious of his question-but he saw the wince in her eyes. "Mina-chan," he said reprovingly, yet she didn't look up from her tea. "You haven't, have you?" "Or cream?" she asked, touching the little pitcher. Her fingers curved softly around the handle, then abruptly squeezed it tightly and trembled. Her other hand came up to cover her face, and she whispered, "Gomen, Nate-kun...it must be..." "He hasn't," Nate whispered, and suddenly reality broke over him in a big wash of frozen water through his veins. There was no way Mina and Kev could have bound themselves secretly if THIS is what was happening. Mina was strong; as long as she knew she had something, nothing could persuade her that it was gone. But if she thought it was lost...then she was lost as well. He'd learned that from the battles nearly a year ago, and had it confirmed as the group of them had grown closer. "Oh, Mina," he said, and then in a characteristically foreign move, reached across the table and gripped her hand. "Mina, it's going to be all right, I know it will." "I haven't talked with him in over three weeks, Nate-kun," she whispered, hastily rubbing at her eyes with the back of her hand. "I haven't seen him in longer than that. I don't even know if he remembers who I am and...what we..." "Shhh, Mina," he whispered. "He knows...I know it...he has your picture on his desk, and we always catch him staring..." He stopped abruptly, eyes widening, as he remembered how oddly reflective and sad the man had looked when he had done it. Mina looked up now, and Nate felt something inside him whither at the sight of her slightly reddened, lost blue eyes. "what?" she whispered. When he shook his head, she gripped his hand tighter and demanded in a low, tight voice, "What is it, Nate-kun?" "Mina..." he replied, then sighed. "He looks...sad. Like he's..." He didn't have to say another word before she began to sniffle again, and he quickly added, "But I could be reading him wrong, Mina. It's Kevin after all-you know..." She stopped and arched an eyebrow sharply at him, and he found himself smiling without thinking. "Come on, Mina, he can be difficult to read." "For his best friend?" she asked. "Even for the man he's known for over a thousand years, yes, he can be a pain to read. It has to run in the blood, some sort of genetic destiny to be stoic," he joked back, and some of the sparkle seemed to come back to her-and then, slowly, fade away. "Destiny," she said quietly, squeezing his hand once more before letting go. She reached over to the cream pot and began to pour it into her tea cup as he sipped at his nearly cold tea, and halfway through looked up and asked, "Do you believe in Destiny, Nate? That this was all...meant to be?" He blinked in the face of the question. he thought to himself, then took another sip of tea as he pondered. Finally, he set the cup down and looked up, eyes oddly hard. "I don't, Mina," he replied quietly. She looked up so abruptly she spilled some cream, and with trembling hands quickly set down the pot, using a nearby napkin to wipe up the cream. She sponged at it a few times, eyes not meeting his, leaving a shiny trail on the table. Finally, he reached over and stayed her hand, and found her eyes a little red again when they met his. "How could you not?" she whispered. "You're Nephrite..." "And my power is in the stars, right?" he replied, voice lowering into a near snarl. "The movements of the stars determine NOTHING, Mina, not to me. And I, of all people, should know best." His eyes seemed to grow distant, and his voice took on a strange reverberance, as if the universe spoke through him. "There is power within these movements, and as everything in the universe, they exert their influence upon us, even from so far away. How else to explain the poetic obsession with them? But the stars do not tell me the future, they supply the energy that enables me to see clearer the threads of Fate." His eyes cleared, and their rich brown color pierced her own blues. "Fate exists, Mina-chan, but her sister Destiny is but a myth." "How...how can you say that, Nate-kun? Are they not one and the same?" Mina asked. He shook his head.