Introducing...

Miss J: Hiya everyone! Miss J. here. I know, I know, you're all
thinking, "Who? Who is Miss J.?" Well, I'm one of Milkiss' fans, and
a loyal fanfic writer as well. So, now everyone is wondering, "What is
SHE doing here?" Well, I am helping with this fic! I think that it is
sooo sweet, but good ol' Milkiss doesn't want to finish it, so I am
taking over until she realizes just how cool it is and decides to write
more. ;) However, the idea is ALL hers! Completely! All praise goes
to her! (Unless you just really want to drop a line...please...) So,
expect to hear a bunch of crap from me from now on!

Milkiss: Don't give ME all the credit. Remember, I almost abandoned this
story until it's savor came along. Besides, It's YOUR story now, too. ^_^

Miss J: Okay, for starters, I have a COMPLETELY different writing format
from our beloved Milkiss. But since I am such a sweety ::grinz:: I
will provide ya with a key. You would be doing yourself a favor to try
and memorize it:
        ^^This is what I use for complete changes in the scene, such as to
the next day.^^ I only have double returns when there is a scene
change. Remember that.
        ::This is the point of view:: If I have a double return without a
POV, then it is in third person. It's usually pretty obvious when I've
switched, though.
        *This indicates thought from the POV, or, if in third, from whoever
I
say.*
        "This indicates speech (duh!)"
        >>This is what I use for dreams and/or flashbacks. I dunno if I'll
actually use it, though.<<
        <This is for sound effects, etc. Ex: "Blah blah blah <cough>
blah.">

Disclaimers:  I know, I know, I should REALLY shut up now, but hey, I
don't wanna get sued, do I? Shut up to those of ya who are saying "Yes"
right now. ;) Anyhoo, I <sniff> don't own Sailor Moon or any of her
associates, and neither does Milkiss. {Unfortunately...} But we DO own
this story {YAY!}, and if ya take ANYTHING without asking, even if it is
just to post it somewhere else, I WILL find ya. Hey, I've got a shotgun and
a
shovel.

Milkiss: -_-;;

Miss J: I doubt that anyone would miss a thief. (Am I right?) And just
in case ya are thinking about digging your way back out, I'm gonna bury you
upside down. (I've scared you all off now, haven't I? GOMEN! I'm not REALLY
this mean! I just hate being ripped off, that's all!) And all you have
to do is ask to avoid being hunted down like an animal. Fair enough?

Milkiss: ^_^;; eh, e-heh heh...

Together Forever
part 2: Matchmaker, Matchmaker, Make Me a Match
by Milkiss and Miss J.
Rating: PG

::Mina::
        I ambled through the park, not really caring where I was going.
My thoughts were directed more towards the events I had witnessed just
earlier today.

        >>Worried, I was following Serena, trying to figure out what was
wrong with her. Rena had seemed particularly upset ever since Miss H.
had pulled her aside to talk, no, yell at her about her last Algebra
test. Now I was attempting to catch up to the small blonde, whilst I
thought up a way to broach the subject of the infernal exam. Thinking
of a plan (a crappy plan, but a plan nevertheless), I was about to run
up to Serena, when the girl whirled angrily, facing my direction.
        Thinking that she had seen me, I dove into an alleyway, holding my
breath. After a moment, I peeked cautiously out of my hiding spot.
Serena was having a screaming match with a VERY hunky guy, who had onyx
hair and mysterious stormy blue eyes.
        I watched as the older man unfolded a crumpled paper that looked
suspiciously like the dreaded Algebra test. His eyes widened into
saucers at the grade, which I presumed was bad. Then he must have said
something awfully nasty to Serena, because she started screaming so
loud that I could easily make out what she said-
        -"YOU MORON! I HATE YOU!! WHY ARE YOU ALWAYS SO MEAN?!?!" With
that, she turned and fled right past my hiding spot, tears raging from
her big blue eyes, which were clouded with pain. I looked at the tall
man, preparing to go beat the hell out of him, when I saw something
that I most definitely wasn't expecting! A single, heart-wrenching tear
slid down his cheek, then slipped down his neck into the dark shirt that he
was wearing. He slowly turned and walked the opposite way of that which
Serry had taken.
        I was frozen for what seemed an eternity, not knowing whether to
pound the guy for being so impossibly cruel to Serena, or to comfort
him from the wound that Serena had so venomously inflicted on him. By
the time I stepped out of the clinging shadows, I saw him disappear around
a corner. Then I turned and saw Serena barreling into the cover of the
park entrance, leaving a trail of destruction in her wake. Quickly
refusing both of the prior plans, I raced after Serena, leaving the war
zone.<<

        So here I was, wandering through the beautiful gardens of the
park, searching for my friend. *Who would have thought that such a wild
girl could have hidden herself so well?! Like a darn rabbit! And as
quiet as one, too! I would have thought that she'd be easy to find! I
haven't
even seen any broken bodies!!!* I chuckled at the thought in spite of
myself.
        Sighing, I realized that I had already looked this particular spot
over twice. *Maybe she isn't here...but where would she have gone? I doubt
she
went home, because she hates it when her parents try to meddle in her
affairs. But where else would she go? Ami and Lita are on vacation, and I
doubt
she would go to Raye's...I KNOW!!!!*
        Realization hit me like a ton of bricks. *The ARCADE!!! Where else
should she go, when she knows that she can always seek comfort in Andrew's
arms...* I sighed, imagining Rena curled up in the arcade guy's embrace.
*She's
so lucky-I mean, Andy has had a crush on her for sooo long, and she has
never even noticed it! If only he was sweet on me instead...*
        Decided, I walked briskly to the arcade. When I got there, I glanced
around for Serry, but she wasn't there! Spotting Andrew, I went to see if
Serena had stopped by. When I slid onto a stool, the arcade guy's back was
turned to me, and I waited patiently for him to turn around. He did, and
jumped about a foot from shock.
        "MINA! Oh, geez, you startled me! I turn away for one second, and
!poof! you appear!" Andy managed to gasp out.
        "Hope I didn't scare ya half to death," I giggled, "cuz then, next
time I scare ya, you just might die. And we wouldn't want that. If the
arcade guy dies, who's left to run the oh-so-important-arcade?" My giggles
turned into full-blown laughter when he lightly punched me in the arm. Soon,
he was joining me, and neither of us could stop for a long time. By the time
we had settled, there were tears streaming down both our cheeks, literally.
        "Anyways," he chuckled, wiping away a tear, "What's up? I haven't
seen
you for a while down here."
        "Ah, actually I was looking for Serena. But she's not here," I said
sadly, noticing that Andrew had a far-away expression and a quirky smile on
his pale face. *Man, he is SOOO gone for her.*
        "No...she's not..." he mumbled. Suddenly, he realized that he was
daydreaming in front of me, and blushed. "Uhhhh..."
        "Don't worry, I won't tell anyone that you like her. As long as you
help me with something," I smiled sweetly, and he watched me suspiciously.
"And WHAT, exactly, do you have in mind?" he inquired distrustfully.
"Well, I saw something very interesting today..."

::Andrew::
        "...And I saw a tear run down his cheek, before he trudged away,"
Mina
finished.
        "Darien, crying?" I gasped unbelievingly. "I think that you must
have
been mistaken, Mina. Darien is as cold as they come!" I assured her.
        "Believe me, I know what I saw. And Darien was most DEFINITELY
crying!
The salt in the tear glistened like a damn diamond in dirt." she stated as
she slammed her palm on the counter just to make things more dramatic. (MS:
^.^)
        "Yeah, but over something that Serena said? He hates her!" I
informed my blonde friend. *I have a terrible feeling about this...*
        "I dunno, Andrew, I just don't know. All I know is that he seemed
pretty upset by what she said. But I have a hunch that Darien doesn't really
hate Rena, and that's what I need your help with," Mina told me.
        "What do you mean?"
        "Well, I think that Serena and Darien would make a cute couple,
don't you?" Mina asked innocently.
        My eyes widened in shock. "You want ME to help you set them up?
Wha-?!
Are you CRAZY!? You are cruel! No way! In case you forgot during the past
FIVE MINUTES, I want her for myself, remember?!" I shouted, drawing several
curious stares.
        "Now Andrew, we had a deal..." Mina grinned at me. She looked just
sooo
darn evil right there.
        "Deal? What deal? I don't know anything about a deal. I didn't hear
a
word you said! FA LA LA LA LA LA..." Mina glared at me while I made a fool
of
myself by singing "Deck the Halls" in the middle of June with a freakin'
broom
stick as my microphone. *Now, THERE'S something to think about...* Anyhow, I
sighed in defeat. *For you, pal. For you, Darien....I'm doing this for
you...*
        I reluctantly replied, "Yes Ma'am."

::Serena::
        The grass tickled my sides as I lay in a secluded grove of the park,
where I knew that no one would find me. I had found this place when I was
about four years old, but I never told anyone where it was. It was kind of
my
own little place, where I could go to think when life was being a bitch.
That was why I was here now.
        *What the hell is his problem?!* I wondered. *What did I ever do to
him?
He is sooo mean!* Tears had ceased to stream down my face, and now I was
brooding in silent anger. *Hmph, one of these days, I'll show him. I'll
prove
to him, and to everyone else, that I am not such a failure as they all
think.*

::Darien::
        *She HATES me? Why, oh why did I have to be so mean?! Why can't I
just
talk to her like I would any other person? My usual charming smile and a
simple "Hello, I'm Darien Chiba, and you are?" would have been just fine.* I
sighed sadly as I lay on my bed.
        *Yeah, well, I guess I'll just have to get her to NOT hate me
anymore
before I can proceed with my old plan.*
        "A snowball's chance in hell..." I muttered bitterly.
        I rolled over onto my stomach and promptly fell asleep, though it
was
not peaceful slumber. Every dream I experienced had something to do with
what
Serena had said earlier that day. I wasn't going to forget her reviled
words,
"I HATE YOU," anytime soon, and I most certainly knew that Serena wouldn't
either. I could just hear her saying, "Sticks and stones may break my bones
but words will never hurt me."
        *Stupid line,* was my last thought...

::Mina::
        *This is perfect. Absolutely perfect.* Hours and arguments later,
Andrew
and I had thought up a great plan for getting Darien and Serena to spend
more
time with each other, though I knew that the only reason he agreed was that
he
would be getting to spend a lot of time with the girl as well.
        It happened like this: While we were trying to think of a scheme,
Andrew
mentioned that his band, which consisted of Darien, Greg, Chad, and himself,
was holding auditions for a new drum player. Well, since I happen to have a
certain meatball-headed friend who is a phenomenal drummer, I just had to
speak up.
        I told Andrew about how Serena happens to be a drummer, and about
how
she was our school's most prized player. Andrew of course had said that he'd
gladly give her an audition, and so the plan was set. "If Serena is what
we're
looking for, then Darien will be FORCED to spend time with her!" was the way
Andrew had put it. *Though I DO wonder if he was only agreeing so readily
for
his own...um... should I say, 'personal gain'. Though, I do have my OWN
personal gain in this, too. But no one's supposed to know, cuz my love is a
shhhh....^.^*
        "So Andrew," I asked, "when are the auditions again?"
        "Four thirty in the afternoon on Saturday. Here's a flyer that you
can
give her," my good ol' friend said while handing me a piece of bright green
paper. I carefully folded the paper up and tucked it into the back pocket of
my school bag.
        "Okay!" A heavy silence hung between us after that. We fidgeted for
awhile. A couple of sweatdrops and eternities later, my eyes finally landed
on
the clock above the soft ice cream machine. *Let's see, it is...7:39. Wait,
7:39?!?! God, I got to get home and start on that five-hundred-word essay
that
is due tomorrow!*

"Andrew-I-gotta-get-home-I'll-talk-to-Serena-first-thing-tomorrow-and-
let-you-know-what-she-said-Okay-I-gotta-go-Bye!" I slurred while fishing out
some money to pay for the milkshake that Andrew had gotten me. In a
whirlwind,
I jumped from my stool and flew out the door, almost whacking (MJ: that is
SUCH a funny word...) (MS: ::smiles proudly:: j/k ^.^) down someone on my
way
out.

^^the next day^^

::Serena::
        "Hey, Serena! Did you get your essay done?" I winced as I heard Mina
shout at me from across the street. She was, apparently, also late for
school.
        "Yeah, I did!" I shouted. I stopped to wait while the girl weaved in
and
out of the morning traffic as she tried to cross the road. Finally, she made
it across, and the two of us resumed our 'morning jog' to school. Yes,
that's
right. We happily skipped our way to school...NOT! We ran like there was no
tomorrow. And if we were late, we might never see daylight again, all thanks
to our loooooving and understanding, teacher, Miss Haruna.
        "What did you say a moment ago?" Mina panted. "I couldn't hear you
over
all of the cars."
        "I <gasp> said that, yes <wheez> I did finish the essay," I managed
to
say.
        Mina stopped dead in her tracks, and I quickly followed suit, eyeing
the
girl curiously. "You...you did?" she inquired.
        "Yup!" I grinned as my friend's jaw dropped.
        "You're not kidding me, right?" Mina questioned after picking her
jaw up
off the ground.
        "Nope!"
        "You are dead serious?"
        "Uh-huh!" I was getting 'slightly' annoyed.....
        "Ohh! I get it! You're gonna pretend that you did it and fool
everyone
including Ms. Haruna and suddenly yell, 'April Foo-"
        "MINA!"
        "Sorry! I'm kidding! Geez, just making sure. It's not everyday that
Serena Tsukino actually does her homework, ya know," my friend informed me
while wagging a finger, much in the same way as Miss H. does.
        "Well, geez! That's good to know!" I yelled. "Nobody's perfect,
Mina,
and it's not like you should talk, anyways! Maybe you should broadcast all
over Tokyo that I did my homework! No, better yet, that I actually STUDIED
for
a test!"
        Mina stared at me wide eyed, "You studied for a test?!!!"
        "Ugh!" I threw my arms up in despair. *Man, why doesn't ANYBODY have
any
faith in me?* With that, I took off at a run towards school, too angry to
deal
with Mina.
        But soon, I heard her familiar pants and "Wait up!"s from behind,
though
they were quickly getting closer. Suddenly, Mina was running along side me
again. *Wow, she actually caught up. Never thought that ANYbody could keep
up
with my morning dash to school!*
        "Serena," she gasped, "I'm <pant> sorry. I <wheez> didn't mean it.
But I
have something <cough> something VERY important to discuss over lunch. So
don't forget to <gasp> meet me outside!"
        "Grr, alright Mina. I guess that I <pant> will forgive ya. I dunno,
I'm
just <gasp> in a bad mood today, that's all," I admitted.
        "Why? <cough> Because of what <wheez> Darien said to you yesterday?"
        Now it was my turn to freeze. My halt was so quick and abrupt that I
almost fell over. "How...HOW DID YOU KNOW???" I quizzed Mina, who had also
stopped. She looked at the ground, kicking a crack in the pavement, as a
sheepish smile spread over her face. Of course, I could see it clearly,
being
several inches shorter than her and all.
        "WELL...?"
        "You see," she began, "ya looked so upset yesterday after school,
that I
followed you. Um...I mean...well, I WAS going to actually talk to you, but I
was...well...you see...trying to think of what to say that wouldn't make you
more upset. So, I was just about to approach ya, when that Darien guy
started
fighting with you." At my baleful gaze, she gulped. "It's not like I was
listening! All I heard was you telling him that he was a moron! Honest!"
I sighed. "Yeah, well, he is. I really don't understand why he is so
mean sometimes. I mean, I would never actually, purposely, deliberately do
anything to-" But I was cut off by a familiar, dreadful, noise...
        <BRRRRRING!>
        The late bell for Mina's and my school. *Oh, crap, late again!
Haruna's
gonna KILL me!* Grabbing Mina's hand, I raced down the few remaining blocks
to
my school, dragging the protesting girl along with me. Silent prayers were
running through my head as I was running through the busy streets of
Tokyo....

Miss J: Well, howazit?

Milkiss: LOVE IT LOVE IT LOVE IT LOVE IT!!!!!!!!!

Miss J: Let me, and Milkiss, know what you think! Milkiss's addy is posted
on
her sight, if that's where you've accessed this. Otherwise, it is:
        milkiss@bellatlantic.net
As for me, you can get a hold of me through the address:
        mcbright@epix.net
I look forward to hearing from you peoples, and so does Milkiss, but be
warned, I don't take flames (shudderz) well. I don't mind comments,
suggestions, and criticisms, and I LOVE compliments, but I SERIOUSLY
hate flames. Let it be known that I WILL start a flame war with anyone who
even thinks about it. So don't.

Milkiss: Actually, flames are useful. They prevent the
person's head from swelling, but who wants THAT to be prevented? ^_^;;

Miss J: Exactly. Also, please, nothing crude, because the e-mail addy is my
step-dad's and if he gets the e-mail first...You guys know what I'm talking
about.
Well, I gotta run, so see ya soon! And don't forget to check out both
my and Milkiss's other fics!

In the words of one of my friends, Jill, "Gotta bounce, so c-ya!" ~Miss J.