As they entered Eros, Jupiter looked around at the bar's patrons. Sure enough, the man she had talked to earlier wasn't lying. This would be a great place for information to spread.  

The bar had a large variety of people, including foreigners to the planet itself. She could tell that a group of darker haired men and women in a more secluded corner were Martian descent, strangely colored red and purple eyes scanning around, and she spotted a few Jovians and Mercurians scattered about as well, simply drinking, eating, or playing bar games like the rest of the native Venusians. 

They would have stood out far more outside, but in the tavern where it was darker and cooler, they seemed to fit in better. The same atmosphere would also hopefully make herself and Mercury look less suspicious. Mercury talking into her ear brought her out of her thoughts. 

"Right, I'll be over by the game tables..." Jupiter said. She watched as Mercury went to the bar, hesitant about letting her go alone. She didn't seem like she knew her way around an establishment like this, judging by her averse, albeit kind of cute reaction to the signature smell of alcohol permanently in the air. It was definitely a shady place, but they needed to stay undercover, and that meant not looking like they knew each other. But as soon as they got a lead, they were leaving here... Jupiter spotted a card game in progress, and decided to try her luck with this group of people first. 

"Hey, can you deal one more hand? I'll pay double if I lose." She'd been to a bar once in a while, though a smaller one than this, but she was more comfortable here where she could predict people's behavior better.The dealer, a thickly built Jovian man, looked her over and nodded. They were on the third round when she heard a familiar yell from over the din of the room.

Jupiter stood up abruptly, looking over the crowd to see where Mercury and the blonde were struggling. How dare he? She shouldn't have left her alone at all in this place! The back of her chair splintered in her grip as her temper flared. 

"You still playing?" the woman next to her asked, eyeing her cautiously.

"Take the money, I don't care!" It was amazing she could talk at all with how much her teeth were grinding together already. Knocking the chair over, Jupiter pushed through the the people in her way and ripped his hand off Mercury's waist, getting the other senshi behind her at the same time. The bartender wisely decided to go to the backroom at that moment after seeing how angry Jupiter was. 

"She said to let go, so what do you think you're doing?" she asked, her voice dangerously low. She could feel the electricity building up just under her skin, but she pushed it back. She wouldn't start a fight if she didn't have to, or their covers were blown.

Mercury was struggling to get away from her "attacker" when she felt herself being moved backwards. She was surprised to find Jupiter standing in front of her, her hands clenched into fists as her shoulders rose and feel with heavy breaths. She was...angry.

Mercury had never seen this side if Sailor Jupiter, and it was both startling and interesting. It was a bit nice to think that Jupiter would get so protective. She lived up to her name, that was for sure.

The eyes of the other people at the bar were drifting to their little conflict, which made Mercury even more nervous. She had the information they needed, all they had to do was get out of there before -

"Getting my fair share," the blonde man hissed in Jupiter's face. "I gave her what she wanted, now she's gotta do the same for me. Little girls like her need to submit and realize that women are meant for men to enjoy." The drunkard laughed, his voice raspy from the alcohol. "Get out of my way, and let me teach this sweetheart a lesson. Don't make me tell you twice."

Mercury froze. Was this how others viewed her? Just a small girl who had no confidence, no power? A helpless figure who lived without a purpose? Did she truly appear so weak and fragile? Tears began to fill in the senshi's eyes, but she forced herself to hold them back. She would not show weakness here - she had already made enough of a fool of herself.

He was so close that she could tell the exact kind of drink he'd been having by the stench of his breath. The rest of Jupiter's self control faded away as soon as he spoke again, trying to justify his behavior. Her vision went red, pushing common sense out of her mind for the moment. Good, he was just as scummy as he looked, now she wouldn't feel bad later for doing this to him. Jupiter grabbed his collar with a hand and lifted him completely out of his bar seat, his feet dangling a few inches off the ground. 

"How about you get out of my way?" She turned and slammed his back into the nearby wall before punching him across the face. He fell into another table, tipping it over with all the drinks on top of it, and collapsed on the floor, knocked out. A few others looked at the man and stood up, glaring at her. 

"Hey, you wanna try that with us? This is our bar!" One tried to grab her shoulder, but she caught him by the wrist and squeezed it painfully. He cried out, and she pulled him in to knee him in the stomach. He dropped to the ground too. His friends soon tried to avenge him, and Jupiter resigned herself to the fight she had gotten into. They weren't giving up any time soon. Someone in the back of the bar decided to follow suit and throw a mug at another's head, starting a second brawl. The rest of the tavern soon descended into chaos. 

Five minutes later, the room was trashed, a good amount of tables and bar stools broken. A few of the glass cabinets were smashed, and the people who were still awake were leaving now, grumbling to themselves. A little calmer now that the fight was over, Jupiter went back to Mercury, who had thankfully avoided any part of the fight, and led her back outside. 

"Sorry about that..." she said, after stopping to lean against another building. Now that the adrenaline was gone, the soreness was starting to creep up on her. "Are you okay? He didn't do anything to you, right?"

Jupiter completely lost it, and chaos broke out. 

Terrified by the fighting and the shouts of angry men, Mercury struggled to stay out of the way of flying objects and fists. She was small, so it was easy to evade things, but she found herself more worried about Jupiter. Seeing the way the taller senshi had dealt with the men who attacked her made Mercury feel confident in her abilities, but in a bar fight like this, she worried for her friend's safety. 

Mercury struggled to see through the crowd of people that were fighting each other, and before she had the chance to try and help Jupiter, she found herself being pulled out of the bar by said senshi. The fight seemed to be over, but the chaos of it all still rang through Mercury's mind. Her head was pounding from the fumes of alcohol and the loud noises that had previously rang through the bar, and she was glad to be back outside. Jupiter led them into a small alleyway between two buildings, and Mercury eyed her as the senshi of protection leaned against a wall. It was clear that she was tired from the fight.

Mercury shook her head at Jupiter's question, moving her bruised wrist behind her back. "No, I'm fine. But you...you're hurt!" Mercury exclaimed, seeing the blood seeping through Jupiter's shirt. "Oh, Jupiter...you didn't have to do all of that for me..." she said quietly. "Hold still."

With gentle hands, Mercury lifted up Jupiter's shirt enough to see the gash on her waist. Not only that, but there were cuts all over Jupiter's arms, and even a bruise on her cheek. A lump grew in Mercury's throat, one that signaled an onslaught of mixed emotions. She was angry at those men for daring to hurt Jupiter, but also sad that she had been the cause of Jupiter's pain. The least she could do was tend to her savior's wounds. 

"This might sting a bit, but I'll be gentle, I promise." Mercury felt her fingers begin to tingle as smooth streams of water began to flow from her fingertips, coursing over Jupiter's skin and cleaning the wound on her waist. Blood dripped onto the ground as the water did its job, cleaning and cleansing. Soon, only a small bit of blood remained, and Mercury used her handkerchief to dry off Jupiter's skin and soak up the rest of the blood. She then moved to the cuts on Jupiter's arms, soaking them in water and drying them up just as she had done with the brunette's waist. When it seemed that all cuts were tended to, Mercury moved her hand to Jupiter's cheek, tracing the bruise lightly. She was completely unaware of what she was doing, of the gestures she was performing, for Mercury was in her own world. This was what she loved to do - help people, tend to wounds, make others feel better. She was not one born for combat, she was born for healing.

Blinking, Mercury caused her hand to become cold as ice as she placed it on Jupiter's bruise. Their faces were closer together than they probably should have been, but Mercury didn't notice. She was completely focused on making up for the chaos she had inadvertently caused. After a few moments of holding her icy hand on Jupiter's cheek, Mercury removed it and took a small step back. "There," she said softly, smiling weakly. "I hope that helps just a bit..."

She found herself staring at the taller woman, wondering why on Earth she would go to such an extent to help Mercury. It was heartwarming to think that Jupiter would risk injury on her behalf. Seeing her like this, with cuts on her body and a bruise on her face, filled Mercury with so many emotions that she couldn't control herself. Out of the blue, Mercury stepped forward and wrapped her arms around Jupiter, being careful not to touch her wound. 

"Thank you..." she whispered.

Jupiter blinked in confusion at Mercury's yell. She was hurt? Looking down, she realized how many cuts and scrapes she had collected, and the side her jaw was starting to sting. But as long as Mercury was alright, she didn't mind. She wouldn't forgive herself if she had gotten hurt further while Jupiter was preoccupied. 

She tried not to squirm as Mercury lifted her shirt and started to clean her wounds, unused to the sensation or the closeness. She stood against the wall in silence as Mercury continued to take care of her, not sure what to say. True to her word, it never hurt. It jut felt strange until she was adjusted to the water and Mercury's touch, and then it was almost relaxing. Jupiter probably would have taken a nap right there if she wasn't hyper-aware of the senshi of water being so close to her.

The cold hand on her cheek felt amazing,  and it took her a few moments to realize how close their faces were now. Jupiter slid a little further down to make herself easier for her to reach, and found herself disappointed when Mercury pulled away. The entire thing probably lasted less than ten minutes, but it had left her breathless and blushing, and not from the earlier fight. She stiffened when Mercury hugged her, but hugged her back a little tighter than normal.

"You don't have to thank me..." Jupiter said back, looking down at her. "It was my fault, I lost my temper when we should have just left..." She felt terrible that she had ruined a chance to get any more information. She had forgotten about the mission entirely.

When Jupiter hugged her back, Mercury felt her entire body heat up. She wanted to stay there forever, but she knew they had a job to do and it would be a bit strange for Mercury to continue to hug her comrade. 

No, they weren't comrades. They were friends.

But Jupiter's response to her statement of gratitude caused Mercury to pull away slightly, a scowl crossing her face. "Of course I have to thank you! That man...well...if it weren't for you, something bad may have happened with...that man..." Mercury looked down, biting her lip. "You saved me in there. So thank you," she finished, looking up and smiling again. 

"But I did manage to get some information."

~

After informing Jupiter of the information Mercury had gained from the man in the bar, the two girls headed towards the mountains where the so-called cave was located. They arrived at the bottom of the mountain, and Mercury looked up at the ominous landscape. Snapping her mini super computer shut, she turned to Jupiter and smiled slightly. "According to my readings, there's a cave about halfway up the mountain. If we get started now, we should reach it by nightfall."

Feeling a strange urge of confidence, Mercury reached over and squeezed Jupiter's wrist. She didn't speak, but only provided that small gesture of support and friendliness. Deep down, Mercury couldn't help but wonder if Jupiter considered her a friend, but she sure hoped so.

Of course Mercury had gotten the information before they left. Why wouldn't she? It was a good thing at least one of them had learned something. She decided to put the man at the bar out of her mind and focus on their net destination instead. Just the thought of him doing anything to Mercury made her want to punch the nearby wall.

---

 So this was it, the last part of the mission. Inside the cave up ahead was going to be the group of rebels plotting to destroy the Moon Kingdom. Now that they were so close to being done, Jupiter found herself excited to see what was in there. As she psyched herself up, she felt a hand gently squeeze her wrist. She looked down to see Mercury holding it, and she smiled back. They could handle whatever happened next together. Taking a chance, Jupiter twisted her wrist out of Mercury's grasp, only to properly hold her hand a second later, squeezing back. 

"Alright, let's go." The path up the mountainside was long and worn from what was possibly years of use. Around the dirt road, tall trees boxed them in. Determined to get to the cave at any cost, Jupiter didn't waste time taking in the scenery, resolutely moving ahead. her single minded focus caused her to miss something on the path that glinted in the sunlight: A thin tripwire.If she didn't stop, her ankle would catch onto it as she walked past the next tree.

When Jupiter took her hand away, Mercury instantly felt hurt. Did Jupiter not like her? Was Mercury making her uncomfortable? A foreign coldness started forming in Mercury's stomach, but it was soon turned to billions of butterflies when Jupiter laced their fingers together. Mercury's face instantly lit up, and she found herself in high spirits even after Jupiter let go. She walked with a spring in her step, fired up and ready for action. She was just so happy.

Why was she feeling this way? What about a friendly gesture gave Mercury so many butterflies? Maybe it was because Jupiter had taken her hand, showing that they really were friends. 

But you don't get these kinds of feelings from a friend. Even Mercury was smart enough to know that.

Shaking her head slightly, Mercury's eyes suddenly caught sight of a very thin, barely-noticeable wire. Her eyes widened in shock, seeing that Jupiter was merely a step away from tripping over the wire. Desperate, Mercury lunged forward and cried, "Jupiter, stop!" 

The tips of her fingers brushed Jupiter's hair, but that was the closest Mercury got before her friend was whisked into the air by a net that had been buried beneath a thin patch of dirt. Mercury's mouth dropped open, seeing the senshi of thunder dangling from a tree. 

"Oh no..." Mercury whispered, her mind whirling. How was Jupiter going to get down??

"H-hang on! I'll get you out of there!" 

Mercury began to pace, going in circles and walking back and forth as she thought of how to get Jupiter down. She was breathing heavily, trying to come up with some solution that wouldn't involve going back to get help. She could do this on her own, right? But how?

Stopping for a moment, she so-called senshi of wisdom looked up at the foundations of the net that was holding Jupiter captive. Her eyes followed the rope, trailing it down the tree and to one of the tree's uplifted roots. Walking over, Mercury pushed aside some bushes and examined the rope's knot. Using  her nails, she tried to pry the knot loose, but to no avail. Whoever tied this definitely knew what they were doing. Biting her lip, Mercury started searching the area for some sort of sharp rock or stick that she could use to cut the rope. 

Seriously, what kind of mountain didn't have any sharp rocks? It was like every rock that could work was too big for Mercury to lift. A small whine of frustration escaped her lips. How long until someone came? 

Growing frantic, Mercury began to pace again. "Oh gods, what do I do, what do I do, Mercury help me please..." 

The bluenette froze. Her fingers snapped, echoing across the area. "That's it!" she said aloud, smiling broadly. Closing her eyes, she felt her fingers tingle as she summoned water out of thin air. Focusing intently, she tried her hardest to freeze the water and forge it into a long, sharp shard that would easily cause damage if she were to hit someone with it. Happy with her work but slightly tired from using the extra energy to freeze the water, Mercury gently grasped the sharp object in her hand and went back over to the rope. She was about to slice it and release Jupiter from captivity when Mercury realized that gravity would pull Jupiter to the ground so quickly that it would definitely cause damage. 

Hoping her new plan would work, Mercury grabbed onto the rope tightly and sliced through it cleanly with her shard of ice. Immediately she felt the weight of Jupiter's body within the net pulling the rope upwards, and Mercury struggled to hold on. Her body was flung forward, and at the last second the senshi of water was able to press her feet up against the large tree that the net was hanging from. Her muscles were straining to hold the rope, knowing that if she were to let go, Jupiter would go plummeting to the hard ground. There was no way Mercury would allow her savior to get hurt again because of her. Grunting quietly, Mercury began to slowly allow the rope to pull her upwards, thus lowering Jupiter in the process. To someone watching, it would look like Mercury was using a rope to walk up the tree's trunk.

When Mercury reached the branch that the rope was wrapped around, she struggled to pull herself up onto it. She had never climbed a tree in her entire life, and her arm strength wasn't exactly...up to par. By this point, Jupiter was most-definitely on the ground and the net would no longer be holding her captive, but now Mercury was stuck dangling from the branch. 

'What have I gotten myself into?'

"Huh?" Before she could even process Mercury's yell, Jupiter was already being yanked up. With a startled cry, she found herself at least eight feet above the ground, suspended by a thick rope net. She struggled to move, but she was stuck on her back, arms pinned to her sides and her knees forcibly bent. It quickly became clear that she couldn't maneuver well enough to try to force her way out. She bit back a curse, more annoyed with herself than afraid. How did she blunder into such a simple trap? She'd have to rely on Mercury's help.

"Alright..." Jupiter said, after hearing that she was already working on it. She tried to relax as she watched Mercury circle the trap through the holes of the net. She grinned when Mercury summoned a sharp blade of ice to cut her loose, but the smile faded when she realized the flaw in the plan. She wasn't the smartest person, but she understood basic physics. If Mercury cut the rope holding her up while holding it herself, the smaller senshi would be pulled up by Jupiter's weight, injuring them both. 

"Wait, don't"- The rope was sliced, and Jupiter braced for the fall, but it never happened.  Opening her eyes, Jupiter saw that Mercury had used the tree trunk to keep them steady, and was slowly lowering her down instead. When the net slackened enough for her to escape, she climbed out and quickly ran under the tree where Mercury was. In exchange for bringing her down, she had pulled herself too far up to get back down safely. 

"Let go of the branch and I'll catch you, okay?" Jupiter said, holding out her arms.

Mercury's arms were shaking, and her grip on the tree branch was slipping. She heard Jupiter yell up, but Mercury's worries weren't quelled. What if she was too heavy for Jupiter to hold up? What if gravity pulled her down so fast that it hurt them both? What if she fell and Jupiter wasn't even standing in the right position?

'Stop this, Mercury. You need to trust her. She trusts you. Now it's your turn. Don't be afraid.'

Squeezing her eyes shut, Mercury let go of the branch. She felt herself falling as the wind whipped through her clothing and her hair, and without thinking a shriek escaped Mercury's lips.

'Please don't drop me. You can't make me fall without catching me.'

Mercury abruptly stopped falling when she landed in Jupiter's arms , though she could feel that Jupiter had grunted and stumbled under her weight before steadying herself.

"I told you I'd catch you..." she said, smiling. Though watching Mercury plummet like that had been somewhat nerve wrecking... She wouldn't have let Mercury hit the ground under any circumstances, but....when had she gotten so protective over the other senshi? 

Why did the thought of Mercury getting hurt in any way make her sick to her stomach? It didn't make much sense, since they were both guardians and more than capable of fending for themselves, but she still had the desire to keep her safe. She never seemed to worry about looking after Venus or Mars this intensely.

"Thanks for cutting me out. I think that's the first time someone's climbed a tree for me." After realizing that she was still cradling Mercury, she hastily put her down on her feet. "Uh, I guess we should keep a closer eye out for traps..." Jupiter suggested.

Mercury's arms instinctively flew around Jupiter's neck as soon as she felt herself fall into the taller girl's embrace. Her cheeks flushed red at Jupiter's words. Did she mean what Mercury thought she meant? 

'No. You are thinking too hard. Ignore the metaphors.'


Mercury smiled, her eyes locked on Jupiter's. "Y-you're welcome," she said, still a bit winded from her fall. "It's the least I can do, after you saved me from that man in the bar." 

There was silence, and Mercury found herself unable to look away from Jupiter's deep green eyes. Time seemed to stop, and for that brief moment Mercury felt as if she would be content in that position for all eternity. She liked being in Jupiter's arms like this - for the third time that day, Mercury wished with all her heart that she could stay there for just one moment more. 

But Jupiter put her down, and the moment was gone. 

And yet, it wasn't.

Laughing, Mercury reached up to fix her hair from its messy state. "We'll both have to be extra careful. We wouldn't want one of us falling into a pit, would we?" 

With that, Mercury continued walking up the mountain, checking her computer from time to time to see how much farther they had to go until they reached the cave. The sun was starting to get lower in the sky, and Mercury knew they would have to hurry if they wanted to get back in time.

"There's the cave!" Sailor Jupiter said. The sun was setting now, and at the end of the path was a large opening in the mountain. They had walked a bit slower the rest of the way, expecting the path to be littered with traps-which it was. The conspirators must have been expecting someone to be after them, and they had reinforced the base. She sprinted the last few steps to the entrance and found an old wooden sign. 

"Cave of Ankhises..." Jupiter read. "Paris' Cove inside." What a weird name for a hideout. Was this a different area before it was taken over? She looked back at the cave entrance, and cold only see a few feet in before it turned pitch black.

"It'll get even darker when night falls, let's try not to stay in there for too long. Maybe we should transform too, in case someone's waiting for us." After a burst of green sparks revealed her standing in her senshi uniform once again, she glanced at Mercury and walked in. She made a mental note to stay close to Mercury at all times. They couldn't afford to drop their guard confined in a small space they weren't familiar with. 

The inside of the cave grew so dark after a few minutes of walking, that Jupiter decided to try and create a makeshift flashlight with her tiara. The tip of her antennae was now giving off a luminescent green light, brightening a small area a few feet around the two.

The light played off the cave walls, revealing that they weren't just solid rock, but embedded with glittering silver and gold ore, and various unpolished gems. It was so nice on the inside, that Jupiter was starting to wonder if this was the wrong cave. Surely the one they wanted wouldn't look like this?

Mercury was careful not to set off any more traps, and she kept her eye out so that Jupiter wouldn't, either. Thankfully, they managed to get through the rest of the journey without any more mishaps, and soon they found themselves at the cave.

Ankhises...where had Mercury heard that name before? The name 'Paris' also sounded familiar, but she just couldn't remember why. Had she read about it somewhere? That must be it. Mercury still felt frustrated - she was typically great at remembering things like this.

Mercury nodded at Jupiter's statement. They would have to get through this quickly if they wanted to get back before dark. Closing her eyes, Mercury felt the rush of pure energy course through her body as streams of water transformed her into her senshi fuku. She followed Jupiter into the cave, making sure to stay close. Their hands were almost touching as the walked, and Mercury could feel the heat radiating off of Jupiter's body.

The farther they went into the cave, the darker it became, and Mercury found herself stumbling every now and then. Without thinking, she grabbed Jupiter's arm, using the other senshi as a guide. Thankfully, Sailor Jupiter lit up the cave with her tiara, and Mercury immediately let go of her arm. "Sorry," she said quietly, clasping her hands in front of her. 

The light coming from Jupiter's tiara allowed Mercury to take notice that the cave was covered in beautiful metals and jewels. The light bounced off of various pieces of gold and silver, and occasionally there would be a colored jewel in their midst. This was definitely the perfect place for a hideout. It was full of riches.

But wouldn't this place be a little more...well-known if there were so many valuable minerals inside? Why would a group of renegades choose such an unfitting, beautiful location for their hideout? 

Mercury's question went unanswered when they reached the end of the cave. Confused, she stared at the wall in front of them. It was...the end. There were no turns, no paths, nothing. It was just...a wall. 

"You've got to be kidding me," Mercury muttered, heaving a sigh of exhaustion. Maybe they had come to the wrong cave after all. 

She was about to turn around and head back in defeat when a slight shimmer caught her eye. "Don't move," she told Jupiter, taking a wary step forward. She needed Jupiter's light to be exactly where it was.

Mercury bent down, tugging at a strange stone that was poking out of the ground. It caught her interest mostly because it wasn't just any stone, it was a diamond. A large, beautiful, glittering diamond that was just jutting out of the ground. And it was the only diamond she had seen in the cave. 

Wrapping both hands around it, Mercury struggled to wrench the gem free. "What on Venus..." she said quietly, pulling with all of her might. The stupid thing wouldn't budge.

As they walked on, Jupiter felt something like disappointment when Mercury let go of her arm. Sure they had light now, but the actual physical contact was nice to have in this lonely cave. At the end of the road was a blank wall. 

"Maybe that guy at the bar was just messing with us..." Jupiter said. She examined the wall, seeing nothing but more jewels and ore. They had gone all this way to a dead end? She was just about to turn around and see if they missed another tunnel when Mercury told her to stop. Jupiter froze, slowly putting her foot back down to steady herself. 

"Did you find something?" She spotted the diamond Mercury was currently tugging at. "Wow, that thing is huge!" She moved closer to the gem, bringing the light with her, and bent down beside Mercury. "Let me give it a try." She placed her hands over Mercury's and tugged hard on the diamond with her. It shifted, and after another minute of their combined pulling, it slid out. A low rumbling filled the cave, and Jupiter stood up and saw their "dead end" slide open to reveal another cavern. 

"I think you found the switch to get in," she said, smiling again as she helped Mercury up. They hadn't wasted time after all! Wanting to know what was hidden behind the trick door, she stepped through the archway. 

On the other side of the wall was a huge, circular room, with a smooth rock floor that slowly tuned into a spotless, white sandy beach. A few palm trees lined the shore, and the beach itself bordered an underground lake. Above their heads, the ceiling opened up to the sky, showing a spectacular sunset ending as the first few stars came out. The indigo, orange, and purple sky reflected on the water, and the cave itself seemed to glow like flames as well. 

Next to the entrance was a large rock with words carved on it. In large, old looking script, the title Paris's Cove was chiseled in. Beneath it were a series of names that looked like they were paired together like couples. Only some were in a language they could read, but others looked so foreign that they could be from other planets.

Mercury blushed when Jupiter placed her hands over her own. She felt warm and comfortable, even though they were both pulling on a rock that was proving difficult to move. But with Jupiter's tremendous strength, the diamond came free. The walls began to shake, and for a moment Mercury thought the roof would cave in. Thankfully, it didn't, but instead the wall had slid over to reveal a new path. Mercury's mouth fell open, and he almost missed Jupiter's outstretched hand. Smiling, she put her hand in the other girl's and allowed her to help her up. "Thank you," she said, still a little bewildered by the sliding wall.

Mercury walked beside Jupiter through to the next section of the cave.

She was surprised, to say the least.

The room was beautiful. The cove was full of so much color and life, even though there wasn't a single person in sight. A gasp escaped Mercury's lips, and she took a few steps forward. Her eyes wandered over the sand, the water, and then to the striking sky above. She had never been somewhere so beautiful and so pure. It was like a breath of fresh air after a day of hiking and trying to see through the dark.

Mercury resisted the urge to collapse and fall asleep right then and there. They still had a mission to complete.

But why did it seem like this was not a meeting place for a band of rogues? This seemed more like a getaway for lovers.

The thought of Jupiter being Mercury's lover made her blush once more. No, that was not why they were here. They were here for a purpose.

But for some reason, Mercury wasn't quite sure what that purpose was anymore.

"This...this is amazing..." Mercury said, watching as the sunset slowly grew darker. "I...don't think there is a rebellion stirring here. Do you?"

"No..." Jupiter said, still looking around. This cove was fantastic, the kind of place she imagined in the old myths and stories of heroes and fair ladies. It was like a hidden paradise where lovers ran off to be alone, and it didn't surprise her that the planet Venus would have such a thing. She glanced at Mercury, and the slowly dying light seemed to give the senshi an even more ethereal look than usual. The violet and indigo evening sky's color accented her blue hair and eyes perfectly, and Jupiter couldn't look away. A blush settled on her cheeks as she tried to discreetly continue to look at her, the mission entirely forgotten.

How had she not realized how beautiful Mercury looked after seeing her for so long on the Moon? Maybe it was because she tended to separate herself more from the rest of the group. Jupiter was suddenly angry she hadn't gone out of her way to see her before. It was probably just the romantic atmosphere having an effect, but she no longer wanted to leave.

"Maybe we should...just stay here for the night," she finally said. "I mean, we hiked all the way here, we might as well stay for the view if there's nothing else." The thought of staying here with Mercury gave her the same nervous, but happy feeling she had gotten when the senshi of wisdom had healed her, and when they had held hands before climbing the mountain, and a myriad of other times since they stepped on this planet. 

As she thought about all those moments together, Jupiter wondered when she had started to fall so hard for her. When had she crossed the line between friendship and attraction? It wasn't strange for Jupiter to fawn after some noble in passing, but it was never this deep before. And did Mercury like her back?

Mercury suddenly became lost in Jupiter's bright green eyes. They were so big, so full of color and life. And...some emotion that Mercury couldn't quite identify. She had never seen someone look at her the way Jupiter was in that moment, and it felt...good.

Jupiter's suggestion startled Mercury out of her thoughts. "Yes, I agree. I'm afraid we may still be stuck in the mountains if we head back now. Perhaps it is safer to just remain here. It is rather nice..." Mercury said, unsure whether she was referring to the landscape or to Jupiter's flawless appearance.

With a sigh of content, Mercury sat down and wrapped her arms around her legs, resting her chin on her knees. "This is so relaxing..." she said to herself. There was a moment of silence before she blurted, "You know, I really enjoyed this trip with you. Of course there were some...awkward moments, but...I would not have traded you for any of the other senshi. I'm sure this would not have been so much fun if I were with anyone but you. So...thank you for making this so memorable," Mercury said, a smile forming on her lips. There were so many things she wanted to say in that moment, but she knew she couldn't just blurt out all of her feelings like some hormonal teenager. She had to see if Jupiter really did feel the same way.

Jupiter sat down on the smooth rock besides Mercury, close enough to the point where they were nearly touching. She stretched her legs out in front of her, letting them dangle off the rock as she leaned back on her hands slightly to look out at the lake. Now that they weren't in any real danger, Jupiter felt the tension drain out of her. Her eyes were half lidded as she zoned out, enjoying the scenery. She only paid full attention when Mercury spoke again.

"Well, it's nice to know I didn't hinder you enough to need a replacement senshi," Jupiter teased, and then she smiled genuinely. "But...thanks for saying that. I really thought that I was just going to drag you down, or get you hurt by messing up. It's not often that I'm useful in these situations. I'd have been lost without you." Jupiter looked back at the water, struggling to find the right words to say next. "And before this, I was ...um...kind of nervous around you. It sounds stupid now, but I thought that you thought I was hindrance or too rough, so I stayed away when I could." Jupiter laughed. "I guess I was over thinking it, because you're so nice."

When Jupiter sat beside her, Mercury had to resist the urge to lean her head on the taller girl's shoulder. She was just so tired, and the thought of being in Jupiter's arms like she had been that morning was very appealing.

Mercury leaned forward, looking over at Jupiter with wide eyes. "No, you would never hinder me! I enjoy your company, and I honestly don't know where I would be at the moment if it weren't for you. You make a lovely teammate," Mercury said, giving Jupiter a playful nudge. There was silence, and Mercury took the opportunity to study Jupiter's expression. She looked tired, but calm and at peace. It was easy to see that there was something on Jupiter's mind, judging by the way her irises were slightly darker than they had been earlier. Mercury's mouth dropped open when Jupiter spoke again.

"You were nervous...around me?!" 

Without warning, Mercury suddenly erupted in a fit of giggles. Just the thought of tall, strong, brave Sailor Jupiter being nervous around Mercury's tiny self was amusing. Sure, Mercury admitted that she was a little intimidating with her maturity, but she wasn't a mean person. It made her a little sad that her intelligence made others nervous. But never would she have guessed that Jupiter would ever be nervous around her. 

Mercury stopped giggling, inhaling deeply to compose herself. "It's actually surprising to hear you say that. I mean, I was always afraid to talk to you, but I never would have thought it was the other way around. You're so confident and beautiful, and I figured I was so small and shy that I would only bother you if I tried to befriend you. I guess I was wrong about that." 

An overwhelming rush of emotions decided to suddenly take hold of Mercury's body, and without giving much thought to it, she took Jupiter's hand in hers. "I...enjoy having you as a friend. But...I must ask...am I alone in the desire to be something more?"

Jupiter blushed and smiled to cover her embarrassment when Mercury laughed. It was sort of silly to have been so afraid of Mercury in hindsight. Just because she was smart did not mean she would be dismissive, and Jupiter should have at least tried to get to know her before passing judgments. 

She blushed harder at Mercury's opinion on her. She thought she was confident and beautiful? Jupiter usually didn't put much stock into other's comments about her, but she was more used to being called intimidating or aggressive. Outright compliments were few and far between.

"I guess we just scared each other away all this time. What are the odds of that?" she said. It was ironic, really. Mercury took her hand, and Jupiter had no intention of taking it away. The next question threw her completely off guard though. Something...more? Her eyes widened as she comprehended what this meant. Maybe her feelings weren't as one sided as she first thought. For one terrifying moment, she had no idea what to do. No one had ever liked her back before, so this was uncharted territory. 

But as the Senshi of Courage, she felt obligated to answer. She would not leave Mercury hanging.

"No, you're not." Jupiter steeled herself to continue. "I...I think I may have..." Fallen for her? No, that sounded too cheesy, and she didn't want to sound like she was joking. "What I'm trying to say is that..." Jupiter looked directly at Mercury, and despite how red in the face she had gotten within the past minute, she looked serious. "I love you, Mercury."

Mercury felt her entire world come to a halt at Jupiter's final statement.

Jupiter...loved her?

The thought in itself was unbelievable. They had only know each other for such a short while - how could it be possible for Jupiter to already love her? How could they have fallen so hard for each other that their mission had amounted to this?

The logical thinking and intuition that was programmed into Mercury's brain was trying to fight the feelings she was experiencing, telling her that this was much too soon, much too impulsive. And Mercury was inclined to believe in her own judgment. She knew this was crazy and full of risk, so why was she still sitting there holding Jupiter's hand? She needed to pull away, to call this off, to head back to the Moon and forget any of this ever happened.

But she knew in her heart that that could never happen.

As Mercury met Jupiter's entrancing eyes, she knew that Jupiter put all of her heart into her declaration of love. Sure, it was fast, and sure, it might be a little careless, but the feelings Mercury had gotten from Jupiter in just a couple short days had been unlike any feeling Mercury had experienced before. There was a connection she felt with the senshi of thunder that Mercury knew could not be ignored. It was there, and it was there to stay.

A small tear formed in the corner of Mercury's eye. Someone loved her. Someone had found enough room in their heart for a weak, shy girl like her, and the fact that that someone was also someone Mercury cared about deeply made her feel all the more emotional.

"I love you too, Jupiter."

Jupiter waited for Mercury to answer, to somehow confirm that it wasn't just her who felt this way. And then she started crying, and Jupiter panicked in her head. Did she say it wrong? Should she apologize? When Mercury said it back, all the paranoia left her in a rush, and she couldn't control the smile on her face. Jupiter slid closer to Mercury on the rock until they were leaning against each other, and gently lifted her chin with a hand, wiping the stray tear away with the other.  

"I sort of..wanted to do this for a while now," she said quietly, leaning in more. Jupiter's hand lingered on her cheek, and their lips met.

They spent the rest of the night in the cove taking the time to enjoy the scenery with each other, eventually going to sleep curled up side by side. Jupiter deliberately placed an arm around Mercury this time.

---

The next day, the senshi hiked back down the mountain after checking the cove thoroughly, though as they expected there was nothing to really find. Deciding that there was no other lead to go off of, they took the next shuttle back to the Moon. The ride back was far less awkward than the going away trip, much to Jupiter's relief. 

"So what should we tell the Queen?" Jupiter asked Mercury, sitting next to her. It wouldn't be long until they landed. Was the rumor about a rebellion simply wrong? Venus wasn't one to make those kinds of mistakes though. If she told the queen about it as a warning, then there must have been some evidence.

No matter how hard she tried, Mercury could not get the feeling of Jupiter's lips on hers to fade. While she was sleeping, while she woke up, it was still there. Jupiter's lips had been so soft, so sweet...almost like rose petals.

Mercury had woken up in the same position as the previous morning, snuggled up in Jupiter's warm embrace.

Oh yes, she could get used to this.

Despite having failed their mission to find the source of the rumors, Mercury wasn't upset about it. She had found something better.

Now sitting beside Jupiter in a shuttle to the Moon, Mercury couldn't wipe the contented smile from her face. "I'm sure the queen will understand," she said, in response to Jupiter's question. "We did the best we could. I mean, we failed, but...if there really is a threat against the Moon, we can fight it. Together."

The shuttle finally landed, and Mercury stepped out with Jupiter behind her. They were escorted to the throne room by two guards who stood on either side, and Mercury had to resist the urge to take Jupiter's hand. She had no idea how the queen would handle their...relationship, or even if the monarch would approve. They were senshi, after all. Romance didn't really come with the job description.

They entered the throne room, and the two guards remained outside while Mercury and Jupiter approached the queen. The silver-haired woman sat in her throne, smiling slightly at the two women as they approached and stood before her.

"Welcome back," the queen said. "Tell me of your discoveries."

Mercury took a deep breath and stepped forward, volunteering to do the explaining.

"Well, your highness, we did get a lead to where these rumors may be coming from, but when Sailor Jupiter and I followed it, we came to a dead end. As far as we are concerned, there are no rebels plotting against you. But you can be rest assured that we will both be keeping our eyes and ears open for any further information."

The queen nodded, her eyes moving from Mercury to Jupiter multiple times. "Thank you," she said. "You are free to -"

The doors to the throne room swung open, and a bright, cheerful voice filled the room. "Your highness! I saw a shuttle landed in the courtyard! They're back! Ooh, I bet they're all lovey-dovey and -"

Sailor Venus paused, her cheerful strides immediately coming to a halt when she noticed Sailors Mercury and Jupiter standing right there. Sailor Mercury turned, narrowing her eyes at the senshi of love. Something was not right.

"Oh. Uhh, heyyy guys! You're back! That's just great! How did the mission go?" Venus said, trying to calm herself and walk at a regular pace towards the duo.

Mercury looked back at the queen, whose expression was neutral. But her eyes...there was something in them. Amusement, perhaps?

Jupiter couldn't help but smile herself when she noticed how happy Mercury was on the way back to the Moon. It was like a chain reaction, as long as Mercury was happy, she would be too. If this threat was real, they would cross that bridge when they got to it. They were escorted to the Queen's chambers as soon as they disembarked, and Jupiter allowed Mercury to explain what happened. At least Queen Serenity didn't look disappointed with them. Maybe she wasn't expecting much either?

Now that this entire mission was over, Jupiter was looking forward to exploring their new relationship. Well, whatever she and Mercury had. They didn't really discuss all the details yet, but she was sure it would all work out. She wondered if Mercury would like to see the section of the garden she'd been working on...

But just as they were about to be dismissed, Venus came into the room, talking excitedly about them being...what did she say? It took Jupiter a few moments to catch on to what was going on. She had a sinking feeling that Venus had something to do with their mission coming up with no results. Just what insane plot had she tangled them all in this time?

"Not as well as we had hoped," Jupiter said. "What was that you were saying a few seconds ago?" Venus paled at Jupiter's knowing tone, but tried to play it off.

"Er, it was nothing, just a slip of the tongue..." Before she could slip away, Jupiter reached out and grabbed Mercury's hand, right in front of her and the Queen. 

"You were right about us being "lovey-dovey" now, by the way. So I guess whatever you were panning out worked," she said, smiling. She would usually be angry with Venus for meddling like that, but how could she when it worked out this well? Venus excited pulled the both of them into a hug with a very unprofessional squeal.

"I knew I was onto something with you two! Congratulations!"