Disclaimer: Must I write one? I think everyone knows I don't own Sailormoon... Why do they insist to rub it in our faces? Really :(

Chapter 4

"I cannot believe I went out to buy hair dye," muttered Rei as she leaned her tired head against the soft couch. She completely lazed out closing her eyes in the process. Minako laughed as she sat beside the troubled senshi of Mars. Yes, Rei's hair was now back to it's violet black color, but the hints of red were peaking out as they had the day before.

"I wouldn't doubt it if your hair was bright red tomorrow, Rei," stated the senshi of Venus fingering the dyed locks of hair, "Your hair seems very stubborn."

"Like Rei's personality!" added Makoto as she smiled being able to make some mental connection.

The senshi of fire merely sent a glare to the princess of Jupiter before brushing the words off. "At least you don't have to live by these neighbors," stated Rei, eyes closed, "I have a feeling we might become closer to them than we hoped."

"Oh, that won't be a problem at all!" exclaimed Makoto as she sighed with a smile, "Those guys were so dreamy...especially the one with chocolate brown locks of curly hair... they're so gorgeous; he also reminds me-"

"Of your boyfriend?" asked Ami knowing that phrase all too well. She simply pushed her glasses up onto her nose.

Makoto laughed as she sat on the hard wooden floors. "No! He reminds me my dream for the perfect boyfriend."

"Dream?" asked Ami.

The senshi of lighting nodded her head, her green curls bobbing up and down. Unlike the self-conscious senshi of fire, Makoto felt comfortable with the emerald locks of hair. Why dye your hair when it would just change to that color again? Anyways, she didn't have the time to always change her hair color to its "natural" look. "Yes, dream." She leaned against the floor and stretched out while looking at the ceiling. "It's so much fun making your own reality. You never know if the fates would allow you to have the pleasure of living out your dream..."

"That sounds... pleasant," stated Ami as she glanced back into her book, War and Peace. "But dating is so over rated."

"No way!" exclaimed Minako snatching the book out of the senshi of ice's hand. "Dating is, in no way, overrated! Just because you haven't gone on a date yet doesn't mean there isn't a man out there for you!"

"I'm not saying there is NOT anyone out there for me," muttered Ami with a forming blush on her pink cheeks, "I'm just uncomfortable with the thought of whom I might marry in the future."

Minako and Makoto "awwwed" as they hugged their silent friend, "That is something you shouldn't be afraid of," stated Makoto, "Just take it one step at a time and be cautious with who you might date."

"You never know whom you might find to be the kindest and easiest to talk to," stated Minako with a smile on her pink lips.

"And if he's a jerk, simply kick his ass," commented Makoto as she smirked, "You know you have the power of Mercury backing you."

The senshi of ice nodded her head, "I know... but..."

"But nothing Ami!" exclaimed Minako crossing her lightly muscled arms. "You cannot make excuses for love. There are times it just slaps you in the face. Accept it and cherish it. End of story."

Ami lightly smiled and snatched her book away from her friend's fingers.

The door soon opened revealing a woman with two silver buns. As much as the senshi didn't want to admit it, Usagi was starting to look more like Princess Serenity. Her blue eyes were becoming cooler with a mist over the orbs and her hair as silver as snow fall. She brought in a large black bag with a smile on her lips. She opened it and out came two fur balls, Luna and Artemis. They were completely thrown off guard when the moon princess tossed them onto the wooden floors. The lunar cats swore as their bodies collided with the hard floor with a thud.

"You could have placed us down more gently!" exclaimed Luna as she shook her black fur head.

"Sorry Luna!" apologized Usagi with a guilty smile.

The two cats, after shaking off the after math of the sudden drop and smashing of the floor, the cats took in their surroundings of Rei's new apartment.

Artemis was the first to walk around the floors, "Very wide and open."

"Many windows too," stated Luna as she took her place beside Artemis, "It's an easy access to the outside world."

The senshi of fire nodded her head as she yawned widely. "It was one of the reasons why I chose it."

"A very wise decision," commented Luna.

"Thank you."

"Not only is it good access to the outside world, there are also some very hot men that live here!" squealed Minako clapping her hands to her chest.

A sweatdrop fell from the side of Artemis forehead. "And you've met them...?"

"Met them?" snorted Rei, "She's dating one of the jerks! The idiot knocked one out yesterday with a heavy box."

"You didn't!" gasped Luna in surprise.

"She did," assured Ami looking up from her book, "They're going out to dinner soon."

"What do you think about them Ami?" asked the black cat. The animal leaped up to the ice senshi and sat beside her. The young woman blinked her eyes to the advisor before blushing.

"Well... they're very nice and polite..."

Usagi gasped noticing the reaction of her face, "You like one of them Ami, don't you?"

The senshi of Mercury gasped, as she shook her head, "No I don't!"

"Liar! I see the blush on her cheeks!" exclaimed Usagi pointing to the red hue. "Ami's blushing!"

Makoto and Minako turned their full attention knowing this was a rare occasion indeed. It wasn't every day that Ami, the one dedicated to her studies twenty-four seven, has a small crush on one of these mysterious men.

"Who is it?" asked Makoto as a devilish smile formed on her face, "Tell us Ami!"

"Yeah! Who?" questioned Minako.

Ami shook her head, "I won't say!"

Makoto cocked an eyebrow, "Is it that white haired hottie?"

"Kris?" asked Ami blinking. She shook her head side to side for the negative answer, her blush dying down some.

"What about that blonde haired one? The one Minako is going out with?" asked Usagi with wide eyes.

"HEY!" resorted Minako.

"No," answered Ami her face returning to its normal color.

"The brown haired hottie?" asked Minako.

Ami shook her head again.

The three girls' eyes lit up, "The blondie with LONG curly locks?" teased Makoto.

Ami's eyes widened slightly, "No," she argued a blush forming on her face.

"Aww, Ami's blushing!" exclaimed Usagi with a giggle.

Makoto pinched her friend's cheeks. "Ami likes Zoey! Aww! They would make the PERFECT couple!"

"Makoto!" whined Ami.

"That fine man would keep Ami on her toes!" giggled the senshi of love, "He would make her a hopeless romantic giving her chocolate, roses, making love to her-"

"Minako!"

"And the children they would have! Oh, they would be so precious! Blue and golden-red head children; they would have ATLEAST fifteen!"

"USAGI!" shouted Ami her face bright red.

"We NEED to hook them up!" suggested Makoto.

"Most definitely," added Usagi.

"I could concoct a love potion," pointed out Minako.

Ami rolled her eyes taking her book in her hands before storming out of the room. The senshi of Mercury was furious!

That was so... so...

Her small hand grabbed the doorknob twisting it open and slamming the door shut. The three girls plotting against Ami continued their chatter, an annoyed Rei sighing as she tried to get some rest. There were just some things in this world that weren't worth the trouble.

Ami, outside of her friend's apartment door outwardly growled as she began her hasty walk to the elevator. At times as this, she needed some fresh air. She needed to be AWAY from those girls. The blue locked female punched the button to the elevator and waited a total of ten seconds before it opened on her floor... only to see James, Nathan, and Zoey exit the elevator. The men gave the young woman a surprised look seeing the young genius miffed beyond what they thought was possible.

The three men looked amongst each other before Zoey stated, "What's going on Miss Ami?"

"None of your business," snapped the ice senshi.

James leaned to Nathan whispering, "She must be on that monthly woman's time."

Nathan nodded his head.

The man with dark blonde curls stepped up to the lady of Mercury, "Let me walk with you," her cold blue eyes surprised the man, his emerald orbs becoming frightened at her stare, "...just to the lobby, that is..."

The senshi stormed onto the elevator clutching onto her book. Zoey; he merely glanced to his two friends before following the young woman. Both James and Nathan noticed the glare Ami tossed at Zoey just as the elevator doors shut.

James nodded his head, "I'm convinced that Zoey is a goner."

"Yep," replied Nathan as he ruffled James' blonde hair, "Just like you with that blonde chick Minako."

"I'm not a goner! I'm simply being nice."

"Yeah... keep telling yourself that."

"What do you know? You're the one who can't find a girl to date."

"Why are you bringing me into the picture? We're talking about you!"

"Because you wouldn't be half as grumpy if a girl would challenge your everyday skills."

"Yeah right!" exclaimed Nathan with a laugh.

Meanwhile, on the elevator...

Ami sighed as she leaned her head against the elevator. "Sorry for the angry act earlier. I can't take a chance in letting the girls know I was pretending."

The man raised an eyebrow. "Okay..."

The genius nodded her head, and the elevator became silent once more.

Five seconds passed.

Ami glanced to the man with blonde curls, "Zoey...?"

He peered his emerald eyes to her blue orbs. "Yes?"

"Why do you have a girl's name?"

"W-what?" asked the man slightly taken back.

"Why do you have a girl's name? Zoey; the last time I heard that name, it was the name for a girl."

The man lightly laughed (in a nervous manner) as he peered into the crystal blue eyes of the girl beside him. "Zoey isn't my real name, Miss Ami."

Her blue eyes widened in surprise, "It isn't?"

The man shook his head. "Not at all."

Ami blinked her blue orbs, "Then what is if, if you wouldn't mind me asking?"

"It's Xavier," replied the man with a small smile, "but my idiot friends won't let this nick name slide from me. Not after what happened one night," sighed the young man.

The senshi of Mercury tilting her head to the side lightly smiled to the man beside her. Her eyes shined brightly with curiosity, "Would you tell me the story?"

Zoey laughed as he rubbed the back of his head messing with the golden curls, "Are you sure you want me to tell you."

Ami laughed, "If I am able to function after some of the conversations my friends give, I think I can handle this story."

"Okay," stated the man with a small laugh, "Well... it kind of started when a girl invited me to come with her to a bar..."

"A bar?" questioned Ami, allowing the book fall to her side subconsciously forgetting about it.

"Well... a GAY bar, to be more precise; the guys James, Nathan, and Kris decided to stalk me that night and silently observe."

A ring of the doorbell in Rei's apartment was heard. Minako's head snapped up. "Oh my goodness... what am I going to do?" she asked quickly. She began to panic while staring at her eyes in the mirror. "James is BOUND to notice the change in my eye color!"

"Just tell him it's your natural eye color," stated Makoto as she lounged on a chair. "They make colored contacts-"

"I know... but... this ISN'T my natural eye color! What am I going to do?"

"Maybe he won't notice?" asked Usagi standing behind her panicked friend.

The doorbell rang again.

Rei sighed and went to the door. "Minako, don't worry. I seriously doubt it would cause any trouble. Just have a good time."

The senshi of love nodded her head nervously as she turned to Rei who opened the door. James, standing alone, peered up from his observations of the doorway; he wore a deep sapphire colored shirt with khaki's as he leaned against the door frame. His anxious gaze turned into one of surprise at the sight before him.

Rei raised an eyebrow. "Are you coming in?"

The blonde headed man nodded his short locks of hair. "Uh..."

"He's stupid and blonde," muttered Rei as she rubbed her aching forehead, "I'm surrounded."

James watched Kris' new neighbor walk into the living room to lounge on her sofa. She closed her eyes and blocked out the world around her. He merely kept his lips shut from her strange and uncalled for comment.

"Hey James!" exclaimed Minako dashing to the man, "How are you doing? Has the swelling for you head gone away?"

James' smiled nodding his head, "Yes, Miss Usagi's fiancé's medicine worked well to reduce the swelling. Usagi, thank him for me again, would you?"

The moon princess smiled as she nodded, "I'll let him know."

"I'm glad things are all right," replied Minako with a relieved sigh. As quickly as ideas came to her head, a light bulb went off in her head. "Usagi brought my cat to the room today! I want you to meet him!"

James blinked, "A cat? But I don't think-"

"Artemis is really nice!" noted Minako as she smiled, "Let me see if he'll come. ARTEMIS! COME HERE!" shouted the woman into the apartment. It was strange how the two cats suddenly vanished from view. "ARTEMIS!"

"I'm on my way!" shouted a voice from the other room. Makoto and Usagi glanced at each other for a moment in surprise and fright; Rei even peered to Minako for a second before closing her eyes again.

The cat made its appearance with Luna at his side, "I must say it's very nice view Mi-"

Artemis noticed James staring at the white talking cat with a crescent moon on it's forehead.

The cat stared back with its scared blue eyes. "M-Mrrrooow?"

James stared and blinked his eyes, "D-did that cat talk?"

The room froze as dead silence rang into the apartment.