Nehelenia walked ahead of the other two women, not bothering to turn her head as she spoke. "Schedule us for

the next flight out. Then schedule another flight from there to Nevada."

Beryl nodded, pulling out her smartphone and making the arrangements. Serenity was beside her, her whole face

strained with barely contained emotion.

Nehelenia turned back to her sister, 'I am so relieved to know you are alive.' She smiled to add weight to the

statement. Serenity responded the same but with four times the enthusiasm, wiping happy tears out of her eyes.

Beryl listened to the sisters converse with one ear while she searched for the next available flight. When she

was finished with their travel plans, she watched Nehelenia. Where Nehelenia was a visual contrast with pale

skin and black hair, Beryl had always been a study in bright colors with red hair and a sunny pallor. Her

employer had never been a warm person, and even in a language she did not speak she could tell that the

sentiments Nehelenia was offering Serenity were insincere. What bothered her most about the arrival of

Serenity was how fixated Nehelenia had become with her sister. Beryl had gone from being an occasionally

noticed assistant to a shadow following along behind Nehelenia.

And Beryl was not one to be forgotten.

Coming to a break in their conversation, Nehelenia reached into her bag to pull out her own phone. Raising it

to her ear, she listened to it ring before a rich male voice picked up on the other end.

"Hello dear. To what do I owe the pleasure?"

Nehelenia let a smirk curve her lips. "Can't a woman just call to chat?"

"Never with you," he replied, pausing a moment. "Am I speaking with Nehelenia senior or junior?"

"Junior," she replied without hesitation. "I haven't heard from my mother in months, since she left to do

charity work in Africa. You are right though, this isn't a social call."

Beryl tried not to show her interest as she continued to listen. She had worked for Nehelenia senior before

the woman that stood before her. The apple had not fallen more than a few branches from the tree. She was

beginning to have doubts about there ever being an apple on the tree at all. Nehelenia's mother, more so than

Serenity, could have been Nehelenia's twin.

"What can I do for you then?" he asked.

"Its what I can do for you, Diamond. I have a new subject for you...one I think you'll enjoy." Beryl watched

Nehelenia give Serenity a sideways glance.

"Oh? I didn't know you were in my line of business." He couldn't keep all of his amusement out of his voice.

"And I never will be," she replied. "However, consider this a once in a lifetime exception."

"I'm intrigued," he said. "When will I be able to meet this subject of yours?"

"Within a day or two at most. She doesn't speak English, though."

"Oh? So I'm expected to school her on linguistics while she's here? I usually have time to meet my subjects

before agreeing to take them, especially if they aren't native."

"I will provide you with a list of basic phrases," Nehelenia let out a sigh. "Although for your more...

creative purposes you'll have to teach her a few things."

She could practically hear him smiling on the other end of the line. "And what of the matter of payment?"

"Consider this as a favor to me."

Beryl had already gathered exactly what kind of arrangement Nehelenia was making. It didn't surprise or bother

her though, as assistant to Nehelenia she had already helped her make several other unscrupulous moves in the

past.

Diamond's hesitation didn't last long. "Is she damaged? I've lost interest in any subject that breaks too

easily."

Nehelenia turned to face forward, so the other two women wouldn't see the cruel smile playing over her lips.

"Oh no. I think you'll find it very difficult to damage this one."

"You can't get here soon enough then. I'll see you in a few days then." The dial tone rang in her ear as he

hung up.

She turned back to Beryl after putting the phone away, "When is our flight?"

"45 minutes. Enough time to get our things from the hotel and head to the airport. The first flight will last

last for almost ten hours." Beryl couldn't help noticing how Nehelenia's lips gleamed as she smiled. She truly

was one of the most beautiful women alive. It would only be a matter of time before Nehelenia noticed Beryl's

own beauty and worth, or so she told herself.

Nehelenia's sister on the other hand, while conventionally pretty, lacked all of the features that set

Nehelenia above the bar. Where Nehelenia's chest was ample, Serenity's was modest. Where Nehelenia's hair

accented her pale coloration and vivid eyes, Serenity's drew attention outward away from her face, almost

blending in with her skin tone. Nehelenia was easily six inches taller than Serenity, with a curvacious figure

and the defined lines of a could-be-supermodel. Serenity by contrast, was short and too small to have

noticeable curves, with smooth lines instead of definition. For the degree of difference between the two, they

had remarkably similar faces. Both were heart-shaped with bright light eyes and full lips. If not for the

similarity of their faces, Beryl would have assumed them to be strangers. To Beryl, her face was Serenity's

only redeeming feature.

The girl had taken that which she wanted most, after all; the attention of Nehelenia.

In that moment, she began to hate Serenity.

Beryl appreciated physical beauty above almost everything else. Its why she had moved to France from Germany

when she was sixteen, to live in the country where style and beauty ruled supreme. It was why she had studied

fashion and business, so she could carve a career out of her obsession. It was why she was working for

Nehelenia now.

Nehelenia, while she knew the effect her appearance had on others, was too self-absorbed with her own genes

and finessed taste. Beryl had seen her primping in front of her mirror for hours at a time, simply trying on

various articles of clothing with different hairstyles. The narcissism, while not unfounded, was mitigating

Beryl's plans of ultimately obtaining Nehelenia's affections.

Nehelenia nodded, already turning away again to head back to the hotel. The other two women followed, Serenity

struggling to keep pace with the two taller women.

When she lagged behind them by a significant margin, Beryl muttered "keep up." Although she didn't understand,

Serenity did quicken her pace.

Serenity was still shooting comments and questions to Nehelenia every few seconds. By the tone in her voice,

it was already wearing Nehelenia's patience threadbare.

As they headed to a different hotel, Nehelenia mumbled, "I do so wish he would consider relocating. I hate

that desert."

AN: I had to respond to one reviewer because they were so passionate in their review. XD Why do I need to ship anyone x Serenity, specifically either Rei or Mamoru? I haven't even introduced the full casting yet. :3 I can only say-you'll have to wait and see how it unfolds. A lot of characters aren't acting like their canon selves yet, and that is (mostly) because of something known as dynamic characters. Hopefully nobody is too OOC.