General Public

Blending In

"I hate it when it gets busy like this," Zoisite groaned, dropping her head into her hands.

Malachite agreed with a nod and a quiet hum. The couple had mistakenly popped out to the local café during the school rush, and were therefore swarmed by screaming children and irritated parents left, right and centre.

A month ago, the four Nega-generals had decided to make the big move to the human world and quit their evil, exhausting jobs. Fortunately, the camping trip had opened their eyes to a whole new world, almost entirely apart from negativity and energy sucking, and they couldn't settle back into the Negaverse after just one week of bliss. Although the small holiday had been relatively peaceful and, for the most part, quite enjoyable, the rest of the human world proved to be a more chaotic place, as disorganised as Serena's bedroom.

Indeed, Zoisite and Malachite looked very out of place in the crowded café. For a while they sat in complete silence, clutching hands across the table and trying desperately to find tranquillity in one another. Child after child after child scampered past – yelling, screeching and generally being annoying – and it wasn't until one of them stomped on Malachite foot, causing him to spill his much-too-bitter latte, that he spoke.

"Do you want children, Sakura?"

"I'm eighteen."

"So...?"

"So, no."

"Oh..."

"Why? Do you want children?"

"I think so."

"Oh."

Her thundering footsteps could be heard a mile away. She stormed home, her expression a horrific scowl and her fists rammed deep into her pockets. Despite the shadow of her fringe hiding her eyes, they continued to burn furiously in the dark. Malachite followed behind. Unfortunately, his usual 'rose of recovery' hadn't worked on Zoisite this time and she had brewed up a terrible mood within herself. The magical roses had clearly had some sort of extra special powers dusting their petals or sprouting from their anthers. Malachite had no further tricks up his sleeve or tucked away in the folds of his cape (which he still wore on special occasions, although he stuck out like a sore thumb in it), so cheering Zoisite up would be a long, gruelling process of mushy human nonsense. Fearsome, energy sucking Nega-general aside, Zoisite constantly fell for those little romantic moments often, provided they weren't too comical. He was sure he could pull something off eventually.

"Zoisite, wait. I didn't mean now," Malachite said, wandering into Nephlite's mansion after her.

His sincerity in speech could certainly use some work if he wanted to see her smile again any time soon. Ignoring him, Zoisite silently marched across the large living room, brushing past the questioning glances thrown at her by Nephlite and Jadeite. Chatter started up as soon as they heard her slam the bedroom door.

Jadeite gasped, "What have you done?"

"Nothing. It's but a small disagreement"

"Hm! Doesn't sound that way to me," Nephlite quipped with a smirk and a sassy hair flourish.

"Yeah, she's sort of acting like a child..."

"Isn't she a bit young for you?"

"You're one to talk!" Malachite growled, pulling the front door shut with such force that a crack shot up the left wall. "How old is Molly? Ten?"

"She's sixteen, actually. And you all need to stop picking on my doors! Carry on and I'll have to kick you both out."

Malachite proudly puffed out his chest and, deciding Nephlite wasn't worth even the smallest, least significant insult in the world, went to check on Zoisite. As he crept into the room and quietly closed the door this time, he heard a muffled cry from within the sea of blankets piled onto their bed.