Strawberry Ice

Eleven

Haruka Tenoh, Michiru Kaoru Hotaru Tomoe and Setsuna Meiou were out together, as the day gradually shifted to evening.

"So while the others see a school play, we have to patrol?" Haruka asked, the boyish blonde looking annoyed.

"Love, did you WANT to go see a school play?" Michiru asked her lover reasonably.

Haruka paused, "Well, no."

"Me too," Hotaru admitted. Well, if it was one with Chibi-Usa in it maybe... she sighed to herself dreamily.

"See?" Michiru smiled.

Haruka continued, "But it's the principle of the thing, though."

Setsuna just chuckled at that.

"Plus, sometime in the future when we'll want some," Michiru paused, "alone time, the inners will owe us a favor."

"Oh HO," Haruka grinned.

"Indeed," Michiru agreed smugly.

Hotaru rolled her eyes.

"If you two are done flirting," Setsuna sighed, clearly echoing Hotaru's thoughts as she continued, "let's go out patrolling, shall we?"

"You're no fun," Haruka told her.

"Agreed," Michiru sighed.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

"This is SO COOL!" Usagi enthused as the group walked through the campus, surrounded by other theater goers. All the young women were dressed nicely, not too fancy but better than the usual street clothes.

"Relax," Minako smiled wryly as they reached the main theater. There were multiple events scheduled for the night, and the play itself would start in about half an hour.

Ami noted, "You and Makoto both have visited here, correct?"

"Yes, the nuns were very nice yesterday," Makoto agreed with her cheerfully, "as were the students I met."

Minako gave Makoto a thoughtful look, "I bet they were. Did any younger girls ask to be your 'little sister?' "

"Huh?" Makoto blinked.

"Never mind," Minako snickered softly.

Usagi also clearly didn't get it, but Minako decided not to explain.

Ami paused then also decided not to say. "By the way, several of my friends said they were coming too. They may sit with us," Ami explained.

"The more the merrier!" Usagi smiled. She grinned, "Is your GIRLFRIEND coming?"

"Yes," Ami blushed.

"I would think they'd be coming after the show," Minako murmured.

"MINA," Makoto hissed.

The four women headed to their saved seats and sat, along with Rei's Grandpa who had come earlier. Gramps appeared overjoyed surrounded by pretty young women. Sadly, Rei's father hadn't showed up, but that was his loss.

A few minutes later, three women hurried in. "You HAD to dress up," Tamao scolded mildly as they walked to their seats.

Shizuma smiled, "I have to look good taking my Nagisa out."

Nagisa blushed cutely.

Ami heard them coming, turned and saw Tamao. Her face lit up with a warm, welcoming smile.

"Hi!" Usagi waved, having met the three women at the Strawberry a few nights ago, when they met with the Outers.

Introductions were made as the three settled in behind them. Makoto and Minako were both bowled over, a bit, by how pretty Shizuma was.

Tamao kissed Ami quickly, aware that Ami's friends might be a bit shocked by it all. "We made it in time, right?" she murmured.

"We still have a few minutes," Ami reassured her.

"So, you wouldn't happen to have a younger sister or brother who's single?" Minako asked Shizuma archly.

"MINA," Makoto growled.

"What?" Mina batted her eyes.

Shizuma just laughed softly.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

"Ok, we're on in a few minutes! Double check your props! Are the sets ready? Have you used the bathroom?" the director called.

Rei kind of covertly looked out from behind the stage curtain, scanning the crowd. Ami and the others were there as expected... then she blinked, recognizing several other women. "Hey, Chikaru," she called quietly.

"Hmm?" Chikaru made her way over in her 'Evil Fairy' outfit, the black contrasting nicely with her elegant features.

"Behind Ami. We have some unexpected company," Rei gestured.

"Well, I wasn't expecting to see Nagisa and Shizuma here. Being moral support for Tamao?" Chikaru guessed.

"Probably. Or to support YOU, teach," Rei pointed out.

"PLACES!" the director yelled.

Out front they heard the Master of Ceremonies talking. "... and here is our Theater Club, preforming their adaption of Sleeping Beauty!"

With that, the curtains parted and the play began. The narrator set the scene, describing the happy royals and the baby's birth. The christening scene began with the fairies blessing... then The Evil Fairy arrived.

"What a lovely event," The Evil Fairy drawled.

"We don't want YOU here," the Blue Fairy spat out.

"Well, if I am UNWANTED here... I will just give my gift to the princess now," The Evil Fairy said flatly, then cursed the child to eternal sleep if pricked by a spinning needle.

"Oh no!" the queen cried then realistically fainted.

The last fairy, not having given her blessing, kissed the child's forehead then said, "She will not rest eternal, but merely sleep until recieving true love's kiss."

"Like THAT will ever happen," The Evil Fairy scoffed then flounced off.

Out in the audience someone (probably Ami) was explaining to the others, "The Evil Fairy cursed them because they broke the rules for treating guests. If they had welcomed her, she probably would have just blessed the baby too."

The Narrator explained how the king and queen banned all spinning wheels from the kingdom. However the princess (Kagome) was both curious and not too bright, and eventually found one, proceeding to prick her finger.

For the Princess' safety she was put in a tower, and the kingdom mourned as she slept.

"Can someone save the princess!" a extra lamented.

Rei stepped out from back stage in her 'prince' outfit, tights, blouse and a sword belted at her side, as she declared, "Please, let me help."

"REI-SAMA!" a lot of girls in the audience cried out.

A blushing Rei carried on, 'travelling' to the tower, fighting through a 'thorn maze' then facing the Evil Fairy.

Swords came together with a flash, then the taller woman drove the other back. "Surrender, Prince!" the Wicked Queen cried.

"Never," the Prince cried.

With a mighty heave of her shoulders she forced the Queen away. Their swords gleamed as they fought across the stage, then the Prince disarmed the Wicked Queen. She demanded her surrender, the Queen slipped a prop knife from her sleeve and went for a stab. Then finally the Prince lunged forward, driving her blade right into the Queen's chest.

With a dramatic cry Chikaru fell iunto the shadow of the prop trees. Unseen by the crowd, she gave Rei a thumbs up.

The Prince ignored that, walking over to the bed where the Princess slept. She bent over and kissed her, and while it looked like on the lips, she was actually just kissing her cheek.

"My Prince!" the Princess cried happily.

The Narrator stepped up, "And with that, the Prince and Princess returned to the palace, where there was much rejoycing. And they lived happily ever after..."

Everyone who preformed took the stage, along with the director and staff. They all bowed, and the audience cheered as the curtain came down.

"All right, we need to get the sets DOWN for the next act!" Chiyo yelled as everyone puffed out a relieved sigh. "Go! Go!"

"Task master," Rei chuckled as everyone pitched in.

To be continued...

Notes: FINALLY got to the play. Ha. Next chapter will PROBABLY be the last, barring unexpected story bits coming up.

"Did any younger girls ask to be your 'little sister?'" is a reference to 'Maria Watches Over Us' which was set at a Christian all girls school with schoolgirl lesbians.