Culmination of an Overture
Back in the days when the four little Senshi had just arrived, life was simple for Michiru and I. Periodic border patrolling for the outer limits and the occasional mission to Saturn were the order of the day. The rest of our time was spent on the Moon training and at social functions. The trading economies of our planets were blossoming thanks to the relations we built at court.
It was during one of those calm downtimes at the Moon when I was taking in the scenery, lounging in the branches of a tree and watching the people swimming along the lake. Or the sea inlet, since we call it a lake, but it truly juts off the Serentatis.
Anyway, there's a soft rustling of leaves and I look over. It's odd that someone would be so far off the footpaths and odd that they be dressed in such a way. The long, stiff jackets of Martian military are hardly a common sight anywhere but their planet of origin. I look back to check that my favourite swimmer isn't going anywhere and then get to focusing on the kid down on the ground.
The scrawny little Martian is standing still, looking down at his her? hands cupped in front of his chest. He's completely enraptured by the entity in his her? hands and I don't get to see what it is until it flutters away. A butterfly. She watches it until it's gone and breathes out afterwards, staring off in its direction.
By now, I'm fairly certain he's a she and that I'm curious enough to want to meet her. I jump down, landing with a noticeable crunch, and straighten. She's facing me, and looking very cool and composed. Her tense body language however, the way her weight is spread between her braced legs, is threatening me with several different forms of death.
"The gardens of the palace are the only place on the moon where you can find butterflies like that. They were imported from Earth." I pretend not to notice how intensely hostile the girl is.
There's a beat of silence where her dark eyes flick to the tiara across my forehead, to my face and away.
"I don't care," she snorts, and walks off.
I grin to myself a little ruefully, figuring I could have handled that better.
"You should have known better than to drop in on her," the swimmer comments softly from behind me.
She moved her eyes about the room, noting that she was in her quarters and that the heavy curtains were drawn against the sunlight peeking in. Minako was passed out asleep on a chair in the corner, her head tucked into her shoulder and her knees drawn up.
Cursing her weakness in front of others, Rei slid her blankets off and swung silently out of bed. She swayed slightly when she regained her feet, her head feeling cotton-stuffed and her limbs stiff.
Clean white bandages were wrapped around her torso neatly. Someone had also cleaned up the clothes she had clumsily shucked and left a pile of fresh ones on a table. Rei grabbed for her shirt and too late, noticed that her belt was coiled on top. It slipped off and fell to the floor, the clasp clunking audibly against the ground and jerking the blonde from her sleep.
"Wha- Oh, Rei! How are you feeling?" she asked concernedly and unfurled from her nap.
"Fine." Rei quickly pulled her long sleeved shirt on hastily, but not before Minako could see the defined ribs along her torso that layers of bandaging couldn't disguise.
"Are- are you sure?" The worry was even more evident in her voice now.
"Yes," Rei snapped. She unfolded her pants with a snap and pulled them on, her fingers shaking as she threaded her belt through the loops. As she fumbled with the buckle, she saw Minako fidget; she looked as though she wanted to offer to help. Thankfully, she didn't. Rei didn't think her temper could take it if she did. "I need something to eat." She roughly threw her long jacket on.
Minako practically sprang out of her chair. "Let's go to the kitchens. You've missed dinner again."
The word dinner prodded the dark eyed girl to call to mind the events that had taken place in and after the demolition of the dinning room. Rei wondered where Serenity was at the moment. Then she glanced at Minako's arm and saw her sporting similar white bandages around her bicep. The blonde was oblivious to her gaze and made for the door at her usual, jaunty gait.
"I haven't eaten either," Minako tossed over her shoulder as Rei followed.
Rei just nodded and fiddled with her sleeve. Her coat had been washed and a neat line of indistinguishable stitches mended the tear made by the arrow. Rei looked up to Minako. "Who –? Did you –?" She stopped herself. The blonde Venusian probably couldn't look at a sewing needle without pricking herself a dozen times, much less wield one competently.
"Ami fixed that up," Minako informed her. "She fixed you up too."
Pausing to peel back her shirt, Rei inspected the bandages wrapped around her waist with keener scrutiny. They were neat, tight and it felt like a compress had been wrapped in with them.
"She did this?"
"Hmm?" Minako hummed distractedly.
Rei looked up to see the blonde's eyes lingering interestedly on her exposed skin. She yanked her shirt back down defensively and snapped, "Didn't you see enough before?"
Minako made a puzzled face. "Is it possible to see enough of another person? Everyone here seems to spend so much time hiding themselves I only want to look closer – you most of all."
To the blonde's surprise and eternal delight, Rei's cheeks flushed and the Martian quickly looked away.
Pleased with herself and the situation overall, Minako graciously said nothing about the charming blush and commented as if nothing had happened, "Ami knows all sorts of wonderful things. She's just jam-packed full of random facts and talents. And she's so pretty, with the nicest hair . . ." She trailed off, continuing her thoughts in her head.
Rei frowned. "Why were you in my room?" It hadn't seemed strange when she had first woken, but now she looked at the blonde narrowly.
"Ami figured someone should watch over you after she checked on you. She had to go answer questions about the explosion. She told me to stay." They reached the kitchen doors then and pushed their way in. Unlike before, the kitchen was full of cooks and servants, bustling around calling out orders.
Rei let out a little huff and looked at the Venusian irritably. "I don't need anyone watching over me."
"Well, sor-ry for taking care of you when you were passed out."
Everything the blonde said was like sandpaper chaffing at her ego. "You didn't take care of me. All you did was sleep in my chair. And I didn't pass out! I was . . . just . . . sleeping!"
Minako gave her an exasperated look. "Right – sleeping so hard you didn't move when Ami flipped you over and unpeeled your crusty shirt from your skin."
Rei took a belligerent stance. "As if you were watching! I bet the sight of blood makes you sick." It was mostly a shot in the dark, this. Still, Minako looked away, tossing her hair resentfully.
"Gee, there's gratitude for you. What's your deal anyway?"
"My 'deal' is you thinking you've helped me when you haven't," Rei snapped. No way was she victim to the tenderness of some gas-ball princess from the land of nymphos and debauchers. Bad enough Venus had seen her sorry state, but to have her asserting her supremacy by condescending to care for her – positively degrading.
"Well then I'll never do it again!"
"Good! That's what I –"
"You are the rudest –"
"– want in the first place! Just –"
"– most inconsiderate person ever!"
"– leave me alone!"
Minako crossed her arms and wore a mightily annoyed expression. "Fine. Have fun being grumpy then. But you might do something thoughtful for a change and let Serenity know you're alright. I don't know why, but she was worried about you." With obvious hurt feelings, Minako turned away and stormed off.
Rei got herself something to eat and drink and when she was done being grumpy, she was mildly surprised to find that she felt bad. She couldn't understand how she had gotten so angry over nothing, but blamed it mostly on lack of sleep and the feeling she was under since arriving at the Moon. It had nothing to do with the Moon, she knew, but was more a form of paranoiac restlessness.
"Whatever," she mumbled. Things like guilt and irritation were all washed away by the comforting routine of training. She sought out this refuge in the west courtyard of the palace where the guard rotated for practice.
Rei picked out a bow and loaded arrows into a kickstand quiver. It was either work on a little marksmanship, or go find Serenity. And I probably wouldn't find her anyway, she mentally excused herself She set herself up at the end of the range and casually strung the bow. She gauged the distance between herself and the target. Probably about eighty yards. Can't quite be a hundred. Maybe a little less. No wind, no–
There seemed to be a small stain the dummy's front that she hadn't noticed before. Her eyes widened when that dark stain began to blossom and leak sluggishly across the mannequin's chest like blood spread–
Rei blinked and squinted.
The pristine, white dummy stood at the end of the range, waiting to be shot.
Feeling an uncomfortable tightness constricting her chest and throat, Rei brashly swung her bow up to aim. The arrow fumbled in her grip and the string felt like it would slip from her nerveless fingers.
No! Come on! She willed her arms to obey, visualised stability and control. Calm. Her breathing regulated. Be unaffected. Be–
When she sighted her target down the shaft of her arrow the stain had spread all the way to the bottom where it dripped crimson puddles.
"Mars Rei?"
Rei jumped and hissed when the bowstring slipped and snapped into the soft skin on the underside of her forearm. The arrow was not released but she was going to have a welt to show for her surprise. "What?" Rei snapped and spun on the man who snuck up on her.
He nearly backed up a step, raising his hands peaceably. "My name is Artemis. I've come to escort you to the royal armoury."
Rei relaxed her posture, signalling to continue and examined him while he spoke. The man was tall and slender and wore an all white outfit to match his long white hair. The crescent mark on his brow put her at ease for some reason.
"The other princesses will be there and waiting to choose weapons. It would be advantageous if you all kept up your training. Shall we?"
Rei unstrung the bow, set it against the arrows and they walked across the training grounds to meet up with the other princesses. She hadn't seen them in this light before but when she saw the other three standing about, she sized them up, contemplated their techniques and speculated their weaknesses.
Broadsword, she guessed for the Jovian. Maybe a pole arm. The other two, she couldn't see wielding weapons without losing fingers or dropping them in fright. Daggers for Mercury? No, too personal for someone so squeamish . . . She looked at Minako and smirked to herself. A daisy chain? As if sensing her scorn, the Venusian turned and made a face at Rei.
"In here." Artemis hefted open a door beckoned them in.
It was the shiniest armoury Rei had ever seen, though small by her standards. Gleaming, noble weapons of all sorts sat on racks and shelves, hung from hooks and leaned against walls. The amount of silver, gold and jewel encrusted surfaces that met Rei's eyes was ridiculous. More tinsel soldiers.
Artemis caught the Martian's unimpressed expression but was then distracted by a blonde blur barrelling by with excitement. Minako was everywhere at once, darting between shiny items that grabbed her interest. The Mercurian seemed to have a slightly more refined approach to her observations, tending to inspect lightweight weapons. In contrast to the blue haired girl's tastes, Makoto was lingering near the weaponry that better matched her height and strength.
Nothing caught the Martian's attention until Minako's ferreting about uncovered something curious. The blonde then moved off after the next sparkly weapon and Rei picked up the pair of blades that had been hidden. She pulled one out of its sheath to inspect it and was pleased by what she saw. The handle was smooth and blended into the slender blade with a winged hilt and feather pattern. Upon close inspection, the stylised eyes and beak of a bird were discernable. It came with a thick leather belt that hung the sheaths on either side of the wearer's waist. She strapped it on and pulled out the other sword.
Rei hefted the two blades and felt an instant familiarity in the grips and balance of the twin weapons. "These are mine," she stated.
Minako glanced over and perked. "Scimitars? Those are Venusian weapons. Good choice!"
For a moment, Rei looked over at the girl thoughtfully. Smugly, she twirled the swords. "I name this one Phobos," she held up her left hand, "and this one Deimos," she held up her right, "after the beautiful moons of my glorious planet."
Minako glared at the Martian, her left eye twitching involuntarily. Deciding she had no grounds to take offence to that obvious snub, she growled, threw her arms up and stalked away in a huff with her chain over her shoulder.
In addition to training in their free time, they began more classes, taught by Pluto, the dark green haired woman Rei saw periodically around the palace. Her teaching method was vague at best and slightly confusing. She instructed them on the significance of politics and people both past and present, but spoke as if she did not expect them to truly understand a word she said. Unlike Luna, who grilled them on previous lessons every day, the enigmatic Senshi of the ninth planet seemed satisfied so long as they listened and put forth an earnest effort.
The Time Senshi also allowed them to ask questions and get off topic during class, again, unlike their other, less charitable teacher who barked at them to shut up when she felt things were getting unfocused. They would spend lessons pestering Pluto about what being a Senshi was like and what the gates of time looked like. Even Makoto, usually mute, was interested enough to speak up now and then. Ami's questions were typically complex and led to discussions that lost the other three young princesses, while Rei only ever probed their teacher on ancient warfare and the clans of Mars before they began to fall. Minako, on the other, asked about every little thing that entered her mind and queried at least once a lesson how old Pluto was. This was unwaveringly met by an enigmatic smile.
Outside the classroom, tensions between the four foreigners were invariably remembered and words became more inhibited. Their mealtimes were always taken together, but characterised by an oppressive, forced civility which bred long silences and stunted conversations.
After dinner, the moment the table was cleared by the servants, they were off in separate directions to pursue their chosen leisure before bed. Ami disappeared into the library, Minako stalked the palace and the barracks, looking for people more talkative than her classmates and Makoto disappeared somewhere outside. Rei used the time to work out in the mostly vacant training yards, discovering every little detail about her new weapons and maintaining her excellence at all others.
It was unusual, then, when Ami took the same path as Rei after dinner and trotted up to walk beside her.
"Mars?"
A small, inquisitive sound let Ami know Rei was listening.
Criss-crossing her fingers nervously, Ami began. "I realise it may be presumptuous of me and I do hope to not infringe upon your time too much because you seem to keep fairly busy during the hours we have to ourselves and I also enjoy passing my time at my discretion, however there is request I would like to make of you which I find rather important–"
Rei stopped the blue haired girl with a hand on her shoulder. "Tell me in as few words as you can what it is you want."
"Ah," Ami unfolded her hands and put them stiffly at her side. "I would like, would greatly appreciate it if – if you would take the time to train with me."
"Train with you?" Rei parroted, "In weapons?"
"Erm, yes. I have recently discovered the meanings of those," She pointed to the collection of small, metal pins along Rei's collar, "which all seem to indicate you have significant proficiency in the field of combat. All of my knowledge comes from manuals and texts . . . which I . . . they confuse me." Her face was turning red with embarrassment and on top of her sheepishness, the Mercurian looked slightly pleading.
"I, you – hey! You don't need to feel bad." Rei was ill at ease with the emotion the other girl was displaying. It was indecent to confront others with your feelings and for the most part, Rei ignored them or disdained them. But she didn't want to ignore Ami or disrespect her. Ami was . . . kind and very gentle and Rei didn't want to chase that away. "I'll train with you, okay? I was going there anyway . . ."
"Truly?" Ami eagerness returned.
"Yes," Rei pledged, but added, "I will think of an appropriate form of repayment later."
Fortunately for Rei, the Mercurian was a quick study, showing the same aptitude for learning swordplay as memorising texts. Ami had chosen a rapier – a slender, graceful blade which suited her well but required a precise technique to wield. Unsure of how to teach someone, Rei mostly assigned exercises which would develop nimbleness and muscle memory. Sometimes they sparred, though the Martian was very reluctant to do so. Her training had been harsh and the battles she fought even less forgiving. Pulling punches was a ridiculous notion and often tremendously insulting, even to novices. It had been utterly bizarre to witness the Moon's tinsel soldiers training and apologising when they struck their opponent. Rei was sure she would eventually forget and wind up skewering the other girl, who had no notion of the reality of fighting.
"I was only permitted to study fighting techniques because it is traditional for the rulers of Mercury to be knowledgeable in as many ways of life as possible," Ami had admitted once.
Rei had been appalled at this. "Don't you want to be able to stand up for yourself? Defend yourself?"
Ami was confused. "Defend myself from what?"
She could only shake her head and move on. What a backwards planet.
Then one evening found the Princess of Mars and her student finishing up their final exercises while a tall, silent figure watched them from nearby. She usually spent her time outdoors, wandering fields and idly tracking creatures through the untamed nature surrounding the palace. But tonight, now that her rival was surely fully healed, Makoto felt it was time to settle certain matters. The grip of her weapon felt particularly sure, clasped loosely at her side, the tip resting innocently against the floor.
Rei swept her hair out of her face and nodded goodbye to Ami. She then faced the spectator squarely. She knew what the Jovian had come for. Her neutral expression held no invitation but Makoto pushed off the wall she lounged against and gripped her halberd firmly.
"How about a rematch now that we're on even ground? No armour, no surprises."
Rei stepped forward and drew a sword, unbuckling the other one and tossing it aside. "First blood?"
"Fight until someone wins," Makoto proposed simply.
"As you like," Rei consented.
She leapt in suddenly, slashing upward in a careless sweeping motion that exposed her entire core to her opponent. It was a taunt, had Makoto been the sort to recognise it, but she did not, too absorbed in dodging the blatant attack.
Rei did not attempt to press an advantage, but fell back and began a more tame approach, testing and strategising. She knew already what sort of fight this would be. Makoto was fast and strong and eerily good at reading body language, but if there was any truth to the few rumours she had heard of Jovians, then Makoto was used to fighting wild animals and not duelling humans. She moved with a strange intensity, bursts of speed intermitted by wary circling.
Makoto lunged in to deliver a series of chopping attacks that Rei span away from and deflected. Rei had little option but to dodge her blows. They were dealt with such an excess of force they could crush any attempt to block. They circled once more.
In a display of technique and dexterity, Rei flipped her blade into her opposing hand in a reverse grip and veiled the action with a quick spin and a sudden lunge. Even the Jovian's miraculous reflexes couldn't save her unguarded upper arm from the unexpected attack. One precise swipe and the edge of Rei's scimitar was glazed in blood.
With a roar, Makoto slashed her halberd around faster than Rei thought possible. No other option but to block it, the warrior felt her body absorb the shock from her fingernails, all the way up her arm to her teeth clenched in her jaw.
She disengaged quickly before Makoto could exert more force on it, and drove the pommel of her weapon into the taller girl's shoulder joint. Rei then danced back to avoid the wide swing at her legs. Her jab had been struck with enough force to dent bones but did not seem to faze Makoto at all nor hamper her mobility. A flesh wound and a paralyzing blow she had taken to the same arm had apparently no effect. The Jovian seemed impervious to pain, but then again, so were most Martian berserkers once you got them started. What Rei knew from experience was that though Makoto might not be showing it or even feeling it, her arm had definitely taken damage.
After a flurry of jabs and cuts, Makoto's cleaving swing came like a lightning strike – one that Rei was waiting for. Her modified parry was not so much a matter of deflection as redirection. With an extra push exerted to the proper slant, the strain exacerbated the Jovian's whinging arm to the point of dammit-that's-it and the weighty halberd went skidding in circles across the floor.
It was clearly a defeat, this Rei knew, but had to check the urge to finish the match. Makoto's hand gripped her opposite arm, knuckles white while Rei froze for a moment, poised to finalize her victory. Makoto's bright green eyes narrowed from apprehensive to sullen and annoyed. She growled and turned her back on Rei to stride over to her lost weapon. By the time she had it back, the room was empty.
Their days fell into a comfortable routine – comfortable for some, like Ami and Rei, who were habituated to having a schedule. It seemed to chafe at Makoto some, and Minako did not look as if she understood how to adhere to a daily agenda, sometimes not turning up to class or even dinner.
The failed attempt at presenting the four princesses with their tiaras and the subsequent attack seemed to be a bit of a damper on the mood of the Moon residents. Even Serenity was in a bit of a sulk, wolfing down her food at half the usual rate. Queen Serenity was all for giving it another go in order to boost morale but the princess was adamant that there be no second attempt at presenting the tiaras until the reconstruction on the Palace's east wing was complete. Rei understood this perfectly – the significance of an event could be easily undermined if attention was being diverted towards something else. As far as Rei could see, crowning each of the inner princesses was most likely a display of strength that would best be presented once the attack was safely behind them.
So the coronation was on hiatus and their studies were progressing. Pluto had them every third day, and class with Luna was the same dull experience.
The near-Senshi studied together routinely – an intervention from Serenity, who insisted they should try to become friends. Minako was gung-ho on the friendship front but not so much for the studying. The other three treated their time together chiefly with indifference, though it was the Mercurian who offered her room to use.
Evenings then found them sitting around in Ami's sitting room at her table, reading their texts silently and questioning Ami when they didn't understand. In Minako's case, questions were also interspersed by bouts of hysterical giggling when something struck her as funny – such as the revelation that a zephyr was a warm wind and thus, 'the fluctuating pressure systems in the atmosphere are the main cause of Uranus's constant warm winds'. The blonde was mostly ignored, but for Ami's puzzled frown.
The time spent together revealed many underlying and buried disparities between the four very different girls. They each felt the less-than-attuned dynamic that their unstable little group had, noticed the obvious, like the mutual irritation between Rei and her roommate and the subtle, like Ami's aversion and near imperceptible distaste for Minako.
Though the frostiness between the four girls rarely came fully to the surface, it was very much in evidence. Their teachers were well aware and Serenity, though her commonsense was often little in evidence, could feel the animosity. It was the big things that pushed them apart and the small things that were always reminding them.
Makoto, chiefly silent, was eternally bitter at her sparring defeat by Rei and could not seem to repress it at any opportunity. Rei dealt with hostility the only way she knew how.
It was inevitable that their resentment should boil over eventually. Continued passive aggressiveness, a hunger for confrontation, and Makoto's unawareness about most things foreign were easy contributors to the culmination of their animosity.
Rei glanced up from her reading at what had to be the tenth or twelfth confused question about the biospheres on Mercury to be posed by the brunette sitting across from her. "It figures you don't learn much from living in a tent," she muttered.
Ami sighed. "Rei –"
"Well, I suppose a bigot like you must think you know some things, otherwise how would you form your worthless opinions?" Makoto snapped harshly.
Minako attempted to intervene. "Stop, Makoto –"
"Oh look, a whole sentence. And here I thought you could only grunt."
"I speak just fine – much better than the babies you murder."
And Rei suddenly went from smirking to utter seriousness, her knuckles white on the table. "That's too far!"
"Doesn't stop you though, does –"
Makoto was interrupted by the Martian's swift rise to her feet, accompanied by a harsh scrape of her chair against the floor. There was something cold and violent in her expression not at all masked by the way she looked away from them. Of the two that recognised it, Ami was troubled and Minako puzzled. Makoto frowned at the suddenly overbearing body language Rei was telegraphing and felt her hackles rise.
"That's enough," Rei growled. "I don't care what you think you know about me, but it's nothing." Her hands itched to settle at her waist, nearer to her weapon. She kept them braced on the table.
. . . settling matters in a duel is neither accepted nor honoured . . .
"I will forgive you your ignorance because you can't know any better." Mars is too closed off, of course there are rumours. "Apologise, and I will forget it." This had better be appreciated. Who ever heard of forgiving someone without duelling them first?
Hmmm, that is certainly a tad hypocritical. What does either of them know of each other? If they could only speak rationally on the differences of their cultures this could all be precluded. Ami sat as still as a rabbit in its den and did not voice her thoughts.
She's calling her stupid and asking for an apology? How charming. These two need to learn some people skills. Minako, never a fan of awkward situations, felt she had to get involved somehow and turned to Makoto."You had better not say something equally stupid."
Ami's pointed shut up look was too late, but the Jovian didn't seem to care either way. Crossing her arms in a stance that spoke no good, Makoto's reply was, "I'd sooner kill babies than apologise to you."
Never underestimate the stupidity of two proud people, Ami sighed.
Minako braced herself. Oh, this isn't good . . .
Her temper snapped, and Rei lashed out in a flare of pure reactive response, something like an exaggerated knee-jerk reaction. Her kick not only toppled the larger girl's chair, the force of it cracked and snapped the leg of the ornate furniture. It splintered at the base and dumped Makoto to the floor.
Her foot would probably bruise and ache for days, but for now, Rei felt only a brief flicker of pain swept aside by the tide of her anger and adrenalin. Her focus was choppy and halting. One moment she was lunging, the next she had the Jovian on the floor, knees to the spine, twisting an arm against its socket ruthlessly. Cries of pain, of shock, of protest all coalesced to cancel each other out and leave only her heart thundering in her chest, beating in her skull, accompanying her singularly crystalline thoughts. I've never felt . . . so angry. I can't control myself. Am I really going to break her arm?
She could feel tendons, inches away from popping, bunching in the bigger girl's shoulder. The arm in her grip vibrated against the strain of being levered the wrong way, grinding against the hollow that cradled it, muscles bunching and flagging in their futile attempts to cease the forward motion.
Stop me. Stop me.
Her peripheral vision was telling her strange lies. Was that quiet Ami shouting and brandishing a chair leg? She couldn't decide whether she wanted to dodge the oncoming blow. Minako had a grip on Ami's sleeve but the blue haired girl looked determined to do it and when she commenced her backswing, Rei still hadn't made up her mind.
Her indecision decided for her.
Suddenly she was blinking up at the ceiling with Ami looming above her. The Mercurian looked aghast.
Rei dizzily rolled her head to the side to see the Venusian guiding the Jovian out the door hastily.
She sat up, paused to let the room stop spinning, and lurched to her feet. Her head gave an almighty throb that felt like it might force her eyeballs from their sockets, and then settled into a steady pounding.
"Oh, my God." A wooden clatter was heard a second after the girl's numb fingers dropped her weapon. Ami reached out to touch the side of her head but Rei flinched away. "I'm so sorry! I don't know what – I wasn't even, I'm sorry!"
"Whatever."
"No, I'm really sorry! I cannot believe I did that!" The blue haired girl seemed horrified with herself and she dithered distraughtly. "I was not thinking at all or I would never have, have attacked someone like that. I am profusely repentant. I am truly very sorry! I am –"
"Stop apologising," Rei commanded. It was weird – no, it was weak and Rei didn't want to feel like she had just been floored by a weakling.
"You should see a doctor!"
"I wasn't even out for a minute, was I? It's fine." Gruffly, she shouldered past the other girl and grabbed her books off the floor, dazedly staggering a little when she stood back up.
Ami put a concerned hand on her shoulder. "Are you–"
"Stop it!" Rei smacked her hand aside. "I said I'm fine!" And just as coldly, she pushed past the Princess of Mercury.
In her room, Rei dropped her books and struggled with a couch until it faced her hearth from only a foot or two away. A fire, as per requested, constantly danced within the grate and Rei was never more thankful for its warmth. She curled up on the sofa and watched the flame ripple and sway in a trancelike state.
There was going to be hell to pay for the tussle with the barbarian, she knew. The second most annoying blonde in the palace was so passionate but naïve about her Senshi being best friends forever. She would either shit a brick or bawl her head off when she realised the four imported princesses couldn't stand one another.
After an unknown span of time spent staring at nothing, Rei heard the click of her door and soft footsteps approach.
"Come with me."
In several seconds, she stood shoulder to shoulder with Ami and Minako in Serenity's pale, spacious sitting room, listening to the young princess express her disappointment and pace in distress.
"So I've come to a decision."
Serenity faced them, looked them all in the eye in turn and truly looked as if she was decided. There was a lengthy explanation, and an outlining of a plan, but in the end, Rei was only moved by one statement.
"You're going to Venus."
.o.0.
And so ends the unofficial Part I of this story. Now we must begin the second segment and the turning point in the lives of our little Senshi.
mouseclicker – Thank you! I really am glad you don't mind the excessive waiting and even more pleased that you are enjoying the characters so far. This story seems to be becoming more and more character based as I write.
Traser SyberJedi – Ah, I think is just being gibbled since I know my second chapter is there. I hope you find it . . .
Dunny – Thanks for the encouragement, Dunny. :D
Venus Reiko – Ah, I do try. I take it from your name that you might be pulling for a certain pairing? . . .
DarkElena – Hmmm . . . chalks another one down for Minako/Rei Yeah, I figured Minako the Venusian might be the sort to go nudey at all possible opportunities. Heh. She's just that cool. And the assassin thing won't get fully explained for a while I don't think. Though you may get your wish about who finds Rei. :)
mannie511 – Heh, I'm glad chapter 3 is out too. It took me ages of toiling away at details.
Silver Sailor Ganymede – Well, I need some amusement to balance out Rei's angsty little soul, plus that's just how Rei and Minako's dialogue flows when I write it out.
Sheena – Ah, I'm all about the cold cuts trio. Yum. The beginning blurbs are there for many reasons, one of which is to contrast their coming maturity with the way they seem to lack it at this point in the story. They've got a ways to go, I'd say.
Silent Ee – Well, I'm glad you're enjoying it, even if it be against your will. I'm all about the customer satisfaction, but I'm hoping the quality won't take a dive even if it frees up your time. :) Sorry.
Bic – I find humour crucial to my chapters. It both provides amusement and enhances the effect of angst and action. Plus, well, I can only be serious for so long.
Lokiador – Heh, I can't wait to see how Rei and Minako's relationship turns out as well. It seems I'm discovering it as it goes along. There are several paths I could follow but I've not reached the crossroads just yet so if you've a preference, now is the time to voice it.
solareclipse117 – The story line is truly only just emerging, or what I know of it so far. But good beginnings are often indicative of more good things to come, right? I hope so. :)
ThrottaKaze – Mad skillz? Why, thank you! And I'm all about the uppy-downy emotions between the characters. That's how life is, constantly fluctuating
Immortal Sailor Cosmos – Late reviews are teh awesomeness. :) Yeah Beryl showing up not such a good thing. They're all a little too screwed up right now. But there's the irony of those four – how they can handle a life threatening situation with clear heads and little difficulty, but can't hold a polite conversation amongst themselves. I checked out your story too, and shall be keeping tabs on it. Keep going!
Jyuami – Wow, thanks for all the reviews! I'm sure you understand how awesome it is to log on and find a shwack of love waiting to be read. The "beginning blurbies" will likely kick off the start of each chapter and if not, then some other form of entertaining blurby will be provided. The outers will be making appearances sporadically but won't be too prominent in this story. Honestly, I'm a little iffy about writing them and doing them justice so I'll just stick to tidbits.
trusuprise – Thank you! I do endeavour to fool readers into thinking I am mature. Heh heh . . . ehem. More culture shock to come!
anonymousfan – In Minako's room, eh? Ah, not this time. I think she receives enough torment at the hands of the blonde.
LunarMiko and noneloveme – Yeah, a bit of a cliffie there – sorry. At least this update had no cliffie . . . er, and at least I updated at all . . .
Payne N. Uranus – . . . Bahahahahaaa!! WOW. Hopefully you've engineered a brilliant and daring escape from Some Island and are, perhaps, sitting inconspicuously in a foreign internet café, checking up on my story, keeping a look out for the fuzz. My imagination did indeed voyage back from the lands which receive adequate sunlight and thus, you have this behemoth of a chapter. Unfortunately, my imagination/muse/brain/whatever, is still a cranky, stubborn bitch and yields inspiration only when bribed with junk food and alcohol, tortured with boring classes, or prodded by particularly peculiar, exceedingly entertaining reviews. An update for my other story is not far off, but after that, it may be another trip into the depths of the dank and dingy hidden basement on Some Island for you. At least this time you'll know that no good will come of telling the men in white that their uniforms make them look fat.
Krampus