OMG! It's been so long everyone! It is I! The author formally known as Prince Kitten, who forgot her email and password as life bogged her down so inconsiderately and has now returned as the Kitten Prince! Inspired by the return of Sailor Moon Anime (Next Year a BOO-YAHHH!) I have returned to writing! * Strikes a Pose…..Crickets Chirp….Faceplants* Anywho…., I present Shoujo insanity! Yay!
Warning, story contains massive amounts of randomness! This was intended as a one-shot believe it or not, then just took on a life of its own. So, depending on the day that I wrote whatever part of it, swings between psychotic, and almost serious, with fluffiness and just a taaaaad bit of ecchi.
And why did I write it mostly in English, but throw random Japanese words in at random points? Because I can. Deal with it ;)
Disclaimer: STILL Do not own any of the scouts. I envy Naoko Takeiuchi…. O.o
Michiru smiled softly as the door to her shared home opened, the cool rush of air-conditioning ruffling her hair. Opening the door fully she stepped over the threshold and made room for her house-mate to enter.
"It's good to be home, isn't Setsuna?" The greenette time senshi smiled in return and took a cue from Michiru, setting her travel bag down.
"Indeed it is Michiru. I'm sure seeing Haruka a week earlier than expected has something to do with your smile?" A light blush powdered the sea-senshi's cheeks and she laughed.
"Oh, I suppose that could have something to do with it. It HAS been two weeks." She giggled and Setsuna just rolled her eyes, long since used to the antics of the two Outers. Michiru paused and cocked her head to the side thoughtfully. " But since she wasn't expecting us yet, maybe she isn't even home right now." She didn't hear the television blasting the latest race, the radio turned all the way up, or the low growl of the racer's car in the garage as she tuned and tweaked it to her liking. None of the tell-tale sounds of the blond woman's presence in the house. Setsuna merely shrugged and went to grab her suitcase, intent on carrying it upstairs to her room.
"Haruka is probably at the arcade with the others, showing off on the racing game again." Michiru grinned at this and went to grab her own bag as well.
"You're probably right about that Setsuna. At least I can get all this put away before she gets home." As both women headed for the stairs, bags in tow, a small noise halted their steps. Setsuna tilted her head and looked at Michiru curiously.
"Did you hear that?" She asked and teal-haired woman nodded back, her face pensive. Another small sound, almost like voices, cut through the air and the suitcases were quickly abandoned.
Working silently, the two women made their way back further into the house, the long hallway beckoning them as the whispers grew louder. Turned into voices. Challenging voices. Michiru swallowed hard, gripping her henshin pen, even as Setsuna did the same. Tiptoeing, they made it past room after room, Michiru silently cursing the largeness of the house as they went, until the last remaining door stood before them. The common room. Dark eyes met and locked in the dimness of the hallway, and an icy chill settled over both women as they braced themselves.
Stealthily, Michiru grasped the door handle, the slick metal cold to the touch. A quick nod to Setsuna, and she turned the knob ever-so-slightly, easing the door open. As one, they peeked into the room as if Galaxia herself was lying in wait. The sight that greeted them however, made Michiru wish that is was in fact their arch-foe come back from the dead, or wherever it was that she had been released to.
Setsuna, who was admittedly more emotionally removed from the scene that greeted them, was speechless and shocked in her own right, and felt for her roommate. For Michiru, her eyebrow twitched, her face etched into an emotionless mask, and a tempest brewed under the surface. Trying desperately to make sense of what lay before them, before the Sea Goddess snapped, which wouldn't be good for anyone in the Tokyo area, garnet eyes surveyed the scene.
On one side of the room, in a plushy love-seat, sat the Lightening and Love goddesses. Makoto was seated regularly while Minako was sitting literally in her lap, long arms wrapped around the brunettes neck. Both were staring at the spectacle in the center on the room. And while Minako's gaze was a mixture of shock and appreciation, Makoto's bordered on horrified.
On the love-seat opposite the sat the Princess herself. Sort of. Years of experience had taught Setsuna the art of observation well, and while it was definitely the future queen, she looked more like, well Minako. She was dressed in short shorts, a brightly colored halter top, flashy, and her normally odangoed hair was loose and fell over her shoulders, a red bow tying it up in the back. She could have been Minako's twin. Except for her face. A dark blush on her cheeks, eyes as wide as saucers. A comical expression to be sure. She clung tightly to her seat, her face almost buried in her cushions neck. Her seat, was none other than the fire senshi herself, a look matching Minako's in her eyes. An almost curiosity, a disbelief, her arms loose around the woman in her lap. As if she were an afterthought.
The room was dead silent, a held collective breath begging to be released. All eyes glued to the figures side by side on the couch in the center of the room. Michiru's included. How the other girls didn't see her, she didn't know. They were mostly facing the door. The backs of the two in the middle were toward her, affording her an almost perfect view of the alternate universe unfolding before her eyes. Her brain froze, unable to comprehend, completely boggled. For there, in the center of the room, poised pre-kiss, was her Haruka, HER Haruka. But quite obviously, it was not the violinist in her grasp. Though, from the hair color, you might mistake her in a quick glance.
It was not a quick glace that Michiru gave the smaller woman, not even close. Her aquamarine eyes burned holes into the ice-senshi's head. Setsuna placed a hand on Michiru's shoulder, not sure what to say. Michiru watched, horrified as Haruka's thumb grazed Ami's bottom lip, before holding her chin in place. A small look of shock washed over Ami's face and a pink dusted her cheeks. Her eyelids dropped and her eyes met Haruka's. Haruka moved closer and Setsuna closed her eyes, willing away the betraying image. A second later and under her hand she felt Michiru twitch again, her heart ached for her friend. She opened her eyes to look up at Michiru, to offer support to the obviously crestfallen senshi and opened her mouth to speak.
She stopped mid-word however, when she realized that Michiru's normally controlled countenance was not contorted by pain and heartbreak, but by absolute confusion and concentration.
She looked back over to the figures and saw exactly what she expected to. Haruka bent over Ami in a gentle kiss. Her eyes flicked back to Michiru who now seemed even more confused, her brow furrowed in concentration, head tilted in adorable un-understanding. Understandably, Setsuna assumed Michiru was in denial of what she saw. Sure Ami was hot, Setsuna herself had had a number of erm… happy dreams associated with the Ice Senshi, but to cheat on Michiru, Haruka couldn't be expecting to live long enough to enjoy her newest conquest. Only slightly miffed that Haruka had beaten her to the bluenette, Setsuna glanced back out.
Michiru, for her part couldn't figure out what she was looking at. As their faces pressed together the first thing Michiru had looked to was Haruka's eyes, to see if she could sense any emotion coming from her apparently soon to be ex-lover. She was shocked to see her eyes open. She flicked her gaze to the other woman, whom she was seriously considering renaming 'home-wreaker' in her mind, only to find something else that threw her for a loop. Ami's eyes were open too. Not that that was all too out of the ordinary, she had kept her gaze locked with her partner's for many a heated, emotionally charged scene…er…. kiss. But it was what their eyes were saying that so confused her. They didn't hold any of the emotion she would have suspected two people kissing should have.
She watched as Haruka's eyes seemed to laugh at Ami, the bluenette's eyes wide. And then the wind warrior actually winked at Ami, still not breaking the kiss. Michiru turned back to Ami and watched in surprise, as if she couldn't be surprised anymore tonight, as the girl narrowed her eyes back, almost in irritation. Haruka's eyes sparkled with mirth and she almost seemed to shrug, and the anger faded from Ami's gaze and she almost shrugged back, acceptance on her face. Michiru felt her eyebrow twitch again and made to enter the room, but a squeeze from Setsuna's hand stopped her. She glanced back and Setsuna actually smiled at her. Then she raised her thumb to her lips and kissed it.
The sea goddesses' confusion must have been evident on her face because Setsuna just smirked and nodded her head back out to the room, kissing her thumb again. She was convinced that the woman had finally lost it, because really everyone knew it had to be coming sooner or later, she hung out with Chibi-Usa in the future for goodness sake. Setsuna just repeated the gesture again. A small migraine beginning to form, Michiru turned back to her soon to be ex and the home-wrea…Ami, and stared hard at the place where their lips met. Well….Wait….What? At the place their lips should have met. Haruka's thumb, which had been on Ami's chin the last time Michiru had checked without rage blinding her view, was now on top of Ami's lips. Haruka was kissing her own thumb.
Wondering if she had indeed stepped into an alternate world, Michiru stared at the other senshi. From the awe-filled expressions on their faces, it was quite clear that they had NOT in fact seen through Haruka's game and were convinced this was a real kiss, not just an incredibly inappropriate, intimate moment. Makoto looked like she might be sick at any moment, Minako looked impressed, Rei was in shock and Usagi was…. Usagi.
Tired of whatever game was happening, confused beyond anything she was used to, and ridiculously irritated, Michiru again moved to announce her arrival, but Setsuna stopped her with a firm grasp. She shot a death glare over her shoulder, though it was void of the kind of force it required to make the time senshi flinch, and Setsuna just smiled in apology, holding her finger to her lips now, to motion them both to be quiet and just watch. With a quiet huff, a mental note to dip her house-mates hand in warm water the next time she was sleeping, and a slight nod Michiru agreed. Maybe a few more moments would clear things up.
Back in the room Haruka moved back slowly from Ami, noting with only a small amount of ego the pink on the smaller girls cheeks. She broke eye contact though when a cough broke out and Minako muttered in awe.
"Wow. That…was actually…kinda…hot." Usagi, her jaw still on the floor, nodded an affirmative.
"It was….yeah…" Rei agreed, her eyes darting between Ami's face and Makoto's blank stare. The brunette leaned to the blond in her arms and whispered conspiratorially.
"Is it wrong, that I found that hot as well?" She asked and the senshi of love tore her gaze from the couple to focus on the uncertain girl beneath her.
"Nope." She answered honestly." I mean, it was, yeah?" A small whimper escaped the brunettes throat and Minako sighed. Damn it all if this wasn't a major roadblock to their awesome plan. Who'd of thought that Ami would be the one to play all out hard-ball?
"Soooo," Haruka spoke out, wrapping an arm around Ami's shoulders. Ami tilted into the taller girl, her eyes flicking to Rei's wild curious eyes. She offered up a helpless shrug and Rei motioned to Makoto. Blue eyes flicked over to the ashen expression on the Lightening senshi's face and a simultaneous pang and joy and regret shot through her.
"Now that we've shown proof of our love," Haruka continued, and Michiru's eyebrow about twitched off her forehead, " who is next? Minako? Makoto?" She challenged and the two in question jumped and made blushing, guilty eye contact. Shifting uneasily at the rapidly changing game, Minako looked over to the third couple and hugged on to Makoto tighter.
"You may feel the need to prove yourselves, but Makoto and I are the most stable couple. We've been together the longest, that proves our love. " A sense of relief flooding her, Makoto nodded vigorously in the affirmative. " What about you two?" Minako challenged and their princess jumped, realizing that the attention was now on them.
"Uhhhh heheh…." She trailed off, looking to Rei for help but the Miko's eyes were firmly locked onto the Love senshis.
"What about us?" She questioned back and Minako smirked, sensing an impending victory.
"I think of everyone, you should have to prove your love the most, don't you agree Mako-chan?" The ice-senshi's eyes narrowed at the nickname, unbeknownst to the brunette in the room as all other eyes focused on Rei and Usagi. Haruka gave Ami's shoulders a squeeze and somewhere low in her throat, Michiru growled.
" Oh yes, it should definitely be up to you." Makoto agreed, desperately fighting the urge to glare down the wind senshi. Usagi humphed and nuzzled into Rei's neck.
"And why is that hmmm?" She questioned and Rei smirked at Minako, holding the blonde in her arms tightly.
"Well, you are the ones that threatened the future by disrupting the marriage of Endymion and Serenity and possibly endangering the birth of Chibi-Usa by dumping Mamoru and being together." Minako stated. The other senshi in the room calmly nodded, as if this were in fact common knowledge, but Michiru almost had to stifle a grin as the green-haired woman beside her twitched as well. Garnet eyes met hers in a sort of panic and she mouthed 'what the hell?'. Michiru just shook her head, bemused at the whole situation, and turned back to the soap opera.
Rei had a deer in the headlights look, and Minako had a Cheshire cat grin. Sparks between their stare-down flared into life around the room and Michiru noted yet another oddity. That their supposed partners, Usagi and Makoto, seemed to care less about the heated stare between the Inners number one and number two. Minako, with her eyes locked on the prize looked to be ahead but Rei's internal, and infuriating stubbornness reared it's head and she recovered, sniffing.
"Exactly. Don't you think risking the future of Crystal Tokyo just to be together proves our true love?" She asked back and Usagi giggled and made eye contact with Minako as well.
"Yeah Mina. I gave up my precious Tuxedo Mask for my gorgeous priestess." Usagi snickered and nipped Rei's earlobe earning her a full-scale blush. " And it is soooo worth it let me tell you.." Ami bit down on her lip hard to stifle a giggle, and outside, Setsuna twitched again. One of Rei's hand slid from Usagi's waist to her thigh, drawing little patterns above the girl's knee. Minako slipped into her game face for a millisecond before remembering her ultimate goal and a mask of playful indifference took over. She smiled and stroked Makoto's cheek seductively.
" I know exactly what you mean Usagi. Every second I have with MY Makoto is worth it." Ami stiffened and Minako shot a triumphant grin. " You agree too Ami? Haruka?" Still smarting from the 'MY' comment Ami didn't respond right away. Haruka took the initiative dropped a kiss on top of the blue-haired girls head, earning a barely stifled growl from Makoto.
" Oh we agree absolutely. It was a hard decision, to leave Michiru. But in the end, she understood. I had to be with my one true love." She cooed into Ami's ear. Makoto ground her teeth and put on a smile, playing with Minako's hair.
"You and Michiru seemed like you had true love though. How fast your affections must change if you've already moved on to Ami, hmm?" Haruka narrowed her eyes at the brunette, ready for the challenge, but a reminder cough from Rei focused her again.
"Don't get me wrong, Ami is no Michiru, but we feel what we feel right?" She said with a shrug, and Ami, snapping out of her focus on the closeness of the M and M pair across the room, snuggled into Haruka's arm and nodded, a pretend sadness on her face.
" I'm so lucky that Haruka decided to love someone like me. Even if I did have to give up my dreams to support her, it was the best decision of my life." She affirmed. In the doorway Setsuna felt Michiru's eyebrows flip off her forehead. Her own were fixed several inches above where they should have been. She couldn't make sense of anything, and that was saying a lot for her. Haruka had left Michiru for Ami, apparently talked to Michiru about it, though the growing tempest to her left told her otherwise, did not feel as though Ami were as good as Michiru, and made her give up her dreams so they could be together? And everyone was okay with that?
Well, not everyone, Setsuna noted as the bite in Makoto's next words almost made Setsuna wince.
"If you truly love someone, you want them to be happy, and to live out their dreams." She all but hissed at the blond racer who smirked and pulled Ami closer.
"True love conquers all sometimes. Isn't that true of you and Minako?" She challenged back and the fight in Makoto's eyes was evident. The room suddenly seemed heavy with their auras clashing. Minako gave a small forced laugh and patted Makoto's head.
" Of course we understand, don't we love?" She asked and with an amazing amount of effort, Makoto tore her murderous gaze from Haruka.
"Of course it is." She tried to coo and Minako smirked back at Rei who only gripped Usagi tighter.
"Yes, true love does what it wants to, and you an I do the same don't we my little bunny?" She whispered to Usagi and ran her hand up under the back of the girl's t-shirt teasingly. Usagi giggled, cuddling the priestess closer.
" Oh yes we do." She smiled. " Sometime for hours." Rei grinned back in triumph at the Love senshi who squinted her eyes and set her mouth. Without even breaking eye-contact she stroked Makoto's cheek who all but jumped at the touch.
" Oh we go all night when we want to." She said, eyes narrowed in concentration. Dark eyes gazed back, unfazed.
"Sometimes we go all day."
"We can go for a day and a night."
"We go for the whole weekend."
"We go after school."
"We go at school."
"You don't even go to the same school." Makoto challenged Rei, allowing both senshi to take deep breaths as they had shot back and forth rapid-fire, voices slowly escalating. Rei faltered and Ami came in with the save.
"Rei sneaks out during independent study to be with her."
"Yeah, that exactly what I do." Rei smirked, and shot a thankful smile to Ami. Minako made a face that screamed of frustration and focused on Ami.
"You can't sneak onto campus and do that. It's not possible."
"Yes it is." Rei returned.
"No it's not. Makoto countered.
"Yes it is." Haruka offered. " I do it all the time to see my Ami." She beamed proudly and rubbed Ami's arm. Michiru all-but broke the door-handle off. Makoto snorted and Minako glared.
"Ami has classes all day. How DO you manage to find the time?" She asked sarcastically.
"Well now that Ami isn't going to be a Doctor, she dropped a class to see me." Ami nodded as Makoto's jaw hit the floor.
"What?" Rei giggled at Makoto's face.
" She did it to be with the one she wanted most. Any sacrifice is worth true love." Minako whipped back to meet Rei's eyes and the stare-down continued.
"Yeah Mako, wouldn't you do anything for the one you loved most?" Haruka dared and Makoto shot a pained look at Ami who gazed right back, still snuggled into the blond.
The confusion of Haruka's statements, Usagi's apparent abandonment of the future, the silent stare down between Minako and Rei, coupled with Ami's loss of dreams, the absolute absurdity of trying to follow the conversation and finally the Ice-senshi snuggling into HER Haruka had snapped what was left of Michiru's patience. Setsuna winced in sympathy for the unsuspecting senshi as the temperature in the hallway steadily began to drop.
In the six way stare-down, well four-way really as Usagi and Haruka were mostly just trying to hide their laughter, Minako and Rei and Makoto and Ami all refused to back down. Incidentally, they didn't notice the ominous, foreboding presence spilling into the room until it was much, much too late. Usagi, facing the door completely, noticed first. She froze in mid nuzzle, her eyes growing huge and all the color draining from her face as she focused on something behind the racer. Haruka gave her a funny stare, and Rei, noticing Haruka looking at Usagi, followed her Princess's gaze. It really, really should have been obvious to Haruka once Rei's face drained of all color too. But it wasn't, not quite yet.
Minako, irritated that Rei had turned away from their stare-down, also followed their line of sight. What she saw filled her, very quickly, with very mixed emotions. First, came the giddy. Because this meant, essentially, that she won. Well they won technically, she and Makoto were on a team together. And winning was good. Very good. Secondly came pity. She could sense what was about to happen and did not envy the racer her fate. Although it was mostly her own fault for getting in the middle of an Inner affair. And thirdly, she felt fear. Because really, she was freakin' scary.
Having now noticed how deathly quiet the room had become, Haruka finally picked up on the dark sense behind her. She didn't even have to turn around to know exactly how bad this was going to be. Out of the corner of her eye she met Ami's eyes and the fear she portrayed there was enough to root Ami to the spot. Senshi of Ice or not, the chill from the next voice that spoke froze Ami, and she resisted, only barely, the urge to whimper.
"Haruka, so nice to see that you were not lonely while I was gone. Although it appears you and I need to have a very long talk." Haruka did not manage to resist her urge and whimpered aloud. The next time the voice spoke it was only millimeters away from Ami's ear. "You and I need to have a talk as well it would seem." Anything that might have been left of Ami's courage swiftly dissipated and she and Haruka sprang up and away, using Senshi like reflexes to spin, mid leap and face the attacker. Makoto was torn between coming to Ami's aid, and letting this play out. Michiru's face however, kept her glued to her seat.
"Michi…" Haruka exclaimed, making a half a step toward her hopefully not former lover. Michiru's icy glare made her whimper and she glanced to Ami, who was staring at Michiru with wide eyes. Setsuna choose to walk in and stand next to her friend, her stony eyes locked on the princess and Rei. Usagi made a small squeak in the back of her throat but Rei refused to be moved.
"Does anyone want to explain to me exactly what's going on?" She asked and the stillness of the room spoke volumes. With Rei and Minako having equal looks of defiance, Mako looking almost gleeful, Usagi looking terrified and Ami mostly frozen in place, she decided to go after the one in the room who seemed most likely to break first. She turned to the petrified racer and arched an eyebrow, a move she'd perfected decades ago for instances just like this. "Haruka?" She questioned and the woman jumped a foot, her gaze darting to Setsuna's face before focusing again on her incredibly angry partner. "Is there anything you'd like to say?"
"Yeah Haruka. Anything you want to clear up?" Minako sing-songed and Ami, Rei and Usagi simultaneously winced. Out of self-preservation, the racer opened her mouth to respond but Usagi sprang up from Rei's lap with a speed she rarely displayed in battle.
" Haruka no!" she almost begged and Setsuna's eyebrow raised even further. Michiru sent a glare her way and Usagi almost fell under it, gulping audibly. Minako giggled and even Makoto began to smile.
"Haruka?" Michiru questioned and the racer almost went to her knees. " Do you have something to say to me?" Haruka shuddered, a pained look crossing her face, and she glanced back to her Princess. Usagi shook her head vehemently, her eyes begging.
" Don't." She pleaded and Michiru growled low.
"Haruka!" She demanded and the blond whipped her gaze back to the angry woman in front of her. "Tell me the truth!" This time, Minako's giggle was audible, and she leaned forward, the racer's fall impending.
"Yes Haruka. Tell Michiru the truth about you and Ami." Ami had just enough time to shoot a scathing glare to the love senshi, who Setsuna had to admit was a bit hot in her near-maniacal glee, before looking back over at her swimming nemesis. She swallowed, hard, at the icy stare and focused instead on the blond next to her. Her only hope of recovery.
"What do you have to tell me about you and Ami, Haruka?" Michiru asked and Haruka sank all the way to her knees. Her face cracked and she sent an apologetic look to Usagi, who, realizing that it was just about all over, changed her expression to irritation and defeat, crossing her arms over her chest. Rei hung her head and harrumphed, an irate curse word slipping out. Haruka shot a glance at Ami who was still hopeful, but the full-blown panic staring her back broke her resolve and she sighed, heavily.
"To hell with it . Go ahead Haruka." She assented and the blond needed no further encouragement. She spilled, in rapid-fire, panic-fueled successment.
"I'msososorryMichiIpromiseIlove youandonlyyouandIwasn'tcheatingonyouIswearIwasgoin gtotellyouassoonasyougotback butthePrincessaskedmetoandIh adtohelpinthenameofloveandRe iandOdangoandthenAmianditwas allbecauseofMinakoandMakotoa ndsoIhadtopretendtoloveAmito getbackatthemandIswearIlovey ouitwasallaliepleasedon'thateme!" She spit out and bowed down, her head on her hands in submission in front of the Sea Goddess.
The room was silent, a cricket chirped. Michiru twitched an eyebrow, Setsuna twitched an eyebrow, and then…
"YES! YES! I knew it! I knew it! You punks!" Minako shouted and lept to her feet, pointing at Rei. " You thought you could play me? Me? The LOOOOVE Senshi? I knew it was lie. We totally win!" She cackled happily and high-fived Makoto who had just jumped to her feet. Ami just kicked at the ground but Rei growled.
"We wouldn't even be in this stupid mess if it wasn't for you two dummy! You don't win anything!" Minako jump-turned to her, competition making her eyes blaze.
"YOUR lie came out first. I knew you were just trying to play us! Haruka broke. That means, we win!"
"Just because Haruka broke doesn't mean you win. You suck for starting this whole mess."
"And you FAIL for not ending it. You should've just given up Pyro. I mean really? As IF you'd choose Usagi over me." Minako grinned.
"And just what is that supposed to mean?" Usagi yelled and Minako opened her mouth to retort.
"AHEM." Michiru interrupted and Rei sweat-dropped, turning back to the pissed off woman. " How did Haruka get involved in this?"
"MichiI'msorryI…" Haruka started but Michiru raised a hand to silence her and obediently she stopped. Setsuna smirked at the oh-so-whipped blond.
"Princess?" Michiru questioned, though the tone of her voice really didn't leave any room to believe it was really a question. Usagi winced and looked up. " If I heard my former darling correctly," Haruka whimpered pathetically from her position on the floor. "She got involved because you asked her too. Is this true?" Haruka turned and her eyes plead with her Princess to verify her story.
Usagi shifted and toed the ground. She muttered something under her breath and huffed. Michiru narrowed her eyes and Setsuna spoke up to save her Princess from almost certain annihilation. And she wasn't about to wait around for them all to be reborn AGAIN.
"Princess." She commanded in her, I am the legendary time senshi who sees all and knows all so obey me or I'll go back in time and seriously fuck up your life voice. "Answer her. Was it your fault that Haruka is involved?" Minako leaned in to hear the confession, glee growing with every second. Makoto smirked and glanced at Ami, who had also glanced at her. A quick blush hit them both, and they simultaneously looked away. Usagi sighed and looked up at Rei sadly. The Priestesses' face fell as she saw the defeat there.
"Pleease Usagi…"She whimpered and Usagi looked away.
"I'm sorry Rei." She whispered and Rei's face changed to anger at the loss.
"Whatever, at least I don't have to pretend to love a clumsy idiot anymore." She huffed and Usagi's eyes narrowed.
"Clumsy idiot?!" She yelled " You should be on your knees thanking me for helping you out with this stupid game!"
"This stupid game was your idea Bun-head!"
"The hell it was! You and Ami came to me and begged me for me help!"
"We didn't beg you for anything! We asked for your help! Obviously a mistake!"
"A mistake? Without me you wouldn't have even been able to play this game! You would of given up right at first!"
"We didn't need you! We had a back-up plan! We could of done just fine without your dumb help!"
"I'm glad you guys got caught! Now I can go back to my Mamoru and I don't have to pretend to love YOU anymore!"
"GOOD! I don't want to have to pretend either! I didn't know if I could take another day of having to hug you anyway!"
"You are so MEAN REI! Minako can have you! Good luck to her!" A vicious raspberry fight ensued and Minako rolled on the floor with laughter. Makoto grinned, relief evident in her smile. Ami rolled her eyes to the ceiling and sighed. Michiru and Setsuna just looked at each other. Usagi's explosion hadn't really cleared anything up. In fact, now they were both even more confused. Setsuna sighed and focused back on the Moon Princess and the Priestess, face-to-face, glaring at each other.
"AHEM." She cleared her throat loudly to interrupt and both girls gave a final harumph before turning away from each other, arms crossed.
"Some true love." Minako snickered from the floor and Rei glared down at her.
"Oh shut-up. This is still all your fault anyway." Minako just grinned.
"Princess." Michiru said, her tone making everyone jump. Her eyebrows were clear off her head, and her eyes narrowed, patience worn thin. " How. Did. Haruka. Get. Involved." She stated and Usagi swallowed.
"Um…well…I may sort of, kind of, have maybe asked her, very nicely, to help?" She stammered out and Michiru's glare ramped up a notch.
"To help you?" Usagi gulped and smiled nervously.
"Ah, to help Rei and Ami and me."
"To help you do what?" Usagi shot a look to Ami who shrugged in defeat.
"Um, to help them get revenge on Minako and Makoto."
"Yes!" Minako triumphed, fist raising in the air. Rei huffed at her and refused to make eye contact. Her first concern being her still former lovers impromptu make-out session, Michiru could of cared less about what ever game the damn Inners had gotten themselves into. Setsuna's curiosity was burning out of her skull but Michiru spoke first.
"So this is your fault?" She asked Usagi, intent on bestowing some sort of harm to the fault bearer. Rei sighed again and shook her head, a movement Usagi caught out of the corner of her eye. A devilish grin lit up her face as the opportunity to get back at Rei landed neatly at her feet.
"Nope." She stated and pointed a finger directly at Rei and Ami. "This is their fault." Rei jerked her head up to meet the evil blue eyes of her Princess and irritation flared. The ability to act on this however, died a painful death as Michiru's really quite scary you are now dead face was turned on her. Ami looked absolutely shocked and eeped, taking several steps backward. Michiru had already pretty much wanted her obliterated, and the small reprieve she'd gotten with the sea senshi's focus on the Princess now counted for nothing. Michiru seemed hell-bent on taking her out of the equation.
"So this is you fault then Ami?" She demanded and Ami's mouth went dry. She tried to speak but no sound came out, her eyes locked on Michiru.
"Ah…" Was about all she managed and Makoto went to move forward, in protection mode of the bluenette. Minako stopped her with a hand to the wrist and shook her head. They were so close to absolute victory she could taste it. Sense it. Feel it. And that wouldn't be all she'd be feeling tonight. She sent a lavicious grin at Rei who faltered, her face glowing red.
"Ami?" Setsuna stepped in, allowing the smaller girl a break form Michiru's icy glare. "Did you and Rei really get Usagi involved in this?" Ami made a face and sighed again, glancing at Rei quickly.
"Sort of?" She mumbled and Minako's grip on Makoto tightened ever so slightly.
"Sort of? Did you or did you not get the Princess involved in whatever this is?" Setsuna asked again, waving a hand in the air to indicate the giant mess. Ami winced and looked at the ground.
"Ah….yes. Yes, I suppose it is my fault that she is directly involved in this." She admitted, shuffling her feet. And action which Makoto thought was just absolutely adorable. She smiled at the smaller girl as shy blue eyes raised to meet hers. Michiru rolled her eyes at the cuteness and Rei just smiled happily. Setsuna shook her head.
"I almost can't believe that. I'm not sure what all this was, but I didn't expect it to be coming from you Ami." Ami looked back at the ground and Rei shot her a sympathetic look. " Or you Rei." Setsuna continued, and Rei looked up at garnet eyes in shock. " I could certainly expect this from Haruka, " The racer shifted in her kneeling position.
"Hey…" She muttered in defeat and Michiru bit her lip to hold back a grin.
" And definitely expect this from Minako." The blond in question looked over in indignation.
"Hey!" She defended and Makoto elbowed her in the ribs. Setsuna ignored them all, her eyes still on Rei, the fiery little priestess with deep burning eyes and long ebony locks… oh, right…focus.
"But from you?" She shook her head in disappointment and Rei clenched her fists. She didn't like to disappoint anybody, especially not someone she respected as much as Setsuna. Just dealing with Minako seemed to destroy any logic and self-control she had. Glancing over at said blond her eyes narrowed as she saw her hand on Makoto's arm. Smarting from Setsuna's comment, but obviously enjoying every second of Rei's punishment. She gritted her teeth and small devil horns sprouted from the top of her head in an almost mirror image of her Princess.
" Funny you should mention expecting this from Minako…" She began and the love senshi froze, picking up on exactly where this was going. Sending her a scathing smirk, Rei turned back to Setsuna, who had her arms crossed, one eyebrow permanently higher than the other. " Because actually, she started it all."
"Did not!" Minako yelped, jumping forward to defend herself.
"Oh you so did!" Rei chirped back.
"You and Ami are the ones who got everyone into this!"
"Yes and you and Makoto are the stubborn ones who started this in the first place."
"We wouldn't have had anything to start if you and Ami wouldn't have been so stubborn to begin with." She hissed and Rei chuckled.
"So you admit you and Makoto started this then? Good, see Setsuna. I told you." Minako's jaw dropped open and she very slowly turned to the two standing Outers. Michiru had her eyes closed, rubbing the bridge of her nose with one hand while Setsuna kept glancing between all of the Inners, trying to figure out exactly what the hell was going on. Deciding that allowing Minako to speak wouldn't be a good idea for anyone, Michiru turned to the one senshi who had so far escaped.
"Makoto." She hissed between clenched teeth and was a little pleased to see the tall brunette shirk back a few steps.
"Are you and Minako the reason all of this happened?" She asked and Makoto, whimpered, looking to Ami for reassurance. Ami just shrugged helplessly and Makoto looked to Minako who wasn't making eye contact.
"Um, yeah?" She answered and it was Rei's turn to triumph, slapping Ami on the back in congrats.
"You see? I told you we'd win this." She exulted and Michiru ground her teeth.
"WIN. WHAT?" She demanded, and suddenly every other scout in the room, Haruka included, became very very interested in the floor. Setsuna looked over to her and shrugged, confused at the response and Michiru felt her migraine pumping again. "WHAT GAME?" She yelled, and the level of her voice snapped everyone out of it, unfortunately at the same time.
"MichiIswear itdidn'thaveanythingtodowithme…"
"It was all the stubborn Priestess's fault. If she'd of just admitted…"
"…and I couldn't tell Ami because what if she didn't…"
"…stupid stubborn blond with such a big ego that she couldn't just come to me…"
"…don't have any type of experience with this sort of thing, so I had no idea how to move forward…"
"…supposed to be enjoying love with MY Mamo-chan, but no. My soldiers can't get it together…" As the combined babble continued Michiru screwed her eyes shut, a small vein in her temple throbbed mercilessly. She'd just about reached at end of what was left of her composure, and was amping up to pretty much Deep Submerge everyone in the room when Setsuna laid a comforting hand on her shoulder.
"What?" She snapped, fully ignoring the continued explanations from the others. Well, attempting to ignore anyway.
"…since I first met her and then Minako and I thought that since it worked so well…"
"…couldn't just let that stubborn blonde get away with it so we had to do something and that just seemed like…"
"…begged me, BEGGED ME to help them get revenge, and I couldn't believe that my guardians…"
"…Princessaskedmetooandwhatwas Isupposedtodoandtheyreminded mesomuchofusandiwasjusttryin gtohelp…"
"…seemed entirely to perfect to be true so naturally Rei and I had to be sure before we did anything else…"
"…Pyro had just admitted right then and there this all would have been over a week ago and we'd be in bed right now…"
Setsuna had started to speak to Michiru, but having picked up that last bit cocked her head to the side in an effort to clarify exactly what Minako was talking about. The girl had gone off on her own tangent, obviously, a slightly demonic starry look in her eyes if that was even possible. A few more seconds of listening to what she was saying however, and even the mighty time senshi, who'd been around the block more than once, turned beet red. She coughed and shook her head to clear away the not necessarily unpleasant images Minako was conjuring up and turned back to her friend.
"Michiru," she began in a soft voice, as if speaking to Hotaru before one of her Epic tantrums. And by Kami, they were EPIC. The kid was the senshi of destruction for goodness sake. "I know your main concern is how exactly that, um, incident came to be and how Haruka got into it, but it seems as though we are going to have to hear the whole story to figure this out, hm?" She asked. Michiru bit her lip. She really didn't want to care, but hearing the snippets flooding their way, she had to admit at this point she was damn curious. Confused as all hell in any case. Each of the girls were spouting various shades of blush and avoiding eye contact with anyone.
"…nibbled her ear for Kami's sake and this is the thanks I get…"
"…who could blame her with those glasses I would've loved to get her alone in the hallway too…"
"…swearitwasn'tarealkissandionlypretendedt obeontopofher…"
"…skirt that you could see everything in just for her ego so when she bent over…"
"…arms around me and hold me up against the wall like that since she's so much taller than me it'd be perfect…"
"…though whipped cream would go much better with her than strawberries would and wouldn't clog the handcuffs…"
Michiru and Setsuna both had to blink at the last one and Setsuna just slowly shook her head. She wasn't sure if she really really didn't want to know what was going on inside on Minako's head right now, or if she really really did. It had been a while…
With a heavy sigh Michiru realized her house-mate was right. There wasn't any way they were going to get to the bottom of this without starting at the beginning. She took several deep, mostly calming breaths, and stepped around the couch that had oh-so-recently held her former favorite, and now least favorite senshi.
"ENOUGH!" She barked out and silence again fell over the room as the defenders of the galaxy cowered before one of their own. She continued forward and allowed herself an internal victory smile when collectively, the group stepped back. Even Haruka, still on her knees, shuffled backward. With all of the elegance that she possessed, Michiru seated herself on the couch, lightly dusted off her skirt, and patted the spot beside her. Haruka perked up but Michiru glared at her and the blond sighed as Setsuna took the spot.
"It is painfully obvious, that whatever you have ALL managed to get into, it's complicated, ridiculously so. Therefore," She continued, oblivious to the growing sense of doom on each of the faces before her. ".. we are going to take this one step at a time." The room released a sigh of relief. She surveyed the still mostly terrified scouts and smirked.
" Who was the LAST one to get drawn into this?" She asked and everyone looked at each other. Hesitantly, Haruka held up her hand. The aqua-haired woman glanced around and nodded as the others didn't contest it.
"Okay. See, progress. This is good." Setsuna nodded her approval. No one had died yet, or even been seriously injured. Things were looking up. " Next step." She stared down at her partner and sighed. "Haruka, you were the last one to get involved?" The racer nodded vigorously. " And you were drawn into this by Usagi?" She continued.
"Yesbut…." Michiru held up her hand.
"Yes or No." Haruka pouted.
"Yes." Michiru let a small puff of breath loose and nodded to herself. With purpose now, and buffed by the first real step forward, she then turned to the Princess who eeped and took another step back.
"So you pulled my Haruka into this?" Usagi swallowed hard and whimpered, nodding her head. Michiru nodded with her. "And if I understood you earlier, it was Ami and Rei who got you into this?" She asked, putting emphasis on the Ice senshi's name. Ami flinched in response but neither she nor the fire senshi argued when Usagi nodded her head again in trepidation, eyes wide. Sure she felt bad for betraying her guardians, but the she wanted to live through the day to see her Mamoru again.
"Um-hum." She whimpered and Michiru nodded her head slowly. As one, both she and Setsuna turned to face the next two in question. The attention off her, Usagi just threw a pillow on the ground, plopped down onto it belly first with her chin in her hands, and produced a bucket of popcorn from nowhere. Ignoring the physics of a magical bowl of popcorn, and still pleased with the terrified look in Ami's eyes, Michiru choose to focus mainly on her.
"Do you deny this?" She questioned and blue and black shook their heads in unison. Minako smirked. "So you kept this…game…going?" Blue and black nodded in unison, and Setsuna shook her head.
"Instead of being the more mature ones and stopping this nonsense, you ended up involving your Princess? And risking Crystal Tokyo?" Ami's jaw dropped and Rei shook her head violently. Makoto bit her lip and on the floor, Haruka joined Usagi and the popcorn.
"Shameful." She whispered and Usagi nodded back.
"Irresponsible." She agreed and Rei ground her teeth.
"Crystal Tokyo was never in any danger." She bit out and Setsuna and Michiru turned to her, both growing smiles.
"Oh really?" Michiru pushed and Rei bit her tongue.
"Really." Michiru looked to Setsuna, and months of living together paid off in the silent communication they shared. Michiru pretty much said, I want to make them all suffer for this. And Setsuna pretty much answered, works for me.
"You know Crystal Tokyo depends on the marriage of the Moon Princess and Earth Prince, correct?" Setsuna ventured and Minako snickered at the condescending tone in the time senshi's voice.
"Ah…., my Mamo-chan." Usagi whispered from the floor and Haruka munched on more popcorn. Rei sighed heavily.
"Yes. I am aware of that."
"And that Chibi-usa, the future Princess, cannot come into being unless her parents, previously mentioned royalty, are married happily?" Usagi sighed blissfully, a light blush on her face and the image of her wedding and Rei sighed again.
"Yes. That too."
" And that a marriage, even a happy one, is not enough? That they must be…intimate?" Michiru hinted as both she and Setsuna leaned forward. Usagi giggled as both Ami and Rei turned beet red.
"Ah…yes. That part too." Rei answered, and something, in the very back of Ami's brain, woke up and screamed that her friend was being set-up. Sadly though, the warning came too late. The Outer senshi reclined back on the couch serenely, as though thinking through their next words carefully. Michiru smirked, and even Minako braced for it.
"So then, considering that the Princess just had her tongue in YOUR ear not five minutes ago while your wandering hands found themselves dangerously high on her legs, exactly how can you say you didn't put Crystal Tokyo in danger?" Minako had to admit, that once she got over the blaze of jealousy the images provoked, and her urge to shoot her Princess had passed, that she had a LOT of respect for the Sea senshi. That had been the perfect set-up. And watching Rei's face now, she wished she had a camera.
The Priestess was a shade of red that would have matched her fuku nicely. Her mouth was open, one eye and both hands were twitching. Ami looked much the same, with one hand over her mouth watching Rei in shock. On the floor Usagi, who had been in the middle fantasizing about her Mamoru, and been jerked back into reality rather harshly and was staring at Michiru, a blank, checked-out expression in her eyes. Haruka snickered and lightly elbowed her Princess's side.
"Nice Odango." She giggled and the blond snapped from her trance and whipped her head to the wind senshi.
"B….bu….but…." She stammered out and Minako and Makoto both stifled the urge to laugh aloud. Michiru and Setsuna kept their serious inquisition faces on, and coolly regarded the Fire senshi.
"Well, Rei? What do you have to say for yourself?" Setsuna asked again and dark eyes snapped to hers, a panicked lost look that was quickly growing.
"I….but she….we didn't….she's not….Um…." Was all she could get out and she sent a pleading look to Ami. The bluenette was still half-hidden behind her hand and only shook her head a little, unable to come to the rescue.
"Rei?" Michiru chimed in, going for the kill. "Did you, all in the name of this game, did you deflower your Princess?" Well that snapped Usagi out of it. She shot to her feet, scaring the absolute hell out of Haruka and exploding popcorn everywhere. Facing the Outers, and with a shaky hand pointed at her Fire guardian, she shrieked, in an ear-piercing pitch.
"I would NEVER let her touch me like that!" The others winced but Rei, whose brain really needed the distraction, took the opportunity to explode.
"Like hell would I EVER even WANT to touch her!" She screamed back and Michiru just cocked her head.
"So, your hand wasn't up her shirt a few minutes ago?" She asked curiously, and the shell-shocked Miko gave her a pained look. Haruka rolled on the floor, all the while congratulating the Princess on her conquer. While thoroughly enjoying Rei's suffering, a sudden thought occurred to Minako and she tilted her head at the Outers on the couch.
"Just how much did you see?" She questioned and as the thought hit the rest of the girls at the same time, they all turned to the Outers as one, eyes wide. Michiru only smiled serenely and shifted in her seat.
"Oh, I saw enough." She assured and everyone but Minako whimpered. Setsuna regarded her Princess.
"So, Crystal Tokyo is safe?" Deciding to move this along, she arched an eyebrow at the blonde, internally wondering if they were going to get stuck that high up after today. Usagi snapped her jaw shut and glared at Rei.
"Yes. Yes, YES! It's safe. I would never give up my Mamo-chan for HER." Rei growled and faced her.
"Like I'd want YOU too." She hissed and Michiru had to work to keep her face straight.
"But Princess, you said…" She began, but no further.
"I KNOW WHAT I SAID!" Usagi exploded. " It was a lie! I don't want REI! I love my Mamo-chan!" Rei glared at her, sparks flickering lightly around her frame, and Michiru snickered lightly behind her hand. Setsuna met her eyes. And though the garnet orbs were sparkling with amusement, she motioned to Minako and Makoto, the apparent ring leaders, and her message was clear. Let's do this. Michiru gave a slight nod and turned back to the group.
"Okay, we believe you." She stated and Usagi sank to the floor. Haruka produced a new bowl of popcorn and the girl took it from her sullenly, stuffing a handful in her mouth.
"So we are back to it being on the two of you." Michiru continued and Rei let out a sigh, the flames flickering out of existence. She mumbled to herself, holding her head in her hands.
"Uh-huh." she affirmed and the bluenette at her side nodded. Setsuna put a finger to her lip, pondering something and turned to her friend.
"And then?" Michiru grinned.
"And then, errors in judgment aside, you two say that you got into it, or continued it, because they started it?" She asked, motioning to Minako and Makoto. The senshi in question froze, amusement at Rei's predicament swiftly dying. With a quick glace to their counter-parts, Rei and Ami nodded in affirmative and Michiru sighed. Finally, the end was near. Again, the sea senshi and the greenette turned as one to face the remaining scouts. Rei let out a heavy breath and sank into the seat behind her as Michiru kept the inquisition going.
"And do you contest that this whole, godforsaken ordeal was your fault?"
"I wouldn't say our fault really…" Minako mumbled, hesitant to take blame having seen what her precious, gorgeous hottie of a Miko had just gone through. Michiru glared at her and Makoto slammed a hand over the love senshi's mouth and nodded.
"Yes Michiru, we started it." She affirmed. The struggle to hold the blonde's mouth shut ended abruptly as Minako bit down and Makoto yelped, holding her finger.
"What'd you do that for?"
"Why did you say it was our fault?"
"Because it was Minako." She humphed and crossed her arms again.
"Whatever." Michiru nodded with her eyes closed, processing for a moment. When she opened them again, a devilish look had crossed her features and she focused on Minako, who shifted uncomfortably. " What?" She asked and Michiru's smirk only widened.
"I want YOU to tell me everything." She demanded and Minako blinked at her.
"Pardon?" Michiru kept her feral grin in place.
"Since everyone seems to be in agreement that you were the leading cause in this whole mess, a mess which I now have to sort out, you are going to help out by telling me everything, starting at the beginning." Minako frowned and shifted again.
"I am?" She asked and Michiru nodded slowly.
"Oh yes, you are." Rei stifled a giggle and Ami hid her laughter behind her hand. Not quite ready to admit complete and utter defeat, Minako raised her chin a bit and did her absolute damnest to meet the sea senshi's eyes.
"And what if I don't want to?" She asked petulantly and Michiru's eyes narrowed and a terrifying wind picked up from nowhere.
"Does it look like I care much what you want?" She asked, much, much too calmly for the darkness that had suddenly invaded the room.
"So, what if I just don't?" Minako pushed. And Rei, fearing for her possibly soon to be lover's life spoke up.
"For Kami's sake Minako, just tell her." she pleaded and Minako looked over to her with a sigh. She looked back to her partner in crime who just shrugged her shoulders. An expression of acceptance on her face. Maybe this wasn't exactly, or even near what they had in mind, but telling Ami and Rei had been the ultimate goal from the damned start. Minako released another long suffering sigh and rolled her eyes to the ceiling. With a final humph, her shoulders sagged and she flopped down on the couch behind her.
"Fine." She conceded, kicking the edge of the coffee table. Ami, Rei and Makoto let out a collective sigh and the darkness faded into the background. Those that weren't already sitting sank down into couches, the adrenaline of the past few days starting to wear on them.
"This is gonna be good." Usagi muttered and focused on the angry blonde. Minako glared back at her Princess who only stuck out her tongue in response. She rolled her shoulders, and stared up at the ceiling, defeat a foreign taste in her mouth.
"What do you want to know?"
"Everything." Michiru answered, and Ami and Rei perked up, wanting very much to hear the story for themselves. Minako closed her eyes, and didn't turn from the ceiling.
"Fine so today we came over here…." She got no further before a cold breeze whipped across the room
"Minako?" Setsuna began, "It'd be best if you just started at the very beginning. From the day one." Minako huffed again, eyes still closed.
"Day one?" She echoed and Michiru nodded.
"Yes Minako. Tell me how this happened."
The love senshi cracked one eye open and glanced over to Rei and Ami, almost slamming it shut again at the gleeful look on their faces. She rolled her eye down to the floor and watched her traitorous Princess and the could-still-be-soon-to-be-dead Wind senshi happily munch on popcorn. Finally, she regarded the lightening senshi.
The brunette was watching her cautiously. Because first, you never knew if the blonde was going to pop off with something stupid and irritate Michiru, and second because there was absolutely no way that what Minako said next wasn't going to humiliate them both. Even in the name of a greater good, it was a hard pill to swallow. With a final huff Minako resigned herself to her fate, praying to whatever Gods might be listening that she got some tonight for what she was about to go through.
"Fine." She muttered in defeat and uncrossed her arms. She leaned forward and braced her forearms on her knees, starring down the Sea-senshi. She swallowed and pursed her lips. "If I had to pick a date, it'd say that this all started about two weeks ago, on Saturday." Michiru frowned.
"That was the day I left on tour." Minako nodded and Makoto chimed in.
"We actually saw you getting into your limo." Minako chuckled lightly in the back of her throat.
"You know, seeing you was what gave us..oomph" She trailed off as Makoto elbowed her ribs. She shot a dirty glare at the brunette and rubbed her ribs before continuing. " was what gave ME the idea in the first place." She made a face at Michiru. "You know, you could almost say this was all your fault." Minako laughed, amused at her own joke until she the icy look in Michiru's eye caught her attention and she held up both hands, laughing nervously.
"Heh heh, I mean, it could never be your fault….cough…" She trailed off and Setsuna shook her head.
"Go on Minako. It started two weeks ago…." Minako took one last look at her miko, and looked back to the ceiling. Oh yeah, she'd better get laid TWICE for this.
"Well it was Saturday, and Makoto and I were walking through the park on out way to Rei's shrine for the meeting…."