Is Your Love Strong Enough
I do not own Sailor Moon. With the exception of Rini, the
Chibi Scouts are property of Angel Raye. However, this story and any new
characters are mine.
Chapter One
Gloria
Aino sat on her bed, kicking her feet back and forth. It was no fun being
grounded. She had just played a little joke! Okay, granted spreading butter on
the floor had been irresponsible but seeing Faith tumble back on her butt was
worth it. But she did not mean for Annika to get hurt. But she had. Like always,
she tried to help Faith but slipped herself and twisted her ankle.
But
that had not been the worst of it. Not even the lecture and spanking from her
mother had been the worst. It had been Annika's eyes. They had looked at her
and they looked so hurt, so angry. Gloria had turned her face away. Then of
course Faith had started to yell and that had brought Rini in.
Her
parents found out shortly after.
Gloria
looked up as the door opened. Instead of her mother as she had expected, it was
Rini.
"Rini?"
The
Princess of Crystal Tokyo nodded. Her eyes were empty, emotionless. But the
anger was clear in her voice.
"Gloria…Sailor
Chibi Venus…"
Gloria
leapt up. She feared what Rini sounded like she was going to do.
"Rini!
Neo-Princess Serenity!"
That
halted Rini. Gloria had never called her by her 'formal' title before.
"You
aren't going to kick me out are you?"
Rini
gave her a smile of reassurance. "No, Gloria. Sit down."
Gloria
sat and Rini took a seat beside her, her pink hair trailing into her eyes. She
smiled at her younger friend. Although Gloria was a brat most of time, Rini
knew that she was a good person. She had been given that gift, to see a
person's true colors, from her mother.
"Gloria
I'm not going to kick you out but I thought that I should tell you that Annika
is going to be out of action for about two weeks."
"I
didn't mean for her to get hurt!"
"I
know but the fact is that she did. I'm down a teammate and the others aren't
very happy with you. Especially not Daisy or Faith."
Gloria
nodded. "I know. But it was just a joke."
Rini
sighed. "That's always your excuse Gloria. One of these days…"
"Please
don't lecture me. My mom already did that."
Rini
got to her feet. "I'm just saying Gloria to watch it. One day, you'll regret
it."
Gloria
watched her leader leave, a sinking feeling in her stomach. Her mother had told
her that and she'd cast it away. But the way Rini said it, with such gravity
and that gleam in her eyes; it made Gloria feel sick to her stomach with worry.
She
muttered, "I'll lay off a few days."
*
* *
"Just
shut up, okay?"
Daisy
and Faith pressed on, rushing to catch up with Gloria.
"Well,
it is your fault, you know."
Gloria
ground her teeth. Everyone was reminding her about Annika today. Rini had not
been kidding. Faith and Daisy were really on her case about it. Ariel was less
aggressive about it but she was obviously angry. Madelyn too. Maggie and Hope
had stated their opinion and then ceased speaking to her.
Gloria
was tempted to throw a punch at Daisy or Faith but stopped herself. She would
only get in more trouble. That was the last thing she wanted. So she merely set
her sights ahead and tried to block their comments. They still reached her ears
but she tried not to let it bug her.
She
spied Rini walking towards the palace, her backpack weighted down a bit on her
shoulder. Anxious to get away from the others she raced over towards her
leader.
"Rini!"
The
pink haired Princess turned around. She smiled as she saw Gloria. The girl had
been nicer the last few days. It was a rarity and Rini knew she should enjoy it
while it lasted. Besides, with Gloria to talk to, she could delay going home a
bit longer. Just because she was a Princess, did not mean that she was immune
to teenage trouble.
She
had not gotten into trouble but she had gotten some tongue-lashing for the way
she handled a boy. He had been flirting with her big time. She had pushed him
away, saying she had a boyfriend and he had jumped on her, kissing her. It had
been reflex. She kneed him in the gut and punched him away. Her teacher was
stern that because she was the future Queen she should have known better ways
of handling a situation.
"Hey
Gloria! What's up?"
"You
were right. They are bugging me."
Rini
rolled her eyes. "Told you."
Gloria
was about to say something else when Daisy and Faith ran over.
"Gloria!
Are you going to see Annika this afternoon?"
"Yes…"
"Why
don't you leave her alone?" Hope cut in, rushing over. Rini sent the scout of
Neptune a stern glare. Hope grimaced under her leader's look but did not
apologize.
Finally,
Rini shouted, her anger having gotten the best of her,
"All
of you! KNOCK IT OFF!"
Dead
silence followed. Rini took a deep breath.
"Thank
you." She groaned and rubbed her
forehead. "Nothing can be done about it now, so can we try to be civil with
each other?"
Daisy
sent Gloria a death glare. "First the ice, now this. When is it gonna connect
Gloria?"
"Will
you drop the ice? I still regret that!"
Faith
broke in, "Then why do yous till play these stupid jokes? You're going to kill
someone one day!"
Gloria
glared at her. "Those were accidents."
Hope
stood by her sister, her blue eyes shining. "But what happens when one of those
accidents kills someone or severally hurts them? What then?"
Gloria
looked down. She couldn't look at her. She just muttered, "Leave me alone."
Gloria
was cracking. The insults stung and the memory of the ice stung fresh. Besides
that, she had been getting nightmares lately, of someone attacking Annika and
pulling her into a black void. And then everyone shouting, "It's your fault,
Gloria. It's your fault!"
Before
anyone said anything else, the gate to the palace opened and King Darien and
Neo-Queen Serenity walked out. It had been fifteen minutes since the time the
girls usually got home so they ventured out to look for her. As soon as they
saw the mass they rushed over.
"What's
all the commotion?" the queen inquired. Gloria stuck close to Rini. She felt
like Rini was her only ally right now. Rini answered her mother through
clenched teeth,
"We're
having a bit of a dispute right now."
Faith
burst out, "Cause Gloria won't stop those stupid jokes."
Gloria
found herself fighting tears. She was normally so tough, why was she getting
hurt right now? She was pulling an Annika. Annika would cry. She never did. She
wiped her eyes with the back of her hand, trying to hide the tears.
The
queen tried to make peace,
"Girls,
Gloria tries. You know that Annika's ankle was an accident."
Daisy
interrupted, "That SHE caused!"
Rini's
temper burst.
"Drop
it! All of you drop it!"
The
two royals stared at their daughter, shocked. The younger girls looked back at
her. Hope intervened.
"It's…it's…"
her anger returned as she thought of Annika. "It's because I doubt your
loyalty, Gloria."
Gloria's
mouth dropped. She knew they got agitated but she always believed that they
kept their faith in her. But as she stared at Hope and then at Faith and Daisy,
her belief shattered.
And
so did her will power.
She
buried her face into Rini's hip and fought to keep her tears in.
Rini's
glare told the girls what to do. They fled.
Gloria
felt Rini smoothing her hair. She knew Rini believed in her. But the others…how
could she…
Unknown to them, a pair of red eyes
watched this with interest before vanishing away.