Chapter Thirteen: Slumber Party Debriefing
The girls gathered in Princess Usagi's bedroom after they changed.
"So what do we do?" Aldebaran asked as she looked around at the other girls who were laying down blankets and pillows.
All over the floor the girls had everything from hair ties, to brushes, to snacks and makeup.
"What is all of this?" Omicron asked as she looked at a bowl of green stuff.
Vesta walked over and laughed.
"This is a Crystal Tokyo sleepover." She answered smiling. "And that bowl is either our guacamole for our chips or our face mask." She added looking puzzled.
"It can be both!" Pallas answered. "It's an edible face mask." She then took her finger and dipped it in the bowl to scoop up some and eat it.
"Although, now that you just did that, why don't we just use it for the face mask?" Princess Usagi teased.
"Sorry." Pallas apologized with a giggle and then picked up the bowl and sat it down on the floor. "Let's have some fun!"
"I also want to talk about today." Princess Usagi almost mumbled as she made herself comfortable behind Rigel and grabbed a brush.
"WHAT?"
"I don't think it would be good for us if we just let today go unnoticed. We need to have a - uh–" Princess Usagi started and then forgot the word.
"Debriefing?" Aldebaran finished. Princess Usagi nodded in agreement. "I agree. We should talk about today as we enjoy this slumber party. We are girls. We can do two things at once, you know." She joked getting the others to laugh.
"So, what should we talk about?"
"Our observations." Aldebaran answered. "I'll go first." She said and then she sat down. "They are direct. They like hand-to-hand combat. They do not talk, or have powers."
"They battle with all sorts of moves, from karate, to sword fighting too." Pallas added.
"They can't be told apart." Added Vesta. "No personalities either."
"This may just be an attack wave." Polaris suggested.
"'Attack wave'?" Omicron and Rigel questioned.
"Yes, I agree with the princess." Ceres stated. "Most enemies will send a 'scout' to see what the planet is all about and then send the first attack wave. That's what we just fought. Since none of them will be returning, then they might keep sending in more waves."
"They might send another scout first to see why no one returned, although they could probably guess." Aldebaran added.
"We need to be ready for any future attacks." Princess Usagi stated as she grabbed a hair tie to secure the braid she made in Rigel's hair. "It's only a matter of time before they come back."
"And we need to be ready." Omicron stated. "I'm not going to let today get to me. I almost didn't make it. If it wasn't for Ceres and Pallas, I could have been seriously injured." She added. "I should have used my special move."
"No." Aldebaran ordered. "We must save those for our final battle. They can't know what we're made of just yet. We have to surprise them."
"If not anything, we need to use the element of surprise." Princess Usagi stated. "Although, now that I think about it, we should have kept you girls inside."
"Nah, it's fine. Our best moves must be used at the end, or near it." Aldebaran commented.
"So, what do we do?" Vesta inquired.
"Train harder. Not with just our power moves, but we need to learn the martial arts." Polaris answered. "It seems like the only logical thing."
"I think we all need to figure out some weapons too." Princess Usagi stated. "I may have my tiara, rod, and stuff, but you all have nothing besides Pallas and Ceres."
"But, wouldn't our weapons have already shown themselves for us in our transformations?" Capella asked.
"Not necessarily." Aldebaran answered. "We our only in our second life cycle of being Senshi. We weren't alive long enough to figure that out."
Her Senshi nodded in agreement.
"So we need to decide what we want." Vesta stated.
"I'll take double blade swords." Polaris said as she stood up. "I trained as part of a hobby by my parent's orders."
"I know how to use a whip. It may not be practical, but on Rigel I loved riding horses and using them was part of the fun."
"A whip?" Princess Usagi teased.
"Hey! I told you why. Besides, you have a bell for Helios if I am not mistaken. And maybe we can get it to work with my powers."
Princess Usagi mouthed "okay" but also nodded and smiled in agreement.
"What other types of weapons are there?" Omicron asked.
"Swords, guns, a lot of the weapons that we use when we battle in our lives." Aldebaran answered as she went through a list.
Omicron thought about all of the weapons she has seen by her fighters, but none were what she wanted. She found a piece of paper and a pencil and ended up drawing what she wanted.
"What are you doing?" Ceres asked.
"I saw two identical weapons once somewhere in a book and want them. I don't remember the name of them." She explained as she continued to sketch them. She showed Aldebaran. "Do you know what they are called?"
"Not that I can remember, sorry." Aldebaran apologized.
"OH! I know what those are!" Pallas said excitedly. "They are called sai. They come in many variations, but those would work nicely for you."
"They're kind of like double blade swords, but they have more of a point to them." Ceres explained smiling.
"Maybe I'll take up nun chucks. They look like fun." Juno boldly stated with a grin.
"If we're going by things that look fun, I'll take a spiked mace."
"What in the world is a spiked mace?" Omicron asked Capella with her eyes narrowed.
"Who's left?" Princess Usagi asked looking around.
"Just me." Vesta answered.
"And me." Aldebaran added. "I have no idea what extra weapon I would want at the moment."
"I wonder if Mars would be upset if I took her flame arrow idea, but just have a bow and arrow, though."
"I say take it." Ceres stated. "You love shooting bows and arrows, and you are really good at it."
"Okay. I'll use a bow and arrow." Vesta finally decided.
Aldebaran was left. She didn't want to double up on anyone. She wanted her own unique weapon, and guns seemed too easy.
"I think I'll sit on this. I have no idea what to use."
"Okay, now that most of us have made our decisions, we should ask Luna and Artemis tomorrow about how we should procure some." Juno stated.
"We can do that in the morning. This debriefing is over. Now we can really focus on the sleepover." Princess Usagi declared smiling.
The girls went back and focused on the sleepover with the facial masks, hairstyles, etc.
Aldebaran woke up the following morning before anyone else and decided to quietly leave Princess Usagi's room and walk around the castle after changing into the uniform so she would be decent. She didn't sleep well that night due to being restless. The girls had a lot on their plate, and Aldebaran wasn't planning on having to choose a weapon. Did she really need one? Would her powers be enough? She let out a sigh as she made her way onto the balcony off the dining hall. She rested her body on her arms on a railing and gazed out at the early morning scenery.
"What seems to be troubling you, Aldebaran?" a male voice asked startling her.
"Oh!" She said as she turned around. "Hey Cerce! Long time no see!" She teased.
"Funny. I have been with Luna and Artemis talking about yesterday. It was a crazy battle."
"Yes, be we learned some stuff about the enemy." Aldebaran commented as she sat down on the bench nearby and he jumped up onto it. "The girls decided on getting actual physical weapons. We also want to train in the martial arts. We need to be more defensive." She blurted out.
"Both good conclusions." Cerce agreed. "You can train later today with King Endymion. I believe he knows some sort of karate."
"And the weapons?"
"We can definitely talk to Luna and Artemis."
"So, you think they know how we can get some too?"
"Yes. Or at least I hope they would." The light teal cat said as he looked to the door where King Endymion was now standing. "Good morning your majesty." He said.
After Aldebaran heard him and saw the king, she repeated the same formality. Cerce excused himself and left.
"How are you doing, Aldebaran?" he asked her as he stepped outside.
"Honestly I am a little sore. I think I took a worse beating than during training."
"Yeah, normally in training everyone holds back a little. Enemies rarely will."
"What do you think about yesterday?"
"What do you mean?"
"Do you think weapons would help us? Training in the martial arts?"
"Ah, so you know I heard what you told Cerce?" He questioned, although it seemed more like a statement.
"Yes. I thought I heard footsteps when I came out here. Cerce is a sneak."
"Good hearing on your part. Try to keep that focus." The king stated. "And to answer your questions, more fighting techniques will always help, whether it be a weapon or physical fighting. Being able to use both defense and offense in a battle will give you the upper hand."
"So, what kind of martial arts do you know?"
"All. I have had a lot of time to master all forms. I use them mainly for a hobby though."
"And weapons?"
"Let me know what you girls need, and I will find them."
"I'll get a list written up." She joked. "Pretty much everyone who doesn't have one wants one."
"And you?"
"I can't decide at the moment." She answered and then paused. "Unless I solely focus on martial arts?"
"You can. It wouldn't hurt. You can also work with one of the other girls. You never know what you can accomplish, even being simple."
"Good to know."
King Endymion smiled, then stood up.
"Why don't you go wake the girls? Breakfast will be ready soon and then we can discuss this in the training room."
"Sounds good, your majesty."
After King Endymion left, Aldebaran lingered for a little while more. She eventually made her way back to Princess Usagi's room. She found the girls were up, just not out of bed.
"Where did you run off to?" Vest asked groggily.
"A walk. I couldn't sleep." Aldebaran answered as she started to clean up a little.
"Leave it for later." Princess Usagi stated with a yawn.
"Okay." She said and then paused. "I ran into King Endymion. He said breakfast will be waiting for us in the dining hall. We are then to meet in the training room."
"You did more than just run into him, didn't you?" Omicron asked.
"Yeah, so? He saw me on the balcony off the dining room and we talked about yesterday a little."
The other nine girls just looked at her puzzled. They all wondered if that technically should have been Princess Usagi's job, but they shrugged it off.
"All right. Let's go eat! I'm starving!" Princess Usagi exclaimed.
The girls agreed. They morphed into their uniforms on the way down to the dining hall. When they got there, they saw that it was only going to be them eating that morning there.
"More for us?" Polaris inquired.
"Only if you want to puke later during training." Juno teased.
HAPPY EASTER (for those who celebrate it)!
Well, here is chapter 13. I am so pleased with the view count on this story. I woke up the other day and saw that it had jumped by 100, if not close to it. I would love to see everyone's thoughts on this story, if possible. Please?
In other news, I have the title for chapter 14, but I need to work on it. I have off this week from my one job, but am working three days at my 'Saturday' job (museum), so I will have time. Maybe I'll bang out more than one chapter, although they might not all be put up. I have no idea how far this story will go chapter count wise. Maybe 25?