Day 54: Moratory
"Just where do you think you're going, young lady? You're as bad as your mother used to be, some days. Hotaru, you know better. Juno, Ceres, don't you have training with Makoto today?" The four girls looked up into the unforgiving stare of their tutor and mentor with something akin to fear.
"Well... we..." Began their pink-haired leader, wondering what she was going to say to get out of this.
"You nothing. Hotaru, report to Rei for your punishment assignment. She's expecting you." The brunette paled even more at this, her lavender eyes widening slightly. She was always spiritually exhausted after the fire Senshi was done with her. "You two," She pinned the two asteroid Senshi with a glare as icy as her element. "Will collect Pallas and Vesta, then proceed to the training grounds. If you all are not gathered there in an appropriate amount of time, I will contact Minako to join you in your practice." They squirmed, obviously attempting to get out from under her gaze. "And you," She looked finally at the young royal. "Are coming with me."
The girl exchanged rueful glances with her friend before hurrying after her 'aunt' when prompted by a sarcastic "Today, ladies."
It wasn't fully enough to chastise the rebellious, headstrong young girl. "Can't I just get a moratory on the stupid assignment."
She missed the slightly pained look on the woman's face, to bust staring grouchily at the floor. "It's an essay, Small Lady, not a mortgage payment."
"So, can you tell me what you and your friend's did wrong, and why you're being punished for it?" The essay finally done, the two were back to being old friends having tea. Or, at least, Chibiusa had thought they were.
"Because we were planning on ditching all of this work to take some time to just be teenagers." She replied, venom in her tone.
Ami just chuckled, knowing the girl wasn't really angry with her. "Wrong. It's because you acted impulsively and selfishly. Not that those are always bad traits, but found together, they spell trouble." She sipped at her tea, pretending to ignore the way her charge's head snapped up and how her eyes narrowed speculatively. "Mostly, though, it's because you were going to be caught anyway. I don't mind plots that much, but sloppy ones annoy me. You're all far too intelligent to come up with something that... Usagi-like."
"Umm... What?" Came the response from the flabbergasted princess.
Ami sighed and put down her cup, a millennium of guardianship showing briefly in the weariness of the action. "If you'd looked at your schedules, you'd have seen that all of you have free time tomorrow. Only about an hour that overlaps, but that's more than enough for a plot. Plus, all the guards on would be ones that are sympathetic to young girls wanting to act like young girls. As opposed to today, when the one closest to your normal escape route is secretly working for a tabloid. Then you decided to leave Pallas and Vesta behind to cover for you. Although that shows some forethought, it's not very kind to your two friends. As well, you should be well aware by now that Pallas can't lie for the life of her. Leaving her behind..." Ami trailed off, shaking her head. She stood then, slightly startling the girl she was sitting with. She impulsively gather up the teenager in her arms, remembering that age all too well for a moment.
"Finish your math tonight. I'll be able to tell your maids you're in 'lessons', and show them that for proof. I suggest you consider that new movie that came out last week. It was pretty awesome, even if the stunts were incredibly contrived. Your mother almost got us kicked out of the theatre by laughing so hard."
She left then, leaving her charge staring after her in shock once again.
