Chapter 22:
Sitting quietly sipping tea at her table, Usagi watched Ami and Rei walk over and take their seats. "Where did you two run off to? The buffet just finished."
"Where we were isn't important" Rei said. She needled her friend, "So... you've emptied yet another kitchen and probably driven those poor chefs to the brink of exhaustion. Quite the accomplishment."
"I didn't empty any kitchens, Rei-chan. As a matter of fact, I've been really restrained with my appetite tonight. So there!"
"Well, I suppose there's a first time for everything" the raven-haired girl replied. "Don't take everything I say so personally, Usagi-chan. You know I'm just teasing you. At least I am most of the time."
"Rei-chan, I'm starting to think you never really mean anything bad when you tease me. You do it just to watch my reaction, or maybe see how calm I can stay."
"Finally! It took you long enough to realize that, Usagi-chan. Two whole years!" She smiled, "And you are improving... slowly."
The odango-haired girl smiled happily, "Ok! Then does this mean you won't tease me anymore? Never ever again?"
"Of course not."
Usagi sighed. "I just can't win."
. . . . .
Rei's attention was drawn a minute later to the table between her and the stage, where their Student Council members sat alongside the six first-year students of Rabbit team. She gestured to Makoto to follow her gaze.
The brunette chuckled, "Anzu is really hitting the wine tonight. She'd better be careful she doesn't overdo it."
They watched their council president polish off the last of the red liquid in front of her in a single gulp and immediately reach for the nearest bottle, refilling her glass nearly to the brim.
The tall, thin Ooarai public relations manager sitting beside her tactfully cautioned the petite girl, "Don't you think you've had enough for tonight, Anzu?"
"Nonsense, Momo! Just a little more!"
"It may already be too late" Rei laughed. Noticing that half a dozen other girls scattered around the tent now held cigarettes between their fingers, she flagged down a passing attendant who was collecting the last of the dinner plates. "Would it be possible for us to get an ashtray at our table?"
"But of course, miss. I'll bring one right over" the girl nodded politely before hurrying away.
"These St. Gloriana girls are very efficient at their work, Rei-chan" Ami remarked. "I've experienced much less attentive service in well-established restaurants." The blue-haired girl continued quietly mulling over her earlier discussion with Rei in the restroom, still wondering if the miko's suspicions would prove to be correct.
. . . . .
Outside under a cloudless, slowly darkening sky, Aino Minako stood leaning against the back of the Ooarai motorcoach, dejectedly staring at the ground beneath her feet. She knew that her makeshift plan had ended in utter disaster, as Makoto had predicted, and the thought that she had failed her five new friends deeply grieved her heart. The blonde sighed, and was about to rejoin Miho and her team and apologize to them, when the voice of a young male reached her ears. It sounded as though he was pleading with a St. Gloriana student who stood forbidding him entrance to the party.
"Are you sure we can't go in?" Minako heard the boy ask again, his words tinged with disappointment. "We've come a long way. We would have gotten here sooner, but we took the wrong bus from the train station."
"I'm very sorry, but you aren't on the appoved guest list" the girl in blue replied, her voice cold and firm.
Minako found herself striding quickly over to the dispute, quickly realizing that there were four other boys waiting near the tent in addition to the one talking to the St. Gloriana girl. Minako judged the males to be in their mid-teens and wore matching grey jackets and black pants. As she approached the group from behind and examined the first boy more closely, she gasped, 'That guy near the door... he looks a lot like my Taro! A whole lot! He even sounds like him! Could it be?'
She hurried up behind him, her heart skipping a beat.
"Taro-chan? Is that you?"
The boy in question turned to face her, and Minako noticed he was holding what appeared to be a carefully rolled-up document or poster of some kind. "Taro? Gomen nasai, miss. My name isn't Taro. I am Iwata Toshiro."
"Oh! Gomen! My mistake!" the blonde giggled. "You happen to look like my boyfriend! I mean... with a few tiny changes, you could almost be his twin!"
"No problem" the young man replied with a friendly smile. "Um... perhaps you can help us" he spoke shyly. "My brother Yusei and I travelled here today along with three of our closest friends to try and meet Ooarai's Anglerfish team in person." He gestured at the paper in his hand. "We were hoping to somehow get their autographs on the Ooarai Girls Academy's Sensha-do publicity poster we brought with us."
"Really?"
"Hai. We're all huge fans of Nishizumi-san and the other girls on her team." The boy added, blushing slightly as he spoke, "Each of us even has their favourite."
Minako suddenly sensed that all may not yet be lost. "You do? Tell me more" she prodded, smiling sweetly at the nervous male. "Who do you like best, Iwata-san?"
"Me? I... um... I really like Reizei-san, their driver" he said, his blush deepening. "Please don't tell her I said that!" He continued, "We were even in the audience during the last event of the National Tournament, cheering them on. But now..." he frowned, "now we're being refused entry to the party."
"You are, are you?" Minako's eyes narrowed and she promptly fixed her sternest who-do-you-think-you-are glare upon the girl blocking their path. "What's the problem here? Why can't these nice sweet boys meet with Miho and the other Anglerfish girls?"
"Only males from the school ship based in Yokohama are permitted at tonight's party" the student at the entrance bluntly insisted. "Those are the rules."
"That's a silly rule! A ridiculous rule!" Minako sputtered. "This is most unfair!"
The girl remained stubbornly steadfast in her refusal. "Sorry, but rules are rules."
Toshiro nodded glumly. "I understand. I guess we'll be leaving then. Sorry to have bothered you."
A female voice from the other side of the tent's opening suddenly spoke, "Allow these honored guests entry, Muika-san. That rule has been permanently rescinded, effective immediately."
Muika spun around. "But I have my orders, Darjeeling! I can't just ignore them!"
The St. Gloriana commander stepped closer, still holding her ornate china teacup. "You can, and you will. Disregard those orders at once."
"Uh... hai." Muika meekly complied, stepping to one side and gesturing to the new arrivals, "You may now enter."
The five teenage boys bowed gratefully to the blonde girl in the red jacket. "Arigatou gozaimasu, Darjeeling-san!"
After a closer look at the remaining four guests, Minako realized that each of the boys bore an uncanny resemblance to one of the Sailor Senshi's fiancees. 'Maybe they're who our guys would be if they lived in this dimension!' she thought, feeling a shiver run up her spine. 'This is crazy strange!'
Darjeeling calmly sipped from her teacup, then smiled at Minako. "I do not believe we have had the pleasure of meeting yet. Would you by chance happen to be a member of Miho's rumored new team?"
"Hai!" Minako briskly nodded. "I'm Aino Minako, Panzer driver for Kino Makoto's Luna team!" She also bowed deeply to the unfamiliar girl in the red uniform. "Thank you so very much for your help! I'm sure this was all just a silly misunderstanding."
"I look forward to meeting you on the field of battle tomorrow, Aino-san. And I wish you well." After graciously returning Minako's bow, Darjeeling turned and walked away.
Minako was beside herself with joy. "Ok guys! Let me introduce you to Miho and Saori and Yukari and... um... by the way, where did you say you were from, Iwata-san?"
"We're all from Ooarai" the young man told her. Toshiro chuckled, "The town, not your girls' school ship, of course. Our own school ship is back in port there for a few days, undergoing important repairs."
"Of course!" Minako giggled, gleefully thinking 'So perfect!' Wearing a beaming smile she reentered the tent, gesturing at them to follow her.
"Minna, come with me and meet your date with destiny!"
. . . . .
Back inside the canvas tent, lights began to flicker on above the teens as dusk approached. Miho found herself struggling to push any further thoughts of boys and dancing and dating from her mind, instead attempting to focus her thoughts on tactics for the next day's competition. "Makoto-san, after we finally escape from here, I'd like to get together with you and my other commanders to... to... nani...?" Her voice faded as she caught sight of something unbelievable occurring at the other end of the tent.
Aino Minako was triumphantly striding directly towards her table, with the bubbly blonde sporting the widest of smiles on her happy face, and leading five cute teenage boys who were obediently tagging along behind her.
Miho blinked twice. "Am I... seeing things?"
"Mako! Wake up!" Saori hissed. "I think we've got company on the way! Boy company!"
Her drowsy friend's eyes sprang open and she instantly bolted upright in her chair. "Nani? Where?"
Yukari and Hana could only silently stare at the spectacle unfolding nearby, unable to utter a single sound.
"Minna, what am I missing?" Makoto asked. She quickly turned in her seat to see what all the commotion was about.
"I don't believe it!" the tall brunette grinned. "Minako actually pulled it off!"
. . . . .