(A/N) This was inspired by Fruits Baskets act arc called Cinderella-ish. It got me thinking of what would happen to our Senshi if they were put into a Fairy Tale like story. It just fit too perfectly with the outer's personality. Would not consider this a crossover, since there is no characters from the inspiration or any of the plot points. So if you haven't seen it, it won't spoil anything.
(A/N) I don't own Sailor Moon or any of the characters. I also don't own Fruits Baskets or any of their characters.
Setsuna lived together with her stepmother and stepsister in the house once owned by her father. After his departure, her stepmother treated Setsuna as a modern day Cinderella, forcing her to take on the majority of the chores of the house. Responsibility fell to her to keep the place spotless, complete all the cooking, as well as tending to the needs of her stepmother and stepsister, Michiru. Despite the animosity between Setsuna and her stepmother, she shared nothing but admiration for Michiru. With only the three of them in the home, the work was not an overwhelming amount, and she would have time to enjoy afternoon tea with her stepsister. On this particular afternoon, there was much ruckus around the home as the royal ball was approaching closer and the ladies of the house were preparing for the ball.
"Setsuna! Have you finished creating our dresses?" Her stepmothers voice ran through the hall. Continuing her search for her maid-like stepdaughter, she came upon Michiru and Setsuna drinking tea in the kitchen. "You're having tea?" She stammered as she wiped the look of shock from her face. "Then the dresses must be complete?"
Setsuna looked up from her cup with a smirk. "I haven't the slightest notion why you requested for me to complete such a task. I'm nowhere near a level of a professional seamstress. If it's your desire to half ass the dresses, then that's on you."
Her stepmother turned red in the face at the accusation. Attempting to keep the composure she had left, she raised her voice an octave as she once again explained the importance of the evening. "The ball is to help the prince find a prospective bride. This is my... Our opportunity to join the royal family and live the good life. The dress needs to be perfect so my daughter can catch his eye!" Stomping away from the two young women as she finally lost her composure. The two giggled as they could hear her continued mumblings of how nice it will be once she can live in the castle. Setsuna shared a smile with Michiru at the older woman's aspirations, both of them knowing that they did not quite align with her daughter's. As she watches the last traces of her stepmother disappear down the hallway, a serious expression sets on her face. Placing her cup down, she locks eyes with the other woman.
"Sister, do you want to join for another cup of tea while she finishes her conniption?" She gestures to the fresh pot, in which her stepsister's smile turns into a smirk. Regardless of what her stepmother may think, the two stepsister have a much better understanding with each other.
"You know it doesn't help anyone out when you get her all riled up like that," she remarked as she took the offered seat.
Setsuna moved to pour a second cup of tea. "That may be true, but I do not see why anyone is going along with this insane plot. We've managed to keep your mother in her disillusioned state that she controls the estate for this long. Michiru, why are you making any bends to her demand now?"
"Going to the castle and meeting the prince wouldn't be the worse thing ever. All the ladies of the kingdom will be there..." Michiru trailed off, her eyes looking longly out the window.
"Are you thinking of that maiden you met in the marketplace last week?" Thinking back to the enthusiasm of her stepsister as she described the beautiful woman she came across in the market place, a smile came to Setsuna's lips. "Thinking you'll may see her there? Even if you managed to find her again, how are you going to deal with your mother's ideals?"
"Well, if you catch the prince's eye instead, she might just forget about which daughter she prefers to be in the royal household," Michiru smiled at her sister's exasperated look.
"Let me make sure I understand. If I am the one to win the heart of the young royal, your mother will be pleased that she still is welcomed to the royal family. With her attentions on being a royal, she would not notice a certain daughter spending a little more time painting?" Her teal hair sister grinned and shrugged her shoulder slightly. "I guess notoriety of being the royal family would allow you a bigger pool of models to choose from?" Setsuna gives a knowing smile that reached all the way to her garnet eyes. Michiru just turned several shades of red.
"Sets, there's literally no way to get you to do something you don't want to. Since we really can't get out of going to the ball. I just thought that if you catch his eye instead of me, then mother will panic and pull us both of us out of there. Things can just got back to the way they are now, with this whole royal ball business behind us." Michiru chanced a glance at her to try to gauge if the green haired beauty was considering the smaller girl's approach.
Setsuna sighed in defeat at the smaller girl's plan. She didn't care for it, but had to admit it tied up the few loose ends that all of her previous musing couldn't address. Namely how to get through the night without her stepmother after her head. Smiling back at her sister, "Once the prince lays his eyes on me, there's no way I won't win his heart!" Standing as she spoke, mockingly taking her hand in the air as part of her vow.
"The hell you will even get close enough to even guess what color eyes he has!" Her stepmother exclaimed as she stormed back in the room. Stopping an inch away from Setsuna, narrowing her eyes in what could be perceived as a threatening manner. Taking a dismaying step closer to Setsuna, she forced the taller woman to take a step back. Continuing until Setsuna was pushed back into the sewing room, quickly making a move to lock the door. "If you want any chance to make it out of tonight, I suggest you finish those dresses!" She turned back towards the smaller girl, grabbing her by the wrist as she slammed the door shutting Setsuna in.
"Well, that didn't quite go as anticipated," mumbling to no one particular. She inwardly sighed as she looked around the room. Trying to clear her head and removing the unwarranted anger she had towards the small girl, she sat herself on the floor. How could she speak so freely without ensuring that her mother was out of the house? She inwardly cursed, letting the last of her frustration leave her system. Michiru was right, once they got past this night and the idea of being a royal out of her stepmother's head they would be able to go back to the way things were. They cared and supported each other and this was no reason to stop now. That was how they survived for so long, getting the stepmother out of the house to go shopping, or socializing as she liked to called it. In the her absence, Michiru and herself could act like normal sisters. They had benefited from an intertwined group of maids from other households spending their afternoons with the two sisters. These young women would help with the chores in exchange for either music lessons from Michiru or math lessons from Setsuna. There were so many girls in this town that wanted to improve themselves, and the deal worked out quite well for all parties. That was until recently, when the royal ball was announced. All the households were sent into a whirlwind with all the necessary arrangements. As it did in their household. She looked at the meager fabric sitting in the corner, and Setsuna seriously wondered what lunatic expected anyone to be successful with such a small amount of fabric. Did she expect to send them in a single miniskirt between the two girls? Because that is literally how much fabric is available. She signed much heavier this time in defeat as she gazed out the window.
A bright light floating into the window caught her by surprise. Trying in vain to quell her cry of shock, she was for sure having some sort of psychiatric breakdown. Yes, that was right, her visceral thoughts have drifted so dark being locked in that room with no hope of escape. Her brain has produced a hallucination to try to counter her internal despair. Rubbing her eyes, not really knowing what else to do about the hallucination other than to let it play out. It's not like she needed to get started on a gown or anything.
When she removed her hand from her eyes, the hallucination shifted from a bright light to form a petite girl with long, almost white pigtails cascading behind her. She was further in awe as the light withdrew into her chest, and golden detailed bodice with a long white gown flowed from the light, soon reaching to the floor. This girl must surly be a princess, so she knelt before the apparition. The last thing she needed was to upset the part of her brain that would create such a vision.
The winged princess giggled at the kneeling woman, and her soft caring voice drawing the green haired woman to look back up at her as she spoke. "Setsuna, your heart is pure, full of love and compassion for others. I am here to grant a wish for you. I am your fairy godmother."
Setsuna eyes narrowed skeptically at the apparition, wondering why her mind would create such a hallucination to distract from her current predicament. Rationalizing that there was literally nothing better she could be doing at the moment, she played along to placate this malfunction of her brain.
"I am sure you are aware, there is a ball at the royal palace this evening," she began as the princess grasped her hands to her chest in excitement for the wish that should surly follow. "The entire town is invited so that all the young, available maidens are in attendance, including my stepsister and myself. So my wish is for you to burn the ballroom to dust before the ball can begin."
The princess took a step back in shock as the request. She reached out for Setsuna's hand, gently grasping it and pulling her to stand. Now towering over the small princess, she watched as the smaller woman was not intimidated in the slightest. The princess hesitated. "Well, that would be a crime... Is there something a little more... pure that you would like to wish?"
Electing to allow this scenario playing out, she met the small princess' gaze, trying to judge if there was something specific the small princess... or her brain... wanted to her to say to get this over with. She glanced over to the hideous fabric in the corner and decided to press her luck with what her obviously overworked mind could come up with. "Well, I have been tasked with creating the beautiful outfits for my sister for the evening, yet clearly do not have the material or the time to complete it. If there's something in this room that's crying out for a magical touch, then that certainly is it." Setsuna smirked, pleased with her answer, but her smile faltered when the small princess just grinned brightly. Without saying a thing, she waved her hand towards the corner, and two mannequins compete with full ball gowns appeared. One decked with simple but elegant wide straps flowing into a v-neckline that gathered at the waist in a black belt. From there the off-white tool material expanded towards the bottom. There were sliver baubles that almost looks like butterflies that gathered mostly on the shoulders and continues down the length of the dress, becoming more sparse the closer to the bottom they came.
The second dress caught her attention even more, the iridescent teal color of the hi-low bottom flanked by panels that looked as if the milky way galaxy was contained within them. The top was simple, with the strapless neckline anchored by the the bodice, which almost looked like two seashells. Setsuna turned to thank the small princess, only to find she has disappeared from the room. She turned around trying to figure where the small princess could have moved to in the room as she heard the door handle turn.
She quickly came to her senses and faced the open door where her stepmother stood, waiting for the verbal assault to commence. She wasn't sure how much time she spent in her daydream state, but she was certain that time was up and any hope to having a calm conversation with the crazy woman was crushed. Her stepmother just stared at her, eyes narrowing, and Setsuna could not take the suspense any longer. She closed her eyes and hung her head. Suddenly she heard Michiru burst into the room and into her arms. Silly girl, there is nothing she could do to stop her stepmother's wrath this time.
"These are amazing!" She heard the smaller girl cry out as she hugged her tighter. Setsuna looked up, following Michiru's focused gaze to the two ball gown clad mannequins still standing in the corner.
"You can see those?" Setsuna quietly questioned to she small girl so her stepmother could not hear. Michiru only gave her a questing look in response, as she turned to her mother to proclaim that all the worrying and threats had been in vain. She dances over to the teal dress as she holds it up her her body.
"It's beautiful Setsuna! I will be the shining mermaid of the sky," she proudly proclaimed, absentmindedly twirling around with the dress.
"They truly are exquisite'" her stepmothers finally spoke. Setsuna actually blushed at the rare compliment from the older woman. "And they look to be about the right size," she added as she touched the off white gown. Michiru eyes went wide at the assertion her mother made, Noticing there were only two dressed prepared. She cynically glanced over to her sister, then turned to her mother. "Shouldn't the eligible maidens of the house be in the eye catching outfits, while the thrice widowed women whom are not eligible are in the best from their current closet?" Michiru rebuked her mother, all but telling the older woman to back away from Setsuna's dress.The coldness of her voice doing it's best to make it baleful sounding. Michiru may not be able to stand up to her mother, but she certainly had a way to let her mother know when she crossed a line.
"Don't be so quick to judge, my daughter. Setsuna has no need for a dress, as she will not be leaving this room tonight."
"What? That is not fair!" She spouted back as she towered inches from her mother in an attempt to look threatening. The older woman reached a hand to her daughters face, as if to comfort her. She then quickly spun the smaller girl around and swept her into a headlock. Michiru's thrashing arms quickly subsided at the hold. The older woman's eyes focused on Setsuna.
"Move those two towards the door," she motioned with her head at the two dresses. "I am tired of your foolishness! Your selfish act has caused her harm! Now step back to the corner, and she won't get hurt any further tonight. If all goes to plan, you will never have to see her get hurt again."
Setsuna looked down at the floor, angered at the situation she found herself. She would give anything to protect Michiru, always. The pressure of the event must have finally pushed her stepmother over the edge. She had never felt so helpless before. Not wanting to cause any more undo harm to her sister, she gave in as did as her stepmother asked. She watched helplessly as Michiru's nearly limp body was dragged out by her mother and the door slammed behind them.
Setsuna glanced around the room which was shockingly empty compared to the excitement only moments ago. The question still remained, how exactly those dresses got there in the first place, but she quickly shook that thought away. For one, she was not entirely sure that she was not still in a dream state. Her stepmother had lashed out at both Michiru and herself before, but never enough to leave a mark that may lead to questions by prospective suitors. Second, she obviously was not wearing a dress this evening that may or may not magically disappear at any given moment resulting in one of those nightmares you have about the first day of school. Perceiving she was likely stuck in this room for the evening, dreaming or not, she rid herself of the debate on the details of this strange illusion. As she focuses on what to do with her current situation, a deep grown from her stomach reminded her that she had not eaten durning the day with all the excitement. The protest of her stomach was the first true indication that she may not be dreaming.
"I could defiantly go for some kushiyaki!" Setsuna spun around at the words in a voice other than own. Those words were closely followed by a playful giggle. The small princess was standing in the room with her once again. She rolled her eyes with the prospect that her mind choose to continue with the strange fantasy. "I know you must be hungry too, so the sooner we take care of your wish, the sooner we can both get something to eat!" The princess exclaimed excitedly as she threw her hands in the air in emphasis.
"I did make my wish, if you recall..." Setsuna replied back a little dryly in an attempt to move this conversation along. The small princess smiled with her eye shining. "No, that was a wish for someone else, I want to know what your pure wish is," the princess said with her blue eyes continuing to bore into the garnet ones.
"Very well. Deep in my heart... What I really want..." The small princess leaned closer in anticipation. "...is some kushiyaki," flatly spoken. She small princess fell to the ground at Setsuna's answer, with shock or disappointment, she was not sure. The princess rose a moment later, rolling up the non-existent sleeves on her arms as she seemed prepared to finally give Setsuna what she desired. Yes, her ephemeral musing in this hallucination were becoming quite animated.
"Very well, if that is what you wish," the small princess said defeated. "Hold out your arms so I can give you what you want." Setsuna questioned for a moment why she needed to do that, but followed the directions regardless. A light filled the room and Setsuna lost sight of the small princess as the room became increasingly brighter, causing her to shield her eyes. She heard the door to the room click open once again, and she moved towards the open door to escape the intensely lit room. When she reached the threshold, she found the small princess waiting for her outside the door, beckoning her to come out and look at her work. She glanced down and saw that her dress transitioned to a wide ball grown, dark in color with matching gloves that ran up past her elbows. Silver streaks of fabric flowed out from the waistline of the dress, one on each side, and cascaded down the bottom half of the dress. She glanced at her feet to find very unpractical glass slippers on her feet.
"What is this?" She questioned to the small princess.
"You're going to the ball! I'm sure they will have kushiyaki there!" The small princess explained as she ushered Setsuna into a waiting carriage. "Now go! You must hurry!"
"The room is starting to fill up, my prince," the tall brunette advisor said to the blonde prince sulking on the chair placed in the corner of the room. "You'll have to make an appearance soon, they won't let you hide here forever!" The prince sent a glance to the advisor, warning they should choose their next words carefully. "Aw, come on, Haruka! We're having this whole thing so you can find a bride!" The advisor tried to coax the prince into at least pretending to participate.
"I don't want to! Leave me alone!" The prince shot back, still sulking in the chair. "Jeez, no wonder your still a virgin." The adviser added in, knowing that would get a response out of the prince.
"You can't just say things like that, Makoto! It's not like I asked for this!" The prince shot back, rushing from the chair. Makoto smiled to herself, now they were getting somewhere.
"I know you didn't ask for any of this, Haruka. But when you got brave and went to the market dressed in that disguise, it sent the king to a panic. You don't need to fall in love with anyone out there, just find one you can tolerate and doesn't ask questions. That way your secret will be safe, the king won't bother you anymore about it, and you can go back to playing solider like we know you want." The prince looked at her as she finished her pep talk, her grey eyes softening slightly, starting to give in.
"You don't understand Makoto, when I was in the market I felt so free. I spent the afternoon with the teal haired beauty. The way she talked about her dreams and how she is focusing on her art, she didn't seem to have a care in the world. I feel like I got to really know her in that short time. Don't you think that is a better way to meet people rather than this forced dog and pony show!"
"I don't disagree with you, Haruka. The whole problem is that you went out in a dress! Don't you think she was not intimidated by you since she had no clue who you were?"
"How else was I suppose to get out of the palace?" Haruka shot back, trying to change the topic and hopefully carry this argument on longer, preventing Makoto from forcing her to go out there.
"That is not the point, Haruka. You had always been willing to play the part of the charming prince before. The king wants you to marry to keep the kingdom, and your little adventure outside cause more of a stir than all the times you went to battle in full armor. I don't pretend to be unsympathetic to the true issue, but for tonight you just have to be your charming, princely self, and this will all go away soon."
Haruka sighed, knowing Makoto was right, this was her penance for going to the marketplace in a brief glimpse of normalcy, no matter how great her disguise was. She took a deep breath, adjusted her collar and her cloak, and nodded to Makoto that the prince was ready to make an entrance.
Haruka sulks further into his chair at the front of the ballroom. After making the announcement for his entrance, he made way way to the alter towards the front of the room, followed closely behind by his advisor. The hope of the king was that Haruka would pick the first young lady that caught her eye as she entered and dance the night away. Begrudgingly at Makoto's suggestion, they added the chair as as way to get the blonde prince to have a flow of young women parade in front of her. Someone was sure to catch the prince's eye. After some time, really more like only 30 minutes in Makoto's opinion, the prince started getting grumpy. The parade of women continued before him. Responding to request after request for a dance, the blonde prince rested her elbow on the armrest and buried her face into her hand.
"Your highness, may I have this dance?"
"No."
"Can I request the pleasure of this dance?"
"I said no."
"Prince, would you care for a dance?"
"I said no!" Haruka shouted that the last request, jerking away from the hand she'd been focused on. But she she met the disappointed eyes of a teal haired woman, wearing a beautiful dress with a seashell bodice that matched her hair, she immediately regretted her outburst.
"Oh, ok. I'll just be going then," the teal haired woman replied as she slinked away from the prince. A look of instant regret deeply formed on her face. Makoto gave a questioning look to the prince, as she buried her face in both palms at this point.
"I don't even know what I am doing here," the prince murmured. Makoto glances at the teal haired girl walking away and shrugs. That was the last girl in the receiving line, and the prince fulfilled the obligations as far as Makoto was concerned. Just as she was about to suggest to the prince to retire for the evening, their eyes rise to a late arrival entering the ballroom.
The green haired beauty glances around, almost unimpressed with the ballroom. Her dark dress causing her to stand out against the ball room decorated overwhelmingly in gold color accents. Makoto nudges the prince and nods to the green haired girl. Deciphering the prince's last outburst, it may be best for all the end the night on a slightly positive note. "She's your last chance this evening. Why don't you go introduce yourself."
The prince sighed and headed to the green haired woman who was currently standing at the refreshment table. "Would you care for a dance?" Extending a hand to the late arrival.
The green haired woman glances up at him, "No," was all she responded before returning her attention back to the refreshment table.
The prince turns back to Makoto and runs her hand through her hair in frustration. Makoto motions with her hands to try again. Haruka glances at the tall dark haired woman whom still was not watching anything other than the food before her. The blonde shrugs before walking the short distance back to her advisor.
"Just talk to her a little bit," urging the blonde to return to the green haired woman with a slight shove.
"Maybe I don't want to, did you ever thing that?" Haruka snaps back under her breath.
"Just get your ass back there!" Makoto pushed her with considerably more force this time, turning Haruka back towards the green haired girl.
Taking the quick strides back to the green haired woman, Haruka runs her hair through her short stands, "Why don't you want to dance?" A slight concern in her voice at the green haired beauty's disinterest in a prince who so obviously wants to talk to her.
"I'm busy."
"Did you just come here for the kushiyaki?" The flat question causing the green haired woman to finally meet the grey eyes of the prince.
"What do you want?"
"I just want to talk..." Haruka started, but was cut off by the sound of the tower bells, signaling their midnight toll.
"Oh, I guess it's time for me to go already," the green hair woman said rather lowly. She turned to the blonde prince and placed a glass slipper in her hand. "I need to go now, but here's my shoe so you can find me again." Haruka just stared blankly at the shoe now resting in her hand. Still perplexed by the woman's statement, she watched befuddled as the green haired woman turn and walk towards the door. Once she made it through the door, she kicked the other glass slipper into the bushes. Theres no way I am going to try to walk with one shoe. Such a shame, there wasn't even time to have any kushiyaki. Setsuna sighed as she climbed into her carriage to go home.
"What exactly was that?" Haruka questioned outloud as Makoto appeared behind her. She handed the shoe to Makoto as she announced that she was retiring for the evening, thanking all those in attendance. As the two entered the princes chambers, Makoto continued to look at the glass shoe in her hand.
"Well this should be enough to find her again," Makoto stated, still studying the shoe.
"I don't need to find her again," Haruka snapped back.
"No, you may not need to find the owner of the shoe again, but you'll have to have all the women who were in attendance try it on to find the green haired women. With luck, you can have the teal haired one try it on. You'll have a chance to see her again, you're not going to just throw it away, are you?" Haruka shot her head up at Makoto's observation, here eyes wide with shock. Then again, if anyone was to figure out her confusing emotions, it would be her trusted advisor. If the prince has to see the whole town again to see that one girl again, then it might be worth it.
"Deal. But you have to put she shoe on all the feet that aren't her." Haruka smirked as she pointed a finger in her advisor's chest.
The next morning, Haruka easily pleads her case to her father to seek the woman that left the glass slipper behind. "You would think with such unique hair color, you would be able to find her without having everyone stick their foot in a shoe," the king observed. Haruka just chuckled and ran her hand through the hair at the back of her neck. "Yeah, you would think so, but this is much more romantic don't you think? Almost like it's out of a fairy tale." The King chucked and agreed, muttering something about a romantic proposal as Haruka and her entourage set off.
Eventually they arrived at the home Michiru and Setsuna both occupied. Michiru entered the room where the prince and his advisor waited. Haruka could not keep her eyes off of the teal haired beauty. Makoto and Haruka both watched closely as Michiru slide her foot into the shoe. The both release their breath as its announced that the shoe does not fit. Haruka shot Makoto a look, pleading for a way to get time alone with the smaller woman.
Makoto nodded in understanding that the teal haired woman is the one and the prince needs to find a way to convince her to leave with them. "Is there anyone else here to try on the shoe?" Makoto asked the lady of the house.
"Nope, no one else here fits that description," Michiru looked down as her mother tried to send the prince away. Makoto growled in frustration, looking around for something else to use as a distraction since this was the last house. She needed to get the mother out of the room and the green haired woman must be somewhere.
Suddenly Michiru cried out. "No, wait! Please!" All eyes fell onto the teal haired woman. "Setsuna is here!" Haruka approached the teal hair girl and placed her hand on the smaller girl's face. Those where not the pleading words the prince wanted to hear.
"Let Michiru go," a commanding voice echoed from just outside as Setsuna suddenly walks in from the other room. "I will not allow anyone to harm her no matter how exalted their position." Haruka releases the smaller girl at Setsuna's assertive tone.Turning to meet the prince's grey eyes, she lowered her head slightly. "I wondered how long it would take you to find me," Setsuna continued, speaking directly to Haruka as if no one else was listening. "I know why you came, but the question is are you going to admit what it is that you want?"
A puzzled expression passed over Haruka's features with the green haired woman's words. The garnet eyes peered into her soul, pulling all the information out of her. Haruka quickly looked away. "Someday will you admit the truth, or keep it to yourself forever?" Continuing to prod at something that no one else seemed to grasp. Even Makoto raised an eyebrow at the implication.
"So what if I remain alone? Who will I hurt by that other than myself? What do you care?" Haruka growled back. Suddenly, Michiru steps between to two, intensely meeting the grey eyes.
"No one should be alone! Please don't stay locked away forever!"
Haruka steps back in shock. She doesn't want that? She looks back at Setsuna, wondering just how much this green haired woman knows. Before she can say anything, a bright light fills the room, and suddenly a beautiful princess dressed in white gown with long pigtails cascading behind her stands before them. She glances around to find they are no longer standing in the home they once were, but in a beautiful white marble palace. The rest of the occupants of the room have disappeared, there is only herself, Setsuna, and Michiru standing before the princess. The blonde princess looks at Setsuna and asks "I hate to keep asking this, but do you know what do you truly wish for yet?"
Setsuna smiles and replies simply "I want to open a kushiyaki shop with my sister."
The small princess smiles brightly at this request, "Done...and the prince here will finance it." She added, while Haruka looked on, shock clear on her face. The small princess walks towards Haruka, "I won't even ask what it is that you want, " she says to the prince, while glancing towards Michiru. "You are just have to make that happen on your own."
Haruka opened and closed her mouth in an attempt to say something. Before she could even comprehend what was going on, the light brightened again causing her to shield her eyes. When she was able to opened them once again, she found herself sitting in the carriage outside the palace. A worried Makoto sitting beside her.
"We're back already?" Haruka mumbled as she glanced around, her eyes searching for something.
"What happened with the two girls?" Makoto whispered. "When it looked like you and Setsuna were going to start an argument, you just suddenly turned and passively told us to wait outside. I didn't want to leave you alone, but you had such determination in your face. When you emerged, you just climbed into the carriage and directed us to return." Placing a concerned hand on her shoulder.
"Would it be weird to say it was like a dream... to see her again?" Haruka said pensively. Makoto shrugged but said nothing as she helped the blonde into her chambers.
"I take it that you did not get to... explain your situation to Michiru?" Only receiving a shake of the head in response. "Well, I have a hunch we will see them again," attempting to reassure her friend. Haruka smiled to her advisor as she climbed under her covers. Sleep coming to her with thoughts of the teal haired girl and if she would be able to say what she wanted to the smaller woman.
Haruka was woken abruptly the next morning by Makoto shaking her violently. "Haruka wake up! You need to get ready. Why didn't you tell me you they were both coming by today? I would have awoken you earlier!" Makoto continued to growl between shakes. Nothing the brunette was saying was making sense, but she got up and got dressed quickly anyway.
Making it down the stairs and into the greeting room, she stopped in her tracks when she found the teal haired woman waiting for her. She groaned to herself, wishing she took a little more time to look perfect. Not wishing to keep Michiru waiting any longer, she greeted the smaller woman. "Michiru, to what do I owe the pleasure?"
Melodic giggles came from the smaller woman before she bowed to the prince. "I came to deliver your invitation," handing an envelope over to her. Haruka raised an eyebrow as she pulled out the card inside.
"The opening of a kushiyaki shop?"
"To the opening of our kushiyaki shop. Setsuna and I want to thank our benefactor properly," she said with a mischievous smile.
"So... your sister's wish came true?" Surprised grey eyes met the blue ones. "How did that happen so quickly. I mean... literally overnight. "
Michiru just shrugged. "Magic," she offered.
"Wait... did I really pay for it? How did that happen?" Michiru just smiled at the blonde's confusion.
"So tell me Prince Haruka, what happens next?" She smiled as Haurka took her hand.
"Magic..." Haruka smiled.