Esupowa-ru No Tenshi
(Angel of Hope)
Upon these pages lie a story. A story of a mystical princess named Setsuna. Of the last days of the Silver Millennium. Of the harsh cruelty of Fate. These pages hold a story of a love beyond reason, hope beyond hope, and a pain that no words could ever dream to describe. Hear now my tale of a hurt that will never heal and a longing that will remain in my heart for eternities to come.
Setsuna sat in front of a mirror in her luxurious room. Her floor was covered in velvet rugs and her walls in elaborate silken tapestries depicting the legends and folklore of Setsuna's people. As Setsuna began to twist her long, silky hair into a bun, her door burst open to reveal a princely figure with short blond hair.
"Haruka!" came a cry from an aqua haired girl who was running after the blond. "Don't just barge in on her like that! What if she was changing?" she scolded.
Haruka smirked, "Then she should lock her door."
Michiru sighed. Setsuna, who was still fixing her hair, smiled and watched them in the mirror.
"Suna-chan, are you almost ready?" Haruka asked.
"Almost Ruka-chan," she replied. "How many hearts are you going to break tonight?" she asked teasingly.
Haruka chuckled and Michiru smiled. "Not as many as you will," Michiru said.
"What do you mean?" asked Setsuna, puzzled.
"You have a sea of suitors after your heart yet you reject each one without giving them a second glance," replied Michiru.
Setsuna sighed, "They are not after my heart Michi-chan. They are after my lands, my wealth, my body. The few who are truly sincere are too dull-witted to even carry out an intelligent conversation with me."
Haruka shook her head, "Well you better find a sincere and intelligent man soon or you'll have to hang around us for the rest of your life! Now hurry up Suna-chan. We're going to be late for your father's party."
Setsuna finished pinning the last pearl in her hair and stood up. She and her friends strode out of her room to the Great Hall.
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Setsuna stood against the cool, marble wall watching the dancers swirl in front of her in flashes of color and sound.
"This is a party Suna-chan! You're supposed to be having fun not standing here looking bored out of your mind!" Haruka exclaimed, suddenly appearing beside her with Michiru on her arm.
Setsuna sighed. "I can't have fun here. All there is to do is dance with men with bad breath, two left feet, and eyes that stare at my neckline rather than my face. I wish I had stayed in my room."
"Cheer up Suna-chan," Michiru said. "I'll let you borrow Haruka. She just had a mint, knows how to dance, and if she looks at your neckline, I brutally kill her." Haruka then made it a point to stare at Setsuna's neckline only to receive a smack in the head by Michiru's gloved hand.
Setsuna laughed. Just then a tall man with deep red hair and matching eyes approached Setsuna. A rich outfit covered his well-built body and a smile lit up his handsome features. The man bowed low and kissed Setsuna's hand.
"Princess Setsuna," he said. The man straightened up. "I pray you allow me the honor of this dance so that I can boast that I have danced with an angel."
Setsuna blushed and smiled allowing the stranger to lead her across the dance floor. Haruka and Michiru watched their friend go in shock and exchanged worried glances. "Didn't she despise all men a second ago?" Haruka asked.
As the music started up again, Setsuna and the handsome man began to glide across the dance floor.
"Aren't you supposed to introduce yourself before asking a lady to dance?" Setsuna inquired.
"Forgive me, princess," the man said. "I am Lord Ga-netto of the planet Xeronia. It is located quite a few galaxies away."
Setsuna thought for a moment. "I have never heard of that planet before."
"It is such a small and obscure planet that few outside our galaxy have." Ga-netto replied. Setsuna opened her mouth to ask about it when Ga-netto interrupted her. "When is your birthday, Setsuna-hime?"
Setsuna was taken aback by that question. "Why do you want to know?" Setsuna asked.
"I'm very interested in astrology," Ga-netto replied. "I would like to know your zodiac sign so that I may know more about you."
Setsuna looked at him skeptically. "October 29," she said.
"Ah, a Scorpio. Very determined and passionate. A bit stubborn at times. Mysterious and introverted, you rarely share your feelings with others. You are also a bit reluctant to trust others. You are a good listener but rarely open up to other people without a great amount of trust."
Setsuna stared at him, awed and dumbfounded, as Ga-netto told her about herself. "What sign are you?" she asked when she found her voice.
"I'm a Pisces," Ga-netto replied. "I am also a good listener. Creative and idealistic. But I'm sure that you have no concern about such things."
"On the contrary," Setsuna said. "I find it astounding that one could know so much about a stranger just by knowing a birthday."
Ga-netto blushed slightly. "It's really nothing, princess. I can tell you more if you wish."
Setsuna nodded eagerly. As they performed the intricate steps of the dance they discussed astrology, philosophy, politics, and even the latest fashions. Ga-netto didn't look at her neckline once.
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Michiru and Haruka watched Setsuna and Ga-netto suspiciously.
"I don't trust him," Haruka said gravely. "We don't even know who he is. He could be a spy."
"Could be," Michiru replied. "But it looks as though Suna-chan trusts him. To have accomplished that he must be a magician. Anyway, Suna-chan can defend herself very well, if she must."
"I still don't trust him. Spies are everywhere these days. It seems that no one can be trusted."
"Put some faith into Suna-chan's judgment. I think that she would be more wary if she suspected that he were a spy."
Haruka smiled, "I suppose you're right, Michiru." She caressed Michiru's hair. "You always are."
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After almost an hour of dancing, Setsuna and Ga-netto decided that their feet could use a break.
"Let's go to the garden behind the castle. Charon shines so beautifully over the plants," Setsuna suggested.
"I would follow you to the ends of the universe my princess," Ga-netto replied. Setsuna smiled and blushed. She led him out of the castle and down a dark pathway. "Is Pluto always this dark?" Ga-netto asked, stumbling down the path.
"It gets darker," Setsuna replied. She gazed up at the dusky sky. "The sun is setting now. After that it will be pitch black except for the faint light of Charon and the brilliant glow of the stars." A few minutes later, streetlights turned on and illuminated the cobblestone path. As they walked, Setsuna felt a strange nervousness, having never been alone with a boy in the dark before. She also felt an excitement, a feeling that she had never felt before and could not have fully explained if she tried. "Let's sit here," Setsuna said, pointing to a bench in the midst of flowers and hedges a short distance away from the road.
After they sat down, Setsuna said hesitantly, "Ga-netto-san, we've discussed nearly everything except yourself. I know nothing of your background, family, pastimes. I would really like to know more." She looked up at him expectantly.
Ga-netto sighed. "I don't know why you would want to, Setsuna-hime. My life is so incredibly boring that it wouldn't keep your interest."
"Everything about you is interesting, Ga-netto-san!" Setsuna protested. "You're so knowledgeable and witty and......" Ga-netto put a finger to her lips and then kissed her. At first Setsuna's eyes flew wide open in surprise, but then she melted into the kiss.
"Suna-chan!" a voice called from the pathway. Setsuna recognized the voice as Haruka's and pulled away from Ga-netto. Blushing, she started to go to the pathway.
Ga-netto grabbed her wrist. "Meet me here tomorrow at sunset," Ga-netto said, his eyes almost begging her to say yes.
"I will," Setsuna promised as she went to the cobblestone path.
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"What were you doing out there, Suna-chan?" Haruka demanded as she closed the door of Setsuna's room.
Setsuna seemed to float across the room to her bed. "Talking," she said in a dreamy voice as she sat down.
Haruka and Michiru seemed a bit surprised and worried at their friend's uncharacteristic behavior. "Talking?" Michiru asked. "We didn't hear any voices. I think you were doing more than talking."
Setsuna blushed. "I don't know what you're talking about."
"Come on Suna-chan! Stop playing dumb. We want to know what's going on."
"OK!" Setsuna exclaimed, giving up. "We kissed once. Is that a crime?"
Michiru and Haruka were a bit shocked that their once man-despising friend had so quickly fallen head over heels for a man that had suddenly shown up from nowhere. "Suna-chan, we're worried about you. We don't know the first thing about that man. He could be a spy. You shouldn't trust him so easily," Michiru said.
Setsuna frowned. "I can take care of myself," she said in an icy voice.
Haruka returned her cold tone. "We're just trying to keep you safe"
Before Setsuna could retort, Michiru came between them. "Let's stop this. Haruka, I'm sure we can trust Suna-chan's judgment." Haruka sighed. "It's getting late we better be going," Michiru said. Haruka and Michiru said their good-byes to Setsuna and left the room.
"I don't know what's wrong with her," Michiru said as she closed the door behind her.
"Me neither," Haruka replied. "Do you think it's true love or just a crush?"
Michiru thought for a moment. "I don't think our stoic Suna-chan can even have a crush." She smiled, but soon became serious again. "But I can't imagine that she has fallen in love in two hours."
"We should keep an eye on this guy. He seems suspicious," Haruka said. Michiru nodded as they walked down the dark corridor to their rooms.
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Night seized Pluto quickly and enveloped it in darkness. Millions of stars shone nearly as bright as Charon, Pluto's moon. The air was chilling but serene, giving the night a peaceful, quiet feeling found only on Pluto. Ga-netto stood on his balcony, in awe of the beauty of a Plutonian night.
"This planet is so beautiful," Ga-netto murmured to himself. "Almost as beautiful as its princess." Ga-netto smiled as he thought of Setsuna. Her silky hair, her glowing, vibrant eyes, her smooth, exotic skin. The very thought of her made his mind hazy and his heart tremble as if she had cast a spell over him. Indeed he welcomed the idea of being bewitched by such a stunning, not to mention intelligent and charming, enchantress as Setsuna. "It seems that I have fallen in love with her," he mused to himself, grinning like a drunken fool.
Reality slapped Ga-netto in the face. "Love!" he exclaimed. "I can't fall in love! Especially not with her. I have my duty. I cannot betray Nephrite or my Queen." As if he had summoned him, a holographic image of Nephrite appeared before Ga-netto. Ga-netto bowed before the image of his commander and trainer.
"What progress have you made with your mission Ga-netto?" Nephrite asked.
"I have become very close to the princess, my lord. Very soon she will tell us all we need to know."
"You think she will reveal information that easily? She must be a fool," Nephrite responded.
Ga-netto seethed at that comment. He would have taken a swing at the hologram if he had not trained under Nephrite for so long, or have been sentenced to death for that act of defiance. Despite this, Ga-netto remained calm, not allowing any feeling to show through. "The princess has been deceived by that emotion humans call love. She will tell whatever I want her to tell me," Ga-netto said, each word seeming like a treason to his own feelings.
Nephrite smiled evilly. "That is good Ga-netto. If you are successful, I will ensure a high place for you in the Dark Kingdom." With that, the image vanished.
Ga-netto sighed and sank down on his bed. "What am I going to do?" he asked himself. "I love Setsuna more than anything, but I cannot betray the Dark Kingdom. That would mean death." Ga-netto poured himself a glass of wine. He thought for hours about how he could escape his predicament, but after he had drained the third bottle of wine, he decided to sleep on it. "Love has deceived me as well," Ga-netto thought as he lay down on his bed and allowed sleep to overtake him.