"Usa-chan, it's Small Lady! What are we going to do?" I asked in a panicked voice.

"We are going to go out there as if everything was normal. She won't be shocked, I assure you. She was around Ruka and Michi enough, and then there was her relationship with Hotaru. This will just be a normal happening." She smiled at me then, her bright face making me lose some of my apprehension.

"But Usa-chan, I can't go out there naked," I stammered, trying to figure out some way to delay the inevitable.

"Puu, is this a bad time? I can come back later if it is," Small Lady's voice called once again.

"No, Small Lady, I'll be out in a moment."

"Suna-chan, I can fix the clothes problem," she said with a childish gleam in her eye. "Close your eyes, I want it to be a surprise!"

I obliged her, closing my eyes and waiting for her signal to open my eyes again. I felt a slight fluttering around my body, and let out a soft giggle.

"Okay, Suna-chan, I'm going to lead you to the full-length mirror, then you can open your eyes." I gave her my hand, and she led me across the room. "Now, Suna-chan, you can open your eyes."

As I opened my eyes into the reflection of my outer self, I was amazed at the outfit she'd given me. The dress went down to the floor, and was made out of a soft, gauzy material hinting at the body beneath it. The bodice was form-fitting, and cut in such a way as to hint at cleavage. It was long-sleeved, and low-cut in the back. But the color, oh how the color, was so beautiful, a deep purple almost red, like the fruit inside the skin of a plum.

"Usa-chan, it's perfect!" I cried, before I burst into tears. I hugged her close to me. Together, arm in arm, we walked out of my bathroom. Small Lady was sitting on my bed, trying not to snoop through my bag. When she heard the door close, she looked up sharply. It took her a moment to recognize her mother and me, for she'd never seen us like this before.

"P-puu," she stammered, "why are you holding my mother's hand?" She looked a little shocked to she her mother and me appear from the bathroom together.

"Small Lady," I began to start to explain, longing to assure her that everything was alright. I never got that far.

"Mama, I can understand Haruka and Michiru, and I've come to appreciate the time Hotaru and I had together. But the one thing I cannot accept is this betrayal of Father - with my, with the only person who understood me," she said, before bursting into tears.

I flew to her side, anxious to comfort this girl who was the daughter of my heart. As I laid my hand on her arm, she pulled away from me sharply. My heart broke when she withdrew from me, yet strangely I did not fell guilt as I had expected myself to. Rather, I felt a sad acceptance that this was how things were going to remain until she learned to accept this relationship.

She looked into my eyes, and the eyes that stared back at me held love, fear, and anger. "Puu, we can't talk now. I'm too confused. After the announcement, come back to your room. Bring Mama. You two have a lot of explaining to do," she stated, with her hands on her hips. Oh, how much she had changed, and yet there was still that little girl inside of her who demanded attention.

"Now, about the reason I came in here, looking for you. It seems as if Mama and I have the same tastes. This is for you, for all of the love and understanding you gave to me." She handed me a thin velvet box. My hands shook as I took it from her. Opening it, I found a pair of garnet studs with ivory pearl teardrops hanging down. A matching pendant was on a thin gold chain.

"Oh, Small Lady, you shouldn't have! This is too dear!"

"I want you to have them, Puu. They're my gift to you, and you cannot refuse the gift of a princess!" she stated, drawing herself up into a regal stance.

Laughing, I accepted her gift, and out the earrings on. Try as I might, though, I cannot get the pendant fastened.

"Here, let me do that," Serenity said, after I'd tried for the twentieth time to close the clasp myself. She came up behind me and took the two ends of the chain, easily clasping them together.

I turned, and gave her a hug. I then linked my arm with hers, and walked over to our Small Lady, who had been shaped by our love. She linked her arm in mine, and together we walked out the door, where her love stood, waiting for her. I released her arm, and she went to him. We walked over to the balcony, where Endymion awaited us, a smile on his lips. We stepped out into the balcony, where the citizens of the NeoSilver Millennium awaited their heiress and her announcement. As Endymion revealed the engagement of Elios and Small Lady, Serenity squeezed my hand. I squeezed back, and smiled through my tears. Suddenly, I knew that the tangle had worked itself out, and that everything would be just fine.

A/N: Well, here it is, my second finished fanfic. This was a story I entered in a contest, where we were given a couple, and had to write a romantic story about them. I hope mine is good to you guys, I think it pretty good myself. Oh, can anyone find a movie reference in the story somewhere? Look hard, and you'll find it. Also, if anyone can draw me a pic of Setsuna in her dress, I would be much appreciative.

Ja ne!

pandorabox82 AKA Stephanie G.