**Serenity**
If anyone was looking for the famed Princess of the Moon that day, they would have been shocked to discover her in the middle of a Terran town square dressed as a milkmaid. Then again, Serenity was a bit in shock herself. Sailor Pluto! The immortal Guardian of Time was going to fight alongside them. The weight of the key in her apron pocket reminded her of Trista's gift.
"These keys are magical," she'd told them. "If you hold them up and yell 'Crystal Key!', you will be instantly transported to the fourth dimension. But use them only in times of great need, for time is not to be fooled with."
All the Scouts had taken her seriously. There was something about her that instantly commanded respect. Of course, it could just be the fact that with a little concentrated effort, she wipe out the entire universe and everyone in it. If Serenity had been watching where she was going that day, perhaps Crystal Tokyo would never have come about. As it was...
SMACK!
SPLASH!
"Urg!"
"Eek!"
Serenity wiped her bangs out of her eyes to get a look at her "assailant". It was a young man about her own age, now drenched with milk. Serenity looked up at him smiled.
"Madam," he said, gurgling slightly, "if I had wanted some milk I would have asked." For some reason, this struck the young princess as riotously funny, and she sat in the puddle of milk with the young man, laughing until her sides ached, until her cheeks hurt and her eyes watered, until she noticed something that was no laughing matter. The Time Key was sitting on the ground between herself and the man, gleaming so brightly that he couldn't help but notice it. Both leaned forward to grab it at once, which action could have only one effect.
BONK!
Springing apart, the man rubbed his now-sore forehead as Serenity ducked her head embarassedly, looking at her poor victim through her lashes. It was fatal. Their eyes met, blue on crimson. The princess was suddenly aware of the stranger's hand covering hers over where the Key rest. Mentally shaking it off, the man rose to his feet, helping this poor, probably bruised milkmaid to her feet. Serenity blushed for what had come over her, shoving the key back into her pocket with one hand.
"I'm so sorry for spilling your milk, miss. My name is Daryl. Here, let me buy you some more."
"Oh, it's all right, sir. It was...spoiled. I was going to throw it out." Serenity crossed her mental fingers, praying that she sounded believeable.
"I told you my name, lady. May I have yours?" he smiled.
By Selene, he had a beautiful smile. Wait a minute, her name?!?! She couldn't say Serenity! Everyone knew that the Moon Princess was named Serenity. "Er...Rena." Remembering her manners, she curtsied slightly. "Pleased to make your acquaintance, Daryl."
"The pleasure is all mine, milady. If you won't take my offer to buy you some more milk, a least let me atone for your ruined clothes by getting you some new ones and accompanying you to lunch."
'He seems so nice,' Rena thought. 'Maybe...well...lunch couldn't hurt, could it? After all, I have nothing better to do.' She had completely forgotten about her mission. "I accept," she said graciously, offering her arm. As Daryl took it and the soggy couple strolled off, Rena knew there was nothing she'd rather do.
**Psyche**
Princess Psyche Delacour of Venus generally took a light look at life, but at times even she felt like bashing her own brains in with a frying pan. This one of those times. Her mother, Queen Celestina, had told her, "Baby, there is always a ray of light at the end of a storm...except sometimes it's kind of hard to see things through that far." Right now, Psyche was considering homicide as self-defense to boredom. Well, Sailor Pluto was pretty interesting, to be fair. Trista wasn't exactly what you'd call a boring person. Psyche had always had the suspicion that the Uranian/Neptunian sisters were actually had a lot more going on than they generally let on, and their secrecy now were more than enough proof. After awhile, the sisters had broken off to go another direction, and Venus was getting more and more restless.
Trista sighed, surprising the Princess of Venus. The other woman was so quiet that she had almost forgotten she was there.
"So...tell me about yourself," Psyche requested, making a stab at conversation. Though she looked surprised to be asked, Trista answered promptly.
"Well, my full name is Trista Del'annee. I am the Lady of Pluto..."
"The Lady?" Psyche asked, "Not the Princess or Queen?"
"There has been no heir, nor predecessor on my planet for eons," Trista smiled sadly. "I was born at the beginning of time itself. My father was the God of Time and my mother the Goddess of Destiny. I was placed at the Gates of Time at the moment of my birth and grew swiftly to the age you see now. In all those millenia since the dawn of time, I have not changed except in my soul."
"If you grew up there, how did you know what you were supposed to do?" Sailor Venus asked curiously.
Pluto paused a moment before answering, swatting a vine with her staff. "A very wise and kind Queen from the future came to tell me, and I have kept her words in my heart."
"Oh," Psyche was impressed. Maybe Sailor Pluto was a bit weird, but for some reason Psyche was liking her more and more. maybe it was because she was a Sailor Scout. Maybe that was enough reason.
*Serenity*
Serenity sat in a small tavern with her new friend. Daryl was a pleasant, charming man and good company. He'd even been true to his word and bought her a new dress and apron to replace her ruined outfit. Sneaking a look at him, she had to admit that he wasn't bad looking, either. That longish blonde hair certainly seemed to invite her touch. 'Get a grip, Rena!' she thought with a blush.
"So, what's a pretty maiden like you doing as a milkmaid?" Daryl asked from across the table.
"Carrying milk," Serenity answered blithely. That got a soft chuckle out of her companion.
"So, what's your family name, Rena?"
Serenity nearly choked on her water. "Um, why do you want to know?" she asked, hoping he wouldn't have any good reason and woud just drop it. 'The day you're that lucky will be the day Mother decides to give up the throne and become a priestess of the Dark Goddesses,' she thought.
"Hm," Daryl smiled. "In case I decide to court you, perhaps."
'Oh, Goddess,' Rena thought. She knew he was only joking, but Selene, how her heart was racing. "Er, I really can't..." Just in time, a large, ugly man decide to plop down next to her and put nis much-unwanted arm around her shoulders. Rena looked up, and up, and up to see a leer on his smirking face.
"Ya know, you're a real pretty lady," the man slurred. Serenity recoiled from the rancid scent of alcohol and old meat on his breath. "How about a nice dance for us? You can't be worse than old Laurela there." He cast a glance at the haggard-looking barmaid serving drinks.
Daryl jumped up and pushed himself between Rena and the man propositioning her. "I don't think that's any way to talk to a decent maiden, do you?" His face and voice turned hard as steel. "Leave her alone."
"And who's gonna make, me, shrimp? You?" The burly man sneered down at Daryl, who was at least six inches shorter and a hundred pounds lighter.
"Yes me," Daryl confirmed. With that, he yanked out his dagger and held the point to the other man's chest. "Rena, get outside. This is no place for a lady," he warned grimly. As Serenity tried to leave, the man grabbed her slender arm and stopped her.
Daryl lunged forward with his dagger, trusting the man to try to escape being cut. Refusing to let go of the young woman he wanted, the man whirled around, catching a cut from Daryl's dagger in the arm holding Serenity. He bellowed in pain, letting go of the girl to clutch his injured arm. The poor barmaid Laurela screamed for them to take it outside, to not mess up her place, but no one listened as people brgan to join both sides in a fight. The situation quickly degenerated into a classic bar brawl. Always keeping an eye on Daryl, Serenity ducked through the fighting bodies to grab a broom from behind the bar. She found Laurela crouched behind it.
"Sorry," Rena whispered to the upset woman. Dashing out from behind the bar, Serenity quickly located Daryl and the first man. With a swift prayer to Selene for strength, she brought the broom handle crashing down on the man's head. With the strength that comes from being a magical warrior behind the blow, the man crumpled into unconsciousness, leaving Daryl to grab Serenity's hand and run outside.
If anyone was looking for the famed Princess of the Moon that day, they would have been shocked to discover her in the middle of a Terran town square dressed as a milkmaid. Then again, Serenity was a bit in shock herself. Sailor Pluto! The immortal Guardian of Time was going to fight alongside them. The weight of the key in her apron pocket reminded her of Trista's gift.
"These keys are magical," she'd told them. "If you hold them up and yell 'Crystal Key!', you will be instantly transported to the fourth dimension. But use them only in times of great need, for time is not to be fooled with."
All the Scouts had taken her seriously. There was something about her that instantly commanded respect. Of course, it could just be the fact that with a little concentrated effort, she wipe out the entire universe and everyone in it. If Serenity had been watching where she was going that day, perhaps Crystal Tokyo would never have come about. As it was...
SMACK!
SPLASH!
"Urg!"
"Eek!"
Serenity wiped her bangs out of her eyes to get a look at her "assailant". It was a young man about her own age, now drenched with milk. Serenity looked up at him smiled.
"Madam," he said, gurgling slightly, "if I had wanted some milk I would have asked." For some reason, this struck the young princess as riotously funny, and she sat in the puddle of milk with the young man, laughing until her sides ached, until her cheeks hurt and her eyes watered, until she noticed something that was no laughing matter. The Time Key was sitting on the ground between herself and the man, gleaming so brightly that he couldn't help but notice it. Both leaned forward to grab it at once, which action could have only one effect.
BONK!
Springing apart, the man rubbed his now-sore forehead as Serenity ducked her head embarassedly, looking at her poor victim through her lashes. It was fatal. Their eyes met, blue on crimson. The princess was suddenly aware of the stranger's hand covering hers over where the Key rest. Mentally shaking it off, the man rose to his feet, helping this poor, probably bruised milkmaid to her feet. Serenity blushed for what had come over her, shoving the key back into her pocket with one hand.
"I'm so sorry for spilling your milk, miss. My name is Daryl. Here, let me buy you some more."
"Oh, it's all right, sir. It was...spoiled. I was going to throw it out." Serenity crossed her mental fingers, praying that she sounded believeable.
"I told you my name, lady. May I have yours?" he smiled.
By Selene, he had a beautiful smile. Wait a minute, her name?!?! She couldn't say Serenity! Everyone knew that the Moon Princess was named Serenity. "Er...Rena." Remembering her manners, she curtsied slightly. "Pleased to make your acquaintance, Daryl."
"The pleasure is all mine, milady. If you won't take my offer to buy you some more milk, a least let me atone for your ruined clothes by getting you some new ones and accompanying you to lunch."
'He seems so nice,' Rena thought. 'Maybe...well...lunch couldn't hurt, could it? After all, I have nothing better to do.' She had completely forgotten about her mission. "I accept," she said graciously, offering her arm. As Daryl took it and the soggy couple strolled off, Rena knew there was nothing she'd rather do.
**Psyche**
Princess Psyche Delacour of Venus generally took a light look at life, but at times even she felt like bashing her own brains in with a frying pan. This one of those times. Her mother, Queen Celestina, had told her, "Baby, there is always a ray of light at the end of a storm...except sometimes it's kind of hard to see things through that far." Right now, Psyche was considering homicide as self-defense to boredom. Well, Sailor Pluto was pretty interesting, to be fair. Trista wasn't exactly what you'd call a boring person. Psyche had always had the suspicion that the Uranian/Neptunian sisters were actually had a lot more going on than they generally let on, and their secrecy now were more than enough proof. After awhile, the sisters had broken off to go another direction, and Venus was getting more and more restless.
Trista sighed, surprising the Princess of Venus. The other woman was so quiet that she had almost forgotten she was there.
"So...tell me about yourself," Psyche requested, making a stab at conversation. Though she looked surprised to be asked, Trista answered promptly.
"Well, my full name is Trista Del'annee. I am the Lady of Pluto..."
"The Lady?" Psyche asked, "Not the Princess or Queen?"
"There has been no heir, nor predecessor on my planet for eons," Trista smiled sadly. "I was born at the beginning of time itself. My father was the God of Time and my mother the Goddess of Destiny. I was placed at the Gates of Time at the moment of my birth and grew swiftly to the age you see now. In all those millenia since the dawn of time, I have not changed except in my soul."
"If you grew up there, how did you know what you were supposed to do?" Sailor Venus asked curiously.
Pluto paused a moment before answering, swatting a vine with her staff. "A very wise and kind Queen from the future came to tell me, and I have kept her words in my heart."
"Oh," Psyche was impressed. Maybe Sailor Pluto was a bit weird, but for some reason Psyche was liking her more and more. maybe it was because she was a Sailor Scout. Maybe that was enough reason.
*Serenity*
Serenity sat in a small tavern with her new friend. Daryl was a pleasant, charming man and good company. He'd even been true to his word and bought her a new dress and apron to replace her ruined outfit. Sneaking a look at him, she had to admit that he wasn't bad looking, either. That longish blonde hair certainly seemed to invite her touch. 'Get a grip, Rena!' she thought with a blush.
"So, what's a pretty maiden like you doing as a milkmaid?" Daryl asked from across the table.
"Carrying milk," Serenity answered blithely. That got a soft chuckle out of her companion.
"So, what's your family name, Rena?"
Serenity nearly choked on her water. "Um, why do you want to know?" she asked, hoping he wouldn't have any good reason and woud just drop it. 'The day you're that lucky will be the day Mother decides to give up the throne and become a priestess of the Dark Goddesses,' she thought.
"Hm," Daryl smiled. "In case I decide to court you, perhaps."
'Oh, Goddess,' Rena thought. She knew he was only joking, but Selene, how her heart was racing. "Er, I really can't..." Just in time, a large, ugly man decide to plop down next to her and put nis much-unwanted arm around her shoulders. Rena looked up, and up, and up to see a leer on his smirking face.
"Ya know, you're a real pretty lady," the man slurred. Serenity recoiled from the rancid scent of alcohol and old meat on his breath. "How about a nice dance for us? You can't be worse than old Laurela there." He cast a glance at the haggard-looking barmaid serving drinks.
Daryl jumped up and pushed himself between Rena and the man propositioning her. "I don't think that's any way to talk to a decent maiden, do you?" His face and voice turned hard as steel. "Leave her alone."
"And who's gonna make, me, shrimp? You?" The burly man sneered down at Daryl, who was at least six inches shorter and a hundred pounds lighter.
"Yes me," Daryl confirmed. With that, he yanked out his dagger and held the point to the other man's chest. "Rena, get outside. This is no place for a lady," he warned grimly. As Serenity tried to leave, the man grabbed her slender arm and stopped her.
Daryl lunged forward with his dagger, trusting the man to try to escape being cut. Refusing to let go of the young woman he wanted, the man whirled around, catching a cut from Daryl's dagger in the arm holding Serenity. He bellowed in pain, letting go of the girl to clutch his injured arm. The poor barmaid Laurela screamed for them to take it outside, to not mess up her place, but no one listened as people brgan to join both sides in a fight. The situation quickly degenerated into a classic bar brawl. Always keeping an eye on Daryl, Serenity ducked through the fighting bodies to grab a broom from behind the bar. She found Laurela crouched behind it.
"Sorry," Rena whispered to the upset woman. Dashing out from behind the bar, Serenity quickly located Daryl and the first man. With a swift prayer to Selene for strength, she brought the broom handle crashing down on the man's head. With the strength that comes from being a magical warrior behind the blow, the man crumpled into unconsciousness, leaving Daryl to grab Serenity's hand and run outside.