Disclaimer: The Reality Benders own nothing of Sailormoon, only this
unusual storyline
Chapter Five:
Bliss Through Town
Yaten flew out of the huge front doors and skidded to a stop as soon as he was down the front steps. He stopped and stared, his eyes wide and his jaw gone slack. It was one of the most incredible sights he'd ever seen.
It was only Hotaru, in a sense, but Yaten had never ever seen her look like this. She looked like an incredibly enchanting fairy as she twirled around the garden in a fluttering white, purple and gold outfit and her long dark hair streamed behind her like a sheet of black silk. The thin satin ribbons on her dress flowed along behind her like they were liquid and twirled majestically around her. She was smiling as she floated over to his yellow roses and looked at them in wonder. She looked so beautiful just then and there, that Yaten could simply not believe his eyes.
What? he gasped in his head. Is that…is that really Hotaru? I—I can't believe it!
He swallowed hard, and moved toward the girl who was looking at his rosebed. He felt his heart pounding, and his cheeks grow hot as he did.
As for Hotaru, she felt him approach, so she turned around and looked up at him. She stopped and stared, but not as badly as he did, because she was aware that he was also looking back at her. Either way, she was still bedazzled by the young man that was now approaching her. Yaten looked like an incredibly handsome prince out of fairy tales, tall and handsome, and moved with such elegant grace and manner. He also looked so princely in his white and gold outfit! There was no doubt about how handsome he looked just now, and Hotaru felt her face go red when he reached her.
Yaten smiled as he reached her, everything going blank in his head the moment she smiled back, and it was like he and she were in their own world. "Hello, Hotaru. Do you like my roses?" he heard himself say.
Hotaru smiled again, and replied, "Oh yes, very much. They're so lovely." Yaten smiled in pleasure, and plucked a rose from the rosebed. He carefully broke off all the thorns (there were only five) and smiled as he handed it to her. Hotaru blushed a brilliant shade of scarlet, but smiled and took it from his hands. Their fingertips touched for the briefest of moments, but it was enough.
Hotaru put the rose on her sash again, and she smiled at him. "I'll keep this. The first one is in a vase in my room."
Yaten laughed, delighted that she had kept the rose. He grinned and said, "Well then, come on. We'll go to town now, so we'll be able to get back before sunset."
"Okay," Hotaru replied, beaming at him.
The two of them went to the gates, and Hotaru saw a white carriage pulled by two horses waiting for them there. She said, "Um…Yaten? Are we riding to town?"
"Not really," he replied. "Just to the outskirts. Then we'll walk through town. You get a better sight of the city on foot. Frankly, I don't like riding a carriage through the city. I go horseback sometimes, but that's it."
"Thank goodness," smiled Hotaru. "I don't like carriages much either. I find that the people feel pretty imposed of a royal if you do. I like getting along with the people."
"That's exactly what I was thinking," Yaten grinned, and the both of them laughed.
They did not notice the queen, looking out of her window, smiling at the both of them as they laughed. She thought to herself, Oh Yaten… If only you have an idea of what I'm starting to see…
They reached the town, and they were now both walking on foot, looking at shops, acting very much like they were good friends with each other, which, in that short space of time, they are.
Hotaru would smile and admire a wonderful music box or a lovely lamp at a store and Yaten would laugh and ask if she wanted it. Hotaru would turn red and say that she was just looking, but Yaten would go in and get it anyway. It wasn't exactly buying, because since all of the people in Kinmoku loved their princes and princess, they give them things constantly without any charge at all.
They laughed and smiled and talked as normal as you'd please, completely unaware that the entire town was talking already. Yes, Prince Yaten went around town at times, sometimes with his 'brothers', on many occasions alone, but they had never quite seen Hotaru before, and never with him. True, they heard that a group of very important royals had come in from another star system, but only the nobles had ever seen them. They had never seen Hotaru before and—being that the Sailors were the loveliest people in the universe—they were quite bedazzled by this new deity that accompanied the prince.
But of course, the two were not aware of anything or anyone else but only of each other, like they were the only people in that town.
"This is such a wonderful place, Yaten," said Hotaru, looking at everyone smiling, the children playing and the people tending busily to their daily duties. It made the town seem like a very colorful and a very friendly. "The people are so nice. Especially to you!"
Yaten laughed at this. "Oh, they would. They like us, I suppose. But they are quite startled by you."
"What? Why?" Hotaru looked down at herself, and it made Yaten laugh again. He decided that he'd never laughed quite so often before. "It must be because they've never seen you before. If I'd never seen you before and you appeared right now looking like you are now, I'd be awestruck beyond belief too."
Hotaru turned pink and gave him a small smile. She looked away, clearly embarrassed, but even Yaten turned red at what he'd just said. What in heaven's name am I doing? he thought. I'm acting so strange that even I get surprised at myself. He looked at the lovely girl beside him. Ah, well…I suppose I have a good reason…
"By the way, thank you for all these things," said Hotaru with a smile, lifting up the bag she had with her, which contained all that Yaten got for her: a purple music box, a bright 'firefly' lamp, a golden necklace and summer hat with a purple ribbon around it. She blushed as she examined them again. "You…you needn't had gotten me so much."
"That's all right," he grinned. "Besides, the people in the shops liked you. They wanted you to have them too."
"Oh, I see," said Hotaru, smiling. "I really must thank them, then."
"You'll see them at the Harvest Celebration," said Yaten. "Everyone goes there. It's a celebration of plenty, I guess—an annual tradition. They're preparing for it at the grand plaza. One of us royals—me, Taiki, Seiya or Kakyuu—have to go and oversee what goes on once in a while. Do you want to see?"
"Oh, definitely," said Hotaru, beaming at him, and made him blush again.
They began heading for the grand plaza, which was some sort of park in itself, so there were some people there relaxing and doing restive things. Children played with kites and an unusual Kinmoku toy called a swift and the children tossed the magnetized orb in the middle of a pair of thick curved steel wires across each other. It was a little like lacrosse, only you had to make sure you balance the orb and catch it right.
Hotaru smiled at them, somewhat painfully. "I wish I had friends when I was their age…"
Yaten felt pity. He had friends, but she didn't. He nudged her and said, "Hey. You have friends now right? They make up for what happened before."
"Yes," said Hotaru, nodding with a small smile. "I guess so."
There was a moment of silence between them. "Yaten?" Hotaru asked tentatively, without looking at her companion. "Are you…are you my…my friend now?"
The silence that followed was so stifling that the both of them did not speak for a few moments. Yaten stared at her. "I…I thought that'd be obvious, Hotaru."
Hotaru still did not look at him. But she asked, "Well…are you?"
It was Yaten's turn to feel uncomfortable and look away. He let out his breath. "I'm…I'm not sure exactly as to what we are, Hotaru…with everyone else fighting and all…" He paused, then looked at her. "But whatever it is…it's something dreadfully close to it."
Hotaru looked at him with something like surprise and delight in her eyes and he chortled, "I suppose it'd drive the others up the wall if they found out." Hotaru laughed with him, and the tension was broken.
They barely walked walked a few more steps when a hand tugged at Hotaru's flowing sleeve. "E-excuse me, m-miss…"
"Huh?" the two looked down and saw a little girl, maybe five or six in age, with big dark eyes and dark hair like Hotaru's. She looked up at the towering royalties with big sincere eyes and a blushing face.
Hotaru smiled at her, and she held out a crown of flowers with purple and gold petals. It was a strange yet beautiful Kinmoku flower, and it was turned into a wreath by skillful little hands. She smiled and said, "Please take this. It—it would look nice on you. And it matches your dress."
Hotaru looked quite delighted and beamed at her. She stepped forward and took the flowers from the small hands. "Thank you very much."
The girl smiled and said shyly, "My…my friends and I made it for you…when we saw you through town with the prince." She glanced at Yaten.
Yaten blinked and looked. A little way behind her were two other little girls, tentatively approaching them. He almost smiled. They looked so cute, the small children approaching a tall madonna. Hotaru placed the crown of flowers on her head and smiled. Yaten thought that the child was right: it did look good on her. He felt his cheeks burn again as he watched her and had to look away for a moment.
Hotaru squatted down to become eye level with the little girl and asked, "What is your name, little one?"
"K-Kirielle…" the little girl stammered, her face going all red.
"What a nice name," said Hotaru, looking pleased. She then took a ring from her finger (it was gold with a purple stone) and placed it in the little girl's palm. "Here," she said, smiling when she saw the delight of the small girl. "Kirielle, my name is Hotaru, and I want you to keep this with you, okay? So when you grow up and we meet again, I'll know it's you, okay?"
Little Kirielle looked doubtful. "You'll…you'll remember me?"
"Of course," said Hotaru. "I never forget such a pretty face. All right?" She beamed at her, and Kirielle nodded with delight, then scrambled off to join her friends who started talking excitedly.
Smiling, Hotaru stood up, and turned back to Yaten, who asked, "You gave her your ring?"
"Yes," said Hotaru, smiling. "She reminded me of someone…"
"Who?" asked Yaten, as they continued walking to the plaza, which was very near by now.
Hotaru fell silent for a moment, then whispered, "She…she looked like my mother… There was a picture of her that I found…but Kaolinite burned it so I just had it in my memory. Kirielle looked like her…"
"Oh!" said Yaten, turning red. "I'm…sorry…"
"That's all right," said Hotaru, shaking her head with a smile. "I still have my mother with me, right?" She put a hand to her chest. "In my heart."
"Like I have my family," said Yaten, putting his hand on his own.
They smiled at each other, and entered the plaza like nothing had happened. As soon as they stepped in, Hotaru gasped in delight. "Oh, how beautiful!" she cried.
Yaten smiled. He had to admit, it was beautiful. The plaza was decorated by what looked like a thousand flowers, colorful banners and streamers and glitter. It was probably one of the most beautiful harvest celebrations that they've ever had. He looked at Hotaru. "Come on. Let's go look at what they're preparing."
Hotaru nodded with a smile and they walked forward into the midst of the people busily preparing for the celebration. They greeted Yaten and bowed respectfully to Hotaru as they passed. One person ran to Yaten in a flowing sky blue robe.
"Oh, Your Highness!" exclaimed the man. "Thank goodness you've arrived to oversee things."
"Oh, good afternoon, Master Youka," Yaten smiled at him. "What's the matter?"
Youka motioned to the musicians nearby. "We were arguing on what to play for the celebration. Seeing that you and the other princes are quite well- versed in music—" Yaten grinned at Hotaru at this, "—we were wondering if you could help us out."
"Hotaru, I'll have to go with them for a moment, all right?" Yaten said warmly to her. "Besides, Kakyoku-mama told me something about us Lights performing for the celebration."
"All right then, Yaten," said Hotaru with a smile.
Yaten went off with the musician, and Hotaru watched him go. She felt her heart thumping in her chest as she did. He was so kind…he was nothing like what the other Outers said. She stared at his handsome face as he talked, smiling, to the musicians, and felt her cheeks grow hot again. She found then that she liked him, not matter what the other Outers might say.
The sudden blast of dance music (the country kind) broke from the musicians and knocked Hotaru out of her reverie. She saw Yaten laughing as they played, pretending to conduct them. She smiled herself, for the music was so nice and upbeat and makes you want to dance. Some children approached her, dancing to the music in spins. Kirielle was with them, and she laughed and held out her hands. With a laugh, Hotaru took her small hands and she danced with her in the spins, and the both of them laughed as the other kids danced wildly around them.
Yaten happened to look at her at this moment, and stared in amazed wonder. She looked so beautiful and kind, as she danced with the children, like a caring older sister. He stared at her beautiful face, laughing and making her seem even lovelier, as she danced amidst melodious music and golden streams of fading sunlight, and Yaten felt his heart beating hard. He felt warmth wash over him as he stared, and he suddenly wondered what he was doing, staring. He turned red, but found his feet treacherous, for they were leading him towards the lovely girl.
Hotaru danced happily, quite unaware that Yaten was approaching behind her, and Yaten looked at Kirielle. She saw him, and he winked at her while jerking his thumb at Hotaru, and Kirielle understood. She grinned, and spun Hotaru around to Yaten's direction and let go, and Hotaru spun around, and found herself thrown into Yaten's arms.
Her eyes wide in surprise, she gasped, "Yaten!" as she heard giggling of children around and she felt her cheeks turn red.
Yaten grinned at her, apparently abandoning all doubts of what he wanted to do, and asked, "May I have this dance?"
Hotaru only giggled in delight, and the both of them danced, laughing like the whole thing was dreadfully funny. It was, in a way, the way they were dancing as exuberantly as the children, but deep inside, their hearts were beating as one in both delight and nerves.
Soon, even some of the older people began dancing wildly, following the two royals' example, for the sole reason of having some pre-celebratory fun.
The music ended, and the people began clapping and laughing, and Yaten and Hotaru merely laughed with each other. "I've never done something like that before," said Hotaru with a smile as she reached for the packages she had put down when she started dancing.
"You don't go out often do you?" asked Yaten, smirking at her.
Hotaru blushed and replied, "No. I'm usually stuck at the mansion."
"Oh," Yaten felt a little embarrassed. She had taken the joking comment seriously, and he found out how very sheltered she was. Resolving to make up for it, he asked, "So what do you want to do now?"
"I'm not sure," said Hotaru. "I'm sure anything will be fine."
Yaten was about to suggest something when a call broke over the noise.
"Yaten!!"
Their heads whipped to the direction of the sound and they saw Seiya approaching with Kakyuu in hand. Color drained from their faces as the two approached, and they felt like they had been caught doing something that they shouldn't be.
Which was something like the situation now.
But apparently, the two weren't exactly very angry. They arrived at the two, and looked rather curious yet very surprised. For seeing Yaten and Hotaru together in a place like this is nearly enough to strike them dumb in amazement. "Yaten? Hotaru?" Kakyuu said with surprise, staring at them.
"Uh…" the pair blushed, unable to think of what to say, and realizing too late that they were very close to each other.
Yaten then said, "What're you two doing here?"
"We came to look over the preparations for the Harvest celebration," said Seiya simply. "We do that all the time, duh. But what are you two doing here?"
"I told you at the palace," said Yaten quietly. "I wanted to show her the preparations."
Seiya's eyebrows jumped, and Kakyuu just smiled. "That's…very nice of you…"
Hotaru blushed and looked away. "I'm sorry if I've been an inconvenience…but really…I just wanted to see the preparations."
"They aren't saying that," said Yaten quickly, looking at her. "They're just…um…" his voice trailed away, and his face turned red.
It was at this point that both Seiya and Kakyuu looked even more stunned and shocked. They stared, wide-eyed, at the pair, who could not think of anything more to say. Kakyuu saw the packages that Hotaru was clutching and asked, "What is all that?"
"Oh!" Hotaru quickly put them behind her and said, "Some things…" she glanced worriedly at Yaten, who looked nervous.
"Yeah," said he. "Just some stuff that the…shopkeepers gave her…"
But they could tell by now that Seiya and Kakyuu had somehow known that they had been gotten by Yaten, and they were for Hotaru. Seiya and Kakyuu didn't know what to make of it. Just yesterday, the both of them had been the cause of such uproar, but now…
Yaten cleared his thoat. "Um…seeing that you guys are here…we'd best be off." He looked at Hotaru who hung her head and remained silent. He looked rather nervous about this.
The both of them quickly walked off before the other two could say anything more, and they vanished out the plaza entrance.
Seiya and Kakyuu looked at each other. "What was all that about?" Seiya asked with wide eyes.
Kakyuu just shrugged. "Why ask me? I'm just as stunned as you are! What went on?"
"Well it wouldn't hurt to ask," said Seiya looked around at the people.
"All right then," said Kakyuu. By ill luck, she spotted Kirielle and her friends, and said, "How about the children?"
Seiya nodded. "Children see everything."
They went to the group and asked Kirielle, "Excuse us, little girl, but do you know the two who just left?"
"Of course!" Kirielle laughed. "Your Highness is playing a joke, perhaps? I know Prince Yaten when I see him. He was with the princess named Hotaru."
Kakyuu gave Seiya a "duh!" look, and Seiya asked, "Well, I just wanted to know…uh…"
"Your Highness wishes to know what he and Princess Hotaru have been doing?" asked Kirielle's friend named Mariet.
Seiya and Kakyuu looked at each other and wondered if royals were really this predictable. They shrugged as a reply, and Mariet smiled. "We've seen them together through town, Your Highnesses."
"Uh-huh," said Kirielle, smiling. "We gave the lady with Prince Yaten a crown of flowers. Princess gave me a ring in return, see?" Kirielle proudly showed it to them, and Seiya forced a smile through his shock.
Kakyuu remembered what Hotaru was wearing on her head and nodded. "What did they do at town?"
"Oh, everything," said Mariet. "They go buy ice ice cream, they talk, they laugh…they are good friends."
"That's not possible," said Seiya, raising his eyebrows as he looked at Kakyuu. "Is it?"
"You never know," said Kakyuu, shaking her head.
"But it's possible!" Kirielle piped up. "They are very good friends. Prince Yaten goes into shops and gets things for her, and she smiles and he turns red." The children all giggled, and Seiya and Kakyuu were more stunned than ever.
"Maybe…" Mariet said hesitatingly, "Maybe…Princess Hotaru is Prince Yaten's girlfriend?"
"No!!" both Seiya and Kaykuu say loudly indignantly. Some heads turned, so they lowered their voices. "Um…no, she isn't."
"Really?" asked Kirielle, looking disappointed. "They make a sweet looking couple. Especially when they danced to the music awhile ago." She giggled. "They danced all crazy like us. They keep spinning around in circles like Mariet and me!"
"Excuse me?" Seiya said in shock. "Yaten? Dance? In public?"
"And in a silly manner, no less," said Kakyuu in the same appalled tone. "I've never heard anything like it!"
The children shrugged. They just reported what they saw.
"Well, thank you," said Kakyuu. "You been a good help."
"Will the princess Hotaru be at the Harvest Celebration?" asked Kirielle hopefully.
"Yes," said Seiya absently, not really listening as he and Kakyuu began to leave amidst the exited chatter of the children.
"What do you think?" asked he at his princess.
Kakyuu shook her head. "Yaten is acting so strangely."
"So is Hotaru, I judge," said Seiya, "by the way the Outers had been talking. They said that she'd never looked so cheerful, but maybe it was just because Yaten leaves her alone."
"This doesn't sound like leaving her alone," said Kakyuu.
"I suppose not," said Seiya. "They're totally getting along. Too well."
"You don't think…" Kakyuu glanced at Seiya, "that Yaten…is in love?"
"With Hotaru?!" Seiya asked in a way that made it sound like the most preposterous thing in the universe, which wasn't a far cry on what it was. "Impossible! He hates her!"
"Oh?" Kakyuu raised an eyebrow.
"Well…you saw how angry he was at the mere mention of her name at the queen's chambers!" said Seiya. "Even Taiki says that Yaten's blood is boiling at the Outers."
"Maybe his blood still is, " said Kakyuu, "but not to Hotaru."
"But—"
"We saw it with our own eyes, Seiya—They. Were. Together! And happily! I've never seen Yaten look or act such! Even mother says so."
"But still," said Seiya doubtfully, "We shouldn't jump to such astounding conclusions."
"I guess," said Kakyuu with a sigh, as she looked up at the palace in the distance.
Chapter Five:
Bliss Through Town
Yaten flew out of the huge front doors and skidded to a stop as soon as he was down the front steps. He stopped and stared, his eyes wide and his jaw gone slack. It was one of the most incredible sights he'd ever seen.
It was only Hotaru, in a sense, but Yaten had never ever seen her look like this. She looked like an incredibly enchanting fairy as she twirled around the garden in a fluttering white, purple and gold outfit and her long dark hair streamed behind her like a sheet of black silk. The thin satin ribbons on her dress flowed along behind her like they were liquid and twirled majestically around her. She was smiling as she floated over to his yellow roses and looked at them in wonder. She looked so beautiful just then and there, that Yaten could simply not believe his eyes.
What? he gasped in his head. Is that…is that really Hotaru? I—I can't believe it!
He swallowed hard, and moved toward the girl who was looking at his rosebed. He felt his heart pounding, and his cheeks grow hot as he did.
As for Hotaru, she felt him approach, so she turned around and looked up at him. She stopped and stared, but not as badly as he did, because she was aware that he was also looking back at her. Either way, she was still bedazzled by the young man that was now approaching her. Yaten looked like an incredibly handsome prince out of fairy tales, tall and handsome, and moved with such elegant grace and manner. He also looked so princely in his white and gold outfit! There was no doubt about how handsome he looked just now, and Hotaru felt her face go red when he reached her.
Yaten smiled as he reached her, everything going blank in his head the moment she smiled back, and it was like he and she were in their own world. "Hello, Hotaru. Do you like my roses?" he heard himself say.
Hotaru smiled again, and replied, "Oh yes, very much. They're so lovely." Yaten smiled in pleasure, and plucked a rose from the rosebed. He carefully broke off all the thorns (there were only five) and smiled as he handed it to her. Hotaru blushed a brilliant shade of scarlet, but smiled and took it from his hands. Their fingertips touched for the briefest of moments, but it was enough.
Hotaru put the rose on her sash again, and she smiled at him. "I'll keep this. The first one is in a vase in my room."
Yaten laughed, delighted that she had kept the rose. He grinned and said, "Well then, come on. We'll go to town now, so we'll be able to get back before sunset."
"Okay," Hotaru replied, beaming at him.
The two of them went to the gates, and Hotaru saw a white carriage pulled by two horses waiting for them there. She said, "Um…Yaten? Are we riding to town?"
"Not really," he replied. "Just to the outskirts. Then we'll walk through town. You get a better sight of the city on foot. Frankly, I don't like riding a carriage through the city. I go horseback sometimes, but that's it."
"Thank goodness," smiled Hotaru. "I don't like carriages much either. I find that the people feel pretty imposed of a royal if you do. I like getting along with the people."
"That's exactly what I was thinking," Yaten grinned, and the both of them laughed.
They did not notice the queen, looking out of her window, smiling at the both of them as they laughed. She thought to herself, Oh Yaten… If only you have an idea of what I'm starting to see…
They reached the town, and they were now both walking on foot, looking at shops, acting very much like they were good friends with each other, which, in that short space of time, they are.
Hotaru would smile and admire a wonderful music box or a lovely lamp at a store and Yaten would laugh and ask if she wanted it. Hotaru would turn red and say that she was just looking, but Yaten would go in and get it anyway. It wasn't exactly buying, because since all of the people in Kinmoku loved their princes and princess, they give them things constantly without any charge at all.
They laughed and smiled and talked as normal as you'd please, completely unaware that the entire town was talking already. Yes, Prince Yaten went around town at times, sometimes with his 'brothers', on many occasions alone, but they had never quite seen Hotaru before, and never with him. True, they heard that a group of very important royals had come in from another star system, but only the nobles had ever seen them. They had never seen Hotaru before and—being that the Sailors were the loveliest people in the universe—they were quite bedazzled by this new deity that accompanied the prince.
But of course, the two were not aware of anything or anyone else but only of each other, like they were the only people in that town.
"This is such a wonderful place, Yaten," said Hotaru, looking at everyone smiling, the children playing and the people tending busily to their daily duties. It made the town seem like a very colorful and a very friendly. "The people are so nice. Especially to you!"
Yaten laughed at this. "Oh, they would. They like us, I suppose. But they are quite startled by you."
"What? Why?" Hotaru looked down at herself, and it made Yaten laugh again. He decided that he'd never laughed quite so often before. "It must be because they've never seen you before. If I'd never seen you before and you appeared right now looking like you are now, I'd be awestruck beyond belief too."
Hotaru turned pink and gave him a small smile. She looked away, clearly embarrassed, but even Yaten turned red at what he'd just said. What in heaven's name am I doing? he thought. I'm acting so strange that even I get surprised at myself. He looked at the lovely girl beside him. Ah, well…I suppose I have a good reason…
"By the way, thank you for all these things," said Hotaru with a smile, lifting up the bag she had with her, which contained all that Yaten got for her: a purple music box, a bright 'firefly' lamp, a golden necklace and summer hat with a purple ribbon around it. She blushed as she examined them again. "You…you needn't had gotten me so much."
"That's all right," he grinned. "Besides, the people in the shops liked you. They wanted you to have them too."
"Oh, I see," said Hotaru, smiling. "I really must thank them, then."
"You'll see them at the Harvest Celebration," said Yaten. "Everyone goes there. It's a celebration of plenty, I guess—an annual tradition. They're preparing for it at the grand plaza. One of us royals—me, Taiki, Seiya or Kakyuu—have to go and oversee what goes on once in a while. Do you want to see?"
"Oh, definitely," said Hotaru, beaming at him, and made him blush again.
They began heading for the grand plaza, which was some sort of park in itself, so there were some people there relaxing and doing restive things. Children played with kites and an unusual Kinmoku toy called a swift and the children tossed the magnetized orb in the middle of a pair of thick curved steel wires across each other. It was a little like lacrosse, only you had to make sure you balance the orb and catch it right.
Hotaru smiled at them, somewhat painfully. "I wish I had friends when I was their age…"
Yaten felt pity. He had friends, but she didn't. He nudged her and said, "Hey. You have friends now right? They make up for what happened before."
"Yes," said Hotaru, nodding with a small smile. "I guess so."
There was a moment of silence between them. "Yaten?" Hotaru asked tentatively, without looking at her companion. "Are you…are you my…my friend now?"
The silence that followed was so stifling that the both of them did not speak for a few moments. Yaten stared at her. "I…I thought that'd be obvious, Hotaru."
Hotaru still did not look at him. But she asked, "Well…are you?"
It was Yaten's turn to feel uncomfortable and look away. He let out his breath. "I'm…I'm not sure exactly as to what we are, Hotaru…with everyone else fighting and all…" He paused, then looked at her. "But whatever it is…it's something dreadfully close to it."
Hotaru looked at him with something like surprise and delight in her eyes and he chortled, "I suppose it'd drive the others up the wall if they found out." Hotaru laughed with him, and the tension was broken.
They barely walked walked a few more steps when a hand tugged at Hotaru's flowing sleeve. "E-excuse me, m-miss…"
"Huh?" the two looked down and saw a little girl, maybe five or six in age, with big dark eyes and dark hair like Hotaru's. She looked up at the towering royalties with big sincere eyes and a blushing face.
Hotaru smiled at her, and she held out a crown of flowers with purple and gold petals. It was a strange yet beautiful Kinmoku flower, and it was turned into a wreath by skillful little hands. She smiled and said, "Please take this. It—it would look nice on you. And it matches your dress."
Hotaru looked quite delighted and beamed at her. She stepped forward and took the flowers from the small hands. "Thank you very much."
The girl smiled and said shyly, "My…my friends and I made it for you…when we saw you through town with the prince." She glanced at Yaten.
Yaten blinked and looked. A little way behind her were two other little girls, tentatively approaching them. He almost smiled. They looked so cute, the small children approaching a tall madonna. Hotaru placed the crown of flowers on her head and smiled. Yaten thought that the child was right: it did look good on her. He felt his cheeks burn again as he watched her and had to look away for a moment.
Hotaru squatted down to become eye level with the little girl and asked, "What is your name, little one?"
"K-Kirielle…" the little girl stammered, her face going all red.
"What a nice name," said Hotaru, looking pleased. She then took a ring from her finger (it was gold with a purple stone) and placed it in the little girl's palm. "Here," she said, smiling when she saw the delight of the small girl. "Kirielle, my name is Hotaru, and I want you to keep this with you, okay? So when you grow up and we meet again, I'll know it's you, okay?"
Little Kirielle looked doubtful. "You'll…you'll remember me?"
"Of course," said Hotaru. "I never forget such a pretty face. All right?" She beamed at her, and Kirielle nodded with delight, then scrambled off to join her friends who started talking excitedly.
Smiling, Hotaru stood up, and turned back to Yaten, who asked, "You gave her your ring?"
"Yes," said Hotaru, smiling. "She reminded me of someone…"
"Who?" asked Yaten, as they continued walking to the plaza, which was very near by now.
Hotaru fell silent for a moment, then whispered, "She…she looked like my mother… There was a picture of her that I found…but Kaolinite burned it so I just had it in my memory. Kirielle looked like her…"
"Oh!" said Yaten, turning red. "I'm…sorry…"
"That's all right," said Hotaru, shaking her head with a smile. "I still have my mother with me, right?" She put a hand to her chest. "In my heart."
"Like I have my family," said Yaten, putting his hand on his own.
They smiled at each other, and entered the plaza like nothing had happened. As soon as they stepped in, Hotaru gasped in delight. "Oh, how beautiful!" she cried.
Yaten smiled. He had to admit, it was beautiful. The plaza was decorated by what looked like a thousand flowers, colorful banners and streamers and glitter. It was probably one of the most beautiful harvest celebrations that they've ever had. He looked at Hotaru. "Come on. Let's go look at what they're preparing."
Hotaru nodded with a smile and they walked forward into the midst of the people busily preparing for the celebration. They greeted Yaten and bowed respectfully to Hotaru as they passed. One person ran to Yaten in a flowing sky blue robe.
"Oh, Your Highness!" exclaimed the man. "Thank goodness you've arrived to oversee things."
"Oh, good afternoon, Master Youka," Yaten smiled at him. "What's the matter?"
Youka motioned to the musicians nearby. "We were arguing on what to play for the celebration. Seeing that you and the other princes are quite well- versed in music—" Yaten grinned at Hotaru at this, "—we were wondering if you could help us out."
"Hotaru, I'll have to go with them for a moment, all right?" Yaten said warmly to her. "Besides, Kakyoku-mama told me something about us Lights performing for the celebration."
"All right then, Yaten," said Hotaru with a smile.
Yaten went off with the musician, and Hotaru watched him go. She felt her heart thumping in her chest as she did. He was so kind…he was nothing like what the other Outers said. She stared at his handsome face as he talked, smiling, to the musicians, and felt her cheeks grow hot again. She found then that she liked him, not matter what the other Outers might say.
The sudden blast of dance music (the country kind) broke from the musicians and knocked Hotaru out of her reverie. She saw Yaten laughing as they played, pretending to conduct them. She smiled herself, for the music was so nice and upbeat and makes you want to dance. Some children approached her, dancing to the music in spins. Kirielle was with them, and she laughed and held out her hands. With a laugh, Hotaru took her small hands and she danced with her in the spins, and the both of them laughed as the other kids danced wildly around them.
Yaten happened to look at her at this moment, and stared in amazed wonder. She looked so beautiful and kind, as she danced with the children, like a caring older sister. He stared at her beautiful face, laughing and making her seem even lovelier, as she danced amidst melodious music and golden streams of fading sunlight, and Yaten felt his heart beating hard. He felt warmth wash over him as he stared, and he suddenly wondered what he was doing, staring. He turned red, but found his feet treacherous, for they were leading him towards the lovely girl.
Hotaru danced happily, quite unaware that Yaten was approaching behind her, and Yaten looked at Kirielle. She saw him, and he winked at her while jerking his thumb at Hotaru, and Kirielle understood. She grinned, and spun Hotaru around to Yaten's direction and let go, and Hotaru spun around, and found herself thrown into Yaten's arms.
Her eyes wide in surprise, she gasped, "Yaten!" as she heard giggling of children around and she felt her cheeks turn red.
Yaten grinned at her, apparently abandoning all doubts of what he wanted to do, and asked, "May I have this dance?"
Hotaru only giggled in delight, and the both of them danced, laughing like the whole thing was dreadfully funny. It was, in a way, the way they were dancing as exuberantly as the children, but deep inside, their hearts were beating as one in both delight and nerves.
Soon, even some of the older people began dancing wildly, following the two royals' example, for the sole reason of having some pre-celebratory fun.
The music ended, and the people began clapping and laughing, and Yaten and Hotaru merely laughed with each other. "I've never done something like that before," said Hotaru with a smile as she reached for the packages she had put down when she started dancing.
"You don't go out often do you?" asked Yaten, smirking at her.
Hotaru blushed and replied, "No. I'm usually stuck at the mansion."
"Oh," Yaten felt a little embarrassed. She had taken the joking comment seriously, and he found out how very sheltered she was. Resolving to make up for it, he asked, "So what do you want to do now?"
"I'm not sure," said Hotaru. "I'm sure anything will be fine."
Yaten was about to suggest something when a call broke over the noise.
"Yaten!!"
Their heads whipped to the direction of the sound and they saw Seiya approaching with Kakyuu in hand. Color drained from their faces as the two approached, and they felt like they had been caught doing something that they shouldn't be.
Which was something like the situation now.
But apparently, the two weren't exactly very angry. They arrived at the two, and looked rather curious yet very surprised. For seeing Yaten and Hotaru together in a place like this is nearly enough to strike them dumb in amazement. "Yaten? Hotaru?" Kakyuu said with surprise, staring at them.
"Uh…" the pair blushed, unable to think of what to say, and realizing too late that they were very close to each other.
Yaten then said, "What're you two doing here?"
"We came to look over the preparations for the Harvest celebration," said Seiya simply. "We do that all the time, duh. But what are you two doing here?"
"I told you at the palace," said Yaten quietly. "I wanted to show her the preparations."
Seiya's eyebrows jumped, and Kakyuu just smiled. "That's…very nice of you…"
Hotaru blushed and looked away. "I'm sorry if I've been an inconvenience…but really…I just wanted to see the preparations."
"They aren't saying that," said Yaten quickly, looking at her. "They're just…um…" his voice trailed away, and his face turned red.
It was at this point that both Seiya and Kakyuu looked even more stunned and shocked. They stared, wide-eyed, at the pair, who could not think of anything more to say. Kakyuu saw the packages that Hotaru was clutching and asked, "What is all that?"
"Oh!" Hotaru quickly put them behind her and said, "Some things…" she glanced worriedly at Yaten, who looked nervous.
"Yeah," said he. "Just some stuff that the…shopkeepers gave her…"
But they could tell by now that Seiya and Kakyuu had somehow known that they had been gotten by Yaten, and they were for Hotaru. Seiya and Kakyuu didn't know what to make of it. Just yesterday, the both of them had been the cause of such uproar, but now…
Yaten cleared his thoat. "Um…seeing that you guys are here…we'd best be off." He looked at Hotaru who hung her head and remained silent. He looked rather nervous about this.
The both of them quickly walked off before the other two could say anything more, and they vanished out the plaza entrance.
Seiya and Kakyuu looked at each other. "What was all that about?" Seiya asked with wide eyes.
Kakyuu just shrugged. "Why ask me? I'm just as stunned as you are! What went on?"
"Well it wouldn't hurt to ask," said Seiya looked around at the people.
"All right then," said Kakyuu. By ill luck, she spotted Kirielle and her friends, and said, "How about the children?"
Seiya nodded. "Children see everything."
They went to the group and asked Kirielle, "Excuse us, little girl, but do you know the two who just left?"
"Of course!" Kirielle laughed. "Your Highness is playing a joke, perhaps? I know Prince Yaten when I see him. He was with the princess named Hotaru."
Kakyuu gave Seiya a "duh!" look, and Seiya asked, "Well, I just wanted to know…uh…"
"Your Highness wishes to know what he and Princess Hotaru have been doing?" asked Kirielle's friend named Mariet.
Seiya and Kakyuu looked at each other and wondered if royals were really this predictable. They shrugged as a reply, and Mariet smiled. "We've seen them together through town, Your Highnesses."
"Uh-huh," said Kirielle, smiling. "We gave the lady with Prince Yaten a crown of flowers. Princess gave me a ring in return, see?" Kirielle proudly showed it to them, and Seiya forced a smile through his shock.
Kakyuu remembered what Hotaru was wearing on her head and nodded. "What did they do at town?"
"Oh, everything," said Mariet. "They go buy ice ice cream, they talk, they laugh…they are good friends."
"That's not possible," said Seiya, raising his eyebrows as he looked at Kakyuu. "Is it?"
"You never know," said Kakyuu, shaking her head.
"But it's possible!" Kirielle piped up. "They are very good friends. Prince Yaten goes into shops and gets things for her, and she smiles and he turns red." The children all giggled, and Seiya and Kakyuu were more stunned than ever.
"Maybe…" Mariet said hesitatingly, "Maybe…Princess Hotaru is Prince Yaten's girlfriend?"
"No!!" both Seiya and Kaykuu say loudly indignantly. Some heads turned, so they lowered their voices. "Um…no, she isn't."
"Really?" asked Kirielle, looking disappointed. "They make a sweet looking couple. Especially when they danced to the music awhile ago." She giggled. "They danced all crazy like us. They keep spinning around in circles like Mariet and me!"
"Excuse me?" Seiya said in shock. "Yaten? Dance? In public?"
"And in a silly manner, no less," said Kakyuu in the same appalled tone. "I've never heard anything like it!"
The children shrugged. They just reported what they saw.
"Well, thank you," said Kakyuu. "You been a good help."
"Will the princess Hotaru be at the Harvest Celebration?" asked Kirielle hopefully.
"Yes," said Seiya absently, not really listening as he and Kakyuu began to leave amidst the exited chatter of the children.
"What do you think?" asked he at his princess.
Kakyuu shook her head. "Yaten is acting so strangely."
"So is Hotaru, I judge," said Seiya, "by the way the Outers had been talking. They said that she'd never looked so cheerful, but maybe it was just because Yaten leaves her alone."
"This doesn't sound like leaving her alone," said Kakyuu.
"I suppose not," said Seiya. "They're totally getting along. Too well."
"You don't think…" Kakyuu glanced at Seiya, "that Yaten…is in love?"
"With Hotaru?!" Seiya asked in a way that made it sound like the most preposterous thing in the universe, which wasn't a far cry on what it was. "Impossible! He hates her!"
"Oh?" Kakyuu raised an eyebrow.
"Well…you saw how angry he was at the mere mention of her name at the queen's chambers!" said Seiya. "Even Taiki says that Yaten's blood is boiling at the Outers."
"Maybe his blood still is, " said Kakyuu, "but not to Hotaru."
"But—"
"We saw it with our own eyes, Seiya—They. Were. Together! And happily! I've never seen Yaten look or act such! Even mother says so."
"But still," said Seiya doubtfully, "We shouldn't jump to such astounding conclusions."
"I guess," said Kakyuu with a sigh, as she looked up at the palace in the distance.
