The Sister:
Chapter 9: Hi ho hi ho it's off to Pluto we go.
Disclaimer: I own nothing.
Haruka thanked all the gods she could think of, and mentally apologized
to the ones she couldn't. Ranko was here! The odds of her waltzing up
to their front door were so high that she didn't even want to think
about it but here she was.
"Umm, do you know when Setsuna will be back?" Ranko was feeling
nervous. The blond felt familiar but the name escaped her. Hopefully
she hadn't been on the receiving end of Genma's investment scheme(1).
Just as Haruka was about to reply a crying purple blur shot
past her and tackled Ranko to the ground.
"Onne-sama!!"
It should be noted that memories are associative and when the crying purple blue tackled Ranko to the ground the scene was close enough to one that had occurred thousands of years ago to trigger another blast of memories.
*******Long Ago*******
Ranko, younger princess of Pluto was bored. She has been dragged to Saturn to attend one of the more unpleasant things in life, a formal ball. Now balls them themselves were not that bad but when you've got the entire nobility of Saturn drooling over you because they're scared of the Saturn Princess who's only twelve it can be tedious. No one cared that Ranko herself was only fourteen, no one cared that she was one of the best warriors in the solar system. No, all they cared about was that she was female and was not as scary as her older sister.
Currently Ranko was wishing that Ssetsuna would make an appearance, the sight of a couple dozen Saturn fops running with their tales between their legs would be quite amusing. If she had to deal with one more greasy hormone charged pretty boy she was going to deck someone.
"Excuse me Milady your wanted in the communication center." Ranko could almost kiss her rescuer, if she hadn't been an twelve year old girl dressed in a Paige's outfit.
"Thank you young one. Excuse me gentlemen but I must leave." Hurrying out of the ball room before another of the social leaches could try to latch on to her, the young Paige led her to a small room down an empty corridor.
"Thanks for the rescue young one, to who do I owe this favor." Ranko slipped into a comfortable armchair and beckoned the young girl to take the other one.
Once she was comfortably seated Ranko took a more in-depth look at her young rescuer. Her pale complexion was typical of Saturn living but was contrasted nicely by her purple eyes and hair. Her vestments were the typical navy blue uniform given to all the young nobles in training. The whole effect made her look like a young Goth or perhaps death warmed over. She was also fidgeting slightly in the chair.
"You knew there was no message milady?" The young girl was stared at her with big eyes. Ranko allowed a tight smile to grace her features.
"I'm not all that popular with most of the courts in the system and my sister doesn't use normal methods to get in touch with me. Now what's your name young lady?" A small blush graced the delicate feature of Ranko's rescuer.
"I'm Hotaru milady, princess of Saturn." After identifying herself Hotaru seemed to shrink in the chair, as if bracing herself. Ranko noticed this, inwardly cursing the fools who had instilled this fear in such a young girl.
"I'm Ranko, younger princess of Pluto, and quite thank full for the rescue."
Whatever Hotaru had been expecting, it seems that she hadn't expected this blasé acceptance of her name and title. Nearly everyone in the solar system either hated or feared her. Ranko could see the tears forming in the young girls eyes. On an impulse Ranko stood and enfolded Hotaru in a hug.
Hotaru broke down, seemingly much younger than she was as she cried into Ranko's arms.
******** End Flashback*********
Blinking at the aftereffects of having new memories cramming into your skull Ranko attended to the most pressing matters. She gently wrapped her arms around the crying bundle attached to her chest and began to mutter soothingly.
"It's okay firefly, I'm here now. Everything's going to be okay."
This only increased the volume of her sobs. A few feet away Haruka had failed her roll versus wisdom and was taking a few minutes to process what was happening. Micharu stepped out of the living room and regarded the scene.
'Hotaru is hugging a red haired girl on the floor and crying and Haruka looks like she failed yet another wisdom roll.'
Hotaru's whimpers grew quieter as her emotional roller coaster took its toll on her frail body. She snuggled deeper into Ranko's arms and fell asleep, Ranko looked down at girl she had called little sister in another life and noticed that while she had not changed much she was too young and dangerously frail and thin.
Shifting slightly Ranko rolled to her feet with Hotaru still cradled in her arms, she sent an questioning look at the blond haired women. Haruka gazed back in blank befuddlement, having not yet recovered from her botched wisdom roll. Micharu caught the gaze and quickly figured out the correct interpretation.
"Up the stairs last door on the left. If you can't find it look for a room with a lot of lamps."
Ranko, taking great care not to jostle the precious burden in her arms quickly mounted the stairs and disappeared down the hall. Micharu watched her go and when she was out of sight Micharu wrapped one elegent arm around her lover.
"I thought Setsuna's sister would be taller."
Haraku finally managed to pull herself together, she was still slightly dazed but she was recovering.
"I've got to call Setsuna."
Authors Notes: Seemed like a good place to end this chapter, I've received a few hostile e-mails regarding the completion of this chapter so here it is.
Chapter 9: Hi ho hi ho it's off to Pluto we go.
Disclaimer: I own nothing.
Haruka thanked all the gods she could think of, and mentally apologized
to the ones she couldn't. Ranko was here! The odds of her waltzing up
to their front door were so high that she didn't even want to think
about it but here she was.
"Umm, do you know when Setsuna will be back?" Ranko was feeling
nervous. The blond felt familiar but the name escaped her. Hopefully
she hadn't been on the receiving end of Genma's investment scheme(1).
Just as Haruka was about to reply a crying purple blur shot
past her and tackled Ranko to the ground.
"Onne-sama!!"
It should be noted that memories are associative and when the crying purple blue tackled Ranko to the ground the scene was close enough to one that had occurred thousands of years ago to trigger another blast of memories.
*******Long Ago*******
Ranko, younger princess of Pluto was bored. She has been dragged to Saturn to attend one of the more unpleasant things in life, a formal ball. Now balls them themselves were not that bad but when you've got the entire nobility of Saturn drooling over you because they're scared of the Saturn Princess who's only twelve it can be tedious. No one cared that Ranko herself was only fourteen, no one cared that she was one of the best warriors in the solar system. No, all they cared about was that she was female and was not as scary as her older sister.
Currently Ranko was wishing that Ssetsuna would make an appearance, the sight of a couple dozen Saturn fops running with their tales between their legs would be quite amusing. If she had to deal with one more greasy hormone charged pretty boy she was going to deck someone.
"Excuse me Milady your wanted in the communication center." Ranko could almost kiss her rescuer, if she hadn't been an twelve year old girl dressed in a Paige's outfit.
"Thank you young one. Excuse me gentlemen but I must leave." Hurrying out of the ball room before another of the social leaches could try to latch on to her, the young Paige led her to a small room down an empty corridor.
"Thanks for the rescue young one, to who do I owe this favor." Ranko slipped into a comfortable armchair and beckoned the young girl to take the other one.
Once she was comfortably seated Ranko took a more in-depth look at her young rescuer. Her pale complexion was typical of Saturn living but was contrasted nicely by her purple eyes and hair. Her vestments were the typical navy blue uniform given to all the young nobles in training. The whole effect made her look like a young Goth or perhaps death warmed over. She was also fidgeting slightly in the chair.
"You knew there was no message milady?" The young girl was stared at her with big eyes. Ranko allowed a tight smile to grace her features.
"I'm not all that popular with most of the courts in the system and my sister doesn't use normal methods to get in touch with me. Now what's your name young lady?" A small blush graced the delicate feature of Ranko's rescuer.
"I'm Hotaru milady, princess of Saturn." After identifying herself Hotaru seemed to shrink in the chair, as if bracing herself. Ranko noticed this, inwardly cursing the fools who had instilled this fear in such a young girl.
"I'm Ranko, younger princess of Pluto, and quite thank full for the rescue."
Whatever Hotaru had been expecting, it seems that she hadn't expected this blasé acceptance of her name and title. Nearly everyone in the solar system either hated or feared her. Ranko could see the tears forming in the young girls eyes. On an impulse Ranko stood and enfolded Hotaru in a hug.
Hotaru broke down, seemingly much younger than she was as she cried into Ranko's arms.
******** End Flashback*********
Blinking at the aftereffects of having new memories cramming into your skull Ranko attended to the most pressing matters. She gently wrapped her arms around the crying bundle attached to her chest and began to mutter soothingly.
"It's okay firefly, I'm here now. Everything's going to be okay."
This only increased the volume of her sobs. A few feet away Haruka had failed her roll versus wisdom and was taking a few minutes to process what was happening. Micharu stepped out of the living room and regarded the scene.
'Hotaru is hugging a red haired girl on the floor and crying and Haruka looks like she failed yet another wisdom roll.'
Hotaru's whimpers grew quieter as her emotional roller coaster took its toll on her frail body. She snuggled deeper into Ranko's arms and fell asleep, Ranko looked down at girl she had called little sister in another life and noticed that while she had not changed much she was too young and dangerously frail and thin.
Shifting slightly Ranko rolled to her feet with Hotaru still cradled in her arms, she sent an questioning look at the blond haired women. Haruka gazed back in blank befuddlement, having not yet recovered from her botched wisdom roll. Micharu caught the gaze and quickly figured out the correct interpretation.
"Up the stairs last door on the left. If you can't find it look for a room with a lot of lamps."
Ranko, taking great care not to jostle the precious burden in her arms quickly mounted the stairs and disappeared down the hall. Micharu watched her go and when she was out of sight Micharu wrapped one elegent arm around her lover.
"I thought Setsuna's sister would be taller."
Haraku finally managed to pull herself together, she was still slightly dazed but she was recovering.
"I've got to call Setsuna."
Authors Notes: Seemed like a good place to end this chapter, I've received a few hostile e-mails regarding the completion of this chapter so here it is.
