Nekuyo sighed, she wasn't going to like today. She had already gotten ready, still mad that she had to wash her hair a second time, and she was to meet up with her mother and sister in the Throne room. Her mother said that she'd start on one end of the lined up suitors and Serenity would start on the other. Guess that there's no time like the present to get started on something, no matter how much you wish to avoid it. She wondered if that guy in the mask was one of them. She sighed and went to the garden to wait, wondering if any of them would actually come to meet her.

An hour later…
Nekuyo growled. How insulting.
"He just didn't come. Feh, I'm definitely NOT going to consider The Prince of Saturn. Not like Serenity would either." Nekuyo said. She got up from the garden and then went into her favorite garden, the one that she had laid out especially for herself. She sat next to the Rose Bush in the corner and sighed. One suitor down, and just about a million more to go. She looked at the roses. They turned to a grayish color, then to a pinkish color, then back to plain white. They turned to a slight blue color, still mostly white though, symbolizing the hope that she still held in her heart. Despite the fact she was sad, the roses were always white. The roses had a code. Red for love, white for hope, blue for sadness, black for hate, and pink for happy. This was to only Rose bush that did that. That's why she always sat by this one; it helped her reflect upon the day's events and her emotions. She sighed in contentment. The roses were the lightest pink that you could imagine, but pink was in there. It was spring she realized. The Sakura trees around her garden were blossoming and their petals would be falling soon. Erik was perched on the wall just behind Nekuyo. He had retrieved his mask from the ground beneath the balcony with much effort. He leapt off of the top of the wall and into the garden as silently as he could. It still caught Nekuyo's attention. She got up and turned in surprise.
"You again!" Nekuyo said. The Roses turned a blackish-pinkish-white color (Okay, that's a bit hard to imagine but a least try). Erik took note of this as the black slowly faded away. Erik said nothing; he just stood there, hoping that she couldn't see him blush with his mask on. Erik took a deep breath trying to calm down. Nekuyo just stood there looking at him warily. The jewel on her pendant sparkled a bit, making her aware that something was going to happen.
Just then a huge gust of wind started up and started blowing the blossoms off of the Sakura trees and blew Erik's mask off. Erik gasped and covered his face quickly with his cape. The mask blew up into the air, did a loop, and landed into Nekuyo's hand. Erik was taken aback when Nekuyo took it in her hand and smiled happily. The roses turned pink. She started to laugh happily. She turned and ran, and then she stopped and turned back.
"I'm keeping this!" She said happily. She ran off and back into the palace. Erik looked blankly for a moment, and then took off after her.
"HEY! GET BACK HERE!" Erik said chasing Nekuyo down the halls.
"IF YOU WANT IT BACK YOU'LL HAVE TO CATCH ME!" Nekuyo said giggling. She ran down the hall with one hand wrapped around the mask and the other holding up her dress so she could run. Nekuyo skidded to a stop and rushed inside her door not stopping to wonder why there wasn't a guard at the door. Erik skidded right past the door and fell trying to stop him self.
"ARRRRGH!" Erik yelled, trying to stop. BAM! Erik ran into the wall. He took off his shoes and ran back to Nekuyo's door and tried to open it. It was locked. Well, that wouldn't stop him; he'd go in through the balcony.
Nekuyo giggled and went to the balcony waiting for Erik. She knew he'd come.
"It's about time something fun happened 'round here." Nekuyo said with a merry look on her face.
She dropped the mask over the balcony ledge and went inside. She stood by the window and waited. Erik had come; he bent down and picked up his mask. He put it on and looked up at her. She smiled at him through the window and then closed the curtains. Erik looked up at the window a bit longer, looked down and took off his mask and bandana and looked up with a smile on his face.

The next day…

"So am I doing better than the prince from Saturn?" The Prince from Pluto asked in a shy voice.
"I wouldn't know he never showed up." Nekuyo said looking up in a disinterested manner. The prince blushed and twiddled his thumbs, and fidgeted, and acted as if he were very uncomfortable being with her. She sighed, no she definitely wouldn't be asking him to get better acquainted.

Day after…

"So, how good are you in bed?" He asked in a very perverted way.
BAM!
"Eechi, Hentai, mumble, mumble, mumble." Nekuyo said storming off.

Day after…

"No shows make me so sick…" Nekuyo walked off.

That night…

Nekuyo walked out onto her balcony and sighed, no word from 'Erik' and the Suitors were just getting more and more annoying. She walked out onto the balcony and noticed something on the trellis. It was a letter from Erik.

"My darling Princess,
I'm very regretful to inform you that I shall not be able to see you for a few days. I have apparently been caught in my actions and being severely punished for them. I shall return to you in a few days, please try to endure those terrible and insulting Suitors without me for the time being.

Signed, Erik"

Nekuyo couldn't help but smile. It made her feel all the better knowing that he had infact not forgotten about her, no matter how silly it seemed, she had enjoyed that little escapade with him a while ago…she wished to see him again.

Meanwhile…

"Stupid, mumble, dish duty, grumble, dumb general…" Erik said while mopping the kitchen floor in an apron and Japanese sandals with a white bandana around his head.
"Well maybe if you hadn't skipped your guard duty you wouldn't be cleaning the kitchen floors." Steven said eating an apple while sitting on the counter.
"Shut up." Erik said.
"You missed a spot." Steven said while chewing a bit of apple.
"SHUT UP STEVEN!" Erik said hitting him over the head with the mop.
"… Oh thanks, now I have to take another shower."

The next day…

"So Nekuyo-chan, how have your Suitors been?" Serenity asked on there day off from the Groom march.
"Terrible. The first one didn't show up, the next was shy and awkward, and the next was a Hentai, and the last was a no show. Overall they're all jerks. How about you? You've probably had better luck." Nekuyo replied.
"Oh, well. They're all perfect gentlemen…but I really had my heart set on one. I'm not even sure if he is a prince. He's just appeared. He gives me a single red rose every night, the wears a tuxedo and a top hat and a small mask that covers his eyes. He's such a romantic man. I think he's from Earth, that planet that we've been trying to make alliances with. I've never met anyone like him." Serenity said in a lovesick voice.
"There's someone like that who's been coming around for me too. Only this one is most likely someone who works in the palace. He says he's known me for a long time. I think it's one of the guys who have been training to be a knight. His mask is feathery and he wears a bandana. He's a very sweet guy. He's trying to be romantic and failing miserably, it's kind of cute." Nekuyo said relaxing by the pond with Serenity.
Erik sighed as he cleaned out the pond. That was a very sweet thing for the Princess to say about him. Now if only he could get out of all this work and visit her again.

A/N: I don't think it's getting anywhere YET, but it will next chapter. It involves Jupiter… The planet, that's all I'm saying on that though. Poor Erik, I don't think he ever gets a break. Did you like it? Are you gonna review it?? YOU'D BETTER!!! GRRRRRRRRR!!!!!!!

Ja'S
@--'--,---} Moonlady §¥