Author's Notes: Wai! I got more reviews! *is happy* Arigatou, minna-san, for the reviews! I feel so special! I think I'm going to end this next chapter. If I don't, well, er, then I'll end it the chapter after next. *smiles sheepishly* Yes, I will end it then. Then it'll be submitted for rewriting. No, not major. Just editing, proofreading, and the works. It'll take a while, though. I still gotta do that summer reading project. ¬_¬
~~~
CHAPTER 10 – REFLECTIONS OF A LONELY PRINCESS
The stars glittered overhead, and Hotaru could just see the sparkling lights of the Moon Kingdom. Of course she was going back! Uranus would've killed her if she'd taken off for good without her! She was just extremely reluctant to face Matthew after that performance. Was she too hard on him? A little bit of her former self flickered through the cold warrior. Then it was buried again under memories of Matthew, her fiancé. "What did I even see in him?" she asked herself loudly. "He's ignorant, flirtatious, cruel, and a hooker's best friend! I guess he is cute, though," she mused dully. Her mind wandered back to the old days, before her training as the Warrior of Ruin. They were full of light and laughter. Hotaru had never let the darkness of their planet and their powers get her down before. She had always looked on the bright side, always looked to Matthew for guidance. Maybe that was it. It was his firmness, his steadiness, that drew her in. But was that it? Was that all? Or maybe it was just the desire to fulfill her mother's wish that she agreed to keep the engagement. Maybe that's why she tried so hard to see the good in him.
Or was that it? Before, before her training, was she so full of light that she couldn't hate him? Hotaru shook her head fiercely, black hair whipping around her cheeks as her violet eyes blazed. That couldn't be it. It was too hard to imagine she had been like that. Or had the training changed her so much that she couldn't even recognize her former self? A sigh escaped her lips and she laid back down on the smooth surface that she found on Phobos. The good thing about that ball that was being held was that everyone was there. Hotaru had almost everywhere to choose from to just relax and ponder. Her mind drifted once more to memories.
There were a few good memories, memories of when Matthew was nice and treated her, really, like a fiancée, even it was just to humor her. Like that time, maybe a month or so before she was sent into exile, when he had grabbed her from behind to hug her and kiss her hair. The way she had giggled and snuggled into his arms now made her feel kind of queasy, even if it did have a sort of warm quality within her chest. Her lashes settled down over her violet eyes as she released another sigh. It seemed like so long ago. Those days were barely even recognizable to her.
She thought about those lightened days and ever so slightly shook her head. Even if she wanted to, Hotaru could never go back to the way she once was. Training, and the knowledge of her true power had changed her too much, too thoroughly. Was that the only reason Matthew was attracted to her again? Was it? Or was he just being a fool and flirting, like he did so often with other girls? It was hard to tell. The only way to find out was to go back, but there was an extreme hesitance within her. Going back was the last thing she wanted to do. But why? Uranus hated these types of parties, but only because it required her to act like a princess. Hotaru just didn't want to face Matthew. His smirking face penetrated her thoughts and she shook her head again. No. She didn't want to think of him. She didn't want to face him. She didn't want to talk to him.
Uranus would be ashamed, thought Hotaru suddenly. She'd be ashamed that I let a man keep me from having fun. Well, that's not going to happen, she thought resolutely, and stood up. No matter how she felt about Matthew, she wasn't about to not live up to the title she had gained herself as one of the coldest warriors. The senshi of death and destruction, frightened by a man of her own planet? Too frightened to even go back to a party?! Fury lashed within her. No way. No way in hell was she going to be scared by him. She didn't let youma frighten her. And Hotaru was not about to let him. Of course, his face is scarier than the whole body of a real youma, she considered bitterly as she pulled out her violet wand. Taking a deep breath, her hand tightened its grip on it and purple energy flowed over her and she vanished from Phobos.
The sight that greeted her eyes as she teleported to right outside made her eyes go wide. Gasping, Hotaru clapped a hand over her mouth and stepped backward. "Queen Serenity! Princess! Uranus, Neptune, Pluto!! Matthew!" she cried.