Luna is perceptive, and even more so is Michiru, whose innate grace and
self-possession I admire fiercely. It was Michiru who spoke up on my behalf
over who would be the Princess's bodyguard on this year-long journey.
Haruka was all for Makoto, probably thinking that brute strength was the
way to go. But Hotaru quietly sided with Michiru, and Setsuna, with that
long-seeing gaze of hers, gave a wry smile and agreed as well. Looking back
now, it's easy to see why Haruka didn't put up a fight. Those three are
rarely, if ever, wrong.
Mina-chan pouted, her classic profile not diminished one bit by the scowl. "I'm the leader of the group, and I've been to England before. Why can't I be the one to go?"
Artemis sighed, his blue eyes narrowing in feline irritation. "Because there are too many boys that you know there, for one thing. For another, you are the leader, and the leader must stay with the majority of the troops. And for the last, Rei has well-trained psychic powers that will be more useful in a magical school than a display of physical strength, and she has plenty of all-around skills that will make up for the lack of the other three of you."
"How come no one's asked me if I want to go? I meant to spend this year –"
"Doing what you always do: meditate, study, do rituals, fight with us, and fend off your would-be suitors." Luna looked down her little black nose at me. I always wondered how a cat managed to do that.
"Rei-chan, I want you to go, if you will."
Usagi's soft flute-like voice stopped my grumblings. Her sapphire gaze pinned me, and I gave an exasperated version of Artemis's sigh. The most annoying thing about Usagi is that she isn't even aware of her charm, and she isn't aware of the power of our love for her. It must be the Crystal inside her, influencing her to say certain things to tug at our sense of protection, as a survival mechanism. That one sentence was all it took for my sense of duty and my wish to please her to rise.
She seemed a little hurt by the sigh. By long habit, I didn't correct it. I ignored her quick stricken expression and leaned back from the table we had gathered around to start a mental inventory of what I would need to pack.
Mina-chan pouted, her classic profile not diminished one bit by the scowl. "I'm the leader of the group, and I've been to England before. Why can't I be the one to go?"
Artemis sighed, his blue eyes narrowing in feline irritation. "Because there are too many boys that you know there, for one thing. For another, you are the leader, and the leader must stay with the majority of the troops. And for the last, Rei has well-trained psychic powers that will be more useful in a magical school than a display of physical strength, and she has plenty of all-around skills that will make up for the lack of the other three of you."
"How come no one's asked me if I want to go? I meant to spend this year –"
"Doing what you always do: meditate, study, do rituals, fight with us, and fend off your would-be suitors." Luna looked down her little black nose at me. I always wondered how a cat managed to do that.
"Rei-chan, I want you to go, if you will."
Usagi's soft flute-like voice stopped my grumblings. Her sapphire gaze pinned me, and I gave an exasperated version of Artemis's sigh. The most annoying thing about Usagi is that she isn't even aware of her charm, and she isn't aware of the power of our love for her. It must be the Crystal inside her, influencing her to say certain things to tug at our sense of protection, as a survival mechanism. That one sentence was all it took for my sense of duty and my wish to please her to rise.
She seemed a little hurt by the sigh. By long habit, I didn't correct it. I ignored her quick stricken expression and leaned back from the table we had gathered around to start a mental inventory of what I would need to pack.