Rini sat in a modest kitchen, awkwardly trying to eat cereal with her left
hand. It was very slow going. She had her right hand tucked into the
large front pocket of her sweatshirt.
The kitchen technically belonged to Lady Lita. In her spare time she came in here to relax and do some experimental cooking. Sometimes even, Ladies Mina, Amy, and Raye would stop in and act as a tasting board. But only once in a while.
Rini growled as she spilled cereal off her spoon for the eighteenth time. "Damn it, this sucks." She checked her watch. She was meeting Randy at the coffee shop in half an hour.
"Hiya Rini!" Lady Mina poked her head in the door.
Rini rolled her eyes and gritted her teeth. Blondes are way too chipper in the morning. She looked over her shoulder and plastered on a fake smile. "Morning Mina."
Mina got some cereal for herself and sat across from Rini. "How come you're eating in here today? Wanted to avoid the crowds in the kitchen, I bet. Me too. They're great for everyday, but it's nice to do it for yourself once in a while."
Mina continued to babble on and Rini tuned her out. It was a skill she'd learned long ago, and one she'd found very useful. As she figured it, anyone who could go on about nothing for that long without breathing deserved to be tuned out. Either that, or should be an Olympic swimmer.
". teal rose."
"Huh, whah - " Rini jerked and dropped her spoon on the floor. "Damn."
"Oh, Sailor Earth didn't tell you?" Mina asked. "She slept in your second bedroom last night, and I thought maybe."
Rini composed herself while she picked up her spoon off the floor. She wiped it clumsily on a napkin with one hand. She looked up at Mina, shrugged, and went back to her cereal.
"Oh! Then I have the most amazing story for you!"
Geez, she's telling me a story like I was five, Rini thought as Mina rattled off the events of the previous evening. Mina, shut up!
"It's so romantic!"
Rini raised an eyebrow and turned towards the door. "A mysterious boy throwing teal roses," Lita continued as she and Amy and Raye came in. "Just like your parents!" She grinned and ruffled Rini's head.
Doing her level best not to be visibly disgusted, Rini took her bowl to the sink. "Well, I don't think it's so romantic. It's not like my parents had the most wonderful beginnings, so they're hardly a good example. And besides, you've never even seen 'him' so you have no idea if it is a boy."
Raye frowned. "But he had a low voice." She dropped her voice to sound like a man's. "It sounded like this."
Rini lowered her voice to mimic Raye's impression. "Two women can do men's voices, no surprise there." She flipped her mussed hair out of her face. "I have to go," she said, and walked to the door.
"Rini!"
Rini bolted. "Sorry Mom, gotta go, gonna be late meeting Randy at the coffee shop!"
"But you were just at Randy's!"
"Uh, yeah, but we're uh, going to the coffee shop now. See ya later, bye!"
"But - "
Rini took off down the hall, out the door, and down the Palace steps. She didn't stop until she reached a pillar just inside the Palace gate. Leaning against the pillar just inside the gate. Leaning against the pillar, she pulled out her right and winced as she unclenched it. Wow, any more relaxed and I probably would have hauled off and smacked something. Guess my mouth made up for it though. That'll be a fun one to explain. as soon as I figure it out. *
Randy checked his watch as he idly stirred his tea. Five minutes. He could usually count on Rini to be five minutes late. He took a small sip of tea and smiled into his cup. She'd probably be five minutes late to her own wedding, he thought. She'd come running in, all out of breath, her long pink spaghetti strands spilling down the open back of her long white gown. Kinda like.
He looked up as the door opened and the bell rang. Rini came barreling in, all sweaty and breathless. .now, Randy finished his thought. He greeted his princess with a big hug. "We haven't gotten to hang out in so long!"
"I know! We should find something really cool to do."
Randy nodded in agreement. "Your hair's all mussed. Did you really run all the way here?"
Rini rolled her eyes as she sat down. "Yeah, but the mussiness is from Lita ruffling my head this morning. She ruffled my head! Can you believe that?"
Randy laughed. "I guess they forgot you were fifteen again."
"You got that right." Rini rested her chin in her hand and wrinkled her nose. Hell, I remember when they were fifteen.
"Rini?" Randy cocked an eyebrow.
"Hmm?"
"You spaced out."
"Oh. Sorry." Rini sighed and leaned back.
"What's the matter?"
"Nothing."
"Liar."
Rini smiled. "I was just thinking about the energy thing - Quetan."
"I didn't realize it had a name."
"Yeah, pretty obnoxious if you ask me," Rini said. ""Though not nearly as obnoxious as the fact that he won't go away."
Randy scooted over to the other side of the booth and lowered his voice. "Does he want your mother's crystal?"
"That's just it, nobody knows what he wants. I heard my mother say that he almost said it the first time they fought, but they were interrupted when Sailor Mars came in and attacked him. He hasn't said anything about it since then."
"Wow. What do you think he wants, then?"
"I don't know. And at this point, I'm so sick of hearing about it that I don't care. Let's talk about something else."
Randy pulled Rini up out of the booth. "C'mon."
"Huh? Where're we going?"
"The park. C'mon, I wanna show you something." Randy pulled her up and took her by the hand. "Hey, what'd you do to your hand?" He frowned.
Rini's heart nearly jumped in her throat. She'd forgotten about that. "Oh! Um, I just, uh, burned myself on something. No big deal." True enough. "C'mon, let's go."
Randy continued to frown slightly as he stared after her. Then he shrugged and shook off the weird feeling he had and followed his princess out the door.
*
Randy led Rini to the river running through the park. This section of the river was about ten feet across. The current ran purposefully, though not frantically, through rocks scattered from bank to bank and there were wide clearings on either shore.
"Check this out." Randy bent down and found a small, smooth, flat that fit in the palm of his hand. The perfect skipping stone. He launched it upstream. It skipped once, twice, three times, and on the fourth skip, it hit just in front of a rock that stuck out of the water like a ramp. It flew up the rock and through the air about three feet before hitting the water for a fifth, sixth, and seventh skip.
Rini applauded in amazement as the stone lost momentum and sank into the river. "That was amazing! How'd you do that?"
Randy shrugged and sat on the bank. "My friend Eric showed me how. Said he's convinced showing that to Andrea is what made her want to go out with him."
Rini flopped down next to him and nudged him. "Copycat," she teased.
"Yeah, you wish Princess," Randy retorted, but he was turning a bit red. "Anyway, I thought you'd like that."
"I did. Teach me?"
"Sure."
*
After several hours of practice, Rini managed to get a couple of skips in before the stone jumped the rock, but no skips came after. Now it was getting late. The sun was setting in the orange and crimson sky and Randy was walking her home.
They talked. About life, love, the latest movie, the future, the past, whatever came to mind. This is the life, Rini thought as they came to the Palace gates. I could do this every day.
"Well, here we are," Randy said. "Randy Express stops here, everyone off."
Rini almost smiled. She'd been thinking about this for the past half-hour. Moment of truth. "Randy, could - could you do something for me?"
"Sure, name it."
Rini took a deep breath. "You don't have to, I probably shouldn't even ask, but see, I'm doing this thing. My mom, my parents, well no one knows, but I don't think my mom would like it very much if she knew about it. Anyway, sometimes I have to leave and if they ever look for me at your house could - could you just tell them that I'm there?" Rini held her breath, her eyes glued to the sidewalk.
Randy stared at her, not really knowing what to make of that. Rini wasn't rebellious. Was she? Oh well, Randy thought. Nothing to do with life but roll with the punches. "Sure, I can do that."
Rini's eyes flashed up. "You will?"
"Sure. It's you. It can't be THAT bad." He winked and shrugged. "No problem."
Rini threw her arms around him and gave him a big kiss on the cheek. "Oh, thank you so much! You're such a lifesaver. I don't know what I'd do without you. Randy, you're the best!"
"Uh, sure. Any time."
Rini backed away towards the gate, obviously relieved. "Really, you're totally the best. I have to go, but - ow! - I'll talk to you later." She rubbed her head where she'd smacked it on the gate she hadn't been paying attention to. "Bye!"
Rini disappeared through the gate and sprinted up the steps. I can't believe I just did that.
She sneaked past the conference room where her parents were. How could I do that?
She bolted up the stairs to her room. I did NOT just do that.
She slammed the door behind her and burst into tears for what felt like the hundredth time that week.
The kitchen technically belonged to Lady Lita. In her spare time she came in here to relax and do some experimental cooking. Sometimes even, Ladies Mina, Amy, and Raye would stop in and act as a tasting board. But only once in a while.
Rini growled as she spilled cereal off her spoon for the eighteenth time. "Damn it, this sucks." She checked her watch. She was meeting Randy at the coffee shop in half an hour.
"Hiya Rini!" Lady Mina poked her head in the door.
Rini rolled her eyes and gritted her teeth. Blondes are way too chipper in the morning. She looked over her shoulder and plastered on a fake smile. "Morning Mina."
Mina got some cereal for herself and sat across from Rini. "How come you're eating in here today? Wanted to avoid the crowds in the kitchen, I bet. Me too. They're great for everyday, but it's nice to do it for yourself once in a while."
Mina continued to babble on and Rini tuned her out. It was a skill she'd learned long ago, and one she'd found very useful. As she figured it, anyone who could go on about nothing for that long without breathing deserved to be tuned out. Either that, or should be an Olympic swimmer.
". teal rose."
"Huh, whah - " Rini jerked and dropped her spoon on the floor. "Damn."
"Oh, Sailor Earth didn't tell you?" Mina asked. "She slept in your second bedroom last night, and I thought maybe."
Rini composed herself while she picked up her spoon off the floor. She wiped it clumsily on a napkin with one hand. She looked up at Mina, shrugged, and went back to her cereal.
"Oh! Then I have the most amazing story for you!"
Geez, she's telling me a story like I was five, Rini thought as Mina rattled off the events of the previous evening. Mina, shut up!
"It's so romantic!"
Rini raised an eyebrow and turned towards the door. "A mysterious boy throwing teal roses," Lita continued as she and Amy and Raye came in. "Just like your parents!" She grinned and ruffled Rini's head.
Doing her level best not to be visibly disgusted, Rini took her bowl to the sink. "Well, I don't think it's so romantic. It's not like my parents had the most wonderful beginnings, so they're hardly a good example. And besides, you've never even seen 'him' so you have no idea if it is a boy."
Raye frowned. "But he had a low voice." She dropped her voice to sound like a man's. "It sounded like this."
Rini lowered her voice to mimic Raye's impression. "Two women can do men's voices, no surprise there." She flipped her mussed hair out of her face. "I have to go," she said, and walked to the door.
"Rini!"
Rini bolted. "Sorry Mom, gotta go, gonna be late meeting Randy at the coffee shop!"
"But you were just at Randy's!"
"Uh, yeah, but we're uh, going to the coffee shop now. See ya later, bye!"
"But - "
Rini took off down the hall, out the door, and down the Palace steps. She didn't stop until she reached a pillar just inside the Palace gate. Leaning against the pillar just inside the gate. Leaning against the pillar, she pulled out her right and winced as she unclenched it. Wow, any more relaxed and I probably would have hauled off and smacked something. Guess my mouth made up for it though. That'll be a fun one to explain. as soon as I figure it out. *
Randy checked his watch as he idly stirred his tea. Five minutes. He could usually count on Rini to be five minutes late. He took a small sip of tea and smiled into his cup. She'd probably be five minutes late to her own wedding, he thought. She'd come running in, all out of breath, her long pink spaghetti strands spilling down the open back of her long white gown. Kinda like.
He looked up as the door opened and the bell rang. Rini came barreling in, all sweaty and breathless. .now, Randy finished his thought. He greeted his princess with a big hug. "We haven't gotten to hang out in so long!"
"I know! We should find something really cool to do."
Randy nodded in agreement. "Your hair's all mussed. Did you really run all the way here?"
Rini rolled her eyes as she sat down. "Yeah, but the mussiness is from Lita ruffling my head this morning. She ruffled my head! Can you believe that?"
Randy laughed. "I guess they forgot you were fifteen again."
"You got that right." Rini rested her chin in her hand and wrinkled her nose. Hell, I remember when they were fifteen.
"Rini?" Randy cocked an eyebrow.
"Hmm?"
"You spaced out."
"Oh. Sorry." Rini sighed and leaned back.
"What's the matter?"
"Nothing."
"Liar."
Rini smiled. "I was just thinking about the energy thing - Quetan."
"I didn't realize it had a name."
"Yeah, pretty obnoxious if you ask me," Rini said. ""Though not nearly as obnoxious as the fact that he won't go away."
Randy scooted over to the other side of the booth and lowered his voice. "Does he want your mother's crystal?"
"That's just it, nobody knows what he wants. I heard my mother say that he almost said it the first time they fought, but they were interrupted when Sailor Mars came in and attacked him. He hasn't said anything about it since then."
"Wow. What do you think he wants, then?"
"I don't know. And at this point, I'm so sick of hearing about it that I don't care. Let's talk about something else."
Randy pulled Rini up out of the booth. "C'mon."
"Huh? Where're we going?"
"The park. C'mon, I wanna show you something." Randy pulled her up and took her by the hand. "Hey, what'd you do to your hand?" He frowned.
Rini's heart nearly jumped in her throat. She'd forgotten about that. "Oh! Um, I just, uh, burned myself on something. No big deal." True enough. "C'mon, let's go."
Randy continued to frown slightly as he stared after her. Then he shrugged and shook off the weird feeling he had and followed his princess out the door.
*
Randy led Rini to the river running through the park. This section of the river was about ten feet across. The current ran purposefully, though not frantically, through rocks scattered from bank to bank and there were wide clearings on either shore.
"Check this out." Randy bent down and found a small, smooth, flat that fit in the palm of his hand. The perfect skipping stone. He launched it upstream. It skipped once, twice, three times, and on the fourth skip, it hit just in front of a rock that stuck out of the water like a ramp. It flew up the rock and through the air about three feet before hitting the water for a fifth, sixth, and seventh skip.
Rini applauded in amazement as the stone lost momentum and sank into the river. "That was amazing! How'd you do that?"
Randy shrugged and sat on the bank. "My friend Eric showed me how. Said he's convinced showing that to Andrea is what made her want to go out with him."
Rini flopped down next to him and nudged him. "Copycat," she teased.
"Yeah, you wish Princess," Randy retorted, but he was turning a bit red. "Anyway, I thought you'd like that."
"I did. Teach me?"
"Sure."
*
After several hours of practice, Rini managed to get a couple of skips in before the stone jumped the rock, but no skips came after. Now it was getting late. The sun was setting in the orange and crimson sky and Randy was walking her home.
They talked. About life, love, the latest movie, the future, the past, whatever came to mind. This is the life, Rini thought as they came to the Palace gates. I could do this every day.
"Well, here we are," Randy said. "Randy Express stops here, everyone off."
Rini almost smiled. She'd been thinking about this for the past half-hour. Moment of truth. "Randy, could - could you do something for me?"
"Sure, name it."
Rini took a deep breath. "You don't have to, I probably shouldn't even ask, but see, I'm doing this thing. My mom, my parents, well no one knows, but I don't think my mom would like it very much if she knew about it. Anyway, sometimes I have to leave and if they ever look for me at your house could - could you just tell them that I'm there?" Rini held her breath, her eyes glued to the sidewalk.
Randy stared at her, not really knowing what to make of that. Rini wasn't rebellious. Was she? Oh well, Randy thought. Nothing to do with life but roll with the punches. "Sure, I can do that."
Rini's eyes flashed up. "You will?"
"Sure. It's you. It can't be THAT bad." He winked and shrugged. "No problem."
Rini threw her arms around him and gave him a big kiss on the cheek. "Oh, thank you so much! You're such a lifesaver. I don't know what I'd do without you. Randy, you're the best!"
"Uh, sure. Any time."
Rini backed away towards the gate, obviously relieved. "Really, you're totally the best. I have to go, but - ow! - I'll talk to you later." She rubbed her head where she'd smacked it on the gate she hadn't been paying attention to. "Bye!"
Rini disappeared through the gate and sprinted up the steps. I can't believe I just did that.
She sneaked past the conference room where her parents were. How could I do that?
She bolted up the stairs to her room. I did NOT just do that.
She slammed the door behind her and burst into tears for what felt like the hundredth time that week.
