"NATURE LOVER"
A Neo-Sailor Moon fanfic
Chapter 6: "An Idea Takes Root"
By Bill K.
Ves-Ves came out of the club dancing. Her mind couldn't purge the memory of Minako's performance - - not that she was trying to - - and the memories were making her feet move. While Ves-Ves wasn't an accomplished dancer, the nimbleness she learned during her time in the Dead Moon Circus gave her a passing competency, enough to make several of the people she danced past nod in approval.
"I am your ISLAND PRINCESS!" Ves-Ves croaked out in, to her ear, an approximation of Minako's climactic version of her first hit, then posed dramatically just as she had on the stage. "Yeah!" Ves-Ves shook her head in admiration. "That lady can sing! She beats 'Neuromancer'
any day. Anybody who doesn't like her is a dope!"
Ves-Ves pinched off a few more moves, recreating the concert with her body to keep the memory fresh in her mind. After coming out of a spin, she spied two people just up the Promenade from her.
"Hey, that's Hotaru and her guy," Ves-Ves thought. "They must have gone to the show,
too. Wonder if they're headed for the palace."
Only two steps forward, though, Ves-Ves stopped and popped her eyes. Yutaka had turned and, still grasping Hotaru's hand, leaned in and kissed her. Hotaru arched up, going up on tiptoes, to lean into the kiss. Her body went rigid with excitement that was visible all the way across the Promenade.
"Guess not," smirked Ves-Ves. "All right, Hotaru! Get yourself a whole bunch of that!" Ves-Ves backed up a few steps and gave the couple a wide berth. "Can't wait to hear the juicy details tomorrow. Hope she's in a sharing mood."
The girl wandered unhurriedly toward the palace. Curfew was looming, but curfew never meant much to her. To Ves-Ves, there were rules you couldn't break and then there were rules that were instituted just to annoy teenagers - - curfew was one of the latter.
"What are they going to do?" Ves-Ves shrugged. "Sensei Hino-sama already hates me anyway and if the queen wouldn't toss me out for losing my head and nearly killing the princess,
she won't toss me for this." Ves-Ves scowled. "Hope Sensei Mizuno-sama understands."
Her wanderings carried the girl past the grove of trees behind the garden. Ves-Ves stopped and looked at the silent trees blanketed by the dark of night. She focused on the one Cere-Cere was always sitting next to, the one that supposedly housed her Gallan. What she heard earlier from Jun-Jun popped up in her mind again. "Most tree spirits are benevolent, but there are stories of some who take vengeance on humans who wronged them." The redhead's lips thinned.
Finally, using an even, unhurried yet determined gait, Ves-Ves walked up to the tree. She looked up, her towering hairdo falling precariously to the rear, so much so that it threatened to topple the girl. The tree loomed placidly above her. The night air blew past them, the first hint of autumn chill mixed in with the warmth of summer. Ves-Ves scowled.
"Look," she began, addressing the tree. "I don't know if you can hear me. I don't know if you're even there." She crossed her arms. "Oh, this is so stupid!"
She turned to leave, but relented and turned back.
"Look, Gallan," she began testily. "Palla-Palla says you're real, so you must be. And Cere-Cere's kissing something down here." She stopped again and gathered her emotions. "I don't know if you're in love with Cere-Cere, or even if trees can be in love, or anything - - but I do know this: you better not hurt Cere-Cere, got me? Because if you do, I'll chop you up into toothpicks!"
Suddenly feeling silly for talking to a tree, Ves-Ves turned and headed for the palace.
"I love her," Ves-Ves heard a man's voice say. She whirled around and found Gallan in all of his naked glory standing next to his tree. He stood placidly, non-threateningly in the shadows of the night and looked earnestly at her. "I vow I will never intentionally harm her."
Ves-Ves stared in amazement. He was real. He did exist.
And he was naked - - and he was gorgeous.
Then he smiled wryly.
"And should I unintentionally harm my Cere-Cere, I vow I will come to you for my punishment without resistance."
Ves-Ves nodded numbly. As Gallan watched her with amusement, the girl turned and stumbled blindly toward the palace, her mind occupied by what she'd just seen.
"Oh my heaven, he's such a babe!" Ves-Ves thought to herself. "I wonder if they all look like that?"
Nearly an hour after Ves-Ves wandered into the palace, Hotaru and Yutaka entered. Blushing nervously as they passed the guard at the gate, the two teens headed upstairs until they reached Yutaka's floor. They paused, reluctant to part and yet knowing they were late already. Yutaka suddenly bent forward. Hotaru had just enough time to prepare herself before the boy's lips met hers. They kissed briefly but affectionately, then parted. Hotaru watched Yutaka walk down the hall, then turned and scampered to the turbolift and shot to her floor. Her feet barely touching the floor, Hotaru sailed to her door and entered the quarters she shared with Haruka and Michiru.
Michiru was waiting for her arrival.
"What time did we agree on?" Michiru asked. Her tone was even and unreproachful. Hotaru knew better.
"I'm sorry, Mama," she began. "But the concert didn't let out until twenty-two thirty!"
"What time did we agree on?" Michiru repeated.
"Twenty-three hundred," Hotaru groaned.
"Then you must be on Japanese Central Time."
"No, Mama," Hotaru said glumly. "I stayed out past the time I was supposed to be back. It's just that Yutaka and I were having so much fun! I guess we kind of lost track of time."
"Well, that can very easily happen when you're having fun," Michiru replied. She didn't seem angry and Hotaru allowed herself to hope. "But trust is a contract between two people. If one person doesn't live up to that bargain, that person can find it very difficult to obtain trust again."
"Yes, Mama," Hotaru whimpered. "I'm sorry."
"I'm glad." Again Hotaru dared to hope she was past the worst of it. "I hope you didn't have any plans to see Yutaka or anyone else tomorrow night."
"Why?" Hotaru asked with dread.
"Because you won't be going out tomorrow night."
"Mama!"
"Every action in life has consequences, Hotaru. Whether unintentionally or not, you abused my trust and you have to pay the consequences. You can still see Yutaka - - just not tomorrow night. Tomorrow night you will come straight home from school. If you have a shift in Ami's office, you can go there, but you will come straight home after. And don't invite anyone here, because I won't let them in."
For a moment Hotaru looked like she was going to rebel. Then she lowered her gaze and her shoulders slumped.
"Yes, Mama," she whispered.
"I know you're disappointed," Michiru said in a conciliatory fashion. "Maybe you can use that disappointment to spur you on to better things." Michiru's eyes glistened sadly as she took in her step-daughter's mood. "Are you hungry? I can fix you something."
"No, Mama," Hotaru replied softly. "I'm not hungry."
Her euphoria totally crushed, the girl trudged off to bed. Michiru sighed out her disappointment and limped off for the room she shared with Haruka. She found Haruka asleep in a chair, the magazine she'd been trying to stay away with fallen from her lap. Chuckling silently to herself, Michiru leaned in from behind, softly wrapped her arms across Haruka's throat and kissed the woman on the forehead. Haruka stirred and turned groggily to her.
"Hotaru's finally back," Michiru whispered.
"What time is it?" mumbled Haruka.
"After twenty-four hundred."
"I'll kill him," Haruka muttered.
"No you won't."
"Can I maim him?"
"Haruka," Michiru sighed, though the corners of her mouth were turned up. "They just got lost in each other and their rushing hormones and lost track of time - - like we used to do when we were their age."
"That's what I'm afraid of," muttered Haruka.
"I love you when you're possessive," chuckled Michiru. She kissed the woman on the ear and snuggled up close.
Breakfast in the dining hall was the usual fare: Palla-Palla eating a bowl of frosted cereal bigger than her head while her sisters ate more sensibly and waited for Usa and Hotaru with gossip. It was unusual in that Ves-Ves had a particularly juicy piece of gossip to share."You were pretty late last night," Jun-Jun observed.
"The show ran long," Ves-Ves shrugged. "Minako was great, though!"
"Why do we have to call her 'Sensei Aino-sama' and you get to use her first name?"
groused Cere-Cere.
"Yeah, seems pretty familiar," needled Jun-Jun.
"I'M NOT BEING DISRESPECTFUL!" roared Ves-Ves. That drew several curious looks. "She said I could."
"Maybe I ought to attack the Princess," muttered Cere-Cere. Ves-Ves glared.
"So who caught you?" Jun-Jun asked.
"Never mind that! You'll never guess what I saw!" Ves-Ves whispered.
"Miss Hotaru Ma'am and Mister Yutaka Sir were kissing," Palla-Palla reported.
"Thanks for spoiling the surprise, stupid," grumbled Ves-Ves. She got a very pleased-with-herself smile from Palla-Palla.
"Hotaru?" gaped Cere-Cere. "Little Miss Wallflower - - kissing a boy?"
"Must be getting serious," Jun-Jun smirked.
"What's so special about kissing boys?" Palla-Palla asked. "Palla-Palla would rather play with her dollies."
"And that's why there's no hope for you," Ves-Ves replied.
"Brother, everybody's falling in love around here," Jun-Jun said. "First Cere and now Hotaru." She scowled. "When's it going to be my turn?"
"I don't know, but you better be behind me," muttered Ves-Ves.
Just then Jun-Jun noticed Hotaru approaching with her breakfast. She quickly shushed the group. The black-haired waif greeted everyone, sat down and was about to start eating. Then she noticed an unusual feeling of electricity at the table. She looked around at the gathered girls.
"Why is everyone staring at me?" Hotaru asked.
"Because we heard about last night," Cere-Cere said, grinning like a predator stalking prey.
Hotaru blushed.
"And so how well does Yutaka kiss?" Cere-Cere persisted. Everyone else leaned in except for Palla-Palla.
"How did you four find out?" Hotaru squirmed.
"You were observed," smiled Jun-Jun.
"Don't dodge the question," Cere-Cere demanded.
Hotaru visibly shrank in her seat.
"He's," she struggled to say, "um, v-very nice."
"Imagine that," Jun-Jun smiled.
"So how far did you go?" Ves-Ves asked excitedly.
"I'm not telling you that!" Hotaru gasped.
"That far?" marveled Ves-Ves.
"NO!" wailed Hotaru.
"Ves - - shut up," scowled Cere-Cere. "So do you think he's the one?"
Hotaru got a very self-conscious smile on her tiny face.
"I hope so," Hotaru grinned. "I wouldn't mind feeling like this for the rest of my life."
"Score," Ves-Ves grinned at Jun-Jun. Jun-Jun winked back.
Just then a barely presentable Usa raced up to the table, nearly spilling her breakfast. She sat down and quickly shoveled three gulps of food into her mouth, to the amusement of the rest.
"Sorry I'm late!" she gasped out between gulps. "I majorly overslept!" Three more gulps were shoved in before she noticed everyone else's expressions. "What happened? Are my rabbit ears crooked?"
"Oh, nothing," Jun-Jun smiled mischievously. "It's just that a certain young girl had a major breakthrough with a certain male that's captured her fancy."
"You and Gallan?" Usa asked around the glob of food she had in her mouth.
"No," Cere-Cere sighed. "We're still in a holding pattern. It's 'another girl'," and Cere-Cere nodded her head in Hotaru's direction. Usa's eyes became saucers. The chopsticks fell from her hand and she whirled on Hotaru.
"I want to hear EVERYTHING!" Usa gasped.
"You will," Hotaru said timidly.
"Tonight? Maybe we can get some studying done in between COMPLETE DETAILS?"
Hotaru's face fell. "I can't."
"Oh," Usa replied softly, her features falling just as much.
"I'm sorry."
"No, I understand." Usa glanced up at the chronometer. "Come on. We better not be late to class."
Jun-Jun noticed Usa left the rest of her breakfast untouched as the group gathered their school bags and headed out. Entering the corridor, she eased up next to the princess.
"Um, if you'd like to study with us tonight, we'd love to have you," the girl offered.
Usa considered the offer for several steps as Jun-Jun waited expectantly.
"OK," she whispered, then brightened ever so slightly. "Sounds like fun. Well, as fun as studying can be." Jun-Jun smiled.
And Hotaru felt the pangs of guilt.
- - - -
It didn't bother Michiru that she had another rehabilitation session in the palace infirmary. Her legs were still not totally healed from her ordeal on Ravenheim and they wouldn't get healed unless she worked at it. That's what the strenuous treadmill sessions were designed to do.
It didn't bother her that it was at eight in the morning. She would have preferred a later time, but Ami and Haruka had both volunteered to help supervise her and they were notorious early risers. The time was inconsequential to her so long as she got the work done and saw improvement.
It didn't bother her that Haruka was running right next to her on a separate treadmill,
leading by example, encouraging her, pushing her. She was grateful for the time she could spend with Haruka, particularly after their long separation on Ravenheim. And she needed the companionship Haruka provided during the grueling exercise. She leaned on Haruka's inner strength and depended on Haruka's expertise as a runner to keep her going past the point she herself would have quit.
What bothered her was that the treadmills had odometers mounted on them to measure distance ran - - and Haruka was beating her.
"Come on," Haruka encouraged. "Keep up the pace."
"How can you be so chipper after," panted Michiru, her maroon exercise leotard soaked with perspiration, "after the distance we've covered?"
"This?" asked Haruka, dressed in a white tank top and blue running shorts. "This is nothing. You're just soft."
"I wonder how chipper you'll be when I shove my cane up your . . .?"
"Hey, hey now," smirked Haruka. "I'm still bigger than you and I can still turn you over my knee."
"I'd like to see you try!" Michiru huffed, her sea green eyes flaring.
"I'd like to see me try, too," Haruka replied with a leer.
"Ami?" Michiru groaned. "Can I stop now? Or can I at least get a partner with something on her mind besides sex?"
"Are you in pain?" Ami asked, her lab coat covering a form-fitting protective lab suit colored royal blue with sky blue piping.
"Yes," she sighed.
"Dull ache or sharp pain?" Haruka asked with concern.
"I don't recall 'doctor' being in front of your name," Michiru replied petulantly because she could still see the odometers.
"It's a good question," Ami told her. "Dull ache is a sign of muscle fatigue, which is expected to some degree in this type of rehab. Sharp pain indicates injury to some degree."
"If I lie and say it's sharp, can I quit?" Michiru moaned.
"No," Haruka replied.
"And who was it who once chastised me for not giving my best effort?" Ami asked.
"Do you remember everything that's ever happened to you, Ami?" Michiru sighed,
annoyed at being confronted by her own words.
"No," Ami smiled. "Only the important things." She glanced at the odometer. "Give me another fifty meters and you can rest."
"You're almost as bad as the Imperial Guards were on Ravenheim," Michiru muttered.
"So Ami," Haruka interjected, trying to change the subject, "Hotaru's doing pretty good here?"
"Oh yes!" beamed Ami. "She's taken to it quite quickly. You can tell medicine is a passion with her."
"She's not in the way here, is she?" Michiru asked.
"Not at all! I'm grateful for the help. And I'm also grateful for the opportunity to expose a young mind to the joys of learning. It's too bad Usa dropped out after the first day, but then I never expected her to stay. Medicine isn't something she's really interested in, unlike Hotaru."
"She certainly spends enough time here," Haruka said. "Between this and all the time she spends with that - - boy - - I'm beginning to forget what she looks like. But if it makes her happy,
I'm all for it." Ami stared thoughtfully at Haruka as she said that.
Noticing the odometer on Michiru's treadmill, Haruka hopped off of hers and positioned herself behind Michiru.
"OK, champ, you hit your mark. Just go limp," Haruka told her.
Michiru stopped and the treadmill carried her backwards. Haruka caught her and eased the green-haired woman to the floor, then began actively massaging the woman's thighs.
"Ohhhhhhhh," Michiru sighed, almost orgasmicly. "That feels so good! Oh, Haruka,
you've always had such wonderful hands!" She lolled her head back on Haruka's shoulder, as contented as a cat.
Ami turned away to hide her flushing cheeks.
Lunch found Cere-Cere outside the palace, nestled in the grove of trees with her lover. Though it was a cool day, hinting at the onset of autumn, she was in the arms of her Gallan and so didn't notice the bite of the wind."You're sure you don't want part of my rice ball?" Cere-Cere asked, offering the food to him as she nestled her back against his chest. "I made them myself."
"And no doubt they are wonderful," Gallan smiled indulgently, hugging her to him. "But the sun and your lovely face are all the nourishment I need."
Cere-Cere smiled shyly.
"Thank you for revealing yourself to Ves-Ves," Cere-Cere said. "It means a lot to me if my sisters can accept you. She seemed pretty impressed, though I think it had more to do with your physical form."
"I am happy she is pleased with me. I took a physical form which I thought would be most pleasing to you. Apparently you and your sister have similar tastes."
"That's really a disgusting thought," Cere-Cere frowned. She took a savage bite of her rice ball.
"Here," Gallan said, holding his index finger up before her.
"It's your finger," Cere-Cere said.
"Taste," he prodded.
Cere-Cere eyed him dubiously. Then she leaned forward and encircled the finger with her lips. Her eyes popped with surprise as he slowly drew the finger out of her mouth.
"That taste!" Cere-Cere gasped happily. "Is that your nectar?"
"Yes. Normally I only produce it in the spring for pollination. But this seemed a special occasion."
"Oh, Gallan, you're sweet," Cere-Cere sighed, then grinned. "Literally."
"As are you, my beautiful Cere-Cere," Gallan replied, leaning in to her.
Cere-Cere closed her eyes and tilted her head. She felt Gallan's lips press to hers and the sparks in her heart ignited into the flames of passion she felt for him. If only they could be like this forever.
From a distance, eyes watched the couple as they embraced. They were hard eyes, eyes that held no love for what they saw. But the one who possessed those eyes did not act to quell the dire feelings this scene caused within him.
For Ailwoode had a plan - - a plan that would make everything right again.
Continued in Chapter 7
