God, I HATE writing the meeting parts...ugh. Yes, it sucks, but it gets the meeting bitlet out of the way (THANK GOD). Whew I am glad this is over. Reviews reviews reviews! Thank you jamesstutz for your ever-faithful comments. Hoshimare, you don't like Circe?? I find her fascinating myself. Merci Merci Cally...If you really really really wanna see the disclaimer...go check out chapter 1. Thank you.
Saori was a bit...offset. In her usually calm household (and I say 'usually' here to account for the time when Seiya wondered what would happen should Ikki's hair be exposed to whipped cream) there was a bunch of chattering teenage girls. Saori did not have what could be called a normal childhood, having been living in the large Kido estate her whole life. She had never been to school, and she certainly never had a large group of girlfriends before.
The saints, however, were in their element. Ecstatic that there were more girls than men in the house, they happily dispersed amongst them, cheerfully talking and flirting.
With the exception of one. Hyoga sat silently at the conference table that Saori had commandeered for the meeting, his hands clasped and a thoughtful frown on his face. There was a pang in Saori's heart as well; Seiya may be alive, but he was just a vegetable. He lay silently in his room at the estate, eyes half open and dulled. He was just like the hundred other people whom Saori ordered be placed in the foundation's hospital.
The thoughts of Seiya had sparked an angry fire inside, and she looked to Tatsumi, who nodded impressively.
"Everyone..." No one took notice of the bodyguard, or maybe they could hear him. He quirked an eyebrow. "SHUT UP!" Needless to say, it worked. Eleven pairs of wide eyes gazed back at him. "The Princess would like to begin." They all turned to Saori, who tried to ignore the flitter of nervousness in her stomach; never had she spoken in front of her peers. National leaders, yes. Saints, yes. Gods, yes. Teenage girls, no.
"It seems that there is a force that had forged a common alliance between us." Her eyes were drawn to the tall blonde woman who stood behind the seated girls. She scanned the rest of them; one with dusky blue eyes and hair who watched in grave interest. A brunette who had a look of determination on her face. Two blue eyed blondes seated side by side, both wearing expressions of vague incomprehension. One with black hair whose eyes darted about before resting on Saori. Then, of course the blonde woman whose green eyes seemed slight mocking and whose hands rested on the backs of two chairs; one of another woman with green blue eyes, and a serene face, and a girl with liquid violet eyes and a similar air of serenity.
And dispersed among them were the saints; Ikki reclining besides the brunette, Shiryu next to the raven haired girl, Shun cheerfully beaming besides the girl whose eyes were so calmly violet. Only Hyoga sat apart, in silence.
"This force has taken one of our own," she continued. "And if we join together, we may be able to beat it."
"Can you fight them?" The tall one asked coolly. "Because it seems that your friend couldn't." The green-blue haired one twisted in her seat to cast a disapproving glare at the blonde, and the rest shot her looks as well. But the piercing green remained fixed on Saori. She pressed her hand on Hyoga's hands, which were gripping the table so tightly that his knuckles were turning white.
"Are you saying that you can do better?" She asked, her tone mimicking the woman's.
"Haruka does not mean to be so brusque," the seated one said softly, glaring behind her before look back to Saori. "She merely wishes that this problem be taken care of."
"Yes...thank you...?"
"Michiru. You had best know the other's as well. This is Hotaru." Her graceful hand fell on the slight shoulder of the girl besides her. "And we are the outer sailor scouts." Saori nodded, having remembered that term from earlier. "Then the others are Makoto, Ami, Usagi, Rei, and....Minako?" She trailed off, eyes narrowed at the door. Saori turned and saw one of the blondes walking easily through the portal, staring straight ahead.
"Minako? Minako, what are you doing?" Rei demanded, standing up. Usagi touched her chin with her finger.
"Minako usually doesn't walk out on meetings like this...hmm..." Ikki raised his eyebrows at Makoto.
"Does your friend always wander off like that?" She chose to ignore him, and inclined her head towards Ami.
"This does not bode well," Shiryu muttered, standing as well. Usagi leapt up as well.
"I've got it!" she cried. "It's a boy!"
"You idiot!" Rei shrieked in return, smacking her over the head. "You think Minako would leave a roomful of guys?"
An explosion rocked the house, and Saori rushed to the window, wondering how they found the Estate, and wondering if anyone else would fall.
Three figures stood before the transformed Minako, the light rain making their outlines shimmer.
"Saori?" Hyoga asked, standing besides her. She nodded.
"Go."