S o m e w h e r e F a r A w a y
Concealed and Revealed
digitalreality (Paige)

Young Tori Castillo lifted her little red head from the miniature chestnut table in the children's' section of The Banquet Hall, Andi the teddy bear lounging comfortably in her lap. She watched with innocently curious eyes as Emiko and Akira snuck in. They tiptoed cautiously right up against the wall, having merely two minutes before a crystal bell would chime and announce they were late. By Queen Usagi's standards, because it pleased her to get everything formal over and done for quickly, if a banquet was scheduled to begin at 7:30, you should be in your sea promptly at 7:15 at the latest.

It was obvious the two were concealing immersed giggles, Tori observed. At last, one loudly erupted from the energetic brunette. Akira's blue eyes went wide in horrified shock. She placed a well-practiced, in the art of playing the piano, finger to her lips with a stern look in attempt to hush her friend. They scurried quickly into their places.

"Mom-ma!" called out a whiney voice from the polished thrones overlooking the entire room, "The princesses of Jupiter and Mercury are late!" Anyone whom hadn't noticed them before, now was defiantly aware due to the four-year-olds loud, dragged-on tone.

Queen Usagi stopped conversing with Mamoru for a brief moment to peer down at her daughter with glazed-over, distracted eyes, "That's nice sweetheart."

Chibi-Usa slumped down into her seat in a not-so-proper manner, pouting as she watched her parents' discussion. It was then she noticed both were neither smiling nor cheerful, and were exchanging words with a serious air. She turned her attention to Luna and Artemis sitting, as the Queen and king's advisors, across from them. They also bore grave expressions as they listened. What as going on?

The pink-headed princess slipped silently from the high royal seating onto her tiptoes, hoping no one had noticed.

Miya pointed her tiny finger at the thrones in the middle of her patty-cake game with Diana, who was attempting to coax the child from her mother, Minako's, lap. The feline-resembling girl of 14 gave fleeting look in that direction just in time to see Chibi-Usa place her tiara carefully onto the vacant seat she was suppose to be occupying. The princess then dropped down onto her hands and knees, and out of view. Diana's furred, pointed cat ears twitched nervously.

The cat-girl scooped Miya up into her arms without protest, smiled at Minako when she whispered a quiet and gratified "Thank you," and rushed to dispose of the girl in the children's section in order for her to be able to search for Chibi-Usa.

And at that moment, Miya broke into song:

"Oh where, oh where, has wittle pwincess gone? Oh where, oh where, is she be?"

Diana covered the bellowing mouth with her hand in a desperate attempt to stop the song, and made it to the elegant cream laced table just as a little pink head popped up between Emiko and Tori's chairs.

"What are you doing here?" queried the first bitterly.

Chibi-Usa's cheeks flushed slightly scarlet. "Sorrys that I tattled…," she confessed sorrowfully, looking down at her small, white boot clad feet.

Tori threw her arms around the younger girl in a welcoming embrace, "Aww! It's ok little Princess!"

The girl gave a noticeably fake half-smile.

Seeing this, Akira gave her a forgiving grin, "But hats with that look? We forgive you, I promise!"

She picked up the Moon Princess and gently cradled her in her lap, but Chibi-Usa resisted and turned to face her mother.

"Something bad is going on," she announced at the precise moment the King and Queen stood abruptly and simply left through the right corridor. It was something never ever done at a welcoming banquet that should be beginning… unless it was an emergency.

"Yes," Diana insisted, "You just disappeared! That is bad!"

"No, no…Look!" Akira whispered in her soft, subtle voice and pointed. All turned to watch the royalties' figures disappear through the entrance. Emiko's stubborn expression faltered as she forgot all together completely of Chibi-Usa's blunder, and Diana's hand left Miya's mouth to cover her own in surprise.

"Wanna follows?" the two-year-old suggested. She read their minds.

"While Hana changed into her uniform, Setsuna contacted me. She insists that-"

"The time is now," Michiru completed, holding Haruka's eyes with her own in a steady gaze. Her voice, on the other hand, was not nearly as controlled, "…but so soon?! Oh, they're not at all prepared!" She covered her face with her hands and gave a hopeless moan, almost in tears.

Haruka placed a comforting hand on Michiru's shoulder, "Nothing could, you know."

Michiru looked up, "I know."

And they stood there like that, surrounded completely by the overwhelming, smothering silence caused by sound-proof rooms, all a while a million and one fragments of thought rushed through their heads.

"Maybe-" "Do you-" They both began at once. Haruka grinned and Michiru gave a small smile, although neither knew what to do from here.

As if on cue, a door to their left, directly across from the one from which Michiru had exited, opened. Michiru and Haruka adverted their gazes in that direction, to make themselves aware of the new company as soon as it arrived.

The King and Queen pushed forth into the hall childishly. Now one knows where Chibi-Usa learned to be so prim and proper.

"Setsuna told-" Queen Usagi began breathlessly.

"We already know." Haruka and Michiru interrupted in unison.

Mamoru continued, "She is on her way, but she did not sound surprised of the sudden news."

"It wouldn't be expected that she would," Michiru sighed. Why hadn't they received any forewarning greater then "eventually" this would come?

"Oh well, Setsuna must have her reasons… Whatever those may be," she mused.

"She's coming here, now?" Haruka pondered aloud.

Mamoru nodded at them both and reported, "Anyways, there is little point in a Welcoming Banquet when the guests of honor may be departing as early as tomorrow morn."

"But it is the perfect opportunity to explain what our children must do and the reasoning behind it, while we are all still together," Usagi suggested in a tone that showed it was more of a commandment.

"Yes, quite understandable. But, if I'm not mistaken…" Haruka glanced down at her elegantly carved silver pocket-watch, "We were scheduled to begin… seventeen minutes ago."

Usagi gasped, "We must go now!"

"Time to tell the children," Kind Mamoru reminded reluctantly, "Oh, great… I haven't the faintest clue as to how to begin!"

"Oh, it's alright, Hun," Usagi responded, her voice lowered, "I think they may be slightly aware."

Her husband raised his eyebrows, puzzled, "Hmmm?"

She nodded towards the doors on both the right and left sides of them, "Shhh…" The queen then unlocked the right door, and Haruka turned to face the other. Synchronized, Usagi and Haruka opened them, and the entire population of Senshi Children, both inners and outers, fell into the corridor at the feet of Michiru, Mamoru, Usagi, and Haruka with a thud.