DISCLAIMER: NO OWN SAILOR MOON, just own the story ya know. ^_~
The Rose Prince: Chapter Seven
"Serenity!"
A young woman glanced up smoothly, a soft pallor to her flesh, which on most others would have appeared ghastly, only made her seem mystically lovely. Her eyes were those of her mothers, though a shade brighter and deeper, more like two depthless oceans of an enigmatic soul. Silver-white hair framed her face, which in the past years had exercised most of the baby fat from them, leaving them finely sculpted and picturesque, regal and as was to be expected, beautiful. And her lips were like two soft, delicate young rose petals, slightly pink with youth and unpainted, unlike most others her age and gender who painted their lips dark dramatic colors. Not her though, her look was of a natural essence unseen since her mother was her age, and she surpassed her mother...a fact a few were beginning to admit openly now.
"Minako-chan!" she cried gleefully and became the vision of a child instead as she dropped whatever she had been doing---later to be found in the bushes beside the bench she had previously occupied---and ran excitedly to greet her friend of nearly nine years. It did not take her long to notice that there were three others behind the golden haired beauty, each equally as ravishing in her own unique way.
"Sere!" they all chorused and there was an immense group hug.
"Makoto, Rei, Ami, you're all here!" Sere was quite veritably spinning in bliss, her flowing white skirts billowing out around her maturing form as she did so, all those accounted for, laughing and smiling at their Princess and friend.
"Of course we are, Odango, we wouldn't miss your sixteenth birthday!" Rei commented smartly, earning her a sulky glare from Sere.
"After all, you came to all of ours! I should think we'd have the decency to return the favor," Ami said kindly, smoothing over the impending squabble between the fire princess and Sere.
"Aw, it wasn't bad. I enjoyed seeing you all dressed so nice and having so much fun. And you had a lot of food!" Sere assured them, waving her hands blithely.
"But, you ended up having to fend off a great number of princes and nobles at all of our galas who ended up being single," Makoto frowned.
"And some who weren't!" Minako added in slyly before getting a soft jab in the ribs from Rei.
"Ehehe, nah, I just danced with them. They all seemed to be kind enough," Sere insisted, still caught in the moment of being surprised by her four best friends. She really hadn't been certain they would come. After all, as Sere reasoned with herself, they were refined, busy and had many more things to do than come to her birthday. And besides, in Sere's opinion, a sixteenth birthday was nothing.
She only went to the other ones because she always had, for every birthday for them. For her, secretly, the year she was seven, that was her most memorable year...the year she met Him. That was perhaps why she was always there, walking, strolling, running, gallivanting, anything, through the bountiful roses in her gardens, and she knew there was a secret in them, a mystery, one she thought she had solved nearly nine years ago...almost, but then He had left...but He had promised to return...this was His home He had said...
"Sere!" Sere looked up; she had blanked out for a moment apparently.
"Don't worry! I'm fine, just reminiscing, you know!" Sere said happily and began to skip off, leading her friends all back to the palace. It was after all, only two hours before the sixteenth name day gala for her, the grand Princess Serenity, and her Mama would not be pleased if she wasn't at least semi-on time. Sere smiled to herself; of course, her Mama always was soft towards her. She could probably nearly get off without much trouble if she didn't go at all. The thought was sinfully tempting, to spend her sixteenth name day evening in her magical rose gardens, now that would be perfect. She sighed. But that would not be so good, for her Mama, while not reprimanding her fiercely, might be upset by this and that was the last thing Sere wanted. Like all the people she loved, Sere wished to spare her Mama any discomfort in life, any sorrow, even something like this.
Of course, that was just the way Sere was.
And all the people knew it.
"This one?" Minako asked for the fiftieth time it seemed; she wore a beautiful golden gown that set off her eye color in startling clarity. It was silky, off the shoulder and reached mid-thigh, but over that, starting at her waist, was a translucent, matching gold split skirt with delicate embroidery that fanned out to the sides slightly, accenting her lengthy legs and proportionate feet, adorned in matching gold shoes. Around her neck was a small necklace of diamonds.
"Yes! That one is the best, I swear it Minako-chan!" Sere beamed. This was the first one she had really liked on Minako, which surprised her because everything looked good on Minako, but this one seemed to pop out at you, presenting Minako in the most appealing and simultaneously elegant manner. It was perfect for her.
"Hehe, I think so too," was the reply before Minako easily slipped out of it, now only wearing her under gown.
"What are you wearing Sere? We've only got an hour left you know, and we al already picked our gowns out," Ami pointed out, ever logical and on-task.
"Actually, designed this dress myself and Mama said she'd have it made for me since it was my sixteenth gala name day," Sere paused and brought out a sketch, "See?" There was a silence followed by many appreciative "Oohs" and "Ahs".
"How did you ever come up with such a beautiful design conception?" Makoto breathed softly, tracing the outline with her fingertips.
"Actually, in a dream," Sere answered tentatively, waiting for the reactions, which she wasn't positive what they would be.
"A dream? What kind of dream?" Rei asked, intrigued, as she knew much about the art and magic of premonition.
"Well, I'm in this passage way, and it's very lovely, majestic even, like another palace that I have never seen before. There's running water somewhere and I follow its sound only to end up in a rose garden, like ours but somehow wilder, and different. To one side is a small spring with the trickling water I heard, clear and sparkling, and the moon's reflection is on it. Then I look into it and see myself in the water's calm, regardless of the ripples created by the small trickle, I can see myself clearly. And that's how I knew what the outfit looked like...as you can see," she pointed at the sketch, "It's not really a full gown, but see where the skirt splits here...and yeah, okay, anyway I turn and there's someone there, silhouetted, but I can't see him completely, he reaches out to me and then," she paused.
"And then?" they all asked, wide-eyed.
"I wake up," Sere smiled.
They all fell off the bed where they had perched.
"So you'll be wearing it tonight, ne?" Rei prompted.
"Yup, and I think it'll be great," Sere said, "Because I've decided that after the initial dance, whoever it ends up being with, Mama won't mind if we slip out for a while into the rose gardens...besides I have to do something there," she said, almost to herself.
They all nodded. Each knew of Sere's undoubted affinity for the beautiful and exotic flowers with thorns. It was odd because she had none in her room, none. But she always said that they belonged in the gardens and that they were not hers to take. This baffled them, for if they were not hers, well, whose were they? It was her palace, well, hers and her mothers. Still, she had equal right.
Unknown to them, in a beautiful dark ebony box, engraved on the silver latch with a crescent moon and a star, she kept in it every petal from those nine years ago, every petal He had left for her, remembering her friendship, rekindling her faith in her friend whenever her heart wavered because of the long wait, and they always revived her love for Him, for her best friend. It was big enough to hold them all, small enough to easily be concealed under the crook of her arm or a cloak. Those were His roses, and she would keep them that way.
She sighed. Almost nine years and he had not returned.
Where are you, Rose Prince, she asked in her heart, glancing out to the rising stars, the same stars they had watched together and the same stars she had seen that night in the rose gardens...
In the shadows there was a figure moving, and His eyes locked onto Sere, impenetrable and unreadable all at once before He was gone with the whisper of a rose scented wind.
Sere thought she smelled a familiar scent of roses. And then she shook it off. Just because I want Him to be here, I'm imagining things, she thought half-sadly, once more the little girl she was in her heart, longing for her too long-gone friend, and wishing.
"Princess Serenity and her court: Princess Ami, Princess Rei, Princess Makoto, and Princess Minako!" the doorman announced loudly and the five beauties swept in on the wave of regal loveliness they always rode.
All the girls wore their signature royalty's colors; Ami wore sapphire blue, Rei wore ruby red, Makoto wore emerald green, and Minako of course, wore golden yellow. Each wore a gown accentuating her best attributes; Ami's loosely clung to her slender and small frame, a pale icy blue against her fair skin, floor length and sleek. Rei's was closer fitting like a corset in the torso area, the bodice and straps being of shimmering red satin, and the skirt being made of the same fabric, fanning out a bit, but not puffy, elegant and dramatic, just like her. Makoto donned a dress similar to Ami's but again, closer fit to her curves, with straps that were instead, off the shoulder and wide, the bottom of the gown's skirt lined with a lighter green embroidery of delicate leaves and vines. Minako wore the gown from before. Sere though, was the undisputed belle of the ball.
Her hair was up in custom royal style, the streams of silvery hair smooth and silky as her outfit. It was seemingly sleeveless, made of a toned down silky pearl, making her ivory skin glow. Attached to the straps though were flowing translucent sleeves of gossamer like material that flowed well past her wrists in waterfall fashion, graceful and unique. Down the center of the torso there were strings holding it together of a blue matching her eyes, all the way down to her waist where the tunic-like thing split open and reached down to the floor, split up to her thighs in the back for a reversed split skirt effect. Underneath, her legs were encased in sleek black...pants, which raised a few eyebrows; a Princess wearing pants to her sixteenth gala? Oh well, she was the Princess after all. Her feet wore elegant black flat-soled shoes. The neckline was v-like, but modest and she wore a white ribbon around her neck, a small blue pendant held from it, corresponding with her eye color and the color of the ties on the front of her ensemble.
All the others immediately found dance partners but Sere attempted to meld into the shadows. A tap on her shoulder informed her she had been unsuccessful though and as she turned, she readied the excuse on her soft lips when they died as she saw the deepest blue eyes, familiar, like the ocean, and like...
"Endy," her voice whispered. A knowing smile graced his handsome face, refined features regal and beautiful all at once, transformed from boy to man, with an even more unfathomable depth in his eyes, if possible, than before.
Give it a few hours [it had been night time when first they met, remember?] and it would be nine years exactly since they had met, and since he had left nearly.
Nearly nine years.
And he was back.
"May I have this dance, Princess?" he asked, his voice smooth and as beautiful as he was physically.
"Any time, my Rose Prince," she smiled, saying this under her breath, but he heard her, and his smile brightened.
She remembers me, she really remembers me, he thought as he swept her off onto the dance floor, absently thanking Setsuna mentally for teaching him how to dance formally at some point in their...journey.
He pushed those thoughts away, looking down at the beauty before him; he had been right all those years ago; she was more beautiful than her mother, and, he smiled with that same boyish pride of years ago, she was his best friend.
As they twirled, Minako eyed them thoughtfully. Somehow that man's presence was familiar to her. Hadn't she sensed him before, in the rose gardens? She shook the feeling off. She was being silly, right? She tried to reason with herself.
"I've missed you," Sere said.
"And I've missed you too Sere," he responded sincerely.
"Can we..." she paused.
"Anything you want Sere, anything for my best friend," he added proudly.
"Let's escape to your gardens!" she smiled childishly as she pulled him out the back French doors into the garden area, unnoticed, thanks to some unnamed miracle.
Stars spanned the sky this night again, once more like multiple pearls in the black sea, and Sere and Endy ran gleefully as the children they still were in some ways, into the rose gardens, His rose gardens.
"Remember, this is where I was sitting, when I first heard you!" Sere said, excited, spreading her arms as she spun in place, gleeful with the return of Endymion and the warmth he brought with him. He laughed.
"Of course I do," he smiled, spinning her to him playfully, and she spun so fast, she ran into him, face only reaching his chest level, as he had grown much taller. Her breath caught a bit as she glanced timidly up at him. They were very close...
He inched his head down a bit...
And she rose on her toes slightly...
And then there was a loud hiss.
"Luna!" Sere cried, surprised and bent down abruptly to scoop up the beautiful black cat who had, apparently, in light of Endy's return, been feeling slightly neglected. "I'm sorry Luna, forgive me right?" Sere scratched behind Luna's ears affectionately. Endy was about to comment wryly when a cold wind swept through.
"H-hey, what is this?" Sere asked frantically. Her whole body was glowing with a pulsating white light. Endy's eyes grew wide as a starlight wind began to pick up around Sere who looked more startled than frightened, but still frantic.
"Sere!" he grabbed onto her wrist as the wind encircled her completely and then pulled Endy in as well, Luna painfully clinging onto him with her claws...
And then they were all gone, white rose petals blowing everywhere, as some of them floated into the ball room where five people had noticed Sere's missing; the Queen, and her four companion princesses all looked severely worried as the petals flew lightly into the room, swirling mystically all around, somehow knowing, this was all that was left at the moment, of their Princess.
She was gone.
They had no idea where.
And neither did she.
-------------------------------------
REVIEW to get the next chapter, ne people? ^_^ Thanks, I appreciate the support; it's what keeps my writing morale up and keeps YOU all getting more of the story which otherwise might be/ have been scrapped without the REVIEWS.
Love you guys,
[Arigato gozaimasu for being so patient with me/ thank you!]
Kaji Hikage
The Rose Prince: Chapter Seven
"Serenity!"
A young woman glanced up smoothly, a soft pallor to her flesh, which on most others would have appeared ghastly, only made her seem mystically lovely. Her eyes were those of her mothers, though a shade brighter and deeper, more like two depthless oceans of an enigmatic soul. Silver-white hair framed her face, which in the past years had exercised most of the baby fat from them, leaving them finely sculpted and picturesque, regal and as was to be expected, beautiful. And her lips were like two soft, delicate young rose petals, slightly pink with youth and unpainted, unlike most others her age and gender who painted their lips dark dramatic colors. Not her though, her look was of a natural essence unseen since her mother was her age, and she surpassed her mother...a fact a few were beginning to admit openly now.
"Minako-chan!" she cried gleefully and became the vision of a child instead as she dropped whatever she had been doing---later to be found in the bushes beside the bench she had previously occupied---and ran excitedly to greet her friend of nearly nine years. It did not take her long to notice that there were three others behind the golden haired beauty, each equally as ravishing in her own unique way.
"Sere!" they all chorused and there was an immense group hug.
"Makoto, Rei, Ami, you're all here!" Sere was quite veritably spinning in bliss, her flowing white skirts billowing out around her maturing form as she did so, all those accounted for, laughing and smiling at their Princess and friend.
"Of course we are, Odango, we wouldn't miss your sixteenth birthday!" Rei commented smartly, earning her a sulky glare from Sere.
"After all, you came to all of ours! I should think we'd have the decency to return the favor," Ami said kindly, smoothing over the impending squabble between the fire princess and Sere.
"Aw, it wasn't bad. I enjoyed seeing you all dressed so nice and having so much fun. And you had a lot of food!" Sere assured them, waving her hands blithely.
"But, you ended up having to fend off a great number of princes and nobles at all of our galas who ended up being single," Makoto frowned.
"And some who weren't!" Minako added in slyly before getting a soft jab in the ribs from Rei.
"Ehehe, nah, I just danced with them. They all seemed to be kind enough," Sere insisted, still caught in the moment of being surprised by her four best friends. She really hadn't been certain they would come. After all, as Sere reasoned with herself, they were refined, busy and had many more things to do than come to her birthday. And besides, in Sere's opinion, a sixteenth birthday was nothing.
She only went to the other ones because she always had, for every birthday for them. For her, secretly, the year she was seven, that was her most memorable year...the year she met Him. That was perhaps why she was always there, walking, strolling, running, gallivanting, anything, through the bountiful roses in her gardens, and she knew there was a secret in them, a mystery, one she thought she had solved nearly nine years ago...almost, but then He had left...but He had promised to return...this was His home He had said...
"Sere!" Sere looked up; she had blanked out for a moment apparently.
"Don't worry! I'm fine, just reminiscing, you know!" Sere said happily and began to skip off, leading her friends all back to the palace. It was after all, only two hours before the sixteenth name day gala for her, the grand Princess Serenity, and her Mama would not be pleased if she wasn't at least semi-on time. Sere smiled to herself; of course, her Mama always was soft towards her. She could probably nearly get off without much trouble if she didn't go at all. The thought was sinfully tempting, to spend her sixteenth name day evening in her magical rose gardens, now that would be perfect. She sighed. But that would not be so good, for her Mama, while not reprimanding her fiercely, might be upset by this and that was the last thing Sere wanted. Like all the people she loved, Sere wished to spare her Mama any discomfort in life, any sorrow, even something like this.
Of course, that was just the way Sere was.
And all the people knew it.
"This one?" Minako asked for the fiftieth time it seemed; she wore a beautiful golden gown that set off her eye color in startling clarity. It was silky, off the shoulder and reached mid-thigh, but over that, starting at her waist, was a translucent, matching gold split skirt with delicate embroidery that fanned out to the sides slightly, accenting her lengthy legs and proportionate feet, adorned in matching gold shoes. Around her neck was a small necklace of diamonds.
"Yes! That one is the best, I swear it Minako-chan!" Sere beamed. This was the first one she had really liked on Minako, which surprised her because everything looked good on Minako, but this one seemed to pop out at you, presenting Minako in the most appealing and simultaneously elegant manner. It was perfect for her.
"Hehe, I think so too," was the reply before Minako easily slipped out of it, now only wearing her under gown.
"What are you wearing Sere? We've only got an hour left you know, and we al already picked our gowns out," Ami pointed out, ever logical and on-task.
"Actually, designed this dress myself and Mama said she'd have it made for me since it was my sixteenth gala name day," Sere paused and brought out a sketch, "See?" There was a silence followed by many appreciative "Oohs" and "Ahs".
"How did you ever come up with such a beautiful design conception?" Makoto breathed softly, tracing the outline with her fingertips.
"Actually, in a dream," Sere answered tentatively, waiting for the reactions, which she wasn't positive what they would be.
"A dream? What kind of dream?" Rei asked, intrigued, as she knew much about the art and magic of premonition.
"Well, I'm in this passage way, and it's very lovely, majestic even, like another palace that I have never seen before. There's running water somewhere and I follow its sound only to end up in a rose garden, like ours but somehow wilder, and different. To one side is a small spring with the trickling water I heard, clear and sparkling, and the moon's reflection is on it. Then I look into it and see myself in the water's calm, regardless of the ripples created by the small trickle, I can see myself clearly. And that's how I knew what the outfit looked like...as you can see," she pointed at the sketch, "It's not really a full gown, but see where the skirt splits here...and yeah, okay, anyway I turn and there's someone there, silhouetted, but I can't see him completely, he reaches out to me and then," she paused.
"And then?" they all asked, wide-eyed.
"I wake up," Sere smiled.
They all fell off the bed where they had perched.
"So you'll be wearing it tonight, ne?" Rei prompted.
"Yup, and I think it'll be great," Sere said, "Because I've decided that after the initial dance, whoever it ends up being with, Mama won't mind if we slip out for a while into the rose gardens...besides I have to do something there," she said, almost to herself.
They all nodded. Each knew of Sere's undoubted affinity for the beautiful and exotic flowers with thorns. It was odd because she had none in her room, none. But she always said that they belonged in the gardens and that they were not hers to take. This baffled them, for if they were not hers, well, whose were they? It was her palace, well, hers and her mothers. Still, she had equal right.
Unknown to them, in a beautiful dark ebony box, engraved on the silver latch with a crescent moon and a star, she kept in it every petal from those nine years ago, every petal He had left for her, remembering her friendship, rekindling her faith in her friend whenever her heart wavered because of the long wait, and they always revived her love for Him, for her best friend. It was big enough to hold them all, small enough to easily be concealed under the crook of her arm or a cloak. Those were His roses, and she would keep them that way.
She sighed. Almost nine years and he had not returned.
Where are you, Rose Prince, she asked in her heart, glancing out to the rising stars, the same stars they had watched together and the same stars she had seen that night in the rose gardens...
In the shadows there was a figure moving, and His eyes locked onto Sere, impenetrable and unreadable all at once before He was gone with the whisper of a rose scented wind.
Sere thought she smelled a familiar scent of roses. And then she shook it off. Just because I want Him to be here, I'm imagining things, she thought half-sadly, once more the little girl she was in her heart, longing for her too long-gone friend, and wishing.
"Princess Serenity and her court: Princess Ami, Princess Rei, Princess Makoto, and Princess Minako!" the doorman announced loudly and the five beauties swept in on the wave of regal loveliness they always rode.
All the girls wore their signature royalty's colors; Ami wore sapphire blue, Rei wore ruby red, Makoto wore emerald green, and Minako of course, wore golden yellow. Each wore a gown accentuating her best attributes; Ami's loosely clung to her slender and small frame, a pale icy blue against her fair skin, floor length and sleek. Rei's was closer fitting like a corset in the torso area, the bodice and straps being of shimmering red satin, and the skirt being made of the same fabric, fanning out a bit, but not puffy, elegant and dramatic, just like her. Makoto donned a dress similar to Ami's but again, closer fit to her curves, with straps that were instead, off the shoulder and wide, the bottom of the gown's skirt lined with a lighter green embroidery of delicate leaves and vines. Minako wore the gown from before. Sere though, was the undisputed belle of the ball.
Her hair was up in custom royal style, the streams of silvery hair smooth and silky as her outfit. It was seemingly sleeveless, made of a toned down silky pearl, making her ivory skin glow. Attached to the straps though were flowing translucent sleeves of gossamer like material that flowed well past her wrists in waterfall fashion, graceful and unique. Down the center of the torso there were strings holding it together of a blue matching her eyes, all the way down to her waist where the tunic-like thing split open and reached down to the floor, split up to her thighs in the back for a reversed split skirt effect. Underneath, her legs were encased in sleek black...pants, which raised a few eyebrows; a Princess wearing pants to her sixteenth gala? Oh well, she was the Princess after all. Her feet wore elegant black flat-soled shoes. The neckline was v-like, but modest and she wore a white ribbon around her neck, a small blue pendant held from it, corresponding with her eye color and the color of the ties on the front of her ensemble.
All the others immediately found dance partners but Sere attempted to meld into the shadows. A tap on her shoulder informed her she had been unsuccessful though and as she turned, she readied the excuse on her soft lips when they died as she saw the deepest blue eyes, familiar, like the ocean, and like...
"Endy," her voice whispered. A knowing smile graced his handsome face, refined features regal and beautiful all at once, transformed from boy to man, with an even more unfathomable depth in his eyes, if possible, than before.
Give it a few hours [it had been night time when first they met, remember?] and it would be nine years exactly since they had met, and since he had left nearly.
Nearly nine years.
And he was back.
"May I have this dance, Princess?" he asked, his voice smooth and as beautiful as he was physically.
"Any time, my Rose Prince," she smiled, saying this under her breath, but he heard her, and his smile brightened.
She remembers me, she really remembers me, he thought as he swept her off onto the dance floor, absently thanking Setsuna mentally for teaching him how to dance formally at some point in their...journey.
He pushed those thoughts away, looking down at the beauty before him; he had been right all those years ago; she was more beautiful than her mother, and, he smiled with that same boyish pride of years ago, she was his best friend.
As they twirled, Minako eyed them thoughtfully. Somehow that man's presence was familiar to her. Hadn't she sensed him before, in the rose gardens? She shook the feeling off. She was being silly, right? She tried to reason with herself.
"I've missed you," Sere said.
"And I've missed you too Sere," he responded sincerely.
"Can we..." she paused.
"Anything you want Sere, anything for my best friend," he added proudly.
"Let's escape to your gardens!" she smiled childishly as she pulled him out the back French doors into the garden area, unnoticed, thanks to some unnamed miracle.
Stars spanned the sky this night again, once more like multiple pearls in the black sea, and Sere and Endy ran gleefully as the children they still were in some ways, into the rose gardens, His rose gardens.
"Remember, this is where I was sitting, when I first heard you!" Sere said, excited, spreading her arms as she spun in place, gleeful with the return of Endymion and the warmth he brought with him. He laughed.
"Of course I do," he smiled, spinning her to him playfully, and she spun so fast, she ran into him, face only reaching his chest level, as he had grown much taller. Her breath caught a bit as she glanced timidly up at him. They were very close...
He inched his head down a bit...
And she rose on her toes slightly...
And then there was a loud hiss.
"Luna!" Sere cried, surprised and bent down abruptly to scoop up the beautiful black cat who had, apparently, in light of Endy's return, been feeling slightly neglected. "I'm sorry Luna, forgive me right?" Sere scratched behind Luna's ears affectionately. Endy was about to comment wryly when a cold wind swept through.
"H-hey, what is this?" Sere asked frantically. Her whole body was glowing with a pulsating white light. Endy's eyes grew wide as a starlight wind began to pick up around Sere who looked more startled than frightened, but still frantic.
"Sere!" he grabbed onto her wrist as the wind encircled her completely and then pulled Endy in as well, Luna painfully clinging onto him with her claws...
And then they were all gone, white rose petals blowing everywhere, as some of them floated into the ball room where five people had noticed Sere's missing; the Queen, and her four companion princesses all looked severely worried as the petals flew lightly into the room, swirling mystically all around, somehow knowing, this was all that was left at the moment, of their Princess.
She was gone.
They had no idea where.
And neither did she.
-------------------------------------
REVIEW to get the next chapter, ne people? ^_^ Thanks, I appreciate the support; it's what keeps my writing morale up and keeps YOU all getting more of the story which otherwise might be/ have been scrapped without the REVIEWS.
Love you guys,
[Arigato gozaimasu for being so patient with me/ thank you!]
Kaji Hikage