The Dragon and the Princess
An Alternate Sailor Moon Romance
Sailor Pluto watched in helpless horror as the event that ruined Crystal Tokyo occurred. She had no way to stop it. Without breaking oaths to her Queen she would ultimately fail. But breaking those oaths meant failure as well. She sagged to the 'ground' in front of the time gate, too exhausted to even cry.
"Don't worry, Pu. Everything still works out for the best."
Pluto turned and stared at Chibbi-Usa. The girl was smirking slightly. She appeared to be about thirteen or so, the same age she usually did when visiting the past. Pluto shook her head trying to clear out the cobwebs that seemed to be forming. There was something odd about Usa, but she couldn't quite identify it.
"How can that be for the best?" She gestured at the scene in the time gate.
Usa's smirk widened. "All I can tell you is that it works out. There's a lot of heartache and pain, but everyone becomes closer and more powerful because of it. Mamoru would have made a weak King. What kind of ruler gives in every time his wife cries? It's much better this way."
A sharp tone interrupted Usa, and she winced. "Oops, said too much. Gotta run Pu. Don't worry though. It all works out." And she disappeared back into the time stream.
Sailor Pluto thought about the encounter. It took several minutes, but she pinned down the difference that was bothering her. This Chibbi-Usa had blue hair instead of pink. She whirled to stare into the time gate. The young man talking with Usagi had blue hair.
Hotaru Tomoe had nothing to fear from her tormenters. She was Sailor Saturn, the Senshi of Silence. But that didn't protect her from their words. It took all her will to ignore them. She wasn't a freak or a mutant. But that didn't stop them from calling her those things. She looked up as the jeering and taunting stopped.
"Is there a problem here?" The senior was very tall. At least as tall as Mamoru if not taller. He had blue hair that trailed to his shoulders in a tail. The new midnight blue Mugen-Gauken Academy uniform seemed to enhance his shoulders and narrow his waist. His sky blue eyes were twinkling merrily as he met Hotaru's gaze.
"None of your business… Sempai?" The boy who had been getting in her face came up short.
The senior gazed down at the boy. "Are you so afraid of talking to her that it takes," he glanced around, "ten of your friends to back you up? If you need assistance, you should ask your sempai." The young man stepped forward.
"Tomoe-san," he started. Her eyes widened in astonishment that he knew her name. "Hyasaka-kun would like to ask you out on a date." He indicated the bully behind him while he winked at Hotaru.
Hotaru flushed. She managed to avoid saying anything rude, barely. "Uhm… I don't think my parents would approve of me dating." She snapped her mouth closed to avoid saying anything else. The blue haired man grinned at her.
"You see, Hyasaka-kun? All you have to do is ask. She's not even rejecting you. Her parents won't let her date yet, so you'll have to pine after her for another year or two. Don't let it get you down."
The boy in question was gaping like koi out of water. His friends were snickering while they dispersed under the gaze of the senior. Hyasaka turned red and ran away. Hotaru was left alone with the older boy.
"Sorry, Tomoe-san. I really do have a tendency to meddle too much."
"No, no. Thank you very much, sempai." She suddenly realized something. "You know me?"
He smiled warmly. "I know of you. I am Ryuzaki Kintaro. It is a pleasure to meet you."
"You know of me?" Hotaru was beginning to feel very foolish as she returned his bow. Her face, hot with embarrassment already, suddenly felt like Makoto's egg pan, as he gently took her elbow and guided her toward the school.
"Ayame-sempai…" He paused, a wave of regret washing over his face. "My sensei made it a point to insure that I was aware of other individuals who might be friends or foes someday." He smiled at her again. "I'm guessing I can count you as a friend." They reached the doors. "Now scoot to class, kohai. And don't think about it too hard, you'll just worry yourself to exhaustion." He gave her elbow a squeeze and pushed her toward her class. She vaguely noticed a number of other students staring at them, but that was forgotten in the rush of the school day.
Somehow Hotaru made it through the day. She was distracted, but as school came to a close she began to notice a distinct silence around her. As if people were halting conversations as she approached and picking them up after she passed. Still, a lot of the outright hostility had vanished, so she wasn't complaining.
Her last class of the day was gym. She was generally excused from the activities, but she had to dress out anyway. Since the Academy had an indoor pool, they were doing swimming this month. Hotaru had none of the grace that Michiru or Ami had in the water, but she could manage to do a lap of the pool without trouble.
She made it through the stretches and the initial lap without problems. The coach told her to stay out of the way in the shallows for the rest of the period as she tested the majority of the class for the swim team. As each student was eliminated they came to wait near Hotaru. Several of them were shooting glances at her, but they didn't seem hostile so she ignored them in favor of paddling back and forth in the unused section of the pool.
"Hey, Tomoe. Isn't that your boyfriend?"
Hotaru wasn't quite sure how she ended up banging her head against the side of the pool. She remembered being surprised that someone was talking to her and even more surprised to see Ryuzaki-sempai on the lifeguard seat. But she was probably stunned the most by the idea that anyone could think that Ryuzaki-sempai was interested in her, let alone her boyfriend.
She came to on her back. Ryuzaki-sempai was kneeling at her side and most of her class was standing around watching. Several of them looked envious. She hacked and coughed as he helped her sit up. He gently thumped her back a couple of times to help her get the last of the water out of her lungs.
"Ayashi-san, Hishori-san, please accompany Tomoe-san and get her under a warm shower. Help her change back to her uniform if she needs it."
"Hai, Sempai," the two girls chorused. They helped Hotaru to her feet and supported her to the shower room. They were silent as they stripped off their swimsuits and stepped under the showers. Hotaru enjoyed the hot spray that she usually missed by being last to shower.
"You're lucky," Ayashi said. "He's gorgeous."
Hishori giggled. "And so quick to dive in after you, too. You didn't arrange that accident on purpose? I would have, just to get him to kiss me."
Hotaru blushed and shook her head. She was too surprised by the friendliness of the girls to deny their assumptions. The gossip continued as they changed into their uniforms. Hotaru was feeling a bit light headed from the things that they were implying. The rest of the class came in and suddenly Hotaru found herself as part of the group. They teased her still, but it was about her new 'boyfriend' and nothing was said about her powers. They treated her just like they treated each other.
"Tomoe-san," the sensei called her out of the mass exodus.
"Yes, Sensei?"
"Will you give this to Ryuzaki-san for me? And thank him for me too. I should have been paying closer attention, but I was timing those last two. Look's like we've got a good chance at the swim meets this year."
"Yes, Sensei."
"Oh, and Tomoe-san? Next time you want to make out with your boyfriend, sneak off behind the bleachers, like everyone else." The Sensei giggled at her expression. "Don't worry, Tomoe-san. If I had a hunk like that as my boyfriend, I'd be trying to make out with him as much as possible. Just don't get hurt." And she disappeared back into her office, leaving Hotaru holding an envelope.
"There you are." Haruka was looking a bit concerned as Hotaru came out of the school a bit late. "Are you OK?"
"I'm fine Haruka-papa," Hotaru said. "I just have to give this note to Sempai."
"Note?" Haruka reached for the envelope. Just before she reached it Hotaru saw Ryuzaki-sempai and ran toward him waving the letter.
"Sempaieeee!" She tripped. Right into his arms.
"Nice to see you again, Tomoe-san," he said as he set her on her feet. He held her shoulder until he thought she was steady, something she wasn't too sure about. The feeling of being held by him was wreaking havoc on her emotions. Her heart was fluttering and she felt her face heating, again.
"Sensei asked me to give this to you." She was surprised she managed to avoid stuttering. "She said to thank you as well."
He took the note and smiled. "Thank you, Tomoe-san. Hello Ten'oh-san." He bowed slightly in greeting.
Hotaru blinked and looked up at Haruka, who had come up behind her.
"I didn't catch your name?" Haruka was frowning daggers.
"Ryuzaki Kintaro. A pleasure to meet you, Ten'oh Haruka. And before you fly off the handle and embarrass yourself, I have not been putting the moves on Tomoe-san, I did not molest her, and I did not use my tongue when performing mouth to mouth. In fact, I did not need to perform mouth to mouth on her, in spite of what you may have heard."
Haruka blinked.
Hotaru blinked.
Michiru had arrived to see what was taking so long. She blinked.
Kintaro chuckled sheepishly. "Sorry. There have been a few rumors running around. Tomoe-san and I haven't exactly denied the rumors of our supposed relationship and that has fueled even more rumors. On the good side, Tomoe-san has achieved a certain amount of acceptance and respect for having snared me so easily." He snickered at the foolishness of the rumor mill. "I hope you're not offended Tomoe-san, but we hardly know each other well enough to be attached."
Hotaru managed to keep from breaking down in tears. If he didn't want a scrawny little freshman following him around then she could accept his decision. She had gotten this far without a boyfriend. She would continue on alone.
She snapped out of her dark reverie when Haruka nudged her. Kintaro-sempai was looking at her expectantly. She franticly tried to remember what he had just said. He smiled gently.
"Would you like to go out to a movie or something this Saturday?" His smile broadened at her confusion. "We'll never know if we'll make a good couple unless we go on a date."
Hotaru couldn't do much more than nod wildly. Haruka was snickering and even Michiru was trying not to laugh. Kintaro nodded back.
"I'll come by your place at four, so these two can get the grilling over with before we have to leave." He winked at Haruka and Michiru. Haruka could only shake her finger at him. Michiru was more composed.
"Of course Ryuzaki-san. I'll make sure Haruka cleans the good roasting spits and gets some nice fresh charcoal. I know a wonderful recipe for a lemon braise sauce."
"Please Kiaoh-san. My mother makes a really good sauce of pickled plums and tart apples. It is much better since I don't taste good with citrus. I'll see you then. And I'll see you again tomorrow, Tomoe-san." And with that he turned and walked away.
Hotaru briefly wondered if the sakura petals were her imagination.