Title: How not to be embarrassed
Author: Ree
Theme: Setsuna (wandering)
Genre: General
Version: Manga/Anime pre-story line
Rating: G

Setsuna and her friends all belong to Takeuchi Naoko, unless you don't recognize them. Then they are most likely mine. I just asked them very nicely if they wanted to play. They agreed, and quietly snuck out without Takeuchi-sensei's knowledge.

How not to be embarrassed

An eight year old Setsuna looked over at best friend Misa. 'If our parents knew we were out here...' Another snowflake drifted down from the sky. Walking carefully so they wouldn't slip, the two friends wandered deeper into the woods. Each step took them further from the area that they knew.

"Misa-chan, don't you think we should be heading home? It is starting to snow harder." Setsuna heard the worry in her own voice.

Misa shook her head no. "Daiki-kun said there is a lake that is completely frozen over just a little bit further down this path. You said you didn't want to learn how to ice skate in front of everybody."

Setsuna glanced at the ground. 'I can't see a path.' "And you trusted Daiki-kun? He's a prankster. You are the first to tell everybody that." She looked around, but she did not see Misa's twelve year old brother hiding in the trees.

Misa frowned. "My older brother is a prankster, but he knows how important this is to me. And he swore to me that he wasn't lying."

She flashed a smile at Setsuna. "Besides he likes you."

Setsuna felt herself flush. "Come on, he is so much older than me!"

"Only by four years!"

Both eight year olds started giggling. Catching her breath, Setsuna gave a mock glare at Misa. "So, if he told you the truth, why are we still wandering around? It's getting cold Misa-chan."

Misa reached out, grabbed her hand, and dragged her over the ridge. There in front of them was a small, completely frozen, lake.

"See! He told the truth!"

Setsuna wasn't paying her friend any attention. She was carefully checking out all the hiding places around the lake. 'He has to be around here some place. Daiki-kun wouldn't pass up a chance to watch me being embarrassed.' She didn't see him.

"Okay, he told the truth. Let's get started." Setsuna sat down and started pulling on her skates. Misa sat down next to her, and started instructing. "Tie them tight, Setsuna-chan."

Over the next three hours, Setsuna suffered her embarrassment in private, while the snow fell gently down.