The ballroom at the castle was the only one that was even halfway as big as the ballroom at the Crystal Palace in Crystal Tokyo. Small Lady and Saturn were more interested in the guests than they were in the room itself.
"Wow! It's not like when we snuck down, and peeked through the doors or windows at the balls given back home!"Small Lady said.
"It's so diverse, for want of a better word."Saturn agreed.
Even though they'd seen some of the guests when they had gotten off the spaceship, they saw that what they'd seen then was only the tip of the iceberg.
Amaterasu stood in a corner, away from the crowd. It amused her to watch Princess Mercury's thoughts. She could tell that for most of her youth, she'd been what most people would term a wallflower. Of course there were no such things on Solaria, as balls were never given, but that was probably what the term they would use for her, as she was standing away from the crowd, and not dancing. Amaterasu knew how to dance, of course, but she'd never danced with so many people viewing, much less watching, of course. Only the laborers had ever seen such a thing. She thought it comical to observe how Zoicite struggled with his Mercurian. She shook her head. Only Solarians had such an aptitude for languages. Despite that she was the only Solarian to ever leave the planet, even once every Earth year, she had never come across a native from any other star system who could master languages the way a Solarian could. And she herself was the best, although she rarely practiced them, which was absolutely unnecessary, thanks to the fact that like others of her star system, she possessed the transducer lobes that allowed her to transducer energy, including the mental energy of those around her.
"Oh, look!"exclaimed Small Lady, pointing to Amaterasu. "It's the same lady we saw when we arrived!"
"Do you know where she comes from?"Saturn asked. "Can you guess?"she asked Diana.
Diana shook her head.
"Your parents are both always at those meetings, you could get something out of them. Especially Artemis."
"Daddy says diplomatic things are just for grown ups."Diana told them.
"No, diplomatic things are just for people like Kunzite."Small Lady corrected. "Who never know how to have fun."
She pointed.
"It looks more like he's on patrol, or something, instead of at a ball. At least everyone else has danced at least once. I thought that was what the staff was here for. For security, to see to the guests and everything. He hasn't even danced with Venus."
"But, Small Lady,"Diana began. "The lady we saw hasn't danced, either. Although she doesn't seem interested in security, and no one's asked her, either."
Saturn and Small Lady looked confused.
"Maybe she can't, or she doesn't know how."Saturn looked thoughtful. "We know how. Maybe if we taught her!"she suggested.
Small Lady smiled and nodded.
"You're right! Should we go?"
Saturn and Diana nodded. They walked up to the girl sitting by several bouquets of flowers, watching the crowd, and sipping wine.
"I am Small Lady Serenity, Princess of Crystal Tokyo, daughter of King Endymion, and Queen Serenity."Small Lady recited, curtsying.
Amaterasu turned, as two young girls and a kitten approached her. That was odd. She was sure that they had never attended before. After all, everyone else who was here knew well enough that she wasn't comfortable with people coming so close, and they made sure to give her plenty of personal space. One of the girls, the one with pink hair, introduced herself as the princess of Crystal Tokyo. Amaterasu simply nodded slowly. She wasn't used to children, to be honest, she'd never even viewed one since she was one herself, but that was very very many years before, and was grateful her voluminous dress made it impossible for the girls to get too close.
"Did I do it wrong?"asked the little girl.
"The introduction?"Amaterasu asked. "No, I don't think so."
Another oddity. Since all adult Solarians knew one another, introductions were never necessary. She rested her fan, held in her gloved hand, on her skirt.
"You have a very pretty dress."Saturn told her.
"Princess Saturn, you forgot to introduce yourself!"Diana exclaimed to Saturn.
Amaterasu smiled at Diana's exclamation.
"Oh, right."the other girl nodded, and repeated the same formula the Princess of Crystal Tokyo had.
"I suppose that must mean that I should do the same as well, doesn't it?"she asked, opening her fan to its widest, and fanning herself calmly. "I am Amaterasu, Princess of the planet of Solaria, and Ruler of the Imperial Estate on Solaria."
"I really like your dress."Saturn repeated.
Amaterasu nodded.
"Mine looks kind of plain compared to it."she added.
Amaterasu smiled, and shook her head.
"Well,"she said, shrugging, and looking at her dress. "It is simply a dress."she dismissed the comment.
"Does everyone dress like that on your planet?"Small Lady asked.
"I…have no clue."Amaterasu admitted, knowing she really didn't really know what other Solarians wore.
Saturn and Small Lady looked confused.
"Why not? Don't you ever see them?"Diana asked.
"Of course not!"Amaterasu looked truly horrified. "I must see natives of other planets because I bear the Sailor Crystal for Solaria, but a Solarian would never allow personal presence."
Small Lady reached out to touch the silky material of the dress.
"It looks so soft, and shiny, and it changes color!"she said, reaching out.
Amaterasu exclaimed and backed away from Small Lady's hand.
"Oh, I'm sorry."Small Lady apologized, looking confused.
Amaterasu calmed, and sat back down.
"I'm sorry. I'm not used to it. It only happens once every Earth year, and I still have a very hard time with it. You must forgive me. Everyone here knows my…unusual customs."
"Oh, I'm sorry."
Amaterasu shrugged it off.
"You didn't know."
"I'm so sorry!"Jupiter looked distressed, as she approached the young girls with Amaterasu. "I do hope they didn't bother you. They've never attended before. I'm afraid it's my fault. I should've kept a closer eye on them, and told them before coming."
"It's all right."Amaterasu dismissed it lightly.
Jupiter took both girls by the hand, and led them away from Amaterasu.