Unwanted Guest
Chapter Four
I have just realized that for the first three chapters I have put completely different titles at the top. -- I can't believe that I actually did that. If you noticed, good job, if not, oh well…I almost didn't notice it. Lol But the real title is Unwanted Guest
The humming coming from the corner of the small room was sending Mars to her breaking point. She guessed the naive reporter had thought that headphones wouldn't get in the way of the Miko's concentration; whell she was wrong. Not only could Rei hear the humming, but she could also make out the background music that went along with each and every song that popped up on Alice's mini player.
"I've had enough!" Rei finally yelled in the direction of the reporter. "Get out of here with those annoying things! Wait for me outside." She gritted her teeth as she pointed to the door. Alice's eyes had grown very big when Mars had started yelling, and now she was sulking toward the exit with her head hung down.
"Gomen Mars-sama." She said hastily as she made her exit. Once outside the small enclosure Alice once again walked over to the half wall to think about what had went wrong.
"I guess headphones won't work either." She sighed to herself. At five thirty this morning she had truly thought it was a good idea, but now looking back she realized that she must have been unconsciously singing along. "Gah! How am I supposed to stay quiet?!" She practically screamed at her surroundings.
She heard a hearty laugh from behind her. "Well, for starters, don't talk like that." When she turned around she saw Mercury and Jupiter sitting under the Sakura tree with a picnic basket between them.
"Oh! Gomen; I didn't mean to interrupt your meal." She said in a small voice.
Ami smiled, "There's nothing to apologize for. Come and sit down for a minute. Rei can probably still sense you over there." Ami gestured to the large blue-green blanket the two were lounging on.
Alice gave a frightful look back and then raced over to the protection of the other Senshi.
"So you tried to pass time in the fire room with a mini player?" Mako-chan asked her as she approached them. Alice hoped she hadn't offended Mercury and Jupiter as much as she had Mars, so slowly she nodded yes. A smile appeared on Jupiter's strong face, and she started to laugh. "That's amazing! I've never thought of that before. And to think Ami, we used to have to sit there watching Rei for hours and no one thought to bring music!" Jupiter lightly punched Ami's arm as she rolled onto her stomach and started punching the ground laughing. Ami watched Makoto with a smile on her delicate features.
"Well, I would've never seriously thought of it myself." The genius confessed, "Frankly only because I was terrified of being burned to death." All the color left Alice's face. It was almost as if she had forgotten that Mars could actually burn her to death.
"Oh my god what have I done." She said in a very shocked voice. "She's going to kill me."
"No she won't." Mercury said in a nonchalant way.
"Yeah, you're one of the people we've been protecting our entire lives." Jupiter added. "Mars would never hurt a civilian. She's sworn to protect you; no matter how much you annoy her."
"I always thought the only person you all really protected was Queen Serenity." Alice replied. The two Senshi looked at her in mild shock, and then Mercury gave her a small smile.
"We do love our Queen very much. She's the most important person in all of our lives; but we live to make her happy, and she's happiest when her people are happy." Mercury said as Jupiter nodded along.
"Yeah, and there isn't one of us who loves Serenity more than Mars does. She would never do anything to truly upset her. If Mars were to kill you not only would Serenity be upset, but she'd be disappointed in Mars; and Mars wouldn't be able to live with herself." Jupiter pointed at Alice, "So that makes your protection very important in Rei's eyes."
Alice held a small smile on her face as she scribbled notes onto her paper. "Thank you." She replied toward Jupiter and Mercury. "I just hope that Mars-sama will open up to me."
"That's very difficult for her." The two replied back in unison. "But if you have a trusting heart Mars will see that." Mercury added.
"It looks as if she's had enough of the fire room." Jupiter added pointing toward the door that the Senshi of fire had just stepped through.
"OH." Alice said as she shot up. "I've gotta go." She said as she bowed to the two sitting women and ran off toward the dark haired Goddess. Rei was watching as Alice sprinted toward her.
"I'm truly sorry for singing during your important fire gazing." Alice said in a hurry as she bowed in front of the priestess.
Rei looked at her and remembered what Minako said about trying to care a bit. "It's ok." She heard herself say. "Maybe we can meet after I fire gaze; you really aren't missing anything important." Mars finished in an insanely calm voice that surprised her as much as it surprised Alice.
"That's a fantastic idea Mars-sama." Alice said. "Then tomorrow I'll meet you here after you're done meditating." Mars shook her head yes and turned to go.
"I have a meeting with the Queen, so we better hurry up to the thrown room." With that Mars turned on her heels and headed toward the main part of the castle. Alice followed very quietly, soaking in what Jupiter and Mercury had told her.
The guards in front of the doors to the throne room bowed when they saw Mars approaching. "Mars-sama." They uttered as she came level to them, just as she was about to open the doors Rei turned.
"You," she directed at Alice. "stay here, I'll need to talk to the Queen alone." Alice nodded and went to turn around when they both heard a small cough behind them.
Mars turned around to stare at the guard that was now standing and looking a bit nervous. "Actually, Mars-sama." He started. "The Queen requests that she accompany you to your meeting with her." He bowed quickly hoping she wouldn't burn him for giving her such news. Mars just look irritated and swung open the door and hastened into the throne room. Midway up the long corridor Mars kneeled and she cocked her head to the side to make sure that Alice was copying her. Alice was, currently the reporter was kneeling besides Mars with her head on her knee. Mars rose, and so did Alice and they continued their journey toward Queen Serenity.
As Alice got closer she could plainly see a bright smile on the Queen's face. Serenity seemed to be glowing, and the closer Alice got to the great Queen the warmer she felt. It was as if being in the Queens' presence was warming her soul. Slowly she felt the edges of her lips curve up into a small smile of their own accord; this was defiantly not in any of the texts she had read about the royal, and she intended to ask Mars-sama about it later. Right now all she wanted to do was continue to be in the presence of this warm person.
"Rei-chan!" Queen Serenity squealed as the two women finally stopped in front of her. "Has it been a week already! I missed you terribly." She said with a pout and Alice wanted nothing more than to turn that frown around. She was just about to open her mouth to say something when Rei walked up the steps to the Queens' side.
"Now now Serenity." She said as she put a hand on her arm. "Haven't I asked you not to call me Rei during official court business?" Rei moved her hand to Serenity's chin and lowed her voice just a bit. "And I'm sorry we haven't seen each other for a week, I'll try to make it up to you neh odango?" She said the pet name even quieter; just loud enough for the two of them to hear it and then immediately jumped back into business.
"I have nothing unusual to report your majesty." Mars started in a very business like voice. "The stars seem to be progressing normal, and none of my fire readings have told of ill news."
"Very good Mars." Serenity responded as she reclaimed her throne. Mars and Alice sat at the table set up next to it; Mars started to shuffle some paperwork. "but I was wondering how you were getting along with your new companion." Serenity's eyes traveled from Mars to the red head next to her. Alice froze, now that Serenity was looking right at her, Alice could swear that the Queen was bathed in white light, and that every inch of her felt completely safe with this person.
"What's your name?" Serenity asked the reporter. Alice was still a little dazed, but she did register that her Queen was talking to her.
"Uh-Alice." She replied just a second before Mars was going stop rearranging the paperwork and hit her for not paying attention.
"Yes well, my Queen." Mars had started talking again; she defiantly didn't want Serenity veering off course. "Alice and I are working together for the week, and then she'll be following Mercury around; but we really should be discussing the preparations for the ball next month." Mars said as she pushed a stack of papers toward the silver haired woman. Rei was trying to get her friend back on track, but she wasn't sure if it was working. Alice was someone new, and Usagi loved meeting new people. "Your Majesty I believe we still need to make the final decision about the music that will be played." She said as she looked down at her half of the papers to the very long list of available musicians; Haruka and Michiru being at the top of the list.
"Oh Rei-chan!" Mars winced a bit at the use of her common name. Usagi was in full swing and it seemed that she wasn't going to be swayed back on task with small nudges; Rei was going to have to resort to drastic measures to pull the queen back into her reserved state. "I wanted you to sing your song." Rei heard through her fog of thinking.
"What?!" She blurted out. "Why do you want that? What song?"
"Ohhh you know what song." She said with an evil grin on her face. "The one that you wrote for that talent show at TA academy" Rei's eyes grew, Serenity wanted that song. Rei hadn't performed in front of anyone for many years, and she hadn't sung that song since it's debut performance.
"But Serenity…" Mars started trying to choose her words. "Are you sure that's what you want?" Serenity nodded very quickly.
"I want you to sing for the ball. I love your voice and haven't gotten to hear it for at least 5000 years!" Mars smirked, that was a little over the top but it had been close to a thousand years since Mars had graced the court with the pleasure of hearing her voice; she preferred to leave the entertaining to Haruka and Michiru, they had a knack for it that she just didn't posses.
"Are you sure you'd not rather have Uranus and Neptune perform for you?" She asked hoping that the Queen would think that was a good idea.
"Well, yes I'd love that." Serenity said. "I love hearing Michiru's violin and Ruka is just amazing on her piano." Serenity smiled with a far off look in her eyes, as if she was remembering one of the many performances the two had given in her presence. "but I still want you to sing." She added just as Mars was about to check they're names off and be done with it. "Actually, I would love it if you all would perform something." She smiled innocently.
"All of us?"
"Yup Mina, Mako, Ami, Michiru Haruka, Hatoru, and you. I would really love it, you could all take turns being on stage." The Queen sounded like she had put lots of thought into this idea, at least that's what Alice thought, Rei on the other hand knew that this was all flying out of her old friends head as she spoke.
"That sounds like a great idea." Alice heard herself blurt out as Serenity was listing off different kinds of acts the Senshi could perform for the ball.
Serenity stopped talking and looked over at the now shaking reporter. "You really think so!" She said with a smile. "I do too. Actually Rei I think we should add Alice to the guest list." Serenity said with an even bigger grin on her face. "These preparations are going so much better than I thought they would, I'm really glad you brought Alice, she's so much fun!" Rei sat there patiently waiting for Serenity to allow her to talk. After a few more comments about Alice Serenity looked at Mars and said, "Ne Rei-chan you agree don't you?"
"Of course your majesty. I'll add her name to the guest list immediately." Mars replied with her usual courtly voice. "Now." She said as she stood up. "We were must be going." She bowed and left the throne room as fast as she could without actually running, which was still fast enough that Alice had to jog just to stay behind her.
Once the two were safely out of the throne room Mars turned on her heels. "We're done for the day." She directed the comment to Alice and quickly spun back the other way and continued on her march.
The woman wasn't sure what to think. One second she's in a meeting with Mars-sama and the Queen and the next she's being told to leave. The one thing she did know though, was that she wasn't leaving just yet. The second her mind wrapped around that thought her body put it into motion. She sprang after Mars.
"Wait." She said once she had caught up to her. Mars stopped and looked over her shoulder. Alice took a second to catch her breath then said, "We haven't gotten one second to talk one on one, and I refuse to leave here today without information about you that I've actually gotten from you!" As she had progressed in her speech her voice had gotten louder and harshness had entered her tone that she didn't even know she possessed. Mars was a little taken back by her tone, but showed no visible sign of it; instead she looked Alice straight in the eyes. This alarmed Alice for a second, and her mind jumped to an image of flames and herself standing in the middle of them, but she gulped back the fear and stared the ebony haired woman down.
"OK." Mars finally said and continued on her way. The other woman again wasn't sure what had happened, one second their staring each other down the next the Senshi of fire and passion is bending to her will? "Don't be confused. I'm only doing this because I see something in you." Mars called back as she opened to door to the courtyard.
They continued to walk until Mars had taken her to a hidden away corner of the palace grounds. There she stopped and sat down on the soft earth.
"Here's the rules." Mars started as Alice took a seat across from her on the ground. "You may ask me as many questions as you like, one at a time. If I answer the question you can continue on. If you ask me a question that I don't answer the interview is over and you go home for the evening. Got that?" Alice nodded and stuck her eraser in the corner of her mouth thinking about her first question.
OK So I know this is cruel and unusual punishment, but I really want to get something out to you guys.
Thanks to everyone that reads this, I know that most people probably think I've abandoned the fic. I haven't I promise! And I promise that the next chapter will be out sooner than this one AND that it'll have more actual plot forward-ness to it.
Thanks again and R&R Please!!