Disclaimer: I don't own Sailor Moon. How many times do I have to say
this? Well, this story is gonna take a while, so I guess a lot of times.
Want more specifics on who does own it? Read the prologue, I'm too lazy to
repeat myself (although reading that might not help either). Gomen nasai.
. . *yawn*.
' denotes thought
AN: =author's notes
denotes mental messages
***Current ages of characters:
Senshi:
Rei - 20
Ami - 19
Minako - 20
Makoto - 21
Princess Serenity - 18
Shittenou:
Jadeite - 21
Zoisite - 21
Kunzite - 23
Nephrite - 22
Prince Endymion - 20
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The Winning Losers Chapter One: When the News Hits, It Hits Hard
The chiming sounds of giggles were audible enough to hear throughout the halls built in the wing opposite the one of the Throne Room. The light- hearted laughter originated in the Drawing Room, coming from five beautiful ladies. Extraordinarily hyper young ladies, and the way they were behaving was very un-ladylike: one of them laughed so hard until she couldn't help snorting, two of them rolled back so far their skirts slipped past their knees, one was slapping her thigh and howling in delight, and the last one tried not to laugh but ended up spitting out her drink of water.
Sitting on the broad window sill was a golden-haired cherub. Her hairstyle was an exact duplicate of her mother's; the two buns on either sides of her head with the endless ribbons of spun gold hanging from them. She was the crown princess of the Moon Kingdom herself, Princess Usagi Serenity II. But to her closest friends, she was fondly nicknamed "Usa- chan". Her relatives and close friends of her mother's called her "Sere". She possessed the famed qualities of her mother: beauty, a most caring heart, sharp wits, independence, and natural charm. That last quality didn't show now since she laughed like a drunk hyena along with her tightly knit friends, her purely sapphire eyes dancing with mirth.
Sitting across from her was another bubbly blonde who could have been the princess's double, only this princess tied back her long, shiny locks with a simple red bow. Princess Minako ("Mina") Aino of Venus won the hearts of many, many men with her sunny personality, starlet glamor, and mega-watt smile. Her cheeriness brought a smile to the most stoic of people, yet her understanding of people had an unmatched depth. She was also the head commander of the senshi, born with leadership skills and an inspiring spirit. Her clear, sky-blue eyes sparkled with unborn tears because she was laughing so hard, and she was wrinkling her expensive dress by rolling on the carpet. Her mother would have had a heart attack.
Still gasping for air, she managed to say, "Ohmigosh Usa-chan, is that what really happened on your date with that duke from Uranus??"
"I'm so serious. I can't believe he did that!" replied Serenity.
The Uranian duke had managed to elicit a promise from her mother to convince Princess Serenity to accompany him on a stroll through the Moonlight Gardens. He was obviously a fortune-hunter, for everyone in court knew of his infamous gambling debts, but the queen did not want to insult Uraniun nobility. Uranus was one of the most loyal planets in the system. Because of this dilemma, her daughter agreed, albeit reluctantly. Not only was he a fortune-hunter, he was also a womanizer, or at least he tried to be, as Serenity discovered in a most unpleasant way.
According to Serenity, she had a bad impression of him the first time she saw the greed and lust in his dark, beady eyes. When he bent over to kiss her hand, he kissed it much longer than necessary. "And when I tried to make polite conversation," recounted Serenity, "he replied equally politely to my chest. When I asked him what he was so interested in, he told me how beautiful the the hilly landscape of the Moon was."
"He was still staring at your breasts?"
"'Still'? I think he never looked at my face once the whole time."
"Figures," Minako mumbled flatly, adding a shrug. She could relate.
"Yeah. Then, I spotted a bench under a tree and decided to sit down, because frankly, I did not feel like walking any further with him. Right when I sit down, he takes that opportunity to push up against me until I nearly fall off the edge of the bench! Did I mention how horrid his cologne was? It was almost as bad as his breath."
"How did you know what his breath smelled like?" asked one of her friends.
"Well, he tried to kiss me."
The others gasped in unison. Serenity's court was appalled at the audacity of the perverted duke and his unexcusable behavior towards the princess of the solar system, and more importantly, to their friend. After the shock passed, another one of her court inquired, "So what did you do next?"
"What do you think I did?" asked Serenity mischievously.
After giving the question some thought, the four inner princesses visibly winced. No duke, let alone any man, could escape the power of a sailor senshi. Even if Serenity did not train as long or as hard as the other senshi and was not as skilled as them in hand-to hand combat, she was still a formidable force.
"How serious is his condition?" the blue-haired one thought aloud.
"Oh, just a concussion. He doesn't seem to remember exactly what happened to him because I flipped him over so fast. He says his memory of his time spent with me is a bit fuzzy, so I convinced him into thinking that he stumbled over the bench and hit his head against one of the very low branches of the tree."
"Is he still set on pursuing you?" one of the brunettes asked.
"Even if he still wanted to court me, he won't be able to do so for a couple of weeks."
A thought then came to Minako. "What does your mother think of the 'accident'?"
Serenity smiled. "She sent a get well card to him, sympathizing for his unfortunate luck upon his visit to the Moon and stating she was determined to reprimand the gardeners, but the way she looked at me--you know, that 'I-know-what-you-did-don't-try-that-again' look--told me how well she knew her dear daughter."
Just then, Princess Mars was inspired to emphasize the absurdity of the incident. She slinked over to Sere, slipped her arm around the latter's neck, and breathed in a deep and over dramatized voice, "Oh sweet princess, I have loved you since I first saw you (or at least your good parts) and the abundant gold in your safe! Please, accept my proposal of marriage, and we shall be together 'till debt...I mean *death*...do us part!"
This encouraged a joyous Serenity to play along. "But what if I lost all those riches, my darling duke? Would you still love me then?"
"Of course!" exclaimed Mars. "If worse comes to worse, my beloved, I will do everything I can to provide for my...er...*our* heir!"
"And how will you manage to do that?"
"By selling you to a whore house!"
The group burst into more laughter. Mars was very pleased with the reaction she intended to receive. Rei Hino, Princess of Mars, was an exotic and intriguing beauty. Her thigh-length raven hair streaked with violet highlights matched her mysterious amethyst eyes, which complimented her fair complexion. She was bestowed with the gift of spiritual and psychic intuition, and whether she wished to or not, she could even read another's thoughts. She possessed a caring soul, but she hid it under a domineering, aloof facade that effectively intimidated the solar system's toughest politicians. Nothing passed her scrutiny, and her wisdom in life belied her few years. She could be incredibly mellow, or she could be startlingly fiery, but through anything, she was always composed and graceful. With her striking looks, cleverness, and dry humor, no man could resist her, yet she was, and proud to be, the biggest man-hater on this side of the universe.
The brunette kneeling beside Rei spoke up. "If any guy did that to me, I would have slapped him upside the head in a blink of an eye, twisted his arm 'till he cried uncle, and thrown him over my shoulder like the load of trash he his. Or maybe, it's better to teach him a lesson by kicking him where. . . " and she continued to describe the best ways to crush a man's masculine pride and his other assets. It sounded suspiciously as if she had actually done so herself.
The Princess of Jupiter, Makoto Kino, was the most assertive. She tied up her gleaming auburn hair in a high pony-tail; the better to train or cook so her hair wouldn't get in the way. Her emerald eyes held an eternal flare of determination. Her tall and graceful stature made her look even more regal, but as only her closest friends knew, she was soft, sincere, and girly at heart. Makoto's optimism and loyalty was treasured among her circle of friends, and people always felt comfortable in her presence. She was also the most relaxed of the girls, and after knowing her and Minako well, one could tell they both were the most boy-crazy of the group.
"Mako-chan! That is not a very appropriate thing to say, even if someone does deserves such harsh impunity. There are more effective ways to treat misguided and dispicable men such as the Uraniun duke. It is all a psychological impediment among men of his disgraceful kind find difficult to break. Violence is not the only remedy. . ."
The Mercurian princess, Ami Mizuno, was the voice of reason within their clique. Ami's hair was light, fluffy, and a curious yet attractive blue. It was cut short "for efficiency". Her bright cerulean eyes conveyed such softness, betraying her diamond-hard intelligence. Her soft porcelain face was always calm, even under the worst pressure. Although she was really shy, quiet, prude, and unsocial, her close friends knew her to be amiable, strong-willed, and brilliantly devious. She was a delicate beauty, but men of the time (AN: and probably of any time period) feared a woman with both looks *and* brains. For her, it was a convenient and deadly combination.
"If you ask me," she continued, "to teach him a lesson, one should destroy his confidence by subtlely chipping away at his mind. Play mind games with him and catch him off guard, forcing him to question his sanity and make him insecure about himself. After some careful planning, one can easily break a strong man like a loaf of bread."
"I always knew you had it in you, Ami-chan," cheered Rei as she lifted her glass in appreciation, clinked hers with Ami's raised glass, and gulped down her tea. "Did you tell Haruka-san about her fellow Uranian nobleman's disreputable actions towards you?"
"Yup, and she was furious that someone would 'disrespect her princess'. If you think I was hard on the man, just wait 'til she gets a hold of him. I almost pity him. But good ol' Haruka-san. I can always depend on her to protect my honor."
"I'll remember to keep that in mind if ever I want some serious revenge," Makoto noted to herself. As if she need anyone's help.
"I don't understand," Serenity complained, "why Mother always sets up these ridiculous 'social couplings'. I understand that this time was entirely not her fault, but what about all the other times? I am old enough to choose my own suitors! I know she is worried about the future of the Silver Millennium, but the future should rest in my hands, not some desperate nobleman."
"But Usa-chan," Minako interrupted, "if it was left up to you, you wouldn't accept meeting anyone. I know you want to find someone on your own, but you yourself are so damn picky. Why don't you let me play matchmaker?"
"Oooooooooh no, Mina-chan!"
"What, have I ever messed up before? After all, I am the Senshi of Love."
Ironically, she had the worst luck finding someone for herself. "It's not that no one wants my company," she'd say, "I just *choose* to remain single. Eligibility is very attractive."
"Fine, do whatever you want, just don't annoy me about it later. It's not that I absolutely hate courting, it's just that I always imagined a fairy tale romance as a little girl, like in the fairy tales Mother used to read me for bedtime. You know, a dashing prince charming to sweep me off my feet-"
"And make me gag until I choke on my own saliva," finished Rei. "Happily-ever-after my pretty ass. Those type of endings only exist in the place from whence they came--fairytale fiction--keyword being 'fiction'. Intoxicated romantics stuck in la-la land make a disgusting amount of money selling those lurid tales."
"Hey!" two offended blondes screeched. It was obvious what made up their personal libraries.
"Whoever said your ass was pretty, anyways?" retorted Sere. The girls loved being more free (and vulgar) with their language after straining protocol and formalities all day. Their parents and elders would be scandalized if they heard the way the girls truly expressed themselves.
"Why Usa-chan! I didn't think you'd notice. I'm flattered!" Rei smirked.
Rei really didn't understand the importance of the male species besides reproduction. To her, they were all the same: needy, grabby, spoiled, useless pigs who care for nothing but themselves. She never gave a poor guy the time of day. She simply and coldly ignored them, not even acknowledging their existence. She couldn't remember how many gifts she had received, which she eventually gave away to her maids.
"Just because you're such a darned pessimist when it comes to men, Rei-chan," continued Serenity, "doesn't give you the right to force the rest of us into your self-created, twisted, husbandless future." She always poked fun at Rei and her spinster destiny while Rei taunted her for her disasterous dates. It was a verbal joust the two best friends enjoyed immensely.
Rei nonchalantly waved off the comment. "Men are not worth my time or attention if none of them make a sincere effort to get inside my mind INSTEAD of getting inside my dress."
At this, Ami had to agree. "Although our dear Rei-chan is being less tactful than preferable, there lies much truth behind her statements. Even if the female anatomy may prove attractive to a male, the mind should, above all, be most important."
"Ha! See? Even *Ami-chan* agrees with me," Rei cried triumphantly. They all respected Ami's opinions deeply since she was the one who was most neutral and fair. "Men are just boys who hit puberty far too early for their own good."
Makoto couldn't resist teasing. "You keep saying things now Rei- chan, but don't be surprised when *your* prince charming comes and rescues you from your world of solitude and-"
WHACK!
The pillow successfully smacked Makoto in the face, being a direct throw from a very pissed-off Rei. Then, the Martian princess doubled over in laughter when Makoto's return fire accidently smashed against Ami's book, which smashed into her innocent forehead.
"Oh, that's it! It is one thing to hit *me* with a pillow in the face, but it is another issue when ruining my brand new History of Science book!"
And so, the Great Pillow Fight began among the squealing princesses. Soon enough, feathers littered the entire floor, and five exhausted feather- covered ladies lay upon their mess. Feathers miraculously found their way into Serenity's ear and up a nostril and got tangled in Minako's long hair. The feathers clung to Ami and Rei's dresses, and Makoto swore she swallowed one as she fell into a coughing fit.
Suddenly, the door opened to reveal a shocked and angry Luna. Luna's flowing navy hair was tied up in four spheres on her head, the common lunar fashion. Her youthful, pretty face was all scrunched up in disapproval at the sight of the messy room. 'These girls will be the early end of me. I found worry wrinkles across my forehead this morning, and I had to pluck out a few white hairs. It might just be easier to dye my hair. I am not paid enough for the hell these "ladies" give me.' Actually, Luna loved the girls as her own daughters, and like most mothers, she was stressed out. Luna, along with Artemis, trained the Senshi since the beginning. Artemis, the tall man with long white hair with the ever present smirk on his lips, was off running an errand. Both of them had the crescent moon symbol on their foreheads like the rest of the Moon's population, and Luna's was flashing in aggrivation.
"Girls, girls! Look at yourselves, the so-called princesses of the Silver Millennium! Dinner is in fifteen minutes, so you all better have this sty cleaned up by then, and for goodness sake, wash up! I can't believe the state of the future *leaders* of the kingdom!" This last statement was muttered. She shuddered after picturing the future of the solar system during their reign. "Disturbing. . ."
And with a slam of the door, Luna stormed out.
"She must be P.M.S.-ing today," guessed Makoto.
"Naw, five gold coins says Artemis embarrassed her by saying she was sexy again," bet Minako.
"I'll challenge that bet," piped Ami. "I deduce she found another white hair."
As always, Ami won the bet, based on later evidence, but refused to take the money. "If I accepted the rewards of all our bets, then none of you could have afforded to buy the dresses on your backs," she stated matter-of-factly.
By 7:20, the room was spotless, thanks to Makoto's passion for clean living, and they were feather-free and on their way to the dining room. When they approached the table where the queen was seated, Serenity kissed her mother's cheek and the rest curtseyed, saying "Good evening, your Highness."
"Good evening, girls," returned the queen warmly. Like Luna, she was like the Senshis' second mother. Ever since they were young, the inner princesses were sent to live in the Moon palace. There, they recieved the highest education and the most expert combat and defense training to be the crown princess's most trusted guardians, and as naturally as their talents came, they all became the best of friends. Princess Serenity trained with them too, but since she followed her mother around most of the time to learn the fundamentals of running a kingdom, the Senshi were far more advanced.
Though each person had an unrelentingly busy schedule, they came together to eat dinner every night. "Everyone" included the queen, the princess, the Senshi, and Luna and Artemis, the royal advisors. The last two sat on either side of the queen, and Serenity and her court curtseyed respectfully to them, and they smiled and nodded. Luna and Artemis both supervised the girl's education and training, but suprisingly, Luna and Artemis were like day and night. Luna was strict and always proper, but Artemis was easygoing, and he loved irritating and hitting on Luna. Everyone knew that the two were madly in love with one another - "Opposites attract!" teased Minako - but Luna vehemently denied it. She would turn bright red, in anger and embarrassment, end the discussion, and storm out of the room in a way that would make Rei look like a timid mouse. Artemis, in his easygoing manner, would just smile mysteriously...and mischievously, and did his best to make Luna blush at least four times a day.
The familiar party took their seats at the table and chatted gaily as the food arrived. Although the girls greeted the elders formally, one would think that they were just a loving family if one was to walk in on them during dinner. Makoto smiled approvingly as she tasted a slice of orange chicken, and the chef was bursting with pride when he recieved praise from the culinary master herself. Happy that he did a job well done, he skipped back to the kitchen.
Halfway during the meal, the queen clinked her glass with her fork to get everyone's attention, and in a split second, they all ceased talking and listened attentively but resumed eating quietly.
"I have splendid news for you all this evening," she began. "Just about an hour ago, I recieved a message from one of my dearest friends. She and her family will vacation here for a good number of weeks, so there will be much more activity and liveliness around here for more than two months. Towards the end of their stay, we will hold a grand ball in their honor."
"Why not hold a grand ball when they first arrive?" inquired Artemis.
"Well, they will want to enjoy their stay here first before having to worry about meeting stiff members of nobility and spoiling the peace with more protocol. My friend is a busy woman, and the last thing she will want when she arrives is more hustle and bustle."
"Of whom are you speaking of, Mother?"
"Do you remember Queen Gwendolyn of Earth, Sere?"
"Oh yes! She is a lovely woman. Do you mean she is coming here?" asked Serenity hopefully.
"Yes she is, and she and her husband and son are arriving tomorrow at three."
At this, Serenity nearly lept with joy. "I can't believe it! He's coming! I haven't seen him since I was, what, ten years old? Can you believe it, I get to see Endymion again!"
Queen Serenity chuckled at her daughter's reaction. "Yes, yes, you get to see your good friend again. I remember when the two of you first met, Sere. I think he was twelve at the time, and you and he became such close playmates. The two of you were practically joined at the hip for the few days the young prince was here."
Serenity never forgot the dark-haired boy she made friends with eight years ago. Although he only spent about a week on the Moon with her, she remembered him very clearly. She never realized how much she missed his goofy yet sweet companionship until now.
Luna decided to join the conversation. "I remember when he had to leave. Sere cried her eyes out that day, and she wouldn't let go of his waist. I had to pry her off the poor boy, and I think I broke a nail in the process."
"Well, he was crying, too!" replied Serenity in her defense. She still remembered how adorable he looked, a twelve year old boy, when he cried like a sissy when he had to leave his new best friend.
"And guess who else Endymion is bringing with him," continued the queen.
"Who?" asked Serenity.
"His guard, the Shittenou of Earth!"
CLINK.
CLINK.
CLINK.
CLINK.
Four sets of spoons and forks dropped noisily against the fine china, and four faces went deathly pale at the mention of the prince's royal guard. Minako's eyebrow furrowed deeply, Makoto bit her lower lip in agitation, Ami was twisting her delicate napkin in her lap, and Rei stared moodily out the window.
This startling reaction was not what the queen expected in the least. She thought the earth guard and the Senshi got along just as well as her Sere and Endymion. 'Am I missing something here?' she thought worriedly. She had to get tothe truth.
"Ami."
"Yes, your Highness?" Ami snapped out of her nervous fidgeting and released the poor napkin. She was pleased to hear that her voice found its usual calm tone.
"Is something the matter? Do you not agree with these plans?"
Ami's face returned to it's natural color and did not betray the panic in her mind. Rei, Minako, and Makoto wanted to tell her what to say through their psychic link, but none of them dared to interrupt Ami's quick problem solving thinking process. It was up to her to come up with a plausible lie. A moment later, Ami cleared her throat.
"No, your Highness. Nothing is the matter. The four of us thought there was something lurking outside. We were just alarmed that someone was spying, but fortunately, it was just a false alarm."
Nice save, Minako said to Ami through their mental link.
Yeah, I thought only Serenity could B.S. to the queen without blinking, joined Rei.
Only the Senshi and Serenity could communicate through mind reading, and only they heard the thoughts circulating among them. Rei was the only one who could recieve and send messages to any person freely because of the psychic powers passed down to each first born of the Martian dynasty. To mind-read people other than the Senshi used up lots of her energy, so Rei chose not to do so unless she found it necessary. In some cases, if the emotions and intentions of another person were incredibly strong, she could sense them easily without even trying.
"Yes," interjected Rei swiftly. "I thought I saw a shadow near the window, which explains why I was staring at it so intently, and the Senshi felt my alarm through our mental link. It turned out to be just a willowy branch, so no harm done."
Minako and Makoto nodded in agreement.
Serenity was tempted to laugh, but Rei threw her a warning look. Serenity knew exactly why they reacted the way they did, but since she did not want to be strangled by her Senshi, she wisely chose to stay quiet. Luna and Artemis also knew the reason for the strange behavior, but they did not wish to upset the queen or hear their charges whine. The two of them watched the act in amusement.
"Oh, alright. I guess that was why you all looked so tense. I am glad it was not a real intruder." Queen Serenity was not completely satisfied, for her instincts told her something was off, but she did not press the matter. If the Senshi found it fit not to tell her, then she would not argue. She really trusted them.
The dinner continued normally, but the Senshi felt their stomachs do somersaults the whole time. They did their best to display good spirits, and they were great actresses, especially Minako. But as soon as dessert was finished, they asked to be excused.
"Just a minute," the queen said, much to their disappointment. "Who will come with me and greet the guests?" The five girls exchanged looks. Of course, Serenity eagerly volunteered. "I know you want to go, Sere, but I was asking your court."
Minako put aside her annoyance and stepped up to her duties. "As leader of the Senshi, I should accompany your Highness to greet the Earth royalty."
You're a brave one, Mina-chan thought Makoto.
I know, I know, answered Minako not so modestly.
To everyone's surprise, Rei volunteered, too. She saw the confusion on their faces, so she explained, "After all, Endymion is my second cousin."
"I must be old, Rei," smiled the queen, "because I almost forgot he was your relative. Good, it is settled then. Sere, Minako, and Rei will accompany me. Luna? Artemis? Will the two of you start preparing for the grand ball, please?"
"Of course, your Highness," Artemis answered. "Any chance to collaborate with the lovely Luna is a chance I'll gladly take advantage of."
Like clockwork, the blood rushed to Luna's face. She then curtseyed to the queen and wished her goodnight, and she quickly told the girls to sleep well, too. Brushing brusquely passed Artemis, she stomped towards the exit and nearly slammed the door off its hinges.
"Goodnight, Luna!" he called to her back. "What? No 'goodnight, Artemis'? How rude." He then bowed deeply to Queen Serenity, patted each girl on the head in a fatherly fashion, and winked at them before returning to his own room. The queen smiled and shook her head. Artemis was no younger than her, yet he still acted like a schoolboy. He probably would always be a schoolboy.
After he left, she turned back to the princesses. "Since I will not be available, Ami and Makoto will meet with the Plutonian representative to settle the trade agreement in the conference room, though that will not take the two of you very long. I'm sure you will have the opportunity to greet our guests later on in the day, alright?"
"Yes, your Highness," replied Ami and Makoto.
"Good. You girls sleep early. We have an eventful day ahead of us. Goodnight."
"Goodnight," chorused the five young ladies. The girls separated and went to their respective rooms and prepared for bed. Serenity slept like a baby and dreamt wonderful dreams.
Her Senshi hardly got a wink of sleep the whole night.
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How was that? The next chapter will go back into the past.
Review!!
' denotes thought
AN: =author's notes
denotes mental messages
***Current ages of characters:
Senshi:
Rei - 20
Ami - 19
Minako - 20
Makoto - 21
Princess Serenity - 18
Shittenou:
Jadeite - 21
Zoisite - 21
Kunzite - 23
Nephrite - 22
Prince Endymion - 20
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The Winning Losers Chapter One: When the News Hits, It Hits Hard
The chiming sounds of giggles were audible enough to hear throughout the halls built in the wing opposite the one of the Throne Room. The light- hearted laughter originated in the Drawing Room, coming from five beautiful ladies. Extraordinarily hyper young ladies, and the way they were behaving was very un-ladylike: one of them laughed so hard until she couldn't help snorting, two of them rolled back so far their skirts slipped past their knees, one was slapping her thigh and howling in delight, and the last one tried not to laugh but ended up spitting out her drink of water.
Sitting on the broad window sill was a golden-haired cherub. Her hairstyle was an exact duplicate of her mother's; the two buns on either sides of her head with the endless ribbons of spun gold hanging from them. She was the crown princess of the Moon Kingdom herself, Princess Usagi Serenity II. But to her closest friends, she was fondly nicknamed "Usa- chan". Her relatives and close friends of her mother's called her "Sere". She possessed the famed qualities of her mother: beauty, a most caring heart, sharp wits, independence, and natural charm. That last quality didn't show now since she laughed like a drunk hyena along with her tightly knit friends, her purely sapphire eyes dancing with mirth.
Sitting across from her was another bubbly blonde who could have been the princess's double, only this princess tied back her long, shiny locks with a simple red bow. Princess Minako ("Mina") Aino of Venus won the hearts of many, many men with her sunny personality, starlet glamor, and mega-watt smile. Her cheeriness brought a smile to the most stoic of people, yet her understanding of people had an unmatched depth. She was also the head commander of the senshi, born with leadership skills and an inspiring spirit. Her clear, sky-blue eyes sparkled with unborn tears because she was laughing so hard, and she was wrinkling her expensive dress by rolling on the carpet. Her mother would have had a heart attack.
Still gasping for air, she managed to say, "Ohmigosh Usa-chan, is that what really happened on your date with that duke from Uranus??"
"I'm so serious. I can't believe he did that!" replied Serenity.
The Uranian duke had managed to elicit a promise from her mother to convince Princess Serenity to accompany him on a stroll through the Moonlight Gardens. He was obviously a fortune-hunter, for everyone in court knew of his infamous gambling debts, but the queen did not want to insult Uraniun nobility. Uranus was one of the most loyal planets in the system. Because of this dilemma, her daughter agreed, albeit reluctantly. Not only was he a fortune-hunter, he was also a womanizer, or at least he tried to be, as Serenity discovered in a most unpleasant way.
According to Serenity, she had a bad impression of him the first time she saw the greed and lust in his dark, beady eyes. When he bent over to kiss her hand, he kissed it much longer than necessary. "And when I tried to make polite conversation," recounted Serenity, "he replied equally politely to my chest. When I asked him what he was so interested in, he told me how beautiful the the hilly landscape of the Moon was."
"He was still staring at your breasts?"
"'Still'? I think he never looked at my face once the whole time."
"Figures," Minako mumbled flatly, adding a shrug. She could relate.
"Yeah. Then, I spotted a bench under a tree and decided to sit down, because frankly, I did not feel like walking any further with him. Right when I sit down, he takes that opportunity to push up against me until I nearly fall off the edge of the bench! Did I mention how horrid his cologne was? It was almost as bad as his breath."
"How did you know what his breath smelled like?" asked one of her friends.
"Well, he tried to kiss me."
The others gasped in unison. Serenity's court was appalled at the audacity of the perverted duke and his unexcusable behavior towards the princess of the solar system, and more importantly, to their friend. After the shock passed, another one of her court inquired, "So what did you do next?"
"What do you think I did?" asked Serenity mischievously.
After giving the question some thought, the four inner princesses visibly winced. No duke, let alone any man, could escape the power of a sailor senshi. Even if Serenity did not train as long or as hard as the other senshi and was not as skilled as them in hand-to hand combat, she was still a formidable force.
"How serious is his condition?" the blue-haired one thought aloud.
"Oh, just a concussion. He doesn't seem to remember exactly what happened to him because I flipped him over so fast. He says his memory of his time spent with me is a bit fuzzy, so I convinced him into thinking that he stumbled over the bench and hit his head against one of the very low branches of the tree."
"Is he still set on pursuing you?" one of the brunettes asked.
"Even if he still wanted to court me, he won't be able to do so for a couple of weeks."
A thought then came to Minako. "What does your mother think of the 'accident'?"
Serenity smiled. "She sent a get well card to him, sympathizing for his unfortunate luck upon his visit to the Moon and stating she was determined to reprimand the gardeners, but the way she looked at me--you know, that 'I-know-what-you-did-don't-try-that-again' look--told me how well she knew her dear daughter."
Just then, Princess Mars was inspired to emphasize the absurdity of the incident. She slinked over to Sere, slipped her arm around the latter's neck, and breathed in a deep and over dramatized voice, "Oh sweet princess, I have loved you since I first saw you (or at least your good parts) and the abundant gold in your safe! Please, accept my proposal of marriage, and we shall be together 'till debt...I mean *death*...do us part!"
This encouraged a joyous Serenity to play along. "But what if I lost all those riches, my darling duke? Would you still love me then?"
"Of course!" exclaimed Mars. "If worse comes to worse, my beloved, I will do everything I can to provide for my...er...*our* heir!"
"And how will you manage to do that?"
"By selling you to a whore house!"
The group burst into more laughter. Mars was very pleased with the reaction she intended to receive. Rei Hino, Princess of Mars, was an exotic and intriguing beauty. Her thigh-length raven hair streaked with violet highlights matched her mysterious amethyst eyes, which complimented her fair complexion. She was bestowed with the gift of spiritual and psychic intuition, and whether she wished to or not, she could even read another's thoughts. She possessed a caring soul, but she hid it under a domineering, aloof facade that effectively intimidated the solar system's toughest politicians. Nothing passed her scrutiny, and her wisdom in life belied her few years. She could be incredibly mellow, or she could be startlingly fiery, but through anything, she was always composed and graceful. With her striking looks, cleverness, and dry humor, no man could resist her, yet she was, and proud to be, the biggest man-hater on this side of the universe.
The brunette kneeling beside Rei spoke up. "If any guy did that to me, I would have slapped him upside the head in a blink of an eye, twisted his arm 'till he cried uncle, and thrown him over my shoulder like the load of trash he his. Or maybe, it's better to teach him a lesson by kicking him where. . . " and she continued to describe the best ways to crush a man's masculine pride and his other assets. It sounded suspiciously as if she had actually done so herself.
The Princess of Jupiter, Makoto Kino, was the most assertive. She tied up her gleaming auburn hair in a high pony-tail; the better to train or cook so her hair wouldn't get in the way. Her emerald eyes held an eternal flare of determination. Her tall and graceful stature made her look even more regal, but as only her closest friends knew, she was soft, sincere, and girly at heart. Makoto's optimism and loyalty was treasured among her circle of friends, and people always felt comfortable in her presence. She was also the most relaxed of the girls, and after knowing her and Minako well, one could tell they both were the most boy-crazy of the group.
"Mako-chan! That is not a very appropriate thing to say, even if someone does deserves such harsh impunity. There are more effective ways to treat misguided and dispicable men such as the Uraniun duke. It is all a psychological impediment among men of his disgraceful kind find difficult to break. Violence is not the only remedy. . ."
The Mercurian princess, Ami Mizuno, was the voice of reason within their clique. Ami's hair was light, fluffy, and a curious yet attractive blue. It was cut short "for efficiency". Her bright cerulean eyes conveyed such softness, betraying her diamond-hard intelligence. Her soft porcelain face was always calm, even under the worst pressure. Although she was really shy, quiet, prude, and unsocial, her close friends knew her to be amiable, strong-willed, and brilliantly devious. She was a delicate beauty, but men of the time (AN: and probably of any time period) feared a woman with both looks *and* brains. For her, it was a convenient and deadly combination.
"If you ask me," she continued, "to teach him a lesson, one should destroy his confidence by subtlely chipping away at his mind. Play mind games with him and catch him off guard, forcing him to question his sanity and make him insecure about himself. After some careful planning, one can easily break a strong man like a loaf of bread."
"I always knew you had it in you, Ami-chan," cheered Rei as she lifted her glass in appreciation, clinked hers with Ami's raised glass, and gulped down her tea. "Did you tell Haruka-san about her fellow Uranian nobleman's disreputable actions towards you?"
"Yup, and she was furious that someone would 'disrespect her princess'. If you think I was hard on the man, just wait 'til she gets a hold of him. I almost pity him. But good ol' Haruka-san. I can always depend on her to protect my honor."
"I'll remember to keep that in mind if ever I want some serious revenge," Makoto noted to herself. As if she need anyone's help.
"I don't understand," Serenity complained, "why Mother always sets up these ridiculous 'social couplings'. I understand that this time was entirely not her fault, but what about all the other times? I am old enough to choose my own suitors! I know she is worried about the future of the Silver Millennium, but the future should rest in my hands, not some desperate nobleman."
"But Usa-chan," Minako interrupted, "if it was left up to you, you wouldn't accept meeting anyone. I know you want to find someone on your own, but you yourself are so damn picky. Why don't you let me play matchmaker?"
"Oooooooooh no, Mina-chan!"
"What, have I ever messed up before? After all, I am the Senshi of Love."
Ironically, she had the worst luck finding someone for herself. "It's not that no one wants my company," she'd say, "I just *choose* to remain single. Eligibility is very attractive."
"Fine, do whatever you want, just don't annoy me about it later. It's not that I absolutely hate courting, it's just that I always imagined a fairy tale romance as a little girl, like in the fairy tales Mother used to read me for bedtime. You know, a dashing prince charming to sweep me off my feet-"
"And make me gag until I choke on my own saliva," finished Rei. "Happily-ever-after my pretty ass. Those type of endings only exist in the place from whence they came--fairytale fiction--keyword being 'fiction'. Intoxicated romantics stuck in la-la land make a disgusting amount of money selling those lurid tales."
"Hey!" two offended blondes screeched. It was obvious what made up their personal libraries.
"Whoever said your ass was pretty, anyways?" retorted Sere. The girls loved being more free (and vulgar) with their language after straining protocol and formalities all day. Their parents and elders would be scandalized if they heard the way the girls truly expressed themselves.
"Why Usa-chan! I didn't think you'd notice. I'm flattered!" Rei smirked.
Rei really didn't understand the importance of the male species besides reproduction. To her, they were all the same: needy, grabby, spoiled, useless pigs who care for nothing but themselves. She never gave a poor guy the time of day. She simply and coldly ignored them, not even acknowledging their existence. She couldn't remember how many gifts she had received, which she eventually gave away to her maids.
"Just because you're such a darned pessimist when it comes to men, Rei-chan," continued Serenity, "doesn't give you the right to force the rest of us into your self-created, twisted, husbandless future." She always poked fun at Rei and her spinster destiny while Rei taunted her for her disasterous dates. It was a verbal joust the two best friends enjoyed immensely.
Rei nonchalantly waved off the comment. "Men are not worth my time or attention if none of them make a sincere effort to get inside my mind INSTEAD of getting inside my dress."
At this, Ami had to agree. "Although our dear Rei-chan is being less tactful than preferable, there lies much truth behind her statements. Even if the female anatomy may prove attractive to a male, the mind should, above all, be most important."
"Ha! See? Even *Ami-chan* agrees with me," Rei cried triumphantly. They all respected Ami's opinions deeply since she was the one who was most neutral and fair. "Men are just boys who hit puberty far too early for their own good."
Makoto couldn't resist teasing. "You keep saying things now Rei- chan, but don't be surprised when *your* prince charming comes and rescues you from your world of solitude and-"
WHACK!
The pillow successfully smacked Makoto in the face, being a direct throw from a very pissed-off Rei. Then, the Martian princess doubled over in laughter when Makoto's return fire accidently smashed against Ami's book, which smashed into her innocent forehead.
"Oh, that's it! It is one thing to hit *me* with a pillow in the face, but it is another issue when ruining my brand new History of Science book!"
And so, the Great Pillow Fight began among the squealing princesses. Soon enough, feathers littered the entire floor, and five exhausted feather- covered ladies lay upon their mess. Feathers miraculously found their way into Serenity's ear and up a nostril and got tangled in Minako's long hair. The feathers clung to Ami and Rei's dresses, and Makoto swore she swallowed one as she fell into a coughing fit.
Suddenly, the door opened to reveal a shocked and angry Luna. Luna's flowing navy hair was tied up in four spheres on her head, the common lunar fashion. Her youthful, pretty face was all scrunched up in disapproval at the sight of the messy room. 'These girls will be the early end of me. I found worry wrinkles across my forehead this morning, and I had to pluck out a few white hairs. It might just be easier to dye my hair. I am not paid enough for the hell these "ladies" give me.' Actually, Luna loved the girls as her own daughters, and like most mothers, she was stressed out. Luna, along with Artemis, trained the Senshi since the beginning. Artemis, the tall man with long white hair with the ever present smirk on his lips, was off running an errand. Both of them had the crescent moon symbol on their foreheads like the rest of the Moon's population, and Luna's was flashing in aggrivation.
"Girls, girls! Look at yourselves, the so-called princesses of the Silver Millennium! Dinner is in fifteen minutes, so you all better have this sty cleaned up by then, and for goodness sake, wash up! I can't believe the state of the future *leaders* of the kingdom!" This last statement was muttered. She shuddered after picturing the future of the solar system during their reign. "Disturbing. . ."
And with a slam of the door, Luna stormed out.
"She must be P.M.S.-ing today," guessed Makoto.
"Naw, five gold coins says Artemis embarrassed her by saying she was sexy again," bet Minako.
"I'll challenge that bet," piped Ami. "I deduce she found another white hair."
As always, Ami won the bet, based on later evidence, but refused to take the money. "If I accepted the rewards of all our bets, then none of you could have afforded to buy the dresses on your backs," she stated matter-of-factly.
By 7:20, the room was spotless, thanks to Makoto's passion for clean living, and they were feather-free and on their way to the dining room. When they approached the table where the queen was seated, Serenity kissed her mother's cheek and the rest curtseyed, saying "Good evening, your Highness."
"Good evening, girls," returned the queen warmly. Like Luna, she was like the Senshis' second mother. Ever since they were young, the inner princesses were sent to live in the Moon palace. There, they recieved the highest education and the most expert combat and defense training to be the crown princess's most trusted guardians, and as naturally as their talents came, they all became the best of friends. Princess Serenity trained with them too, but since she followed her mother around most of the time to learn the fundamentals of running a kingdom, the Senshi were far more advanced.
Though each person had an unrelentingly busy schedule, they came together to eat dinner every night. "Everyone" included the queen, the princess, the Senshi, and Luna and Artemis, the royal advisors. The last two sat on either side of the queen, and Serenity and her court curtseyed respectfully to them, and they smiled and nodded. Luna and Artemis both supervised the girl's education and training, but suprisingly, Luna and Artemis were like day and night. Luna was strict and always proper, but Artemis was easygoing, and he loved irritating and hitting on Luna. Everyone knew that the two were madly in love with one another - "Opposites attract!" teased Minako - but Luna vehemently denied it. She would turn bright red, in anger and embarrassment, end the discussion, and storm out of the room in a way that would make Rei look like a timid mouse. Artemis, in his easygoing manner, would just smile mysteriously...and mischievously, and did his best to make Luna blush at least four times a day.
The familiar party took their seats at the table and chatted gaily as the food arrived. Although the girls greeted the elders formally, one would think that they were just a loving family if one was to walk in on them during dinner. Makoto smiled approvingly as she tasted a slice of orange chicken, and the chef was bursting with pride when he recieved praise from the culinary master herself. Happy that he did a job well done, he skipped back to the kitchen.
Halfway during the meal, the queen clinked her glass with her fork to get everyone's attention, and in a split second, they all ceased talking and listened attentively but resumed eating quietly.
"I have splendid news for you all this evening," she began. "Just about an hour ago, I recieved a message from one of my dearest friends. She and her family will vacation here for a good number of weeks, so there will be much more activity and liveliness around here for more than two months. Towards the end of their stay, we will hold a grand ball in their honor."
"Why not hold a grand ball when they first arrive?" inquired Artemis.
"Well, they will want to enjoy their stay here first before having to worry about meeting stiff members of nobility and spoiling the peace with more protocol. My friend is a busy woman, and the last thing she will want when she arrives is more hustle and bustle."
"Of whom are you speaking of, Mother?"
"Do you remember Queen Gwendolyn of Earth, Sere?"
"Oh yes! She is a lovely woman. Do you mean she is coming here?" asked Serenity hopefully.
"Yes she is, and she and her husband and son are arriving tomorrow at three."
At this, Serenity nearly lept with joy. "I can't believe it! He's coming! I haven't seen him since I was, what, ten years old? Can you believe it, I get to see Endymion again!"
Queen Serenity chuckled at her daughter's reaction. "Yes, yes, you get to see your good friend again. I remember when the two of you first met, Sere. I think he was twelve at the time, and you and he became such close playmates. The two of you were practically joined at the hip for the few days the young prince was here."
Serenity never forgot the dark-haired boy she made friends with eight years ago. Although he only spent about a week on the Moon with her, she remembered him very clearly. She never realized how much she missed his goofy yet sweet companionship until now.
Luna decided to join the conversation. "I remember when he had to leave. Sere cried her eyes out that day, and she wouldn't let go of his waist. I had to pry her off the poor boy, and I think I broke a nail in the process."
"Well, he was crying, too!" replied Serenity in her defense. She still remembered how adorable he looked, a twelve year old boy, when he cried like a sissy when he had to leave his new best friend.
"And guess who else Endymion is bringing with him," continued the queen.
"Who?" asked Serenity.
"His guard, the Shittenou of Earth!"
CLINK.
CLINK.
CLINK.
CLINK.
Four sets of spoons and forks dropped noisily against the fine china, and four faces went deathly pale at the mention of the prince's royal guard. Minako's eyebrow furrowed deeply, Makoto bit her lower lip in agitation, Ami was twisting her delicate napkin in her lap, and Rei stared moodily out the window.
This startling reaction was not what the queen expected in the least. She thought the earth guard and the Senshi got along just as well as her Sere and Endymion. 'Am I missing something here?' she thought worriedly. She had to get tothe truth.
"Ami."
"Yes, your Highness?" Ami snapped out of her nervous fidgeting and released the poor napkin. She was pleased to hear that her voice found its usual calm tone.
"Is something the matter? Do you not agree with these plans?"
Ami's face returned to it's natural color and did not betray the panic in her mind. Rei, Minako, and Makoto wanted to tell her what to say through their psychic link, but none of them dared to interrupt Ami's quick problem solving thinking process. It was up to her to come up with a plausible lie. A moment later, Ami cleared her throat.
"No, your Highness. Nothing is the matter. The four of us thought there was something lurking outside. We were just alarmed that someone was spying, but fortunately, it was just a false alarm."
Nice save, Minako said to Ami through their mental link.
Yeah, I thought only Serenity could B.S. to the queen without blinking, joined Rei.
Only the Senshi and Serenity could communicate through mind reading, and only they heard the thoughts circulating among them. Rei was the only one who could recieve and send messages to any person freely because of the psychic powers passed down to each first born of the Martian dynasty. To mind-read people other than the Senshi used up lots of her energy, so Rei chose not to do so unless she found it necessary. In some cases, if the emotions and intentions of another person were incredibly strong, she could sense them easily without even trying.
"Yes," interjected Rei swiftly. "I thought I saw a shadow near the window, which explains why I was staring at it so intently, and the Senshi felt my alarm through our mental link. It turned out to be just a willowy branch, so no harm done."
Minako and Makoto nodded in agreement.
Serenity was tempted to laugh, but Rei threw her a warning look. Serenity knew exactly why they reacted the way they did, but since she did not want to be strangled by her Senshi, she wisely chose to stay quiet. Luna and Artemis also knew the reason for the strange behavior, but they did not wish to upset the queen or hear their charges whine. The two of them watched the act in amusement.
"Oh, alright. I guess that was why you all looked so tense. I am glad it was not a real intruder." Queen Serenity was not completely satisfied, for her instincts told her something was off, but she did not press the matter. If the Senshi found it fit not to tell her, then she would not argue. She really trusted them.
The dinner continued normally, but the Senshi felt their stomachs do somersaults the whole time. They did their best to display good spirits, and they were great actresses, especially Minako. But as soon as dessert was finished, they asked to be excused.
"Just a minute," the queen said, much to their disappointment. "Who will come with me and greet the guests?" The five girls exchanged looks. Of course, Serenity eagerly volunteered. "I know you want to go, Sere, but I was asking your court."
Minako put aside her annoyance and stepped up to her duties. "As leader of the Senshi, I should accompany your Highness to greet the Earth royalty."
You're a brave one, Mina-chan thought Makoto.
I know, I know, answered Minako not so modestly.
To everyone's surprise, Rei volunteered, too. She saw the confusion on their faces, so she explained, "After all, Endymion is my second cousin."
"I must be old, Rei," smiled the queen, "because I almost forgot he was your relative. Good, it is settled then. Sere, Minako, and Rei will accompany me. Luna? Artemis? Will the two of you start preparing for the grand ball, please?"
"Of course, your Highness," Artemis answered. "Any chance to collaborate with the lovely Luna is a chance I'll gladly take advantage of."
Like clockwork, the blood rushed to Luna's face. She then curtseyed to the queen and wished her goodnight, and she quickly told the girls to sleep well, too. Brushing brusquely passed Artemis, she stomped towards the exit and nearly slammed the door off its hinges.
"Goodnight, Luna!" he called to her back. "What? No 'goodnight, Artemis'? How rude." He then bowed deeply to Queen Serenity, patted each girl on the head in a fatherly fashion, and winked at them before returning to his own room. The queen smiled and shook her head. Artemis was no younger than her, yet he still acted like a schoolboy. He probably would always be a schoolboy.
After he left, she turned back to the princesses. "Since I will not be available, Ami and Makoto will meet with the Plutonian representative to settle the trade agreement in the conference room, though that will not take the two of you very long. I'm sure you will have the opportunity to greet our guests later on in the day, alright?"
"Yes, your Highness," replied Ami and Makoto.
"Good. You girls sleep early. We have an eventful day ahead of us. Goodnight."
"Goodnight," chorused the five young ladies. The girls separated and went to their respective rooms and prepared for bed. Serenity slept like a baby and dreamt wonderful dreams.
Her Senshi hardly got a wink of sleep the whole night.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
How was that? The next chapter will go back into the past.
Review!!