Disclaimer: I don't own Sailor Moon. It's as simple as that.
Notes: I'm in a ridiculously happy mood! I was reading one of LoveeDucky's fics, and I saw that she gave a plug for *this* story. I was floored! You all should read her stories: _Triangle: The Sweet, Untold Story_ and _Nasal Spray_. They're must reads for Rei/Jadeite fans.
And Thanks to the readers!
Forgotten and hyperasschic13 -- You're such beautiful people! My thanks to you for putting me on your favorite authors list!
Isis Aurora Tomoe -- I saw my fic on your favorite stories list! Haha, that's so cool!!
Two great people have suggested changes in my use of vocab, so I've made it my business to edit each strange "Jupitarian" reference to "Jovian". (Joanna suggested "Jovial", but I think K. Wyse was right in saying that was probably a typo. I, a very inexperienced writer, am learning new things everyday.Thanks to both Joanna and K. Wyse!)
' 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 10: Buying Time at Any Cost
**Present time**
"In light of recent events, it is imperative to revise and negotiate the trade agreements that have been active for the past decade. You are a man who is sincerely concerned about the well-being of your people, so it is natural that you should wish to broaden their economy and increase the gross national product as well as establish secure partnerships with neighboring civilizations, who are more than eager to cooperate with your administration. In agreeing to sign this bill proposed by Her Royal Highness of the Silver Millennium, your citizens will benefit by the augmentation of their economic privileges and additional protection and support of reliable allies. The only thing that will come out of this accord can only help, never hinder, and the assemblies of the sixth satellite in sector D-57 Blah blah blah...."
If anyone had mastered the art of becoming deaf to these long debates while appearing to be listening attentively, it was Princess Makoto. She watched Ami's lips move and saw her friend make hand gestures to help get her point across to the stiff ambassadors. She saw the faces of the stuffy congressmen wrinkle in contemplation and the ambidextrous secretaries scribble shorthand in their notebooks with expensive quill pens.
'It's like watching an incredibly boring silent movie.'
Despite her serious lack of interest in the matter at hand, she admired Ami's fluid expression of thought and the subtle approach she used in convincing the representatives to succumb to the bidding of the Queen. The eloquence of her (Ami's) words, her skillful manipulation of her influence, and her confident movements around the room almost made Makoto proud to be a part of the distinguished council. Almost.
Too soon for her liking, Princess Makoto was going to inherit the throne of Jupiter, the largest planet of the solar system as well as the most populous. When candidates for the Silver Millennium's senate campaigned, Jupiter was the main target, for its overwhelming population provided the most electoral votes. Also, Jupiter had the strongest economy of any planet in the galaxy because it was the designated center for trade, manufacturing, and buying. On the sixteen moons that orbited around the global giant, Jupiter's military force was stationed and ready for battle. While the Martians had the best offensive army, the Jovians were unparalleled in defense. The ruler of Jupiter possessed an awesome amount of money, authority, and power that no megalomaniac could even begin to imagine.
Makoto wanted nothing to do with it.
Although she vowed to serve her loyal subjects to the fullest, the wealth and power wasn't as appealing to her as she thought it should be. Shame was not an issue with her when she would envy every middle class woman that walked past her. She wanted their simple, comfortable lives. She wanted a small, isolated country house with a pretty flower garden and a white picket fence rather than that mountain of a palace in which she'd still get lost. She wanted to be a good housewife--she never understood the use of maids and servants. It was her dream to be the owner of a quaint flower shop and bakery in the middle of the city where children could buy her specialty goodies and men could buy their sweethearts flowers. Men...Makoto hated the snobby suitors who pompously demanded for her hand in holy matrimony. If she ever married, she hoped it was to an honest, kind, and caring commoner who loved her for her golden heart, not her golden palace.
'But all the good men in the universe are either already married, gay, or dead,' she thought bitterly.
Makoto knew exactly what was happening at the meeting table; it must have been the millionth time she had to attend this type of function. She knew exactly what her brilliant navy-haired friend was going to say. She knew the objections that the ambassadors were going to use, for they were disappointingly predictable, and she and Ami knew how to answer them. Ami was the one who engaged in the battle of words, but when words failed dear Ami, which was never, Makoto's sheer dominating, domineering presence and overwhelming silent power was the final factor in their destined victory. The delegates in the room did not dare to antagonize the princess of Jupiter. They feared the power she would inherit. Yet they feared *her* even more. Even before she stepped into the conference office, she knew that she and Ami would effortlessly sweep the gathering and accomplish precisely what Queen Serenity sent them to do.
If she already knew everything, then why did she need to waste her attention? 'Where's the logic in that?'
The lowest point of the ordeal was when she realized that watching the hands of the clock move proved to be more exciting.
Tick-tock, tick-tock...move faster, you damn clock! I want out, and I want out now! her inner voice howled.
During her speech, Ami darted her all-knowing eyes sharply toward her friend, and Makoto smiled back sheepishly. 'Oops. Ami-chan heard that. Better be more careful about our mental link so I don't distract her.'
As much as it pained her, Makoto straightened her spine in her seat and reattached her ears to her cataleptic head. She internally jumped for joy as she realized that Ami had reached the concluding statement of her speech. Again, Ami looked sharply at poor, tortured Makoto.
'Damn it! I did it again!'
Ami tried not to roll her eyes at her distraught friend. She also tried not to laugh. It was common knowledge that Makoto hated the rigid, professional atmosphere of the meeting room and that she would rather eat her own tongue than sit through a day of debating and speeches.
Ami, on the other hand, felt most at home when she was speaking in front of all her political peers. Politics and persuasion was her domain, and anyone who entered the meeting room was now on her turf and had to abide by her rules. Ami was blessed with a finely honed brain, a strong heart, and a gifted tongue. Technical terms, statistics, and facts poured smoothly from her mouth in a single, unshaken breath, leaving only her audience breathless.
The pressure of standing up to the dour, forbidding faces in the impatient audience would have crushed a weaker soul, but Ami faced them fearlessly. Two years ago, the first time she spoke alone in front of so many distinguished politicians, everyone expected her to shift her feet uncomfortably, forget her speech, and run away in ignominious tears. But she surprised them and herself by displaying courage and a natural talent for oration. From then on, her doubtful critics pursed their lips tightly and found more feeble prey to harass.
She did not need to use the microphone in front of her to reach the ears of the delegates on the far side of the massive room. She trained herself to project her voice clearly, and the effect only added a foot to her stately stature and a brighter light in her keen eyes. The conference was her stage, and she was the ringmaster.
It did not bother Ami that people saw her as only a walking, talking brain. In fact, she interpreted it as a compliment. Deep down, Ami was shy and sensitive, and she feared those little-known characteristics would spell her demise in the dog-eat-dog world of politics. As a result, she hid her thoughts behind cold, calculating eyes and concealed her emotions with a facial mask of ice. People have compared her to the emotionless classic marble statues of Greece; she smiled her customary small, polite smile and stood with utter grace and discipline, but one would feel that she looked right through him instead of at him. Others, less tactful in their words, called her the Ice Princess.
'That's not too bad,' she reasoned. 'After all, my main elemental power is water and ice. It's only logical that I am called the Ice Princess.' The girl was too practical to take anything personally.
Soon, the meeting was over, and of course, it ended in favor of the Queen. As soon as Makoto and Ami stepped out of the conference room, seemingly jumping out of nowhere, Minako linked their arms with hers and dragged them down the hall in a frenzied sprint. Ami dropped the file of important contracts during the excitement, which almost landed into one of the palace's built in fish ponds.
"Mina-chan, what is the meaning--"
"No time to explain," Minako said breezily. The girl had not even spared a second to pay proper respects to the exiting delegates and further shocked them by bending over in her short pleated sailor skirt to pick up the fallen documents. The older delegates looked away quickly, but the few younger ones were easily distracted by the unintentional peep show and became much redder in their cheeks. One could not expect anything less from Princess Venus.
Before long, the three girls were in the Throne Room.
"Why have you brought us here?" asked Ami. "You know that after meetings and negotiations, the hosting planet or moon is supposed to have tea with the representatives. You didn't even give me a chance to apologize for leaving so suddenly!"
Minako was sweating and red-faced. After such a marathon, she needed time to catch her breath. "Sorry I had to rush you guys here without telling you anything, but the Queen asked me to fetch you two here as quickly as possible. That's all she told me. I have no idea why she wants to talk with us. And don't worry about the tea thing. Before running like mad to you guys, the Queen told me to find Luna and Artemis so they could take over the hosting responsibilities."
"Wait a minute," said Makoto. "It's five minutes past three already. Aren't you supposed to be greeting our guests from...Earth...right now?"
"That's the weird part. Queen Serenity, Rei-chan, Usa-chan and I were waiting at the portal just ten minutes ago. But then a few minutes before three, a messenger brings an envelope to the queen, and she reads over it quickly before ordering me to get you two."
"Where's Rei-chan and Usa-chan?"
"They'll be coming with the Queen any second now."
Soon, the Queen entered the Throne Room with Rei and Serenity following close. Princess Serenity looked worried and anxious as she twisted her handkerchief until the fibers almost ripped. Rei looked slightly amused.
"Alright, girls," began the Queen. "It seems that there is a problem in transportation for our guests." That explained Serenity's concern and Rei's amusement. "They discovered that someone has cast a disarming charm upon the portal in the Terran temple, and it will take some time before they find a suitable counter spell. So that means we cannot send someone to assist them through the portal either. The only other way is by spacecraft, but the journey would take four hours, and by that time, they will have already solved their problem. I am afraid you girls will have to wait even longer before you are reunited with your old friends. You've had patience over eight years, so another hour shouldn't hurt."
I don't mind if I never see them again this lifetime Makoto stated in all honesty. Her fellow Senshi bowed their heads in agreement. The later, the better.
"At least now you can all be there to greet them when they come," she smiled.
She had to kill their momentary joy, didn't she?
A thought suddenly occurred to her. "Ami?"
"Yes, your Highness."
"Although the portal does not work, we can still send things through the material transporter. Do you mind going to the library and finding a book of reverse spells to send to our friends on Earth? I'm sure they will appreciate our assistance, and it'll make this go much, much faster."
"I do not mind at all, your Highness. Is that all?"
"Yes, dear." The Queen thanked Ami as the latter curtseyed and headed toward the Lunarian Library. "Makoto? Queen Gwendolyn loved the pastries you made for her last time. It would be wonderful if you could whip up another batch, warm and fresh for her arrival. Tea time will have passed, but she is a woman who eats by convenience instead of the clock." She smiled at the thought.
"Of course, your Highness. I'm always happy in the kitchen."
Then, only Rei, Minako, Serenity and her mother were left in the spacious room. Queen Serenity turned to the remaining girls. "Well, you girls are free for a little while. I will be in my room awaiting Queen Gwendolyn's green signal. You girls can assist Luna and Artemis at the formal tea if you want."
"I don't want to Mama, but I surely can," said Serenity jokingly. Focusing her attention on small talk with the visiting representatives and numbing her mind with boredom could take her mind off of her anxiety.
Rei and Minako also tried to distract themselves from their stress. They failed miserably.
"Which one of you bloody punks messed with the teleport?!" demanded Endymion. He was wildly brandishing his sword under the noses of his Shittenou with blood in his eyes and steam bursting from every orifice in his body.
The four men were not intimidated by his ferocious threats. The two blonde ones had the gall to smirk and give Endymion a look that told him that they found the situation quite entertaining. Kunzite and Nephrite just stood still and stared blankly at their raging friend. Much to Endymion's chagrin, his four companions did not cower before his violent fury. Reason one: they could gang up and kick Endymion's ass before the high prince realized his ass was being kicked. Reason two: the Shittenou were too valuable as soldiers and world leaders to kill. Reason three: it was illegal to kill someone, and Endymion, being the crown prince, had to set an example for his subjects.
So Endymion stood in front of them, waving a sword in their faces like a hypoglycemic child, stomping his feet and jumping like a tribal savage, and pacing the room like a constipated bull. And his physical tantrums and heated, albeit idle, threats got him nowhere.
"It's not polite to point fingers without evidence," tsked Zoisite. "Whatever happened to 'innocent before proven guilty'?"
"Considering you four, or at least you and Jadeite, I can automatically conclude that you are the guilty party. Who else would want to delay our trip to the Moon but you bunch of craven retards?"
"Retards? The politically correct term is 'mentally challenged people'," corrected Jadeite unnecessarily. "Or 'Endy's dysfunctional cousins'."
"Damn it all to hell, stop changing the subject!" Endymion roared.
"My, my, how 'bout that change in weather?" Nephrite felt obliged to further try Endymion's patience.
"Strange, isn't it?" commented Kunzite. "First, there's nothing but sun, not a cloud in the sky, and now there's thunderstorms and--"
"Oh God, not you too, Kunzite..."
"Did you see that game of cricket in Lincolnshire last Thursday? Absolutely smashing, that."
"I did, actually. Never thought Johnson was pro at the game. I thought he was only interested in polo."
Endymion threw down his blade in racking frustration. There was no way he would get them to confess, let alone answer his interrogations, short of torture. 'Too bad that was outlawed six generations ago.' Knowing that his efforts were futile, he eloquently threw his hands up in the air before smacking his forehead and storming out of the room.
Jadeite turned to look at the closed door. "So, do you think he suspects that we did it?"
"Gee, what gave you that idea?" said Zoisite dryly.
"I don't know. Maybe it was the direct accusation that gave him away," offered Nephrite, equally sarcastic.
"Bravo, Kunzite! Quite a performance you put up in front of Endy. In fact, I couldn't have done it better m'self." Zoisite took full advantage of rubbing it in Kunzite's face. It had taken some persuasion to get Kunzite's permission to sabotage the royal teleport. If the man ever slit his wrist, he would bleed duty by the gallon. However, even the all- mighty leader did not relish in going back to the Moon after eight serene years. He saw the need to intervene for the safety of his friends. He was also inclined to maintain his sanity, and he remembered that his "vacation" on the Moon all those years ago had nearly been his psychological undoing. Adolescence is such an impressionable age, too. "Welcome to the dark side! Muahahaha!"
"Oh, do shove it, Zoi. I don't lie to him on a regular basis like you guys do, but you can't blame me for wanting to buy more time. Hell, none of you guys want to leave our wonderful Earth for that cauldron of ungodliness."
"True, true."
"So how long will the disabling spell last?"
"It's supposed to last for ten hours, but the royals will find a counter spell soon. I think we'll be spared another three hours."
"Are you guys scared?"
Prolonged silence.
Nervous laughter.
"Ha! Whose scared of a gang of little girls?"
"Don't forget, they're not little anymore."
"Hmm, sounds like Kunz is the wimp."
"Nonsense. I'm just pointing out the obvious."
What was obvious was the feeling of dread hanging heavy in the room.
She had a choice, and it was her choice alone. She could throw the book into the fireplace without anyone knowing better, or she could do what the Queen had asked and forward the book of counter spells.
Ami rarely found herself in a position where she was actually contemplating doing the immoral and dishonest thing. The selfish thing. The good thing, in her opinion. Did she want the Earth kings to come as soon as possible? Absolutely not. Yet she could not bring herself to disobey her benevolent queen. And she hated destroying perfectly conditioned books.
The thought of throwing the book into the flames triggered unhappy memories. 'My priceless family heirloom, burned to worthless ashes in this same fireplace of the same library. Burned by that Terran bastard.' Ami abhorred using vulgar language in her descriptions, but she couldn't find any decent words to describe Zoisite Aufait, the pompous boy who had destroyed her family's historic book without a qualm.
She scolded herself in disgust. She would not let his memory bother her, and she vowed not to lose her calm composure when she faced him again. As humble as Ami was, she refused to admit that he could unnerve her and match her iron reason, or worse, downright outwit her. Pride is a very formidable thing, and Ami was already a formidable person.
A small part of her wanted to meet the prince again. "No," she corrected herself. "He's a king now." The promise of an intellectual challenge was...stimulating.
Her loyalty and scruples prodded her out of the Lunarian Library and into the delivery exchange room. Gingerly, she placed the book onto the protruding tray of a steel rectangular prism. With a press of a red button on the top, the tray fully retracted so that the machine looked like a smooth metal block. Ami punched in a ten-digit code (she knew every mechanical and technical code in the palace by heart) into the number pad on one of the sides and pressed the green "send" button. It was finally done. The book was sent to help the Terrans break the enchantment on their portal so they would no longer be delayed in arriving at its Lunarian counterpart. Ami knew that she chose what was moral and right. She also knew she would regret it.
Endymion walked jauntily back into his generals' quarters.
"Seems like you've gotten over your dramatically feminine mood swing," observed Zoisite.
"Well, it seems like we're gonna be close to being on schedule. We were just sent a very helpful book of reverse spells from our dear friends on the Moon, so I'll be seeing my precious friend Serenity sooner than soon!"
"How soon?" The Shittenou didn't want to hear his answer.
"Ten minutes!" he exclaimed gleefully.
"Bloody hell."
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I'm so very sorry for the delay, and I know this is a short chapter. Holiday shopping is a very time consuming thing...A damn pain in the ass, if you ask me...but just setting up this chapter took me forever. That's what happens when you come up with too many ideas at once. My head hurts...
HAPPY HOLIDAYS!
Notes: I'm in a ridiculously happy mood! I was reading one of LoveeDucky's fics, and I saw that she gave a plug for *this* story. I was floored! You all should read her stories: _Triangle: The Sweet, Untold Story_ and _Nasal Spray_. They're must reads for Rei/Jadeite fans.
And Thanks to the readers!
Forgotten and hyperasschic13 -- You're such beautiful people! My thanks to you for putting me on your favorite authors list!
Isis Aurora Tomoe -- I saw my fic on your favorite stories list! Haha, that's so cool!!
Two great people have suggested changes in my use of vocab, so I've made it my business to edit each strange "Jupitarian" reference to "Jovian". (Joanna suggested "Jovial", but I think K. Wyse was right in saying that was probably a typo. I, a very inexperienced writer, am learning new things everyday.Thanks to both Joanna and K. Wyse!)
' 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 10: Buying Time at Any Cost
**Present time**
"In light of recent events, it is imperative to revise and negotiate the trade agreements that have been active for the past decade. You are a man who is sincerely concerned about the well-being of your people, so it is natural that you should wish to broaden their economy and increase the gross national product as well as establish secure partnerships with neighboring civilizations, who are more than eager to cooperate with your administration. In agreeing to sign this bill proposed by Her Royal Highness of the Silver Millennium, your citizens will benefit by the augmentation of their economic privileges and additional protection and support of reliable allies. The only thing that will come out of this accord can only help, never hinder, and the assemblies of the sixth satellite in sector D-57 Blah blah blah...."
If anyone had mastered the art of becoming deaf to these long debates while appearing to be listening attentively, it was Princess Makoto. She watched Ami's lips move and saw her friend make hand gestures to help get her point across to the stiff ambassadors. She saw the faces of the stuffy congressmen wrinkle in contemplation and the ambidextrous secretaries scribble shorthand in their notebooks with expensive quill pens.
'It's like watching an incredibly boring silent movie.'
Despite her serious lack of interest in the matter at hand, she admired Ami's fluid expression of thought and the subtle approach she used in convincing the representatives to succumb to the bidding of the Queen. The eloquence of her (Ami's) words, her skillful manipulation of her influence, and her confident movements around the room almost made Makoto proud to be a part of the distinguished council. Almost.
Too soon for her liking, Princess Makoto was going to inherit the throne of Jupiter, the largest planet of the solar system as well as the most populous. When candidates for the Silver Millennium's senate campaigned, Jupiter was the main target, for its overwhelming population provided the most electoral votes. Also, Jupiter had the strongest economy of any planet in the galaxy because it was the designated center for trade, manufacturing, and buying. On the sixteen moons that orbited around the global giant, Jupiter's military force was stationed and ready for battle. While the Martians had the best offensive army, the Jovians were unparalleled in defense. The ruler of Jupiter possessed an awesome amount of money, authority, and power that no megalomaniac could even begin to imagine.
Makoto wanted nothing to do with it.
Although she vowed to serve her loyal subjects to the fullest, the wealth and power wasn't as appealing to her as she thought it should be. Shame was not an issue with her when she would envy every middle class woman that walked past her. She wanted their simple, comfortable lives. She wanted a small, isolated country house with a pretty flower garden and a white picket fence rather than that mountain of a palace in which she'd still get lost. She wanted to be a good housewife--she never understood the use of maids and servants. It was her dream to be the owner of a quaint flower shop and bakery in the middle of the city where children could buy her specialty goodies and men could buy their sweethearts flowers. Men...Makoto hated the snobby suitors who pompously demanded for her hand in holy matrimony. If she ever married, she hoped it was to an honest, kind, and caring commoner who loved her for her golden heart, not her golden palace.
'But all the good men in the universe are either already married, gay, or dead,' she thought bitterly.
Makoto knew exactly what was happening at the meeting table; it must have been the millionth time she had to attend this type of function. She knew exactly what her brilliant navy-haired friend was going to say. She knew the objections that the ambassadors were going to use, for they were disappointingly predictable, and she and Ami knew how to answer them. Ami was the one who engaged in the battle of words, but when words failed dear Ami, which was never, Makoto's sheer dominating, domineering presence and overwhelming silent power was the final factor in their destined victory. The delegates in the room did not dare to antagonize the princess of Jupiter. They feared the power she would inherit. Yet they feared *her* even more. Even before she stepped into the conference office, she knew that she and Ami would effortlessly sweep the gathering and accomplish precisely what Queen Serenity sent them to do.
If she already knew everything, then why did she need to waste her attention? 'Where's the logic in that?'
The lowest point of the ordeal was when she realized that watching the hands of the clock move proved to be more exciting.
Tick-tock, tick-tock...move faster, you damn clock! I want out, and I want out now! her inner voice howled.
During her speech, Ami darted her all-knowing eyes sharply toward her friend, and Makoto smiled back sheepishly. 'Oops. Ami-chan heard that. Better be more careful about our mental link so I don't distract her.'
As much as it pained her, Makoto straightened her spine in her seat and reattached her ears to her cataleptic head. She internally jumped for joy as she realized that Ami had reached the concluding statement of her speech. Again, Ami looked sharply at poor, tortured Makoto.
'Damn it! I did it again!'
Ami tried not to roll her eyes at her distraught friend. She also tried not to laugh. It was common knowledge that Makoto hated the rigid, professional atmosphere of the meeting room and that she would rather eat her own tongue than sit through a day of debating and speeches.
Ami, on the other hand, felt most at home when she was speaking in front of all her political peers. Politics and persuasion was her domain, and anyone who entered the meeting room was now on her turf and had to abide by her rules. Ami was blessed with a finely honed brain, a strong heart, and a gifted tongue. Technical terms, statistics, and facts poured smoothly from her mouth in a single, unshaken breath, leaving only her audience breathless.
The pressure of standing up to the dour, forbidding faces in the impatient audience would have crushed a weaker soul, but Ami faced them fearlessly. Two years ago, the first time she spoke alone in front of so many distinguished politicians, everyone expected her to shift her feet uncomfortably, forget her speech, and run away in ignominious tears. But she surprised them and herself by displaying courage and a natural talent for oration. From then on, her doubtful critics pursed their lips tightly and found more feeble prey to harass.
She did not need to use the microphone in front of her to reach the ears of the delegates on the far side of the massive room. She trained herself to project her voice clearly, and the effect only added a foot to her stately stature and a brighter light in her keen eyes. The conference was her stage, and she was the ringmaster.
It did not bother Ami that people saw her as only a walking, talking brain. In fact, she interpreted it as a compliment. Deep down, Ami was shy and sensitive, and she feared those little-known characteristics would spell her demise in the dog-eat-dog world of politics. As a result, she hid her thoughts behind cold, calculating eyes and concealed her emotions with a facial mask of ice. People have compared her to the emotionless classic marble statues of Greece; she smiled her customary small, polite smile and stood with utter grace and discipline, but one would feel that she looked right through him instead of at him. Others, less tactful in their words, called her the Ice Princess.
'That's not too bad,' she reasoned. 'After all, my main elemental power is water and ice. It's only logical that I am called the Ice Princess.' The girl was too practical to take anything personally.
Soon, the meeting was over, and of course, it ended in favor of the Queen. As soon as Makoto and Ami stepped out of the conference room, seemingly jumping out of nowhere, Minako linked their arms with hers and dragged them down the hall in a frenzied sprint. Ami dropped the file of important contracts during the excitement, which almost landed into one of the palace's built in fish ponds.
"Mina-chan, what is the meaning--"
"No time to explain," Minako said breezily. The girl had not even spared a second to pay proper respects to the exiting delegates and further shocked them by bending over in her short pleated sailor skirt to pick up the fallen documents. The older delegates looked away quickly, but the few younger ones were easily distracted by the unintentional peep show and became much redder in their cheeks. One could not expect anything less from Princess Venus.
Before long, the three girls were in the Throne Room.
"Why have you brought us here?" asked Ami. "You know that after meetings and negotiations, the hosting planet or moon is supposed to have tea with the representatives. You didn't even give me a chance to apologize for leaving so suddenly!"
Minako was sweating and red-faced. After such a marathon, she needed time to catch her breath. "Sorry I had to rush you guys here without telling you anything, but the Queen asked me to fetch you two here as quickly as possible. That's all she told me. I have no idea why she wants to talk with us. And don't worry about the tea thing. Before running like mad to you guys, the Queen told me to find Luna and Artemis so they could take over the hosting responsibilities."
"Wait a minute," said Makoto. "It's five minutes past three already. Aren't you supposed to be greeting our guests from...Earth...right now?"
"That's the weird part. Queen Serenity, Rei-chan, Usa-chan and I were waiting at the portal just ten minutes ago. But then a few minutes before three, a messenger brings an envelope to the queen, and she reads over it quickly before ordering me to get you two."
"Where's Rei-chan and Usa-chan?"
"They'll be coming with the Queen any second now."
Soon, the Queen entered the Throne Room with Rei and Serenity following close. Princess Serenity looked worried and anxious as she twisted her handkerchief until the fibers almost ripped. Rei looked slightly amused.
"Alright, girls," began the Queen. "It seems that there is a problem in transportation for our guests." That explained Serenity's concern and Rei's amusement. "They discovered that someone has cast a disarming charm upon the portal in the Terran temple, and it will take some time before they find a suitable counter spell. So that means we cannot send someone to assist them through the portal either. The only other way is by spacecraft, but the journey would take four hours, and by that time, they will have already solved their problem. I am afraid you girls will have to wait even longer before you are reunited with your old friends. You've had patience over eight years, so another hour shouldn't hurt."
I don't mind if I never see them again this lifetime Makoto stated in all honesty. Her fellow Senshi bowed their heads in agreement. The later, the better.
"At least now you can all be there to greet them when they come," she smiled.
She had to kill their momentary joy, didn't she?
A thought suddenly occurred to her. "Ami?"
"Yes, your Highness."
"Although the portal does not work, we can still send things through the material transporter. Do you mind going to the library and finding a book of reverse spells to send to our friends on Earth? I'm sure they will appreciate our assistance, and it'll make this go much, much faster."
"I do not mind at all, your Highness. Is that all?"
"Yes, dear." The Queen thanked Ami as the latter curtseyed and headed toward the Lunarian Library. "Makoto? Queen Gwendolyn loved the pastries you made for her last time. It would be wonderful if you could whip up another batch, warm and fresh for her arrival. Tea time will have passed, but she is a woman who eats by convenience instead of the clock." She smiled at the thought.
"Of course, your Highness. I'm always happy in the kitchen."
Then, only Rei, Minako, Serenity and her mother were left in the spacious room. Queen Serenity turned to the remaining girls. "Well, you girls are free for a little while. I will be in my room awaiting Queen Gwendolyn's green signal. You girls can assist Luna and Artemis at the formal tea if you want."
"I don't want to Mama, but I surely can," said Serenity jokingly. Focusing her attention on small talk with the visiting representatives and numbing her mind with boredom could take her mind off of her anxiety.
Rei and Minako also tried to distract themselves from their stress. They failed miserably.
"Which one of you bloody punks messed with the teleport?!" demanded Endymion. He was wildly brandishing his sword under the noses of his Shittenou with blood in his eyes and steam bursting from every orifice in his body.
The four men were not intimidated by his ferocious threats. The two blonde ones had the gall to smirk and give Endymion a look that told him that they found the situation quite entertaining. Kunzite and Nephrite just stood still and stared blankly at their raging friend. Much to Endymion's chagrin, his four companions did not cower before his violent fury. Reason one: they could gang up and kick Endymion's ass before the high prince realized his ass was being kicked. Reason two: the Shittenou were too valuable as soldiers and world leaders to kill. Reason three: it was illegal to kill someone, and Endymion, being the crown prince, had to set an example for his subjects.
So Endymion stood in front of them, waving a sword in their faces like a hypoglycemic child, stomping his feet and jumping like a tribal savage, and pacing the room like a constipated bull. And his physical tantrums and heated, albeit idle, threats got him nowhere.
"It's not polite to point fingers without evidence," tsked Zoisite. "Whatever happened to 'innocent before proven guilty'?"
"Considering you four, or at least you and Jadeite, I can automatically conclude that you are the guilty party. Who else would want to delay our trip to the Moon but you bunch of craven retards?"
"Retards? The politically correct term is 'mentally challenged people'," corrected Jadeite unnecessarily. "Or 'Endy's dysfunctional cousins'."
"Damn it all to hell, stop changing the subject!" Endymion roared.
"My, my, how 'bout that change in weather?" Nephrite felt obliged to further try Endymion's patience.
"Strange, isn't it?" commented Kunzite. "First, there's nothing but sun, not a cloud in the sky, and now there's thunderstorms and--"
"Oh God, not you too, Kunzite..."
"Did you see that game of cricket in Lincolnshire last Thursday? Absolutely smashing, that."
"I did, actually. Never thought Johnson was pro at the game. I thought he was only interested in polo."
Endymion threw down his blade in racking frustration. There was no way he would get them to confess, let alone answer his interrogations, short of torture. 'Too bad that was outlawed six generations ago.' Knowing that his efforts were futile, he eloquently threw his hands up in the air before smacking his forehead and storming out of the room.
Jadeite turned to look at the closed door. "So, do you think he suspects that we did it?"
"Gee, what gave you that idea?" said Zoisite dryly.
"I don't know. Maybe it was the direct accusation that gave him away," offered Nephrite, equally sarcastic.
"Bravo, Kunzite! Quite a performance you put up in front of Endy. In fact, I couldn't have done it better m'self." Zoisite took full advantage of rubbing it in Kunzite's face. It had taken some persuasion to get Kunzite's permission to sabotage the royal teleport. If the man ever slit his wrist, he would bleed duty by the gallon. However, even the all- mighty leader did not relish in going back to the Moon after eight serene years. He saw the need to intervene for the safety of his friends. He was also inclined to maintain his sanity, and he remembered that his "vacation" on the Moon all those years ago had nearly been his psychological undoing. Adolescence is such an impressionable age, too. "Welcome to the dark side! Muahahaha!"
"Oh, do shove it, Zoi. I don't lie to him on a regular basis like you guys do, but you can't blame me for wanting to buy more time. Hell, none of you guys want to leave our wonderful Earth for that cauldron of ungodliness."
"True, true."
"So how long will the disabling spell last?"
"It's supposed to last for ten hours, but the royals will find a counter spell soon. I think we'll be spared another three hours."
"Are you guys scared?"
Prolonged silence.
Nervous laughter.
"Ha! Whose scared of a gang of little girls?"
"Don't forget, they're not little anymore."
"Hmm, sounds like Kunz is the wimp."
"Nonsense. I'm just pointing out the obvious."
What was obvious was the feeling of dread hanging heavy in the room.
She had a choice, and it was her choice alone. She could throw the book into the fireplace without anyone knowing better, or she could do what the Queen had asked and forward the book of counter spells.
Ami rarely found herself in a position where she was actually contemplating doing the immoral and dishonest thing. The selfish thing. The good thing, in her opinion. Did she want the Earth kings to come as soon as possible? Absolutely not. Yet she could not bring herself to disobey her benevolent queen. And she hated destroying perfectly conditioned books.
The thought of throwing the book into the flames triggered unhappy memories. 'My priceless family heirloom, burned to worthless ashes in this same fireplace of the same library. Burned by that Terran bastard.' Ami abhorred using vulgar language in her descriptions, but she couldn't find any decent words to describe Zoisite Aufait, the pompous boy who had destroyed her family's historic book without a qualm.
She scolded herself in disgust. She would not let his memory bother her, and she vowed not to lose her calm composure when she faced him again. As humble as Ami was, she refused to admit that he could unnerve her and match her iron reason, or worse, downright outwit her. Pride is a very formidable thing, and Ami was already a formidable person.
A small part of her wanted to meet the prince again. "No," she corrected herself. "He's a king now." The promise of an intellectual challenge was...stimulating.
Her loyalty and scruples prodded her out of the Lunarian Library and into the delivery exchange room. Gingerly, she placed the book onto the protruding tray of a steel rectangular prism. With a press of a red button on the top, the tray fully retracted so that the machine looked like a smooth metal block. Ami punched in a ten-digit code (she knew every mechanical and technical code in the palace by heart) into the number pad on one of the sides and pressed the green "send" button. It was finally done. The book was sent to help the Terrans break the enchantment on their portal so they would no longer be delayed in arriving at its Lunarian counterpart. Ami knew that she chose what was moral and right. She also knew she would regret it.
Endymion walked jauntily back into his generals' quarters.
"Seems like you've gotten over your dramatically feminine mood swing," observed Zoisite.
"Well, it seems like we're gonna be close to being on schedule. We were just sent a very helpful book of reverse spells from our dear friends on the Moon, so I'll be seeing my precious friend Serenity sooner than soon!"
"How soon?" The Shittenou didn't want to hear his answer.
"Ten minutes!" he exclaimed gleefully.
"Bloody hell."
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
I'm so very sorry for the delay, and I know this is a short chapter. Holiday shopping is a very time consuming thing...A damn pain in the ass, if you ask me...but just setting up this chapter took me forever. That's what happens when you come up with too many ideas at once. My head hurts...
HAPPY HOLIDAYS!