Pandora's Senshi
A Sailor Moon Spin-off Fanfiction
By mew-tsubaki
Note: Ha-HA! This time, I have copyright power over these characters because their MY OWN! (Woo-hoo!) Anyway, I want to give some credit to Naoko Takeuchi-sensei, though, because I used the original names she had planned for the Sailor Moon characters (Sorano Hikaru, Yoruno Miyabi, Chino Mamoru, and Artemis; only Amano is hers- I came up with Kako), and the original scouts (Moon through Saturn) are hers. By the way, I know that the senshi names (Phlegethon, Cocytus, Styx, Acheron, and Lethe) come from rivers in Hades (I read it somewhere) and have nothing to do with Pandora's Box, but read on to discover what they're really about. - Don't forget: READ, REVIEW, AND ENJOY!! P.S.- the Artemis in this fanfic isn't the same as the cat-turned-human Artemis from the original series. She's someone completely different. Also, the other senshi will not be making anymore appearances. It's original from here on out.
Chapter Eight: Hiruno Harume
"So you're telling me that you go around fighting crime in a miniskirt?"
Miyabi feigned a smile. "Heh…yes. But, the thing is, there are three other girls with the same job as me. Well, four now." Miyabi scritched her cheek with her index finger. "I'm actually waiting to tell the girls the history behind it tomorrow…" She felt a warm hand on her shoulder. "Harume…?"
He smiled tenderly at her. "Then I'll be there to here it tomorrow, too. You're not going to be doing anything dangerous without me in the know." He slipped his hand off her shoulder and drank his hot chocolate.
The dark-haired girl smiled to herself as she watched his eyelids close. His eyelashes are so long…
"You're staring at me… So, you still have what I came for, right?" Harume gazed into her eyes. "I've never forgotten about you, not for one second, Miyabi."
Miyabi blushed. "I-I-" She melted under his look. Of course I have what he came back for, she thought. I don't think I could have loved anyone else… "I know," she said quietly, a smile on her face. "I haven't forgotten about you, either."
Pain hit Harume. "They still don't treat you right, do they?" he asked. He pointed to her neck, which she hastily covered up. "You've got to stop protecting them, Miyabi. They have no right to vent their troubles on you."
"But they're my family!" Little droplets escaped her eyes, catching several customers' attention. She quickly dried her eyes. "I'm sorry," she apologized, "but I'm sure they don't mean it."
Harume glared at her. "Don't forget that they were my family for a few years, too, Miyabi. I know them for who they really are. This has been going on for years, and I'm not there to protect you anymore. If you don't do something, I will." Both were silent for a moment, one tense and the other fuming.
"I know, it's just…" She sighed heavily.
He smiled at her again, but more softly this time. "I'm sorry. I'm not here to pressure you or add to your troubles, I'm here to help you along." Harume glanced at his watch. "I have to get home now, otherwise Mom will start freaking out again. She's been like that ever since we found each other. Dad keeps telling her to get over it, though." The blonde gathered his things and stepped out of the booth. "I'll, uh, see you…soon." When Miyabi gave him a puzzled look, all he did was give her a quick peck on her cheek, and then he was gone.
Huh… Miyabi watched his figure disappeared into the coldness of the snowfall outside. I'm glad he's back. She sipped her chamomile tea until it was gone, paid the waitress, and left to a dreaded place worse than hell: her house.
"Well, I think I'm ready for this now," Mamoru affirmed loudly.
Takeyuki sighed. "You're kidding, right? We've been living together for almost two whole months now and now you're going to tell them that?" He slipped his arms around Mamoru's slim waist and sighed again, resting his chin on the top of her head. "I'll be at the bookstore. Call me if you need me all right?"
"Of course." Mamoru and Takeyuki shared in a brief kiss and then he left. Sometimes, it feels like we're playing house…, she thought. The doorbell rang and she rushed to let Kako and Hikaru in. "Hey, guys. Is Miyabi coming separately?"
Hikaru had a big grin painted on her face as Kako followed behind, red-faced and glaring at her. "Miyabi isn't one to pay attention to right this second. Kako is, though. Go on. Why don't you tell Mamoru what I saw you doing?"
Kako turned an even deeper shade of red. "Look you little-!" Hikaru shoved her hand in Kako's face to shut her up.
"She was sucking face with my brother on the couch when I got home!!" Hikaru spilled. "They pulled away fast enough to get whiplash when I made myself present. It was hilarious!!" Even at this point, Hikaru still couldn't control her laughter, and she burst out laughing.
Mamoru smiled at Kako. "Aw, you like him! That's so cute! I'm glad you have a boyfriend, Kako-chan." Just then, some odd dialogue was going on outside of the apartment door.
"Come on, just one kiss. Then I'll be able to stay awake during this little meeting of yours," the male voice said.
The other voice was obviously Miyabi's. "N-no! I'm here strictly on business. If you wanted to tag along, then you shouldn't have overslept and then run to my house in hopes of catching up with me, you idiot! Hey!! Watch your hands!!"
"But if I don't get a kiss, your big brother won't feel like protecting you," the male whined.
"Quit it!!!"
Mamoru finally opened the door. "Glad to see you could join us, Miyabi." She looked at the guy who had his arms wrapped around Miyabi's waist. "Miyabi's…brother, was it?"
Miyabi crimsoned. "No, no! It's only a joke! I swear he didn't mean it!"
"Well, technically, it was true at one point of our lives," the male interjected, but he quickly shut up when Miyabi clobbered him.
The taupe-haired girl pulled Miyabi aside. "Why did you bring someone along?" she asked, whispering.
Miyabi bit her lip. "That's something else… He knows." When she received an accusing look from Mamoru, she explained. "I didn't transform in front of him, if that's what you're thinking. But…Sailor Cocytus made an appearance." She met Mamoru's shocked eyes and nodded. "Let's get this on with." Miyabi and Harume stepped into the nice apartment and looked all around.
"So," Harume began as the girls sat down in the living room, "where does your boyfriend sleep?"
Mamoru blushed as all eyes turned to her. "Uh! I-I'm sorry…?!"
Harume pointed to the box of vitamins on the kitchen table. "Those are men's vitamins."
The writer clenched her fist. "That idiot, Takeyuki…!" Then she realized what she had said. "Oh, yeah. I was going to tell you guys sooner or later."
Hikaru grunted. "While we're telling secrets, is there anyone else who has something they'd like to share?"
"Why don't we get down to what I've been trying to tell you guys for a few days now?" Miyabi commented. The other girls quieted down as the spotlight was cast on her now. "Anyway, when we first met, I noticed something about our names. 'Sailor' sounded familiar to me. I looked through my books and textbooks to see if I could find it there, but I had no luck with any of it. Then I asked my grandmother."
"Wait," Harume cut in, "wasn't she moved into a home?"
Miyabi nodded. "That's why it took me a little while. No one in my family told me where they had shipped her off to. But I did locate the home and I went there. She was in a kind of trance when I got there, but her words proved to be worth more than anything I could've found in a textbook.
"When I saw her, her eyes lit up and she smiled at me, but…she kind of freaked me out. I sat near her and she started going on about how the balance has been tipped in the favor of the dark ones. I gripped her hand so she would focus on me and I asked her if the word 'sailor' meant anything to her."
"What if she had mentioned something like a sailor on a boat?" Kako asked. "It could've been a waste of a trip."
Miyabi shook her head. "But it wasn't. When she heard 'sailor', her eyes flew wide open and she gasped. She started telling me that we had no protection anymore, unless…"
"Unless what?" Mamoru inquired.
"Unless the last senshi were awakened. I asked her what 'senshi' were and she smiled. She told me about the queen of her past. I think she called her 'Neo Queen Serenity'. Anyway, this queen had amazing and healing powers way before she was queen. She used to be Sailor Moon, a 'champion of justice', so to speak. Sailor Moon had these guardians, one from each planet. There was Sailors Mercury, Mars, Jupiter, Venus, Uranus, Neptune, Pluto, and Saturn. Her husband was the prince of the earth, Endymion, and her daughter, Chibiusa, was Princess Lady Serenity. Those three ruled the Crystal Age, or, the previous century.
"I was pretty sure that we tied in with it somehow, so I showed my grandmother my brooch. She touched it and became grim suddenly. She said that now is the time of peril, that the last senshi were awakened. She said that neither the queen, princess, Pluto, or Saturn must exist anymore, and the earth is going to be reborn again."
"But," Hikaru cut in, "in order for something to be reborn, it has to die first." Her eyes went blank as she realized the meaning behind the word's definition. "We're going to destroy the planet…!"
A sickening feeling spread throughout the room, settling in the pit of everyone's stomach. No one spoke. Life outside the window seemed to stop. No birds fluttered by or chirped, and the city was bizarrely still. Miyabi looked outside and everything seemed fine once again.
"But…she may be sick," Miyabi commented, trying to lift the gloom in the room. She chuckled to herself a little. "As much as I love her and would hate to admit, she's old. Memory deteriorates over time. She could have made the whole thing up."
"And yet…it would make sense, what with us getting these powers suddenly," Mamoru muttered. "Maybe we should take it slower now that we almost know what we're dealing with. I know I want to." Kako seconded the motion, followed by Hikaru. Miyabi stood still, the fake grin painted on her face as her eyes saddened. She wasn't sure whether or not to agree with them. Reluctantly, she glanced down at her watch.
"Oh! Look at that!" Miyabi said. She smiled to Mamoru. "Thanks for having me over, but I've got to get going now. I'll see you guys tomorrow." She rushed out of the room before anyone could stop her.
Harume furrowed his brow as he realized that Miyabi was hurting. "It was nice to meet you all," he said. "See you soon." He, too, left, but only to chase after Miyabi.
Hikaru whistled. "So, what do you think of those two? I kinda want to know the history…"
Maybe I shouldn't have said anything, Miyabi thought as she settled down into her desk. I scared them pretty badly… She sighed as the teacher talked about something boring. Can't we just start class already?
"…and so, please welcome your new classmate, Hiruno Harume, who just transferred here."
Squeals from the girls erupted into giggling and such as he walked into the room. Miyabi, who could not believe her ears, looked up and couldn't believe her eyes. It really was Harume! And he, of course, took his seat right next to Miyabi.
"Hiya!"
"Don't 'hiya' me, you jerk. You could've told me you were coming here," Miyabi stated bitterly, but red-faced.
Harume frowned. "I meant it as a surprise." He turned his frown upside down. "Come on, Yabi-chan! Be happy!"
She felt like throttling him in the middle of class as she received unwanted attention from the boys and girls alike. The guys were jealous of Harume and the girls… Well, let's just say that the nicest thing they were thinking about doing to Miyabi was ripping her throat out and jumping rope with it. Yeah.
"What?! You're in the same class?!"
Harume beamed while Miyabi glumly nodded her head. She plopped another tuna roll sushi in her mouth. "It even ruins my favorite food. And you guys don't know how much I love sushi."
"But I do." Harume smiled at her, which made her blush, so she turned away from him. "Anyway, I was thinking I could be of some use to you guys. You know, when you're out fighting the baddies."
"Uh, no. You don't have any powers. You'll get killed. Whether or not it's by my hand or your stupidity, you'll get killed," Miyabi pointed out so kindly.
"Don't you think you're being a little mean, Miyabi-chan?" Kako asked.
"Nope." Another sushi went into her mouth.
"So," Hikaru started, "how do you two know each other?"
Miyabi wasn't going to answer, but Harume jumped at the chance. "Actually, her parents adopted me while we were both in diapers. We grew up together."
There was an odd pause. Miyabi looked at each of the girls. "What's wrong?"
"Nothing, nothing," the genius said, "it's just a little gross to find out that you're dating your brother."
"He's not my brother!" Miyabi, blushing, figured she might as well tell the story instead. "Yeah, we grew up together. But…we both realized we liked each other. A lot. Also, he was really protective of me and-" Miyabi froze. "Well, I'll just say that…he's protected me from a lot of things. Anyway, my parents got rid of him and he told me he was going to look for his parents, who he found quite recently. So, now you see. He's not my brother. He was just teasing me that time."
While each of the girls felt like they were missing out on a huge part of the story, none of them pressed for the rest. They just continued their lunch and talked about other things instead.
"Why'd you bring it up?"
Harume followed close behind Miyabi as she angrily stormed ahead. "I didn't bring it up."
"Maybe you didn't, but you also didn't have to say anything to them."
"And how was I supposed to know that you didn't tell them about the abuse?" Harume caught Miyabi by the wrist as she reeled around to slap him. "I wouldn't do anything to hurt you, Miyabi. You know that."
She started crying again as she slumped in his arms. "That's the thing. I know that. I know you would never hurt me. I'm…I'm just looking for…" Miyabi bit her tongue; she couldn't say it. But she didn't have to.
"What? You're looking for someone to blame, am I right?" His eyes gazed into hers, but she felt like he was looking right through her. Why did he have to be right time and time again?
Slowly, she nodded. Harume clung Miyabi even closer to his chest and she finally started to calm down. That was the other thing she loved so much about him: he could always make things feel right, feel better. After a minute of the stand-alone embrace, Miyabi pulled away just a little. "I'm sorry," she mumbled. Harume just smiled as they continued walking. Then, they pulled up on her street. "Wait a minute," she said. "Don't you live in the other direction, Haru?"
Harume blushed. "Uh, well, y-yes, but- I gotta go!" He quickly kissed Miyabi and ran for home.
Gradually, Miyabi turned red. Could he have walked me home because he wanted to make up…? she thought. Miyabi halfheartedly smiled to herself. Make up, make out…it's all the same to him. Miyabi headed into her house, but on a lighter note this time around.
Well, it had been three months now. Three months of what, you may ask? Three months of the girls chasing down baddies. Two months of Takeyuki and Mamoru (who celebrated her eighteenth birthday with Takeyuki and friends a month ago) living together. Two months of Kako and Genji officially being boyfriend and girlfriend. A month and a half of Harume being in Miyabi's class at Azusa Yomi Municipal High. Things were going nicely, even though Cocytus hadn't made any more appearances and the girls hadn't figured out any truth behind Miyabi's grandmother's story. Although, Miyabi seemed undecided about Harume. Yes, she loved him and he loved her, but…she found herself always saying 'but'. And those 'but's turned into 'what if's, which bothered Harume, as well as Miyabi's collection of bruises and scrapes.
"Just let me talk to them," he pleaded.
Miyabi shook her head. "There's nothing to talk to them about. Even if there was, you…know as well as I do that it wouldn't change anything. I'm gonna be late for swimming if I don't hurry. Bye, Harume!" And then she ran off, leaving Harume with no idea of what else to say. This went on for the rest of the month until the next one came and, even in February's cold, the only coldness he felt came from Miyabi. The girls noticed Miyabi's treatment of him, but none of them felt they could say anything to her, even if they knew what to say.
Finally, March arrived. The only festivity that had happened was Kako's sixteenth birthday back on February fifteenth, which neither Miyabi nor Harume attended, even though Harume had become a close friend to each of the other girls. It rained on and off each day in March, but it was one particular rainy day that was horrifying.
It was on this particular day that Harume had arrived before Miyabi, which was something out of the ordinary since she always swam in the school's pool before first period started. Already, he was worried. And then, it came.
"Oh, my god! Is that Miyabi-sempai?!"
"She's looks like she's limping!"
Other cries and shouts came from the group of freshman and sophomores that had gathered at the windows in the hallway to see it. There Miyabi was, limping, just as a freshman had figured. When Miyabi finally reached her and Harume's classroom, she was targeted by a horde of questions. And yet…that wasn't what Harume was so worried about. Something about Miyabi's right eye seemed odd…
"Are you sure you should've swum today?" one of Miyabi's teammates asked her.
Miyabi clenched her fist tight. "Of course! We have a tournament coming up! I can't back down now! I've got to keep it together!!"
"Sure, sure. Just remember that we have a test in biology tomorrow, so make sure you study tonight, Yoruno-san."
"Ah!" Miyabi stopped short. "I forgot my textbook!"
"Of course…"
"I'll just double-back and get it. Don't wait for me, okay? Thanks for reminding me. I'll see you tomorrow!" Miyabi hurried back to her classroom, quiet as a mouse. I hope I don't get in trouble for coming back to the classroom, she thought. She fumbled with the door. It's not locked, is it?! Finally, the door gave way and Miyabi went over to her desk. "Here it- Wait, that's math." She looked in her desk and checked her bag. "Where's biology…?"
"Looking for this?"
That voice… Miyabi slowly turned her head around and discovered who she had been dreading: Harume. She furrowed her brow. "You didn't take that just to get me here, did you?" she asked.
Harume sighed. "I thought I could make you listen if I got you alone." He propped himself against the teacher's desk as she neared him. "I hope you will listen."
Miyabi had had it. "Look, we both know it's been going on for years. Don't you think I would've done something if I could've? Things are different now, too, considering what you're thinking of would get you sent to jail- again!"
Harume pursed his lips in silent protest. "Weren't you told that I was arrested by you father?" he asked quietly.
Her anger cooled down a bit. "Yes… Why do you ask?"
"Did he ever tell you why I was arrested?"
Miyabi froze as she realized that her family had tricked her again. Her throat clogged up. She wasn't sure she was going to like what she was going to hear.
Harume met her eyes. "Remember that first major swim tournament you had? Didn't it seem odd that your mother and sister took you out for a long drive and ice cream afterwards?"
Slowly, Miyabi materialized the scene. She had just won her first tournament. Mother and Sissy were smiling, but Mother's smile hid a deeper meaning, one Miyabi couldn't recognize. They drove for what felt like an hour. And then…they pulled up on an ice cream shack. Surely, she was being rewarded for first place. She just wished that Haru could be with her to help her celebrate. Miyabi turned back to Harume. "What are you getting at?"
"He called the cops on me, claiming I was a juvenile delinquent who just attacked him out of the blue. I did attack him with that lamp in the living room…," Harume confessed nonchalantly, "but only because he came after me first. That's why you were… What did they call it? Oh, right. Rewarded."
Miyabi felt like her heart was going to stop. How could she have never known this?! Yes, she knew all about how abusive her father, mother, and sister could be, but…she had no idea her father had tried to molest Harume!! She was so scared now, not knowing how she could've stayed under their roof for so long, allowing them to hurt her…and Harume. …They came on their own. One by one, tiny droplets fled from her eyes. Her hands shook as she covered her mouth. I didn't know! I didn't know!! I didn't know!!!
Harume caressed the side of Miyabi's face. He gently touched the area near her right eye and she winced. "I was right," he thought aloud. "You used some concealer, right?" Miyabi didn't have to answer him, though. As her tears ran down her cheeks, it smudged the make-up, revealing a black eye. "Damn it!" he cursed under his breath.
"I…I want to get out of there, Haru," she choked. "But I can't. I can't leave because I have nowhere to go. It's hopeless." Miyabi's hand gripped Haru's shirt. "Save me…," she sobbed.
Harume embraced her for several moments while the sun set outside. The same blood red sun that told him what he would do next, after he left the school for that day.
Miyabi finally stopped crying and wiped her eyes, smudging the make-up even more. She giggled. "Heh, looks like trying to hide it was pretty useless…" But the tears welled up in her eyes again. "I hate all of this crying…"
The bleach-blonde looked her over. He couldn't stand to see her this way, either. Gently, he gripped her shoulder and kissed her. Miyabi didn't protest, though; it was exactly what she needed. And so, against the lovely and foreboding backdrop of the blood red sun, they shared in their first French kiss. And all was right. Well, almost.
"Miyabi-chan! Miyabi-chan!!" Kako clonked Miyabi on the head. "Miyabi-chan!!"
Finally, the dark-haired girl snapped out of her daydream. "What the heck was that for?!"
"Eh, just making sure you're here on earth with us." Kako took another bite out of her teriyaki chicken sandwich. "Mm…teriyaki…"
Miyabi laughed to herself at the sight. She was much more comfortable now with her friends now that things had cleared up between her and Harume. She blushed as she thought about her future wedding. It'll be to Harume, of course…
"So," Mamoru said. "Gold again, huh? We may have a mermaid on our hands, guys."
"Duh. I could've already told you that," Hikaru snidely commented. Mamoru glared at her. Miyabi laughed out loud and Kako joined in.
"You know what they say about two friends who fight," Harume said. "You two must be the best of friends."
"No, we're not!!" Mamoru and Hikaru said in unison, thus proving Harume's statement. Kako and Miyabi laughed even harder.
It was the weekend and Miyabi woke up early Saturday morning. She made her way downstairs, half awake, but with a bright smile on her face. "Good morning!" she said cheerily. She ignored the nasty looks she received from her family and went straight for the bread and toaster to make herself some toast. Just ignore them, she told herself. You're happy right now. Don't let them ruin it.
Just then, the doorbell rang. Miyabi's sister ran to get it. Miyabi grabbed a bowl and started pouring her cereal when her sister's voice rang out. "Mom! Dad! Get over here!!"
Both of Miyabi's parents rushed over to the door. Her father drew his breath in. "You!!" That's when Miyabi stuck her head out of the kitchen. The spoon dropped from her mouth and hit the ground with an audible CLANK! Harume! she thought.
Harume flashed her a peace sign. "Yo, my little river of hate."
Miyabi rushed over to the front door, even thought her mother and father blocked her from getting too close to Haru. Miyabi was shocked, but happily shocked. She tried to move out around her parents, but they still blocked her way. She ignored them and talked directly to Harume. "What on earth are you doing here?"
Harume smiled and held up several empty shopping bags. "Well, I'm not a prince and I don't have a white horse, but I'm charming enough with my white shiny teeth," Harume said, still smiling. "Come on. Let's go get your things."
"What do you mean?" Then Miyabi remembered the little scene between her and Haru after school a little while ago, where she had asked him to save her. Tears welled up in her eye, but she forced them back. He had remembered!
"She's not going anywhere," Miyabi's father said. "Especially anywhere with the likes of you." He met Harume's eyes and glared at Harume as he spat on the ground near the teen's feet.
Harume, on the other hand, ignored it. He pushed his way through Miyabi's family and finally reached the dark-haired girl. "We need to get your things, Yabi-chan."
As Haru pushed her up the stairs to her room, she turned to him. "W-Wait! I need to get dressed," she stuttered as both walked into her bedroom.
The bleach-blonde turned away from her and rummaged through the clothes hanging in her closet. "It's not like there's anything I won't be seeing," he said nonchalantly. "What you're wearing is fine. Just throw some jeans and shoes on."
Miyabi blushed as she watched him take her uniform, fold it, and place it in one of the bags. She went to one of her drawers and pulled out her jeans. Why am I the only one who's embarrassed here? she thought. The dark-haired girl selected a pair of comfy slipper-type shoes. "So, where the heck am I going to stay?" she asked. She slapped on a mischievous smile. "Your place, I presume?"
"Yep." As Miyabi's jaw dropped to the floor, Harume finished filling the bags he had brought. He turned to her. "You should take your school bag, a purse, and a backpack, if you have one. Put anything else you want to take with you into those bags."
"Okay…" Miyabi did as Harume said, but she had another question in mind. "Just how are we going to carry all this stuff to you house? I thought you lived a little over a mile from here."
Harume finally straightened up and gathered the bags. "Actually, I live exactly under a mile from you, but you don't have to worry about a thing. Just leave it all to me."
Mystified by his relaxed attitude, Miyabi followed him out of her room and back to the front door where her family was waiting. They're the last thing to deal with, Miyabi thought uncomfortably. She caught a nasty glare from her sister and quickly turned away.
"She's not going anywhere," her father repeated, like Miyabi and Harume had been standing downstairs the whole time. It felt lie a stand-off between the Yoruno family and the youngest and her boyfriend. Miyabi's mother turned away from her and darted a scared side-glance at her husband. Miyabi's father cleared his throat. "Take your things back up to your room, Miyabi."
The dark-haired girl could feel her stomach steel. Her eyes went blank as she thought of what to say. Th-This may be my only chance…
Meanwhile, Miyabi's father was getting impatient. "Well? What are you waiting for? Move it!!"
"No." Both her family and Harume found it hard to believe that Miyabi would talk back, but Haru was glad to see her showing a little backbone.
"What was that?" Everyone in the room could tell that, even though he was trying to sound authoritative, he was just as shocked as the others, including Miyabi herself. "I am the master of this house and you will do as I say. March right up to your room, you little b-" Her father caught himself.
Miyabi felt confidence rising inside. She smirked. "'You little' what?" She watched as her father clenched his fists; it was the only time that anyone had talked back to him! "I'm leaving this house. You're not going to stop me." Miyabi walked past him, but he caught her arm and reeled her around, fist at the ready.
"I don't think so!" Harume stepped in-between and took the hit. Now sporting busted lip, Harume smiled to him. "Not ever again will you touch her," Haru continued. He turned around, put an arm around Miyabi's shoulder, and led her out of the house. "Bye-bye, Mr. Anger-Management." And they shut the door in Miyabi's family's faces.
Once outside, Miyabi saw Hikaru and Mamoru waiting for them. "Wh-What are you guys doing here?!" Each girl took half the bags. "Oh, it's o-okay. Haru and I can carry everything. You don't have to-" But all the girl did was smile mischievously. And then- up she went. But not up into the air- into Harume's arms. "KYAAA!! What do you think you're doing?!"
Harume smiled. "The girls offered to come along and help you…'move'."
"Kako couldn't come because we didn't want her getting recognized and end up with her father in trouble. But," Hikaru said, holding up the bags with Mamoru doing the same, "here we are."
"I really think Haru and I can carry it all, though," Miyabi stated.
"Nonsense," Haru said. "The prince has rescued the princess and now, with the aide of his helpers, he runs away with his love in his arms." At the end of his sentence, the prince and his helpers ran away from the dreaded castle of torture. The wound the prince carried didn't hurt at all. What mattered, though, was that the dragon(s) had been slew and the princess was being carried to safety. All was good, especially in the princess's eyes.