Part 5: First Time Twice
After a delightful chat about a few very attractive men eyeing them and giggles over coming the two, the moon princess was finally asked to take a turn by man in black. With a short look to Minako to make sure she would be all right on her own and he went off the man blushing. Minako, too, was asked but she refused because of a distraction in the shape of a young woman of 15 years sitting alone for most of the night. The little one with brown hair was very grateful and took the young man's hand that had been refused by Minako, with shy but excited eyes. Minako watched the two for a little while but then decided to be on the move before some other man gathered the courage to ask to dance thinking she was lonely as that little one had been. And so ducking underneath a bow of brilliant white glows that were lighting white lilies that hung from a branch above, she moved around the laughing crowd so full of life. She laughed for no reason to herself but that glow that made her step light. As she went her steps became slower watching the many couples twirl, dance, and sing. A kind of peace came over her as the musicians slowed and the night went on. The Earth had fully come up now over the horizon of the moon. It wasn't very high but high enough to see the entire sphere. She backed up out of the crowd and looked over the head of people to see the sight. The blue and white gleams of light illuminated the entire place but for the bright white bobbing lamps that bobbed in the wind. A warm wind swept her dress aside and a bit of ribbon blown into an eyehole of her mask. She turned around to face the marble steps leading into the palace entrance when she saw it. A Man dressed in gray. His mask was a black with silver ribbons and gems. He wore white gloves with holes in the backs. His hair was white with blue stripes from the moon's glare. It was all pulled back over his mask's strings into a ponytail. Dashing as he was, he stood on stairs as white and blue as himself both gleaming in the sweet light of the earth. The man seemed lost and alone on the steps. He was looking over he shifting crowd when his steady gaze came to her. There it stayed.
She was separate from the rest of the party. She was standing on the side looking up at him with small features she was just a young girl from what he could see. A light from a lamp hung near by. It had a soft yellow glow and it warmed her features. She wore a sunny summer dress and her hair was tied up in two yellow bends of braids. He wanted to look for the prince and his other friends but he couldn't turn his eyes away. He walked down the stairs toward the little girl figuring she had noticed his gaze by now. To simply ignore such a blossom would be rude. A wide smile spread across her bright face. It annoyed him a little as she stepped forward gripping her hands behind her back just expecting him to ask her. It was of course his duty now that he had announced his intentions. He winced behind his mask as he extended his hand still quite a long distance away. The arrogant little woman turned her head to the side pretending not to see me. What a pain this whole night's going to be. He thought bitterly to himself. He opened up his mouth to propose when her whole body turned to something else. She was actually looking at a friend of hers dressed in green. She took the yellow girl's hand whispered something in her ear. The two of them raced off into the crowd without looking back at the poor man standing on the bottom step. He huffed through his nose at her proactively subbing him. He crossed his arms and watched as her blond rings swayed back and forth as she moved into the dancers. Shouldn't I be relived? I mean, it's not like I wanted to dance with her any way. He huffed one last time and bushed away a stand of silvery hair. He began to push his way through to the place he thought he last saw one of his friends but it was not the last time he thought of the woman that evening.
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He did find his friends after a time. They had been yucking it up all over the festival. The prince was having the best time he had seen in a long time. Nephrite was beaming for the short moments that they saw him. As the evening went on they saw less and less of him. At one point during the night the two blond knights and kunzite were laughing and talking animatedly about an occurrence on Zoicite's front when they spotted one young lady with stark black hair. She slid by him or her avoiding everyone's gaze. She passed by them saying under her breath a soft 'excuse me.' All the anxious men watched her pass. She was graceful girl and Jedite wasted no time falling out of his chair and desperately trying to stand up to talk to her. He tripped on his way knocking into her and the two other men had to run away covering their mouths to hide the eruption of laughter. Once in a safe spot where they could comfortably watch the two but not be heard by them, they slapped each other on the back and they cheered.
"I know it was just like this!" And Zoicite turned around to get a few feet away to demonstrate the hilarious moment when he bumped into a young woman. She had eyes that obviously struck him. He had always been a fan of blue eyes and swore once he would love a girl with blue eyes. Zoicite bent at the waist apologizing profusely to the girl dressed in yellow. Kunzite's eyebrows popped up at the sight of the girl who had run away. She smiled and blushed flirting with the charming man. She didn't seem to notice Kunzite standing behind Zoicite because she never looked up at him. Instead she began to make conversation about the crowded floors and eventually stepped out with him onto to dance. Kunzite was angry again that he hadn't the pleasure of taking her out with him. He clenched his fist and stepped back to give his friend allowance. Plopping down in a chair he crossed his legs and sat back to try not to watch the terrible spectacle in front of him. Two dancers moved right in front of him happily talking with one another. He was glad he couldn't see his flirtatious friend with the girl in gold. In fact he was glad she didn't notice him. She probably would have been very embarrassed anyway. He tapped his foot and decided not to ask anyone for this dance as he had been planning to. He tried instead to fight the knowing feeling that he missed his chance-
"TO WHAT?" he bitterly cried. The confused couple moved slowly away.
The charming Young man had almost literally swept her off her feet. He wrapped his arms expertly around her small waist and lifted her for a moment off the floor swinging her away into the crowd. He was charming and funny, light and brilliant. They had great deal of fun turning and swinging amongst the people. She smiled sweet smiles and tossed her braids expertly over her shoulder. It was no doubt that this young man was fun to be with but she dared not ask to see him again. He seemed so young and innocent. He was obviously very interested in her. He said little lines he'd planned about the night or her looks. Most of them turned her off. He was trying too hard to get her attention. But for the time she would enjoy his company. It looked as if she had found an evening romance. After one particularly intelligent joke her body bumped in the air as a realization hit her. He should meet Ami. The two were intelligent enough they would be able to talk about anything, plus he was just charming enough to maybe break her shell just as Minako had so many years ago. Quickly she explained the plan to him that she had a friend he might like to meet. He smiled a dashing smile but she could feel the energy drop a little at his disappointment. After the song was through she tightened her mask and took his hand. Pushing through the crowd she made her way to where she thought her friend might be. As she went she spotted the silver haired man again. He sat bitterly on a chair with his arms crossed in front of him. He didn't see her at first but in a flash his eyes spotted her and his face dropped it's angry expression. It melted into one of trying to see where she was going as he watched her move away from him. She had seen him all night long as if he were following her. Or perhaps she though to herself, I'm just more aware of him. Hey, it's happened before. She shook her golden head fluffing the feathers of her mask out once more shaking out the picture of him standing on the stairs. She focused on the problem at hand. She spotted Jupiter and waved franticly to her to get her attention. She was talking with a man with brown hair pulled back into a low ponytail. She made her way over and apparently, the man she held the hand of seemed to want to go in that direction. The crowd cleared where the two lovers stood so it was easy to break just outside the circle of dancers and wrap her arms around her. The man she had danced with seemed to know the chocolaty man Mako was interested in. After a brief "ah hello! How are you? And who is THAT?' On all four sides,
The blond man turned to Minako, "is this the friend you thought I'd like?" She saw him evaluate the tall woman, almost a head taller than himself and his face put on another mask of pleasure. If the Goddess of Love knew men, he would much rather dance with someone who was shorter than himself. She shook her head and leaned over to shot in Mako's ear to ask where Ami might be. She pointed to a corner of the crowd and sure enough there a tall man was talking to the little one with black tresses freely falling down broad shoulders. She had a painful look on her face. Minako pulled on the blond man's sleeve and he spotted where she pointed. The two made their way to the girl making a gagging face the man now gone. She didn't try to hide her tortured look when she saw Minako approaching and was about to ask if she had seen what had happened when she saw that Minako was not alone. Her eyes grew wide and instinctively bowed. The boy put on a sideways smile and extended his hand. He took hers in his and flashed a large charming smile flooding her with charm.
After a few minutes Minako found that the two had almost completely forgotten her. This was very obvious by the way they were dancing. Ami soon smiled and was freely using her hands to express her passionate ideas. Minako slipped away into the crowd. She bumped into a young man making him trip little bit the two laughed and ended up dancing together. After the song was done she wanted to go back and see how Ami was doing with the longhaired robust man. However she was hopelessly lost and was wandering about everywhere trying not to waste time on bumping into people and being asked for dances. But alas, she was destined to run into one more person. While hopping up and down to see over a few people's head she fell back a little way and fell into what she soon discovered to be the silver masked man. She covered her masked face to 'hide' her great surprise. Perhaps it should be explained what Minako felt earlier. She had seen this man on the stair but his making any sign to her had taken so long she figured he hadn't seen her. When the princess of Jupiter came to talk she felt no obligation to the man. In fact she hadn't even seen him coming strait AT HER until it was too late. Of course she HAD seen the man standing behind the adorable blond man. He didn't seem to look at her nor even show any sign he remembered her at all. So she stole secret glances at him from under her eyelashes until his friend swept her off. And now here he was on the ground desperately trying to stand up with dignity. What was she to say? He obviously was disenchanted with her and so she figured the only way out of this would be to apologize and run. She got no such chance.
It was like he was cursed. All night he could only give half laughs and weak smiles, he couldn't get this girl out of his mind and now here several anxious men that had been watching her were helping her up. He gave up. She was obviously following him in order to apologize for her leaving him so quickly. He stood tall his hands gripped behind his back. She stood and curtseyed as if to excuse herself. He huffed turning red in the face being turned down once again. A few words escaped his lips. He tried to call them back with no luck.
"Wait a second!" He reached out with a firm hand. It worked. She stopped and turned around. He, however, was at a loss to say anything. She stared at him for what seemed like an eternity waiting for him to say something. He found nothing in his head, nothing in his mouth. What was he doing playing around like this? She sighed and turned her head as if she had been called away again. A large grin formed across her face as he figured out what it was that drew her attention. Music. A new dance song had begun and she ticked her head slightly to face him a devilish look on her face. When he realized what she had in mind he backed up two large steps in fear. But it was too late. At this point he hadn't known the level of determination in which the princesses of Venus worked. As if in battle she would take a situation and finish it. She took his hand with both of her small ones. Her lace gloves proved to be useful to make a friction between them. She pulled at his hand but he resisted. The resistance obviously didn't mean he wouldn't like to see how the girl with the yellow loops fit into his arms. Thusly, in the end after much coaxing and rolling of his eyes, he relaxed and let her pull him forward. He kept his body very stiff. It was like she was a little glass doll in his hands. She had no problem getting settled into him. There they danced the two of them. One completely embarrassed by the ridiculous state he was in, the other delightfully basking in the challenge of a man who obviously wanted to repent not asking her in the beginning.
The time that night had raced by them both. After the dance was done with he bowed in thanks and practically ran off to find his friends, his cheeks pink and his chin stony. But this didn't bother Minako in the slightest. It also didn't bother her that he was about a head and a half taller than she was. It made her feel so light. And though she knew how much she had enjoyed the time teasing him and forcing him to dance she felt something else. When she held his hand, even through the gloves she could feel a strange almost regal energy coming form him. It was very powerful and strained. Just as if he had been hiding it for a long time. Minako reasoned that anyone with the kind of power she suspected him to have, would need to hide it. But she told herself that the damage on the shy man was done. But as he turned to run away she could not help but see steel eyes. Like a warm metal breeze and she was stung with a memory of the man she'd met on Venus. She held her arms tightly and tried to crush the little pang of sorrow that always accompanies the people she missed. She had to shake her head and let the golden braid flop into her face once or twice and quickly sweep of a small drop form under her mask before sweeping the useless memory out of her mind and to go find he friend. The high Blue sphere of life was so high she knew it was just about time to leave-and announce them to the court. But She was unable to directly find them because of a recently dashed seem. She bent down to fix it as the gong of a distant bell sounded of the end of the party. Stuck with a fear that she should not make it in time to escape, she stood up and clumsily started to move to the front stairs. There she could see the queen stepping out of the over looking front entrance (Minako could see the window she and her friends had looked out of earlier) there to announce the commencement of the gala. Minako heart rushed and she could almost hear it beat faster. Oh I spent too much time reminiscing about that guy! Now I'm going to be trapped here among the people. If I don't get out soon I'll be mobbed! The queen's Powerful voice echoed amongst the people.
"Thank you all for attending this years Trinket festival!" Minako jumped on one foot still yanking her hem.
"…Hope that you've sincerely…" She was still 50 feet away from the edge of the mass of people.
"…As a final parting gift, we present the four Goddesses of the inner galaxy!" The roar and excitement of the crowd erupted into tumultuous applause. Now it would be even harder to pass through the people. Hands waving in her face she had to practically crawl and her knees to get through.
"Princess of Jupiter!" the crowd jumped up and down to see what the legend looked like. Venus did not care to see her friend graciously and preparedly step forth from the people to present herself. But the cheer soon died down and silence fell.
Silence? Minako thought. Where is Makoto? But even after a few second of confused murmuring the queen took charge of the situation. She told a light joke that made everyone feel calm again. They trusted their queen to a fault. They knew anything she had to say would be true. And so it seemed that the girl had just gone to bed early. She carefully resumed her speech presenting the next girl.
"Our next is a token without measure. She is the Goddess of Justice, Also called the Princess of Mars!" another huge wave of fans roared their dull hum of pleasure. This time Minako knew that the only fire princess she knew had greeted their cheers. But now was the time to sprint to the front. The missing princes of Jupiter had given her little time but she had almost made it to the very end of the princes of mercury's introduction when she felt the floor drop from beneath her. She fell and stretched her arms out in front of her. Her eyes shut tight as she prepared for the cold ground the smack her hands or face. But no such punishment for clumsiness occurred. She was alive and warm. The people around her didn't seem to notice her accident because they were all jumping up and down shouting over the poise and eternal grace that the princess of mercury possessed. For a moment she could not gain her wits about why she had not fallen and made herself dirty when she had suddenly been flung up right again by hands. Male hands. To gain her stature she gripped the thick fingers of her savior. Sure enough it was the masked gentleman who had run away from her. When she looked up through slightly scudded eyeholes she saw him smile gently. One of pity, confusion and amusement. He shook his head to lecture her and opened his mouth to probably speak some very wise words when she heard her title called. She snapped her head back to the staircase where the other women looked at her expectantly.
For a brief moment he was positive that she was as anxious to see the princess of Venus as much as he did. He turned his head to the stairs as well and waited. All of the women on the glowing stage were looking strait at…me? But his confusion did not last long. The girl who had let go of his hands stepped forward. He wanted to hold her back and tell her she was not to come so close. Silly girl he wondered, so excited she can hardly hold herself- but his thought was never finished. For at that moment he was struck hard in the face with an idea. Not really so much as an idea as a realization. But the thought struck him so hard she staggered backward. The little girl reached behind her head and pulled a string form her mask. It all happened in slow motion. The sound of the two strings sliding against one another, the drop of the mask to her side, it clattered against the stone floor. She raced up the stairs and turned with a final twist. And there she was. Just as elegant and as haunting as she had been months ago. Still a vivid creation of a man imagination. His heart jumped in his chest bumping all other lungs out of the way. She shone in the pale light of the earth, just as she had on the night they had met.
Slowly, time resumed it's natural course and the sound of the waves of people's excited screams filled his ears. But he did not move. He simply stared up at her figure. How could he not have seen it before? Now she let out her power level. There was no reason to hide it now. It made her slim body glow with a soft simmer he was certain no one else saw. Her power was so great, it was difficult to keep concealed for very long. She had done a marvelous job hiding it from him. That hairstyle he did not recognize but the faint smell he did. It was the smell of violets after rain on earth. In silent wonder he made a choice. He silently reached behind his head and with one hand snapped the mask from off his masculine face. The cool air of the moon swept over his heated face. But he never took his eyes off her face.
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More soon. LOVE TO YOU.