｢Chapter 5｣
Maker was changing out of her formal wear when she realised that Fighter was standing at the connecting door, looking at her. "Oh Fighter!" Maker exclaimed. "Can you please have the courtesy to knock that door before you come in? I'm changing!"
"Well it's not like it's the first time I've seen you changing. You don't have to be shy." Fighter teased.
The wedding ball had finally ended. And it was a long night for the starlights ever since then. After they had escorted Kakkyu and the King, Ryuuji back to their new room, After that, the starlights accompanied their visitor for sol system to the prepared guest rooms where they are going to rest for the night, before flying back to Earth the next evening.
"So what do you want from me?" Maker asked as she slipped her night dress over and walked towards Fighter who was sitting at the edge of her bed like she always do when she had her sleepless nights.
"I can't sleep. " Fighter replied sheepishly, removing her indoor shoes and lifted her legs up on Maker's bed.
"You really made yourself comfortable in my room, don't you?" Maker sat beside Fighter, slapping Fighter's leg that was on her bed.
"Ouch!" Fighter called out playfully.
"So, why can't you sleep? Is it because what happened today?" Maker asked.
"I guessed so. . . " Fighter trailed off, before changing the topic. "Ne Maker! What are you doing tomorrow? Let's get out of palace tomorrow with Healer, since it's national holiday, and Ouhi would probably want to spend time with the King." Fighter suggested cheerfully, with a huge grin on her face.
'You still do not want to talk about that topic, don't you, Fighter?' Maker thought. "Tomorrow? I promised Princess Mercury that I will show her around the palace before she leave tomorrow evening."
"Oh . . . I see" The grin on Fighter's face disappeared. "Some other day then."
"You can come together with me, Fighter. It's better than - "
Before Maker could finished her sentence, Fighter cut her off. "It's okay. I would rather find something else to do." Deep down, Fighter thought, 'I think you will want to be left alone with Mercury, don't you?'
Fighter stretched her body and allowed the stiff muscles and joints to relax and crack. "Man, I'm so tired now. I'm going back." Fighter stood up from Maker's bed and walked towards the connecting door. She stopped there.
"What's wrong, Fighter?" Maker raised from her bed and walked towards Fighter.
'Fighter! You need to do it! You need to confirm what was that. That was why you are in here in the first place. You need to do it!" Fighter clenched her fists nervously as she heard Maker moved closer and stopped behind her. 'You can do it!' Fighter turned around, coming into face to face with Maker. Before Maker could say anything, Fighter placed her arms on Maker's shoulder, pulling Maker's head slightly to her level. Fighter bent over, pressing her lips on Maker's for a second before releasing her grip on Maker's shoulder and jumped a step back.
"I bet you didn't see that coming, didn't you? Haha! It's payback time for the peck at the balcony just now. I know you were expecting me to get angry at you, to cheer me up. But I did not! I remembered the agreement. And the day is not over yet, so you can't hit me or anything. Good night!" Fighter babbled out quickly and cheekily, missing the shocked and sad expression Maker had, and rushed back to her room, closing the door behind her.
Fighter held her back against the door, gasping to get air into her lungs. Her heart was beating rapidly, Warm blood was rushing up to her cheeks. These was exactly what happened to her hours ago at the balcony.
[Flashback]
"I hope this will cheer you up a little." Maker told Fighter as she kissed her at the cheeks.
Fighter felt her heart racing. 'What was that?' Fighter thought. Warm blood starts to flush her cheeks. She felt the heat rising within her. 'What was that for?' She got out of her shocked state, only to realise that Maker had left.
'It felt like . . .the last time I kissed. Why do I feel like there's something more than to cheer me up. Why did it felt like the kiss I gave Usagi when she was upset? What was that? Why do I feel like I want more?'Questions started to fill Fighter's mind and answers did not came with them. Unable to think rationally at that moment, Fighter decided that it was time for her to go back to ballroom. She hoped that the crowd and excitement in the room would be a good distraction for her confused mind at the moment.
Upon returning to the ballroom, Fighter spotted Kakkyu and Ryuuji at the center of the room, exchanging their vows for each other. 'Thank God! I made it on time! If not Healer is really going to slaughter me tomorrow.' Fighter allowed her eyes to continue to scan the ballroom, finding Healer together with Venus, Jupiter, and Mars. On the other corner of the ballroom, Fighter found herself staring at Maker. Maker was walking side by side together with Mercury, with a small smile on her face.
Tinge of sourness washed over her but she ignored it. Putting that sourness behind her, she walked towards Healer and joined their conversation about how was everyone back on Earth. Soon after, Maker and Mercury joined in the conversation as well.
[End of Flashback]
Fighter sat down on the floor against the door and held her head with her hands. Why am I feeling this way? Why is it Maker? Did I fall for someone that I'm not supposed once again?
Maker stared blankly at the closed door, unable to get out of what had just happened. Unable to contain her sadness, Maker started crying. When Fighter kissed her, she thought it was for real. It turned out that it was a prank. 'How silly of me to think that Fighter did like me a little.' Maker laughed at herself.
Maker did not realise when she had started having these feelings for her leader. It seemed like it was from the day they had met each other, when the three of them were called in to be the royal guards. She had not realised then, when life revolved around lessons and trainings. During Galaxia's attack, they fled to Earth, in hope to search for their missing princess, as well as the Light of Hope. They had achieved more than what they had expected. Fighter and her unrequited love for the Moon Princess. Maker and her understanding about dream and romance. Healer and her trust for other beings.
'My dreams and romance?' Maker laughed bitterly at herself. 'They are not going to happen, are they? Or did I really understood what was it in the first place? ' Maker asked herself as she remembered the conversation she had with Mercury back in the ballroom.
[Flashback]
Maker had noticed Mercury's entry into the ballroom, but decided not to approach her until she had finish her final duties of the wedding. It had been sometime Maker had spoke to the Guardian Senshi of the Moon Princess. She had always enjoyed conversation with the intelligent senshi. Especially since she was the one who had taught her to know what dreams and romance is all about.
Mercury saw Maker at the other side of the ballroom, staring at some pieces of paper that was in her hands, spacing out. Leaving the rest, she walked over towards Maker. "Hey Maker! It's been sometime. Reading on a wedding? That's really unique, aren't you?"
Maker looked up from her papers and saw Mercury standing in front of her, making fun of her. "Yes I know. It's really been a while. I was thinking about to join you all after I'm done with my work over here."
"Am I interrupting you?" Mercury asked with concern. " I saw you spacing out over here. It's unlikely of you to space out during work, aren't you?"
Maker blushed in embarrassment. "I'm alright. " Maker replied as she tried to get the red shades off her cheeks. " I was just thinking about some things. That's all." Observing the chef had took the last item out, Maker continued, "I'm done with my work over here, do you want to join back the rest?"
Mercury nodded her head and the two of them started strolling really slowly back to the group. "Ne Maker, care to share about what were you thinking about?"
Shaking her head, Maker said in a low voice, "Sorry, but I don't think that it's appropriate for me to share."
"It's okay Maker if you don't wish to share." Mercury replied.
"Thanks." Maker smiled a little at Mercury.
"Anyway, how's your dreams and romance coming along? I remembered the day when you all left Earth, you said that you are going to build on your dreams and romance. I'm curious. Care to share? I do have a little to share though." Mercury asked.
"A little. I do not mind sharing, but not today." Maker replied, looking at the people around them. "There's too many people and too many things."
Mercury thought for a while before she suggested about Maker showing her around before she leave, and during that period of time, they can shared about their progress in their dreams and romance.
[End of Flashback]
'Well I guess, that little bit that I thought I could share didn't exist in the first place.' Walking back to her bed, Maker laid on it, with her eyes staring at the white ceiling the whole night.