AN: Happy New Year to everyone. This one will be mostly, as the title says. The Venusians are making an appearance. Special warning for quite a bit lewd innuendo. Enjoy.
Previously:
Methys was already fumbling with the keys of her wrist computer, when the double doors suddenly opened and revealed, well… a bunch of feathers was probably the best description. They needed to do a double take to ascertain that their eyes were not playing any tricks on them and to realize that there was actually a person beneath the … plumage. To be fair Methys, Michiko, Atget and Neso were staring as well and the remaining people in the room were equally baffled.
The Venusian delegation had arrived.
And well… words didn't do them justice. If Atget and Neso stood out before, the Venusians were flashy fireworks, coming out of a blinking Christmas tree accompanied with an earsplitting fanfare. You could not miss them even if you direly wished you could.
In front, a regal woman glided into the room like as if she owned it. She was breathtakingly beautiful and she was definitely very aware of that fact. That much was sure from the radiant smile alone that screamed easy-going superiority and the way she carried herself with an all-encompassing aura of haughty confidence. She wore tons of white and golden feathers sewed together to a voluminous and glittering gown that included a headdress where the longest feathers reached nearly a meter. Long golden hair fell over her barely covered back and it was painfully obvious that she was wearing nothing beneath, since the front of the dress covered the bare necessities with a few feathers here or there. Of course, the gown had a train and she needed, believe it or not, four maids to handle the feathery long thing that tailed her like a glittering fairy trail.
She reminded Michiru of those birds of paradise that paraded their opulent plumage to attract potential females. Here it worked obviously the other way around. Page boys and waiters stared at her with open jaws and had obviously forgotten that they had a job to do.
Not that the Queen had any issue with that.
Distracted by her flashy appearance, they noticed only now that she did not enter the halls alone. Besides the maids, who wore a complementary and way more modest outfit that still adorned some feathers to make it fit to the chosen fashion concept, a group of equally attractive females had entered right behind her. Michiru counted six and two males and they all wore feathers in their more or less daring outfits as well, complementing their Queen. They flashed alluring smiles at everyone, who stared at them, relishing the attention, treading like goddesses, who blessed the common folk with a rare audience.
Michiru spared a glance at Minako, who stood right next her, mouth agape and staring at the procession with sparkling eyes. Michiru suppressed a chuckle. Figures that she is awestruck.
Then the blonde just jumped ahead making a dash run around the Venusians like a crazy psycho. Ok, what is it now? She screeched to an abrupt halt and almost jumped on the spot hyperactively, waving like a swimmer in distress at them. When she finally had the attention of all of them, Minako pointed enthusiastically at the nearest Venusian and suddenly Michiru knew what all the fuss was about.
That one looked like Minako. That one had a Senshi tiara on her forehead.
Minarin. Michiru remembered. That's what Laertes had called the Venusian Senshi back then during their fight. Minako's predecessor. That must be her. Michiru gauged her more thoroughly. To be honest, all of the Venusians looked quite similar in their illustrious getup and she only stood out because of her tiara. Long golden hair. Serene beauty. And a dashing smile. That's what they all had in common and the packaging only served as an elaborate distraction from the content. It made her blend in amongst her peers, when she would have stood out anywhere else.
That's why she had not recognized the Venusian Senshi sooner. She was also more in the back of the procession.
Now, that she truly thought about it, it was truly like a procession.
They were all lined up in pairs and even now they stuck to that order. They all remained behind their Queen, although she had stopped now and engrossed quite some space, dress, feathers and all.
Said Queen looked around expectantly as if she was waiting for the proper protocol to be followed.
Might also be that she expects the red carpet to be rolled out. Michiru thought sarcastically.
They watched as Methys approached her respectfully only to stop with an elegant bow. "Queen Sirani."
The Queen smiled at her radiantly, gauging her thoroughly. "Methys, dearie, god, have you grown since I have seen you last… and all in the right areas I have to admit." She twinkled at her suggestively and Methys smiled uneasily.
"Em, .. thank you." Her reply was reluctant and she immediately returned to the official part of their meeting to cover that blunder. "Welcome to Mercury, Queen Sirani. We are all delighted to have you and your entourage here. The ball is about to start and the guests are awaiting your attendance. If you would follow me, please…" She responded politely, while standing straight again only to step aside to defer to her.
Queen Sirani gauged her skeptically, head tilting slightly to the side. The movement made the golden feathers flutter in a way that was certainly distracting. Then, she made a bold step sideward and the light was caught in the gold paint on her lips and her eyelashes, making it look as if she herself embodied a radiating sun. The movement put her well into Methys' personal space.
Methys was already halfway into taking a rushed step back, when the Venusian ruler commented like a mother reprimanding her child. "Methys, my dear, don't be so stiff and formal. You shouldn't emulate your mother in that regard. It's not as if I hadn't held you on my arms, when you were just a lively little pipsqueak, who couldn't get enough of my hair." Methys blushed and when a delicate hand found her shoulder and brushed approvingly through her soft tresses, she immediately stiffened. "Relax, dearie, I don't bite… well, at least not on those formal occasions." She chuckled and it sounded like the chimes of a light bell. "Now, let's do the greetings the Venusian way, shall we?"
Before she could come up with a way to resist, Methys was pulled into a bear hug and the fact that her face was pressed into Queen Sirani's voluptuous and barely covered bust, made her blush a glowing crimson. Stiff like a board, she suffered through the hug, careful not to move an inch and accidently get lose some of the feathers from where they were direly needed.
As soon as she was released, Methys stumbled back entirely embarrassed and they could see the group around Natai and Michiko snicker silently. Methys sent them a subtle death glare, while clinging to her last bit of proper composure.
The Queen just endowed her with a knowing smile that had a teasing edge to it. At a lower volume she jibed just for Methys to hear, while deliberately putting her arm around her shoulders. "Aah, just as easily embarrassed as that cute brother of yours. Well, you are truly a chip of the same block. Always so stiff and proper. That must be truly tiring. Relax a bit and enjoy the party. That's why we are here for, aren't we? What is hard work worth for, if you don't enjoy the spoils? From what I heard you were taking care of the organization and if the organizer is not enjoying herself, how are the guests expected to do so? You need to set an example. A tense host makes for a tense atmosphere, and that's not what we want, is it?" She wiggled her eyebrows at her, patting her playfully on the shoulder.
"Ahem, no…" Methys stuttered completely out of her element.
"Good." The Queen sounded a bit as if she would praise a dog for fetching the stick correctly. However, the equally dazzling and salacious smile that followed made her choice of tone almost insignificant. "So, what do you say? Will this be a party worth remembering?"
Methys' eyebrows shot skyward and for a moment, she appeared entirely distracted, before she managed to pull herself together. In a forced composed manner, she fled back to proper etiquette, but a flicker of pride glinted in her eyes. "I assure you; you will be thoroughly entertained."
The Queen patted her lower back almost childishly until they could see Methys jump, when her hand had apparently wandered too far south. "That's what I wanted to hear, my dear. Mercurians might not know how to enjoy a party, but they for sure know how to throw one." The Queen smiled alluringly, an amused twinkle in her eyes. "And don't worry: it's not too hard to satisfy my needs. I am very adept in taking care for my own entertainment." Methys looked as if she was pretty sure that she herself was fulfilling that very role at the very moment.
She cuffed sheepishly. "I … I am glad to hear … that." She looked anything but that. "I am sure my mother will be here shortly to greet you properly." She sounded as if she direly hoped that would happen very, very soon.
Sirani just winked at her nonchalantly. "Ah, don't worry. She can take her time. I am not in a hurry. Time has the habit to pass quickly with the right company and the... view is truly nothing to scoff on." She made an all-encompassing gesture towards the impressive reception hall that surrounded them, but her eyes did not stray from Methys at all and she made definitely no secret of scanning her from head to toe appreciatively.
Methys gulped. "Em, I… right. I hope you had a pleasant journey." She feebly tried it with a change of topic.
The Queen looked at her almost pitifully for using such an obvious diversion tactic, but decided to play along. "Oh, you know, travelling is always such a hassle. Being cramped in such a tiny space … with nothing to do. I always get the most hilarious ideas on how to pass the time. And I am afraid my daughters are not much better in that regard." She sighed theatrically, before she leaned down to Methys' ear to purr secretively. "Just between the two of us, I assure you I love my daughters very much, but all of them at once are even for me a bit too much to handle, if you know what I mean." Methys blushed immediately, her mind apparently entirely stuck in the gutter. She definitely caught the same hidden innuendo; they were not entirely sure they heard. The embarrassed gulp that followed made a nudge of complacence leak through the Queen's nearly perfectly executed innocent smile.
Methys' eyes darted briefly to her retinue, who were patiently waiting for their conversation to end and you could almost see the gears in her head turning in a way that heated up her cheeks even more.
The Venusian Queen probably knew very well, why she looked so flustered, and used the opportunity to involve her daughters as well. "Oh, I think my daughter Dena is almost your age. I am sure you two could have quite some fun together." She even managed to make that sound salacious without even changing her expression or tone at all.
Methys blinked, not sure, whether she had just been invited to a one-night stand, by the mother of her supposed suitor no less. Her eyes darted briefly to one of the blondes standing behind her mother, who must have heard, what was said and appeared entirely in line with it. She gave her a dazzling smile that reminded her more of a predator showing its fangs. That gave her all confirmation she needed to ascertain that she indeed got it right. With even more embarrassment showing, Methys insisted. "I assure you I have all the fun I need."
Sirani displayed a pitying look. "That I doubt very much, my dear. I am sure if you would give her a chance you could learn quite a lot. That's what Mercurians like to do, don't they? Educating themselves in every field there is. I always admired your folks' enthusiasm and diligence. It can be put to versatile uses after all." And there was that dazzling smile again. The one that made you doubt she meant what you think you heard in the salacious subtext.
It was definitely effective on Methys, whose spine had stiffened, while she was searching for an appropriate response only to end up empty-handed. "I am… I am quite busy, Queen Sirani. I am sure your daughter wouldn't be into the boring details of overseeing the conference's proceedings."
"Oh, I am sure there are plenty of things Dena is into, that I am not aware of. So, I wouldn't count on that." She sent her daughter a knowing look, that was reciprocated with a playfully raised eyebrow.
The exchange only seemed to irritate Methys more. "I am afraid I have to decline."
Queen Sirani gauged her thoughtfully, a hand on her chin and one her eyebrows furrowed in a way that did not defuse from her radiant beauty. Methys gulped, probably afraid she had gone to far and ended up affronting her.
When the Queen spoke next, she appeared as thoughtful as someone who needed to choose the color of her dress. "Well, it appears I might have misinterpreted some vibes. Typically, I am always spot on with recognizing the signals. My mistake indeed. Fortunately, that misunderstanding can be fixed quite easily. I am sure my son Fazu would not be averse in showing you a good time either, if that is what suits your needs more."
You could see now, that Methys quickly was having enough of this conversation, but forced herself to remain polite while trying to keep her embarrassment in check. In fact, she did not even look at the man waving at her with obvious interest. "I am very much sure your son and your daughter will find other forms of entertainment. I don't require any services to my needs."
The Venusian Queen smiled playfully and she radiated the vibe of a cat playing with a mouse, she just caught. "What a pity. Well, if you change your mind, just say the word. I am very willing to approve of any intercultural friendships; my children can establish."
"Of that I am sure." Methys retorted in a forced neutral tone.
"You can pass the same message on to your brothers by the way. I am sure they might be more interested." That comment made the forced smile vanish from Methys' face instantly. Her body had stiffened to a point of discomfort, while the Queen just eyed her with newly awakened interest upon finding an apparent weak spot. In fact, she was waiting for her reaction, curious how far she could push her, until she snapped.
"I see you are already right in the middle of your usual form of intermingling." A sudden voice interrupted the tense moment coolly.
Methys turned around and a surprised and slightly relieved "Mother!" escaped her mouth.
The Venusian Queen's coy smile dimmed a lot upon seeing the Mercurian ruler, sensing the end of her game approaching fast. However, she quickly concealed any displeasure she might have felt about it. "Anairin. A pleasure to see you… as always. I almost didn't recognize you. Did you do something with your hair?"
The Mercurian Queen, Anairin, did not even bash an eyelash upon the subtle barb and just approached her in a purposeful stride that made clear she was here for business.
Stopping right in front of her, nearly invading her space, she responded simply. "I braided it… as usual. I considered it more animal friendly than your attire."
The Venusian Queen smirked at her and extended her hand in greeting. "Oh, I would be more worried about the infirm elderly gentleman of your court. They might get a bit too excited for their own good. We don't want any accidents after all. As for the animals, they parted form their feathers willingly and on a side note made quite the nice dinner. I am no animal abuser after all. Where is the fun in that?"
Queen Anairin took her hand and shook it as if it was a door knob. "Your idea of fun differs remarkably from mine."
A sly smile adorned the Venusian's lips. "Oh, I wasn't aware you had an idea of the concept at all."
The Mercurian's tone dropped an octave. "Oh, you mean in the same way that you have no idea what the concept of tact is. I sincerely apologize if I interrupted the suggestive pillow talk, you call a conversation. I hope you were done with trying to get my children in the beds of yours?"
Sirani shrugged playfully not the least bit affronted by her bluntness. "Well, whose beds it would have been, could be up to negotiation. But, truly, I can't help it. You have raised quite a bunch of eye candy. And, giving it a try won't do any harm. I think the match wouldn't be too bad."
"I beg to differ. My children have other things to do than passing their time with needless flings and bedroom adventures."
"Well, in my opinion you are keeping them on quite a short leash… not that I have anything against leashes."
The Mercurian Queen's eye twitched slightly, which earned her a smirk of Sirani in return upon provoking a reaction. "I am not asking for your opinion."
"Too bad. I am providing it anyway." She chimed. "In earnest, Anairin you should really chill out a bit."
The Mercurian raised a miffed eyebrow.
"Oops, my bad. A little accidental slip up in the phrasing: chilling might be indeed the wrong advice for you. Maybe, heating up would be more fitting in your case. Well, you know what I mean…" She winked at her casually.
"I am afraid I know exactly what you mean. I just don't care." Her voice had now reached arctic temperatures.
"Really, you just get wrinkles from all that frowning. You are taking things way too serious."
"I am surprised that word exists in your vocabulary."
"Oh, you would be surprised of the extent of my vocabulary. I am always told; my oral skills are quite extraordinary."
"I am sure you don't need too much vocabulary for that." She spat.
"Oh, you would be surprised." She wiggled her eyebrows suggestively.
The Mercurian Queen just glared at her.
"Oh, come on Anairin, I am just having a bit of fun ruffling some feathers. No need to get all grumpy."
"Ruffle your own feathers. There you have plenty to do at least if you use the ones not attached to your body."
There was a small pause, before a radiant smile spread over Sirani's face.
"Ah, you know riling you up, reminds me of the old times. I have missed those little spats."
"I for sure have not."
"Aah, don't be prissy. We both know you are lying, but you know what, I won't take it personal. We both know you need to keep face in front of your daughter and your people. Always the stoic ice block. I always wonder that your but is not frozen to that throne of yours, already. Deep down, you enjoy those little verbal spars as much as I do."
"On the contrary, I would enjoy it if you just for once would forgo your eccentric and narcissistic entrances for a normal one that does not throw all conduct out of proportion." She lectured snappishly.
The Venusian Queen pulled a face, which made her not one bit less attractive. "Baah, that would be boring. After all, I have a reputation to uphold."
"Believe me, that one is well enough established to survive any normal behavior on your part unscathed." Anairin remarked dryly.
Sirani cooked her head to the side, suddenly thoughtful. "You know what; I consider taking it down a notch, if you take off your ice block persona for once."
"I don't know what you mean." A hidden warning was resonating in those words.
Sirani did not heed it. Instead her crystal-blue eyes turned a shade darker and a strange mix between compassionate pity and disapproving reprimand shone in them. "Oh, you do. The ice might serve you well at the moment, but do remember that even the most flexible and durable materials get more brittle when they are frozen. Sooner or later that ice you cherish so much won't withstand the pressure anymore. It will break and then all that is left will be splinters."
The temperature in the room seemed to drop some degrees. "Is that a threat?" The way too aggressive response took them by surprise.
The Venusian however appeared not to have expected anything different and remained unfazed. "No, merely an assessment." She remarked and there was no malice or mockery in her words anymore, just a tint of barely hidden resignation.
Those expressions quickly vanished behind a radiant smile that preluded a carefully chosen change in topic. "Now, where have we been before we drifted into the frosty realm? Ah, I remember; those braids of yours… I could swear you wore those beads in a different order than last time we saw each other. Looks good. If you feel really adventurous you might think about doing them on the other temple." Her mockery was obvious.
The Mercurian Queen grunted dismissingly, apparently back to her unimpressed persona. "I would appreciate it, if you would cease your petty shenanigans for one minute and enter that hall so that we can finally proceed with the festivities, the ones that were delayed because of your late arrival."
"Oh, the truly important guests need to be late. That's an unwritten rule. Being late is fashion."
"Maybe on Venus, but we are not on Venus, so I expect you to stick to our terms of fashion no matter how annoying you think our schedules are."
"You and your schedules. Where is the spontaneity in those? No wonder the word fun alludes you."
"I have people to lead. All other personal whims have to come second to that. A concept you apparently did not manage to take to heart at all in the decades of your rule." She chided.
"You know; your lectures are starting to become repetitive. I am Queen. I can live like one. If there is work, I have people for that."
"Oh that's what they are for? I wasn't entirely sure about some that keep you company."
"Oh, I was always in favor of supporting people with multiple talents, a concept you of all people should understand. If I distribute the work on the shoulders of others, I deem capable and it works out, what is there to complain about. My people are free-spirited, not mindless drones. They appreciate a little bit of freedom and don't begrudge me of it either."
A dark shadow flashed over Queen Anairin's face that had nothing to do with her bad mood and for a moment she appeared tempted to throw in a vicious comment, but then she apparently had a change of heart. A second later she probably regretted her reservation, when Sirani promptly used her silence against her.
"What? No clever comeback? I thought I would have to retain you physically form going into non-stop lecture mode."
"Not today. II hate to waste my breath and I would have probably more luck with getting you in a decent dress."
"I that pure envy talking there? Well, I would have complimented your dress, but you don't even wear a dress and that robe is, well, somewhat underwhelming. I can't remember any time when that was in trend. Where is the personal touch? A bit less of…well, everything wouldn't do any harm either. It kinda leaves everything to the imagination."
"Well, not everyone can strive for nothing." She commented acerbically.
"True enough. Sadly, not everyone is as blessed with the required assets as I am. But I tell you what: you shouldn't underestimate your assets. You have pretty eyes, especially when they sparkle in contained rage as they do now. Very enticing, indeed. It makes me curious what you can do with all that pent-up energy."
"Keep your false flattery to yourself, would you? It's getting you nowhere." The Mercurian Queen growled in warning, which was promptly ignored.
"Oh, I assure you it gets me everywhere." Her voice was dripping with innuendo.
"Well, not with me."
Sirani just shrugged. "If you insist. I prefer to let people think what they want to. Then we rather return to the small talk about your robe from before, don't you think. And to be frank, it definitely needs something to pep it up…" A thoughtful expression appeared on her face that was as fake, as it could get. "I don't know; I am pretty sure I brought some spare feathers…" She mused with a twinkle of her eyes. "Want some?"
The Mercurian's eye twitched dangerously. "If you don't enter that hall right now, you might be the one in dire need for your spares." Anairin snarled disdainfully, clinging to the last bit of her patience.
The Venusian raised a suggestive brow. "Woah, now you are the one threatening me? That's kinda… hot. I knew there was some kind of fire hidden in those icy depths. You know, if you wanted to detach some feathers, you should have just said a word and we could have skipped the whole … foreplay to come to a satisfying tradeoff." She wiggled her eyebrows again and Anairin just growled in warning which apparently appeared as effective as. "I definitely wouldn't mind to melt some ice layers in return. A bit of heat might thaw the Ice Queen and how is the saying: it's always the quiet ones that turn out to be the most fun…"
"If you deem me a quiet one then you must be even more escapist than I thought."
Sirani cocked an intrigued eyebrow. "Good to know, although hard to believe. On a side note, I can always be convinced by practical experience."
"Well, if you desire practical experience so much I can provide you with a kick through the door, in case you still don't feel the need to move in the next split of a second. I will make sure to handle the matter far from quietly." She snarled at her.
"Really? I didn't know you were into those urges. Well, I am open for everything. I would suggest we continue in a more private setting, though?"
"Believe me, my current urges would not agree with you." She growled threateningly.
Sirani's eyes lit up playfully. "Well, I have to take your word for that, but I admit my curiosity is peaked … in all other aspects I am sadly still working on it."
She sighed theatrically and leaned a bit lower. Anairin just stood her ground stoically, when she purred into her ear, refusing to take a step back. "You could be of some help in some of these aspects as I could be to you. If you just pulled through with those threats and let off some of that pent-up steam, god forbid, you might even have a good time, but no… you are just talk and empty promises. What a pity. Tell me if you are up to that challenge and I am willing to offer a helping hand."
Anairin just rolled her eyes at her not dignifying the salacious offer with a heated response. Instead, she turned her back to her, ignoring the innuendo altogether and strode towards two huge double doors. "My, you must be short on volunteers. Have you already chased away your usual play buddies?"
Sirani just followed her, enjoying herself greatly. "Hardly. I am just being generous. You know there can be peaks… aah perks in being Queen and you definitely shouldn't ignore the beneficial impact they can have on ruling an Empire. Just give it a try and share your bed with something else besides paperwork."
Anairin's eye roll upon the intentional slipup was far from subtle. "You will be announced in 30 seconds." She gave a hand signal to a page boy. "Try not to lose your dress on the staircase."
"Oh, don't worry. I am sure there would be plenty of helping hands to piece it back together." She purred.
"Twenty seconds."
"As always a pleasure, Anairin even if it's not the kind of pleasure I would have preferred." Sirani sighed theatrically and turned away from the Queen's back. "Oi, Methys, we see each other down there. I am sure you did splendid work with the organization. Just one little side note to the welcome drinks: that greenish color was a terrible choice. I heard golden is trendy, right now. Well, isn't it always?" She twinkled at her.
Methys smiled half-heartedly, although she looked a tad bit perturbed.
The Mercurian Queen just stood there frowning, while Sirani winked at them casually, before she stepped through the double doors that opened right in front of her, her radiant smile ready to be used to its full capacity.
They could hear the formal announcement. "Queen Sirani of Venus and her daughters, the Crown princesses Andami, Cori, Dena, Minarin, Emilia and Fava as well as the Crown Prince Fazu."
The procession proceeded at a snail's pace, basking in the attention of the ball room that consisted of murmuring and sporadic clapping.
Finally, the double doors closed and the scowl on the Mercurian Queen's face deepened.
Methys stepped carefully to her side and they could see Natai approach as well.
Anairin sent her daughter a brief side glance. "We will wait a couple of minutes. Let her bask in the spotlight, she craves so much. With a bit of luck, she will find some other easy prey catching her fickle attention and we don't have to deal with her anymore."
Methys nodded. "Yes, mother."
It was quiet for a moment.
The Queen sent her another side glance. "Chairman Ravel called me right before I arrived here." Methys immediately stiffened. "He said you want a last-minute change in the curriculum to include a stroll through the city for our guests. He made it very clear to me that he considers it an … unwise idea." From the tone it got clear that he used way less diplomatic words.
A hint of anger appeared on Methys' face. "Yes, but…"
"I approved it." Her mother interrupted curtly.
"What?!" There was genuine confusion on her face.
"I said, I approved it." She repeated coolly. "I might agree with him about it being an unwise idea, but I made you the Chief Organizer. When he comes crawling to me to complain behind your back, I consider that a breach of protocol, I for sure won't reward by abiding to his wishes. So, I had to approve your decision. However, next time you plan to make changes of that magnitude, I expect you to consult me first, instead of deciding this on a whim of yours." She waited for a moment and it got soon clear that she expected a response from Methys.
Her daughter frowned. "I will." She finally relented.
Anairin nodded stiffly. "Excellent. And for the next time you encounter the Venusian Queen, do try to appear a bit less pathetic. You let her play her games with you however she pleased."
Methys paled. "She…"
"She is a tease… and you played right into her hands. You can do better than that." She chided. "And for what it's worth, you have still glittery makeup on your cheek. Better wash that off, before the whole hall speculates for the entire evening, how close exactly you and the Venusian Queen truly got."
Methys did not respond this time. She just turned and strode away, the muscles in her throat and jaw clenched tightly.
They could still hear Natai trying to come to her rescue. "It wasn't her fault. The Venusian Queen…"
"I know whose fault it was." Anairin cut him short and Methys sped up her pace even more to get out of their earshot.
She strode towards the double doors that were swiftly opened by the two guards upon her approach. She nodded stiffly at them before entering a small anteroom in the same corridor. It was a mixture between bathroom and dress room. A huge mirror was in front of her, right above the sinks, decorated with a silver frame in a snowflake design. She did not even spare it one glance. Instead, she leaned on the sink, her knuckles turning to bone white, when she clenched her fingers tightly around the edge. Head lowered; her whole body heaved when she carefully inhaled only to hold her breath for a while. Then she seemed to sag, when she finally let the breath out. She carefully looked up in the mirror and studied herself for a while, an unreadable expression on her face. However, she was making no attempts to wash the makeup off that glittered all the more on her cheek due to the brighter lighting.
Then she tore her eyes away from the mirror and grabbed a small towel that lay to the side.
When she turned back and opened the faucet, her face was downcast again.
That's why she didn't see the additional reflection that had appeared in the mirror.
The rest of them did though and a collective gasp went through their group.
Michiru stiffened and was on the verge of shouting a warning, before she remembered that nobody would hear her, least of all Methys. She exchanged helpless glances with the others but they were in equal states of shock.
Michiru knew that face. They all did.
It made cold sweat pour down Michiru's back, when the full brunt of recognition hit her like a sledgehammer. The physical response startled her. She did not expect that the mere sight of him made her blood race through her veins and her heart flutter like a frantic bird in a cage. She felt the same shortage of breath she had when she last encountered him. When his sword had almost sliced her chest open. She could almost feel the tip on her jugular.
There was no doubt left. It was him.
Laertes was here.
And he stepped up behind Methys unnoticed. Michiru expected him to slam her head on the counter, she expected him to show a manic sneer, she expected him to conjure another ice sword and run her through with it, splattering the pristine mirror with ruby droplets of her blood.
However, he just stood there quietly, observing her.
The tension in the room was almost palpable. They all waited with bated breath for something to happen, something that could only be terrible. They were all wondering, whether this was supposed to happen, whether he was supposed to be here in these memories, or whether he invaded the mirror somehow, finding them even here.
Michiru was restless now and she could see the same fear reflected in the eyes of the others. Usagi already had her hand in front of her mouth, the shock visible in her widened eyes. The others wore similar bewildered expressions and Michiru wished she could talk to them. Instead, her eyes were drawn back to what was happening right in front of her. Laertes stepped towards Methys and one of his hands darted forward.
The room froze in horrid anticipation.
Methys remained oblivious to his presence until his hand found her shoulder.
She stiffened briefly, only to relax slightly, when she apparently recognized the appendage resting on her shoulder. She turned around, facing him, entirely unguarded, the residual tension leaving her muscles as a wave. In fact, she appeared glad and relieved to see him and a small smile danced over her lips.
Sheer horror appeared on Michiru's face, when suddenly an idea formed in her mind, an idea that was entirely terrible. Could it be? Was it possible that he was… she did not dare to finish that thought.
Instead she just watched, trying to will the horrendous idea away with all her might.
A not entirely convincing half-grin had appeared on Methys' face upon looking him over. It was probably set in place to smooth over the previous downer of her own mood. "So, that's where you have been hiding all along. Not too far from the closet I suspected you to end up in." She jested half-heartedly.
"Oh, I tried to avoid that one by a hairbreadth. I just needed a refuge to make myself look, well… less disheveled. That glitter truly sticks like glue and I am sure they left some lip gloss as well. Unavoidable, when each of them had to peck me on the cheek as a welcome greeting as per Venusian tradition, which gave them plenty of opportunity to feel me up. Actually, I am not entirely sure, whether they made that tradition up for that very purpose. However, I am pretty sure making a competition out of seducing your host out of his pants is not part of the typical greetings I am familiar with." He smiled at her, but his eyes darted from her head to toe as if he looked for something that was amiss.
Methys smiled at him with pity. "Well, you survived. Sorry for…"
"… their behavior? Saddling me with greeting them? You truly should not apologize for things you did not cause, Methys and definitely not to me. Besides, they are good training. If you can deal with the Venusians everybody else should be a piece of cake. Weaseling out of their clutches should be included in the curriculum of the diplomacy training as final exam."
She hummed in agreement and it sounded tired. "Mother is waiting. You should go in already." Methys then added. "I'll … need another minute."
He appeared troubled and granted her a sympathetic smile. "Is everything alright, Methys?"
"Of course. I am fine. Why wouldn't I be?" Was the nonchalant response when she turned around to the sink in a rather obvious gesture to avoid his prying eyes.
A crease appeared on his forehead. "You don't look fine. When I came in, you looked… definitely not fine."
"It's … it's nothing. Don't worry about it."
He stepped closer to her and put his left hand on her shoulder soothingly. "Worrying about my sister is part of my job description as older brother. Tell me, what is it?" He asked her gently.
"It's nothing, Laertes, and you are older by what… five minutes?" She tried not very subtly to get the topic back into a more joyous territory.
"I think it's six. You took your sweet time to follow my example." He joked lightly.
"Well, I wasn't sure whether your example was worth following."
Meanwhile, Michiru's eyes were widened to saucers, when she tried to come to terms with what was paying out plainly in front of her. She gaped at them as if the world had caved in and her greatest fears were affirmed.
They were siblings! He was her twin brother! Laertes was her twin brother.
She had no time to fathom that horrendous fact, when her eyes were glued to them, watching every slight movement and yearning for every uttered word.
Laertes put his arms around her shoulders while still standing behind her and an unwanted flashback shot through Michiru's mind. He had held her like that, when he stabbed through her shoulder with that ice sword he conjured. Back then a manic sneer had adorned his features. Now, the whole gesture was nothing but gentle and caring. Methys leaned back into him willingly, accepting the silent support.
"Close your eyes." He said gently.
"We don't have time. Mother wa—"
"Then let her wait a bit longer. You are all tensed up and stressed. And you are angry. You need to calm down before we get in there. So, close your eyes and relax."
Methys sighed. "I don't have any say in this, do I?"
"No. You have been ordering people around all day. Now, it's your turn to follow orders and do as I say."
"So bossy…" She joked light-heartedly, but obeyed his request and finally closed her eyes.
"If you do not talk, then we do it this way. Someone needs to take you down a notch, before you run yourself racked. And don't think by any means, we won't talk about this later. And now, relax. You know the score. So, just take your time and do the mental relaxation exercises I know you haven't done for days. I..."
"Will you also shut up at some point or am I supposed to relax during your non-stop lecture?"
A smile tugged at his lips. "Look, who is the bossy one now?"
And then they were quiet. Methys leaned into him fully and he just held her patiently. The gesture was intimate and a random observer could probably easily mistake it for something romantic. However, if you looked closer at their body language, it was obvious that it wasn't. There were no wandering hands and no assessing looks, just his steady presence that supported her, because she needed it as if it was a matter of course. Michiru herself had no siblings, so she did not really know what the norm in the typical interaction was. She wasn't even sure there was a norm. However, what she saw between them was steadfast trust and the will to ease whatever troubles the other might have with all means necessary. It was love and affection that was simply a given and an understanding in the others needs and troubles.
Just watching it made Michiru choke on her breath. It made her sick.
They were close. It was so fucking obvious just from these few moments and it hit Michiru like a smack in the face.
It just couldn't be true.
She had seen those two fight.
She had seen the rage, the mockery and the cruelty in their strikes.
They had torn each other apart with not a bit of compassion, drawing blood over and over.
What the hell happened to the both of them to make them act like that?
To make them slice each other up with no mercy? To turn unconditional love and affection into merciless cruelty? She saw the injuries that resulted out of their fight. Laertes had stabbed her. He dislocated her shoulder and broke her arm. He almost choked her to death and threw her body into the iced-over pool to drown.
How could he do that to his own sister?
How could he do that to someone he had obviously once loved?
No, that wasn't all there was to it. They had both fought with the intent to kill. Those feelings had been mutual.
Methys had made the guns explode right in his hands. She had put her sword on his throat with the clear intent to slice it open. She k.o.-ed him with a frying pan. She had cut him every chance she got. She had to be coerced notto kill him, when he was unconscious.
The violence had been mutual.
All of a sudden she saw rapid movement in her periphery vision. It was Haruka who tried to get her attention. When Michiru finally tore her gaze away from what was happening, she looked at her girlfriend expectantly.
The blonde's face was grim and she made a hand sign.
Michiru was not as obsessed with sports as Haruka was, but this one was easy to understand.
Haruka requested a timeout.
AN: So, chapter done. I hope I didn't too bad. It's really hard to write something like The Venusians behavior, when it's not in your mother tongue, so I hope the innuendos where somewhat accurate and not too artificial or entirely wrong. Still, it was fun to write those two Queens, and Methys doesn't have it easy either. As for Laertes, well, besides Ami (and my dear readers) no one knew so far that he was Methys' brother. However, there was one fact I didn't mention before, which was newly revealed here: they are twins. The next time will be a little timeout, but only a short one.