AN: Well, I guess you are already tired of my excuses of always being late. So, I just skip this part and continue with what you really want to read about after I left you hanging for so long. After the semi cliffhanger from last time here is finally Methys' encounter with the Lunarians with Queen Serenity appearing as an unwanted surprise guest. Enjoy.
Previously:
Methys was sitting there on the floor, doing nothing but meditating.
It was then they heard footsteps.
When she finally faced the entrance, her composed expression wavered, before it crumbled entirely and for a moment she looked as if somebody slapped her in the face. Shock, anger and an expression of being conned, flashed up briefly in quick succession, before she managed to lock those urges into a cage with solid bars.
The reason for her emotional outbreak was obvious.
Princess Serenity did come, but she wasn't alone.
She brought her mother along.
Both blonde-haired women stood at the entry of the pavilion and it wasn't entirely clear whether they waited for some kind of permission from Methys' side to approach her. If they did, they obviously wouldn't get one. A visible battle was raging in the agitated Mercurian and for a moment she looked as if she was on the verge of stomping away, any planned conciliatory talks be damned. And still she stood her ground. Whether it was conviction to pull this through no matter what or just her being paralyzed in shock, they couldn't tell.
However, one thing was painfully obvious. Her whole demeanor had shifted.
Her sapphire eyes glinted coldly, now. Her mouth was set firmly, her posture stiff like a statue. Her face blank and stoic, her eyes darting around warily as if she expected to be jumped any moment. They knew that mask. She had pulled it off often enough, when facing them. She brought her shields up and for the first time they truly comprehended this mask for what it was. A shield. A thick veil to protect what was beneath, but it wasn't working only in this one direction. No, said veil kept her anguish inside and allowed no leakage of anything she didn't want to show. An inner anchor to tame a sea of emotions, she rather kept under tight wraps than exposed on her sleeve.
How often did they mistake that behavior for open malice, for cold indifference, for unfeeling cruelty? How often did they label her an icy bitch for brushing off any form of sympathy like an abominable speck on her shoe? How often did she shock them with her crass attitude and seemingly clinical words in situations of emotional distress?
They never understood.
She wasn't unfeeling. She did feel. She just wanted to hide that fact.
She dazzled people with her ruff behavior to distract attention away from what she aimed to hide.
It wasn't meant as offense. Not really. Not entirely. First and foremost, it was a form of defense that could be archived under the greater category 'Attack is the best form of defense.'".
She braced herself in ice to numb the inferno of emotions beneath and decorated it with spikes to keep anyone away, who might try to melt it.
She concealed her insecurities and fears. She hid behind that impressive armor, but it was mostly a defensive move. It was a ritual to focus, it was her way of finding strength to pull through what would obviously evolve into a tight situation. They never noticed because she had already cultivated this art to a form of almost perfection when they first met her. What they saw now, wasn't perfect, though. Not yet at least. There were cracks in her armor that had not been as obvious any longer when she was older. At least they had not been for their untrained eyes.
For a moment, the three royal women just looked at each other. Methys tried to give away as little as possible, while the Lunarian Queen eyed her up thoroughly like a newly discovered species of herb, unsure as of yet, whether it would be useful for healing or as a means of poisoning. It irked Methys. In fact, they could see a muscle in her jaw twitching and a somewhat rebellious glint had appeared in her eyes. Her hands wandered behind her back, where they clenched too tightly for a gesture that was supposed to display cultivated composure.
Princess Serenity, on the other hand, was desperately trying to merge with the background. She fidgeted uneasily and wrung her hands in front of her white dress nervously. She almost vanished in the presence of her mother and that appeared entirely her intent.
She knew. She knew about the upcoming train wreck this conversation was bound to be.
After scanning Methys so unabashed, the Queen apparently had come to a conclusion, although she gave nothing away about the nature of her assessment. When no formal greeting was put forth, she took matters in her own hands. "Your Royal Highness, Crown Princess of Mercury. It is a great pleasure to meet you." She dipped her head with a small smile, which was neither exaggerated nor too tense, her chime-like voice composed and focused and not giving away, whether she was lying or not. The greeting of a trained diplomat with lots of experience, who was facing the unknown in the most impartial way.
And Methys apparently wasn't on par with her and she knew it. The real problem was, she didn't even seem to try, though.
"Your Majesty, Queen Serenity." The Mercurian responded stoically and when she dipped her head in return, she made sure not to dip any lower than the Queen had. In fact, the sharp movement looked anything but respectful but more like a necessity. "Your Royal Highness, Princess Serenity." She greeted her daughter as well, but her eyes only darted briefly to her, before they focused again on the obviously more dangerous threat in the room. In the royal circles, they were a part of, it was probably already an affront to almost ignore the princess and not greet the Queen first during the whole encounter, since Methys technically had a lower rank. She was no Queen and no Senshi, yet and still she stood there facing a woman, who was in fact both with barely showing the lowest curtesy.
The awkward and bristling silence that followed couldn't gloss over that mere fact. It made it only stand out more.
This wasn't a meeting of kindred spirits. This was a tense tight-rope act and it wasn't quite clear, yet what extent of animosity each party was willing to risk to push the other off the rope. One thing was clear, though. No one wanted to the petty one that executed the first real push.
However, whereas a certain unbridled anger was simmering in Methys' whole demeanor, the Queen was less willing to throw away all civility that early in their encounter.
She resorted again to a small smile that was probably meant to be appeasing, since it was definitely not genuine. "I thank you for the invitation here. It is quite a lovely place." The attempt to open their conversation with flimsy small talk was not lost on Methys. However, she apparently wasn't keen on making it easy for her.
"It is a secluded place." She clarified, leaving the interpretation of the comment completely open.
The Queen studied her again with obvious interest, apparently astonished by her bluntness. Still, she chose not to retaliate with the very accusations Methys had probably expected… or rather baited her to voice: That this was the perfect location to set up a trap. Instead, she went the opposite way. "Yes, it is secluded. And I appreciate the choice. It makes voicing what I want to convey to you much easier."
Methys remained unimpressed by her unexpected flattery. She rather chose to point out the obvious in the most impolite way ever. "Does it? I wasn't aware that there was anything you wanted to convey to me. To be honest, I wasn't even expecting you to come here, since my original invitation was directed solely to your daughter."
The barely veiled accusation was not lost on the Queen. "I am aware it was. And I apologize for the… ambush." Her small smile immediately vanished, when Methys' eyes narrowed for her choosing to put it that way. If it was meant as a joke to lighten the atmosphere, she clearly didn't appreciate it. The Queen was quick to point out more sincerely. "I assure you; I mean no threat. I am just here to talk and to … lend a hand."
"Lend a hand? I assure you this would have gone way smoother without you lending a hand." Methys almost appeared to regret the comment right after it slipped. In fact, her eyes had widened a bit as if she couldn't believe herself that she said it like that. She was the one in the offensive, she was pulling the shots right now, but it apparently wasn't something she had done deliberately.
However, she wasn't apologizing for it either.
On the contrary, when the Queen winced upon her barely veiled affront, Methys couldn't stop herself from radiating a semblance of satisfaction.
Realizing that her strategy wasn't working to appease Methys' obvious hostility, but rather achieving the opposite, the Queen chose to change tactics. Vacating all attempts of humor, pleasantries or political dodges, she decided to drop her mask somewhat to let some more honesty leak through. "I am aware you are probably… displeased by this development and I am not a fool, who does not understand why that is… why you don't want me here."
"Good, then at least we are on the same page. You should be aware that not many of my people would tolerate that kind of surprise coming from you. So, enlighten me, why should I?" It sounded nicer than the words implicated; still it was way too blunt.
Queen Serenity looked at her with something in between sadness and disappointment, as if she had hoped for something different from her.
And she wasn't the only one.
Methys had promised Laertes only five minutes ago that she was going to settle this peacefully, that she wasn't going to let this escalate. Well, it was safe to say that the appearance of the Queen had completely thrown that plan out of the window. Whatever was brewing inside her, it apparently made her forget that initial intent. It made her brash, unforgiving and rude.
The Queen only sighed wearily upon her hostility, but did not seem surprised nor did she seem all too willing to reciprocate. She seemed only interested in smoothing the waters. "I do not want to stomp on etiquette and I am aware I should have asked for your consent before showing up here. However, you have to admit, there was no real opportunity for me to do so, since our way of communication was rather one-sided. I assure you; I have no ulterior motives. My intrusion is entirely for my daughter's sake. As her mother I am bound to worry and I hope you can relate to the desire to step in, when I have the feeling, she has brought herself into a situation, she is not able to handle herself in all its personal and political aspects. If I overstepped my boundaries, then I apologize for affronting you… but it wasn't done with any ill intent. I assure you I am not here to stir any confrontation, but to settle a potentially brewing one." She made a pleading face. "I am here for peace."
Methys' face appeared to soften somewhat and she seemed to remember that this was something they were supposed to have in common. And right now, she was doing a less than stellar job in maintaining said peace. Provocative, rude and hostile. That's what she had been so far and she seemed to realize that very fact in that moment for the first time. Methys exhaled stiffly and her whole body seemed to lose some of its rapt tension, when she forced herself to calm down. At the end, she settled with a grudging: "In that case I will listen to what you have to say."
The Queen noticed her change of mood immediately and dared to smile softly. "That curtesy is highly appreciated. Believe me it's not something bad I have to say, quite the contrary. So, please let us not focus on past animosities, …" Upon Methys' slightly peeved expression the Queen added a tad bit hastily. "Just this once, just for now." The glimmer of hope in her eyes held a touch of despair.
Hesitating briefly, Methys gave her a reluctant nod, that barely counted as such.
The Queen took it as her agreement and continued, now that she had the chance to pledge her case. "It has come to my attention that I am highly indebted to you for saving my daughter out of a life-threatening situation. You have my deepest gratitude for risking your own life to save that of my beloved daughter. I don't want to imagine the outcome, had you not been there and acted so swiftly and bravely. The fact, that you did so, despite the political … differences between our houses makes me all the more grateful." Her tone was formal but not unfriendly. In fact, she appeared to be genuine, but guarded about not to tick her off.
Methys was calmer now, more in control of herself. "You are invited guests and protected ambassadors of the United Confederation and as long as you reside on Mercury it is my duty to provide for your security, accommodation and your comfort. I assure you, your daughter or someone else, I would have tried to save anyone who fell into that river."
"Would you? Well, I shouldn't be surprised. You are one of their top Senshi candidates for a reason. Your actions prove that you would be an excellent choice."
Methys' eyebrows narrowed. That topic wasn't exactly her favorite and it showed. "You did not strike me as the type for unfounded flattery. With all due respect, you don't know me, Your Majesty. You cannot know, whether I would be suited for the position. One deed makes you not a good Senshi."
The Queen cocked her head to the side, surprised by her opposition. "Maybe not. However, I followed the broadcast. From your ranking it's clear you bring the required education and skill with you. What those rankings do not reveal is where your heart stands. I believe your actions today provided some insight in that regard and it … gives me hope for the future." She looked sadly to the ground. "It's reassuring that my daughter did not pay for my mistakes in the end. That her savior did not choose to stand by and do nothing just to get back at me."
Her daughter's eyes widened, but the Queen kept her focus solely on Methys as if she didn't want to miss even the slightest detail of her reaction.
For a second Methys just blinked, as if she couldn't believe that she said that aloud. Apparently, the both of them countered bluntness with bluntness now. Looking for a way to talk to her, that seems what the Queen came up with.
Searching for words Methys settled for something unrefined. "I … might not like you very much; that much is probably obvious, but revenge isn't something I strive for, Queen Serenity. And by no means would I support revenge like that. I know what it means to lose family and I wouldn't wish it on anyone." She looked briefly at the princess. "Your daughter never caused any harm to me or my people. I will not fall as low as to wreak a senseless vendetta on her, she had no hand in initiating whatsoever." Methys sounded more convinced than she probably was in that matter.
"And for that I am beyond grateful." And then out of the blue, she just bowed in front of her. Methys's eyebrows shot into her hairline. Apparently, bowing was not a gesture she had expected and she appeared lost on how to respond to it adequately. However, the Queen was not finished.
"Herewith, I beg you pardon for all the inconvenience my daughter has caused with her irresponsible behavior and if I can compensate in any way, I am fully willing to do so." She rightened herself again.
Methys' eyes darted to the Lunarian princess, who was still fidgeting nervously, but remained quiet. Her gaze was directed towards the ground. Then Methys' eyes focused again on the Queen, not daring to split her attention between both of them.
"I already told her I don't require any compensation." She then declared.
Queen Serenity nodded gracefully. "I know. My daughter told me you were quite insistent on that point. However, as her grateful mother I deemed it fit to repeat the offer. If discretion plays a role in your decision to decline a reward, then I assure you there are ways to ensure confidentiality."
"That is not the case. My answer stays the same. And forgive me if I put it so bluntly, but I am not very confident in your ability to handle the discretion aspect adequately, considering the very indiscrete staring in the ballroom just now."
The princess immediately flinched, knowing very well that she was to blame for that.
The Queen just sighed not even trying to fight the crude accusation. "A fair observation. And one I already pointed out to my daughter. There will be no further incidents of sorts. I beg you pardon if her behavior appeared rude. She is not very experienced in those grand festivities and has still much to learn of how to behave in political settings. If you felt affronted by any of her insistent looks or carelessly said words, I deeply apologize and I hope you can see them for what they are: youthful inexperience and…a kind of naïve approach to connect to her life saver."
Methys appeared to be surprised by her groveling, but it was something else that caught her interest. "Words? I was merely speaking about her constantly staring at me in the ballroom. We did not talk during the ball."
The Queen sent a confused side glance in her daughter's direction. "I am aware. However, my daughter confessed to me about uttering potentially inappropriate and … offensive comments after the rescue, when she was not aware of who you are. I was under the impression; amends have to be made to settle potential issues that might have arisen due to said comments. That's why I am here. To offer you whatever compensation you desire for your help and as an adequate apology for any trespasses my daughter might have unintentionally committed."
A flicker of understanding danced over Methys' face. She directed a side-glance at the princess and took pity in seeing her fidget in shame. She had kept out of the entire conversation so far, probably a direct consequence to her putting her foot in her mouth during their first encounter. "That won't be necessary. Her comments were not … affronting. I see now, that my invitation here might have been a bit misleading. I did not ask your daughter to come here to deliver reprimands or to demand repercussions for possible slights she committed after her rescue. I am not that easily offended. To be honest that thought did not even cross my mind, when I asked her to come here." She looked directly at Princess Serenity and when she lifted her eyes a ta bit in surprise, she even offered a very slight reassuring nod. "The princess had hit her head and I don't take anything personal that comes out of a potentially concussed individual nor do I remember a comment that was delivered with deliberate hostile intent. We… talked and if anything, I appreciated the honesty in her words, although certain things would have probably not been mentioned, had she known, who I was." She granted her a knowing tug of her lips and the princess seemed to relax a bit.
The Queen appeared perplexed. "If you do not demand any amends then why did you ask her to come here?"
Methys put her hands behind her back in a deliberate calming gesture. "As I already mentioned I wanted to ask her to stop staring. To stop raising unwanted attention to the matter." She stated as if that should have been obvious.
"That's …all?" The Queen appeared not convinced.
Methys cocked her head to the side apparently not too keen of the fact that the Queen didn't consider that alone sufficient to warrant this meeting. "Well, not entirely. My request entails a further albeit connected aspect. I think we are all aware of the political power this incident entails. I am here to ask you not to exploit it. I think it would be in the interest of both sides, if what happened doesn't become public knowledge."
The Queen's face darkened a tad bit. "You are worried about your image. About what your fellow countrymen would think about their future Senshi saving the life of Lunarian royalty."
Methys frowned, not even trying to hide it. "And can you fault me for it? It would cause an uproar; I admit I am not quite willing to face. I still have the ascension trials to think of. I worked hard to get where I am. And no matter how you look at it, in this case saving a life will not be seen as a noble deed, quite the contrary."
The princess shrunk into herself upon her putting it so bluntly.
The Queen pursed her lips disapprovingly. "I do not like where this is going. Animosities towards my person I can tolerate. But no one has the right to slander my daughter's name, when she has done nothing to deserve such treatment."
Methys stood her ground. "I do agree with your assessment. I am merely stating that not everyone thinks that way here, as you should be well aware."
"And still, you are bold enough to tell me right into the face my daughter is not worth saving."
"With all due respect, that's not what I said. I told you I would have saved anyone who fell into the waters. That still holds true. A life is a life. And still if a soldier is killed on the battlefield this is labeled as collateral damage required for the bigger cause. His death will be accepted as one of many. However, if it's a public figure dying in his bed of old age he will be mourned and his name will be added to the annals of history. So, who sacrificed more, the young man, who was robbed of his future or the old one, who lived a prosperous life harvesting the spoils of the very actions he is later on praised for? What I am trying to say is, both of them served their country but public perception of their deaths is different and not necessarily fair. The same as public perception here will label the rescue of your daughter as a mistake instead of acknowledging it as the right thing to do. I don't think it is right. I am just being realistic."
"So, you are not regretting it?"
Methys paused for a moment and looked at the Princess' lowered head thoughtfully. And they could see she finally reached a conclusion; she had been struggling with for quite some time. "No. From what I could see, I saved a kind-hearted, open and curious young woman. I might not welcome this hassle about it nor do I look forward to more of it, but no, I am not ashamed of saving a person that personally has given me no reason to think badly about her."
Princess Serenity's head shot up in sheer surprise. A grateful smile lit up her face and Methys instantly looked somewhere else.
The Queen studied her, clearly intrigued, but not quite sure what she was supposed to do with her.
The feeling appeared to be reciprocated.
However, Methys wanted to bring this to an end quickly. "Look, you were offering a reward for saving the Princess earlier. All I am expecting in return to my efforts is confidentiality about the whole incident and the assurance that there will be no repercussions from your side. Just consider that as my reward."
That appeared to confuse the Queen even more. "Why should there be repercussions from our side? You pulled her out of the water. You escorted her back to our quarters. And although you are quite outspoken, my daughter assured me you were nothing but kind and considerate to her. You even lent her dry clothes. There is nothing I can fault you for, is there?" She looked at the silent Lunarian princess for confirmation. The princess shook her head, confirming that assessment whole-heartedly.
Methys just observed them warily, as if she didn't dare to believe in her word. "With all due respect, don't take me for a fool, Queen Serenity. You know very well what opportunity you hold here in your hands. One word about this and you could tremendously influence, who is going to be the next Mercurian Senshi. If one word about this gets out, my mother and half of the council will be anything but pleased. And if people begin to speculate whether our meeting on that bridge was purely by chance, whether the fall of the princess was merely an accident, where her security entourage was, when the accident happened…" A worried frown marred her face now. "If people have reached the state, when they are asking those questions only to make up the answers that come them to pass…. Then… this might be as well the starting shot to … war."
Methys gnashed her teeth. "So, I can't refrain from asking myself: is war what you want? Because if it is, all it needs are some well-placed scatters of selected information for everything to get out of hand… If this is…"
"I do not want war!" The Queen interrupted her, a hint of indignation in her voice. "I told you I came for peace. If you do not take anything for my word you can take this. I wasn't lying about being grateful and I wasn't lying about being here to settle things. I thought I already made that clear."
"You may have tried. However, if you imagine yourself in my position you must understand, why I am not entirely convinced, whether I can trust in those reassurances." It wasn't said as an affront just as a matter of fact.
The Queen almost scoffed bitterly, old pain and shame flaring up in her eyes. "Yeah, a Mercurian trusting in the word of a Lunarian… ridiculous, isn't it?" She quickly schooled her expression to cover up her blunder.
Methys just cocked her head to the side, surprised by the sudden outburst.
The Queen sighed, regaining her composure. "You saved my daughter's life. Why should I use this very fact to orchestrate your downfall?"
"I do not consider myself aware of the extent of the advantages a revelation of this matter might provide for you, but I am pretty sure you could think about plenty ways to use it to your benefit."
The Queen looked taken aback, before sad resignation took its place. "Yes, I probably could. However, did you think about advantages for yourself when you rescued my daughter? You know the Silver Crystal is passed down my bloodline. My daughter is destined to become the next Senshi of the Lunarian Empire and she is the only one, who can take up that role. Today, you could have ended that succession, delivering a fatal blow to my Empire. You could have taken revenge for your father's death in the name of your family. And you could have promoted your Senshi career in the eyes of your people by achieving something no one has managed before. You could have gained all those advantages by simply doing nothing. And even now you could have made outrageous demands as retribution for some unfortunate words spoken to you. You know I had no choice but to meet them. And still in all those cases you chose to do the opposite. If you did not strive for advantages, then I for sure won't either. If nothing else, you must believe me that I wouldn't betray someone I owe that much."
"I truly wish I could believe that… but … You already did something comparable once before… to my father." She appeared to regret the words immediately after they slipped.
The comment caused abrupt silence and the Queen closed her eyes in obvious pain and resignation. The topic was obviously a very sore spot. She opened her mouth to retort, but closed it again, when no words wanted to come out. She tried again, but it went all the same. She did not deny the accusation. Did not bring forth any excuses. She just looked overwhelmed by guilt and shame.
Princess Serenity just observed her mother worriedly, before a determined expression appeared on her face. She stepped forward.
"Then believe in my word. If you cannot trust in my mother alone, then as the person, who is indebted with her life to you, I offer my word in addition to hers. I promise. What happened won't be used against you. As the one whose life you saved, I swear it to you."
Methys studied the princess closely, taken by surprise by her sudden forwardness. For some reason she apparently was convinced Methys was more likely to believe her than her mother. And that assessment appeared to be correct. Her words appeased the Mercurian to some extent.
The Queen had finally regained her speech and chose to add morosely. "What happened in the Riven War was … terrible and I regret plenty of decisions that were made in the name of winning. However, it made one thing a grand rule during my reign. I will under no circumstances encourage or support further wars. That is the furthest from what I want. The furthest thing anyone can want. And I am willing to make all concessions in that name that I deem necessary. I cannot do more than promise you that. I cannot force you to trust me. All I can do is asking that you believe me that my words are sincere."
For a moment there was silence.
Then, Methys nodded tersely.. to both of them. "Then, I can take this as agreement to the stipulations I suggested?"
The Queen exhaled shakily. "Yes, I will keep the whole incident confidential." She looked towards her daughter with a bit of surprise and … pride. "We both will."
Methys appeared relieved by her admission. "That's all I have been asking for."
"Then we have an agreement." The Queen stepped forward and stretched out her hand for a formal handshake. Methys hesitated only a millisecond before she grasped it diligently.
"Yes, we have an agreement." She confirmed. "I …" She struggled with her choice of words as if now that the deed was done, proper words eluded her. "I … thank you for your cooperation and your understanding." It might have been sincere, but nevertheless the words sounded forced and stiff, a platitude she thought was expected out of her. That was probably the only reason she said them.
An awkward silence stretched between them.
It was painfully obvious that with the elephant out of the room none of them knew what to do with the other. Methys finally managed to squeeze out some more or less coherent words to mask her adamant urge to get away from them. "Well,… now that all is settled, I am going to take my leave. Feel free to … linger and appreciate the atmosphere." She paused briefly as if to ponder whether there was something else, she needed to say. "And… I wish you a successful conference." She chose to add awkwardly, while her eyes deliberately lingered on one of the wooden tendrils right next to Queen Serenity's head.
The Queen just nodded and stepped aside to make way for her.
Methys gladly accepted the gesture and stepped forward to take her leave. When she did so the princess' eyes did not stray from her, a fact that made her visibly uncomfortable. Passing the exit of the pavilion, she breathed in the chilly evening air, eager to make a swift escape. She was finally alone and it showed how relieved she truly was about that miniscule fact. However, a sudden movement in the dark startled her. There was someone there and for a moment, a visible bout of panic flashed across her face, eyes darting frantically into all directions as if she expected to be jumped by more than one person.
When no one else appeared, Methys straightened up and stared towards the unknown presence. They could barely make out a person in the dark, leaning casually at one of the arches overgrown with Mercurian plant life. Upon being discovered the figure boldly stepped forward and into the light, blocking Methys' path with her mere impressive presence.
Up close she was even taller. The Jovian Senshi towered over Methys by more than one head. Her face was hard as stone and the deep shadows encircling her as if alive, gave her a rather threatening aura.
Methys inhaled sharply but gave no further indication of being intimidated. In fact, she appeared almost relieved, in a slightly weird tense way. Maybe she had expected it to be one of her own people, catching her doing the deed.
She also made not the slightest move to back away when the tall brunette approached with a natural confidence as if a mere look from her could make tall buildings crumble. She stopped right in front of her, way too close for what was polite. Methys pursed her lips in open disdain, but stood her ground stubbornly, simply refusing to take a step back. She also didn't try to get around her. In fact, it did appear as if she did not move a muscle at all. Instead, she expected from the Jovian to make room for her, to unblock her path. It was clearly a power play. And albeit being more than one head shorter, Methys wasn't willing to forfeit that game, that was obviously meant as an affront towards her.
So, the two just stood there staring at each other.
When neither moved, Methys finally scoffed, annoyed by her obnoxious behavior. "Look, the Lunarians are fine. I didn't slit their throats as you probably expected me to do. No need for you to get all worked up." Methys deadpanned.
The Jovian Senshi narrowed her eyes and snarled in warning, clearly giving a damn about her reassurances. Her following words only confirmed that. "I believe it, when I see it and not a second earlier. I have no idea what it is you are scheming, but this will be the only warning you get: you had your chance to make your case, it has been met, they came here to negotiate and this will be the end of it. In case you intended to further exploit the situation, know that I will not take kindly to it nor will I refrain from interfering." Methys not so subtly rolled her eyes in annoyance and folded her arms in front of her chest defiantly, as if to make clear that she would defend her spot and her right to pass, no matter what. That she wasn't the least bit impressed by her threat nor would she deem it with a response.
It was then that mother and daughter emerged out of the pavilion right behind the disgruntled Mercurian, chatting in hushed voices. Methys still stared at the Jovian, when the princess uttered a surprised and slightly chiding. "Ma'Kho?!"
The Jovian's burning chocolate eyes immediately darted to the princess checking her from head to toe. They softened considerably, when she came to the conclusion that she was fine and the barest hint of relief crept into her posture.
"Told you so. Now,… maybe you can find some other place to… stand?" Methys suggested sourly.
A derisive eyebrow rose, when the Jovian's glare resumed fixing on her. With a wolfish grin, she stepped aside overly gracefully. Methys wasn't eager to turn her back at her, but still chose to stride forward in a regal pace not wasting another second. There was no hurry in her steps, just a deliberate composure that was a little bit too forced. However, its only purpose was to get the message across that she was not afraid of her.
She didn't turn around once, when she stalked away in the direction of the festivities.
She did not even heed the hushed whispers in her back.
However, a deep frown was edged in her features. She was obviously pissed.
When she was finally out of ear- and eyeshot her pace relaxed slightly, the frown remained though. "Why the hell do I have to put up with that?" She muttered under her breath, while a certain aggression had settled in her steps. She did not look eager to return to the festivities but steered towards the palace grounds anyway.
When the path ended and she stood right next to the fountain, Laertes was waiting at the same balustrade where they talked before. Her twin brother patiently watched her climbing the stairs. Before he asked the ten-million-dollar question about how it went, his sister took the initiative.
"When we are inside... I am only retelling this once and Natai and Michiko want to hear it as well for sure." Her growl already betrayed her foul mood.
He just nodded, but looked her over thoroughly.
Methys noticed but did not comment on it.
"I saved you some dessert. I hope you are in the mood for Nachas. I heard sugar is a universal problem solver." He offered her something that looked close to egg tart pastries. The mere offer made her relax somewhat, as if she knew exactly what he was doing and could do nothing else but appreciate his efforts. At the same time, she wasn't keen to admit that she actually needed them.
The fact that she played along though said it all.
"You pried them out of Natai's dead hands?" Methys asked dryly.
Laertes was glad she resorted to humor and chose to step up his game. "Close, but no. I stole them while Michiko distracted him. Don't tell him it was me. He still suspects Uncle Altan."
"And how did he get that illustrious idea?"
"I might have dropped a hint…" He conceded innocently.
An exaggerated sigh left her mouth that couldn't hide the fondness in it. "I leave you alone for two minutes…" She thankfully took the Nachas with the smallest hint of a smile. "Is he too lazy now to get new ones from the banquet?"
"Well, apparently they are quite popular. As soon as the kitchen supplies a new batch, they are gone in barely five minutes."
"Well, I am not sure whether I should be surprised." She scoffed awkwardly. "Of course, she was right with the dessert…" Her words trailed off into silence almost as if spoken to herself and a certain bitterness was sticking to them.
"Who was?"
"No one. Can we… Can we just go in?" There was something in her voice that pleaded him not to ask further questions. He might have also already done the math, coming up with the conclusion that she could have only meant Princess Serenity.
Still, Laertes complied without further comments. "Sure." He offered her his arm gallantly. Methys took it and together they entered the hall again to return to Natai and Michiko. They were still where they left them, but as soon as they spotted the twins their eyes were glued to their approaching forms with growing anticipation.
Michiko looked expectantly at Laertes as if she was searching for a heads-up in his features.
As if he could estimate the extent of touchiness she had to expect when bringing up the obvious subject of interest.
Methys sighed, accepting her fate. She wasn't blind after all. "Just ask. I know you are bursting with curiosity."
"You sure? I mean, if you prefer not to talk about it, we can…"
Methys just raised a skeptical eyebrow. It was obvious by the tone alone how much Michiko hoped that offer would be blatantly rejected. "We could do what? Beat around the bush all evening with dropping innuendos left and right until you burst from curiosity or I finally give in?"
"Oh, come on, don't phrase it like that. I would drop it, if you insisted." Michiko protested a tad bit offended.
Methys smiled apparently not believing her. "Would you?"
Natai chose this moment to chip in. "I want to hear it."
Michiko's head whipped towards him in utter betrayal.
"What?!" He shrugged not getting her point.
Michiko, however, just pointed an accusing finger at his chest. "We had a deal. We both agreed not to prod. If I don't get to know, you won't either."
"I said I wouldn't pressure my dear sister, yes, but she already offered to talk on her own." He pointed out.
Michiko furrowed her brows in thought, before… "Ok, I ... admit… he has a point and now … would you tell us? Please. I am dying here..."
Methys just shook her head as if their idiocy had diminished to a minor point of concern only because she was used to it.
"Well, all in all the meeting wasn't that bad considering...well considering everything." She let that part trail off remaining as vague as possible, focusing on the essentials instead. "We came to an agreement and, yeah, the matter is settled." She summarized the whole hassle rather anticlimactically in a tone as if she talked about misplacing her dress robe.
Michiko gauged her disbelievingly. She looked a bit like a worked-up puppy that got left hanging. "What?! That's it? Can't you at least… I don't know … add some details?" Michiko appeared disappointed not to get the drama she had obviously been hoping for. Before she could pry deeper, Natai quipped in, his curiosity peaked by a little detail.
"Wait… considering what? You said the meeting wasn't that bad considering everything…. Considering what exactly?"
He hit the nail on the thumb and Methys wasn't very good in hiding that fact.
"Sis?" Laertes tried to coerce her to explain without pressuring her too much.
Methys relented with a weary sigh. "I wasn't so much negotiating with Princess Serenity. Her… her mother came as well. She did the talking."
They blinked in unison at her, for the split of a moment entirely baffled by that news.
"She brought her mother?! The… THE Queen?!-" Michiko almost shrieked finally and Laertes sent her a chiding glance due to her volume.
"Yes, she did." Methys confirmed unnecessarily.
"But… but she can't just bring her mother when only she was explicitly invited. That's… that's beyond rude and …taking the tensions between your two Empires into account…" Michiko apparently had a hard time to process the whole thing happening, considering actual words, that deserved to be labeled appropriate to the situation, eluded her.
Laertes only groaned. "I knew I should have come with you."
"Well, it might have leveled the playing field. On the other hand, Michiko might have begrudged you that front row seat in attaining the newest gossip."
"Hey!" Her protest was completely ignored. "I can't even talk about it, so it's not even useful gossip."
"So, the Queen made the concessions you mentioned?" Laertes' question was tinted with barely concealed disbelief and obvious distrust.
"Yes. The incident will remain confidential between all parties involved, although I would have preferred her to be not one of those. That's what we agreed upon." She noted her twin brother's doubtful expression and he wasn't the only one.
"And… and you are sure you can trust her in this?" Michiko put these thoughts into words treading carefully.
Methys grimaced. "I direly hope so. If not, we will probably see very soon."
Laertes scrunched his brows in somber thoughtfulness. "What feeling do you have with her? Do you think she meant it?"
"Well, I… I think she will keep her word, but… you can never know with the Lunarians, can you?"
Her youngest brother was probably the most optimistic out of the four. "It's all we can do for now. If it still goes south, we will deal with it when it happens."
"Speaking of things going south, I recall the lot of you wanted to have an eye on the Jovian Senshi. What happened? She basically lay in wait for me as soon as I left the pavilion."
Laertes winced guiltily. "So, she made it to you? Sorry. Atget was here. We had to put all of our acting skills into keeping her with us instead of following the Lunarians outside when they left. Stopping the Mercurian Senshi from walking in on your little gathering seemed an excellent idea at that time."
Methys groaned. "Oh damn, mother appointed her as their watchdog. Krana mentioned it and I totally forgot about it."
"Well, we managed to stall her long enough, but since we were focused on her, the Jovian kinda slipped through our fingers." The apologetic tone of Natai was evident.
"I see. Well, she almost made things escalate after we already solved the issue. She even threatened me to cease my supposed 'scheming' or she would take matters in her own hand, as if I was an insect, she could merely step on. Who does she think she is? I am still a goddamn princess, who deserves some respect."
"Whoa, never heard you use that argument…" Michiko commented dryly.
"It's true. I help them and all I get in return, is this shit."
"Language, Methys. Don't forget, you are a princess." That jib earned her a dirty look.
"Oh, just shut up. I have every reason to complain. And that Jovian definitely can't stand me."
"Oh, that's probably a given. You did not bait her into a fistfight, did you?" Michiko asked as if that was a true possibility.
"Am I stupid? I won't trade fists with a Senshi at least not until I am not one myself."
"Good, I don't want to scrape whatever pieces remain of you from the concrete." Michiko deadpanned.
"Hey! You could show a bit more confidence in my skills."
A scoff left the Neptunian's mouth. "Sorry, have you seen her?! One punch would probably put you in a coma."
"Or straight in the Ice catacombs where our ancestors lie. Please, do try to avoid that outcome." Natai mused.
Methys huffed in hurt pride. "That implies that she hits me first. I can totally take her."
"One minute ago, that didn't sound like that."
"In a fistfight." Methys clarified as if it was self-explaining. "With my swords I would totally beat her ass."
"Well, then I am glad that no weapons are allowed during the conference. Otherwise, you would have probably gotten cocky only to get your ass handed to you."
"Again, thank you for your vote of confidence." Methys pouted.
"I am just worried about your health. You know what they say about the Jovian talisman. The thunder spear. Its crack rips through the sky like through a sheet of paper. Its lighting flashes so bright that it leaves its adversaries blinded. Wherever it cracks only ashes remain."
"Well, I would have been more concerned about it cracking my sister's ribs. Well, that… and the part with the ashes does not sound too nice either." Natai chimed.
"Technically, it's not even a spear. It has sharp edges on both sides." Laertes added, always the nitpick.
"I don't see how the miniscule detail that you can get skewered from two sides makes things any better."
Methys had folded her arms in front of her chest. "Are you finished with your colorful propaganda? It's not as if we do not have our own for the Mercurian or the Neptunian talisman. It's just fancy speech. Besides, she is not allowed to use her talisman here."
"Propaganda or not, she is freaking strong. Even Atget prefers not to cross her and she is our Senshi." Laertes pointed out.
"Atget won't fight when it's not strictly necessary. Despite appearances it is just who she is. Using weapons is just a last resort to her. She does not believe in violence. That does not mean that she couldn't take her. That Jovian is after all not nearly as strong as her legendary predecessor Raalta, who died heroically in the war. She was a force to reckon with. Compared to her that one is a piece of cake."
"Well, how long is she Senshi now? Four years? She is already pretty advanced in her skills for that from what I have heard. Those powers are difficult to master as you should know very well." She raised a brow at Methys, who grumbled into her non-existing beard.
"Well, she was prepared her whole life for it. What do you expect?"
Natai shrugged casually. "You have to admit the system they have is efficient. Making an orphan part of the royal family at a young age and giving her the education and skillset to take over as future Senshi. Add declaring the true deceased parents Jovian heroes since they died serving their home country and the people will refer that gracious gesture in the highest regards. A last generous gift to honor the parents' sacrifice by taking their daughter in and providing everything she could ever need or want. It's truly ingenious. The orphan becomes adoptive sister of the future monarch and learns to protect him with all she has got not just out of duty, but because of feeling true affection and genuine love for a foster sibling. As part of the family. How can you exploit eternal gratefulness to the maximum extent if not like that?"
"And history proofed it works. That Jovian Senshi is no exception. She is known to be loyal beyond fault. In fact, Ma'Kho and the Jovian Prince Karan are rumored to be pretty close."
Michiko wiggled a suggestive eyebrow. "So, you think it's that kind of close?"
A shrug answered her. "No one truly knows. They neither confirmed nor demented it. They might be a thing."
"Bahh, don't phrase it like that. It's gross." Natai made a face. "That is as if Methys would marry me. Unthinkable."
"They are foster siblings. We are blood-related. I sometimes doubt it myself, but there is no way to deny it."
"Hey!" Natai's protest was cut short, when Laertes quipped in. "Besides you are not the heir to the throne, Nat. I am."
"Marriage between twins. That makes it so much better…" Natai joked dryly.
Michiko chose that moment to nitpick. "Technically, you are not heir to the throne either, Laertes. Not yet. Methys still is at least until she earned the Senshi title."
"So, apparently the only one I am marrying here is …myself?"
"Good luck with that. One of us would have been the lesser pain."
"Well, technically it would be currently Atget."
That earned him a glare. "Well, fortunately I am not bound to Jovian customs and this is just a huge pile of garbage you just came up with to pass the time. What do I care how they deal with their succession to the throne? I am glad when I am finally out of ours."
"By dumping it on me. Thank you very much." The complaint from her twin was immediate, but lacked any kind of spite.
"Well, there have to be sacrifices. It's your own fault. You didn't refuse fast enough." It wasn't said with any animosity but as a joke that had long lost its novelty.
He shrugged. "We can also burn the damn throne down and start a democracy."
His suggestion was met with utter disbelief on his sister's side. "They already rebel at having to accept a male king. Can you imagine what would happen if we suggest to abolish monarchy?"
"Anarchy." Natai deadpanned, with a manic glint in his eyes that was obviously fake.
"Madness." Laertes contributed, apparently imaging this horror scenario in front of his inner eye.
"Oh please. This in no Mars. As the only objective one here I tell you what your folks would be doing." Michiko made a pause for the sake of building up the proper suspense. "They would put together a 500 page long scientific elaboration as to why the decision to abolish monarchy is detrimental to Mercury's economy, image and social progress with twice as many pages independent and more detailed studies with historical evidence, an abhorrent amount of numbers and hypothetical scenarios in the appendix."
"Now that I think about it… that's not too far off."
"Anyway, that solution is clearly off the table, we just do what we agreed upon doing. We rule together." Methys looked at each of her siblings with reassurance.
"Good, you still remember. I was worried that plan was already out of the window and someone forgot to tell me." Laertes deadpanned.
"Oh, if that plan was out of the window not telling you would have been part of the new plan. We would have of course waited until they name you heir before we bolted."
He put a scandalized hand to his chest. "So, that's your plan all along. I am deeply hurt by your furtive treachery."
Michiko chose this moment to point out something of more general interest. "You goofballs might be interested in what is going on at ten o' clock. The Jovian dream couple finally made an appearance."
"Really, those debauched siblings are here? Where? Where are they?" Natai turned left and right, clearly curious.
Laertes sighed in misery. "Man, if other people heard you now, they would probably think you meant us."
"Bah, you are not debauched." He dismissed it nonchalantly. "You are just a bit twin lovey dovey sometimes, well … and touchy … and you always know what the other one is thinking and you tend to show up always as a pair…" He paused, narrowing his eyes suspiciously, kinda adding one and one in his head. "Wait, you are not debauched, are you?" He wiggled his brows at them playfully.
Methys looked from him to Laertes addressing her twin in a flat tone. "Are you going to hit him or shall I?
Laertes' prompt response was bumping his younger brother in the arm with his closed fist, while Methys did the same form the other side. "Ouch." Natai complained upon this in his eyes unjust treatment. Michiko just laughed out loud.
Methys looked at her in betrayal. "I really don't know why you are laughing. That joke was lame."
"Well, he has a point. You two are kinda attached to the hip."
"We are twins." Methys stated as if that alone was self-explanatory. "On Mercury that's basically telling it all."
"True, true. It's still good joking material and believe me it's sometimes funny to see the faces of people, who are not familiar with Mercury's traditions. I still remember that poor Plutonian aide, who got it all wrong and labeled Laertes the princess' consort." Michiko laughed at her with glee.
"Oh, I remember that poor newbie. Best part is that Laertes played along for the whole evening…"
"He almost drove me nuts with his chivalrous flirting, the handholding and those annoying pecks on the cheek."
"Oh, now I did manhandle you? Back then you were quite compliant."
"I don't know what you do remember. I do remember stepping on your foot at least a dozen times and I think I jammed my elbow in your ribs at least twice as much. If you don't get a hint and interpret that as compliance then I am seriously worried, brother."
Natai chuckled. "Mother had to spoil all our fun at the end. When she noticed what was going on, her face was hilarious and that aide almost imploded in embarrassment."
"Yeah, you didn't have to listen to the lecture afterwards…" Laertes complained. "Something about dignity, decorum and childish games… She even used her famous eye roll on me. Thrice."
"Too bad I wasn't there." Michiko snickered.
"You are all just nuts as per usual. And now stop this nonsense and rather backbite that Jovian heir and his Senshi over there instead of us."
A cheeky grin appeared on Michiko's face. "For once I am going to comply. After all, I am used to the shenanigans of you two. I guess the term 'You are old news' fits it perfectly. That's why those two clearly beat you in terms of being interesting right now."
"As much as I want to protest that assessment, in this case I let it slide."
Michiko smiled sweetly. "Generous, at least if it wouldn't play right into your hands."
"Oh, I don't make a secret of it. In fact, I say it again: Ogle those Jovians and use them to satisfy your desire for gossip."
"Well, since you asked so nicely… anyone interested in taking bets whether they are a couple or not?"
Natai only shook his head, explaining matter of factly. "No way to prove who has been right."
"It could be a long-term bet."
"Baah, too boring. It wouldn't even be scandalous, if they were a couple. You know that the Jovians would take no affront in it. They don't think it strange. On the contrary… it would be welcomed as a favorable match. Wouldn't be the first Senshi that married into the Jovian royal house after all… The current Queen was once the Senshi as well, the one before Raalta. It's written all over their history."
"True."
"Starting as orphan, rising to be Senshi and ending up as royal spouse. No bad career chances, if you ask me… Only our dear Methys here does it the other way around and rather takes a notch down the royal ladder." He patted her on the shoulder like a prized dog and Methys just rolled her eyes.
"It's not a given for them. Not all Senshi became Queen. Sometimes the royal spouse was a daughter or the adopted girl just wasn't romantically invested in their bond. It was all up to the two involved parties."
"What remains a fact is that Senshi and monarch were always close on Jupiter one way or another and you can't argue that they typically make a good team in ruling. It's the same with the current ruling couple. Their reign is called a happy coincidence and when the current Queen passed her Senshi title to Raalta, when she married, no one was complaining. They all knew Raalta was as an excellent replacement, a natural talent that had no equal. Had she not died in the Riven War, Raalta would have been the greatest Senshi, Jupiter has ever known. It's a pity she passed that early. Jupiter was not ready for it. At that time Ma'Kho as her supposed successor was only eleven years old. They had to wait a few years for her to grow up, before they could appoint her as their new Senshi."
"She was still young when she stepped up to the role."
Michiko shrugged casually. "Well, at least they still have a Senshi. The Martians would have probably considered themselves lucky under the same circumstances."
"True. Things settled back to normalcy rather quickly on Jupiter. Their people are still happy with their ruling couple and Ma'Kho as their new Senshi is equally liked although she has quite some shoes to fill after Raalta's death. They are quite satisfied with their combined reign. Rightly so, if you ask me."
"You mean if you leave out their foolish alliance with the Lunarians?" Michiko noted.
"Yes, there is that." Laertes shrugged. "There is always a catch. Good rulers or not, nobody is perfect and this is probably their worst error in judgement ever."
"We might not approve their choice of allies. The Jovian people do, though." Methys pointed out rather vexed where the topic was going.
Laertes seemed to agree. "They might do so till now: loyal beyond a fault. That same loyalty will break their necks sooner or later. Queen Serenity does not deserve it. She just uses them as her shield, the same way she once used us. There will come a time when they realize the sad truth and I fear it will be drenched in Jovian blood."
Even Natai shared a similar opinion. „As long as we are not the ones drawing that blood it's their decision. If they don't see what we already know and refuse to listen, then they have to learn it the hard way. Serenity will let them down. It is only a question of time."
Methys remained the only one to not comment on that matter further, not even when their chatter continued and strayed to other topics. Instead, she appeared thoughtful and pensive. Her gaze was fixed on the Jovians, although it appeared as if she was looking right through them. Their Senshi, Ma'Kho, was animatedly talking to a young man with shaggy brown hair, probably the prince, and an older couple that could only be the Jovian King and Queen. There was nothing left of the distrusting aggressiveness Ma'Kho had shown towards Methys before. In fact, she appeared to be in a good mood and just elbowed the prince in the ribs playfully.
The gesture alone held so much similarity to the banter and the shenanigans, Michiru just witnessed between the Mercurian siblings and Michiko, that it sent a stake of unease through her heart. Well, they were foster siblings. Why shouldn't they act like that? But seeing it with the eyes of an outsider… realizing that being a Mercurian or a Jovian did not matter at the end… they were all the same in terms of of how they treated those close to them. Feeling human beings, who just thought they needed to stand on different sides, when there was no real need for it. At least in her opinion there wasn't. Michiru might see it that way. They probably did not. They probably just saw a potential threat, an enemy. It bore a certain tragic sadness.
Michiru threw a side-glance towards Makoto whose eyes were fixed on her past counterpart as well, her expression unreadable. However, at least for once the subdued anger simmering in her, did not threaten to consume her. Instead, there was definitely a peak of interest there.
Makoto might not want to, but it was damn near impossible to ignore what was happening right in front of her, now that her own past self made an appearance. And what an appearance it was. Thinking about it Michiru already found two things those two had in common. Their disdain for Methys being one and well, … being an orphan. Both no positive aspects, but at least they seemed to work to form some kind of kinship between both Jovian Senshi. Despite all her denial in the past, Makoto still clearly showed some interest and that was already an accomplishment. One they needed to keep this whole endeavor going.
However, besides the fact that Ma'Kho apparently couldn't stand Methys any more than Makoto did, it was hard to assess Ma`Kho's character from just those little tidbits they heard and saw from her. Loyal and worried for Serenity she might be, but also aggressive, hard-edged and quick to judge. In fact, her behavior after Methys' meeting with both Serenity's had been unsettling. Considering the delicate political situation between the Moon and Mercury in general she showed a remarkable ignorance of diplomacy and restraint.
I mean, wouldn't you at least try not to piss the other one off?
In fact, her reaction had been quite hostile, immediately accusing Methys of having ulterior intentions in rescuing Serenity. Throwing her weight about and threatening other people into doing her bidding was her immediate reaction and to Michiru it seemed to be a behavior not worthy of a Senshi. Well, what did she know? Whatever noble code of honor she had put together over the years as a standard she was never able to reach herself, it was apparently all in Michiru's imagination. What she saw here was just what it always was in all of the history of mankind: if you had the power, you were in the right, no questions asked. If you had the power: Use it to your benefit and make everyone else heel to it. Why did she ever think it would be different for the Senshi?
Wasn't a huge part of the talk, Michiru just witnessed an indirect pissing contest between the Senshi: comparing their powers, discussing who would best whom? It certainly came across like that. If she hadn't believed before that they were rivals in this era more than anything else, then here was the proof. Notably, Neso and Atget might have had their own rivalry going, but this one was at least on friendly terms. Neptune and Mercury were allies. The Moon and Jupiter were allies. And Venus? Well, she had no fucking idea where the hell Venus was standing… probably wherever the hell they wanted to… She thought further about the ones who did not make an appearance so far: Mars, Pluro, Uranus, Saturn. She had no idea about Pluto. However, Methys did mention that prior to the conference there was no response from Saturn for whatever reasons. And Mars and Uranus declined to attend. So, if the ones showing up here were indeed the ones on better terms with each other, then it did not bode well for the ones who didn't. It worried her. It implied that all of this might take a turn for the worse faster than she might deem possible.
Focusing still on the Jovians she was more than disappointed that they couldn't hear what was said. That way they had to focus solely on what they could see. After all, Methys' perspective was subjective, she had warned them beforehand after all… Experiencing up close how the Jovians or even the Lunarians acted might put things in a more neutral objective.
We are not that lucky. We need to settle with what she shows us. We only get the Mercurian perspective. It's probably wise not to forget that for whatever else is shown to us.
For a split moments Makoto's warnings rang in her ears, that Methys could use the mirror to full capacity to manipulate them, to show only what was in her interest, to pull them to her side. She immediately battled the thought down.
She has already shown us things that did not appear in her best interest. Scenes that did not cut her out in the best figure. She already laid things bare, I am not sure I would have revealed like that, if I was in her position.
Trust. I need to trust in her. This whole mirror experience was a dive in cold and uncharted waters. I knew that when I agreed to it. I won't fall prey to doubt and distrust now. I need to stay level-headed and open. Otherwise, I end up like Makoto, losing myself in my own dark thoughts. I need to observe closely. For myself. For all of us…, but most of all for Ami.
She cannot be here right now. I wish she was. I would have liked to know her stand, her opinion in all of this. I would have liked to have her here to appease Makoto. I would have liked to hear her logical and unbiased analysis, filtered through her bright mind taking into account all the facts, data and little details to draw the very same reliable conclusion, they have gotten so used to hearing from her.
Ami might not be here now.
She had trust in Methys, though. Despite all of their secrets, shenanigans and disputes, she had accepted Methys as her friend and confident.
Methys is not leading us astray. Not this time. I have to believe that because Ami did believe in her.
I will do as Methys said. I will listen and observe.
The Jovians wore green and brown-colored long robes. Tunics that might as well be one piece of gold-embroidered clothes that was loosely wrapped around their bodies. The closest thing Michiru could think of to compare it to, were old roman tunics crossbred with an Indian Sari, only the patterns were off. The only metal she could see was Ma'Kho's Senshi tiara and the intertwined crowns of the three royals.
The four Jovians soon walked towards the other side of the hall towards the Lunarians. Both Serenity's were awaiting them and the very aide that had awaited Serenity when Methys brought her back to the temporary Lunarian quarters. The one that turned out to be Luna. A woman with long wavy purple hair that was apparently the advisor of the Lunarian Queen, the very same woman who had reprimanded a drenched Princess Serenity way earlier, when Methys had escorted her back to her quarters. Both Artemis and she were no cats during the Silver Millennium but real humans.
Usagi and Makoto shared a brief meaningful glance when both parties met. From the way they looked at each other they were unsure how to react to what was revealed. The fronts were clearer now as painful as it was to name it. Moon and Jupiter versus Mercury and Neptune. That was the current situation, the distillate from what they got to know. Michiru could only imagine how they felt about it. She was part of this too, or rather Michiko was. So far she did not dare to ponder more about her own past self. She did not dare. She didn't know, whether she should judge her for the behavior she had witnessed or rather be glad that her counterpart didn't appear to be a total maniac.
In fact, Michiko was more playful than she expected and she had an unsettling knack for being crass. She gave of an air of flippancy; she wasn't sure to take for what it was or not. It could be a means for deflection or self-preservation, but it could as well be just what it appeared to be.
There was also something else that bothered her during Michiko's encounters, she witnessed so far.
They were apparently at the brink of war and still they somewhat treated it as if it was all a game. As if the whole situation provided entertaining anecdotes to pass the time. Weren't they supposed to be more serious about it, more worried? Careful even… They took unnecessary risks in initiating that meeting with the Lunarians whatsoever, didn't they? Did they not see the danger in their hasty and improvised actions? Was it still youthful foolishness? All in all, they didn't really behave like royalty. More like spoiled brats who were bored out of their mind during a pompous ball that appeared to be nothing out of the ordinary. With so much on the line, their behavior just felt … reckless and wrong.
Well, that wasn't entirely right. It felt just wrong for her. On the first glance that didn't sound like much of a difference, when it was. This was a brief glimpse into their daily life. And Michiru knew she couldn't judge them for anything they did or said. This wasn't her time. These were not her worlds. They were theirs.
She was just an outsider, who was thrown into all of it without having a clue of anything. She did not know what was going on. She only learned step by step and brief glimpses like that were still only glimpses. She did not feel what they felt. She did not experience what they did. She did not grow up in the same environment.
This is what they were born into. The fronts had already been set long before Methys or Michiko had a hand in it. And it was the same with Ma'Kho and Serenity. She couldn't fault them for the animosities she witnessed. For them it was probably normal to act that way, because they did not know any different. Everything you are used to felt normal, so normalcy was still subjective. For Michiru it wasn't normal. Hearing them gossip like that made her stomach churn, all those implications and open jests might be meant to be playful and innocent, but they were also tainted with underlying prejudices and a kind of granted hostility, with old worry and resignation, with distrust and detachment.
It was eerie anticipating what bad turn of events was about to come, while seeing this.
At the same time, she felt a connection to those young princes and princesses, as if they made the best with what they had. A world that wasn't perfect. A world that was at a brink of change, holding its breath in the prospect of a war that seemed unavoidable. She could relate to pepping up even the worst of a situation with a spark of humor. Even if it was black humor. She could relate to their youthful naivety that often lacked the foresight to think of the consequences of their own actions. She could see the predestined allegiances.
In their shoes, I would have probably done the same. No. I did the same when we looked for the talismans. The end of the world was approaching fast and still, sometimes humor was all that saved me from going nuts. Sometimes I dared to joke about things I definitely shouldn't have joked about. It's a way to cope. A way to accept a reality that might be horrible or unsavory, but reality nonetheless. It was after all a frightening but old truth. Given enough time all horrible things had the potential to become normal.
AN: That's it for now. I know quite a bit of politics, but I wanted to include bits and pieces of the other cultures, also to make the world feel more real. As for the expectations for the meeting between Methys and the Lunarians, I hope I did them justice. It for sure wasn't easy to write this part. Thank you all for your patience and for staying true to the story. Next time, we will learn something more about the Venusians and the Martians.