Halloween 2003
"You know, I'm kind of glad we decided to do a mixed ages
party this year," Arisugawa Juri smiled slightly as Chibi-Usa and
Hotaru ran by, laughing. Mixed among the adults children in costumes
played, watched over by the staff and parents.
"I'm still surprised that Setsuna talked you into wearing
that costume," May smiled slightly, looking her boss over.
The sailor senshi uniform that Juri was wearing was edged in
orange, and she carried her Juraian energy blade as her primary
weapon. She looked surprisingly authentic dressed up in the uniform,
almost like some long lost member of that band.
"Setsuna had it made for me after she saw my Senshi
counterpart a few weeks ago," Sailor Juri shrugged slightly, "I
really couldn't turn it down."
"Could be worse," Ryouko offered as she dropped off their
drinks, Minagi dealing with customers up the bar, "Ayeka threatened
to come in her dominatrix outfit."
Everybody sweatdropped at that idea.
"M'lady," the quiet voice came from behind May, and the
cyberdoll turned, her princess gown flowing around her. Keiko
smiled, the sword she wore at her side glinting, her duelist's
uniform crisp and neat. "May I have this dance?" she bowed formally.
A happy blush marked May's face, "You may, my knight." She
took Keiko's hand, and the smaller woman led her lover out into the
dancing crowd.
A hand rested on Juri's arm, and she turned around to see an
intense looking brown haired woman standing there. The suit that she
wore was clearly expensive, but also comfortable, having been worn
out quite often. The glasses she had on were square framed, suiting
the intense look she gave Arisugawa Juri.
"Yes?" Juri looked at her, wondering if the lady was going
to be trouble.
"Are you the owner?" she asked shortly.
"Arisugawa Juri," she answered. The woman did look sort of
official, but she didn't have the style of a lawyer. 'So I'm not
being sued,' Juri thought in relief, 'but what does she want?'
"Sumiregawa Nenene," she woman grasped her small, book
shaped locket and popped it open, revealing a very familiar looking
photo that she showed to Juri. "Have you seen this woman?"
"Yomiko Readaman," Juri blinked in surprise.
"You know her! Has she been here recently?" Nenene asked
intensely, grabbing at Juri's arm and squeezing it firmly.
"Sumiregawa-san," a hand gently tugged on Nenene's
shoulder, "ease off a little bit, please." Standing just behind
Nenene was one of the tallest women Juri had ever seen, standing
well over six feet tall. A quick look confirmed she wasn't wearing
any heels, either.
Nenene hesitated, then offered the tall woman a
smile, "Thanks, Maggie." The woman blushed cutely as Nenene turned
back to Juri, "I'm sorry. It's just that I've been looking for her
for such a long time." A sad smile, "Has she been here recently?"
"Yes, but..." Juri hated to disappoint the woman, "she isn't
really a regular here. She comes here every now and then, but not
terribly regularly."
"At least she's all right," Nenene murmured softly, looking
at the photo herself. Quietly she asked, "Do you think she's happy?"
"Yes," Juri answered, deciding not to mention Yomiko's
girlfriend Nancy. Somehow, she didn't think it would be a good idea.
"Good," Nenene smiled. She shook herself, taking in the
costume party all around them. Catgirls, cross-dressers, ghouls,
goblins, maidens and dozens of others paraded through the crowd. She
smirked as she took in Juri's suit, "Nice costume."
"Girlfriend talked me into it," Juri shrugged, knowing she'd
probably be giving that explanation a lot tonight.
"Maybe I'll stick around, see if she turns up," Nenene
murmured.
"I'll get a table," Maggie said simply as she lead Nenene
over to a seat, protecting the smaller woman with her body.
"A bodyguard, I think," Setsuna came up to take Juri's arm.
She was dressed in a military style uniform, much like the generals
of the Moon Kingdom had worn. It suited her, though in Juri's eyes
Setsuna could be wearing a sack and it would look good.
"Maybe so," Juri agreed, gently kissing her lover
hello, "but I think that there's something more than that there." A
smile, "You should have seen the tall one, Maggie, blush when Nenene
talked to her."
"Maggie-chan!" a green haired girl looked around worriedly.
Beside her a little red headed girl looked around with a
scowl, "This sucks."
The two spotted their other friends and then rushed to their
side, making an odd foursome. Of course, once the green haired girl
spotted the Locket's library she bounded over to it happily, while
Maggie looked rather tempted by the books. By a supreme act of will
she stayed by Nenene's side, watching over her protectively.
Up on the kareoke stage, two women dressed up as vampires
were singing, though it was pretty clear that under the makeup it
was Nabiki and Ayeka Kisaragi. The danced and sang with passion,
shooting each other seductive glances,
"We're dancing with a demon,
while the city's dreaming
you can hear his laughter,
you know what he's after..."
The crowd cheered, especially after an errant move caused
Nabiki to flash the crowd her pure white panties. "Oops," Ayeka
blushed fiercely, the gorgeous redhead's fair skin making the blush
very obvious.
"You're going to pay for that one later," Nabiki flashed her
fangs, her dark hair falling rakishly around her face.
"I'll be looking forward to it Mistress," Ayeka leaned
forward, her voice dropping down to a sexy purr and Nabiki blushed
furiously.
Noin paused out in the cold to give Bones a look, "Have you
considered my offer to join the Preventers?" The black haired
officer adjusted her dress uniform's tie, noting that while it
wasn't really a costume, it would probably do.
"No," Bones' voice came out a bit muffled through the ninja
costume she was wearing. She almost disappeared into the shadows as
she nodded to the evening gown garbed woman standing by Noin, "It's
good to see you, Miss Releena."
"And you, Bones," the brown haired smiled as they swept by
her. Walking the hall inside Releena gave Noin a scolding
look, "Don't try to poach Arisugawa's staff, it's rude."
"Besides which," Hitomi grinned, the catgirl costume she
wore making her look like an oversized gray kitten, "none of us
would work anywhere else."
"You look adorable," Releena squealed.
"She's been getting that all night," Milerna agreed. Dressed
in a pirate's outfit, eyepatch and all, she looked quite believable.
In her fingers she twirled one of her knives, a non-verbal warning
of 'Hands off my girlfriend!'
Subaru smiled happily as her companion pushed the wheelchair
into place by the table. "Tsubasa, when you suggested this I thought
it was crazy," she laughed.
The wavemaster smiled at her slightly, handling her paper-
mache staff carefully. "I thought it might be kind of fun doing this
looking like we did back in the World," Tsubasa said with a little
shrug. Her clothing and look was quite boyish, but still clearly
feminine as she pulled out a chair over to sit beside Subaru.
Subaru looked over at her fondly, "You know, I think you
look even more handsome than you did in the World."
"Thank you," Tsubasa murmured, her cheeks glowing red.
"I love when you do that," Subaru murmured, bending forward
in her chair to gently press her lips to Tsubasa's cheek, smearing
the paint in the process.
"That is so cute," Hyatt agreed, looking quite odd dressed
in Excel's regular uniform.
"You can say that again," Excel agreed, carefully adjusting
Hyatt's uniform which was slightly larger in the bust area.
"That is so...." Hyatt started to repeat before she
collapsed, Excel quickly catching her, then snuggling close to her
fainting lover.
The Staff: The bar's owner is Arisugawa Juri, from Revolutionary
Girl Utena. Minagi and Ryouko are from the series Tenchi Muyo. Keiko
is also from Utena. Cyberdoll May is from Hand Maid May. Hitomi is
from Escaflowne, the movie. Bones is from www.coolcatstudios.com.
Tendo Nabiki is from Ranma 1/2. And finally, Excel and Hyatt are
from Excel Saga.
Our Cast This Episode: Chibi-Usa, Hotaru and Setsuna are from Sailor
Moon. Princess Ayeka is from Tenchi Muyo. Nenene Sumiregawa, Yomiko
Readaman, Nancy, Maggie, Michelle and Anita are from Read or Die and
ROD the TV. Ayeka Kisaragi is from Phantom Quest Corp. Noin and
Releena are from Gundam Wing. Milerna is from Escaflowne the Movie.
And finally, Subaru and Tsubasa are from Hack/Sign.
Author's Note: I recently started watching ROD the TV and wanted to
slip the cast in, so here they are. Tsubasa and Subaru were asked
for by a fan a while back, so here you go, Snowwy. The song Nabiki
and Ayeka sing is from Phantom Quest Corp, too.
Back to Arisugawa's Locket Index - Back to Hand Maid May Shoujo-Ai Fanfiction