"I'm just a gigolo, and everywhere I go,
People know what part I'm playing,
Pay for every dance, selling sweet romance,
Oh, what are they saying..."
Juri smiled, watching the blonde twins singing with great
enthusiasm up on the heart decorated kareoke stage. The cat-ears weren't
too odd looking, though the orange haired woman did find herself
wondering why they were wearing those military style uniforms.
'And here comes another one,' Juri noted as the shorter black
haired young woman stalked through the crowd, her own uniform crisp and
neat.
"I'm told I need to check these in," the woman noted, taking a
pistol from her holster, then unstrapping a baton from her side.
"Thank you," Juri smiled and offered her hand, "I'm Arisugawa
Juri, the owner and operator of this club."
"Leona Ozaki," the woman shook it, "and the two up on stage
killing that song are Anna and Uni Puma, my partners."
"What can I get you?" Ryouko asked, putting the weapons behind
the bar.
Leona looked at the cyan haired bartender and smiled slightly,
"Beer, thanks."
"Leona!" One of the blondes threw her arms around the shorter
woman, then the other grabbed her, sandwiching her between them.
"Are you gonna get us a beer, too?" the other twin batted her
eyes at Leona.
"Anna, Uni, get off of me," Leona growled out. She wiggled free
before saying, "All right, one beer each."
"Right," Minagi chuckled, moving to get two more cans of beer.
"You're twins too, cool," Anna beamed. She dropped her voice,
"Isn't Leona handsome? We've been sharing her."
Ryouko grinned while Minagi visibly sweatdropped. "I really
didn't need to know that," she murmured back quietly.
"Come on, you two," Leona walked off with Anna on one side, Uni
on the other. "Try to stay out of trouble, and I'll buy you dinner."
"Waii," Uni hugged Leona, nearly knocking her over.
"Happy Valentine's Day, everyone," Sasami beamed, the young girl
rolling a tray full of goodies out of the kitchen. Cupcakes, chocolate
and mini-cakes covered the tray, soon being passed out to various
girlfriends.
"Makes me glad Ayeka and I already exchanged gifts," Ryouko
noted with a grin.
"Minagi," Sasami held up a carefully wrapped box, her cheeks
faintly red, "this is for you."
Minagi smiled, taking it before gently kissing Sasami, "Thank
you."
"Thank you," another voice murmured from behind Juri.
Arisugawa Juri turned around, seeing Setsuna standing there with
a gentle smile on her face. "I guess you got your gift, huh?" she
smiled.
Setsuna laughed, her long black hair flowing around her, "Oh,
yes." Her eyes twinkled with amusement as she continued, "I know have
several teachers wondering who sent me a dozen roses and a box of
chocolate."
"Hope I didn't get you in trouble," Juri kissed her gently.
"I'm out at work," Setsuna shrugged slightly. She smirked, "And
I've had several teacher friends ask to meet you, too."
There was movement over by the kareoke stage, and Juri blinked
in surprise. The young woman who was climbing up there looked like Ami
Mizuno, but very different, too. She was dressed in a boy's school
uniform, the black costume going well with her dark blue hair. There was
an aura of sorrow around her, and a angry red scar ran from beneath one
eye, across the bridge of her nose, and under the other eye.
"Is that.. Ami?" Juri finally asked.
"An alternate of her, yes," Setsuna agreed softly.
"What happened to her?" Juri asked softly.
"She lost so much," Setsuna said softly, "and has forced herself
to carry on." She looked over at Juri, "I had best get my own
alternate." With a few softly spoken words she became Sailor Pluto, then
with Time staff in hand she simply disappeared.
"Tell the mothers and the babes, tell the old and the sick they
will be safe,
Get the young males, tell them to be brave...
I was so concerned with saving lives
I never saw you pull the knife!
High on the mountains, across seven seas
Answer the question,
Why me.. why me?"
Ami sang in a voice that was filled with pain and loss, stilling
conversations all across the room. She finished, sliding the microphone
back into it's stand, her eyes glittering with unshed tears. She stepped
down from the stage, swaying drunkenly, then stumbled forward.
"I have you," the other Setsuna caught Ami gently, cradling her
in her arms. The expression on her face was tender, touched by the pain
within the other woman.
"Take her home," Sailor Pluto said softly. She looked down at
the drunken Ami with compassion, "I suspect she has drank enough not to
remember tonight."
"Thank you for calling me," Setsuna smiled wryly. The crowd
cleared the way as they walked towards the exit, leaving into the chill
February day.
"Poor thing," Hitomi murmured as they went by the brown haired
greeter.
"Yeah," Excel agreed, the blonde looking oddly introspective.
"Excel sempai..." Hyatt limply collapsed on a nearby chair, the
black haired girl looking up at her weakly.
Excel perked up, "Back to work! For the greater glory of
Arisugawa!"
"Ah, the benefits of a short attention span," Keiko noted as the
two raced by, her long brown hair flowing down her back in a braid.
"Oh, yes," May chuckled softly, the brown haired cyberdoll in
the maid's uniform smiling as they danced closely together.
Another couple swept by, dressed in uniforms that were
remarkably alike. Utena wore her traditional school uniform, black with
a pink trim, but Anthy wore her mirror image. The uniform was a soft
rose, patterned exactly like Utena's but edged in black.
"You look lovely," Utena murmured softly. A slight smile, "What
inspired the change?"
"I'm not the rose bride," Anthy said, "but I still possess
certain powers and abilities. As foolish as it sounds, with power comes
responsibility."
"You know about my fighting youma..?" Utena said, a flush to her
cheeks.
"Yes," Anthy said, "and I intend to fight by your side."
Utena drew her close, the two moving gently to the sound of the
music. "Are you going to call yourself something unique?" she asked
softly.
Anthy smiled shyly, "Bara no Senshi."
"Soldier of Roses," Utena said softly. She bent her head,
bringing their lips together in a gentle kiss, "It suits you."
"You know Tony," Sylia Stingray said as she walked with her
brown haired girlfriend to a table, "this is a really odd club."
"Interesting, though," Antonia 'Tony' Stark said with a grin.
Her brown hair fell into her eyes as she leaned forward to kiss Sylia,
"Happy Valentine's day."
"I hope you liked your chocolates," Sylia finally separated them
reluctantly.
"Once I got past them to find the top of my desk," Tony chuckled
softly. She smiled as she pulled something out from her pocket, "My gift
to you is somewhat smaller."
Sylia blinked at the box in surprise, her eyes widening as Tony
popped it open to reveal the diamond ring inside. "You don't mean..."
Tony took the ring from the box, slipping it on Sylia's finger.
A gentle smile, "I'm not proposing, but... I want to share the rest of
my life with you."
"Me, too," and Sylia pulled her into another kiss.
To be continued...
The Staff: The bar’s owner is Arisugawa Juri, from Revolutionary Girl
Utena. Setsuna Meiou are from Sailor Moon. Minagi, Ryouko and Sasami are
from the series Tenchi Muyo. Keiko is also from Utena. Cyberdoll May is
from Hand Maid May. Excel and Hyatt are from Excel Saga. Hitomi is from
Escaflowne, the movie.
Our Cast This Episode: Ana, Uni and Leona are all from Dominion Tank
Police. Ami Mizuno and her Setsuna are from Sailor Moon. Utena and Anthy
are from Revolutionary Girl Utena. Sylia Stingray is from Bubblegum
Crisis. Tony Stark is based on the comic Iron Man.
Author's Note: Ana, Uni and Leona are from 'Roomies,' my Dominion Tank
Police fic. The Ami Mizuno featured in this chapter is from shortly
after the events in the Prelude of Super Sailor Mercury Shattered Ice.
The song she sings from is 'Why Me' by Mike and the Mechanics. The title
'Bara no Senshi' first showed up in my Eternal City, Crystal Tokyo fic.
Sylia and Tony are from BGC Mecha Wars, shortly after the final
episodes.
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