A Jovian A while earlier... "Minako, quit straining your neck like that to see. Why don't you just stand up?" The raven haired woman said to the blond, who was trying to see something over the crowd. Minako lifted herself onto her knees so she could get a better view. "Because, Rei, I've done enough dancing for now. I'm tired and if I stand you know very well that half the guests will be over here asking me for dance." She lifted up as high as she could get away with. "Ha, half the guests? Don't make me laugh. What are you looking at anyway?" Minako scowled at her in response. "Someone new has just entered ball...two Jovians. One male, one female. Very tall, and extremely handsome, both of them. They're making there way to the Queen's throne. Must be apologizing for their lateness. Wonder what could've made them so later to begin with?" She smiled suggestively. "And one of them looks like she might be the princess. I think I've narrowed it down to about 3 candidates, but she's at the top of the list." "Thanks for the report," Rei said sarcastically. "Ami, are you gonna read all night again? You did this at the last ball as well. Can't you dance?" The small blue haired girl to her left jumped slightly at the sound of her name. "I'm not really as into these things as some people are," she looked towards Minako then back at Rei, "Though I did spend a great deal of time at the beginning observing the new guests we have. The Jovian's really do stand out, don't they? I've never seen this many at one time before." Rei did have to agree with her. Even though they were probably the smallest group there, it was still the most she'd seen of them in years. And not only that, but the princess herself was coming to. If Minako was right, she had shown up late, and Rei's own curiosity was peeked. "What about you Rei? Why aren't you dancing?" Minako finally sat back on the cushions, giving up her futile efforts. "Believe it or not, I'm not the best dancer." she grimaced. Minako giggled. And smoothed out her silky golden dress. "You really aught to wear something more revealing you know. I know you have plenty to show, you little fire vixen." Minako jabbed her in the knee. Rei shot her an annoyed look. "Cut it out already. I see nothing wrong with what I'm wearing. It's formal enough to wear my uniform." She didn't like dresses, and Minako always made sure to pick at her about it. Rei was wearing a red coat that fell to just above her knees. Below that she had on a black vest and equally red pants that tucked into her black leather boots. It was a feminine uniform. The men's had less design to them, and hung loosely on their frames. The women's uniform fit snugly and had no cape. Looking between Minako and Ami, there was a great deal of contrast. Ami didn't show off much either, but she did wear dresses often. She now had on a long modest, blue dress. Sitting with her book in hand, flipping a page now and again, she was the picture of cuteness and innocence. Her blue hair fell over her eyes sometimes while she read, and she would absently brush it back. It had grown longer lately, so that it now rested just above her shoulders. Ami was the scholar of them all. To them, she knew everything, so they'd ask her questions sometimes when they needed information about something. She was also the youngest. Minako on the other hand was loud, outspoken, annoying...Rei could go on forever. She was beautiful, without a doubt. Probably the picture of perfection, and she loved to show off. Just like she was right now. Wearing a low cut dress with a slit up the side as high as she could manage to get it. Rei rolled her eyes. Minako was mischievous to, and spent a lot of time with Usagi, getting into trouble.Rei looked around, trying to find the other blond that had been here with them a while before. 'Probably went to find the food,' she thought. Usagi was their princess, and a really great friend, but she could be such so clumsy and irresponsible at times. Prince Mamoru would find her though, so they didn't need to worry too much. Beside her she heard Ami protest suddenly, "Hey!" Then another voice responded, "It's a ball, you're a princess, so go act like one. I can't believe you..." She knew who that voice belonged to. "Haruka, quit bothering Ami. What does it matter if she reads or not. It's not like it'll faze you any." She turned so she could look up at the tall woman. "I'm just doing a service for the good of others." she tucked the book under her arm, not intending to return it. "And what are beautiful ladies such as yourselves doing lounging around here. It's a ball, have fun...live a little." she flashed a huge smile at them. "Have you managed to flirt with every living thing in the room already? Got any invitations yet?" Minako questioned. "Haruka reached into her pocket and looked up, counting aloud. "Let's see...one, two...seven," she gave them a roguish grin as she continued to count. "Nine...fifteen. Yep, seems about right. Give me a little while longer and I'll have twenty. It's been a good night." "I don't know how Michiru puts up with you." Rei commented, not really caring. Haruka was known for being a flirt. She got many invitations at balls like this. The invitations were small paper thin coins made of metal. They were light as a feather and were etched with the name of the giver. At formal events such as this one, they were very popular, though it was usually improper to even mention their existence around others. This was because of the nature of invitations. A red one meant you were invited to the others room for the entirety of the evening and into the morning. A blue meant that you were to stay only for a period of time set by the other party. And a yellow, meant that you could come anytime that was convenient for you. The yellow and red were the most sought after for those who indulged in such things. Haruka, however, wouldn't be answering any of these. At least, Rei didn't think she would dare try. "And how many of each color?" Minako raised an eyebrow in question. "Now, now, you know I can't take these out here and check," she looked around thoughtfully, than reached into her pocket anyway and casually looked down so she could see what she held. Her smile grew wider. Looks like they're all red and yellow. Yes, I've done very good. Almost brings a tear to the eye." she wiped an imaginary tear from her cheek. "Oh, you two make me sick." Rei replied, then noticed a red faced Ami was finding the low table in front of her very interesting. 'Ami's gonna pass out if I don't get Haruka away.' "Where's Michiru?" Haruka shrugged, "Dunno, she separated from me awhile ago. Haven't seen her since. Well ladies I must be going if I'm to make my quota for the night." She bowed slightly and was on her way. Minako shouted a good luck to her, and Haruka waved a hand over her shoulder. She knew it. They were playing again. They always got this way during these things. They'd both go off flirting with everything in sight, trying to make the other jealous, then go make up afterward. It was some dumb little game they played. She'd never understand them. Ami pulled out another book and began to read, as Minako started to ramble about how amazing the Jovian she'd spotted earlier looked. Rei was just about to tell her to shut up when Michiru walked up to their table. "Hello girls, have you seen Haruka around here anywhere," she reached over and pulled the book from Ami's grasp. "Ah!...hey...that's..you..." she pointed at Michiru, her mouth opening and closing as she protested weakly. Ami threw her arms in the air in defeat and leaned on the table, waiting for Michiru to leave. Minako laughed, and Rei scowled. "She went that way, not that I care." Michiru looked in the direction that she'd indicated and frowned as well. Haruka was at it again. Dancing and flirting with a beautiful Jovian woman. "So that's it, is it...two can play at that game." she smiled wickedly. "Ooooh," Minako cut in, "there he is again. I wouldn't mind slipping a few invitations to him." A tall, handsome man walked by quickly, wearing the royal colors of Jupiter. "Minako! You don't actually have any of those, do you?" Rei exclaimed. Ami was staring at Minako, bewildered. "What? I was just saying I'd like to. I didn't say that I had any. Like you care anyway, right?" she stuck her tongue out at Rei. Ignoring her and whatever else she said, Rei watched the Jovian turn to look at them. Just as Ami managed to get out an "uh-oh", Rei saw Michiru rushing quickly around to intercept the poor guy. On her way to him she handed Ami's book off to a young man who looked baffled. Rei watched the Jovian Michiru was heading for, as he observed them in turn. "Looks like you might not get the chance tonight," she told Minako, smiling. "Look over there." Minako turned around to see what Rei was talking about, she gave him a smile and a wink, then turned back. "Yes, I'm looking. And what I see is a very handsome man that I might just dance with." "Not anymore," she shook her head, and pointed. "Now look." Minako looked again, but this time it was to see her Jovian being hauled away by none other than Michiru. "Ah crap! That's not fair, I saw him first and she just goes behind my back like that and grabs him. There's plenty of others, dammit!" "I could say the same for you, ya know." Rei laughed. "Oh, but you don't care remember." "Nope, not at all. Got any more books Ami?" Ami shook her head and drew circles on the table with her finger. "I'm getting tired. I hope this ends soon," she sighed. "Same here." "You two are so boring. I'm gonna go get something to eat." With that, Minako left them sitting there to simmer in their own boredom. Rei was still watching Michiru dance. The man she was with was a good dancer and Michiru was showing no signs of giving him up to anyone else. They danced for a while, with Michiru sneaking glances at Haruka, who was changing dance partners frequently. When the two finally stopped, Michiru hauled him off in the opposite direction, taking him out onto the balcony. Haruka seemed to take notice of this and left her dance partner, to follow the other two. 'Oh great. Now for the grand finale.' "Would you look at those two. What is she trying to prove? Haruka won't leave her for the universe." She shook her head. Ami noticed the two leaving as well. "Love is really just a game to some people I guess. You know, love has no real definition. I've looked it up in hundreds of books before, no one can seem to agree. It is different for all of us, so how can one person define it? But then again, if I were to define it scientifically, I would have to say that it was a chemical reaction...an inborn human instinct to seek out another being and–" "Alight! Okay Ami, I get it. You're going into one of your tangents again. I'm bored enough already." Rei had her hand up to halt further discussion. "And don't go talking like that while Minako's around. You know how she gets when you start comparing love to chemicals and equations. I swear she was gonna blow up that time you started telling her exactly what her power was made of and how that love dust was a halluc–halloo–hall–" "Hallucinogen." Ami supplied. "Whatever the damn thing is, she got pissed, as we both remember." "Well, that was just the conclusion I came to through my research. It's a drug that causes the mind to see what it wants to see. Therefore one would of course call it love." "Well, Minako says it causes the mind to see the truth. But what can I say, I've never tried the stuff before and I don't plan to. I have other ways of seeing the truth about things." "It looks like Minako's Jovian is back, and looking a little disheveled." Ami smiled and gestured with her hand. Rei couldn't believe how many people flocked to the man. "I feel kinda sorry for him. He's gonna have to dance the rest of the night away. Hope his stamina's good. He's probably still recovering from whatever Haruka did to him." They watched as he danced again. Partner after partner Between this time, Minako returned with some food, and a very hyper Usagi with a tired looking Endymion. Usagi stuck around long enough to tell them that no one could be more handsome than her beloved Endymion and that the food was great. Minako offered them some of her own food, but they declined. Rei and Ami were more tired than hungry anyway. She lost track of where the Jovian was after a while and started idle chat with the other two girls. In the middle of a conversation they were having about the events of the coming month, Ami exclaimed suddenly, "You there! Young man, um excuse me!" Minako and Rei turned to see who's attention Ami, of all people, was trying to get. "Oh," Minako said flatly, "the book." The guy was startled for a second, then came closer to them as Ami waved him over. "Yes, Milady, how might I serve you?" he asked. He was a Jovian. Rei's eyes widened as she realized he was nothing more than a boy. 'Even the boys are tall.' she thought. He was carrying a small plate of food and Ami's book, and he looked to be a little worried. Ami spoke again. "Um, that book you have there, it happens to be mine. I'm sorry if it was a burden to you." The boy looked down at the book he was holding and then back up. "Oh, it wasn't any trouble at all. I thought it might be some strange custom here on the moon, so I held onto it." He handed it to her. Then straightened, blushing a bit, and looked around. "Are you looking for something," Rei asked. "Well, I'm looking for somewhere to sit, but everything seems to be occupied." he shrugged his shoulders. "My...er...Master sent me to find a place." "Master?" Ami asked. "I'm not supposed to say who they are, since it's a masquerade and all. And that's the best title I could come up with." he smiled. "Well then go get your 'Master' and come back here. We've got plenty of room." Minako shooed him away. "Ah, thank you so much. We're very tired. My master more than most I'd expect." he hurried off. "A boy? At a ball?" Minako said when he was gone. "That's a little strange isn't it?" "It would seem strange. But Jovians have different customs." Ami replied. Minako just shrugged as they waited for the boy to return. He came back several moments later, and Rei almost laughed at the irony. "Minako, make some room for our guests," she said, and laughed at the look of surprise on Minako's face when she saw who was coming. It was the handsome Jovian trailing behind the boy. "Absolutely," she said, and stood as the two reached the table. They were in the middle of arguing about something. "You shouldn't have been so harsh in rejecting them," the boy said. "Well, if they weren't being so tenacious about it, I wouldn't have to. And I wasn't harsh, I was firm." His voice was soft for a man and slightly husky. Not at all unpleasant. "You'd think that they could give me a break. I just danced with seventeen people for Jove's sake! I do have a limit you know. After the trip and all..." his voice trailed off. "You better sit down then before they catch you. It's your own fault you know. For being such a great dancer." Minako said. The man stopped arguing with the boy and looked over at Minako. "My apologies," he bowed,"I thank you for allowing us to join you." "No problem," Minako replied, "the pleasure's all mine." Rei snorted. Minako scowled at her as she moved to let him sit between she and Ami. The boy came around to sit on the other side of Rei and began to eat. The man sat silently, sipping a goblet of wine and watching the boy. Rei was sensing something strange from this man. It was out of place and she couldn't put her finger on what it was. Was there anything wrong with him? Now that she studied him up close, he looked younger than she had originally thought. His movements were fluid, almost graceful. She was sure that he was a warrior, for most Jovians were. His skin was darker than any of the others sitting at the table. Probably from training out of doors for so long. The mask he wore covered most of his face, so her gaze rested on his lips. His lips were, well...feminine, she decided. He wasn't smiling or frowning and had done neither since he joined them. A nagging at the back of her mind told her that he was not what he seemed. Rei's senses were picking up several things from him that were not supposed to be there. He was turning out to be an enigma, and she was going to figure just who or what he was. And why did he keep looking at Ami? The Jovian was, indeed, glancing sideways at Ami while listening to Minako go on about the different dances she knew and how hard it was to find a good dance partner. He evidently wasn't going to take the bate, being more interested in the silent girl to his right. Ami looked to be reading her book, but Rei noticed that her eyes weren't moving much. Rei knew that Ami wasn't the most sociable person in the universe, but she could at least talk to him. She was sitting right there beside a handsome warrior that over half the room wanted, and she wouldn't even look at him. Rei was getting annoyed with her small blue haired friend. She was beginning to wonder if Ami was more of an enigma than the Jovian. She never showed any interest in anyone, male or female. Her books and research were her life. Even if she wasn't aware of it, she had many admirers. There were those who pursued her incessantly, but she turned them all down in the end. Ami didn't believe in love, much to Minako's annoyance. She looked at everything from a scientific perspective. Minako always liked to say that Ami was as cold as her icy element. Rei could care less either way. She didn't question how they chose to live there lives. As long as they were safe and content, she had no worries. Why should she care anyway? Still, she could at least talk to him... "Oh, didn you half a ook oo?" the boy beside Rei asked the man. "Don't try to speak with your mouth full," the man corrected him. He reached inside his jacket and pulled out a small brown, leather-bound book. Rei recognized it immediately as the one Haruka snatched from Ami earlier in the evening. He placed it on the table, sliding it toward Ami. "Would this, by any chance, be yours?" he asked. Minako, seeing this exchange, spoke up, "Hmm, I might just have to start bringing books to these things as well," she smiled up at the Jovian, "if this is what it'll get me." He didn't respond, seemingly confused by her statement. Meanwhile, Ami set the book she was reading aside and picked up the one on the table. "Yes it is, and I thank you for returning it to me. Dare I ask how it was acquired? Though I already think I can guess." "A temperamental Uranian saw fit to bestow it upon me as a parting gift. Though his anger with me is still puzzling. Are people usually so violent here on the moon?" Rei had to laugh. "No, we aren't all violent. Only some become so when their jealousy is roused. You happened to run into one of the more hot headed of us. Don't worry though, I'm sure you didn't do anything to start any conflict. They do this all the time, those two. You were just an unfortunate victim." "Those two?" he asked. "Weren't you with someone else tonight? We saw you earlier..." Rei answered. He remembered, "Do you mean Michiru?" Rei raised an eyebrow, surprised, "She told you here name?" "She really shouldn't have done that. This is a masquerade, she wasn't supposed to tell you," Minako added. "I wasn't aware that there were rules? Well, regardless, she didn't tell me her name tonight. I already knew it. She's a wayward artist, who came to stay on Ganymede about a year ago. She stayed for a while. Said she needed the inspiration or something." He said nonchalantly, sipping his wine. Rei's mouth hung slightly open. Minako was grinning and looking frantically around the room for someone, Michiru, Rei assumed. And Ami was shaking her head and opening her book again. Michiru stayed on Ganymede? Rei thought, When did this happen and why? "She told you it was for...inspiration? How well do you know Michiru exactly? Is she a friend of the Princess of Jupiter?" Rei had so many questions. "There was no harm in letting her stay, as far as I could tell. She was aloud to occupy a place in the castle as long as she was out of the way. As far as the inspiration goes...I would rather not entertain that topic," he paused, "I do not know any details beyond what she gave me of herself." 'So he doesn't know that she is the princess of Neptune? And for that matter...he probably has no idea that he is sharing a table with three other princesses,' Rei concluded. She hadn't really given her own identity any thought. But now that she did, it made sense. Most of the Jovians didn't know anyone here beyond each other. They wouldn't recognize any of the princesses. "Was there anyone else with her during her visit?." "No one. She showed up one day, out of no where, and made the request." The boy, having finished what he was eating, looked at Rei and spoke, "Yeah, and the princess didn't have to be so cold towards her either. She tried to avoid her for the duration of her stay," the boy stopped and looked at Ami, "That is until the woman insisted that the princess be her model for a sculpture she wanted to do. Then–" "Shingo!" the man snapped, "that is none of your concern, nor is it theirs." "Hey! Didn't you hear what she said? You weren't supposed to say my name yet," he complained. "Don't' be so upset about it Shingo. It's just a silly ball," Ami said, smiling at him. "And you shouldn't be so hard on him," she addressed the man. "Michiru is well known for her spontaneous behavior when it comes to her art. If the princess proved to impress her so, then it is no surprise that she wished to acquire her as a model. It is nothing to be embarrassed about," she gave the man a quizzical look, "You seem to be very defensive about your princess's image. I guess that's understandable, but..." The man was searching for something to say when Minako broke in, "What image? We hardly know anything about her to begin with. What am I to imagine?" He could have been glaring at Minako under his mask, but she couldn't really tell. "I wasn't being defensive, it's just that...can we drop this subject?" The man had his hands, palm down, on the table in front of him. Rei thought it was funny that he was being so panicky. It made her more suspicious of him. "Sure," Rei said, reluctantly. The man sighed and leaned back, putting his hands in his pockets. As he did so, he paused as if something bothered him. "Is something wrong?" Ami asked. He removed his right hand from his pocket and extended it in front of him. Unclenching his fingers, he revealed a handful of red, yellow, and blue coins. "Where did theses come from?" Ami turned a deep crimson and Minako giggled as she took hold of his wrist, lowering it so that only the table's occupants could see what it was that he held. "You might want to keep those out of site. It's only proper." "You know what they are? They weren't in my pocket before I came here..." he asked, withdrawing his left hand from his other pocket, only to reveal more coins. Ami reached out, and taking hold of both his wrists, pushed them down into his lap. He looked at his pinned arms and then between the two women. "Care to explain?" he asked.
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