Minako stared at Mitsuki in concern. "Are you alright, sweetie? You know..we don't have to go." Mitsuki gave Minako a strained smile. "I'm alright..really." Rei sighed weakly. "Well then everyone...let's go." She turned to Serenity, and for once, genuine concern was seen in her eyes. "Listen..you don't have to go...you can go home." Serenity smiled at Rei. "No way! I've gotten this far..I won't be leaving." She grinned brightly. "You can't get rid of 'Usagi' now!" Rei smiled sadly, and ran her fingers through her hair. "Guess...I guess not. Well...everyone...time to go to Ni." ==================== Haruka was very angry. The time she had spent trying to find this girl was beginning to wear on her nerves. She shook her head, and stared at Michiru. "Nobody..can find her. I'm beginning to think she's ...hurt somewhere or something." Michiru's eyes widened. "Ruka...I'm sure she's fine. You'll find her..I know you will." Haruka smiled and held Michiru close. "Glad you believe in me..because I don't really believe in myself nowadays," she whispered. ==================== The shuttle, Firebird, was an elegantly designed piece of machinery. Serenity walked through the corridors of the large shuttle and looked around in awed-inspired fascination, like a small child. Rei smiled weakly. *She's really cute,* she thought, watching the silver-haired girl dart back and forth around the shuttle. Her gaze flitted over to Mitsuki, who, as she expected, was deep in thought. Rei thought of tapping the girl's shoulder, but then an idea came to her. "Usagi," she whispered, causing the young girl to pull her gaze away from the window, "come here." Serenity walked over to Rei and blinked. "Yes?" Rei tilted her head in the direction of Mitsuki. "I've got a job for you. Go cheer her up." Serenity beamed. "Sure!" She trotted over to Mitsuki, and Rei sighed. "Man.." she muttered, slipping into her own train of deep thought. ==================== Mitsuki frowned when Serenity walked over to her and sat down. "Yes?" she muttered a bit stiffly. Serenity smiled at her. "You're having problems, no?" Mitsuki sighed. "Yes...I really don't want to go...but I have to. I..wouldn't be able to live with myself if I didn't." Serenity sighed, and looked down. "Why do your parents hate you so much?" Mitsuki winced. "...Because Minako isn't the type of person they think I should be...with." Serenity sighed. "Because she's a woman, right?" she asked, sneaking a glance over at Rei. Mitsuki laughed. "Oh...of course not! My people don't disapprove of same-sex relations. Mother and Father are angry because Minako isn't of upper-class." Serenity's eyes widened, and she noticed Mitsuki was lapsing into more..formal speech. "That's why?" she asked in baffled amazement. "Yes," Mitsuki muttered, her eyes growing cold. She sighed. "Nothing to be done about it though...you know, the err... 'dragon,' has a crush on you." Serenity's eyes widened. "Rei-san...? But..she doesn't even like me." Mitsuki laughed. "She's acting the same way I acted when I met Minako..you just need to crack that rough exterior of hers." She leaned in close to Serenity, and whispered something that made the girl blush. "And Ni..it's a wonderful place to spark romance, hon." Serenity blinked, and began to stammer. "Um..I..I mean...I don't know about that." Mitsuki laughed. "Just...um...talk to her, okay? I'm going to go sit with Mina-chan. And..thanks for cheering me up." She left the room, and Serenity was alone once again..with Rei. ==================== Rei's eyes darted to the door when she heard Mitsuki leave. *Oh..no..* she thought, shuffling nervously in her chair. Serenity sat down next to Rei, and hummed a soft, long-forgotten tune. Rei frowned. "What are you still doing here?" she growled, shuffling a bit more. Serenity ignored her, and continued to hum. Rei's frowned deepened. "Hey, did you hear me?" Serenity stopped humming, and smiled at Rei. "You know what? I honestly..don't know. I keep..keep hoping that something will happen," her voice hitched, "and it never does. So..I should just leave...you're right...I should've left." Rei's eyes widened. "Hey...wait...I didn't mean..." Serenity shook her head. "It's alright...I'll leave you alone now." She walked out slowly, glancing at Rei over her shoulder before the door whooshed behind her. Rei put her head in her hands. "Man...I am so stupid." ==================== Hotaru did not like the way her Setsuna-mama kept staring at her. It made her nervous. She knew that look; because it was the same look she would give people when she knew they were keeping something from her. As if to say, "you're lying to me..." Finally, Setsuna spoke. "Hotaru...are you sure those three girls were not there? Your eyes have always been better than mine, dear." Hotaru smiled at her. "I'm sure Setsuna-mama." Setsuna sighed weakly, as if she was disappointed. "Very well Hotaru..." she said, turning her back on the girl. Hotaru shuffled a bit. "I'm sure we'll find them, Setsuna-mama." Setsuna started to chuckle softly. "They've escaped. You see, Hotaru...the girls were in that room...when I asked you to look, I was simply testing you. And now I see...you've lied to me Hotaru." Hotaru's eyes widened. "No..no, Setsuna-mama! I had to...I didn't want to lie, but I knew that Endymion wouldn't be nice to her if we brought her back! And..and I didn't want Rei-chan and the others to be hurt!" Setsuna turned to her, her crimson eyes glazed over in pain. "And your loyalty to them meant that much...that you would disobey me?" Hotaru looked down, her eyes brimming with tears. "I'm so sorry, Setsuna-mama," she whispered softly. Setsuna sighed. "Perhaps..we can help them...bring the girl home and explain everything...we'll use the cop..and the thief." Hotaru smiled. "Really? Haruka-san and Michiru-san?" Setsuna smiled. "Of course...and I know where they are headed....they are headed for Ni...Lady Mitsuki's home..." ==================== Ni. They were here. The Citadel of Hope, Mitsuki had explained, was a nickname for the planet. And it was beautiful. Towers, buildings...glorious architecture...even the people were beautiful, they all seemed to be smiling...and it *was* romantic, Serenity realized with a smile. Mitsuki, however, did not seem pleased. Her jaw was taut, and she walked stiffly, holding on to Minako's hand. After she had explained a few basic things about Ni, she had fallen mute, skillfully moving among the bustling crowds, grasping on to Minako's hand as if she was an anchor. And then, suddenly, she stopped, causing the others to run into her. "We're here....where my parents live..." Rei and the others had never met Mitsuki's parents, so they were surprised when a very regal looking woman answered the door. She looked to be in her late forties, and Rei noticed that she and Mitsuki shared some of the same features. The woman's blue-gray eyes darted over to Mitsuki, who lowered her head slightly. The woman shook her head. "My God, girl...what have you brought this time?" Mitsuki sighed. "Mother...these are my friends..." The woman sighed, and ran her fingers through her white hair. "And what, may I ask, are you doing here with them..and.." she waved her hand over to Minako, "her." Mitsuki shuffled a bit, and seemed at a loss for words. So Serenity spoke for her. "Ma'am..my name is Usagi, and I'd like to say that the way you treat your daughter is entirely unacceptable. I don't mean to be rude but..didn't you raise her? And I'm sure you love her, so why would you treat your own flesh and blood like this?" Mitsuki winced. "Usagi...please," she pleaded, sneaking a glance at her mother, whose face had grown taut. But Serenity continued. "And also ma'am, I think that you should just get used to the fact that Minako and Mitsuki are going to be together." She shuffled a bit, and hid behind Makoto. "And that's it." Mitsuki's mother sighed. "....I suppose you all should come in. Mitsuki, you know where the guest rooms are..um...and it's a..pleasure to meet you all," she extended her hand to Serenity, "Miss Usagi, my name is Naomi Niade, and I am the General of Ni's armies." Rei turned to Mitsuki. "Wha? I thought your father was the general." Naomi laughed. "Oh...my...you thought...ha! My husband? He can't even wield a sword! Now come in girls, come in. You all have Usagi to thank for this one. It will take some...time, but I think we can work something out." Rei smiled at Serenity, but the girl did not return it. Rei sighed. *She's still mad at me...* Naomi turned to the group, and her gaze hardened suddenly. "And another thing girls...no funny business. If I find you've been lying to me, you will be punished. Is that understood?" The girls nodded. "Yes ma'am..."
Back to Wild Fire, Crystal Ice Index - Back to Sailor Moon Shoujo-Ai Fanfiction