The King and Queen of Crystal Tokyo greeted their guests with smiles, mingling with friends they hadn't seen in ages in the massive ballroom of the Crystal Palace. "Oooh," Serenity murmured as the white blonde let the baby clutch at her finger, "Yosho is so cute!" "Isn't he?" Ryouko asked agreeably, standing beside her wife Ayeka as the light purple haired woman watched with amusement. Ayeka held the baby in her arms, her long dark purple hair tied back as she said, "And thank you for letting us stay at the palace." She smiled wryly, "Ami and Michiru have been giving me pointers too." "It's been a big help," Ryouko laughed quietly, careful not to disturb the baby. "I can imagine," Endymion agreed, the dark purple haired man chuckling softly. Nearby, Sylia Stingray drank a bit of non-alcoholic cider, her long silver hair more visible because of the simple midnight black suit that she chose to wear. Her lover Mara, a former demon who had joined the side of the angels, pushed her tawny brown hair back as she asked, "Why are we here again?" Linna Yamazaki looked amused, "We're seeing old friends and mingling a bit." A bit more seriously the brown haired woman added, "And renewing our unofficial alliance too." "Makes sense," Priss Asagiri agreed, her dark brown hair spiked a bit and wearing a formal jacket and pants over a t-shirt. "That look really doesn't suit you," Sakura Kinomoto noted mildly, the slightly smaller woman accompanied by her lover Tomoyo. She chuckled, "Though I have to admit I'm most used to seeing you in jeans and a t-shirt." "True enough," Urd agreed, the darker skinned woman taking Priss' arm as she added, "but it suited her." Nearby, Touga Kiryuu, Miki Kaoru and Saionji talked together quietly, catching up and comparing notes, all of them dressed in the semi-military garb of the duelists. "What is going on with this recent rush to pregnancy?" Saionji wondered, tossing his green hair back casually, "It seems like the new trend." "Nanami?" Touga asked Miki about his sister, the older man's long orange hair sweeping down his back. "She's starting to really show," Miki nodded, "and her mood is just lovely." "That bad?" Touga asked curiously. "Morning sickness," Miki shuddered. Saionji patted him on the shoulder, "Isn't there a medicine...?" Utena hid a smile as she excused herself from their company, carrying their drinks over to where her bride waited nearby. "Here you go," the pink haired woman smiled fondly at her dusky skinned lover. "Thank you," Anthy smiled up at the slightly taller woman, her purple hair cascading down to her shoulders. "Poor Nanami," she said as they moved through the crowd, but she couldn't help a chuckle too. "What's so funny?" Ran Mizuno asked them as they drew near, her short blue hair falling around her face. She was dressed in a Earth Forces uniform, the white and blue design hugging her athletic form. "I'm being uncharitably amused by a old enemy," Anthy confessed frankly. She smiled, "How are you settling in with the Hardsuit Corps?" "Quite well," Ran smiled back honestly, "I'm angling for a promotion over the several squads based around Crystal Tokyo." "A lot of competition?" Utena asked, marveling at how this young woman had grown. Once upon a time she and Anthy had babysat Ran while her parents were away, know she was a military officer and warrior. "Yes," Ran admitted as she sipped a drink, "I had to break up with a fellow officer over our both going for the top spot." "I'm sorry," Anthy reached out, gently squeezing her arm. Ran smiled back, no pain or regret in her eyes as she answered, "It's all right, we weren't too serious, yet." She shrugged, "Besides, if he couldn't deal with us competing how well would a relationship go?" "You shouldn't try to be so tough," a voice said, punching her gently in the shoulder. Erica Tenoh smiled as the black haired woman nodded to Anthy and Utena, "Don't believe her, she was plenty broke up over it earlier." She looked good in a simple black dress, playing against her usually more boyish image. "Erica!" Ran blushed with embarrassment. 'Another grown up child,' Anthy thought as she smiled at the girl fondly. "Would you mind if I stole Ran for a bit?" Erica asked them both, "I want to talk to her about some things." "Go ahead," Utena chuckled as Anthy nodded. "Why did you have to embarrass me like that?" Ran asked Erica with a pained look as they walked away. Erica looked a bit sheepish as she lead Ran into a gathering of younger people, "I'm sorry, I couldn't help myself." "Hello, Ran," Usagi smiled, the daughter of the queen's long pink hair flowing in twin streams down her back. She wore a long white gown that was tight enough to show off the teen's curvy body, as her lover Hotaru noticed. "Hello, ma'am," Catrine blushed as the blue haired girl looked at her superior in the hardsuit training program. She wore a similar military styled uniform, though in her case the insignia marked her as just a cadet. "Hello all," Ran nodded to all of them and she also made it a point to smile sweetly at Hotaru too. She and the older woman had never got along, but since her return to the Palace Ran was trying to be good. Hotaru gave her a wary look but smiled as the black haired woman said, "Can I order you another drink?" "I'd better not," Ran said with some regret, "I'm not technically on duty, but I'd like to be sober if there was a emergency." "Very wise," Hotaru conceded as she saw that Ran was merely drinking a glass of colored ginger ale. "What we wanted to talk to you about..." Usagi trailed off nervously. Catrine took a breath to steady her own nerves, "We know you're Sailor Ares." "Eh?!" Ran stiffened in surprise before tossing a accusing glance at Erica. Erica smiled back wryly, "I didn't tell them, Ran. I assume they deduced it from the few news reports that were buzzing around." "Damn," Ran muttered softly, "that probably means that Minako knows by now as well." "Probably," Usagi agreed. Hotaru wrestled with her instincts a moment then she asked, "Do you want us to help cover for you?" Usagi clapped her hands together eagerly, "Yes, just like in one of the old manga! One of us could pretend to be Sailor Ares while you were somewhere else, proving you couldn't be!" Ran had to chuckle at that idea but answered, "Thanks for the thought, but no. If they find out, they find out." Across the room Minako sneezed suddenly, the blonde blinking in surprise. "Someone must be talking about me," she laughed. Arisugawa Juri shrugged as the orange haired duelist asked, "Have you decided what to do about the mystery Senshi?" "I think I'll wait for her to come to me," Minako said calmly, "if it's who I think it is, there'll be no harm." "Indeed," Setsuna agreed, the greenish black haired woman smiling as she held on to her lover Juri's arm. "I hate it when she gets that mysterious smile," Motoko frowned, Minako's lover warily scanning the room like a good security officer should. "You're off duty love," MInako said as she pulled her startled lover into a kiss.
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