New Year's Eve: Part Two "The Sunlit Garden" played as a duet flowed across the patrons of the Locket like a gentle musical wave. Kozue Kaoru smiled slightly, letting her fingers dance across the portable keyboard. Beside her, Ami Mizuno followed where she led, adding structure and skill to spirited playing. Finally, the song came to a close as both young women breathed a sigh of relief hidden by the soft round of applause they received. "Thank you," Kozue said, smiling over at Ami in honest pleasure. Her blue hair was a bit longer, reaching her shoulders, and her eyes glowed in the dim lights. "Why did you want to do that so badly?" Ami asked her quietly, her own boyish cut drawing a few admiring gazes. A wry smile marked Kozue's lips as she explained, "There was somebody I had a lot of issues around. That song became mixed up in it all, so I guess I just wanted to prove I could master it, even if only to myself." Rei nodded thoughtfully, gently sliding her arm over Ami's shoulder. "I can see what you mean," she said softly. Kozue got up, smiling as she thanked them both again. 'Too bad they're a couple,' she found herself thinking as she mingled with the crowd. Nagisa looked around nervously before pushing her long blue hair back. She took a drink, letting the wine linger a moment in her mouth before swallowing it down. "Are you here alone?" a voice asked from behind her. Nagisa turned to see a striking young woman with purple hair standing there. She was dressed very feminine, but there was a bit of iron in her gaze. Liking what she saw, Nagisa smiled, "I'm alone, actually." "That's almost a crime," Shiori smiled, sitting down beside here. "My name is Shiori," and she offered her hand. "Nagisa," she answered, and shook it firmly. May fought a smile as she took orders nearby. 'I wonder if I should tell Shiori that Nagisa is a dominatrix employed by the mob?' she wondered. She looked at the two of them and decided not too. A hand waved, and she made her way to a pair of newbies. Natsumi smiled up at May from her seat, "What would you recommend tonight?" May rattled off a few options before cheerfully finishing, "And the house special is also very good tonight." Natsumi and Miyuki exchanged a glance, and then Miyuki said "Two of the house special, please." May tucked her notebook away and bowed, "Coming right up!" Two young ladies danced by the table, both dressed in skin tight costumes colored red and white. "Wow," Natsumi murmured, watching bottoms sway. A slap upside the head, "Ow!" Miyuki rolled her eyes, "I can't believe you." Natsumi smiled at her, "I may look, but I'd never stray." Juri watched the crowd with a smile, glad to see things bustling. Hearing "Sunlit Garden" brought back a lot of memories, some good, some bad. She pulled out the letter she had just received and read the enigmatic contents yet again. "Need to meet with the duelists urgently," it read simply, a location, date and time was listed below, and it was signed simply, "Anthy and Utena." 'What in the world's going on?' Juri wondered. She thought she knew Utena fairly well, and she wouldn't send a letter like this out on a lark. Anthy, on the other hand, was a bit more of a mystery to Juri. "You look remarkably serious," Haruka remarked. The tall blonde had come up beside Juri by the library, looking at her friend with a bit of concern. Juri smiled slightly, putting the letter away as she remarked, "Old business, stuff I thought I had put behind me long ago." "If you need some backup," Haruka said seriously, "just let me know." This time, Juri's smile was a bit wicked as she asked, "I wonder who would show up, you or Sailor Uranus?" Michiru stepped up to take Haruka's arm. She smiled innocently at Juri, "I'm sure that Haruka has no idea what you're talking about." A little smile tugged at Michiru's lips even as she said that, though. Juri snorted with amusement. She was fairly certain she knew who all the senshi were, but she didn't mind maintaining the illusion that their identities were a secret. Besides, she still kept a few secrets herself. "You're much too serious," Michiru noted. She grabbed Juri's arm even as Haruka grabbed the other, "Come on, it's your turn to karaoke." "Oh, no!" Juri protested. "One song won't kill you," Haruka smiled, helping pull Juri along. Several other patrons noticed what was going on, and Juri got desperate. "All right," she finally said, "I promise to do karaoke before the night is over, OK?" Michiru and Haruka exchanged a look. "Not as good as doing it now," Michiru noted. "But better than nothing," Haruka pointed out. Juri quickly extricated herself, fleeing with as much dignity as possible. "Spatula Girl good dancer," Shampoo admitted as Ukyo gently swayed her to the music. She was wearing a long red dress that was almost skintight, hugging every generous curve while her long purple hair bounced free. "You're not so bad yourself," Ukyo smiled down at her. The boy's school uniform she wore made her look quite handsome, catching many young ladies eye. Softly, she asked, "Why did you finally decide to say yes to me?" Shampoo looked up at the boyish young woman, enjoying the feel of her arms wrapped around her. "Shampoo always kind of like you," she admitted softly. "Juri's doing karaoke?" Sasami said happily. She and Minagi were taking a snuggle break when the topic came up. "Why, is she good at it?" Minagi asked. "Yeah, she's got a good voice," Sasami smiled happily. She looked thoughtful, "We should make sure she doesn't forget, though." "Not a problem," Minagi chuckled, "enough patrons heard that I doubt she'll be able to slip out of it." Sasami grinned, "I'll pass the word around the staff, just in case." Excel and Hyatt kept laying out plates of food for the two young woman until they finally unloaded them all into a huge mountain in front of the two young women. "This should do," Lina Inverse smiled, "for a first course." "Do you have rooms to rent for the night?" Naga the White Serpent asked. Her breasts bounced in their leather bikini when she moved, and Excel found her head involuntarily bobbing right along with them. At least until Hyatt jabbed her in the ribs. "Yes, there should still be a room or two left. Do you want one for a few hours, or the entire night?" Hyatt asked. "The night, of course. Why would anyone want to rent a room for a... few... hours..." Lina trailed off, then a blush appeared on her cheeks as she finally got it. "One room for the night," Excel repeated cheerfully, and bounded off. Juri walked up to the bar, to be met with a broadly smiling Ryouko. "So, when are you doing karaoke, boss?" she asked her. Juri looked at her in surprise, then groaned softly. "How many of the others have heard about that?" she asked rather desperately. "Well, Bones told Hitomi, who told Excel and Hyatt, and then they passed it to me," Ryouko smiled. "I'm not sure who told Bones, though," she shrugged. "I did, after Sasami told me and Nabiki," Minagi put in. Juri looked back and forth between them before she thumped her head on the top of the bar, loudly. "I'm doomed," she said mournfully. A young woman dressed in a scarlet magician's outfit took the stage, followed by another woman in a nun's habit. They exchanged sweet smiles, each taking a microphone. Saint Tail started off, "She came in through the bathroom window!" "Protected by a silver spoon," the nun sang sweetly. "But now she's such a golden wonder," they sang the next bit together, "by the banks of her own lagoon!" "That was cute," Maya sighed softly as she slow danced with Ritsuko. "So are you," Ritsuko smiled, gently kissing the shorter brown haired woman. A soft chuckle, "Did you see Rei and Asuka running around in their Eva uniforms?" "I bet that turned a few heads," Maya laughed. She noticed Priss and Misato sitting at the bar, trying to out drink each other yet again. "They better not get sick in the jeep again," Maya said dangerously. Just then, Juri began to make her way nervously towards the stage. Setsuna quickly intercepted her, "Wait a moment." Juri flushed a bit, "Hello, Setsuna. What can I do for you?" "It wasn't fair for Haruka and Michiru to push you into doing karaoke," Setsuna said firmly. She paused, looking away shyly, "If you like, I'll join you up there." Juri blushed brighter, "Thank you, I'd really appreciate that." Juri climbed up on the stage first, reaching down to help Setsuna up. The crowd noticed Juri up on the stage, and began to quiet. The silence spread, and soon everyone was focused on Juri and Setsuna up on the stage. "It's just about midnight," Juri smiled, "and I've made a foolish promise that I'm going to keep. Haruka, could you put on..." "Let us pick the song!" Haruka piped up, and she and Michiru bent over the console. "I have a very bad feeling about this," Setsuna murmured to Juri softly, and Juri nodded her agreement. As soon as the words began to come up, both Setsuna and Juri glared at Haruka. They both finally decided just to play along, but was Juri ever going to make Haruka and Michiru pay for this later. Juri stepped forward to take the first part, and the room was shocked silent by the power of her voice, and the intensity she brought to the normally sappy words. Deep in my soul, love so strong, it takes control, Now we both know, the secret's bared, the feelings show, Driven far apart, I make a wish on a shooting star, Setsuna took up the next verse, and the undisguised longing in her voice took the crowd's breath away. She seemed so very alone, but as she completed the final line Juri stepped up to stand there beside her. There will come a day, somewhere far away, In your arms I'll stay, my only love, Even though you're gone, love will still live on, the feeling is so strong, my only love, my only love. Their two voices swelled together for the final verse, gazing more at each other than the karaoke screen in front of them. Two voices so very different flowed together, and the room became nearly silent as they sang the final lines. There will come a day, somewhere far away, In your arms I'll stay, my only love, You've reached the deepest part, of the secret in my heart, Known it from the start, My only love, My only love... "5... 4... 3.. 2... 1... Happy new year!" Juri glared at Haruka and Michiru, even as Haruka smiled weakly, "It was just a random selection, really!" Juri rolled her eyes at that. Setsuna stood nearby, looking on with a certain amount of amusement while she waited for her turn at them. "You go first," Juri finally sighed, "I need to start closing up." Setsuna waited before Juri was out of range, then she asked "What were you thinking, choosing a song like that?" "Hey, all you've been talking about for the past few days is Juri," Michiru frowned. "I admit our approach lacked subtlety, but still..." Setsuna blushed, "I haven't been that bad." Juri came back, smiling with satisfaction. "The last of the customers too intoxicated to drive are in cabs on their way home," Juri nodded. She looked over at Haruka and Michiru seriously, "You shouldn't have embarrassed Setsuna like that." Setsuna was a bit startled by that. 'She's worried about how I feel,' she thought, looking over at Juri thoughtfully. Both Haruka and Michiru looked intrigued by that as well. "You're worried about us embarrassing her, not you Juri?" Haruka smiled. "What?" Juri seemed a bit flustered under Haruka and Michiru's gazes. Setsuna reached out, laying her hand on Juri's arm. "It's all right, Juri," Setsuna smiled at her. A bit of a flush marked Juri's cheeks, and she looked away from her shyly. Setsuna leaned over, and gently kissed her on the cheek, "My hero." Juri almost went beet red. "You're welcome," she finally managed to get out. The Staff: The bar's owner is Arisugawa Juri, from Revolutionary Girl Utena. 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. Bones is from www.coolcatstudio.com. And finally, Tendo Nabiki is from Ranma 1/2. Our Cast This Episode: Kozue Kaoru, Shiori, Anthy and Utena are all from Revolutionary Girl Utena, Ami, Haruka, Michiru, and Setsuna are from Sailor Moon, Nagisa is from Here is Greenwood, Miyuki and Natsumi are from You're Under Arrest, Shampoo and Ukyo are from Ranma 1/2, Lina and Naga are from the Slayers movies, and Saint Tail is from Saint Tail. "My Only love" is from the Sailor Moon English dub. Lame, I know, but I've always had a fondness for that song. Also, I wanted Haruka and Michiru to pick out something romantic but somehow Sailor Moon related, so...
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