Hotaru's Classroom Pre-Class Report Two
The Millenial Ball Part 2
Chiharu - Chibi-Mars - reached in the little red backpack she brought with her, taking a small stick with a cluster of petals at the end that emitted different fragrances. She waved it over Raine's face."Ah, good, she's alive again," Chiharu said.
"Oh, and look! Here come Chibi-Moon and Chibi-Mercury," Yuri - Chibi-Jupiter - said cheerfully.
"How can those two stand each other?" Chiharu muttered.
"Can't you guess?"
As the two came closer to them, it became more and more apparent just how the two princesses could get along with such different personas. Usagi, the crown princess, was as animated as usual, talking about some sort of new video game while munching hungrily on a plate piled up with mountains of appetizers. Rumine stood calmly next to her, nodding every now and then, seemingly signifying that she was listening, but her eyes were glazed and not once did she turn to look at her companion. Neither did she laugh. Nor smile. Nor frown. But neither did she interrupt her friend's dialogue.
"Hi guys! I was just telling Rumine about the new video game mom showed me the other night, it's so great, but the title…I always keep forgetting, something about a final fantasy for about the 23rd time or so…it's one of the best I've ever played and…oh, what happened to Raine?" Usagi brushed a long pigtail of pink over her shoulder as she bent over to examine her friend. "Hey, Raine, you missed the dramatics. My mother was in hysterics over the, uh, swan sculpture she made . . . it lost its head."
"A swan sculpture . . . ?" She murmured, slightly dazed. "Was that what it was all about?"
"You look like you need a drink. C'mon, let's head back to the food table, I was getting hungry again, anyway," She said rapidly, tugging on Raine's arm. She turned to the rest of the Chibi-senshi. "We'll be back soon, meanwhile, Rumine can tell you all about that game I was talking about."
Yuri and Chiharu sweat dropped as they left.
"She'll always be a little kid," Chiharu commented.
"Now, now, we mustn't say such awful things about the crown princess," She said firmly, then added in her softest voice, ". . . even if it is true." They smiled and shrugged. It seemed that Usagi was just like her mother. Perhaps those destined to be the keepers of the silver crystal will always be children at heart to keep their inner selves pure.
"So, ah, Rumine," Chiharu said knowingly, nudging Yuri. "What did Usagi tell you?"
Chibi Mercury seemed to jump slightly, her eyes widening as she turned to the other two. "What?" She said blankly. Her gaze lowered to their dresses, and she blinked, staring at her own formal clothes. "Oh, dear, when did this party start?"
"About an hour or so ago, which reminds me, you all have a lot to learn about being prompt. Article 235 of Proper Decorum for Young Ladies clearly states that . . ."
Yuri trailed off as Rumine's eyes glazed over again and she started walking of her own accord around the ballroom.
At the other side of the ballroom . . .
"I am telling you, cousin, the people here are insane."
Alexandrite sighed as Lignite continued his tirade on how useless their mission was and how they had better things to do with their lives. His latest reason was the most original one yet: that Crystal Tokyo was actually a habitat for the clinically insane.
"Lignite, for the last time," He said in exasperation. "We are not backing out of this. Stop being such a coward! And we are at a party tonight, not a battlefield, so will you relax? I for one, am going to eat to the fullest and . . ." His eyes widened. "Do you see that?"
"What?"
"That! That vision with the short blue hair . . . she . . . she . . . I can see it in her eyes . . . the intelligence, the . . ." Alexandrite rushed after her. He stood a few feet from her, brushing back is hair and straightening his suit in an effort to further beautify himself.
"Hello, m'lady, I'm . . ."
He blinked in surprise as she walked past him, her gaze still fixed straight ahead. He cleared his throat and tried again, rushing past her and standing in position, some feet from her, standing poised at a side.
"Good eve, m'lady, and might I . . ."
His mouth was still hanging open as she again brushed past him.
"You see? I told you everyone here is a tad nuts!"
"Nonsense!" Alexandrite said determinedly. "She's just being like a royal lady . . . a little cool on the outside, but unable to resist my charms from the inside. Watch."
He again rushed past her, but this time stood directly in front of her. She stood still, gazing straight at his chest.
"Might I compliment you on your beauty tonight, m'lady?" He said, smiling. "I am Alexandrite, a visitor from a distant country. Had I known there were such as beautiful as you here, I would've come earlier."
She continued to stare at his chest.
Confused, he looked down at the pendant dangling from the chain around his neck. "Oh, this . . . " He picked it up. "It's a gem, a transparent one of its kind . . . the beryl. It's an Alexandrite. I wear it because that's my name . . . ha . . . ha . . ."
Lignite slapped his palm against his forehead. His cousin may be the brains of the family, but aside from fancy introductions thought to all young men of royal or rich birth, he couldn't be counted on to continue a conversation like a normal human being. He reached down to straighten his own suit, thinking to help his cousin, when he realized a pair of dainty hands were already pulling at his outfit.
"Will you look at all those wrinkles?" A soft voice said, chilling his bones. "There, all better now, and oh! You're that nice young man from a while ago. We haven't been properly introduced . . ."
"Oh, oh . . ." He said, shaking slightly as he took a step back. "That's all right . . . I . . ."
"Are you all right? You look rather pale." She touched the side of his head in concern.
"Yaaaagggggghhh!!" he cried out, jumping back. "Uh . . . ah . . . uh . . . I a . . . have to go . . . feed my goldfish . . ."
"But you just did that!" Yuri called out after his fleeing figure.
" . . . It's ah . . . their second feeding! See ya!" He stumbled slightly in his haste to reach his cousin. He immediately began pulling on Alexandrite's arm. "C'mon, we have to go, she's back."
"Who? And will you stop it, I am in the middle of a conversation here." He cleared his throat. "So what do you say, lady? Will you have a dance with me later?"
Rumine blinked once, twice. She was staring at some sort of jewel. She shook her head slightly and looked up. "Oh . . . I'm sorry, do I know you?"
Alexandrite stared back at her, dumbfounded. "But I . . . I . . . just told you most of my family history . . ." He took a step back, bumping against someone. "Oh, I'm sorry, I . . . yeeeekkkkk!!"
A girl with sharp eyes and short, messy hair looked back at him, grinning devilishly. "Wanna see a trick?" She asked, holding up a straw figure of a man and a long silver pin.
"YAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!" The two cousins knocked down several bewildered guests in their efforts to escape.
"Men," Chiharu scoffed, hiding the straw figure. She swooped one hand over hair, using the other to push the pins in place, and soon her hair was again elegantly set up, her pins forming an artistic design.
"Who are they? I've never seen them before."
"Alexandrite," Rumine said quietly.
"What?"
"That gem on his neck . . . it was a transparent gem also known as Alexandrite." Her eyes clouded over. "From the family of Beryl."
* * * * * * *
"Usagi, are you listening to me?"
"Uh-huh, hey you gotta try these pastries . . ."
Raine sighed. Given a choice between food and vital information that could help save Crystal Tokyo, only Usagi would choose the former. She arrived at the party later than her parents did, because there was news of foreigners invited to the ball. That did not strike her as odd, for Queen Serenity encouraged foreign visits to start treaties, but their family background sent a chill down her spine . . .
"Usagi, if you won't listen to me, I'm heading back to the others so we could figure out what to do, and . . ." She stared at her friend, whose face had just turned red. "Usagi?"
Usagi started gagging. "Cho-king . . ." She managed to gasp out.
"Ok, just hold on . . ." Raine made a move to perform a first-aid, when a shrill voice made her stop in her tracks. Even Usagi, agitated as she was, stood stone still.
"Raaaaiiinnnnneee honey!" Minako cried out, rushing over to her daughter wearing a ridiculous nurse's outfit. "I heard you'd fainted . . . and oh, my, are you choking, princess? Let me nurse you back to health!"
Raine grabbed her friends arm and broke out in a run. "S . . . sorry mom! We have to do something!"
"But wait, dear! Let me treat you first!"
Raine quickened her pace.
"R . . . Ra . . . ai . . . n . . ."
"I'm sorry, Usagi, but would you rather I leave you to my mom to have you treated . . ."
Usagi's face turned a peculiar shade of blue, but she shook her head vigorously and allowed Raine to drag her across the ballroom.
Meanwhile . . .
"We're telling you guys, the people here are, well strange."
"Strange? They're nuts!"
Malachite frowned in concern. "Do you think they know of our intent and are trying to psyche us out?"
Morganite laughed. "I think you three are being paranoid. This is basic utopia. Everyone's at peace, and they've all grown to be so naive. You can't expect me to believe that they would even suspect . . ." He shook his head. "It's simply absurd . . . I'll have to ban you from drinking too much wine . . ."
"So there you are!"
Lignite and Alexandrite trembled at the sound of the familiar voices.
"All right, you . . . whoever you are!" Chiharu said menacingly. "We want to talk to you."
"Chiharu, really!" Yuri said haughtily. "You're scaring them. Now, gentlemen, perhaps you would like to begin by telling us your names, then we can discuss this in a calm manner."
Morganite smiled. "Did my cousins offend you? Is that why you're chasing them?" He bowed. "I will apologize on their behalf for whatever crude behavior they have displayed. I am Morganite, and this is another one of our cousins, Malachite."
"All the names of gems . . ." Rumine said in a sinister voice. " . . . from the family of Beryl."
The four stiffened considerably at that.
"Uh . . . it's been lovely to meet you young ladies, but I'm afraid we have other matters to attend to, so if you will excuse us . . ."
"I'd rather not," Chibi Mars said, holding up four dolls. "Unlike my friends here, I love to get straight to the point, by any means possible. Would some form of torture be enough to get you to reveal your true natures?" She pulled out another silver pin and poked one doll. Lignite screeched in pain and jumped slightly.
"Maybe . . ." Malachite said.
"Absolutely . . ." Alexandrite nodded. "We'll tell you anything . . ."
"Some other time!" Morganite finished. Smoke erupted between them.
"AFTER THEM!!" Chiharu yelled, already in pursuit. Rumine, ever ready to perform a direct order, rushed after them.
"Wait!" Yuri cried out, picking up her skirts and running after them. "Article 199 of Proper Decorum for Young Ladies states that . . ."
And somewhere else in the ballroom, front and center . . .
"So we are all in agreement, then?"
"It's for the best."
"It's just as well, we are only lacking Venus's vote now, but since most of this was her idea, I hardly think it's necessary to ask her again."
"She's busy nursing Raine back to health."
"Oh, the poor girl."
Laughter. "Well, shall we get started then? Oh, look, I believe they're headed this way, and just in time too."
"They seem to be . . . in an awful hurry . . ."
"Well, of course, Mars! It's their initiation. I'll bet they're just excited. *Ahem* Ladies and gentlemen, may I have your attention please?"
Raine, Usagi, and Minako are rushing from the West of the ballroom.
"The initiation is about to begin. I, Queen Serenity of Crystal Tokyo, would like to present . . ."
The four members of the Beryl family, Yuri, Chiharu, and Rumine are also rushing, but from the East of the ballroom.
" . . . our princesses . . .!"
CRASH!!!!
Everyone sweat drops as they stare at the tangle of bodies, arms, legs, and smoke in the middle of the ballroom. One good thing that came out of it was that Usagi was able to cough out the food due to the impact. She breathed a sigh of relief, then promptly fainted. Yuri was wailing loudly over the disgrace of finding herself in such a position. Chiharu is struggling to free herself, Rumine is simply staring into space again, and Raine is at the bottom, tapping her fingers on the ground.
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