Sailor Moon Fan Fiction ❯ The Earth Scout Chronicles - Season One ❯ And So, Our Story Begins.... ( Chapter 1 )
[ P - Pre-Teen ]
By: jasonulloa 
The relationship between Serenity and Endymion begins one year before the Dark Kingdom arrives....
Anime/Manga: Sailor Moon Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Action / Adventure / Drama / Romance | Type: Alternate Universe | Uploaded On: 09.18.2003 | Updated On: 09.21.2003 | Pages: 4 | Words: 3.2K | Visits: 272 | Status: Completed
The relationship between Serenity and Endymion begins one year before the Dark Kingdom arrives....
Anime/Manga: Sailor Moon Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Action / Adventure / Drama / Romance | Type: Alternate Universe | Uploaded On: 09.18.2003 | Updated On: 09.21.2003 | Pages: 4 | Words: 3.2K | Visits: 272 | Status: Completed
Chapter 1: And So, Our Story Begins....
He was alone.
He grasped the wooden practice sword tightly in his hands and listened. His
ears strained for the slightest hint of sound. From the east of the palace garden a
slight breeze stirred, running through his dark brown hair and shifting the short, thin
ponytail he wore at the base of his head. He gazed to his left and right, searching.
The palace garden was apparently empty. There was nothing but trees,
bushes and other plants. To his right was a marble bench. Far to his left was the
garden fountain. Behind him was a tall row of bushes.
Still nothing. He stood still, waiting for his opponent to make the first move.
He knew he was out there. This time, he wouldn’t be caught by surprise.
A rustle of nearby bushes behind him was all the warning he had. Leaping
out from behind the bushes, his opponent swung his own practice sword at his
head. It was the same attack that was used on him just a few days ago. Apparently,
his adversary thought that the same attack would work twice on him. This time, he
was expecting it.
He quickly moved his blade behind his head to block the attack while turning
to face his opponent. As the two blades met with a loud crack, he finally faced him.
The look of complete surprise mixed with disappointment gave him a feeling of
satisfaction. Before his opponent could recover from his surprise, he began his
attack.
His first two attacks knocked his opponent off balance. The third knocked his
opponent’s sword out of his hand and placed his sword at the other’s throat. The
match was over.
"Not bad, Endymion," he said removing his sword from Endymion’s throat,
"you almost had me that time." He folded his arms across his chest and smiled
sardonically. "Next time, try not to use the same attack twice in a row."
Endymion just laughed at him as he went to retrieve his practice blade.
"Okay, Ryoku, so I made a small mistake." He picked up his blade and walked back.
"I’ll remember that next time."
Ryoku just shrugged. "Well, since I won, you get to put the equipment away,"
he said, handing Endymion his practice sword and grinning smugly. He walked over
to the bench where he left his sword. The sword was a gift from his father, especially
made for him. The blade was of a medium length, light and sharp. On the hilt, two
crossed swords were engraved: his personal sigil.
Putting on his sword belt, he glanced at Endymion. When Ryoku arrived from
Jupiter to train with his friend, almost a year ago, Endymion had been better at
swordplay than him. As time progressed, he slowly began to become better at
swordplay than Endymion. He had even learned how to use two swords at once.
When he offered to teach Endymion how, he declined saying that one sword was
good enough for him.
Something was on Endymion’s mind today. Despite the fact that he had given
him a good match, he seemed distracted, as if his mind was on something else.
"Something wrong, Endymion?" he asked, concerned.
Endymion gave him a questioning look. "Wrong? What do you mean?"
Ryoku didn’t know if he was mistaken, or if Endymion was just trying to avoid
answering his question. "Well, you seem to be a little distracted today. I just wanted
to know if anything’s wrong."
Endymion just shook his head. "Nothing’s wrong, Ryoku. I’m fine."
"Then, what’s gotten you so preoccupied that you lose your concentration?
I’ve never known you to make such simple mistakes before," Ryoku asked.
Endymion remained silent. "Come on, Endymion," he continued, "we’ve been friends
for years. You can tell me."
Endymion was quiet for a time, then sighed. "Well, all right," he said finally
and sat down on the bench, putting the practice swords aside. "Ryoku, I think I’m in
love."
Ryoku was taken completely by surprise. "What?" he exclaimed, a sudden
grin spreading across his face. "That’s great, Endymion! No, wait," he said as
Endymion opened his mouth to speak, "don’t tell me who. Let me guess." He had
very few opportunities to tease him since Endymion was usually very serious. He
had a feeling he knew who had caught his eye, but he was determined to have a little
fun at his expense.
"Let’s see... I know! It’s Minako, right?" Endymion shook his head. "No?
Hmm... Ami?" He shook his head again. "Wrong again? I got it! Rei!" Again, he
shook his head. "It isn’t Makoto, is it?" This time, Endymion smiled as he shook his
head. "Okay, then." Now, he was certain.
"So, it’s Princess Serenity," Ryoku said, smiling slyly as Endymion nodded. "I
thought so. She is beautiful. Does she feel the same for you?"
Endymion shrugged. "I don’t know yet, but I plan on finding out." One thing
Ryoku had always admired about him was his determination.
He already knew that Serenity had taken notice of Endymion, or at least that
was what he assumed. During the occasions that he and Endymion went to the
Moon Palace, Ryoku had noticed that lately the princess occasionally just stared at
Endymion, but not for very long periods of time. Ryoku had come to the conclusion
that she had fallen for Endymion. He considered telling him, but he decided against
it. Besides, now it wasn’t even necessary.
"Well, Endymion, I wish you good luck," Ryoku said, turning to leave.
"Although, I have a feeling you might not need it." Ryoku grinned over his shoulder.
"I’m looking forward to tonight’s ball at the Moon Palace. You’ll let me know the good
news?"
"Of course," Endymion replied, smiling. "See you later, Ryoku."
"Right. See you later," Ryoku replied and left the garden.
After Ryoku left, Endymion stood, gathered the practice blades, and started
to leave as well. As he strode across the garden, he stopped by a nearby rosebush
and picked one. Since his personal sigil was a red rose, it seemed to be an
appropriate gift for the Princess.
There was going to be another ball held at the Moon Palace tonight. They
were held quite often due to the long era of peace and prosperity the Moon Kingdom
enjoyed. The ball presented the perfect opportunity for him to try to attract Princess
Serenity’s notice.
He gazed down at the practice swords in his hand and sighed. He had often
been taught that even in peace one must maintain one’s vigilance or else become a
victim. Although he couldn’t doubt the sense in that, he sometimes wished it didn’t
seem so unnecessary at times.
Serenity pulled out two gowns from her wardrobe and displayed them to her
friend and guardian, Luna. The black cat was now lying on her bed on the other side
of the room from where she was.
"Well, Luna, what do you think?" Serenity asked, holding up two other gowns,
one pink, and the other blue, each similar to the white one she was wearing now.
"Shall I wear the pink one, the blue one or the white?"
Luna considered the question. "Hmm... I think the white one," she said,
pointing to the white gown from her position on Serenity’s bed. "Yes, the white one
suits you better."
Serenity nodded her agreement and put the other two gowns away. "Oh,
Luna," she said worriedly, sitting down next to Luna, "do you think that this time
Prince Endymion will finally notice me? I don’t know if he’s ever seen me as anyone
but Princess Serenity of the Moon." She sighed slightly at the title she was born with.
Luna gave her a small smile. "Don’t worry, Serenity. I’m sure everything will
work out just fine."
Serenity sighed and smiled back. "I suppose you are right, Luna," she said,
slowly rising from her bed. "We should be heading for the ballroom soon. The ball
should be starting soon and I want to be there when my friends arrive."
"And I was just getting comfortable, too," Luna complained, getting to her
feet. She jumped off the bed and left the room, with Serenity trailing behind her.
Serenity and Luna entered the ballroom, searching for the familiar faces of
her friends. She didn’t see any of them, so they hadn’t arrived yet. She decided to
watch for them from the balcony.
When she reached the top of the balcony, she looked out over the entire
room. It was a beautiful ballroom; the white pillars and giant crystal chandelier in the
middle of the ceiling was a grand sight. The entire room was big enough to fit over
five hundred people comfortably, but that many people wouldn’t be able to dance in
the crowded space. Fortunately, there wasn’t going to be that many people – only
about two hundred.
As Serenity gazed out over the mingling crowd, she noticed a familiar mane
of long black hair had just arrived, joined by an equally familiar blonde. ‘Ah, Rei and
Minako have arrived,’ she thought and went to join them. As she descended from
the balcony to join her friends two other girls, one a brunette and the other blue-
haired, joined the first two. ‘Makoto and Ami. Now they’re all here, except for Prince
Ryoku and Prince Endymion.’
Minako was the first one to notice her arrival. "Good evening, Princess
Serenity," she said, curtsying formally.
Serenity laughed softly and smiled. "Come on, Minako. You know you don’t
have to act so formal towards me."
"I know," Minako said playfully, dropping the formality easily. "I was only
playing with you."
The rest of the girls greeted Serenity a little more casually. She returned the
greetings and looked around for Ryoku and Endymion – especially Endymion. "Have
any of you seen Prince Endymion yet?" Serenity asked.
Makoto shook her head. "No, but he and Ryoku should be arriving soon."
As if on cue, both Endymion and Ryoku entered. Serenity’s gaze fixed on
Endymion immediately. To her surprise and delight, this time he was looking directly
at her as well. As their eyes met, Serenity found that she couldn’t move. Apparently,
neither could Endymion, since Ryoku had to give him a small shove forward when he
discovered that Endymion wasn’t even listening to him anymore. After getting
Endymion to move, he followed him to where she and her friends were gathered
together. Ryoku waved to the small gathering as he and Endymion approached.
"Hello ladies! We’re not late, are we?"
Makoto grinned. "Nah, you two are just in time."
Endymion stopped in front of Serenity, each still gazing into the other’s eyes.
Endymion pulled out the rose he picked earlier and held it out to her. "For you, my
princess," he said, softly.
She accepted the gift and smiled shyly as she blushed. "Oh, Endymion, it is
beautiful."
"A beautiful flower for a beautiful lady," he replied.
Ryoku looked to the other four girls and gestured for them to follow him.
"Giving them some time alone?" Minako asked, giving him a sly look. Ryoku
shrugged and smiled as the music began to play.
"Maybe," he replied, glancing over his shoulder to where others were
approaching the dance floor. "Ah, the music’s starting. Minako, would you care to
dance?"
"Sure," she answered and followed him to the dance floor. The others
followed shortly after, each with partners of their own.
Endymion gestured towards the dance floor, which was slowly filling with
dancing couples. "May I have the pleasure of this dance?" he asked, extending his
hand to her. In reply, Serenity simply placed her hand in his and followed him
towards the dance floor.
They danced almost every dance that night. Before the ball concluded, they
left the ballroom and took a walk outside in the palace’s garden. They stopped next
to one of the Moon Palace’s many fountains and gazed out into the starry night. The
view of the Earth was perfect.
"Oh, Endymion," Serenity sighed, "this has been such a wonderful night. If
only it didn’t have to end."
"Then, before it does end," Endymion said, gazing lovingly into her eyes,
"allow me to give you something to remember me by." He drew her into his embrace
and they kissed, long and passionately.
Ryoku was enjoying every minute of the ball. He had spent most of the night
dancing with many different partners, but most often with Rei, Minako and Ami.
During the times when he wasn’t dancing, he talked with his sister.
He was dancing with Rei when he noticed Endymion and Serenity leave the
ballroom together. ‘Going for a little walk with Serenity, Endymion? he thought with a
smile. I suppose you don’t want me to wait up for you, huh?’
‘What is he staring at?’ Rei thought as she noticed Ryoku’s inattentiveness.
‘Doesn’t he know it’s rude to ignore the person he’s dancing with?’ She cleared her
throat to get his attention. "See anything interesting, Ryoku?" she asked sharply as
he quickly turned back to her.
"Oh, um.... Sorry about that Rei," he said sheepishly.
Rei’s irritation was slowly replaced with curiosity. ‘It’s not like him to suddenly
just stare off at nothing. I wonder what he was staring at?’
As the music came to an end, they left the dance floor to join the others, who
were taking a breather. "Hey, Ryoku," Makoto said as he and Rei joined them, "aren’t
you tired yet? You’ve been dancing almost non-stop. How about sitting this one out?
Besides, the rest of us are getting a little tired, even if you aren’t."
During the ball, Ryoku had danced with each of them several times, changing
partners after each dance. They were all great dancers and he enjoyed their
company. "All right," he said, grinning, "but just this one dance."
"Gee, thanks," Rei said sarcastically. "By the way, what were you staring at
back there?"
"Hmm? Oh, nothing," he said nonchalantly.
"Hey, have either of you seen Serenity or Prince Endymion anywhere?" Ami
asked them.
"Yeah, I saw them just a few minutes ago," Ryoku replied.
"I thought you said you weren’t staring at anything," Rei remarked.
"Well..."
"Did you see where they went?" Ami continued.
‘Thanks for the save,’ Ami, Ryoku thought. "I didn’t see exactly where they
went, but I think I can guess." He turned to glance in the direction where the couple
in question left the ballroom just as the music ended.
"Well? Aren’t you going to tell us?" Minako asked eagerly.
‘What? And let you try to eavesdrop on them?’ Ryoku thought with the hint of
a smile spreading across his face. "I think they wish to be alone for the remainder of
the night," he said in an admonishing tone. As the music for the next dance began,
his grin grew even wider. "Besides, the music is starting up again." He didn’t want to
elaborate any further on that subject. "Minako, would you care to dance?"
Minako shook her head and sat down next to Makoto, who had already taken
a seat to sit out the next dance. "I’m sorry, Ryoku. I’m still tired from the last few
dances." As she looked in Ami’s direction, a sudden sly grin grew across her face. "I
know! How about you ask Ami to dance?"
"Not a bad idea," he said, turning to Ami, "if it’s all right with you, of course."
He extended his hand to her. "Well, Ami? Would you care to dance with me?"
"Sure," she said, smiling shyly. Placing her hand in his, she followed him onto
the ballroom dance floor.
Disclaimer: All original materials belong to their respective owners. Sailor Moon belongs
to Naoko Takeuchi and is also Copyright © Kodansha, Toei Animation, TV Asahi, Bandai, DIC,
Cloverway, Pioneer, etc. No copyright infringement is intended. This story belongs me, so I
would appreciate it very much if you would ask for permission before posting it anywhere else.
Thank you.
Earth Scout Chronicles, Kino Ryoku:
Copyright © 1999-2003 Jason C. Ulloa.
All Rights Reserved.
He was alone.
He grasped the wooden practice sword tightly in his hands and listened. His
ears strained for the slightest hint of sound. From the east of the palace garden a
slight breeze stirred, running through his dark brown hair and shifting the short, thin
ponytail he wore at the base of his head. He gazed to his left and right, searching.
The palace garden was apparently empty. There was nothing but trees,
bushes and other plants. To his right was a marble bench. Far to his left was the
garden fountain. Behind him was a tall row of bushes.
Still nothing. He stood still, waiting for his opponent to make the first move.
He knew he was out there. This time, he wouldn’t be caught by surprise.
A rustle of nearby bushes behind him was all the warning he had. Leaping
out from behind the bushes, his opponent swung his own practice sword at his
head. It was the same attack that was used on him just a few days ago. Apparently,
his adversary thought that the same attack would work twice on him. This time, he
was expecting it.
He quickly moved his blade behind his head to block the attack while turning
to face his opponent. As the two blades met with a loud crack, he finally faced him.
The look of complete surprise mixed with disappointment gave him a feeling of
satisfaction. Before his opponent could recover from his surprise, he began his
attack.
His first two attacks knocked his opponent off balance. The third knocked his
opponent’s sword out of his hand and placed his sword at the other’s throat. The
match was over.
"Not bad, Endymion," he said removing his sword from Endymion’s throat,
"you almost had me that time." He folded his arms across his chest and smiled
sardonically. "Next time, try not to use the same attack twice in a row."
Endymion just laughed at him as he went to retrieve his practice blade.
"Okay, Ryoku, so I made a small mistake." He picked up his blade and walked back.
"I’ll remember that next time."
Ryoku just shrugged. "Well, since I won, you get to put the equipment away,"
he said, handing Endymion his practice sword and grinning smugly. He walked over
to the bench where he left his sword. The sword was a gift from his father, especially
made for him. The blade was of a medium length, light and sharp. On the hilt, two
crossed swords were engraved: his personal sigil.
Putting on his sword belt, he glanced at Endymion. When Ryoku arrived from
Jupiter to train with his friend, almost a year ago, Endymion had been better at
swordplay than him. As time progressed, he slowly began to become better at
swordplay than Endymion. He had even learned how to use two swords at once.
When he offered to teach Endymion how, he declined saying that one sword was
good enough for him.
Something was on Endymion’s mind today. Despite the fact that he had given
him a good match, he seemed distracted, as if his mind was on something else.
"Something wrong, Endymion?" he asked, concerned.
Endymion gave him a questioning look. "Wrong? What do you mean?"
Ryoku didn’t know if he was mistaken, or if Endymion was just trying to avoid
answering his question. "Well, you seem to be a little distracted today. I just wanted
to know if anything’s wrong."
Endymion just shook his head. "Nothing’s wrong, Ryoku. I’m fine."
"Then, what’s gotten you so preoccupied that you lose your concentration?
I’ve never known you to make such simple mistakes before," Ryoku asked.
Endymion remained silent. "Come on, Endymion," he continued, "we’ve been friends
for years. You can tell me."
Endymion was quiet for a time, then sighed. "Well, all right," he said finally
and sat down on the bench, putting the practice swords aside. "Ryoku, I think I’m in
love."
Ryoku was taken completely by surprise. "What?" he exclaimed, a sudden
grin spreading across his face. "That’s great, Endymion! No, wait," he said as
Endymion opened his mouth to speak, "don’t tell me who. Let me guess." He had
very few opportunities to tease him since Endymion was usually very serious. He
had a feeling he knew who had caught his eye, but he was determined to have a little
fun at his expense.
"Let’s see... I know! It’s Minako, right?" Endymion shook his head. "No?
Hmm... Ami?" He shook his head again. "Wrong again? I got it! Rei!" Again, he
shook his head. "It isn’t Makoto, is it?" This time, Endymion smiled as he shook his
head. "Okay, then." Now, he was certain.
"So, it’s Princess Serenity," Ryoku said, smiling slyly as Endymion nodded. "I
thought so. She is beautiful. Does she feel the same for you?"
Endymion shrugged. "I don’t know yet, but I plan on finding out." One thing
Ryoku had always admired about him was his determination.
He already knew that Serenity had taken notice of Endymion, or at least that
was what he assumed. During the occasions that he and Endymion went to the
Moon Palace, Ryoku had noticed that lately the princess occasionally just stared at
Endymion, but not for very long periods of time. Ryoku had come to the conclusion
that she had fallen for Endymion. He considered telling him, but he decided against
it. Besides, now it wasn’t even necessary.
"Well, Endymion, I wish you good luck," Ryoku said, turning to leave.
"Although, I have a feeling you might not need it." Ryoku grinned over his shoulder.
"I’m looking forward to tonight’s ball at the Moon Palace. You’ll let me know the good
news?"
"Of course," Endymion replied, smiling. "See you later, Ryoku."
"Right. See you later," Ryoku replied and left the garden.
After Ryoku left, Endymion stood, gathered the practice blades, and started
to leave as well. As he strode across the garden, he stopped by a nearby rosebush
and picked one. Since his personal sigil was a red rose, it seemed to be an
appropriate gift for the Princess.
There was going to be another ball held at the Moon Palace tonight. They
were held quite often due to the long era of peace and prosperity the Moon Kingdom
enjoyed. The ball presented the perfect opportunity for him to try to attract Princess
Serenity’s notice.
He gazed down at the practice swords in his hand and sighed. He had often
been taught that even in peace one must maintain one’s vigilance or else become a
victim. Although he couldn’t doubt the sense in that, he sometimes wished it didn’t
seem so unnecessary at times.
Serenity pulled out two gowns from her wardrobe and displayed them to her
friend and guardian, Luna. The black cat was now lying on her bed on the other side
of the room from where she was.
"Well, Luna, what do you think?" Serenity asked, holding up two other gowns,
one pink, and the other blue, each similar to the white one she was wearing now.
"Shall I wear the pink one, the blue one or the white?"
Luna considered the question. "Hmm... I think the white one," she said,
pointing to the white gown from her position on Serenity’s bed. "Yes, the white one
suits you better."
Serenity nodded her agreement and put the other two gowns away. "Oh,
Luna," she said worriedly, sitting down next to Luna, "do you think that this time
Prince Endymion will finally notice me? I don’t know if he’s ever seen me as anyone
but Princess Serenity of the Moon." She sighed slightly at the title she was born with.
Luna gave her a small smile. "Don’t worry, Serenity. I’m sure everything will
work out just fine."
Serenity sighed and smiled back. "I suppose you are right, Luna," she said,
slowly rising from her bed. "We should be heading for the ballroom soon. The ball
should be starting soon and I want to be there when my friends arrive."
"And I was just getting comfortable, too," Luna complained, getting to her
feet. She jumped off the bed and left the room, with Serenity trailing behind her.
Serenity and Luna entered the ballroom, searching for the familiar faces of
her friends. She didn’t see any of them, so they hadn’t arrived yet. She decided to
watch for them from the balcony.
When she reached the top of the balcony, she looked out over the entire
room. It was a beautiful ballroom; the white pillars and giant crystal chandelier in the
middle of the ceiling was a grand sight. The entire room was big enough to fit over
five hundred people comfortably, but that many people wouldn’t be able to dance in
the crowded space. Fortunately, there wasn’t going to be that many people – only
about two hundred.
As Serenity gazed out over the mingling crowd, she noticed a familiar mane
of long black hair had just arrived, joined by an equally familiar blonde. ‘Ah, Rei and
Minako have arrived,’ she thought and went to join them. As she descended from
the balcony to join her friends two other girls, one a brunette and the other blue-
haired, joined the first two. ‘Makoto and Ami. Now they’re all here, except for Prince
Ryoku and Prince Endymion.’
Minako was the first one to notice her arrival. "Good evening, Princess
Serenity," she said, curtsying formally.
Serenity laughed softly and smiled. "Come on, Minako. You know you don’t
have to act so formal towards me."
"I know," Minako said playfully, dropping the formality easily. "I was only
playing with you."
The rest of the girls greeted Serenity a little more casually. She returned the
greetings and looked around for Ryoku and Endymion – especially Endymion. "Have
any of you seen Prince Endymion yet?" Serenity asked.
Makoto shook her head. "No, but he and Ryoku should be arriving soon."
As if on cue, both Endymion and Ryoku entered. Serenity’s gaze fixed on
Endymion immediately. To her surprise and delight, this time he was looking directly
at her as well. As their eyes met, Serenity found that she couldn’t move. Apparently,
neither could Endymion, since Ryoku had to give him a small shove forward when he
discovered that Endymion wasn’t even listening to him anymore. After getting
Endymion to move, he followed him to where she and her friends were gathered
together. Ryoku waved to the small gathering as he and Endymion approached.
"Hello ladies! We’re not late, are we?"
Makoto grinned. "Nah, you two are just in time."
Endymion stopped in front of Serenity, each still gazing into the other’s eyes.
Endymion pulled out the rose he picked earlier and held it out to her. "For you, my
princess," he said, softly.
She accepted the gift and smiled shyly as she blushed. "Oh, Endymion, it is
beautiful."
"A beautiful flower for a beautiful lady," he replied.
Ryoku looked to the other four girls and gestured for them to follow him.
"Giving them some time alone?" Minako asked, giving him a sly look. Ryoku
shrugged and smiled as the music began to play.
"Maybe," he replied, glancing over his shoulder to where others were
approaching the dance floor. "Ah, the music’s starting. Minako, would you care to
dance?"
"Sure," she answered and followed him to the dance floor. The others
followed shortly after, each with partners of their own.
Endymion gestured towards the dance floor, which was slowly filling with
dancing couples. "May I have the pleasure of this dance?" he asked, extending his
hand to her. In reply, Serenity simply placed her hand in his and followed him
towards the dance floor.
They danced almost every dance that night. Before the ball concluded, they
left the ballroom and took a walk outside in the palace’s garden. They stopped next
to one of the Moon Palace’s many fountains and gazed out into the starry night. The
view of the Earth was perfect.
"Oh, Endymion," Serenity sighed, "this has been such a wonderful night. If
only it didn’t have to end."
"Then, before it does end," Endymion said, gazing lovingly into her eyes,
"allow me to give you something to remember me by." He drew her into his embrace
and they kissed, long and passionately.
Ryoku was enjoying every minute of the ball. He had spent most of the night
dancing with many different partners, but most often with Rei, Minako and Ami.
During the times when he wasn’t dancing, he talked with his sister.
He was dancing with Rei when he noticed Endymion and Serenity leave the
ballroom together. ‘Going for a little walk with Serenity, Endymion? he thought with a
smile. I suppose you don’t want me to wait up for you, huh?’
‘What is he staring at?’ Rei thought as she noticed Ryoku’s inattentiveness.
‘Doesn’t he know it’s rude to ignore the person he’s dancing with?’ She cleared her
throat to get his attention. "See anything interesting, Ryoku?" she asked sharply as
he quickly turned back to her.
"Oh, um.... Sorry about that Rei," he said sheepishly.
Rei’s irritation was slowly replaced with curiosity. ‘It’s not like him to suddenly
just stare off at nothing. I wonder what he was staring at?’
As the music came to an end, they left the dance floor to join the others, who
were taking a breather. "Hey, Ryoku," Makoto said as he and Rei joined them, "aren’t
you tired yet? You’ve been dancing almost non-stop. How about sitting this one out?
Besides, the rest of us are getting a little tired, even if you aren’t."
During the ball, Ryoku had danced with each of them several times, changing
partners after each dance. They were all great dancers and he enjoyed their
company. "All right," he said, grinning, "but just this one dance."
"Gee, thanks," Rei said sarcastically. "By the way, what were you staring at
back there?"
"Hmm? Oh, nothing," he said nonchalantly.
"Hey, have either of you seen Serenity or Prince Endymion anywhere?" Ami
asked them.
"Yeah, I saw them just a few minutes ago," Ryoku replied.
"I thought you said you weren’t staring at anything," Rei remarked.
"Well..."
"Did you see where they went?" Ami continued.
‘Thanks for the save,’ Ami, Ryoku thought. "I didn’t see exactly where they
went, but I think I can guess." He turned to glance in the direction where the couple
in question left the ballroom just as the music ended.
"Well? Aren’t you going to tell us?" Minako asked eagerly.
‘What? And let you try to eavesdrop on them?’ Ryoku thought with the hint of
a smile spreading across his face. "I think they wish to be alone for the remainder of
the night," he said in an admonishing tone. As the music for the next dance began,
his grin grew even wider. "Besides, the music is starting up again." He didn’t want to
elaborate any further on that subject. "Minako, would you care to dance?"
Minako shook her head and sat down next to Makoto, who had already taken
a seat to sit out the next dance. "I’m sorry, Ryoku. I’m still tired from the last few
dances." As she looked in Ami’s direction, a sudden sly grin grew across her face. "I
know! How about you ask Ami to dance?"
"Not a bad idea," he said, turning to Ami, "if it’s all right with you, of course."
He extended his hand to her. "Well, Ami? Would you care to dance with me?"
"Sure," she said, smiling shyly. Placing her hand in his, she followed him onto
the ballroom dance floor.
Disclaimer: All original materials belong to their respective owners. Sailor Moon belongs
to Naoko Takeuchi and is also Copyright © Kodansha, Toei Animation, TV Asahi, Bandai, DIC,
Cloverway, Pioneer, etc. No copyright infringement is intended. This story belongs me, so I
would appreciate it very much if you would ask for permission before posting it anywhere else.
Thank you.
Earth Scout Chronicles, Kino Ryoku:
Copyright © 1999-2003 Jason C. Ulloa.
All Rights Reserved.