“Relax, Usagi. Setsuna may have teleported there, but they’re going to have to come back the old-fashioned way. We’ve got plenty of time.”
“But I want this to be perfect! It’s bad enough that I had to miss her wedding in the first place, but maybe this will make up for it a little.”
The blonde racer smiled and turned away, slowly shaking her head. She did not want to be in Setsuna’s shoes when Usagi confronted her about keeping this a secret. Not because the Princess was particularly scary when she was angry—but because the guilt trips she could put you on were just plain godawful. The fact that she’d felt compelled to organize this impromptu party when she’d learned of Setsuna’s marriage “to make up for it” would just make the green-haired Time Guardian feel even more guilty.
The odango’ed Moon Princess continued with her frantic preparations—which mostly consisted of making sure everyone else was preparing as frantically as her. Haruka didn’t know why—it’s not like there was that much to prepare. Michiru was helping Hotaru make a “Welcome Back Ranma” sign (though how you could welcome someone back to a place they’d never been to before was beyond her). Makoto was in the kitchen making some cookies, and Rei was assisting her by making sure that Usagi didn’t eat all of the dough. Ami and Minako had been roped into lookout duty.
Haruka returned to her conversation with Mamoru, who was looking slightly uneasy, partly because he was the only guy in the building, and partly because the occasion gave Usagi plenty of opportunities to bring up her favorite subject: marriage. But Usagi was leaving him be, mostly because he was currently setting up the rather elaborate karaoke machine he was borrowing from a friend. He personally wasn’t sure why they needed it, but Haruka had insisted that he bring it, along with a black leather jacket that he owned—and from the look on the racer’s face, you’d think she was about to play the best practical joke ever.
“Usagi, the sign’s done!”
“That’s great, Hotaru, we’ll hang it… um… where should we hang it?”
Michiru answered for her adopted daughter. “Don’t worry, we’ll take care of that. Right, dear?”
Haruka nodded absently. “Yeah, don’t worry, I’ll be right there.”
Michiru responded by squinting her eyes. “Now, Haruka.”
The blonde racer sighed and trudged over to assist her lover, resulting in a bemused smirk from Mamoru. Fashion preferences notwithstanding, it was clear who wore the pants in that relationship—
“Mamo-chan? Would you mind taking over for Ami while she takes a break?”
—and it was equally clear who wore the pants in the relationship he was in, as well. “Of course, Usako.”
Haruka was grumbling to herself as she held one end of the sign up while Michiru attached it to the wall. “Why exactly are we hurrying again? It not like they’ll be returning from Nerima that quickly.”
“Well, dear, perhaps the two of them will teleport here,” said the violinist, trying to assuage her lover’s crankiness.
“Yeah, right. Setsuna kept her marriage secret from the Princess. Do you really think she’ll just tell her husband that she’s a Senshi right away?”
“Maybe Nabiki told him.”
“She hasn’t even told her own sisters.”
“But none of her sisters have dated any of us.”
Haruka grinned as she responded to that. “As far as we know.” There was a sudden noise as Ami did a spit-take with her soda.
Michiru glared at her lover. “Haruka, will you please stop doing that? Just why do you feel the need to use our sexual orientation to make the others feel uncomfortable, anyway?”
“Hey, it serves her right for eavesdropping.”
“It’s hardly eavesdropping when you’re in a crowded room talking at a normal volume.”
“Aw, lighten up, Michiru. This supposed to be a party after all, and apparently everyone but me thinks the guests of honor are going to arrive any second.”
“They’re just humoring Usagi; you know that.”
“Pshaw. I bet they don’t show up ’til midnight—they’ve got catching up to do.”
“Really? And just what are you wagering?”
Haruka turned to her lover, who was looking at her with a raised eyebrow. “Serious, huh? Alright, if you win, I’ll get you a new dress for your recital next week.”
“Sounds good,” said Michiru. “And if you win?”
“If I win, you’re singing the Billy Idol medley.”
That took Michiru off guard—she’d expected Haruka to suggest trying some new trick in their bedroom. She didn’t really know that many Billy Idol songs, even though he was one of Haruka’s favorite singers, but she figured that the medley would consist of the ones that had been periodically blaring through the house over the last three months, so she could probably struggle through them, if necessary. “Deal.” The two of them shook hands. “Now, help me with the other side of this sign.”
“Ugh, haven’t you been listening? They. Are. Not. Coming. Yet.”
“They’re here!” shouted Minako. “I can see a woman with green hair coming down the street with a guy in a pigtail…”
Haruka just stared at the self-proclaimed Senshi of Love.
“…sorry…”
Haruka breathed a sigh of relief—Michiru had expensive tastes in dresses.
“…it’s definitely Setsuna and she’s with a total hunk!”
Haruka groaned.
“Dear, I think we need to finish hanging the sign now.”
Ranma and Setsuna Meioh were finally at street level again after twenty minutes of vigorous roof-hopping—something that’s not easy to pull off when you’re carrying someone in your arms. Ranma set his wife down.
It took a while for Setsuna to get her bearings—as Sailor Pluto, she was more than capable of roof-hopping, and still did it occasionally, but she much preferred to teleport when she needed to get somewhere fast. On top of that, she’d just discovered that her husband’s roof-hopping speed rivaled that of a transformed Senshi—in fact, with no extra weight, he would probably be faster at a sprint. She’d known he was an excellent martial artist, but the chaos field he generated meant that she had seen very little of his abilities. Of course, he didn’t have a clue about her abilities, because she had yet to tell him about her secret identity—that would require the approval of the Princess (which she knew would be given, but one must follow decorum in matters like this).
Setsuna looked down the street toward her home. There weren’t any lights on—strange, since she knew her housemates would be home all evening. Perhaps they’re watching a movie…
She turned to her husband. “There’s my house Ranma. My roommates should be home… I’ll introduce you.”
The couple walked up to the front door. “Haruka? Michiru? Hotaru-chan? I’m ho—”
“SURPRISE!”
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(Posted Fri, 09 Dec 2005 01:40)
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