Disclaimer: Rally doesn't own Sailor Moon or any of its characters. Naoko Takeuchi, TOEI, Kodansha & Pioneer do. Rally also doesn't own Sailor Ra\Reina Makobi. Reina is a creation of Ladybug Oblivion (used with permission). Rally also (also) doesn't own Kia Toshi. He's a product of Bubby (also used with permission). Rally does own (finally) Tomo, Nightshade, Hemlock, Belladonna, Tia Cleonia, Osaka and the whole concept of MISQ.
Note: Based loosely on a game that my sisters and brother played through. Hence all the do-not-belong-to-Rally OCs.
"And now, I hope you can see why we have decided to take this plan of action. Are there any questions?"
Yeah, don't you ever shut up?
"I have one." Princess Reina stood up, effectively seizing control of the floor. "How is it that my Imperium is placed in harm's way? Unless, I've missed something in the explanation, it sounds to me that the Solar Imperium is being used as bait."
"That's the beauty of the execution, Reina-san." The floodgates had been open to give Princess Usagi the opportunity to rant on for another forty minutes and some change. The meeting might have been interesting, if they hadn't already gone over the same thing for the last week.
The truth was that Tomo wouldn't even be there if Aurora hadn't asked him to.
Aurora. How could he possibly think of anything else, but her anymore? She was the only person who saw things the way he did. She understood.
"Hey there, Tomo! Daydreaming?" The pretty in a girlish sort of way face that stared back at him belonged to Sailor Mercury's protégé, Tia Cleonia. "Ack! Believe me, I know how you feel. Ami-san had me come in her place today and I almost fell asleep and you know I've never fallen asleep during a lecture before. Even when Ami-san really gets worked up over something and goes on for hours!" She paused, pursing her lips. "Are you alright? You look a little tired."
"Yeah, I'm fine."
"Okay, then. Get some rest and lots of water. Eight to ten glasses a day! Well, I gotta go! See you later!" She left him alone in the Council Hall.
Heaven's Above! That girl can make anybody tired just by watching her.
"Hello, Tomo."
Tomo felt his heart forget to beat. "Aurora? What are you doing here?"
"I thought I'd visit you. Would you like to get some lunch?"
"Uh... Sure."
"Good. I know the perfect place."
"What is this anyway?"
Aurora just smiled in response.
"No, really. I've never tasted anything like it before."
"It was my mother's recipe. I couldn't possibly divulge the secret."
"Well... If it's a secret," he nibbled a bit more, "I guess you can't tell me."
Aurora shook her head.
"Solarians are definitely a strange bunch. They can see dreams of other people and cook food no one else has ever tasted."
"Since when?"
Reina and Tia showed up, Reina with her arms crossed, Tia with her ever-present joy. "I never let slanderers get away! Solarians weird? Hah!"
Tomo might have taken Reina seriously, if Tia hadn't been doubled over with laughter. "It was not meant as an insult."
Reina considered for a moment. "Alright, but where did you hear that from anyway? The part about seeing dreams."
"Oh, well-" Tomo turned to point out Aurora, but she was gone. "I... Um... I don't remember. Probably just listening to too much gossip."
"Gossip? Oh, Tomo, you better than that." Tia's laughing spell ceased as quickly as it started.
"Well, it isn't true anymore than it would be on Earth or the Moon."
"Oh?"
Nightshade opted to teleport directly into Tomo's room as she'd done on the first night. Tomo had every light in his room blaring. He'd even added a few new lights and had a blaze going in the fireplace. He was sitting on the edge of the bed, head clamped in-between his hands.
Nightshade felt slightly ill. "Are you alright?"
The look he hurled at her was one of such pitiful sorrow, Nightshade fell to her knees in front of him, clamping onto his hands.
"I thought you were gone."
"No, I'm not gone. I came back for you." And only you? "I'm sorry I left."
"Maybe it was a love potion."
"What?"
"What you gave me for lunch. Maybe it was a love potion, because when you disappeared I wanted to die."
Now, she was really sick. It really wasn't that far from the truth. She'd given him an emotion enhancer. But it shouldn't have worked that well. He must have truly loved her to begin with. "Are you saying that you love me?"
He placed both of his hands on the sides of Nightshades face and stared at her for a moment.
Nightshade lost her breath and his hands were keeping her from looking away. Then, he moved to kiss her. "No!" She jumped back. "I can't do this!"
"Then, you don't love me?"
"That's not it! It's just... You'll feel different tomorrow."
"That's not possible. I've felt like this since the moment I first saw you." He took a step closer.
"It is possible and you will feel different."
"Why will I feel different tomorrow, Aurora?"
"My name is Nightshade. I'm the daughter of King Belladonna of Floribunda and the General of the Army of Collections." She slapped her hands over her mouth. That had not been what she intended to say.
"If you are the General, what are you doing here?"
She gave Tomo her back. It didn't really help. She could still feel his eyes on her.
Why aren't you fighting back?
Tomo grabbed her shoulders. "Please, don't," she whispered. "I don't think I can lie to you." Focus. Focus.
"You've done a pretty good job of it so far." His breath tickled the hair on the base of her neck.
"No, I haven't." Nightshade felt the tears burning her eyes. She suddenly didn't want the job that her father had given her. She wished she were leading a battle. Focus.
"Why do you say that?"
Oh, doesn't he ever give up? "Because it's the truth."
"What do you want?"
"What?"
"Anything you want, I'll give you. Just... Don't leave me."
Nightshade could feel her father watching from the back of her skull and right now he was rubbing his hands together. The blackness of her father's greed set her sickness to high. She found herself on her knees heaving, but Tomo never left. Long after the effects of the emotion enhancer should have worn off, Tomo stayed by her.