Chapter 398
Sailor Scout High School's Auditorium.
"Well..all right, so today's the dance and I can only guess that you're all going to be just as rowdy as possible, but try to keep it down all right?" Principal Oksua said.
"You're really asking too much of them," Miss Haruna said standing next to him.
"Oh..stop collaborating with them," Oksua said. "Now anyway..so go to your classes and behave, all right?"
"Yeah sure," The students replied sarcastically.
"YEA!" the girls all shouted.
The boys let out a collective sigh.
"Patterson it's so good to have you back man," one of the male students said.
"Yeah, you can protect us from your cousin," a second said.
"My cousin?" Patterson asked.
"Lisa..she.uh.well."
"Lisa transferred out this morning, apparently the Board of Ed got wind of her discipline problems and didn't want it to continue," Patterson said.
"Ehh..well that's good, I mean she was more crazy then you were..." one of the guys said.
Patterson looked them all over and began to laugh.
"He's laughing! Run for it!" the guys all shouted and hurried off.
"That's quite a welcome," Greg said.
"So it is," Patterson said regaining his stoic expression.
The roof.
"I thought I might find you here," Akiro said.
"What?" Sai asked.
'Well, you don't particularly care for this stuff I know," Akiro said. "Ever since..."
"I am fully aware of that," Sai said. "Yes, I hate it all..they can have it."
"So why did you come in today?"
"Because I don't run," Sai said. "I will face everything head on."
"But you're up here."
"Yes I am," Sai growled. "Don't you have anything better to do?"
"Not really, besides I'm worried about you."
"You're not supposed to care, be a man."
"Uh..well..sorry..that's not the way I am," Akiro said. "We've been through too much for me to just let you hang out there."
"I'm fine," Sai said.
"No you're not man, let's talk about it," Akiro said.
"You know how I feel."
"Obviously that isn't helping. Come on, I'll listen," Akiro said.
"I don't want to talk," Sai said.
"Wanna fight?"
"No," Sai snapped. "Go away."
"No. You know better than that."
"Akiro, I'm not kidding."
"I'll take it," Akiro said. "Just you dish it out."
Sai glared at him.
"You think you have me all figured out do you?" Sai said.
"Absolutely not. All I want to do is talk to you man, come on..."
"No...not today Akiro..." Sai said. "This isn't the time."
"All right.." Akiro said. "I read you."
He turned and walked off the roof.
Sai sighed and leaned against the fence around the roof.
"Not today," he said.
Serena weaved back and forth picking up clothes and other objects she was going to wear that night, humming happily.
Luna watched her move back and forth.
"So how is it you put so much energy into this and nothing else?" Luna asked.
"Oh Luna, stop your nagging," Serena said.
"Just trying to get a point across."
"Look..being Sailor Moon is the farthest from my mind right now," Serena said. "I've got other things to worry about."
"That's fair enough," Luna said. "I was just curious."
"You're just being mean, maybe you should try finding some romance in your life."
"Yeah, as if," Luna said.
"What did you say?" Serena asked staring back at her cat.
"Uh..I uh..you've corrupted me.." Luna said.
Serena laughed.
"Soon you'll be just like me, only with paws."
"Never!" Luna screeched.
"Uh..woah, perhaps I went to far there, never mind," Serena said.
"Don't you forget it," Luna said.
"But what about love Luna? Don't you want it?"
"Yes Serena, but I have other things to deal with. I'm also a cat."
"Yes we have all have our quirks, but we overcome them," Serena said.
"Quirks..." Luna muttered. "Just get dressed will you?"
That night.
"Chad, Motoki, try not to trash the place while I'm gone will ya," Raye said.
"We'll try," the two replied exchanging glances.
"Stay away from the sacred fires! Both of you," Raye said.
"Yes ma'am," they said.
Rick grinned watching from nearby.
"All right Rick, let's go," Raye said.
"Sure thing," Rick said popping an extending cane out of his hand.
"I didn't know you had that," Raye said.
"Got my top hat here too," Rick said.
Raye grinned.
"I expected Mike to pull a stunt like that."
"Oh he did," Rick said.
"Well it's cute anyway," Raye said.
In the A.P.T. house.
"So..Taiki..you aren't planning on taking Amy out after this are you?" Greg asked.
"No way," Taiki said. "I'm just going to bring her home."
"Good, because if you weren't I'd have to kill you," Greg said. "D.V. would help."
"No doubt," Taiki said.
D.V. walked up. Of course clad in his SDF uniform rather complete with sword.
"You're bringing a sword?" Taiki asked.
"Dress uniform Taiki, can't do a thing about the regs," D.V. said.
"I'll bet," Taiki said.
Hotaru emerged clad in her pink dress.
"What do you think?" she asked.
"It's beautiful," Greg said. "Uh you too.."
"Glad you have your priorities straight," Hotaru said.
"Well..uh." Greg said.
"It's all right," Hotaru said and kissed him on the cheek.
"This can only end one way," Taiki whispered to Patterson.
"Agreed," Patterson replied.
Amy emerged and came down in her dress of aquamarine.
"Ah..how ravishing," Taiki said. "Even more then I expected."
"Thank you Taiki," Amy said.
"Here I come!" Ayeka said and leapt onto the bannister sliding down it.
"Wouldn't have it any other way," Patterson said.
Ayeka was clad in her own SDF uniform.
"Wait a second, are you telling me you're in the army too?" Taiki asked.
"Sure thing, though D.V. here outranks me," Ayeka said. "He has a nice sword too."
"Sorry," D.V. said.
"What a cute couple," Amy said.
"Looks like our rides here," Greg said peering out a window.
"What a beautiful place this is," Lita said as she and Seiya climbed out of a limo and staring at the site of the dance.
Seiya nodded.
"Hmm..I wonder where the others are."
Darrien's sports car rolled up.
Serena hopped out. Darrien followed as a valet took it away.
"Hi you two," Serena said. "Isn't this all great."
"Couldn't agree with you more," Lita said.
The girls began talking happily outside the hall.
Raye and Rick arrived soon afterwards.
"Nice top hat," Seiya said.
"Yeah well, one does have to be ahead of the game to lead the pack," Rick said.
"Oh right, like I don't know anything about that," Seiya said.
"Hmm...there are only so many mountains you can be king of Seiya," Rick said. "I happen to rule this one from a crystal throne."
"Good for you," Seiya said.
"Do you guys hear something?" Darrien said.
"Sounds like bells," Seiya said.
"It sounds like an ice cream truck," Serena said. "What a wonderful idea! Ice cream here!"
An ice cream truck rolled up to the curb, Mike and Mina emerged.
"Now that's an entrance," Mike said donning a stove pipe hat.
Mina grinned.
"Hi everyone!" she said.
The group all sighed.
Another ice cream truck pulled up to their shock.
Akiro and Ai stepped out. Akiro put on a stove pipe hat as well.
"Hey! You stole my bit!" Akiro said.
"Did not," Mike said.
"Sure did, well my hat's bigger then yours!" Akiro shouted.
"Is not!"
The two began to argue.
"What did we expect?" all the rest of them said.
"The ride in was unexpectedly comfortable," Ai said.
"Yeah those trucks are kinda fun," Mina said.
A motorcycle skidded up minutes later.
Haruka and Steve climbed off.
"Hey..Steve..that's the ticket," Mike said.
"Yeah, yeah," Steve said. "Who needs limos. We got through traffic pretty easily too."
"I don't doubt it," Mike said.
Yaten and Michiru walked up.
"Say how did you get here?" Seiya asked.
"It was a beautiful idea, we walked," Michiru said. "Yaten has a romantic spirit in him that will make some girl happy someday."
"But not Mina," Mike said. "Just so we cleared that up."
"Walking to this is romantic?" Serena asked. "Weird."
"I can see that," Mina said. "Really.."
"Yeah, I guess it could be," Lita said.
A siren sounded. A military police car rounded a curb. Another followed. A limo pulled up. Amy, Greg, Hotaru, and Taiki climbed out.
"Well quite an escort ya got there," Raye said.
"We've had larger," Seiya said.
"It did the job," Taiki said.
"But that's not all," Greg said.
A tank rumbled up to the curb.
"Hey Patterson's here! All right!" Mike said. Of course to all the other students surprise, Patterson and Ayeka climbed out of the tank and jumped to the ground their swords rattling as they did so.
"Trying to upstage my ice cream truck huh?" Akiro asked.
"I don't think they're trying, I think they did it," Ai said.
"Well they'll be another day, next time..we're coming in a zamboni!" Akiro shouted.
"No we're not!" Ai said.
"Hah! I'll be there in a street cleaner!" Mike said.
"You will not," Mina said.
"We had just better go inside," Serena said.
"This is going to be some night," Setsuna said standing at the door.
"A tank..here..." Principal Oksua said in shock standing next to her.
"It shows a healthy spirit," Miss Haruna said.
"Those kids are going to be the end of me, I mean it," Oksua said.
"But at least you'll go out in style," Setsuna said.
"You'll have so many stories to tell," Haruna said.
"Don't badger me," Oksua whined.
Soon the dance was underway. It was the more relaxed faster moving dancing going on.
"Hi..we're Irony Blues," the band leader said.
"Oh not those idiots again," Rick said.
"Agreed, they really need to move on with their lives," Seiya said.
"What a bunch of wannabes," Raye said.
"Yeah, jeez.." Mike said. "I could play the guitar better then they could."
"You don't play guitar," Mina said.
"Hence the vileness of the insult," Mike said.
"Ah.." Mina said.
"I think we're going to have to do something about them later," Raye said.
"I like the sound of that," Rick said.
"So anyway.I hope you like this song, it's called Eden Nights," the band leader said.
The song started up. The students began to dance.
"I don't particularly wish to dance," Hotaru said.
"Hey, that's fine with me," Greg said.
"Is it?"
"Yeah, I'm no good at it."
"Me neither," Hotaru said. "And besides I might bump into someone I don't like and that could lead to problems."
Greg grinned.
You know I really appreciate this Haruka, I mean, we really don't have anything going and that's fine..but I.."
"No need to thank me, we get along well enough," Haruka said. "Besides I have to keep an eye on Michiru, this just allows me to easily."
"Why would you keep an eye on her?"
"Well...she might fall in love, we can't have that," Haruka said.
"Why?"
"It's a long story," Haruka said. "I'm kidding I mean.."
"Oh.." Steve said.
"Whew! Yes!" Serena said.
"Uh..do you need to shout?" Darrien asked.
"Of course," Serena said.
"Just as long as you need to," Darrien said.
Serena smiled.
"It's all about having fun Darrien," Serena said.
"There's fun and going overboard."
"Well I'm all for doing both."
"So you are," Darrien said.
"Come on fall off the boat too."
"All right just for tonight," Darrien said.
"You move so gracefully even now," Yaten said.
"Oh you're a charmer aren't you?" Michiru asked.
"I'm more about letting people know how I feel now, I won't lie," Yaten said.
"Hmm..well you're not so bad yourself," Michiru said spinning him.
"I think I should lead," Yaten said.
"Oh no..this is too much fun," Michiru said.
"All right," Yaten said unsurely as Michiru dipped him.
"Are there any requests?" the band leader asked.
"Play La Bamba!" Mike shouted.
"Aw..geez..not you again," the band leader said.
"How about the Macarena!" Akiro said with a grin.
"Fine."
"I didn't mean it!"
"Too late," The band leader snapped.
"AKIRO!" everyone shouted.
"Ladies..excuse us," Seiya said.
"Akiro face your punishment!" Rick shouted.
"All right..all right..let's go out back.." Akiro said.
He headed out the door. The rest of the boys followed making fists and growling.
"Poor Akiro," Ayeka said.
"Hey..you get down from there before you hurt yourself," Raye said.
"What?" The band leader said.
"Yeah, you're time has come and gone," Lita said.
"Don't make us use force," Mina said.
"Oh fine..we get paid anyway," the band leader said and the group headed off.
"We're in control here," Raye said.
"Steve, Taiki, Yaten, get up here will you?" Mina said.
The three shrugged.
"Now let's get some real music going huh," Raye said.
The crowd cheered.
The guys all came back in excepting Akiro.
"That's no good, who am I supposed to dance with?" Ai muttered.
"We hung Akiro from a tree, you can go get em," one of the boys said.
Ai hurried out.
"Oh great we've seized the bandstand," Rick said.
"Yes finally!" Seiya said.
"About time, now we can play La Bamba!" Mike said.
"So are you having a good time Haruka?" Michiru said.
"I'm here as a service mainly," Haruka said.
"Oh come on, aren't you having a little fun?"
"I don't mind it. How are you doing?"
"Yaten's an interesting person, I can see we'll get along fine," Michiru said.
"Oh," Haruka said. "Well that's good. I'm sure you'll be happy."
"What's with you? Jealous?"
"No of course not. It's just strange that's all, but I'll get used to it."
"It's not like I'm dating him silly."
"Oh..of course..hah hah. I know," Haruka said.
Michiru glanced at her.
"Hmm..I don't mind Taiki being up there, he's doing what he does so well," Amy said.
"He is quite talented," Hotaru said.
"So are you enjoying this Hotaru?" Amy asked.
"Sure.." Hotaru said. "It is what I expected, and I am receiving positive emotions from it."
"How poetic," Amy said.
"Let me guess you two aren't going to dance either," Greg said.
"Do we look like the dancing type?" Patterson said.
"Well I am," Ayeka said. "But you're not so what's the point?"
"I'm just not any fun that's the problem," Greg said.
"Hotaru doesn't seem to mind," Ayeka said.
"Fortunately," Greg said. "Still I'm not really much for the stuff that's supposed to go on here."
"Hey you got a kiss on the cheek don't complain," Patterson said.
"You want one?" Ayeka asked.
"Uh.wha.."
"Here it comes," Ayeka said.
Patterson feinted.
"What a softie," she muttered.
"Hey everyone, you should be dancing not just standing here!" Serena said swinging by them.
"Sorry Serena, girl to guy ratio of five to two and one of them's unconscious," Haruka said.
"Oh, your loss," Serena said smiling happily as she and Darrien continued to have the time of their lives.
"I don't mind this," Haruka said.
"No, no this is fun," Michiru said. "Watching other people enjoy themselves is reason enough to be here."
Akiro and Ai walked in.
"Hey! I'm back! HAH!" Akiro said.
"Oh shut up," Ai muttered. "You've gotten us into enough trouble. Let's just
grove."
The night wore on. The scouts didn't spend all their time playing the music occasionally switching on and off to give each other a chance to dance.
"All right it's time for the last dance," Raye said. "So while Steve and Yaten here give us some music, we're going to finish this thing out!"
The crowd all cheered.
Raye hopped down from the stage and into Rick's arms.
Steve provided a base line, while Yaten played a keyboard and sang.
The slow dance began.
Serena held herself in Darrien's arms smiling happily. Raye and Rick did the same. Mina tried to keep from laughing as Mike made various faces. Lita and Seiya looked into each others eyes as they danced. Taiki and Amy were lost in the moment. Ai and Akiro put the initial mess behind them and swung together. Even Hotaru and Greg managed to smile and let themselves feel what they should at those kind of times.
"It's beautiful isn't it?" Michiru asked.
"Yeah," Haruka said.
"Come on D.V...it's our last chance," Ayeka said.
"I don't know.." D.V. said.
"Please.." Ayeka said.
"Oh..all right," D.V. said. The two hopped on the table and drew their swords facing off , eyes narrowed.
"This time I've got you for sure," Ayeka said.
"Don't push your luck," D.V. said.
"This is the greatest dance ever," Miss Haruna said happily wiping a tear from her eye.
"Nothing less than what I'd expect," Setsuna said. "They're a good bunch of kids aren't they?"
"When it really comes down to it..." Oksua said. "No...I fear for humanity."
"They're the future," Haruna said.
"Might as well accept it," Setsuna said.
"I will not, I need to take a pill," Oksua muttered.
And so once again the scouts had saved the planet and could enjoy it in the most majestic of fashions.
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