THE NEPTUNIAN PRINCESS WHO NEVER LAUGHED
by Harukami/Mizuno Ami
Author's notes: Hiya all! It's me again.
Haruka and Michiru: Groan. It's her again.
Me: Oh hush, you. *affectionately* It's great to see you all here again! Hey, where are you
going?!?
Haruka: They've decided you're unsafe to be around and left before the energy attacks began
flying.
Me: You drove them away!
Michiru: Didn't we get a restraining order on you?
Me: I'm a fanfic writer! They can't keep me away!! *Maniacal laughter insert here*
Michiru and Haruka: K-- kowaii...
Me: NYways, you can reach me at wlwilton@julian.uwo.ca until June 1999, and at haruka_lover@hotmail.com until... until I forget my password.
Haruka: Figures.
Me: *Glomp*!!
Once upon a time, there was a wonderful and highly advanced civilization spread across
the solar system. On one of these planets, Neptune, a king and queen ruled kindly but with a
firm hand. They had a daughter, named Michiru, who was extremely beautiful, kind, mature, and
talented. There were only two things wrong with this teenage princess. The first was that she
seemed uninterested in all the male suitors who came to call, but her parents figured that that
was a stage she would grow out of. The second problem was that she never laughed.
The king and queen tried everything they could to make their daughter laugh, but none
of it worked. They called in famous jesters who had even made the princess of Mercury laugh,
but Michiru just yawned delicately and stared out the window at the wind. They called in the
charming young men from across the kingdom, but Michiru raised a thin eyebrow, sighed, and
went back to her artwork.
The kindly rulers were terrified that there was something wrong with their daughter, so
they sent out a message to all the planets in the solar system: Whoever could make Princess
Michiru laugh could have her hand in marriage.
When Michiru first found this out, she was angry, but she let her anger die down. "They
could never convince me to laugh," Michiru sighed to herself. "My heart is empty of all joyful
expressions."
Many young men came to court to do whatever they could to make her laugh and take
her hand in marriage, but Michiru was unamused. "Father, mother, why do you do this to me?"
she asked them.
"We only want the best for you," they answered.
Suitor after suitor came to court and failed. Until one day...
At first, the last suitor was almost turned away. He was tall, and almost pretty, with dirty
blond hair, and dressed like a peasant, covered with grime. But he pointed out in a sultry voice
that the message didn't specify nobility, only people in general. So they were forced to let him in.
As soon as he entered, Michiru was intranced. *Something about that young man...* she
thought intently. The pretty boy looked up and caught her eyes, and they gazed like that for a
few moments, unable to look away until the king spoke.
When the young man turned slightly to answer the king's disapproving questions, his
profile was to Michiru completely, and, due to her experience drawing the human body, she
realized with a start what was unusual about him... he was a she! She'd done a good job in
attempting to hide it, but to a person with Michiru's experienced eye, it was obvious. A smile
quirked on her face, but she sternly forced herself not to laugh.
*Joy can only eventually bring me pain,* she told herself.
The young woman turned to smile at Michiru and Michiru found herself smiling back.
"What is your name, *sir*," she asked, stressing the 'sir'.
"Ha... er, Hitomo." The young woman lied. Michiru's smile grew.
'Hitomo' cracked a few feeble jokes, and Michiru sternly goverened her face into an
expression of disinterest. Not that she found this woman uninteresting... but she couldn't let it be
too easy. "Father, this is too much," she sighed.
King Neptune frowned and gestured at his guards. "Show this man out."
One of the guards poked 'Hitomo' with a pike, and the unexpected happened. The
thin peasant's shirt the woman was wearing caught and tore, exposing not only her... er, hidden
identity, but also the crest of the royal family of Uranus hanging on a necklace.
The situation was just too absurd. As her father stood to yell at the nerve of the young
woman, Michiru burst out laughing.
She stood, still chuckling, and walked over to stand by her stunned mother and father.
"Now, 'Hitomo', who are you really?"
"Er..." The young woman straightened, arms crossed over her breasts, tossing her hair
out of her face. "I am Haruka, princess of the planet Uranus."
"Really." She turned to her parents, an odd half smile on her face. "I think you are stuck
with the deal. After all, she did make me laugh."
Her father's face slowly turned red. "Michiru-chan, she's a woman."
"Are you going to go back on your word? The whole solar system knows of your deal.
You might as well make it official and seem to keep your promise at any price. Besides, she's
not only a royal princess -- a situation that could be bad if her parents turn against you -- she
also shares the same destiny as me to become a Senshi. So," Michiru's smile grew wider,
"since we will have to train together later, we'd just get together then and disgrace you. I know
which I'd choose in your situation."
"What do you mean 'get together then'?" her mother demanded.
Michiru glanced up through her hair, smirking. "What do you think?"
Her parents paled, then her father ground out, "I guess we have no choice. I will begin
looking for a priest willing to perform such an... odd ceremony." He stalked out.
Haruka blinked in surprise, then grinned widely. "I think I like you."
"Good." Michiru smiled.
****
News travelled quickly through the kingdom, and nearly everybody was shocked at
this amazing turnout. Fortunately for the young couple, Haruka's parents agreed readily. They'd
realized their daughter's preferances early and it had been too much hope to get an alliance
marriage out of the deal.
They were given a suite in both palaces, with a teleporter down the hall connecting both,
in case either needed to be in attendance in court. After the ceremony, they went to Castle
Miranda, not wanting to stick around Michiru's parents for the next little while.
"This is truly astonishing," Haruka sighed, leaning back on the bed. "I never expected
to get this far with this..."
"You wouldn't have if I hadn't wished it," Michiru said from the doorway, turning the light
off.
"I know." Haruka smiled and attempted to turn onto her side to watch her companion
sashay towards her, but slipped and fell off the bed. "Itai."
Michiru laughed and pulled Haruka onto the bed with her.
Fin.
End notes: I came up with this idea last night... since I'm stuck on so many other fics, I
decided to toss it out.
Haruka: Oi...
Me: Huh?
Haruka: Why do you never write the good bits?
Me: Huh?
Michiru: *blush* Ara...
Me: *Slow burn* A... ano... I'm underage!
Haruka: *nods, not believing a word of it* Uh-huh. I know your fantasies.
Me: HOW DO YOU KNOW THAT?!? Uh oh...
Michiru: she was bluffing you know.
Me: I just realised that, yes. *buries head in hands*
Haruka: *snickering* She loves email. Go on, flame her.
Me: OI!!!!
Michiru: Haruka....
Haruka: Hai, hai. Comments and critisisms are welcome... this girl doesn't need food to live, just
email.
Me: Haruka... shi ni tai yo?
Michiru: *laughs as Harukami chases Haruka around the fanfic*
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