The Galaxy Cauldron is proud to announce its newest writing contest! The theme for this contest is "Valentine's Day." You are free to interpret the theme as you like. The rules are as follows: 
 
Rules
1. Entries must be 1000 words or less. 
2. Entries must be rated PG13 or lower. 
3. Entries must be related to the theme. 
4. Your entry must be a new entry created specifically for this challenge. 
5. You may only submit one entry. 
6. You may not show your entry to anyone else or post it elsewhere on the Galaxy Cauldron until after the contest is over and the winner is announced. 
7. Sailor Moon themed entries are encouraged, but not required.
 
Note: Please PM your entries to Tuxedo Mistress by February 13, 2014.  Please vote for your favorite entry by February 28, 2014. All questions may be directed to Tuxedo Mistress.

bump?

let's take part in this =D

Yeah Vday should be a goldmine for anyone that likes to write about their favorite ships. xD

Gah this is due on desperation day. lol

lol, yeah...

btw, please, guys! let's come up with a nifty cool story =)

I've been trying to think of an idea. Something different.....

i think i will do this, just have to come up with an idea.

I might do this...

I think I've got an idea for this. I just need to make it fit the word limit...

I'm still waiting for inspiration XD

I've got an idea, but I need to find the muse to actually write it. XD

I THINK I GOT A GREAT IDEA. But I should reread Sailor V to make sure things go right. xD

ooooooo  a love story...  

hmmm which paring should I do....

i'm actually having an idea. let's see how this plays out

TWO ENTRIES SO FAR!!! KEEP'EM COMING!

OOh! We got another entry!!! Now we have three! =D

And another~ ^^ Sent mine in!

got 5 entries so far!!! =D

BUMP! Last day! 7 entries so far! =D

Entry #1

Today was the day. The Valentine’s Day in which she would finally confess. Makoto kept rehearsing the confession inside her head, and trying to appear confident. The truth? This was probably the most nervous she’d ever been, even more so than when she fought monsters and various baddies as Sailor Jupiter. Monsters and baddies? Easy, she could take care of that. Confessing love? Not so much.
 
The object of her affections came to Juban High in September, five months ago. He was a transfer student from a few cities away, and everything Makoto looked for in a guy. He was funny, smart, sweet, handsome, very friendly to her when they first met, and when they met eyes for the first time, Makoto felt everything just click, as if it were meant to be. Needless to say, she’d had a crush on him ever since.
 
Makoto had prepared endlessly for this day. She had baked a box of homemade cookies from scratch—some were plain sugar cookies, some were chocolate chip, some were peanut butter, and some were cinnamon. He wasn’t allergic to any of these—she had made sure to discreetly ask the day before. She also had a handmade card ready, taped to the box, and had recited her speech to the pictures of her friends and family the night before.
 
And now, everything she had prepared for would finally pay off. She would confess her love, give him the cookies and card, and they’d become boyfriend and girlfriend. Right?
 
But as Makoto rounded a corner, she discovered that not everything would go to plan. She saw him there, all right, but he was accompanied by a blonde girl, prattling on about something or other. He held a heart-shaped box of chocolates.
 
“These are really good chocolates!” he exclaimed.
 
“Well, my father owns a chocolate factory,” the girl boasted matter-of-factly, wrapping her arms around his shoulders and leaning closer to him. “He has locations in Tokyo, England, France…”
 
Makoto had heard enough. Tears welling up in her emerald eyes, she ran as fast as she could. All of her preparations, all of her careful planning and thoughtful handicrafts, had come to nothing. He had chosen the beautiful, rich girl instead of the tall, boyish, plain Makoto.
 
Internally wallowing in misery, she did not pay attention to exactly where she was going, until it was too late. Crash!
 
Makoto found herself splayed on the floor, and from the sound of the clattering of textbooks, the person she had crashed into was also on the ground. “I’m so sorry,” she cried, tears now flowing freely down her face. “I’m obviously such a loser that I can’t even…”
 
“Mako-chan? What’s wrong?”
 
Makoto opened her eyes and found herself staring into the puzzled and concerned face of Ami.
 
“You really don’t look so good,” Ami continued. “Maybe we can go to the bathroom together and you can tell me what happened? Or you don’t have to, if you don’t want to,” she hurriedly added.
 
Makoto stood up, and helped Ami gather up her textbooks. After picking up the box, she heavily sighed. “These cookies were made for the transfer student from late September,” she explained, hiccupping as the two made their way to the bathroom. “I put so much thought into this gift…but then I saw him with another girl, a beautiful one, and she had given him a box of chocolates from her father’s factory, and he seemed to really like her gift. And it seemed like they were about to kiss, and…” Her voice trailed off.
 
“Oh, Mako-chan…” Ami murmured, putting a consoling hand on Makoto’s shoulder as the brunette dissolved into a fresh round of sobs. “Let’s get you cleaned up, and we can forget about this guy. Does that sound good?”
 
Makoto sniffed, and dunked her face under the running water of the bathroom sink. She emerged a second later, wiping her face with her hands and her sleeve. But as she reached for the box of cookies, she had an idea, and held them out to Ami.
 
“Here. You take them.”
 
Ami blinked, taken completely by surprise. “M-me? Why me?”
 
Makoto smiled in spite of her still lingering sorrow. “Because you’ve been a really good friend. Not just today, but every day. You’ve always been there for me, and I just…I want to repay that kindness. So take the cookies; they’re yours now.”
 
Hesitantly, Ami took the box. “Anyone would be lucky to have you as a friend,” she said softly. “Thank you.”
 
“Anytime!” replied Makoto. “You can enjoy them while you’re studying, perhaps?”
 
“Yeah,” Ami replied softly. “But do I have to take the card? I mean, it’s definitely not for me…”
 
Makoto took the card and stuffed it into her backpack, chuckling. “Yeah, you don’t have to take the card…but I’m over him now, I guess.”
 
Ami smiled. “That’s good. See you after school!” she added as the bell to sixth period rang.
 
“See you, too!” Makoto replied, swinging her backpack over her shoulder.
 
“And thanks again!”
 
“You’re welcome!”
 
And as Makoto walked to sixth period, she couldn’t help but feel that this Valentine’s Day was one of the best she’d ever had.

Entry #2

It was Valentine’s Day, and Ami was alone at home reading a book. To her credit, it was a romance novel, a genre she only indulged in rarely. It was an old, worn down, paperback copy of Pride and Prejudice, written in English. It was a Valentine’s Day tradition that she re-read the same book, like her version of giving out chocolate to boys. Ami could never quite bring herself to give chocolate to a classmate, fearing they would give her something back the next day. Considering her usual response to anonymous love letters, she wondered how badly she’d react to getting a White Day present. Ami blushed and pushed her glasses up at the thought of it.

 Rain poured down outside, but it was gentler than the storm that raged just a few hours ago. Some would think that such bad weather would ruin the holiday, but Ami was sure her friends were making the best of it. Usagi was most likely holed up in Mamoru’s apartment, having suckered him into letting her stay until the weather cleared. Rei was at her usual place by the sacred fire, pointedly resisting Yuuichirou’s daily attempts to make her fall for him while she was stuck there. Minako was…well, Sailor Venus. She acted like Valentine’s Day was her second birthday, and nothing short of an incoming asteroid strike could kill her enthusiasm for it. And Makoto…

The sky lit up for a split second and thunder rumbled, distant now. The group had been interrupted right after school by a monster trying to sell chocolate to collect energy from buyers, but before they could even start to fight, the monster had somehow destroyed the home-made chocolates Makoto was carrying around. As soon as they had all realized what happened, Sailor Jupiter had managed to kick the monster out of the shop onto the street, and called down a massive bolt of lightning to strike it. When the rest of the Senshi had gone outside to help, thunder clouds had suddenly rolled over Tokyo. The monster was reduced to nothing but a dark spot on the pavement. Mako had claimed she was okay afterward, but she wasn’t in much of a mood to have fun anymore and ended up leaving for home early. The weather had been ugly ever since.

The door bell rang, and Ami looked up from her book, curious. Her mother was supposed to be at her shift at the hospital for the night, and her friends would have called her beforehand. The apartment was silent for a minute before the person waiting outside knocked. She got up and unlatched the door, opening it to the sight of Makoto, looking the same as she did earlier in the day except dripping wet and uncharacteristically shy. A small rectangular box tied with a ribbon was gripped in her hands, a letter with a heart-shaped sticker sitting on top of it. It was exactly the same box and letter that had been wrecked in the fight. Ami stared unabashedly at her before her vision went blurry and she tipped backwards, hearing someone call her name just as she blacked out.


 “Sorry again for the whole love letter thing, I completely forgot how you felt about that.” Mako sat on the couch, staring out the window. Her clothes were dry now, a product of Ami’s needless protest over her health. “And for the water I got on your floor.”

“I-it’s fine, I just overreacted. I can’t believe I actually fainted…” Ami responded, scratching her cheek. Her arms were partially covered with the same rash as her face, but Mako decided not to comment on that. “Thank you for catching me though.”

“Well, I didn’t want you to hit your head on the tile,” she said, laughing slightly. It quickly died though, leaving nothing but silence.

“So...why were you outside in the rain with a Valentine’s Day gift?” Makoto sighed and picked up the box of chocolates.

“You know when I left you guys at the arcade?” Ami nodded. “Well, I went back home and made another batch of chocolates to replace the last one. And then I ran back to the arcade to give it to...um… Motoki.” Ami raised a brow at the admittance.

“Mako, he has a girlfriend already.”

“I’m not sure why I even tried in the first place, I felt pretty stupid standing there in the rain in front of a closed building anyway. I mean, I bet a ton of girls tried to give him stuff today too. It’s not like I had a chance…” she rambled. “I just kind of wandered over here after.”

“I guess you just got caught up in the whole holiday spirit. Maybe you’ll find someone to give chocolate to next year. Hopefully someone who’s not engaged,” Ami said, touching her shoulder. “If it’s any consolation, I’m sure Mina would be proud of you for not giving up.”

“…Yeah, you’re right.” After a few moments of thought, she slid the unopened box over to Ami. “Here, you have them. I think you deserve chocolate after hearing me talk about my love problems and dripping all over your house.” Ami hesitated before picking it up and cracking the lid.

“…Don’t you think this is a bit high quality to give to just a friend? I mean, didn’t you want to give this to Motoki?”

“Ami, I don’t think I could ever purposely give someone cheap food.” Mako grinned and looked back outside again. “Besides…you’re far more important to me than a guy,” she continued. Ami blushed again.

“Wait, what do you mean by that?”

“Oh look, the rain's gone.”

“Makoto, don’t change the subject!”

“Oh, stop over thinking it and eat your chocolate, okay?”

Entry #3

Valentine’s Day was Minako Aino’s favorite day.

Well, beside her birthday, of course.

She woke up that morning with a grin on her face, which practically never happened at any other time of the year. Thankfully, it was a Saturday, and so she didn’t have to wait for school to be over to meet up with the girls at Rei’s shrine. Minako walked with a skip on her step, her yellow dress that was much too cold for this time of the month swelling around her. Who cares about the weather? For her, it was positively summer.

“Hellooooo, friendsssss!” she opened the door of their usual room with a flourish.

Everyone looked up at her with disinterested expressions. Usagi was the only one who actually smiled. “Hi, Minako-chan!” she waved.

“What… what are you all doing?” Minako stared in disbelief at the scattered textbooks and everyone’s serious faces. “Are you… actually… studying?”

“You mean like we’ve been doing every other day?” Rei asked dryly.

“But… but it’s Valentine’s Day! And it’s the weekend!” Minako stared at them all, awaiting them to wake up to this revelation. How could they have not realized what day it was?

“We know,” Ami said, looking at her with an actually confused expression. 

Minako looked at her, thinking her friend might not have heard her right. “It’s Valentine’s Day,” she said again, figuring if she did it enough times, it would sink in.

“Yes, Minako-chan, but I don’t see how that should affect our study schedule…?”

“Urgh, Ami-chaaaan. You should be out on a date with Urawa-san!”

“What?!” Ami blushed, completely shocked, but Minako had moved on.

“And Mako-chan! I know you always have someone who reminds you of your senpai every other week! Have you at least given him your own homemade chocolates?”

It was Mako’s turn to blush, though much less severely. “M-Minako-chan, I actually haven’t been reminded of him for a while…” she raised her hand behind her head in embarrassment.

Minako zeroed in on Rei, but her friend was already glaring at her so intensely with a ‘don’t-you-even’ look as she opened her mouth, that Minako was forced to stop her impassioned speech. Instead, she only said, “So I don’t suppose you’re going out with Yuichiro?”

“Not. A. Chance.”

“Are you serious?” Minako threw up her hands. “So nobody is going to celebrate today properly?”

“I’m going out on a date with Mamo-chan later,” Usagi piped up enthusiastically, but Minako didn’t even acknowledge her.

“This is the day for love! It’s the day of romance! It’s the best day ever and you’re all not doing anything about it?!” Minako dramatically pulled her own hair.

“Actually, Minako-chan,” Ami said, “it’s a day to commemorate the bravery of a saint who was willing to perform weddings for those who were forbidden to marry. And then he got executed—”

Ami continued her speech, but Minako had stopped listening long ago. She fell on a heap on the floor, all energy seeping out of her. She lay crumpled there for a few long minutes, and her friends stared at her with varying degrees of concern. 

Rei finally spoke up. “So, Minako-chan. What about you? Since you’re so excited about this, surely you’ve got a fantastic date planned out for today? Who’s the lucky guy?”

Minako sat up so quickly, Usagi nearly hit her chin on her friend’s head. 

“I’m… That’s not… It’s different! I’m the goddess of love! I’m… I’m here for other people’s love! And… above it all!”

“Is that so?” Rei raised one eyebrow, and the more she stared at Minako, the more Minako’s eye started twitching.

“Okay, fine! I don’t have a date!” she admitted grudgingly. “But I was so looking forward to your romance stories.”

“Minako-chan, I actually have something for you,” Mako said, and she pulled out a box that she handed to Minako.

Minako peered at it suspiciously, but Mako gave her an encouraging nod, so she opened it. Inside she found the prettiest and most delicious looking assortment of chocolates she had ever seen. Minako gasped. (So did Usagi.)

“M-Mako-chan, this is for me?” Minako said in disbelief.

Mako nodded with a grin. “Happy Valentine’s Day, Minako-chan.”

“B-but, you’re supposed to give chocolates to boys you like on Valentine’s Day,” she protested.

“Oh, who cares about old traditions? We don’t need boys. Love isn’t just about romance. It’s about friendship too. And I love you very much, Minako-chan,” Mako said sincerely, and slowly Minako’s eyes began to water.

“Mako-chan… Thank you…” she said tearfully.

“Here,” Rei said simply, and suddenly another package flew toward Minako’s head. It was only her great reflexes that allowed her to catch it. Glowering at her friend, Minako looked at it. It wasn’t even wrapped or anything.

“Here! Chocolates?” she looked at Rei judgingly (which Mako soon joined).

“You should be grateful I bothered to go out and buy it at all,” Rei said disdainfully. “But of course, just like Here! Curry, they’re really good. So there.”

“Minako-chan! I also have chocolates!” Usagi added, and Minako looked at the box suspiciously.

“Did you make this?” she asked.

Usagi pouted. “No, Mama did. She forbade me from doing it myself, but I wanted to!”

Minako smiled. “Tell Ikuko-Mama I am very grateful to her.”

“Here’s something I bought for you too,” Ami joined in. “I’m sorry I didn’t have time to make them, but this is supposed to be a good quality store product.”

“Thank you, Ami-chan! Thank you everyone! Group hug!” Minako declared, and immediately tried to hug as many of her friends as she could reach. Rei was putting up a good fight, but eventually Minako got her too.

“So did you all just give all these to me?” Minako blinked in confusion once everyone had settled back on their seats.

“Of course not. We gave each other as well. We’ve been eating them before you got here,” Rei replied.

“Are they all gone now?” Minako’s eyes widened, only now noticing the empty plates and boxes scattered on the floor.

Rei just pointed at Usagi, who could only laugh sheepishly. “Studying makes me very hungry,” she said matter-of-factly.

Minako smiled, because she was reminded once again what fantastic friends she had, and she officially dubbed this the best Valentine’s Day ever.

Entry #4


Why did I have to look up? Ceres mentally complained, peering around the corner of a changing shack with a definite pout to her lips, her heart, against her better judgment, pounding with excitement as she picked him out of a small crowd of people surrounding a bonfire. He was gorgeous, her heart cried, and she whirled back out of sight, scowling into the darkness of the surrounding beach, and he’s in my way. Her eye catching one of the Crystal Spires of the palace, she focused on it as she grumpily lowered herself to the ground, sitting with her legs together and folded beneath her as she concentrated all of her annoyance on that spire, and, in particular, one of the inhabitants within.
 
“Ceres!” Sailor Venus greeted, surprising her out of her latest failed attempt, “I see you’re still having issues.”
 
A little hurt with the blunt statement, Ceres nonetheless kept her composure and nodded, “Nothing I try is working; at this rate it will never work, let alone be ready in time for the solstice next month.” She sighed, staring at her contraption of crystals and lenses and the stubborn pod across the room that was, as always, refusing to bloom early.
 
“Hmm,” Venus replied with a wistful hum. “That’s just too bad,” her voice was wistful, “I can tell that Small Lady is taking winter a little harder this year; this surprise you had in store would have been just the ticket.” Cere’s heart sunk, “And not just Small Lady, but Neo Queen Serenity, too, has the Winter Blues.” She trailed off, and Ceres heart sunk further – if she could get this apparatus to work, she could have helped out everyone… 
 
Ceres looked up to the blonde, noticing the wishful look in Venus’s blue eyes as she regarded Ceres’s mess, and all Ceres could think about were the countless failed attempts, the hours spent trying to get it working, and couldn’t help but want a shortcut at this point. “I wish it would work, but –“ she was going to say that she had tried everything, but Venus interrupted her, first.
 
“Do you?” she cut in, her voice hinting at something, “Do you wish it more than anything?”
 
Perplexed at the question, Ceres thought for a moment, then answered, “Yes, but I don’t see –“ 
 
“Come with me,” Venus beckoned, and nearly an hour later they were in a small cove on the beach, Venus standing across from her on the other side of a peculiar well made of beautiful stones and shells, roofed by driftwood. “This,” she addressed, putting both hands on the well and leaning on it proudly, “Is the Well of Aphrodite, and it is a wishing well.”
 
Ceres looked at her skeptically, glancing down into the deep well and back up at her, wondering if she was being tricked. “A wishing well? The Well of Aphrodite?”
 
“Yes,” Venus replied happily, standing straight again and with a smile, “It’s an artifact from Magellan Castle, my birthplace. While we Venusians were renowned for our unbelievable understanding of Love and Beauty,” she winked slyly, “we also granted the occasional wish, and people from all over the system would come to us, tell us their desire, and if it were for love or a loved one, we would take them to this well, give them a special coin,” suddenly Venus had produced a coin and placed it in Ceres’s hand, “and tell them to make a wish.” She kept eye contact for the next part, speaking very seriously, “They had to concentrate on their wish, and only on their wish, as they flipped the coin up into the air and watched it as it fell into the well. If they heard a splash, their wish would be granted.” She smiled, moving around to Ceres’s side of the well, “Want to give it a shot?”
 
What was there to lose? So Ceres brought the coin to her chest, thought of Small Lady, and of Neo Queen Serenity, and of her contraption working. How with just a touch of her power, it would magnify her strength and abilities and make all the plants in the castle bloom again on the first day of spring, coming up healthy and smelling of everything good in the world… she opened her eyes, concentrating on her wish, and focused on the coin as she placed it atop her thumb and flipped it into the air. It arched up and her eyes followed, it started to fall and – “Ooh, who is that?” Venus whispered, and Ceres’s eyes darted away from the falling coin to land on a handsome boy running down the beach after a volleyball. She realized her folly too late, and when she turned back to the coin it was only a faint shining point beneath the well’s surface. Her heart racing, she listened and heard a distinct splash. Grabbing the edges of the well, Ceres looked in, then back up at Venus, “Venus!” she exclaimed, “I looked up! You – “ she couldn’t blame it on Venus, that’d be rude, “The boy distracted me – what will happen to my wish?!”
 
“Hmm,” Venus hummed again, walking away from her, towards the beach and the boy that had caught their attention. He was around her age, with tanned skin and blond hair that caught the rays of the setting sun and reflected them back. “This has happened before…” Venus continued, but Ceres couldn’t help but watch him; he had grabbed the ball and now, with a wonderful smile, was running back to his friends. His jeans were torn; she could see his skin… she tore her eyes away, blushing with embarrassment. “Looks like you’ll have to get him to go on a date with you.” She shot up to find Venus smiling a devilish grin, “Aphrodite Wishing Well rules – a boy caught your attention but you heard the splash. He’s in the way of your wish – once you win him over, your first wish will come true!” She smiled and waved, “Good luuuck!”
 

Growling with frustration, Ceres pulled a scrap of paper from her pocket, jotted down her communication number, and thinking well why not?, stood and marched from her hiding place, putting a smile on her face as she focused just on him. He stood quickly as she approached and, with some confusion, took the slip of paper that she offered. “Hey, I just met you,” she started, her smile becoming a little less bold, “And this is crazy…”

Entry #5

                “East wing’s clear.”
                “All clear in the west.”
                “No activity in the south.”
                “NORTH IS ALL CLEAR, CHIBIUSA-CHAN!!!!”
                Princess Small Lady jumped and dropped her pink walkie-talkie.  With a slap to her forehead, she bent down and picked it back up.  “Pallas, be quiet!” she hissed into the speaker.
                “Sorry…” Pallas whispered on the other end.  Chibiusa rolled her eyes and looked left and right, making sure the hallway was clear before slipping out of her bedroom.
                Her heart beat uncontrollably within her chest, threatening to burst.  If she was caught, it was over. 
                Chibiusa managed to cover quite a bit of ground before hearing footsteps echoing from down the hall.  The small princess suppressed a gasp and pressed herself against the wall, praying for the shadows to provide her concealment.  She was so close to the front doors. 
                She exhaled when the person who came around the corner turned out to be Ceres.  Small Lady quickly made herself known, and the girls switched clothes in a matter of seconds.  Ceres was now wearing her hair down and dressed in Chibiusa’s nightgown, while Chibiusa’s hair was in its regular style and she was in Ceres’s signature pink outfit.
                “Ready?” Ceres asked, smoothing down the nightgown.  Chibiusa nodded uncertainly and bit her lip.  She could only imagine the anger on her father’s face if he found out.  Ceres placed two comforting hands on Chibiusa’s shoulders and said, “Hey, you’re doing a good thing.  Just go for it!”  Chibiusa nodded with more confidence in her eyes.
                Ceres waved good-bye as Chibiusa sprinted silently to the grand front doors and opened them a tiny sliver, slipping through soundlessly.
                The chilly night air immediately bit her skin, which was not concealed by Ceres’s outfit.  She wrapped her arms around herself before running from shadow to shadow, trying to get to the gates as quickly and soundlessly as possible without being spotted by any of her mother’s senshi.  Just as she was about to run around a tree, she collided with something taller than her.  With a thump, Small Lady fell back onto the grass.  Looking up, she realized she had collided with Sailor Venus.
                “Small Lady, what are you doing out here this late?” Sailor Venus inquired, outstretching her hand to help the girl up.
                Chibiusa bit her lip and rocked back and forth on her toes, trying to come up with some sort of excuse.  Venus placed her hands on her hips and looked at Chibiusa accusingly. 
                “I was going out…to get a gift…” Chibiusa said ashamedly. 
                Venus’s eyes sparkled mischievously as a grin spread across her face.  “Ah…I understand.  You’re celebrating my signature holiday, aren’t you?” she asked.  Chibiusa nodded, a small glimmer of hope appearing in her large ruby-colored eyes.
                Venus clapped her hands together and squealed delightedly before leading Chibiusa to the gates. She leaned down and patted the princess on the head.  “Go get ‘em kiddo,” the Senshi of Love whispered.  Chibiusa smiled and hugged Venus before running through the gates and into the kingdom of Crystal Tokyo.  
                It was late in the night, so few were milling about the nearest sector of Azabu-Juban.  Those who were wandering and finishing up their nightly shifts recognized the princess only as Sailor Ceres, one of Small Lady’s five protectors.  As Small Lady walked down the streets, she received courteous nods and small smiles from the few she passed.
                After wandering for a bit, Chibiusa finally came across a small shop filled with trinkets and antiques.  Thankfully, it was still open.  She opened the door to be greeted by a tinkling bell.
                The lights in the room reflected off of all of the glass and golden objects, creating a myriad of rainbow reflections across the walls.  Chibiusa gasped at the beauty of such a small shop.
                A woman with short, blonde hair and large, thick-framed glasses came out of the faculty room of the shop and smiled widely at Chibiusa.  
                “You must be the last customer of the night.  Have you come to find something for your special one, dear girl?” the girl said in a loud, friendly voice that Chibiusa thought would shatter the glass objects.
                She nodded shyly and the woman smiled.  “Come, come!  I have the perfect thing!”  Small Lady followed her to the other end of the shop, where a glass display case hung on the wall.  One lone item was within, but Chibiusa knew as soon as she laid eyes on it that it was perfect.
                The object was large enough that Chibiusa could hold it in one hand.  The lights of the room seemed to magically change to where they pointed straight to this object.  It shined and glittered, reflecting the light and filling the glass case with all sorts of beautiful colors.  It seemed to give off the aura of love, even within the glass encasement.  And the best part was:  it was shaped like a Pegasus.  Not only that, but it was a Pegasus with a girl kneeling beside it.  The girl’s hands were carved intricately so that they were cupped around the Pegasus’s muzzle.  How such a perfect object could remain in this shop was a mystery to the young princess.
                The sparkle in Chibiusa’s eyes was the indicator to the shop lady that this was the one.  “I assume this is what you want?” she asked, a touch of excitement in her voice.  Chibiusa nodded happily.
                “How much?” she asked nervously.
                “For you; free.  It’s a special deal I give to my final customer of the night.”
                Chibiusa beamed and couldn’t help herself; she threw her arms around the cheerful saleswoman and squealed with delight.  Thanking her repeatedly, Chibiusa took the delicate object in an adorable box and headed back towards home.
                The saleslady stood at the door and watched her go, a smirk on her face.  When Small Lady was out of sight, the saleswoman snapped her fingers, transforming back into her orange senshi fuku.

                “I’m sure Helios will love it.”

Entry #6

One of the hardest things, she thinks, is being the Goddess of Love. Because, as great as it is to see love flourish all around you, what’s left for you? Is there anything for you?

So naturally, Minako preferred to stay in the house all day on Valentine’s Day. More specifically, in her bed all day. She didn’t have a boy to dote on like Usagi did. She didn’t have…anyone. Not even Artemis.

The late morning sun kissed her face as she rolled onto her back, a long puff of air escaping her lips. Her long, honey locks sprawled out this way and that on her pillow. Honestly? There’d probably never be anyone for her. Especially because she is a senshi. Her duties lied with the King and Queen (more emphasis on the Queen). And even then, she didn’t have Usagi to dote on.

She could, at the very least, celebrate this day. It is a day of love after all. And she used to. She really did. She used to go down to the park and watch couples stroll by, hand in hand, arm in arm, for hours, just…observing. But after Yaten…Minako was certain. There was no one out there for her. It was like a train chugging at full force right off the tracks.
Often she’d think to herself: “Aino Minako. Stop feeling sorry for yourself. You are the Agent of Love. The Goddess of Love. Pull yourself together.” But then she’d ask herself “how would you feel if there is no significant other out there for you? If there’s no one that is meant to love you and stand by your side? How would you feel?”

Minako’s forehead furrowed, the corners of her lips tugging downward like a puppeteer pulling her strings. 

Rhap rhap rhap. 

Minako jumped, bolting upright and clutching her duvet in her fists, causing her knuckles to whiten. Rei stood at her bedroom door, arms behind her back. 

“R-Rei-chan…It’s just you,” Minako said, loosening her grip. “H-how’d you get in?”

Rei pulled a hand around and lifted her necklace pendant, revealing a small silver key. 

“Oh…”

Rei smiled and strode over to the foot of Minako’s bed and sat down. Almost immediately, crimson dusted Rei’s cheeks all the way to her ears.

“I-I brought you these,” Rei stumbled, bending her head, eyes fixing themselves on a pattern on Minako’s duvet. 

Minako’s brow furrowed. “For me?”

Rei nodded, eyes tracing a pattern on the duvet. 

Minako’s sapphire blue eyes widened slightly at the sight of a dozen red roses. Probably straight from Mako-chan’s shop. Pink 
swept across her cheeks, words jumping from her tongue out of her lips, completely lost. 

Hands shaking, Minako took the bouquet, bringing the flowers to her nose and inhaling deeply. She smiled. 

“Thank you…Rei-chan…” Minako's smile spilled into her eyes. "They're really beautiful...but why did you bring me flowers?”

The crimson on Rei’s cheeks deepened and she grabbed a fist full of Minako’s duvet.

“It’s Valentine’s Day…” Rei muttered, her voice barely a whisper. 

Minako sighed. “I know. I am well aware, trust me.”

In one fluid motion, Rei locked eyes with Minako, bringing a hand up to cup the blonde’s face. “Minako-chan…”

Minako’s eyes widened, the pink on her face turning to cherry. “R-Rei-chan…”

As if the magic word, Rei’s eyes widened, she pursed her lips, and quickly drew her hand back to her lap, leaving Minako to feel a sudden emptiness and longing. 

“I’m sorry,” Rei managed. 

“Don’t be sorry, you just caught me by surprise,” Minako said, doing her best to be reassuring. 

Rei looked up at Minako again, her deep amethyst eyes full of intent and…a longing Minako hadn’t seen before. 

“It’s Valentine’s Day and… I knew you would be upset…and I wanted to do something for you…so I figured I’d come by and tell you…” Rei trailed off. 

“Tell me…?”

“To tell you…how…I…I…how I…feel…”

Minako cocked her head slightly. “How do you mean?”

Rei curled the duvet tighter in her hand, knuckles turning white. “Sometimes I swear it’s like I’m talking to Usagi.”

And with that, Rei pulled herself forward, cupped Minako’s face once more with her hand, and pressed her lips gingerly against the blonde’s. 

Minako’s eyes widened and then softened all at once. 

Here was Rei. Stoic Rei. Right in front of her. Gently holding her, synchronizing herself with her. Moving with her. Igniting something within her. The unspoken completely clear against her lips. 

Minako hesitantly pulled her hand up and wove her fingers through Rei’s raven hair, pulling the girl closer to her. She slowly put her hand around Rei’s waist, pulling her up onto her lap as she fell against her headboard. 

“Unf,” Minako exhaled into Rei’s mouth as pain flooded through her skull. 

Rei lingered and then pulled away. 

“Are you alright?”

“Gah…” Minako placed a hand behind her head, rubbing the tender knot growing on her skull. “Yeah…I’m fine…”

“Are you sure?” Rei asked. “I heard that thud.” 

Minako locked eyes with Rei. She grasped a small pillow firmly in her hand. With her other hand, she placed Rei’s hand on her bare waist, nightshirt hitched up ever so slightly.

“Yeah. Now I am.”

Rei smiled. Minako flung the pillow as hard as she could, hitting the door, causing a click.

Entry #7

Yes, I'll be able to give you back your memory.




Just... find me. Please. 




Endymion... 


"Serenity?"

(---)

I've had these dreams for a while now, and nothing makes any sense.

There's a girl in a white dress with white hair who wants me to find her. Most of the time, she claims to be able to give me back the rest of my memory. And I always wake up with the word serenity on my lips. 

I know full well that's it's completely illogical to chase a girl from a dream who may not exist, but I've already spent the past few years searching for the rest of my memory. And she feels real. Like some I knew back then...

PLOP!

Thank you, Miss Bunhead, I really appreciate getting hit in the face with your failed test. 

(---)

It was quite jarring to find out the true identity of the girl in my dreams.

While I'd suspected that she was Sailor Moon for quite some time, her real name came to light once I found a dropped handkerchief of hers after a battle. 

Usagi Tsukino. 

Also known as Miss Bunhead, the person who threw a test at me, and she seems to own a talking cat. 

(---)

Sometimes, reality is even better than dreams.

I don't have my memory back, but I have gained her love. 

If someone told me before that we'd marry, I'd probably tell them to go see a psychiatrist. 

But somehow, we fell into the roles we'd played all of those years ago.

Only this time, the story has a happy ending.

Voting is up and lasts until Feb 28! =D

Dying over #4. Well played, mystery author.

voted!