Heart to an Arrow
Tokyo, Sakura Jinja – Juuban Prefecture, Just before the Big Freeze
The tall raven-haired Senshi, Sailor Mars, in her metallic-red Affinity fuku with its daring X-cut, concentrated on her objective. Legs apart, her arrow stretching as far back as she could take it, her hair flying out behind her as she prepared to release the fiery arrow, “Olympic champion… here… I… come!” she cried, as the fiery arrow flew at speed towards the target board.
Life had been relatively good for the Senshi and Shitennou. The four redeemed kings of Earth -- once known as Terra -- were happy and so too their lovers. They were aware of what lay ahead. However, there was still that element of uncertainty given the disruption to the original timeline by Lord Janus and his sexy sidekick, Sailor Praxis. But all of them knew that whatever lay ahead, they were ready for it.
‘Whap!’
“Nice shooting!” Mamoru said, clapping with the others.
Rei bowed and held her firestone bow over her head in a gesture of victory. “Why thank you dear sir, or should that be, Sire?” she winked and giggled.
“Hey, don’t crown me just yet, I want to enjoy what I have left of my time as Mamoru!” he laughed, hugging Usagi.
“Muffin!” she purred, nuzzling his neck.
“Hmmm, I think Fire Fly that you might be well served by joining the recruitment drive for the Crystal Tokyo archery squadron!” Jadeite chuckled, still clapping. “As head archer Senshi with a flame-hot aim!”
“And how!” Mamoru said, as Usagi wound her arms around his waist. She was pregnant, only a month or so, but her maternal glow was clear for all to see.
“I would be honored to have you at my side, Jad, you gorgeous hunk of a man,” Rei grinned, pirouetting and wiggling her butt. Rei all but danced over to her guy and stood by his side. Both she and Jadeite watched the blonde Senshi of Love stride to her firing point. Rei then refilled her quiver.
“Sexy, Rei, but this is how you do it!” Venus, in her orange fuku, identical in cut to Rei’s, sidled up to Kunzite. She had that look on her face that gave the observer the impression she were about to ravish him. He offered a smirk. “Allow me, fellow Senshi and noble Shitennou. I shall now perform a death-defying act of skill-“
“Ha! Yeah, or lack thereof,” a certain white Mauan sputtered between mouthfuls of grilled fish as Luna tried unsuccessfully to stifle a laugh.
“Artemis! That was mean! I’ll show you furballs!” she squeaked, stamping her foot.
“Hey, my heart, it is all right, he’s just trying to get a rise out of you is all. You know,” he said, low enough that only she could hear, “You look so cute whenever you do that stamp and sexy little pout.”
“You really think so?” her eyes lit up, as did her smile.
“I know so, now, give me a kiss and go for it!” Kunzite demanded, his tone just dripping with passion and the promise of seduction that would inevitably come much later after nightfall.
She complied without protest as whoops from their friends made them giggle as they locked lips, her glittering high heels catching the morning sunlight as she wrapped herself around him. The act of kissing while laughing was for each of them fun and a challenge in itself that they were more than able to meet. Their lips parted, each breathless. She pawed at his chest then set the apple atop his head and stepped back, nodding her approval.
“We’ll have to take up where we left off later, in private of course,” he said, and she winked.
“Of course,” she covered her mouth and giggled.
“Just make sure you aim for the right target, Venus!” Rei put in with a laugh.
“I have already used my quota of Cupid’s arrows now, haven’t I Kunzy?” she said over her shoulder as she took several paces to the shooting line.
“Kunzy? Please, Mini-Mouse!” Artemis cackled.
“You’ll have to eat at Usagi’s place if you keep that up mister!” she growled, and paused, counted to ten and shook herself as the white cat’s ears drooped a little in fear at her facial expression.
“And you think I have a bad sense of humor!” he muttered returning to his meal.
“No, Artemis, you have a great sense of humor, just because Venus might not think so doesn’t mean people don’t otherwise love your whit and jokes you know! Now come on, cheer up some, this will be exciting and fun!” Luna told him, rubbing up against his flank, and suddenly the day wasn’t so bad after all.
“All right, time for concentration guys, give Venus a break,” Kunzite said, bowing to his lover sending the apple flying. Everyone laughed as Phobos and Deimos swept in low, wings almost silent as they swooped in on the dislodged apple and fought over the fallen prize.
“You’re so gorgeous and an airhead my love, you put me to shame!” she laughed, seeking a fresh apple and tossing another to Phobos who had materialized in her winged human form and sulked as her sister munched contented on the pink apple, now and again her eyes darting toward her sister in case she tried to steal her prize.
“Here Phobos, and Deimos, you’re mean and should share with your sister!” Rei chastised Deimos. She smiled with affection upon the twins as their wings moved slowly as they ate.
“Bite…me!” Deimos poked out her tongue “More to the point, I shall bite this apple!”.
The dark haired Senshi in her black and red fuku, matching that of her sibling shrugged and bit down upon the half-devoured apple with emphasis as if to say, ‘so what!’
“Thank you, Venus!” Phobos said, sitting next to Shingo and Aki on the bluestone wall and bit into her own apple, closing her eyes in pleasure, savoring the sweet flesh of the fruit.
Venus kissed Kunzite’ cheek. “Thank you, my darling,” she spun around and took her place holding a small bow of glittering red and strung the tiny arrow and took aim at the new apple she had placed upon Kunzite’s head.
“Shouldn’t he be scared or something?” Shingo whispered to Aki.
“Nope, I watched them practice this move, now hush and watch!” she whispered back.
But as the arrow finally flew, the projectile was beaten to the punch, as it were, by a microburst of fork lightning from the hands of the Senshi of storm magic. Sailor Jupiter stood atop the shrine roof with a smug expression upon her face, a corona of lime fire swirling around her lithe body. Her chestnut locks caught in the breeze, her metallic green fuku sparking with tiny bursts of lightning.
“Why you!” Venus protested.
“Chill, Venus, after all, stewed apples are delicious,” she said, taking a bow as everyone clapped once more, even the cats clapped their paws in appreciation.
“Well, okay. How many apples exactly do you need to fry?” she said in resignation. “Oh, and I want the biggest piece of the apple crumble!”
“You got it sister!”
After Jupiter placed her quota of lightning zapped apples into the basket, Rei’s Ojii-san accompanied her to the kitchen to help with the baking rite.
Venus, now determined to succeed took aim and let loose with a golden arrow, effectively splitting the apple in half. Kunzite caught one-half, tossed it to Venus and bit into the other half with relish.
“You guys are amazing, I wouldn’t try my pyro moves on that apple as I think Kunzite’s hair would be lost in the attempt and you would skin me alive, Venus.”
“You got that right pyro!” Venus shot back, strung her bow, and stared at Artemis who scurried off behind the shrine with Luna in tow, and Rei laughed as Venus lowered the weapon and then everyone else burst out laughing.
“Yeah, funny as a car crash!” protested Artemis hiding behind Usagi’s legs as was Luna.
End
