Chapter 3: What Are You Four, err Five Doing Here


They reached the city gates just after dark. Serena had fallen asleep two miles
back and Haruka got the unpleasant job of lugging her to their destination.
"Finally." Michiru muttered to herself. They all were tired, not used to the
physical strain of walking from sunup till sundown. The little break at noon had
been wonderful but they were still tired.

"Hello?" Setsuna called to the watchtower. One stood on either side of the gate
and lights blazed from inside. A thumping of feet coming down stairs could be
heard and a door opened from the one on the left. "Um. Kobenwa." Setsuna said.
She bowed to the guard in greeting. The man looked like a samurai that you’d see
in a history book.

Another man stepped beside the first. "Hello. What business do you have in the
city?" The man said gruffly. He seemed like a no nonsense guy so Haruka decided
she’d speak for the. Standing as straight and looking as dignified as possible,
with a girl on one’s back, she stepped towards the man.

"Kobenwa. We seek some friends of ours. They go by the names Seiya, Taiki, and
Yaten." /Friends? ‘Ruka? / Hotaru smiled. The guard looked confused. /I’m not
sure they go those names here. / Michiru said. "Or they may go as Fighter,
Maker, and Healer. Do you know them?" Haruka told the guard.

He nodded, "I know them. What business do you have with them?" He said. /I don’t
think he likes us. / Hotaru thought. Serena moaned, surprising Haruka. She
nearly dropped the blonde. Michiru and Setsuna hid smiles, and tried to stop the
giggles they were having.

"Please sir, we are friends. We need to speak to them." Hotaru said, while the
others joked around. "It is urgent." The guard whispered something to his
‘friend’. The man disappeared into the tower and reappeared a few moments later.
He told the other guard something and left. ~He certainly doesn’t stay in one
place long. ~

Smirking the man turned back to them. "Fighter is on his way here. He will tell
us if you’re really their ‘friends’." Seven minutes later Seiya walked past the
large gates and nearly fainted on the spot. He looked from one girl to the next
and then opened his mouth to say something, but no words came out.

He finally got his voice back and said, "Am I dreaming?" Hotaru laughed, she
found this situation extremely funny. Here they were tired, hungry, and dirty.
Haruka with Serena on her back, Michiru looking like she’d never seen a comb in
her life, Setsuna with a not to pleasant scowl on her face, and she probably
didn’t look to great either. And here was Seiya who looked like he was in a
nightmare.

Haruka quirked an eyebrow at the sound of her laughter. She might find it funny
too if she didn’t have a sleeping meatball and spaghetti haired girl on her
back. Seiya decided to try something else. "What in the world are you four, err.
Five doing here?" Michiru took him aside and told him their story. After which,
he started to curse a mean streak. Haruka of coarse chuckled and Michiru rolled
her eyes.

"No offense, but can we get cleaned up. Please?" Setsuna asked. He nodded and
motioned for them to follow. The guard swung the gate open and let them pass.
They were headed towards the palace, Hotaru observed. ~Beautiful. ~ She thought
as they got closer. It was something that came strait from a fairytale.
/Perfect, nay girls? / She asked. /Hm. / Haruka sighed.

They were about to take the first step into their new home, and new future.
Hotaru looked to the sky, and sighed wistfully. ~Welcome to your new lives,
Scouts ~