Cinderella: A Sailor Moon Story part 2


"Where is she?" Rei screamed, stomping around the library.

"Calm down, Rei-chan," Ami murmured, closing the book she wasreading andsetting it in her lap.

"If I'm not ready for my date time..." she growled.

"Where is everyone?" a voice called from the hallway.

"In the library," Amy answered.

Usagi entered, a goofy smile on her face.

"Where have you been? Tell me!" Rei demanded.

"I was out picking flowers."

"Since this morning? It's already four! And if you were outpickingflowers, where are they?" Rei asked suspiciously.

Usagi's eyes flashed with alarm. "They're, um, actually... I gavethemto a little girl who fell down by the river. They made her feelbetter."

"Well, since it was for a good cause, I'll let it slide this time."

"You're so generous, Rei-chan," Ami hid a smile behind her hand.

"Yeah, well, don't expect it to happen often. Usagi, my clothes hadbetter be ready for tonight," Rei huffed before flouncing out of theroom.

"Ami, you'll never guess who I ran into today!" Usagi breathed,ploppingdown in the armchair across from Ami.

"It must have been someone special, judging from the smile on yourface,"Ami observed.

"Oh, it was. I went up to the wishing well again, only I didn'thave anycoins, so someone gave me one. I made my wish and turned around, andtherehe was."

"He?"

"Prince Endymion."

"You ran into Prince Endymion?" Ami asked, surprised. "I wonderwhat hewas doing all the way out here."

"I don't know. He makes me nervous," she murmured.

"I would imagine he could be intimidating."

"But he was making conversation with me. Me, of all people!"

"What did you do?"

"Naturally I panicked and told him I had to go. But he stopped meandasked my name. Can you believe this, Ami? He thought my name waspretty!

That really flustered me, but not enough so that I couldn't give him mybasket of flowers before running off."

"The encounter sounds lovely," Ami sighed, leaning back in thechair.

"It was definitely memorable," Usagi agreed.

Both girls jumped when a door slammed down the hallway.

"Was Stepmother getting back today?" Usagi asked.

"I thought she was due in tomorrow," Ami answered slowly.

They made their way cautiously down the hall, stopping in front of adoor. They could hear mumbling inside.

"Should we knock?" Usagi whispered.

The door flew open, making them shriek. On the other side stoodUsagi'sstepmother, Ami and Rei's mother, Beryl.

"You shouldn't lurk in doorways, girls," she clipped, throwing backherhead of fiery red hair. "What do you want?"

"You're home a day early, Mother," Ami spoke quietly.

"Hai, well those imbeciles I was staying with were just wretched. Theyhad absolutely no class or manners."

"Aren't you exaggerating a bit, Mother?"

"Don't talk back to me, Ami!" her mother snapped. She held a handto herforehead. "Kami, I am so tired! I'm retiring back to my room, girls. Don'tdisturb me." Beryl slipped back into her oom, slamming the door behindher.

"Wow, that almost spoiled my good mood," Usagi relayed absently.

"Almost?" Ami giggled as the two girls returned to the library.

"Hai, almost. I'm still floating from my encounter!"

'I hope I get to see him again,' she added silently.



But the next few days produced no special encounters. There was notbeena trace that suggested he had been to the well.

Usagi climbed up the hill, humming a melody her father used to singtoher when she was little. She had long since forgotten the words, iftherehad ever been any. The same melody played from a golden star locketthatadorned her long, graceful neck.

Finally reaching the top, she was not surprised to find the spaceunoccupied. She sighed. There was no reason to spend her timewondering ithe'd show up. "Besides, I have other things to think about," she spokealoud.

"Anything in particular?" someone asked.

Usagi froze at the voice, that same voice... She whirled around. "It'syou!" she gasped, bowing once more before him. "Your highness."

"Onegai, just call me Endymion," he replied, an amused smile formingonhis lips.

"Oh, I couldn't-"

"I insist!" he interrupted. He gestured to the well. "Have youmade awish yet?"

"Iie, not yet." Usagi fumbled with a coin in her pocket, hertremblingfinger not able to grasp it. Finally pulling it out, she closed her eyesandtossed the coin into the well. "Are you going to wish for something?"

"There's no need; you're already here."

"me?" Usagi cried in disbelief, flushing crimson.

"Hai, you," Endymion answered, sitting down on the marble bench. Hemotioned for her to join him.

Cautiously, Usagi sat down at the other end of the bench.

He laughed. "Scared of me, are you?"

"Iie, of course not," she stuck out her chin defiantly. Turning tohi,she admitted, "Maybe a little."

"There's no need, Usagi. I'm harmless."

'He remembered me name!' Usagi thought in delight. However, shesaidnothing.

"Do you like to dance?" Endymion asked out of nowhere.

"Dance?" she repeated, confused.

Hai, dance. My mother insists on throwing me a party. She wants metomake more connection, meet more people." He shrugged. "I find the ideaabore, but God forbid Mother ever listen to her own son. Anyway, I wouldlikeyou to attend."

"Me?" Usagi squeaked.

"You know, you really shock easily. That can't be a safe trait togothrough life with." Endymion cast her a sidelong glance. "I trust youwillattend?"

"Demo... I hardly know you!"

He sighed. "I won't know a majority of the people there. I may notknowyou well yet, but that can easily change." He stood. "Please considerit,at least," he asked of her before disappearing down the hill.

Usagi stared down at the crisp white envelope Endymion had placed onthebench. She carefully picked it up, opening it and pulling out a silvercard.

In flowing script, the invitation conveyed all the information of thenextnight's party. She clutched the invitation to her chest. 'Did hereally askme to go?' she wondered in amazement.



As Usagi entered the house after her walk, she was greeted by Ami.

"Usagi, look at this!" she exclaimed, shoving a tiny silver paperintoUsagi's hands.

Her wide eyes rad the invitation with sinking disappointment. Howstupidshe was to think she was special! The prince had not taken a liking toher,but probably gave her an invitation because he had an extra.

"Usagi, doushita no?" Ami asked with concern.

"Nothing," Usagi whispered. "Nothing at all. Did this come while Iwasgone?" she inquired, trying to keep a blank expression.

"Hai. It's addressed to the family. We'll have so much fun!"

"Sure, fun," Usagi echoed, feeling her invitation in her jacketpocket."I can't wait..."



"A party!" Beryl clapped her hands together. "Girls, we must lookradiant and be on our best behavior," she continued in an authoritativetone.

"Prince Endymion will wan to dance with me all night," Rei gushed. "Hewon't be able to resist my beauty and charm!"

Ami rolled her eyes. "Good for you, Rei-chan. I wonder who elsewasinvited?"

"Only the most elite people, I assure you," Rei answered snottily.

Usagi was oblivious to the conversation around her. She was stilllost inthought over her mysterious invitation.

"Usagi, aren't you excited?" Ami's question snapped her out of herdaze.

"Well, I-"

"Actually, Usagi isn't going," Beryl interrupted.

"Nani?" both daughters cried, Ami in disbelief and Rei injubilation.

"She has too much work to do. Besides, this party doesn't exactlysoundlike her place."

"Mother, really..." Ami began.

"It's all right," Usagi broke in. "Even if I didn't have chores, Iprobably wouldn't have gone."

"You see, Ami? She's fine with it," Rei told her sister, whosported athoughtful frown.

"Really, I'm fine," Usagi stated softly.

"If you're sure..." Ami said doubtfully.

"I am. Now I must go fix dinner." Usagi excused herself and lefttheroom, heading not for the kitchen but her bedroom. She threw herselfdown onher bed with a troubled sigh.

Endymion's words floated in her head. 'Please consider it...' Maybe hedid like me for me. Maybe I am special. Oh, but I can't go! Stepmotheralreadysaid so. Oh, what do I do?

Usagi climbed off her bed and trudged into the kitchen to makedinner,the beginning of a long line of chores to be completed before she couldretire back to her bedroom, her sanctuary of peace.


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