|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Posted: Thu Dec 06, 2012 12:25 am
Having responsibility was boring.
For one, she was stationed out in the outskirts of space and only could return to Flora for a week every year. And in extension to that, she had been dragged back from exploring the galaxy with Zephyr by Yue just because she was expected to participate in the Festival's activities. The Festival was fun and all, but Fleur would much rather use her only free time to do what she wanted.
And yet, here she was, participating in a party and being introduced to Senshi and Knights alike. It wasn't that boring, really, but eyeing all these visitors, she would really much rather visit their world and meet them there. Sigh. Plus, she had been told to act proper and civil, because she was technically representing both Flora and her Princess.
Borrrrinngggggg.
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Dec 06, 2012 2:50 am
It was becoming increasingly harder not to fidget. After the recent fiasco involving Princess Jupiter, Hwamei, or rather, Sailor Minkowski, had wanted nothing more than to hide out in her beloved gardens until the embarrassment had died down... and maybe hopefully until everyone forgot her face. Unfortunately, there had been no such luck, as she had been asked to attend the Festival of Florailia, so as to be introduced to, well... another senshi, basically, but the implication had been that this was someone important, and the overall message she had picked up from this was ' Don't make a spectacle of yourself.'And it wasn't that she didn't want to be here- Flora was a such a pretty sight to behold, with the colorful flowers and all- but deep down, Hwamei couldn't help but wonder why one of her older sisters couldn't have been awakened as Sailor Minkowski instead. At the very least, her hands were currently occupied holding a cage full of colorful butterflies, a gift she had been told to bring (a peace offering, maybe?). It gave her something to focus on for the moment, at the very least, as she tried to call to mind all of the etiquette lessons she had been made to sit through. Hopefully she could get through the day without causing another incident.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Dec 06, 2012 9:37 pm
It was probably a good idea; seeing as how Fleur was somewhat related to Princess Jupiter by way of her brother's marriage. She didn't really know Princess Jupiter that well, however; her knowledge only extended to oh hey we're sort of family now, and that Jupiter had gardens and sounded pretty cool from her conversations with her brother. In which Crizanto would eye her suspiciously; "You're going to try and come and see it for yourself, aren't you?", and Fleur would blink innocently, "Try?"
Jupiter was definitely on her list. Crizanto knew better than to dissuade her against what she had already firmly decided upon.
As Crizanto whisked his wife away to meet some of his friends, Fleur was left alone to eye the people around her. Someone-- or rather, something -- caught her eye, and she brightened up, weaving her way through the crowd to peer curiously at the butterflies within the cage. "They're really pretty!" And then, remembering her manners, she straightened up and smiled at the girl. "Hi! I'm Fleur!" She had never liked introducing herself as Sailor Flora, or rather, Flora, Handmaiden of Chronos, even as she was technically supposed to. And yet, the butterflies reminded her of her Princess, and Fleur couldn't help mentioning that. "The Princess would love to see them, I'd imagine! She has pink butterfly wings which are really pretty!"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Dec 06, 2012 11:25 pm
"Thank you! I raised them myself," Hwamei said proudly, happy to hear the butterflies complimented. Normally, she'd be releasing them into the gardens back home, but this was a special occasion, and as such, she was here. "It's nice to meet you, Fleur! I'm Hwamei."
It was okay to use her real name too, right? Right...? Really, the only thing she enjoyed about being Sailor Minkowski was the opportunity to care for the pretty gardens back home. Everything else was just too troublesome.
At the mention of a princess with butterfly wings, though, Hwamei's eyes lit up. So the trip really was worth it, after all, if only to hear about such a thing! ... Now that she thought about it, she wondered if the butterflies were supposed to be a gift for her, or supposed to be given to someone to give to the princess. ... Something. Awkwardly holding out the cage to Fleur, the younger girl tried to remember her manners while also wanting to simply ramble on about butterflies.
"Butterfly wings? Your princess sounds really pretty, then!" Hwamei ended up saying, "You should give these to her, then- um, if you can- I was supposed to bring these with me as a gift, but nobody really told me who they were for. They're from Minkowski- my homeland- we have really pretty butterfly gardens that I help take care of!"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Dec 07, 2012 8:52 am
Fleur beamed. So her name was Hwamei. Not Sailor something or Knight something. It sounded like a normal name, at the very least, and Fleur was glad! All these titles were really quite stifling. Perhaps some individuals weren't really allowed to give out their real names freely; like the Princess, but she really didn't think it was something to get uptight about!
"She is!" The blond girl said proudly. While Fleur might lament her plight of falling into a life of rules and regulations, Princess Chronos was lovely, and she would tell everyone such. "Really?" Excitement filled her as she realized that the butterflies were a gift! For her! And by extension, the Princess too! Fleur stretched out her hands to accept it, "Well I guess it's okay if I take them back to the Surrounding, since I don't really come back here that often. And the Princess would love to see them!" That was logical, right? Whatever Yue or the Council might say, her mind was made up. Honestly, if she left them here, that would be letting a nice gift go to waste!
"Minkowski, you say?" A mischievous twinkle lit up in her eyes, and anyone who knew her was nearby, they would know what that look meant. "Wow, butterfly gardens! I'd love to see those someday! So there's all kinds of butterflies there? It sounds wonderful." Sure, Flora had the Flusia, and the Floran hummingbirds were adorable, but each planet had its own beauty. Also, butterflies. Fleur couldn't wait to go back and gossip about it to the Princess.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Dec 07, 2012 7:07 pm
"Thank you! Please take good care of them," Hwamei said, happy that they were finding a home, "And um... if you can, tell your princess 'hi' for me?"
She knew that actually meeting the princess was out of the question, so hopefully, in a way, gifting the butterflies would count. A princess with butterfly wings, really! That beat the butterfly wing-like ribbons her senshi uniform had.
"It really is," Hwamei agreed, nodding, "Sometimes I wish I could stay in the gardens forever; it's so peaceful compared to all the other work they want me to do. And sometimes, the butterflies will land on you, too! I've had butterflies in my hair before- actual ones, I mean... that's one of my favorite things."
Quickly, as if worried she was offending Fleur, she added, "Flora is a very pretty place, too, though! My sisters are probably a little jealous that I got to visit."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Dec 08, 2012 8:13 am
"I will!" Fleur promised. As irresponsible as she seemed with her duties, she was pretty good with animals. After all, her father kept bees for a living! Plus there were quite a few gardeners in the Surrounding who were good with this sort of stuff too, seeing as how the Flusia brought there were still alive and pretty content. "I'll tell Princess Chronos that Hwamei of Minkowski sent the butterflies!" That was only polite after all. "Wait, I should probably mention your title too, then. You're probably Sailor Minkowski, right?"
"That sounds cool." She breathed, sympathizing with the other girl. "Sometimes I want to go to the gardens and play with the Flusia --they're little flowery hummingbirds that are sort of shy but they warm up to you! But I've got work to do too." Fleur blew out a sigh of exasperation and shook her head.
"Well, you can always bring them here! A lot of tourists stop by, after all." And they were free people who could do what they wanted unlike people with duties.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Dec 09, 2012 12:30 am
"Oh, um, that's right, I'm Sailor Minkowski," Hwamei admitted, looking sheepish, "Sorry, I guess I should have said that earlier..."
Well, at least there was nobody around that would give her trouble for the lack of 'proper ettiquette'. Small miracles do exist, after all. At least Fleur understood what it was like; the elders always told her she was being selfish and disrespectful, while her sisters would simply tease her.
"Um... do you think I could see the Flusia?" she asked, after a bit of an awkward pause, "If that's okay, I mean!" There were birds at home, songbirds kept as pets, but nothing like Fleur was describing. Actually, she'd never seen a hummingbird before, period.
There was another awkward pause after that, as she realized something.
"... Sorry! I hope that wasn't a silly question."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Dec 13, 2012 7:43 am
"Oh no, it's okay!" Fleur assured her with a bright grin. "I really don't like introducing myself as Sailor Flora either. I mean, it's certainly not what I've been told to do, but it's not like there's anything wrong with birth names!" Besides, Fleur hated being judged or treated differently just because she was a Handmaiden of Princess Chronos.
"Of course!" She replied warmly. After all, Flora was the only place one could see the Flusia! Well, there was the Surrounding too, but Fleur thought it hardly counted because outsiders weren't allowed there. "We can sneak out and head to the gardens; they're just nearby! I'm really good at being sneaky."
Which was something anyone would confirm, what with her usually running off every single time she got back.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Jan 03, 2013 2:36 am
"Oh, that's good, then," Hwamei said happily, "I like my real name a lot better than my title; I really do my best to follow the rules, but if you're okay with it, and there's nobody around to get us in trouble..." Then, well, real names it was! It felt a lot more appropriate to be using 'Hwamei' and 'Fleur' than 'Minkowski' and 'Flora' in this situation, anyway- this was simply casual conversation, not anything formal... even if she was here technically for reasons that weren't her idea. Not that she had a problem, now that she had gotten to know Fleur a bit. "Thank you!" the petite girl exclaimed happily, "Thank you so much, Fleur; I'll be sure not to tell anyone." Melodine Cantus Ahhhhhh somehow I completely missed this!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Jan 03, 2013 2:52 am
Fleur shook her head with a grin. "I think they're all busy." Anyone who would possibly berate them were occupied with official duties of introducing themselves and making sure everyone was pleased with the party. Besides, it wasn't as if they could march right up to them and and scold them in front of all the guests. Plus, Fleur would usually shoot back that none of their punishments would actually work, since she was heading back to the Surrounding. One couldn't very well suspend a Handmaiden from duty, and Fleur would pretty much like that anyway.
And it wasn't as if she was running off again. She was just showing Hwamei around as a host!
With that thought in mind, Fleur beckoned to Hwamei, the both of them slipping out into the gardens. A finger was put on her lips; not for the sake of being sneaky, but for the sake of the Flusia. Loud and sudden noises scared them and caused them to hide. Slowly and gently, a hand was extended to a nearby flower where one of the Flusia was perched on. Hwamei would note that the plumage of the bird matched the flower it was on, and it had a tiny leaf atop its head that matched the leaves of the plant as well.
The small hummingbird-like creature hopped onto Fleur's hand after a few seconds of deliberation, chirping as she used a finger to stroke its head lightly. "They're kind of shy, but really sweet." She explained to Hwamei, her voice softer than it had been before. "Try it!"
A few other Flusia had flown out and perched on Fleur's head and shoulders, blinking curiously at the butterfly senshi.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Reply
