Thermopyle wrote:

----- Original Message -----
From: "Alex Gray" <hitomi@ndirect.co.uk>
To: <ffml@anifics.com>
Cc: <sharonw82@hotmail.com>; <hitomi@ndirect.co.uk>
Sent: Monday, December 22, 2003 12:12 PM
Subject: [FFML] [FFML][SM][LIME] Duty - Chapter 1 of 2

    To say that she was not exactly popular at court was a bit of an
understatement. No matter how hard she tried, those nobles with whom
she could comfortably exchange words numbered less than three,

whilst

nearly everyone else treated her with a fearful awe that was
embarrassing. Even the Inners, with whom she had once gotten along
with fairly well now seemed more remote on those rare occasions that
they spoke informally with her, and Saturn was at a loss to say why.
In fact, apart from the Outers and Usa, close friends was a

commodity

that Hotaru was sadly lacking.

I haven't really seen a reason given for this.  Why is everybody
afraid of her?  There's no justification given for it within the fic.
It seems more because it's cliche than anything.  "Saturn was feared
in the Silver Millinium.  So, even though the only people left from
that are the other Senshi, Saturn must also be feared in Crystal
Tokyo!"

It strikes me as a poorly justified basis for a slash hurt/comfort
scene.  Perhaps it could be made to work if the start of the "coldness"
was Saturn actually using her planet busting talent to save the day.
Serenity might feel guilty about giving the order and that guilt
would create a distance between them that the lesser courtiers
would mimic.  

Serenity is shown

to be rather close to Usagi in personality (still writes in
Hirigana...), so it's hard to believe.  A formal court... Get into
this more later, though....

Well, Serenity does live in a full-on palace, and her duties 
are time consuming enough that Princess Usagi feels neglected.

    "Rei-san?" Hotaru gasped, completely surprised by the fire
senshi's sudden appearance. "What are you doing... I mean, did you
want something?"

This is never addressed within the fic.  What DOES Rei want?  We're
given no reason for this sudden change in behavior on Rei's part.
She's kept away from Hotaru for years and years and years, so why
change now?

Yes, that is a problem.


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