She bounded across the rooftops, leaping easily from roof to roof. The sailor suit hugged her form, a simple white mask hiding her eyes. "Why do they always pick dives like this one?" Sailor V asked crossly, looking out over the docks. Artemis dug his claws into the fabric of her shoulder pad carefully to hold on, "It's cheap, probably. And since it's in the bad part of London, I doubt the police check it often." Sailor V dropped down into a alley, and walked a few steps to a battered looking phone box. She set Artemis inside, "You know what to do?" Artemis used his paw to bat the phone off the hook. "I'll dial up the police with a noise complaint," he said patiently, "right after you go in." After giving a cheeky grin and the 'V' for victory sign, Sailor V was gone. She easily returned to the rooftops, gazing down through the different skylights to find the one that she wanted. It was dark inside, lit only by a single lightbulb, and she could see weapons being exchanged, and packets of drugs being received in return. "Looks like I'm just in time," Sailor V murmured. She took a few steps back, turned, ran at the skylight then leaped! She crashed through the glass, shattering it, and dropped down on to an old oak table, scattering the drugs and weapons on top of it. A moment of shock, then all the guns were pointed at her. "I suppose you gentlemen wouldn't consider surrendering?" Sailor V asked them cheerfully as she rose from her crouch. A loud 'K-Klick' as the safeties were taken off the guns. "Guess not," Sailor V smiled, tilting her head back so that the light gleamed off the lenses of her mask. A trigger was pulled, and she leapt at them... "And I suppose you didn't have anything at all to do with that anonymous phone call we received?" the young officer asked patiently not long after. Just behind them, his fellow officers led out the small mob of drug dealers and gun runners. "Of course not," Sailor V smiled at him cheerfully. He made a face, but decided not to push it. "Well, thank you," he sighed. "We've been trying to catch these guys in the act for weeks," he said. "I'm always glad to be of help," Sailor V grinned. A police car pulled in and the driver's door opened, letting a tall, brown haired woman out into the fog. The officer walked over, a little smile on her face. "Hello, Sailor V," Natsuna Sakurada said to her quietly. Sailor V gulped, suddenly a bit nervous. "Hello, Natsuna," she said quietly, suddenly feeling like a typical teenager. 'Do I look good?' she found herself thinking, suddenly tempted to check her skirt and top were still neat. The young man smiled, "I'll go help the others." "Looks like I'll have another newspaper article to add to my collection," Natsuna smiled at her. The older woman had a massive collection of articles about Sailor V, it had bothered her at first, but she eventually began to feel a bit complimented by it. She smiled, "I'm always glad to help." Sailor V looked down, avoiding the piercing gaze. 'She already knows who I am,' she thought, 'what would it hurt?' "And I'm... I mean, we're glad to have you around," Natsuna said warmly. Suddenly feeling nervous, Sailor V said, "It looks like you all have things well in hand. I'd better get going." She took a step, and Natsuna grasped her arm, "Wait." Sailor V turned, meeting those beautiful dark eyes that were looking into her own. "I wanted to thank you for your help personally. Would you like to meet me for dinner, later?" Natsuna asked, suddenly seeming nervous herself. Sailor V looked at her in surprise for a moment. "I've got to go," was all the answer she could give, pulling free of her grip and bounding away. Natsuna said something, but she didn't hear it as she ran. Down into the alley and she practically snatched Artemis, not even slowing down. "What's wrong?" Artemis asked her frantically, but just received silence in reply. "Wait a minute," Natsuna yelled, but Sailor V was gone, disappeared into the night. "Damn," she swore to herself softly. "What was that all about?" the same young officer said, looking clearly perplexed. "I'm heading back to the station," was the only reply Natsuna gave him. She strode back to her little car and climbed in. The engine started on the first try, and she was on her way. 'Went too fast,' Natsuna thought grimly. 'She really is just a kid, only in her teens. Probably scared her half to death,' she worried. She peered out the window into the pea soup fog, once again wishing she was back home in Japan. 'Though if I was in Japan right about now, I wouldn't have met her,' Natsuna smiled to herself a bit sadly. She arrived at the station and strode through the hallways to her office. She slammed the door shut behind her, and felt just a bit guilty at having taken her anger out on it. She looked at the far wall, and instantly felt just a bit better. The bulletin board was covered with newspaper clippings, all of them articles relating to London's mysterious heroine, Sailor V. Stories from when she had first appeared a little over a year ago to now, and mixed in were a few precious photographs of the young lady. They had been adversaries at first, mostly because of Natsuna. She had been worried about a teenager going out to fight gun toting maniacs, and she had even put an arrest order out to try and bring her in to talk about it. But she came to fascinate her, this brash blonde who seemed so much wiser than her years. They were forced to work together, and Natsuna's respect for her grew. She pulled the arrest order, instead instructing her officers to cooperate with her. Again and again they met, developing a fragile bond. 'A bond I almost broke,' Natsuna admitted to herself, 'when I deduced who she really was." Minako Aino was so startled,. so scared by her appearance in her private life that Natsuna had vowed to her not to use that information again. She sighed softly, then Natsuna picked up her telephone and dialed the number from memory. "Haruna?" she asked quietly. Her sister yawned, and Natsuna realized that it might be somewhat later in Japan. "So how did it go?" Haruna asked, stifling another yawn. "Sorry for waking you," Natsuna started to say, only to have Haruna cut her off. "Hey, I want to hear what happened!" Haruna laughed softly. Natsuna smiled a bit in relief, settling back in her chair as she recounted what happened between herself and Sailor V. "So what do you think?" Natsuna asked. "I think you need to give her a bit of time," Haruna advised. "This may be the very first time she's had a woman express an interest in her," she said, "so she's probably trying to work it all out in her head." A pause, "So don't tell her you love her just yet." Natsuna sighed, "You may be right." She stopped, "And since when have I said that I love her?" They exchanged family news for a bit, and Haruna yawned softly again. "Sorry, I'll let you go," Natsuna laughed. "Let me know if anything happens," Haruna said, then they disconnected. Natsuna got up from her desk, looking out the window at the foggy London night. The option of moving back to Japan had come up a few times, but each time she had turned it down. 'How long do I wait for her?' Natsuna found herself wondering. A knock on the door, and Natsuna frowned as she called out, "Enter!" "They're all singing like canaries," the Lieutenant grinned at her. "I think we might be able to bring down the entire network if things keep going like this," he smiled. "Thanks to Sailor V's help," Natsuna said wryly. He winced, "Good point." Minako flopped down on her bed with a dramatic sigh. "I just don't know what to do," she sighed softly. Artemis curled up on the bed beside her, "It's not like she asked you on a date." "Close enough," Minako sighed. She sat up, her eyes wide as she whispered, "Or did I want her to ask me out?" 'Bingo,' Artemis thought to himself. Aloud, "There's nothing wrong with that. Back in the Moon Kingdom, it wasn't even rare to have same sex couples." "It is trouble here, though," Minako shot back. She drew a shaking hand through her hair, "Not to mention how I feel around her." "Which is?" Artemis asked. "I like how she looks at me," Minako admitted, "and how good it feels when we work together." A sigh, "I even liked it when she was chasing me." Artemis considered the wisdom of asking the question, but decided to ask it anyway. Quietly, "Do you love her?" Minako looked at the white cat blankly for a moment. "I don't know," she admitted softly, then with more determination, "but I think I want to find out." Minako startled the cat by getting up off the bed, her long golden hair flowing around her. She raised the transformation wand, "Venus Power!" In a swirl of rainbow light she stood transformed into the heroine Sailor V. Artemis jumped to his feet, "Where to?" "Sorry, Artemis," Sailor V smiled at him, "but this is personal." She was out the window and gone in a single leap. "Good luck," Artemis whispered. Sailor V crossed the city on the rooftops, the moon's light visible above the low fog. She didn't let herself think about where she was going, just let her body carry her to where she needed to go, to who she needed to see. Natsuna always took the same route home from work, walking the fog covered streets. She saw her crossing the bridge and leapt down silently. She quietly made her way over, but something must have caught Natsuna's attention. The taller woman turned, looking at her in surprise. "I'm sorry," Sailor V said softly. Natsuna blinked, looking at her in surprise. 'Did she just saw what I thought she did?' she wondered. "No, I am," Natsuna said quietly. A smile in the darkness, then Sailor V quietly said, "I don't know why I ran away. I guess I just panicked a little." Natsuna noticed they were standing near the rail of the bridge. She leaned up against it, looking away from her at she said, "I didn't mean to scare you." Softly, she added, "I thought that where we were going was what you wanted too." "It was," Sailor V admitted to her quietly. She leaned up against the rail, looking out into the fog beside Natsuna. Natsuna tentatively laid her hand over Sailor V's, and was heartened when the girl didn't pull it away. "So what do we do now?" she asked her softly. Natsuna was a bit surprised when Sailor V reached up to take her mask off. Minako's blue eyes seemed to pierce Natsuna as she said, "I can't say I love you, yet." She smiled ruefully, "This is all way too new to me." "You said you couldn't, yet," Natsuna said wonderingly. Minako smiled at her shyly, gently raising Natsuna's hand to her lips, "Give me a little time." "I think I can manage that," Natsuna smiled at her. A few years later, a photo shoot in Tokyo, Japan. Natsuna watched Minako turn under the cameras, a world famous model and idol. She carried flowers, a gift in celebration of what they both thought of as their wedding anniversary. Minako's eyes lit up at the flowers, and she threw her arms around her lover. "Thank you," Minako whispered, and Natsuna shivered at the feeling of her breath on her ear. "I've got dinner reservations at our favorite restaurant," Natsuna smiled. She had also arranged for the night off, since being the Chief of the Tokyo police should come with some perks. Minako hesitated, "I've got good news and bad news." "Give me the bad news," Natsuna sighed. "Pessimist," Minako play batted her arm. "The good news is that you and I can have the night together," she took a breath, "and the bad news is that Artemis tells me that the Negaverse is rising once again." Natsuna's eyes narrowed, "I'll do whatever I can." The Negaverse had caused them a lot of trouble in London, and she didn't want to think about what it might do here. "Thank you," Minako smiled at her. "The other bright spot is that Artemis says there may be another Senshi out there to help me," she smiled. "I'm glad," Natsuna smiled in relief. It would be nice to have someone else to share the responsibility with for the protection of the world. Minako took the flowers and raised them to her face, breathing in the scent. "They're lovely," she sighed. She smiled at Natsuna, "You are getting your anniversary gift tonight." Natsuna smiled back at her, "And what would that be?" Minako leaned over and kissed her cheek, "Trust me, you can't wrap up what I'm going to be giving you." Natsuna blushed scarlet.
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