Other Selves
"I still think I should have been a vampire," Minako
Aino complained good naturedly as the adjusted her red
blouse. Tight black leather pants hugged her legs,
tucked into matching boots while her cutlass thumped
against her side and a black eye patch completed the
pirate look.
"Problem is, blonde hair doesn't really suit the
whole vampire look," Rei Hino said patiently as she
slid the cape over Minako's shoulders, "you'd have to
dye it."
"Never," Minako reached up to stroke her hair
protectively.
"There you go," the faintly blushing Rei shrugged,
tugging up the zipper of her own costume a bit
uncomfortably.
"Uhm," Minako looked at her with an impish smile,
"who are you dressed as again?"
"Nancy Mukahaki," Rei sighed, looking down at the
leather bodysuit she was wearing. The material clung
to her body like she had been poured into it, while
the zipper down the front had a distressing tendency
to slip down.
"Usagi talked you into it, didn't she?" Minako
guessed with surprising accuracy.
Rei wiggled a bit uncomfortably in the costume,
feeling faintly annoyed that she could only get away
with wearing... minimal underwear. "Yeah," she quietly
agreed, "though I'd love to know where she got this
outfit from."
"Usagi is a woman of surprising resourcefulness,"
Minako said cheerfully. She smiled as they left the
back room of the shrine, "I mean, if you had told me a
few years back that she's be working in a manga studio
I wouldn't have believed it."
"You aren't doing so bad yourself as a voice actress
and singer," Rei pointed out.
Minako smiled slightly as they walked into the common
room. "How are you doing," she asked softly, "running
the shrine without your grandfather?"
"Surprisingly well, actually," Rei said as she walked
around the decorated room, adjusting black and orange
drapes and checking on the bowl of red punch, "the
people of the area were used to me assisting grandpa,
so my taking over wasn't an issue." She hesitated,
stopping by one of the bowls of candy, "I miss him,
though."
Minako reached out to rest her hand on her friend's
shoulder, offering silent comfort. They stood there a
moment, then the sounds of people coming from outside
caused them to move apart.
"Trick or treat!" the kids chorused as Rei opened the
door, dumping candy in each of their bags. The little
witches, goblins and ghosts thanked her and were off,
nearly running into the group of three young women
walking up the path.
Ami Mizuno walked confidently, her brown cloak
flowing over an armored breastplate, a short sword
belted at her side. Beside her Makoto Kino looked
faintly amused in her white wedding gown, the dress
flowing over her long, athletic form. But Rei's eyes
were drawn to Usagi Tsukino, the slim blonde almost
radiant in her Red Ranger uniform, the glossy red and
gold fabric clinging to her body from the neck down.
Rei felt Minako's sympathetic gaze resting o her and
forced herself to breathe deep, trying her best to
banish the faint red from her cheeks. "Good to see
you," she laughed as she stepped aside to let them
inside.
"Nice outfit," Makoto complimented her as she picked
up the hem of her dress to go up the wooden steps.
"Thank you," Rei said with as much dignity as she
could muster.
"Are Haruka and the others here, yet?" Ami asked as
she walked in, nodding her greetings to both Rei and
Minako.
"Hotaru and I talked earlier," Minako offered the
information, "she said they'd try to be here as soon
as they could."
Usagi smiled as she looked up at the slightly taller
Rei, her blue eyes twinkling, "I'm glad you wore the
costume I sent you."
Rei smiled back, trying not to look at how the
costume hugged Usagi's body. "It's a bit more racy
than I'd normally wear," she admitted, "but I think I
like it."
"It suits you," Usagi murmured.
Minako looked outside curiously, "Is Mamoru coming?"
Usagi shook her head, "No, he's away for business."
"Sorry," Minako said sheepishly.
"It's all right," Usagi smiled cheerfully, "it just
means that tonight will be girls only."
Rei felt her face shutting down at the mention of his
name, but she couldn't seem to help it. She had
thought that time would help her get used to them
being together, but it never happened... she still
felt that familiar pain when she heard that name. Once
she had thought that it was a left over pain from her
own relationship with him, but eventually she realized
it was something else.
The knocking of children at the door distracted Rei
nicely, and with a more relaxed smile she complimented
all the cute costumes. Up the walk came four more
figures and she called out jokingly, "It's about time
you got here."
"Haruka couldn't decide which suit to wear," Michiru
said, her elegant dress making the green haired woman
look like something from another era.
Haruka shook her head, her 40's fedora shielding the
sandy blonde's face, "Oh, you're going to pay for that
comment later, love."
"I look forward to it," Michiru purred, patting her
lover's suit clad arm.
"They never seem to quit," Hotaru complained good
naturedly, her black hair falling to her shoulders.
She wore a futuristic looking blue jumpsuit, a skill
and cross-bones patch on her shoulder and a ray-gun
strapped to her side.
"Were you expecting them to?" Minako asked as she
walked over to Hotaru's side, her eyes shining her
welcome.
"Looks like we have two pirates tonight," Setsuna
noted, her black hair concealed by the cloak she wore,
her wizard's staff gently thumping the ground as she
walked.
Hotaru laughed, reaching out to take Minako's hand in
hers. "But I know which of us is the pirate queen,"
she murmured.
Haruka had to chuckle, seeing Minako blush so sweetly
like that. Rei had found herself wondering how she and
Michiru had taken the news that Minako and Hotaru had
become romantically involved, but so far it looked
like things had gone well.
Settling into chairs the group of ladies quickly
caught each other up on what was going on with their
lives even as they had snacks. Makoto was well
established as a chef in Tokyo, Ami was working as a
physician at the same hospital her mother had and
Setsuna was working as head nurse, Haruka was racing
full time, Michiru was alternating her painting and
violin and finally Hotaru was graduating from
university this year.
"Of course we're all going to crash your graduation,"
Makoto noted from where she sat by Ami, holding the
smaller woman's hand.
Hotaru laughed, "That should be interesting. I'm
already being teased by my classmates about my cute
girlfriend."
"As long as you don't get caught in the dorm with
Minako," Haruka said firmly.
"Like you can talk," Michiru teased.
Setsuna laughed, "I don't think I want to know.
Taking turns giving the candy to the kids they simply
spent the evening enjoyed the pleasure of their
company, telling tales and having fun. Rei was a bit
surprised at how Usagi spent so much time with her,
sitting by her on the couch and sharing a plate of
snacks.
Finally with great reluctance they began to head
home, many having to work the next day. Rei bid each
one farewell even as they vowed to get together soon,
then she was alone with Usagi. Turning Rei was
surprised to see the blonde standing so close and she
asked questioningly, "Usagi...?"
"Shh," Usagi gently shushed her. The red clad girl
stepped closer and kissed her, shocking Rei into
stiffness.
"What are you doing?" Rei asked softly.
Usagi smiled, "If you don't know, you're even more
innocent than I thought."
"I know," Rei's cheeks flamed, "but I thought....
what about Mamoru?"
"It's Halloween," Usagi murmured, "just for tonight I
don't have to be a princess bound by destiny, and you
don't have to be the loyal soldier." She met Rei's
eyes as she let a finger linger on the zipper of Rei's
jumpsuit, "Please?"
Rei felt her heart beat faster, gazing into those
blue eyes. Despite her words she knew that this
couldn't be just one night, that if they started this
it wouldn't stop. Still, she suddenly found her self
not caring about it at all. She bent her head to kiss
Usagi, throwing caution to the winds.
"I love you," Rei confessed softly, "I always have."
"I know," Usagi answered, "I have, too." And with
that, she firmly pulled the zipper down.
End
Notes: Yes, I know it's one hell of a place to end it
but I didn't want to go into a sex scene. Couples I
this fic include Ami/Makoto, Haruka/Michiru,
Minako/Hotaru and of course Rei/Usagi. I liked the
idea of them getting together under these
circumstances, but I also couldn't see breaking up
Usagi/Mamoru, so they seem to be beginning an
affair... Jobs are based on the characters interests,
more or less.
My obsession with read or die continues! ^_^
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