I Want to Believe in Someone (part 2 of 14)

Invisible Wall

The bustle of the bazaar on the western side of the moon palace threatened to steal their conversation, but the two girls were standing close enough, perhaps closer than a simple friendship dictated, to hear one another.

“Venus, I am not wearing that.” The raven haired woman spat, her arms crossed indignantly. She did her best to ignore the scant piece of material that her partner considered a dress where it was displayed in the window of the shop across the street.

“What did I tell you about calling me that when we’re not on duty, Reiko?” Her companion questioned her with a mischievous smile that danced on her lips.

Reiko sighed. “Minako…” Her voice didn’t match its previous venom, and so she lost the argument. The two made their way across the busy street, bypassing food vendors and jewelry sellers hawking their wares, and dodging interstellar tourists and residents alike. The slightly smaller of the two women steered her friend into the shop.

“Now, into the dressing room with you.” Minako giggled melodiously, the caramel highlighted hair that framed her face falling back behind a shoulder as she pulled both Reiko and the garment into the row of dressing rooms.

The flimsy stall door snapped shut with a click and the slightly taller of the two women hissed as she realized her companion had locked herself into the small space with her. “Minako, what are you-”

Her words were silenced by the other’s lips and Reiko purred into Minako’s mouth as the decievingly strong body of her leader pushed her back into the mirror.

“Minako…”

“Minako…”

The idol frowned. That high pitched, nasally voice didn’t sound like the Reiko of her memory at all.

“Mi-na-ko!”

The singer’s dark eyes blinked open in surprise, her fingernails digging into the leather of the car’s plush back seat. Instead of finding herself in the warm arms of her lover of the past, she stared into the annoyed face of her manager, Saitou Sugao. From her handbag, Minako’s plush cat, Artemis, gave his charge a ‘you got yourself into this’ expression with a dramatic roll of his plastic eyes.

“Mou, Minako-chan,” Sugao whined, fanning himself nervously with a folded over piece of paper. One leg crossed over the other of his designer purple suit, and then back again as he sucked his teeth noisily. “What are you doing, daydreaming at a time like this?”

Minako smiled at her eccentric manager. He may be a little… odd, but they’d been working together for the past six years. He was almost like an older brother to the lonely pop star. “I’m sorry, shacho.” She said, mastering her expression to one of undivided attention for the matter at hand. “Where were we?”

“Only discussing the details of the biggest, the best, the soon to be most sold out encore finale ever!” He wailed, beaming. “And don’t forget the impact tickets sales will have to your charity division.”

Minako nodded. In fact, what had started as a pet project, a charity for brain cancer research she’d begun only months after jumping back into her career after getting a second chance at this life from that very illness, had taken a life all its own. In some ways, it was more precious to her than her very career as a pop star. But Minako didn’t have an opportunity to dwell on that matter as her manager charged forward.

“So, let’s talk details.” Sugao opened one of the many folders on the seat beside him and began leafing through papers detailing set design, lighting effects, and costume changes. Only Artemis realized, from his vantage point at Minako’s feet, that despite the young woman’s frequent nods of affirmation, and though the pop star was definitely thinking about the concert, she was most certainly not paying attention to her manager…

Minako was sure that her return to Japan after an extended European tour for her record breaking last album would create a fan frenzy back in her home country, and if all had gone well, (and knowing Saitou’s control of the media where her career was concerned, then it would) then her surprise return and encore finale was sure to be a hit with her fans.

A smirk teased the corner of Minako’s lips. She could think of one fan in particular who would be ecstatic to hear the news. None other than Tsukino Usagi, her number one fan. The idol could imagine the stars in her friend’s eyes and subsequent bear hug she’d receive when she handed her and the others the tickets she’d already planned to set aside for them.

But would they all come? Minako sighed quietly, her eyes trailing to Britain’s skyline as the car raced back to her apartment.

There was no doubting Usagi would be there; though Mamoru, already her husband of a year, would likely decline the offer, eager to get the chance to study for his post graduate finals without the distraction that was Usagi. Makoto was also sure to come. Though she and Motoki had finally gotten their floral business off the ground shortly after their engagement, between Usagi’s insistence and Motoki’s selflessness, Makoto would definitely pull herself away from her work. Ami, who’d finished school abroad, where Minako had visited their genius friend every time she had a concert in England, was now starting her residency back home at Juuban hospital, but even Ami was sure to pry herself away if she was able.

‘But, more importantly, would she come?’ Minako asked herself.

The she is question was Rei, who was never such a certainty as the others, even though contrary to popular belief, the two had kept close contact over the years. Though, considering Rei’s miko lifestyle, their correspondences had been mostly via snail mail and the occasional phone call, they had also made a habit of seeing each other whenever Minako was actually in town, whether for concerts or that rarity that was a break or a vacation.

Though she nodded along with her manager’s one-sided conversation, her fingers trailed along the familiar plastic outline of her Teletia S where it hid in the deep pocket of her warm, winter coat. With a soft sigh on her lips, Minako allowed herself to wonder what Rei might be doing. A quick, discreet check of her watch and a mental time zone check confirmed that it was late evening in Kyoto. Maybe Rei was just finishing her last check of the shrine grounds. Or maybe she was tutoring her newest apprentice. Minako titled her head as she tried to recall the name of the young girl and then nodded slightly as she recalled Rei mentioning a Yuuka-san. Perhaps… a smile touched Minako’s lips as her imagination got the best of her. Perhaps Rei was taking a bath…

Sugao frowned disapprovingly. “What’s so funny, Minako? You’re leering like an old pervert.”

The young idol coughed, forcing down the blush that threatened to color her cheeks. “Shacho!” She pinned him with a deadly glare and then recomposed herself. “Continue.”

The president of Saitou Talent Agency and Minako’s right hand man continued without skipping a beat and his protégé did the same by reclaiming her own train of thought; Rei. There was no doubt that she and Rei had become friends again since Usagi had restored the world, the best of friends, even. Sure, there was still a strong competitive streak between them that sometimes bordered on childishness, but it was an endearing quality of their relationship.

A ghost of a smile touched Minako’s lips as she remembered the throwing of the bouquet at Usagi’s wedding. Heaven forbid they both realize they wanted the same thing! They’d acted like two petulant children just by making eye contact with each other, and that was barely a year ago.

But Minako would have liked to think that a real bond was forming between herself and Rei now. She fought a full fledged grin as she remembered Makoto’s engagement party, only five months prior, when her manager had tried to pull her away from the party for some work related emergency or another and Rei had literally marched the poor guy out the door. If it had been because the miko wanted Minako for herself, or for some other reason, Minako didn’t know, though she would have liked to believe it were the former. There had been so many similar instances over the years, but when it came right down to it, Rei was as guarded and difficult to read as Minako herself could be.

And still, despite the evolving friendship that they’d managed to forge, there was so much left undone, so much left unsaid from the events of five years past. Minako knew well that the questions and answers, words and gestures that lingered from their reawakening as senshi may never be answered. Even having the status of being Rei’s best friend didn’t allow for discussion into either of the pasts they’d shared, be it from their days as senshi this life, or the one they’d shared in different ways on the moon, but still, Minako held hope.

She hadn’t been blind in those months before her illness had claimed her life. She’d thought she’d seen, even felt something between herself and the fire senshi back then, something they’d never gotten the chance to explore, something that had been impossible to reclaim once Usagi had set the world right.

A troubled frown pulled at Minako’s lips. Even back then, when they were at their closest, it was like there had been an invisible wall between them – something that almost physically kept them from getting closer, even though she was pretty sure she could feel Rei wanting the same thing she wanted. It was a barrier she wanted to break with her feelings for Rei; with tender kisses and gentle caresses…

And she was getting carried away with that train of thought.

So what was stopping her from just taking what she wanted? It would be simple, if only Minako could be more like Rei. After all, that was always one thing that Minako had envied the miko.

When Rei wanted something, Rei took it. When Rei believed in something, Rei stood up for it. Minako remembered when that fiery determination, protectiveness, and assertiveness had focused on her when she had posed as the Princess, despite her terminal illness. Her knight in shining armor had saved her from Nephrite’s clutches in the nick of time. It had been only one of many examples of when Rei had felt in her heart that something or someone was worth fighting for, and she had fought for it. She had fought for her. And in that moment, Minako had fallen for Hino Rei a second time.

And that train of thought brought another memory to the forefront of her mind, and Minako remembered a time in their past lives when Mars Reiko had first shown her this trait of hers. That, despite the feelings of animosity Minako knew Mars had harbored over the leadership role Minako had been granted, though it had pained Reiko to do so, the Martian warrior had accepted what was right and had stood up for it…

Visibility was close to zero. A thick mist clung tightly to the ground and the terrain underfoot was craggy and treacherous. The oxygen was almost too thin for her to force into her lungs, even with her slowly measured breaths that were suddenly too loud in her ears. She wore her exhaustion like a shroud and favored her left leg where an injury left a gruesome red smear across her thigh.

Mars’ voice came out as a harsh whisper in the cold silence, “Mercury, are you here?”

“I’m here.” The blue haired senshi stepped through the mists, trying to master a wavering expression that bordered on uncertainty. Mars frowned at the shaky swagger of exhaustion that Mercury couldn’t manage to hide.

What was meant to have been a short drill of evasion and capture had stretched into a three hour long exercise of survival. A horn blared from someplace distant and Mars and Mercury both jumped at the sound that signaled that another fifteen minute mark had passed. Once again, their mechanized opponents would become more difficult to defeat until their droid leader was captured and destroyed.

And it was Mars’ responsibility to find that droid.

“Jupiter, is that you?” She had meant to reassure Mercury and herself by commanding a more confident tone, but failed miserably.

The tallest of the girls emerged from the concealing mists and nodded to her comrades. Mars noted that she held her right arm gingerly to her stomach but though she would not acknowledge any pain, the glazed look in her eyes was as telling as any cry of discomfort from the tough Jovian.

The guilt that stabbed at Rei was as painful as any of the physical injuries she, herself, harbored. ‘Damn it Venus…’

Angry that the Venusian princess had claimed leadership of the senshi, Mars had intended to prove herself in this exercise, but her plan was backfiring dangerously. Why had she picked this exercise to challenge their self proclaimed leader? Self-doubt continued to chip away at her. Would the result have been any different under another drill, or was she really meant to be only second in command?

Venus… why did her heart seem to skip a beat? Was her anger at the other girl that great? And just where was she, anyway?

“Venus?” Mars finally called out. Her eyes widened wildly as though it might improve visibility in the mist. She took a hesitating step forward, searching for her rival and fellow senshi. “Venus?”

The silence of the canyon closed in on Mars like a vice. She paused, feeling Mercury and Jupiter’s concern before she sensed them at her back. Their fear was tangible, and it was contagious.

“Mars…” Mercury’s hand reached for her comrade’s shoulder. “Where is the Princess?”

“Serenity!” Mars swore, unbridled fear gripping her. Despite every aching muscle in her exhausted body, she launched herself into a sprint and ran forward blindly.

But deep in her heart, she didn’t know who she was running for.

She crouched behind a jagged outcropping of rock, hiding her trembling Princess behind her. Biding her time, she examined her prey and its eleven outlying defenders methodically, carefully weighing her options.

“Stay here.” Venus whispered, and before protest could reach her ears, she was out in the open and dashing toward her opponents.

Stealth and speed had given her the advantage, and she had almost gotten within range before the droids had even detected her presence. Within seconds of closing in on her target, she was dodging the attacks of several of its defenders; electric bolts that, though non-lethal, were dangerous none the less. She leapt into mid air and turned her body, avoiding three simultaneous blasts, and with a flourish of her right hand, she delivered a Love Me Chain in the direction of the leader droid. A fiery explosion erupted behind her, but a carefully planned roll followed by a summersault across the rocky ground carried to her safety.

The blonde warrior leapt to her feet and adopted a defensive stance. Ten droids were in closing in fast, but her small frame never wavered as they approached.

With a whirring click, all ten foes realized their leader had been destroyed, and with loud, skidding crashes, fell harmlessly at Venus’ feet.

With a shaky exhale of breath, the mounted fear and tension so skillfully held at bay drained from Venus’ body and her shaky legs gave out from underneath her. Bonelessly, she collapsed to her knees on the unforgiving, jagged terrain.

“Venus!”

A small smile touched the Venusian’s lips as her Princess rushed her. With crocodile tears in her wide eyes, Serenity put her arms around her protector and wailed incomprehensibly. Several injured ribs groaned in protest and Venus tried to stifle a cough triggered by her Princess’s exuberant embrace. She’d just thrown a reassuring arm around Serenity’s slight frame when she caught sight of her

Mars.

At the edge of the mists, the Martian senshi stood, gasping for breath, wide eyed with a blank expression controlling her features.

Venus froze, seemingly more tense than she had been during battle. How much had her self proclaimed rival seen? Surely, she must be upset at Venus for having taken control of the situation on her own, but what did she expect her to do? She couldn’t very well have waited for Reiko to find the leader droid any longer when their Princess had been in danger. The tension between them felt as thick as the mist that crowded around them.

Her glare unwavering, Mars crossed her arms and nodded stiffly. “I leave Serenity in your hands.” Her words were a commanding bark, an order. Gruffly, she turned and began to walk away at a proud, clipped pace, trying her hardest not to let an ounce of her exhaustion show.

“Mars!” Venus shouted.

The senshi of fire paused mid-stride, holding herself to her full height, her face turned upwards, but she never turned back to face Venus or Serenity. “The Princess of the Moon is the responsibility of the leader of the senshi, Venus.”

And with that, the proud Martian went on her way, not even pausing as she passed the questioning looks of Mercury and Jupiter, who’d finally caught up with their former leader.

“Reiko…” Venus’ voice was a mere whisper before her jaw clacked shut. ‘Can’t you see that this isn’t a battle for leadership? Can’t you see… see that I…’

Minako smiled a bittersweet smile at the emotions that memory provoked before returning to her previous thoughts. She would not just take what she wanted from Rei. She could not.

Just as it had been in the past for Mars and Venus, her relationship with Rei in this life was complicated. Of course she had feelings for Rei. Of course she wanted to tell her about it. But in a relationship borne on competition, and fed on awkwardness, Rei was a very difficult person to open up to, especially when you’re as stubborn and heard headed as the one you like. And in addition to being stubborn and hard headed, Minako was also prone to bottling up her own emotions for the sake of others. After all, it was easier to pine away from afar and keep her mind occupied with her career than to take the chance of loosing the friendship they both cherished.

And so, she’d keep suffering quietly. Hell, she’d written songs about it. It wouldn’t be the first time she’d been a martyr. She’d filled that role many lives over. She would continue to suppress her feelings, because that was all Minako knew how to do.

No. She would not tell Rei how she felt, not unless she saw an opening, a sign, that hopeful chance that Rei may still return the feelings she’d harbored for the past five years. But was that hoping for too much? The hope that one day, the love of Reiko and Minako, the Mars and Venus of the past, may be repeated in the lives of the present. Their current personas were little different than those of the past and still, those two opposing figures had fallen in love. Their love had been one of mutual attraction, an affection and depth never shown in public, rarely even shown outwardly at all, yet it was a love that never needed reassurance; it was as confident as their personas, as powerful as their senshi strength. It was a love that should have lasted them lifetimes over.

Yet something had gone wrong, hadn’t it? After all, the tragic end of their past lives hadn’t been as cut and dry as Luna had made it out to be all those years ago. And if Rei hadn’t regain Reiko’s memories back when she reawakened as a senshi, there must have been a reason. If those memories hadn’t returned because they were too painful for Rei to handle, did Minako really wish Reiko’s memories to return to Rei, even if she were to remember them on her own accord?

Minako wasn’t so sure she wanted to answer that question.

Catching Artemis’ worried glance, she nodded to him discreetly and resolved herself to follow along with Saitou’s motions and questions.

But first, she sighed inaudibly. Being the leader of the senshi meant understanding and accepting the worst possibility of any situation, but that didn’t mean Minako was a complete pessimist. Not allowing herself to be saddened by what seemed like the impossibility of a new relationship between herself and Rei, she discarded her worries and fears and latched onto that small glimmer of hope she’d clung onto for what felt like an eternity…

The hope that whatever had been there five years ago, between Rei and herself, still lurked in Rei’s heart the way it kept her own steadily beating.

OOO

A/N:

A little boring, I know, but I had to get some background out there. Hey, a lot has happened in five years and I don’t want to just throw our main characters together too fast and ruin my plot. So there!

OOO

Chapter 3 Preview:

Still not achieving a response, Usagi began to fear for her former senshi. Cautiously reaching out to try to shake her friend, she’d almost made contact with the chilled gooseflesh of Rei’s bare arms when the miko finally spoke in a hushed whisper.

“Tomorrow.”

“What about tomorrow, Rei-chan?”

“She’s coming back tomorrow.”

Usagi almost jumped backwards at Rei’s deadpan voice, and the hairs on the back of her neck stood on end. Although she didn’t possess the deductive abilities of most, Usagi knew that Rei was captured by the flame before her. “Who’s coming back, Rei-chan?”

Trying to see what her powerful friend was sensing in the fire that fueled her mystical powers, Usagi peered into the small, flickering flame. Somehow, if she squinted just right, she thought she could almost make out the image of Aino Minako…