Story: Tales Of Minako and Hotaru! (chapter 3)

Authors: Shanejayell

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Chapter 3

Title: Codename Sailor V: The Bodyguard: Two

 

Sailor V: The shadow companion. (Two of Two)

Hotaru spun her polearm, feeling hideously silly dressed in the modified sailor fuku as she stood beside Sailor V on the stage. Still, the crowd was eating it up as the heroic Sailor V was saved by the mysterious Sailor S.

'We have got to come up with a better name,' Hotaru mused as she warily watched the actors draw near them, dressed in their outlandish costumes. "So what do we do now?" Hotaru murmured, keeping her voice down.

"Follow my lead," Minako murmured, barely moving her lips.

With a unsurprising show of grace Minako spun, producing a crescent shaped boomerang from beneath her costume, "My shining tiara will drive back the forces of evil!" She threw it skillfully, sending it soaring so that it appeared to fly over the enemy, all of whom pretended to drop.

The children and teens in the crowd cheered happily, waving their hands and jumping excitedly. More importantly many of them carried Sailor V products, the clothes and other stuff with the dramatic masked face.

Silently Hotaru raised her polearm, her eyes narrowing as she studied her foes. Smoothly she was off, striking with just enough force for the actors to know they were hit, not enough to hurt them. Her dramatic silence seemed to impress the crowd nearly as much as Sailor V's speeches, the crowd crying out it's approval.

"Thank you Sailor S," she cried, Sailor V returning to her side again. The blonde surprised Hotaru by standing close, looking up into her eyes dramatically, "How can I ever thank you?"

Hotaru stiffened a moment as she felt the blonde stand close to her, then with her free arm encircled her shoulders. "No need," she said, carefully pitching her voice so the audience could here, "your smile is reward enough."

"Sailor S," Sailor V looked up at her adoringly and Hotaru saw a flash of pure mischief in those blue eyes.

'Uh oh,' Hotaru had time to think before Sailor V slid close to press her lips to Hotaru's.

There was a moment of stunned silence as the crowd registered the kiss then they roared out their approval. Sailor V slid her fingers in Hotaru's hair, letting the kiss deepen a bit, then slid back to release her. "Thank you," she repeated.

Not long after they were backstage in the dressing room that Minako and Hotaru shared, Setsuna looking at Minako with a stern expression on her noble face. "That wasn't in the script," she gently scolded the star.

"Sorry," Minako said as she removed her mask, smiling a bit at he manager, "I kind of got carried away by the moment."

"Give me some warning next time," Hotaru murmured from where she was sitting, still blushing faintly from the kiss.

"Mind you the crowd liked it," Setsuna noted, her expression thoughtful, "I think I'll run this by the focus groups, see what they think."

Minako smirked, "As long as it's a good looking woman I don't mind." She looked over at Hotaru, her expression noticeably gentler, "I am sorry about surprising you like that, I hope it wasn't too unpleasant for you."

"It wasn't unpleasant," Hotaru answered her quietly.

Minako smiled happily, "Good."

Setsuna looked over at Hotaru thoughtfully then asked, "Do you mind continuing with the Sailor S performances, then?" Seriously, "I think the shows are probably the times where Minako is the most vulnerable."

"I could live without wearing the costume," Hotaru sighed in resignation, "but yes, I'll do the performances."

"Good," Setsuna said briskly, "I'll talk to the poster artist, see if we can work Sailor S into the promotion pieces."

"Urk," Hotaru made a face while Minako chuckled.

Minako smoothly began to strip her fuku off, smiling to herself faintly as Hotaru turned away, blushing. "You know, I think I like your shyness, too."

"Don't tease me, please," Hotaru sighed.

"But it's so fun," Minako said charmingly.

Hotaru had to smile a bit at that remark. Reluctantly she began to strip her own sailor fuku off... only to hear a disturbance out in the hallway. She stopped, frowning, one glove half off, then she moved in front of where Minako stood.

The door crashed open as the woman glared, her eyes sweeping the room. Red hair was elegantly styled, her clothes finely chosen but her eyes carried a hit of madness. "Where..." she growled.

"Natsuna?" Minako squeaked.

"Who?" Hotaru blinked.

"You little witch," Natsuna Sakurada growled out, glaring over at Minako as she continued, "how dare you!"

Hotaru smoothly kept herself between Minako and the older woman, her boots and gloves off but otherwise still dressed in her costume. "Who are you and what's going on?" she asked crisply, keeping a wary eye on Natsuna.

"I'm that little witch's lover," Natsuna started.

"Ex-lover," Minako protested.

Natsuna grit her teeth then glared at Hotaru, "Until Minako here decided to throw me over for a younger model, it seems."

Hotaru fought back a blush, realizing that Natsuna had clearly seen the performance. "That was all part of the show," she protested.

"I hadn't even met her when we broke up a few months ago," Minako looked over Hotaru's shoulder, carefully keeping her bodyguard between her and her ex.

"It doesn't matter," Natsuna growled.

"You were the one sending her the threatening letters!" Hotaru realized.

Natsuna scowled, "I just wanted to scare her, get her to go back to me!" She reached into her jacket, drawing something from within...

'Gun!' Hotaru moved without thinking, grabbing the mock polearm from where it sat nearby then lunging forward, smacking the weapon right out of the surprised woman's hands. Smoothly she spun the weapon around then slammed the wooden pole into Natsuna's gut, dropping the stunned woman to the floor.

"My hero," Minako puffed out, looking at Hotaru adoringly.

With a blush Hotaru looked away, instead kneeling down to grab Natsuna by the arm and pull her to the feet. "You'd better go get Setsuna," she advised, "and tell her we've got your stalker."

Setsuna called the police to collect Natsuna then thanked Hotaru profusely, so much that she embarrassed Hotaru. Deciding the two ladies needed some time alone she left to determine how best to spin the event in the media, thoughts already racing.

"I'm sorry," Minako sighed a little later, dressed in a simple skirt and top, "I never even thought that my ex-girlfriend could be behind it."

Hotaru had dressed herself in basic black, like usual as they sat together. "How long were you together?" she asked her curiously.

"A few months," Minako sighed, "but she was in the closet and refused to even consider the idea of being outed... and I was."

"I'm sorry," Hotaru hesitated, unsure how to ask.

"I was the one who ended it," Minako confirmed, "after she and I had our last big fight." She sighed, "It wasn't easy, but I thought I had to."

Hotaru reached out, comfortingly laying her hand on Minako's.

"So what are you going to do now?" Minako asked softly.

Hotaru blinked, "Well, I suppose I'll get another job."

Minako hesitated, the she smiled up at Hotaru, "I was wondering.. what would you think of staying on as my security?"

Hotaru looked at Minako thoughtfully, remembering their kiss. "Would I have to wear that Sailor S costume?" she asked.

"Probably," Minako squeezed her hand gently, "if Setsuna has her way."

"Well, I suppose I'll have to," Hotaru smiled back, suddenly glad to see Minako's face light up in happiness.

End.

Notes: Natsuna Sakurada is a police officer from the original Sailor V manga and who also appeared once in Sailor Moon. She pursued Minako more than a little obsessively, so I thought it wouldn't be too unrealistic for her to be the stalker.

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