"I can't believe that I let you talk me into this," Hotaru Tomoe murmured, the dark haired young woman standing there hesitantly. Her violet eyes were wide as she looked down at the pure white bodysuit that she wore, the slick material clinging to her slim body. Minako Aino stepped out into the room, her long blonde hair flowing over her shoulders. "At least we're all in the same boat," she offered, tugging at the matching red bodysuit that she wore. A bit of red appeared on Hotaru's cheeks as she looked over at Minako, taking in the other girl's somewhat more generous figure. She gulped, trying to clear a suddenly tight throat as she asked, "Explain to me who we're dressing up as again?" "The anime Neon Genesis Evangelion," Minako explained cheerfully, "we're the two female pilots from that series." She gestured to herself then to Hotaru, "I'm doing Asuka Soryu Langley while you are Rei Ayanami." "And they wear these outfits all the time?" Hotaru asked hesitantly, trying to adjust the skin tight material slightly. "These or schoolgirl's uniforms," Minako said with a smile, "but I thought that those wouldn't stand out so much." Hotaru pushed her hair back with a sigh as she conceded, "Well, these will stand out." 'Good,' Minako thought with a smile as she looked at the younger woman, 'at least she seems more cheerful.' Aloud she said, "Thanks for agreeing to do this." Hotaru looked away with a slight smile, "You really owe me, Aino." That made Minako blink in surprise then she laughed, "You've been hanging around Haruka too much, that sounded just like her." Hotaru laughed softly at that, her eyes gently warm, the expression on her face very different than she had been only a few weeks ago. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ "Good morning," Michiru said cheerfully, but Hotaru's only answer a soft grunt as she quickly ate her breakfast. The green haired woman gave her lover a concerned look, silently indicating that it was her turn, now. "Do you need me to go pick you up after school?" Haruka asked, her sandy brown hair falling into her eyes. "No," Hotaru answered grimly, staring down into her food. Setsuna exchanged worried looks with the other two women, then she sighed. "I've got your lunch ready," she handed it over to the young woman as Hotaru passed her on her way out of the house, her back visibly stiff. Michiru puffed out a nervous breath once Hotaru left, sitting down beside the other two and drinking some of her now cool cup of tea. "I don't know how much longer I can take this," she sighed into the uncomfortable silence. "We've got to do something," Haruka admitted. "I think we should go talk to the others about it," Setsuna said with a soft sigh. Some hours later they were all up at the shrine along with the young friends that they had come to regard almost as members of their family. Sitting around the low table they finally began to relax, making idle conversation as they waited for the last stragglers to come into the room. "Is Hotaru all right?" Minako Aino asked curiously, the pretty blonde settling into her seat with some of Makoto's famous cookies. "How did you...?" Haruka blinked. "You didn't bring her along with you tonight," Minako pointed that out reasonably, "and she seemed to be particularly grim when I saw her earlier today." She shook her head adding, "She barely even talked to me." "Considering what Hotaru is capable of as a Sailor Senshi," Luna said, the black cat looking visibly worried, "this could be trouble." Artemis looked up from where the little white cat had been napping by the screen door, "That's an understatement." "So what's going on?" Makoto Kino asked curiously, the brown haired girl watching with some amusement as the others dug into the plate full of snacks. She was an odd contradiction, the most physically capable member of the Inners but also the most domestic, remarkably good at things like cooking and cleaning. "Shortly before Small Lady went back to the future," Setsuna said to them seriously, "Hotaru went to see her. From things that she said to us I believe Hotaru intended to tell Chibi-Usa about how she felt about her." "Oh dear," Usagi murmured softly, the blonde pausing in her rapid munching. Her long hair flowed down her back in to streams, the golden hair tied up on her hair in twin buns. "Chibi-Usa was talking about how good a friend Hotaru was," she said glumly, "and how much she was looking forward to seeing Helios." Haruka swore softly and creatively. "Chibi-Usa is in love with Helios," she said with a sigh, "and probably told Hotaru in that direct, cheerful way of hers." Ami Mizuno pushed up her glasses, her short blue hair falling into her eyes. She was the smartest of the Inners, quite possibly a genius, and Ami also had a kind and gentle nature. "Hotaru didn't take it well?" she asked. "She's barely talking," Michiru said glumly, "and it's clear she's hurting." "But she won't open up," Rei Hino said thoughtfully. The shrine maiden's long black hair flowed down her back in a wave, her red and white garb suiting the fiery young woman. "So what can we do to help?" she offered. Setsuna nodded slightly, her eyes gently sorrowful as she considered the situation. "I'm not quite sure," she admitted. "We could always take her over to the Crown for sundaes," Usagi offered up cheerfully. Rei rolled her eyes, "Thinking with your stomach again?" "But Rei...." Usagi's eyes welled up with tears. As the two young woman talked in the background Makoto smiled wryly. "Should one of us take her aside," she offered, "see if we can get her talking about it?" "Might be a bit soon," Ami cautioned, taking off her glasses, "but maybe we could do something to distract her from her pain a bit." "Now that's not a bad idea," Haruka nodded slightly, "but what?" "Actually," Minako spoke up, a thoughtful look on her face, "I think I may have something in mind." Everyone looked at her questioningly as she continued, "The school cosplay club is having a contest, including group cosplay." "Cosplay?" Usagi looked cutely confused. Rei smiled at her as she said with surprising gentleness, "When people dress up in costumes based on their favorite anime or television show." "Do you really think you could get Hotaru to do something like that?" Michiru skeptically asked, raising a delicate eyebrow. "I'll have to look into it," Minako bounced to her feet, "I'll get back to you in a few days." With that the energetic blonde grabbed her school bag and was gone. "Do you think one of us should go along with her?" Makoto asked after a moment. "How much trouble could she get into at a school club?" Rei asked with a shrug. There was a long moment of silence then Ami sighed out, "I really wish you hadn't asked that question, my imagination is already running wild." Outside Minako had a surprisingly serious expression on her face as she strode down the shrine steps. It was easy to underestimate her, the Senshi of love and beauty, but those that did often regretted it. There were hidden depths under the cheerful exterior, ones that only her friends usually had the chance to see. Right now Minako's thoughts were focused on a serious face and sad eyes, ones that had often been on her mind of late. 'I hope we can help Hotaru,' she thought, climbing aboard the bus. Club activities were something that Minako rather enjoyed, especially the volleyball club, but she joined in other things, too. She hadn't mentioned to the others, for instance, that she dabbled with the anime and cosplay clubs. Why she held back she didn't know, maybe because she didn't want to look like some otaku-fangirl, but she had a good time. Minako made her way up the stairs to the cosplay club room, pausing in front of the door before knocking gently. The door was whipped open and Minako nearly did a double take as she saw Sailor V standing before her in her signature pose. "Minako-san?" her doppleganger asked curiously. She took the mask off and Tina smiled at her warmly, "Are you all right?" "Sorry, you just surprised me Tina," Mina chuckled softly as she was lead inside. "So what can I do for you?" Tina asked curiously, several of the other cosplayers in various states of undress around them. Minako was distracted a moment by a black haired girl pulling on a boy's uniform then she shook herself. "Do you think I could borrow some costumes?" she asked. "What for?" Tina looked curious. "Surprise for a friend," Minako answered honestly. She leaned forward to whisper in Tina's ear, "I was think of entering me and my friends in the group cosplay competition." "I have just the thing," Tina said eagerly, pulling her towards the clothes racks and boxes that filled one corner of the room. She pulled one set of costumes out for her to look at and Minako visibly sweatdropped. "Not the Sailor Senshi," Minako shook her head with a sigh. "Too bad," Tina put them back, "you'd make a great Sailor Moon." "So I've been told," Minako smirked. "Ah-ha!" Tina pulled out a red costume that she held up to Minako thoughtfully. "This could work," she said thoughtfully. "Evangelion," Minako murmured. Her eyes widened as a grin appeared, "And I have the perfect person in mind for Rei."
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