PRECIOUS METALS by Sailor Earth
Author's Notes - My last chapter! *sobs* Of all my fics, this has been my most favourite to write, and it was all thanx to you guys for your love and support! My next fic is called 'The Silver Forest', but I'll tell you more about it at the end of this chapter, cos right now i just wanna get on and write my heart out!
Thankyou so, so much to: Katy, ChaoticDestiny48, cuttie-blossom, Isis Aurora Tomoe, Minako-chan, CrystalRabite, Aqua-mystica, Nega Knight, Keladry, vibes, Alexandria Andrews, Water Enchentress, guardianmercury, jen, Iryl, Cassie, Sailor Midnight, raq, Natsumi, Kaze, Dulce Ambrosia, Hyperion, Flame Stardattir, Himenoyami, Aphrodite, Kalina Quantum, Liz, anyone else who has reviewed, but I've missed out, and anyone who takes time to review this fic in the future! It means so much to me!
*Chapter Fifteen*
"I've never seen you looking so lovely as you did tonight
I've never seen you shine so bright
I've never seen so many men ask you if you wanted to dance
Looking for a little romance
Given half a chance"
Kunzite wandered down the corridors of Tokyo Studios. Tonight was the night of the National Designer of the Year Awards, and Kunzite was looking for Minako. No one knew who had won, but all the outfits entered were going to be modelled at the beginning. Of course, Minako was going to be modelling Kunzite's dress. Also, she had agreed to present the award to whoever won. Further down the corridor, a door opened, and a figure appeared. Kunzite rcognised him immediately. Damian Hawke, the photographer that had harassed him and his Mina-chan a couple of months back. On seeing Kunzite, Damian hurried away suspiciously.
Kunzite wondered what was going on. Surely, Damian Hawke should not be allowed here! Kunzite walked up towards the door where Damian had come from. AINO MINAKO. he read the brass name-plate hanging on the door. This was Minako's changing room. He knocked loudly. No answer, she hadn't yet arrived. Kunzite quietly opened the door and looked around the room. The dress was there, hanging by the mirror. He could see no signs of disturbance in the room...something caught his eye.
He looked closer - a pile of newspaper cuttings on the sofa. Sifting through them, he realised that they were all articles written by Damian for the TOKYO TIMES. They were all stories on Minako, and not good - or accurate - ones at that. He hardly need to read very far to see that the gist of all of them were that her relationship with him was a publicity stunt, that she slept around behind his back, that she had argued with Serenity, and was planning to quit her job as Sailor Venus. There was even 'evidence' proving that she was living up to her role as Queen Venus, provide by many men claiming to be her lovers. Kunzite knew Minako never read the TOKYO TIMES - she would not have read these articles. Damian knew that too, and had been deliberately trying to upset her right before she went on stage. Kunzite heard foot-steps and a voice outside. It was Minako. Panicking, he shoved the newspaper cuttings down the back of the sofa.
Minako entered her dressing room. Kunzite was there, looking slightly guilty as he pulled his hand free from behind the sofa. She was a little puzzled, but all thoughts flew from her mind when she saw the dress. Of course, she had seen it before when she had tried it on for fitting-purposes, but this was the first time she had seen the finished product. It was perfect. It was deep red and velvet, with little red straps, and a fish-tail skirt pain-stakingly embellished with hundreds of tiny silk roses. She also had a rose attached to pink silk choker, and another on a wrist-band to wear with it. Even her shoes had roses attached to the straps. But the most perfect thing of all was the tiny sparkling topaz and kunzite gems adorning the bust.
"It's so, so perfect, Kunzite!" she squealed in excitement.
"No, you are," he told her, smiling, "Which is why I added the topaz - they reminded me of the topaz in your senshi tiara."
"That's so cool - Venus and Kunzite..." she murmured.
"You should put it on now, before the hair and make-up stylists get over here."
Minako slipped out of her jeans and t-shirt and into the dress. It clung to her every womanly curve, flattering them, and when she looked in the mirror she felt like the most gorgeous woman alive. Just like Kunzite had predicted, the two stylists appeared right on time. The hair stylist curled he long blonde hair into ringlets, and pinned them up on top of her head so that they cascaded down, framing her face. Then he added some silk rose hair slides to complement her outfit. When the make-up artist was done too, they both left, and so did Kunzite, who needed to get ready himself.
Now that Minako was left alone, she remembered Kunzite's strange behaviour earlier. She stuck her hand down behind the sofa, and pulled out a bundle of newspaper clippings. The first had the picture taken outside Kunzite's house after their first date, accompanied by the headline V-BABE'S DRUNKEN NIGHT WITH LOVER. There were similar headlines on the following clippings.
GODDESS CREATIONS - MANAGER SLEEPS WITH REAL GODDESS TO PROMOTE STORE.
VENUS, QUEEN OF WHORES
MY AFFAIR WITH MINAKO - EX-LOVER COMES CLEAN
MINA-CHAN CHEATS ON KUNZITE
Minako did not need to read any further. She could see that these articles had all be written by Damian Hawke. She felt sick. What had Kunzite been doing with them? Why would he have them? Just then, an anouncement came over the tannoy.
"Would all models please assemble backstage for the show to begin."
Minako left her dressing room and hurried to where the other models were. Anxiously she waited for the start. Eventually they started to go on to the catwalk. Butterflies danced in her stomach. Carefully, she walked along the catwalk with the other models, remembering how she had practiced this with Rei so many times before.
"God, please don't let me trip, or mess up, or have a clutz attack!" she prayed silently. The flashing lights dazzled her, and the loud music pounded through her body. However, everything went smoothly, and she returned backstage, heart-pounding, and with adrenalin surging through her veins, smile insanely because she'd managed to do it without a single hitch.
As she came off the stage, she was cornered by Kunzite. She wanted to ask him about the newspaper cuttings, but he seemed to want to tell her something important, so she listened to him instead.
"Mina-chan, I have one more thing for you to wear tonight." Minako was mystified. Kunzite pulled a small box from his pocket. What could it be? She took the box and opened it. It was the most gorgeous ring in the whole world - the band was twisted silver and gold, and each twist was studded with a gem - each either pink or orange - kunzite or topaz. Minako gasped. It was the most beautiful thing she'd ever seen in her life. "...Earth to Minako - are you going to stand there and gawp, or give me an answer to put me out of my suspense?" What the hell was Kunzite talking about? Minako wondered. Suddenly it dawned on her. He was trying to ask her to marry him.
"I...I..." she was speechless. Kunzite looked pleadingly into her eyes, willing her to answer him. She opened her mouth about to say something, when someone grabbed her, thrust a heavy gold award and an envelope in to her hand, and shoved her towards the stage entrance, saying,
"Hurry up Minako, you're needed. You have to present the award!"
Minako stepped up onto the stage.
"Uh, hi everyone!" she smiled at the audience, "let's hear the nominations once more!" A voice over the sound-system began to run through all the nominees, whilst their designs flashed up on the huge screen behind Minako. The song, 'Lady In Red' by Chris Deburgh played in the background.
"I have never seen that dress you're wearing
Or the highlights in your hair that catch your eyes
I have been blind
The Lady in red
Is dancing with me
Cheek to cheek"
The music washed over Minako, soothing her nerves. Then, she noticed a face she recognised in the front of the audience. Damian Hawke! He looked straight at her and mouthed four words,
"Did - you - read - them?"
Suddenly realisation struck! Kunzite had not put the clippings in her dressing room - Damian had! He had clearly been trying to upset her, and Kunzite had just been trying to get rid of them when she walked in. Anger welled up inside her. How dare Damian think he can do this to her? She'd been all ready to blame Kunzite, she'd been unable to tell him what she really, really wanted to say, because her mind had been consumed with thoughts of Damian's writings.
"There's nobody here
It's just you and me
It's where I want to be
And I hardly know there's beauty by my side
I'll never forget the way you look tonight"
She looked up into the audience, barely hearing, the noises around her. Time stood utterly still. Up high at the back she saw her friends - Serenity and Endymion...Rei and Jadeite...Ami and Zoisite...Makoto and Nephrite - smiling down at her. They were all so happy. She felt so happy too. She was in love, and nothing was going to ruin it for her this time. Not even Damian. Slowly she spoke into her microphone.
"Before I open this envelope and reveal the winner, I have something to say to someone. He knows who he is. And all I want to say to him is yes...yes I will." The audience went silent. Minako opened the envelope and read the name printed inside. Kunzite. "Well, I guess now I should tell him he won the prize, too!"
Kunzite ran up onto the stage. He took the award off Minako. Then he set it down carefully on the floor.
"I got something for you, too, Mina-chan." He took her left hand and slipped the ring onto her ring-finger. Then he threw his arms around her, lifting her up and spinning her around in the air, as the awdience clapped and cheered.
Minako and Kunzite smiled insanely at each other.
"Guess what? I love you."
"I love you too, honey!"
"I've never seen you shine so bright
You were amazing
I've never seen so many people want to be there by your side
And when you turned to me and smiled,
It took my breath away
I have never had such a feeling
Such a feeling of complete and utter love as I do tonight
The Lady in red
Is dancing with me
Cheek to cheek
There's nobody here
It's just you and me
It's where I want to be
And I hardly know there's beauty by my side
I'll never forget the way you look tonight
I never will forget the way you look tonight
The lady in red
The lady in red
The lady in red
My lady in red
I love you"
*****
AN - It's finished!!! Im so strangely happy and sad at the same time!!! Happy that it's finally finished, but sad that I can no longer write this story anymore. Still, I'm currently working on a new story, The Silver Forest. It's an AU (Alternative Universe) fic, and very loosely based on the tales of Robin Hood. If you are interested here's a little taster:
"My world first began to turn upside down on June 21st - Midsummer - 9 days before my 17th birthday...
I'm Princess Serenity. My mother is the Queen, and also called Serenity, or sometimes Selene. Anyway, for all my life, we have lived in our beautiful white marble castle on the edge of the Silver Forest. All the trees shimmer with silver in the moonlight, which is how the forest got its name.
My Father, Sol, was the King, but he went far away to fight in a war against a dark kingdom in the Shadow Lands, and we have heard nothing of him since. His brother, Prince Dimando - my uncle - says Papa is dead, but I do not believe him. The Silver Imperium Crystal, which he left with Mama when he went away, still glows brilliantly with hope. Dimando, however, has told everyone that since my father will never return, he is now King. I know that one day Papa will return, and our Kingdom and its people will be happy once again...
Climbing into bed, a warm, sweet breeze danced with my curtains, and filled my room with the musky scent of roses. I closed my eyes and soon drifted into slumber.
I was awoken a couple of hours later by a rustling noise coming from my window. Sleepily, I opened my eyes, and was shocked to see a masked figure crouching in the open window. His silver-black cape billowed in the midnight air, and then he leapt down to the ground. I got up and leaned out the window. It was long way down, yet I saw him disappear into the Silver Forest, seemingly unharmed.
An overpowering scent of roses filled my room again, and I got back into bed, sleeping once more."
*****
If you liked that, chapter one of The Silver Forest is up now! *Sailor Earth*
Author's Notes - My last chapter! *sobs* Of all my fics, this has been my most favourite to write, and it was all thanx to you guys for your love and support! My next fic is called 'The Silver Forest', but I'll tell you more about it at the end of this chapter, cos right now i just wanna get on and write my heart out!
Thankyou so, so much to: Katy, ChaoticDestiny48, cuttie-blossom, Isis Aurora Tomoe, Minako-chan, CrystalRabite, Aqua-mystica, Nega Knight, Keladry, vibes, Alexandria Andrews, Water Enchentress, guardianmercury, jen, Iryl, Cassie, Sailor Midnight, raq, Natsumi, Kaze, Dulce Ambrosia, Hyperion, Flame Stardattir, Himenoyami, Aphrodite, Kalina Quantum, Liz, anyone else who has reviewed, but I've missed out, and anyone who takes time to review this fic in the future! It means so much to me!
*Chapter Fifteen*
"I've never seen you looking so lovely as you did tonight
I've never seen you shine so bright
I've never seen so many men ask you if you wanted to dance
Looking for a little romance
Given half a chance"
Kunzite wandered down the corridors of Tokyo Studios. Tonight was the night of the National Designer of the Year Awards, and Kunzite was looking for Minako. No one knew who had won, but all the outfits entered were going to be modelled at the beginning. Of course, Minako was going to be modelling Kunzite's dress. Also, she had agreed to present the award to whoever won. Further down the corridor, a door opened, and a figure appeared. Kunzite rcognised him immediately. Damian Hawke, the photographer that had harassed him and his Mina-chan a couple of months back. On seeing Kunzite, Damian hurried away suspiciously.
Kunzite wondered what was going on. Surely, Damian Hawke should not be allowed here! Kunzite walked up towards the door where Damian had come from. AINO MINAKO. he read the brass name-plate hanging on the door. This was Minako's changing room. He knocked loudly. No answer, she hadn't yet arrived. Kunzite quietly opened the door and looked around the room. The dress was there, hanging by the mirror. He could see no signs of disturbance in the room...something caught his eye.
He looked closer - a pile of newspaper cuttings on the sofa. Sifting through them, he realised that they were all articles written by Damian for the TOKYO TIMES. They were all stories on Minako, and not good - or accurate - ones at that. He hardly need to read very far to see that the gist of all of them were that her relationship with him was a publicity stunt, that she slept around behind his back, that she had argued with Serenity, and was planning to quit her job as Sailor Venus. There was even 'evidence' proving that she was living up to her role as Queen Venus, provide by many men claiming to be her lovers. Kunzite knew Minako never read the TOKYO TIMES - she would not have read these articles. Damian knew that too, and had been deliberately trying to upset her right before she went on stage. Kunzite heard foot-steps and a voice outside. It was Minako. Panicking, he shoved the newspaper cuttings down the back of the sofa.
Minako entered her dressing room. Kunzite was there, looking slightly guilty as he pulled his hand free from behind the sofa. She was a little puzzled, but all thoughts flew from her mind when she saw the dress. Of course, she had seen it before when she had tried it on for fitting-purposes, but this was the first time she had seen the finished product. It was perfect. It was deep red and velvet, with little red straps, and a fish-tail skirt pain-stakingly embellished with hundreds of tiny silk roses. She also had a rose attached to pink silk choker, and another on a wrist-band to wear with it. Even her shoes had roses attached to the straps. But the most perfect thing of all was the tiny sparkling topaz and kunzite gems adorning the bust.
"It's so, so perfect, Kunzite!" she squealed in excitement.
"No, you are," he told her, smiling, "Which is why I added the topaz - they reminded me of the topaz in your senshi tiara."
"That's so cool - Venus and Kunzite..." she murmured.
"You should put it on now, before the hair and make-up stylists get over here."
Minako slipped out of her jeans and t-shirt and into the dress. It clung to her every womanly curve, flattering them, and when she looked in the mirror she felt like the most gorgeous woman alive. Just like Kunzite had predicted, the two stylists appeared right on time. The hair stylist curled he long blonde hair into ringlets, and pinned them up on top of her head so that they cascaded down, framing her face. Then he added some silk rose hair slides to complement her outfit. When the make-up artist was done too, they both left, and so did Kunzite, who needed to get ready himself.
Now that Minako was left alone, she remembered Kunzite's strange behaviour earlier. She stuck her hand down behind the sofa, and pulled out a bundle of newspaper clippings. The first had the picture taken outside Kunzite's house after their first date, accompanied by the headline V-BABE'S DRUNKEN NIGHT WITH LOVER. There were similar headlines on the following clippings.
GODDESS CREATIONS - MANAGER SLEEPS WITH REAL GODDESS TO PROMOTE STORE.
VENUS, QUEEN OF WHORES
MY AFFAIR WITH MINAKO - EX-LOVER COMES CLEAN
MINA-CHAN CHEATS ON KUNZITE
Minako did not need to read any further. She could see that these articles had all be written by Damian Hawke. She felt sick. What had Kunzite been doing with them? Why would he have them? Just then, an anouncement came over the tannoy.
"Would all models please assemble backstage for the show to begin."
Minako left her dressing room and hurried to where the other models were. Anxiously she waited for the start. Eventually they started to go on to the catwalk. Butterflies danced in her stomach. Carefully, she walked along the catwalk with the other models, remembering how she had practiced this with Rei so many times before.
"God, please don't let me trip, or mess up, or have a clutz attack!" she prayed silently. The flashing lights dazzled her, and the loud music pounded through her body. However, everything went smoothly, and she returned backstage, heart-pounding, and with adrenalin surging through her veins, smile insanely because she'd managed to do it without a single hitch.
As she came off the stage, she was cornered by Kunzite. She wanted to ask him about the newspaper cuttings, but he seemed to want to tell her something important, so she listened to him instead.
"Mina-chan, I have one more thing for you to wear tonight." Minako was mystified. Kunzite pulled a small box from his pocket. What could it be? She took the box and opened it. It was the most gorgeous ring in the whole world - the band was twisted silver and gold, and each twist was studded with a gem - each either pink or orange - kunzite or topaz. Minako gasped. It was the most beautiful thing she'd ever seen in her life. "...Earth to Minako - are you going to stand there and gawp, or give me an answer to put me out of my suspense?" What the hell was Kunzite talking about? Minako wondered. Suddenly it dawned on her. He was trying to ask her to marry him.
"I...I..." she was speechless. Kunzite looked pleadingly into her eyes, willing her to answer him. She opened her mouth about to say something, when someone grabbed her, thrust a heavy gold award and an envelope in to her hand, and shoved her towards the stage entrance, saying,
"Hurry up Minako, you're needed. You have to present the award!"
Minako stepped up onto the stage.
"Uh, hi everyone!" she smiled at the audience, "let's hear the nominations once more!" A voice over the sound-system began to run through all the nominees, whilst their designs flashed up on the huge screen behind Minako. The song, 'Lady In Red' by Chris Deburgh played in the background.
"I have never seen that dress you're wearing
Or the highlights in your hair that catch your eyes
I have been blind
The Lady in red
Is dancing with me
Cheek to cheek"
The music washed over Minako, soothing her nerves. Then, she noticed a face she recognised in the front of the audience. Damian Hawke! He looked straight at her and mouthed four words,
"Did - you - read - them?"
Suddenly realisation struck! Kunzite had not put the clippings in her dressing room - Damian had! He had clearly been trying to upset her, and Kunzite had just been trying to get rid of them when she walked in. Anger welled up inside her. How dare Damian think he can do this to her? She'd been all ready to blame Kunzite, she'd been unable to tell him what she really, really wanted to say, because her mind had been consumed with thoughts of Damian's writings.
"There's nobody here
It's just you and me
It's where I want to be
And I hardly know there's beauty by my side
I'll never forget the way you look tonight"
She looked up into the audience, barely hearing, the noises around her. Time stood utterly still. Up high at the back she saw her friends - Serenity and Endymion...Rei and Jadeite...Ami and Zoisite...Makoto and Nephrite - smiling down at her. They were all so happy. She felt so happy too. She was in love, and nothing was going to ruin it for her this time. Not even Damian. Slowly she spoke into her microphone.
"Before I open this envelope and reveal the winner, I have something to say to someone. He knows who he is. And all I want to say to him is yes...yes I will." The audience went silent. Minako opened the envelope and read the name printed inside. Kunzite. "Well, I guess now I should tell him he won the prize, too!"
Kunzite ran up onto the stage. He took the award off Minako. Then he set it down carefully on the floor.
"I got something for you, too, Mina-chan." He took her left hand and slipped the ring onto her ring-finger. Then he threw his arms around her, lifting her up and spinning her around in the air, as the awdience clapped and cheered.
Minako and Kunzite smiled insanely at each other.
"Guess what? I love you."
"I love you too, honey!"
"I've never seen you shine so bright
You were amazing
I've never seen so many people want to be there by your side
And when you turned to me and smiled,
It took my breath away
I have never had such a feeling
Such a feeling of complete and utter love as I do tonight
The Lady in red
Is dancing with me
Cheek to cheek
There's nobody here
It's just you and me
It's where I want to be
And I hardly know there's beauty by my side
I'll never forget the way you look tonight
I never will forget the way you look tonight
The lady in red
The lady in red
The lady in red
My lady in red
I love you"
*****
AN - It's finished!!! Im so strangely happy and sad at the same time!!! Happy that it's finally finished, but sad that I can no longer write this story anymore. Still, I'm currently working on a new story, The Silver Forest. It's an AU (Alternative Universe) fic, and very loosely based on the tales of Robin Hood. If you are interested here's a little taster:
"My world first began to turn upside down on June 21st - Midsummer - 9 days before my 17th birthday...
I'm Princess Serenity. My mother is the Queen, and also called Serenity, or sometimes Selene. Anyway, for all my life, we have lived in our beautiful white marble castle on the edge of the Silver Forest. All the trees shimmer with silver in the moonlight, which is how the forest got its name.
My Father, Sol, was the King, but he went far away to fight in a war against a dark kingdom in the Shadow Lands, and we have heard nothing of him since. His brother, Prince Dimando - my uncle - says Papa is dead, but I do not believe him. The Silver Imperium Crystal, which he left with Mama when he went away, still glows brilliantly with hope. Dimando, however, has told everyone that since my father will never return, he is now King. I know that one day Papa will return, and our Kingdom and its people will be happy once again...
Climbing into bed, a warm, sweet breeze danced with my curtains, and filled my room with the musky scent of roses. I closed my eyes and soon drifted into slumber.
I was awoken a couple of hours later by a rustling noise coming from my window. Sleepily, I opened my eyes, and was shocked to see a masked figure crouching in the open window. His silver-black cape billowed in the midnight air, and then he leapt down to the ground. I got up and leaned out the window. It was long way down, yet I saw him disappear into the Silver Forest, seemingly unharmed.
An overpowering scent of roses filled my room again, and I got back into bed, sleeping once more."
*****
If you liked that, chapter one of The Silver Forest is up now! *Sailor Earth*