I don't own Sailor Moon, but neither do you! Nyah, nyah!
Pink?
Usagi tossed and turned in her sleep. Fitful nightmares chased her through visions of pain and loss and war. She could find no escape, no way to shake the traces her cruel captors had laced her in. Then, at last, she awoke: sticky with sweat and in her won bed as fresh tears tracked down her cheeks. The blonde woman turned to embrace a nearby someone only to meet with empty space.
"Mamo-chan..."
"Usagi? Usagi, what's wrong?"
Usagi hurriedly dried her eyes as Rei sat down opposite her. The priestess tried to look her firend in the eye, but the odango would not meet her gaze.
"Nani? Nothing, daijobou..." she sucked hard on her soda straw.
"No you're not! Don't lie to me; I saw you. Usagi, tell me, please?"
The blonde looked up dejectedly, "Mamo-chan and I had another fight last night. I thought we had made up, but when I woke up from a bad dream...he, he was sleeping on the couch again!"
She buried her head in her arms as Rei sat down next to her. A strange mixture of rage, triumph, and sadness crossed her face. The miko put a comforting arm around her best friend's shoulders.
"I'm sure you guys will work it out. After all, isn't your love eternal? And then, you both have Chibi-usa to look forward too..."
"That's what I'm afraid of!" Usagi burst in, " If we divorce, in time I'll learn to live without him. But the future we have come to know and hope for will never be. There won't be a Neo-Queen Serenity or Crystal Tokyo. There won't be any Small Lady!"
"Usagi look at me!" Rei stared deeply into her leader's eyes, "Mamoru-baka is just the king of Earth; you are destined to be the ruler of the whole sea of stars. Without you, Endymion has no claim to the throne and he will be a nothing. Even without him, you will be a wonderful ruler, and through your gentle power Chibi-usa will come out one way or another."
The newlywed looked up with shinning eyes, "You really think so Rei-chan?"
"Of course, now, let's get you home. I think you've had enough to drink."
"Mamo-chan! I'm home! Sorry I was gone all day, but..." Usagi stopped at the silence of the house.
She searched all the room of their modest apartment. Everything was as neat and clean as she had left it that morning. At last she came to the kitchen and looked to the usual note spot on the fridge. There was her note on her pink stationary. Nothing from Mamoru.
"I don't understand. He's been off work for hours and he didn't leave a note..."
Rei came up beside her, "I see you did; I can tell your bad penmanship anywhere." Usagi socked her in the arm and the violet haired girl stuck her tongue out, "Just kidding Usagi. What did you say? It looks like chicken scratches to me..."
The petite woman shot a reproachful look at her friend, "Senshi business. He couldn't get mad about that; he knows it's our duty..." she broke into tears for what seemed the umpteenth time that day.
Rei held her as she sobbed and when she was quiet once more, the priestess spoke up, "You don't need to be here all alone. Come back to the shrine with me, okay?"
"Are you sure?"
"Of course I'm sure, now go pack your things and I'll write a note."
Usagi nodded and retreated to her room.
Her friend looked after her and with a sigh, grabbed a nearby pen and paper and wrote a furious note:
Mamoru-san,
I have taken Usagi back to my place. She doesn't need to stay in this lonely place with you any longer. If you don't love her, then come out and say it, don't shut her out. She deserves better than you and you know it. Dont' come over or call, when she feels ready, she'll call you. Rethink your priorities and what she has done for you and the world many times over.
Hino Rei
"Thanks for inviting me to stay over Rei-chan. I don't think I could've taken another night in this house," Usagi shouldered in two large suitcases.
"Are you going into the wilderness? Geez, let me help you with those bags."
"Which guest room would be best..." Rei murmured to herself opening and shutting doors along the halls.
Usagi's face turned beet red, "Um, Rei-chan? Could I maybe sleep in your room?"
Rei opened her mouth to make a snide remark, but when she turned around and saw the look on Usagi's face she only smiled, "Sure Usagi."
Later that night, after Usagi had organized her things, she spread her sleeping bag on the floor. Rei made to protest but Usagi shook her head.
"I am a guest, Not royalty. The floor will do fine."
Rei looked flabbergasted, "But, Usagi, you _are_..."
Usagi cut in, "Get in your pjs; it's past your bedtime little Rei!"
"Little Rei?! I'll have you know I am almost three months older than you and much more mature," she tossed her hair and winked, breaking into giggles.
"Nope, I'm married and therefore the more mature one," upon realizing what she had said, Usagi lapsed into a melancholy silence as the two women dressed for bed.
They said their goodnights and lay selently in the dark. Each was troubled by her own rampaging thoughts as she pretended to sleep. Though Usagi tried to hide it, her quiet grief broke the stillness of the night.
"Usagi?" the miko leaned off the bed to hold her friend's hand, "What is it?"
"Maybe it would have been better if you had married Mamoru-san."
Rei was almost as shocked at the formal name as she was at the suggestion, "But I only dated Mamoru-baka for a short time. You know we were a terrible match for each other!"
"Well, anything would work better than our match made in heaven. If we had married before our deaths in the Silver Millennium, I would have known how cruel he was and I wouldn't have killed myself for him. Then we wouldn't have had to fight the Dark Kingdom a second time!" here she broke into heart-wrenching sobs.
Rei went to the floor and held her princess in her arms, "Usagi, don't think that! None of what happened was your fault. It was all meant to happen to keep the timeline in place, Setsuna-san told us that. Please, don't be sad; I can feel your grief and it's almost killing me. Dont' torture yourself."
Usagi continued to cry and the two sat together on the floor into the night.
Early the next morning, Rei woke to find Usagi nestled into her chest. Face blushing red, she hurriedly replaced her sleeping princess on her bag and climbed into her bed. She still felt warm where her angel had touched her.
'I was never jealous of you, Usagi. I was jealous of Mamoru-baka.'
She awoke later to a gorgeous smell filling the shrine. The miko made her way to the kitchen to find Usagi setting the table for a beautiful meal.
Usagi smiled up at her, "I see you're finally awake; I was just about to go in and get you. I know you are busy so I fixed us some breakfast."
"Where'd you learn to cook?" it came out before she could stop it and her face burned as she clapped her hand over her mouth, "I'm sorry! It slipped out!"
"It's all right Rei. I know it's been rough since your grandpa died. I'm learning through a class I'm taking with Minako-chan. Mako-chan is a good cook but a terrible teacher," she giggled, "Now, eat up and get to work. What can I do to help today?"
"Help?" Rei asked through her mouthful.
"Don't talk with food in your mouth, Rei. I'll not be a freeloader. Consider me a shrine maiden."
Rei swallowed her bite, "Uh, I guess you can have my old tasks. Sweep the courtyard and shrine, feed Phobos and Deimos, and work the store. I'll get you a robe."
The two friends chatted as they ate their breakfasts. When the meal was over, Usagi cleaned up as Rei went to the linen closet and got the odango her new clothes.
"This should be short enough for you Usagi," the miko giggled at Usagi's face and continued, "The price list for the store is on the wall and it opens in an hour. You should have plenty of time. If you need help just call for me; I'll hear you."
The blonde woman nodded and they separated to their tasks. Rei watched Usagi walk down the hall with one thought on her mind.
'She called me Rei...'
Usagi was sweeping the courtyard when she heard footsteps behind her.
"Can I help you...Sailor Phobos, Sailor Deimos!"
Phobos nodded gravely, "Princess, why are you so sad?"
She looked down and continued sweeping, "Mamoru-san doesn't love me anymore."
"You are loved deeply," Deimos offered.
"But not by Mamoru."
"No, but you never loved him either."
"How can you say that? I have always loved him! I've died to protect him many times."
Deimos bowed, "My sister does not mean ill. She simply means it was not Eros. You love this world and all your protectors strongly, but most not romantically. They feel the same for you and they have died for you as you have died for them."
"No one loves me then..."
"Yes, one does, but will deny it."
"Then how shall I know?"
"Look in your heart princess..."
The two senshi bowed and their forms shimmered back into crows. She stood motionless watching the crows wheel in the sky.
Usagi fell back on her sleeping bag at the end of the day. She lay there, unmoving, eyes closed. Rei sat on the edge of her bed, combing her long violet hair.
"I'm exhausted Rei; how do you do it day in day out?"
Rei smiled, "I'm tired, but I love what I do. It's weariness of the body, not the spirit."
"That's what I love about you Rei. Your fire burns so warm and bright within you. I can feel it," Usagi looked into her friend's eyes.
The miko felt unnerved by the stare, 'It's like she's looking right through to my soul...'
The blonde odango broke into a smile, "Well, I'll sleep like a rock. No bad dreams tonight."
They rushed through their nightly routines and tumbled into their beds.
"Night Rei."
"Goodnight Usagi."
Quiet sobs again broke through the cloak of night. Asleep, the blonde woman bit her hand to keep from screaming as she hid from her pursuing nightmares.
"Usagi!" Rei called when she awoke, but she received no answer other than the unceasing sound of despair.
She crossed to her friend's pallet and shook her awake, looking reassuringly in her eyes, "Come, sleep with me Usagi. I'll keep you safe."
Usagi bowed her head, "But I'll feel so childish Rei..."
"Please, it breaks my heart to see you like this. I want to help you."
The small woman nodded and Rei tucked in her princess, lying next to her. Usagi turned to her friend and for the second time that day stared deeply into her eyes.
"Rei, do you love me?"
"Of course, we all love you. You're our princess; we would die for you."
"That's not what I mean, do _you_ love me Rei?"
Rei's heart caught in her throat and she hesitated a second, "You mean like Haurka-san and Michiru-san?"
She nodded.
"No, you know I like boys even though I'm not crazy like Minako-chan and Mako-chan."
"I know," Usagi sighed, "Hold me..."
Rei wrapped her princess in her arms and held her close. Though the miko's heart ached because of the lie she had just told, no further dreams troubled the pair that night.
A few days later, the inner senshi met to discuss something none of them wanted to talk about. Usagi was missing, likely hunting down the outers. The four friends grouped around a booth at the Crown Fruit Parlor. Various drinks were ordered, sampled, stirred, and stared into before someone brought up the reason for the meeting. Some how usually and unusually, shy but direct amy spoke up.
"I suppose Usagi-chan also asked the rest of you if you loved her."
The miko nodded her head, "She was fine when she first came to my place. a little depressed, but fine. But the second day, she started acting funny."
"How so?" Ami leaned forward.
"Calm down Ami-chan, she got all homey, cooking the meals, helping me with shrine chores, and then that night she asked me. She cried for a while after I told her I didn't feel that way.
"Hmmm. You must have been the first she turned to then. Has she asked you two?"
Minako and Makoto nodded.
"She sprang it on me as we were leaving our cooking class," Minako offered, "She had been mooning about during the whole class. She didn't seem terribly upset though."
"Yeah, afterward when they both came over for help with their homework, she looked more upset than usual when I got impatient with her. She asked me when we were cleaning up and you were in the bathroom Minako-chan."
"I wonder if Mamoru-san did something to her?"
"You mean other than breaking her heart?" Rei looked up angrily at the mention of his name.
Ami nodded nervously, suddenly rather frightened of the look on Rei's face. That look made her wonder...
"I don't know, but I sure as hell am going to ask him," a new voice growled, "I never did like him anyway."
"Haruka-san!" the goddess of love cheered, waving the tall racer next to her, "Did Usagi-chan ask you too?"
Haruka nodded grimly, "I tolde her that I found her very attractive, but that I love Michiru. She told me that she understood and figured it would be different with Michi and I. She told me that one of us loves her and that she needs to find out who it is."
"Do you know where she is?" Ami asked.
"After she talked to us, she said she was going to go look for Setsuna-san. I figure her last stop will be Hotaru."
The group nodded and slowly broke apart until only Haruka and Rei were left. The tomboyish blonde looked searchingly at the violet haired priestess and at last got up.
"I'm going to talk to prince charming, want to join me?"
"Gladly."
Mamoru was hard at work on his laptop. Papers were strewn about and he typed tongue poking out, a pencil behind his ear. The bell rang and he looked up from the notes he was scribbling. Impatiently he rose and crossed to the door.
"Coming," he opened the door to two angry faces, "What are you doing here?"
"I think that question is for you!" Rei shot back, "If Usagi hadn't loved you, you never would've been reincarnated, you powerless jerk!"
Mamoru was not fazed by the comment, but glared contemptively at the priestess. He stood impassively in the door, not inviting them in.
"Are you having dreams telling you to stay away from her again?"
"No," he replied flatly, "We are over. I don't love her. I don't think I ever did. I wash my hands of her."
"You bastard!" Rei flew at him so quickly that Haruka couldn't stop her.
She swung a heavy punch at his face that he had no time to block. Haruka finally grabbed her and Rei struggled against the grip of the much stronger girl.
"Next time I see you, Haruka won't be here to stop me and I'll kill you," her violet eyes burned with fury.
"Come on Rei-chan, we're wasting our time here."
As Rei walked past where Mamoru sat on the ground, she spat at his feet, "That is what I think of you, Your Highness."
And he was left there, his nose bleeding, looking hatefully at the miko's retreating back, "No, you're wrong, I'll kill you bitch."
In the car, Rei sat silently as Haruka sped around Tokyo. From time to time, the racer looked over at the younger woman who sat stock still, fists clenched.
"It's you, isn't it?" she asked quietly.
"What?" the miko turned on her, angry that her seething had been interrupted.
"You're the one who loves her."
"I don't know what you're talking about."
Haruka pulled over so sharply that the priestess jostled into the door. The racer looked menacingly at her and she shrank back.
"Don't lie to me Rei-chan. You love her, and we both know it. You've probably loved her since you first laid eyes on her."
Rei opened her mouth to speak, but quickly shut it.
Haruka continued, "Look, I know we don't always see eye to eye, but you need to trust me on this one. Don't be ashamed, your love for our odango is wonderful. If you have her heart, I will consider you the luckiest person in creation."
Rei held her face in her hands, her violet hair sliding off her shoulder, "That's just it. What if she doesn't love me back? What if she only pities my unrequited love?"
"You'll never know unless you tell her, will you?"
"No..."
"What did you do for your day off, Usagi?"
Startled by the question, the blonde nearly choked on her tea, "I-uh, visited Haruka-san and Michiru-san for...lunch and then I went to the Time Gate and uh, helped Hotaru-chan and Setsuna-san for a while."
Rei nodded mysteriously and continued to sip her tea, "The inners and I had a conference today; Haruka joined us."
Usagi's face turned blue as she tried to maintain her composure, "Really? What did you guys talk about?"
"Oh the usual, battles, cute guys, the fact that I love you."
The odango breathed a sigh of relief, "That's nice...nani?!"
"I love you Usagi. I always have. I've spent all afternoon psyching myself up to tell you, but I understand if you don't feel the same. You just wanted to know which of us it was, so I guess I'd better fess up. It's me!" Rei finished with an embarrassed shrug.
"How can I not feel the same Rei? Yesterday, Sailors Phobos and Deimos appeared and gave me counsel. That night, I dreamt of the past and I dreamt of you, Rei. Rei, I loved you then too, but then, as now, I didn't know if you felt the same so I turned to whom I believed to be my true love, Endymion. I wish I could turn back time and learn that his heart was never mine; I was just another trophy for him, another catch on his system tour of the most desirable girls. Then this would have never happened; you and I could have been happy together all this time!"
"Do you really mean it? You love me?"
"Yes."
"Say it again."
"I love you, my Rei."
The two simply stared dreamily at each other across the table as they drank their tea. When finished, they fidgeted nervously with their tea things.
"I guess we'd better clean up," Usagi suggested quietly.
"Nani? Oh, yeah, clean."
Silently, the two new soulmates rinsed the dishes, stacking them next to the sink. Rei yawned as she washed the table. That one small thing seemed to break the ice and Usagi smiled as she put away the clean dishes.
"I hope you're not too tired, Rei."
"Why?..." the miko trailed off, her face pink.
"Oh, come on. You don't think I'm going to wait any longer after I've wanted you for so long?"
Rei grinned sheepishly and let herself be led to her bedroom. Usagi went into the center, motioning the miko to the bed.
"I want our first time to be as we first met, Rei."
With that, the room was filled with a sparkling silver light. The woman's clothes melted away as moonbeams wrapped themselves around her. A last beam touched her hair and where Usagi had stood, Princess Serenity smiled surrounded by soft silver light.
"Now it's your turn," she sat delicately in a chair as Rei stood.
The miko had never tried changing into her princess form by her own will, but she found it quite easy. She concentrated on her past memories and a warm feeling flooded her, as if she were dancing in a sea of flame. As the last flickerings faded, she was revealed in a body hugging red dress, bathed in rich, red light. She embarrassedly smoothed the fabric as Princess Serenity stood. Serenity drew her lover into her embrace and as they touched, their auras came alive and mixed to make a beautiful rose pink.
She drew back and cerulean blue eyes looked into dusty violet ones, "Rei? What colors make pink?"
"Red and white, why?"
"That's what I thought, nevermind."
And with a smile, she pulled her fiery princess into bed with her.
So...tell me what you think, okay? If you want me to write a sequal for this, maybe even a serial one, please tell me so I know you like it. I have another Rei story in the works and will post it as soon as I am happy with it. Oh, and if you didn't notice, Rei is my favorite senshi.
Soul~chan
Pink?
Usagi tossed and turned in her sleep. Fitful nightmares chased her through visions of pain and loss and war. She could find no escape, no way to shake the traces her cruel captors had laced her in. Then, at last, she awoke: sticky with sweat and in her won bed as fresh tears tracked down her cheeks. The blonde woman turned to embrace a nearby someone only to meet with empty space.
"Mamo-chan..."
"Usagi? Usagi, what's wrong?"
Usagi hurriedly dried her eyes as Rei sat down opposite her. The priestess tried to look her firend in the eye, but the odango would not meet her gaze.
"Nani? Nothing, daijobou..." she sucked hard on her soda straw.
"No you're not! Don't lie to me; I saw you. Usagi, tell me, please?"
The blonde looked up dejectedly, "Mamo-chan and I had another fight last night. I thought we had made up, but when I woke up from a bad dream...he, he was sleeping on the couch again!"
She buried her head in her arms as Rei sat down next to her. A strange mixture of rage, triumph, and sadness crossed her face. The miko put a comforting arm around her best friend's shoulders.
"I'm sure you guys will work it out. After all, isn't your love eternal? And then, you both have Chibi-usa to look forward too..."
"That's what I'm afraid of!" Usagi burst in, " If we divorce, in time I'll learn to live without him. But the future we have come to know and hope for will never be. There won't be a Neo-Queen Serenity or Crystal Tokyo. There won't be any Small Lady!"
"Usagi look at me!" Rei stared deeply into her leader's eyes, "Mamoru-baka is just the king of Earth; you are destined to be the ruler of the whole sea of stars. Without you, Endymion has no claim to the throne and he will be a nothing. Even without him, you will be a wonderful ruler, and through your gentle power Chibi-usa will come out one way or another."
The newlywed looked up with shinning eyes, "You really think so Rei-chan?"
"Of course, now, let's get you home. I think you've had enough to drink."
"Mamo-chan! I'm home! Sorry I was gone all day, but..." Usagi stopped at the silence of the house.
She searched all the room of their modest apartment. Everything was as neat and clean as she had left it that morning. At last she came to the kitchen and looked to the usual note spot on the fridge. There was her note on her pink stationary. Nothing from Mamoru.
"I don't understand. He's been off work for hours and he didn't leave a note..."
Rei came up beside her, "I see you did; I can tell your bad penmanship anywhere." Usagi socked her in the arm and the violet haired girl stuck her tongue out, "Just kidding Usagi. What did you say? It looks like chicken scratches to me..."
The petite woman shot a reproachful look at her friend, "Senshi business. He couldn't get mad about that; he knows it's our duty..." she broke into tears for what seemed the umpteenth time that day.
Rei held her as she sobbed and when she was quiet once more, the priestess spoke up, "You don't need to be here all alone. Come back to the shrine with me, okay?"
"Are you sure?"
"Of course I'm sure, now go pack your things and I'll write a note."
Usagi nodded and retreated to her room.
Her friend looked after her and with a sigh, grabbed a nearby pen and paper and wrote a furious note:
Mamoru-san,
I have taken Usagi back to my place. She doesn't need to stay in this lonely place with you any longer. If you don't love her, then come out and say it, don't shut her out. She deserves better than you and you know it. Dont' come over or call, when she feels ready, she'll call you. Rethink your priorities and what she has done for you and the world many times over.
Hino Rei
"Thanks for inviting me to stay over Rei-chan. I don't think I could've taken another night in this house," Usagi shouldered in two large suitcases.
"Are you going into the wilderness? Geez, let me help you with those bags."
"Which guest room would be best..." Rei murmured to herself opening and shutting doors along the halls.
Usagi's face turned beet red, "Um, Rei-chan? Could I maybe sleep in your room?"
Rei opened her mouth to make a snide remark, but when she turned around and saw the look on Usagi's face she only smiled, "Sure Usagi."
Later that night, after Usagi had organized her things, she spread her sleeping bag on the floor. Rei made to protest but Usagi shook her head.
"I am a guest, Not royalty. The floor will do fine."
Rei looked flabbergasted, "But, Usagi, you _are_..."
Usagi cut in, "Get in your pjs; it's past your bedtime little Rei!"
"Little Rei?! I'll have you know I am almost three months older than you and much more mature," she tossed her hair and winked, breaking into giggles.
"Nope, I'm married and therefore the more mature one," upon realizing what she had said, Usagi lapsed into a melancholy silence as the two women dressed for bed.
They said their goodnights and lay selently in the dark. Each was troubled by her own rampaging thoughts as she pretended to sleep. Though Usagi tried to hide it, her quiet grief broke the stillness of the night.
"Usagi?" the miko leaned off the bed to hold her friend's hand, "What is it?"
"Maybe it would have been better if you had married Mamoru-san."
Rei was almost as shocked at the formal name as she was at the suggestion, "But I only dated Mamoru-baka for a short time. You know we were a terrible match for each other!"
"Well, anything would work better than our match made in heaven. If we had married before our deaths in the Silver Millennium, I would have known how cruel he was and I wouldn't have killed myself for him. Then we wouldn't have had to fight the Dark Kingdom a second time!" here she broke into heart-wrenching sobs.
Rei went to the floor and held her princess in her arms, "Usagi, don't think that! None of what happened was your fault. It was all meant to happen to keep the timeline in place, Setsuna-san told us that. Please, don't be sad; I can feel your grief and it's almost killing me. Dont' torture yourself."
Usagi continued to cry and the two sat together on the floor into the night.
Early the next morning, Rei woke to find Usagi nestled into her chest. Face blushing red, she hurriedly replaced her sleeping princess on her bag and climbed into her bed. She still felt warm where her angel had touched her.
'I was never jealous of you, Usagi. I was jealous of Mamoru-baka.'
She awoke later to a gorgeous smell filling the shrine. The miko made her way to the kitchen to find Usagi setting the table for a beautiful meal.
Usagi smiled up at her, "I see you're finally awake; I was just about to go in and get you. I know you are busy so I fixed us some breakfast."
"Where'd you learn to cook?" it came out before she could stop it and her face burned as she clapped her hand over her mouth, "I'm sorry! It slipped out!"
"It's all right Rei. I know it's been rough since your grandpa died. I'm learning through a class I'm taking with Minako-chan. Mako-chan is a good cook but a terrible teacher," she giggled, "Now, eat up and get to work. What can I do to help today?"
"Help?" Rei asked through her mouthful.
"Don't talk with food in your mouth, Rei. I'll not be a freeloader. Consider me a shrine maiden."
Rei swallowed her bite, "Uh, I guess you can have my old tasks. Sweep the courtyard and shrine, feed Phobos and Deimos, and work the store. I'll get you a robe."
The two friends chatted as they ate their breakfasts. When the meal was over, Usagi cleaned up as Rei went to the linen closet and got the odango her new clothes.
"This should be short enough for you Usagi," the miko giggled at Usagi's face and continued, "The price list for the store is on the wall and it opens in an hour. You should have plenty of time. If you need help just call for me; I'll hear you."
The blonde woman nodded and they separated to their tasks. Rei watched Usagi walk down the hall with one thought on her mind.
'She called me Rei...'
Usagi was sweeping the courtyard when she heard footsteps behind her.
"Can I help you...Sailor Phobos, Sailor Deimos!"
Phobos nodded gravely, "Princess, why are you so sad?"
She looked down and continued sweeping, "Mamoru-san doesn't love me anymore."
"You are loved deeply," Deimos offered.
"But not by Mamoru."
"No, but you never loved him either."
"How can you say that? I have always loved him! I've died to protect him many times."
Deimos bowed, "My sister does not mean ill. She simply means it was not Eros. You love this world and all your protectors strongly, but most not romantically. They feel the same for you and they have died for you as you have died for them."
"No one loves me then..."
"Yes, one does, but will deny it."
"Then how shall I know?"
"Look in your heart princess..."
The two senshi bowed and their forms shimmered back into crows. She stood motionless watching the crows wheel in the sky.
Usagi fell back on her sleeping bag at the end of the day. She lay there, unmoving, eyes closed. Rei sat on the edge of her bed, combing her long violet hair.
"I'm exhausted Rei; how do you do it day in day out?"
Rei smiled, "I'm tired, but I love what I do. It's weariness of the body, not the spirit."
"That's what I love about you Rei. Your fire burns so warm and bright within you. I can feel it," Usagi looked into her friend's eyes.
The miko felt unnerved by the stare, 'It's like she's looking right through to my soul...'
The blonde odango broke into a smile, "Well, I'll sleep like a rock. No bad dreams tonight."
They rushed through their nightly routines and tumbled into their beds.
"Night Rei."
"Goodnight Usagi."
Quiet sobs again broke through the cloak of night. Asleep, the blonde woman bit her hand to keep from screaming as she hid from her pursuing nightmares.
"Usagi!" Rei called when she awoke, but she received no answer other than the unceasing sound of despair.
She crossed to her friend's pallet and shook her awake, looking reassuringly in her eyes, "Come, sleep with me Usagi. I'll keep you safe."
Usagi bowed her head, "But I'll feel so childish Rei..."
"Please, it breaks my heart to see you like this. I want to help you."
The small woman nodded and Rei tucked in her princess, lying next to her. Usagi turned to her friend and for the second time that day stared deeply into her eyes.
"Rei, do you love me?"
"Of course, we all love you. You're our princess; we would die for you."
"That's not what I mean, do _you_ love me Rei?"
Rei's heart caught in her throat and she hesitated a second, "You mean like Haurka-san and Michiru-san?"
She nodded.
"No, you know I like boys even though I'm not crazy like Minako-chan and Mako-chan."
"I know," Usagi sighed, "Hold me..."
Rei wrapped her princess in her arms and held her close. Though the miko's heart ached because of the lie she had just told, no further dreams troubled the pair that night.
A few days later, the inner senshi met to discuss something none of them wanted to talk about. Usagi was missing, likely hunting down the outers. The four friends grouped around a booth at the Crown Fruit Parlor. Various drinks were ordered, sampled, stirred, and stared into before someone brought up the reason for the meeting. Some how usually and unusually, shy but direct amy spoke up.
"I suppose Usagi-chan also asked the rest of you if you loved her."
The miko nodded her head, "She was fine when she first came to my place. a little depressed, but fine. But the second day, she started acting funny."
"How so?" Ami leaned forward.
"Calm down Ami-chan, she got all homey, cooking the meals, helping me with shrine chores, and then that night she asked me. She cried for a while after I told her I didn't feel that way.
"Hmmm. You must have been the first she turned to then. Has she asked you two?"
Minako and Makoto nodded.
"She sprang it on me as we were leaving our cooking class," Minako offered, "She had been mooning about during the whole class. She didn't seem terribly upset though."
"Yeah, afterward when they both came over for help with their homework, she looked more upset than usual when I got impatient with her. She asked me when we were cleaning up and you were in the bathroom Minako-chan."
"I wonder if Mamoru-san did something to her?"
"You mean other than breaking her heart?" Rei looked up angrily at the mention of his name.
Ami nodded nervously, suddenly rather frightened of the look on Rei's face. That look made her wonder...
"I don't know, but I sure as hell am going to ask him," a new voice growled, "I never did like him anyway."
"Haruka-san!" the goddess of love cheered, waving the tall racer next to her, "Did Usagi-chan ask you too?"
Haruka nodded grimly, "I tolde her that I found her very attractive, but that I love Michiru. She told me that she understood and figured it would be different with Michi and I. She told me that one of us loves her and that she needs to find out who it is."
"Do you know where she is?" Ami asked.
"After she talked to us, she said she was going to go look for Setsuna-san. I figure her last stop will be Hotaru."
The group nodded and slowly broke apart until only Haruka and Rei were left. The tomboyish blonde looked searchingly at the violet haired priestess and at last got up.
"I'm going to talk to prince charming, want to join me?"
"Gladly."
Mamoru was hard at work on his laptop. Papers were strewn about and he typed tongue poking out, a pencil behind his ear. The bell rang and he looked up from the notes he was scribbling. Impatiently he rose and crossed to the door.
"Coming," he opened the door to two angry faces, "What are you doing here?"
"I think that question is for you!" Rei shot back, "If Usagi hadn't loved you, you never would've been reincarnated, you powerless jerk!"
Mamoru was not fazed by the comment, but glared contemptively at the priestess. He stood impassively in the door, not inviting them in.
"Are you having dreams telling you to stay away from her again?"
"No," he replied flatly, "We are over. I don't love her. I don't think I ever did. I wash my hands of her."
"You bastard!" Rei flew at him so quickly that Haruka couldn't stop her.
She swung a heavy punch at his face that he had no time to block. Haruka finally grabbed her and Rei struggled against the grip of the much stronger girl.
"Next time I see you, Haruka won't be here to stop me and I'll kill you," her violet eyes burned with fury.
"Come on Rei-chan, we're wasting our time here."
As Rei walked past where Mamoru sat on the ground, she spat at his feet, "That is what I think of you, Your Highness."
And he was left there, his nose bleeding, looking hatefully at the miko's retreating back, "No, you're wrong, I'll kill you bitch."
In the car, Rei sat silently as Haruka sped around Tokyo. From time to time, the racer looked over at the younger woman who sat stock still, fists clenched.
"It's you, isn't it?" she asked quietly.
"What?" the miko turned on her, angry that her seething had been interrupted.
"You're the one who loves her."
"I don't know what you're talking about."
Haruka pulled over so sharply that the priestess jostled into the door. The racer looked menacingly at her and she shrank back.
"Don't lie to me Rei-chan. You love her, and we both know it. You've probably loved her since you first laid eyes on her."
Rei opened her mouth to speak, but quickly shut it.
Haruka continued, "Look, I know we don't always see eye to eye, but you need to trust me on this one. Don't be ashamed, your love for our odango is wonderful. If you have her heart, I will consider you the luckiest person in creation."
Rei held her face in her hands, her violet hair sliding off her shoulder, "That's just it. What if she doesn't love me back? What if she only pities my unrequited love?"
"You'll never know unless you tell her, will you?"
"No..."
"What did you do for your day off, Usagi?"
Startled by the question, the blonde nearly choked on her tea, "I-uh, visited Haruka-san and Michiru-san for...lunch and then I went to the Time Gate and uh, helped Hotaru-chan and Setsuna-san for a while."
Rei nodded mysteriously and continued to sip her tea, "The inners and I had a conference today; Haruka joined us."
Usagi's face turned blue as she tried to maintain her composure, "Really? What did you guys talk about?"
"Oh the usual, battles, cute guys, the fact that I love you."
The odango breathed a sigh of relief, "That's nice...nani?!"
"I love you Usagi. I always have. I've spent all afternoon psyching myself up to tell you, but I understand if you don't feel the same. You just wanted to know which of us it was, so I guess I'd better fess up. It's me!" Rei finished with an embarrassed shrug.
"How can I not feel the same Rei? Yesterday, Sailors Phobos and Deimos appeared and gave me counsel. That night, I dreamt of the past and I dreamt of you, Rei. Rei, I loved you then too, but then, as now, I didn't know if you felt the same so I turned to whom I believed to be my true love, Endymion. I wish I could turn back time and learn that his heart was never mine; I was just another trophy for him, another catch on his system tour of the most desirable girls. Then this would have never happened; you and I could have been happy together all this time!"
"Do you really mean it? You love me?"
"Yes."
"Say it again."
"I love you, my Rei."
The two simply stared dreamily at each other across the table as they drank their tea. When finished, they fidgeted nervously with their tea things.
"I guess we'd better clean up," Usagi suggested quietly.
"Nani? Oh, yeah, clean."
Silently, the two new soulmates rinsed the dishes, stacking them next to the sink. Rei yawned as she washed the table. That one small thing seemed to break the ice and Usagi smiled as she put away the clean dishes.
"I hope you're not too tired, Rei."
"Why?..." the miko trailed off, her face pink.
"Oh, come on. You don't think I'm going to wait any longer after I've wanted you for so long?"
Rei grinned sheepishly and let herself be led to her bedroom. Usagi went into the center, motioning the miko to the bed.
"I want our first time to be as we first met, Rei."
With that, the room was filled with a sparkling silver light. The woman's clothes melted away as moonbeams wrapped themselves around her. A last beam touched her hair and where Usagi had stood, Princess Serenity smiled surrounded by soft silver light.
"Now it's your turn," she sat delicately in a chair as Rei stood.
The miko had never tried changing into her princess form by her own will, but she found it quite easy. She concentrated on her past memories and a warm feeling flooded her, as if she were dancing in a sea of flame. As the last flickerings faded, she was revealed in a body hugging red dress, bathed in rich, red light. She embarrassedly smoothed the fabric as Princess Serenity stood. Serenity drew her lover into her embrace and as they touched, their auras came alive and mixed to make a beautiful rose pink.
She drew back and cerulean blue eyes looked into dusty violet ones, "Rei? What colors make pink?"
"Red and white, why?"
"That's what I thought, nevermind."
And with a smile, she pulled her fiery princess into bed with her.
So...tell me what you think, okay? If you want me to write a sequal for this, maybe even a serial one, please tell me so I know you like it. I have another Rei story in the works and will post it as soon as I am happy with it. Oh, and if you didn't notice, Rei is my favorite senshi.
Soul~chan