Flashbulbs

....an isabel original!

Rating: PG so far... can't attest to whether it will remain appropriate for all ages for long....

Category: Sailor Moon, Anime

Genre: Romance *so get lost if you don't like it!*

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*Now, allow the author to babble for a bit...*

AHEM... greetings, fellow SM fans! This is a little Rei/Usagi ficcy that has been brewing in this brain of mine for quite some time. I finally managed to scribble a bit of it down, so here we go! Hope you stick along for the ride... it could get quite bumpy at times. Now, onwards, brave lads and lasses!

Oh, and for all of you hung up on Usagi and Mamoru, prince and princess, king and queen, 2gether 4ever.... THIS IS WHY THEY CALL IT "FAN FICTION". We, the crazed fans, can take matters of destiny into our own diabolical little hands.... so no flames, please. And remember, a review can make or break a person's day, so be gentle. Now, without further ado... enjoy the show! ^_^

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Chapter One: Sowing Seeds

Usagi was blushing more furiously than perhaps she ever had before in her life. Spilling her lunch tray all over her teacher in the school cafeteria, falling down the escalator in the nicest mall in town, tripping over a foot and landing face-first in a puddle in front of the entire school football team.... gods, that had been embarrassing. But none of those incidents, awful as they were, compared to today.

Knowing she was the last to do so, Usagi reluctantly stepped out of her dressing room. Gathered outside it were the rest of the senshi. Minako, to whom all of this was just a big joke, wolf-whistled as soon as Usagi's form was visible. "Pink! Nice color on you, toots!" she called.

Usagi glared. "It isn't funny, Mina-chan. It's humiliating. Please, somebody, remind me why we agreed to this in the first place!"

Ami placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. "This fashion shoot will really put the word out that we're still protecting Tokyo as fiercely as ever. And.... it was your idea," she reminded her friend gently.

Rei, who looked as cool and undisturbed as Usagi imagined it possible for anyone to look, spoke up. "What I don't understand is why they put me in red. Red! I know I'm Sailor Mars and all that, but isn't black a much more classic color? Well," she added thoughtfully, staring around at her friends' pastel blue, pink, yellow, and green, "at least I don't look like I belong in an Easter basket."

Makoto frowned and crossed her arms. "You know this will only give all those men out there an outlet for their extreme pervertedness. No one cares about how well we fight, all they care about is that we have no cellulite, and look nothing like their wives. I, for one, do not see the benefit."

Ami and Minako spoke up at once, for they were the ones who had, from the beginning, supported Usagi's idea, even as Usagi's enthusiasm had wavered and, finally, died away completely. They reminded Makoto of the magazine's prestige, award-winning spreads, and high volume sales every month.

"For heaven's sake, it's a LINGERIE magazine!" Makoto finally yelped.

The argument continued, while Usagi tried to unobtrusively hide as much of her lacy bra as was possible. She couldn't help her eyes from wandering over to Rei, however, who was bending down to remove her toe ring. That familiar feeling, awe mixed with admiration, returned. All the senshi were pretty, of course, but Rei's beauty was unsurpassed, almost otherworldly in its perfection. The smooth, oval face, red lips, white teeth, and those large, lavender eyes.... She hadn't known that eyes could be lavender until she had met Rei. Then there was of course Rei's hair, black as soot but glossy, as no soot had a right to be. It fell like a fine sheet of glass to her waist.

But Usagi had never really gotten a good look at the fire senshi's body until today, and, if she were the jealous type, she would definitely be seething. Minako, Ami, and Makoto all had typical teenage bodies, as did she; firm and slender and newly curvy. But Rei.... her figure was truly timeless. Cream-white skin, like her face, and limbs muscled to perfection. Full breasts, curving hips, small waist.... Usagi could have stared for days.

"Yo! Odango Atama! What are you goggling at?"

Rei was speaking to her. The angel was speaking. Usagi shook her head to clear it.

"Oh.... um.... I just never knew they made panties that narrow, that's all."

Rei grinned knowingly. "And you haven't even seen the back yet...."

She turned around. Usagi could have died. The skinny, lacy straps met right above Rei's tailbone, then dived down together, as skinny as before, between the two moons of her friend's perfect bottom.

Rei turned back around to find a delicately blushing Usagi. "What, yours isn't like that?"

Usagi could only shake her head.

"Well then, I should really find someone to complain to.... these aren't the most comfortable panties I've ever worn, I must say."

And Rei turned to join the others' discussion, which had moved onto lace patterns, and whose was the most attractive.

"Turn your head just a little to the left, Sailor Moon. Now lift your chin just a smidge.... right. Thanks."

The photographer's flashbulb illuminated Usagi's posing form for the smallest instant. Rei, looking on, watched her friend struggle to hide her embarrassment as she cooperated with the photographer's demands. Bend this, adjust that angle, prop your chin in your hands.... it was enough to give even Rei, who had done a bit of little-known modeling before today, a headache.

It wasn't that Usagi had anything to be embarrassed about. Oh no, though Rei, that was definitely not the case. The graceful curves of her friend's body were only amplified by the snug-fitting lingerie that was such a flattering shade of pink for her. She was lightly tanned, perfectly hairless.... Rei sighed. Some blondes were just so cute, you wanted to punch them right in their perfect noses. Of course, that was never the case with sweet Usagi. Her angelic demeanor, and the whole Neo-Queen situation, made it so that to hurt any hair on her head would be an inexcusable sin.

Vaguely, Rei wondered why Mamoru wasn't sprawled out, practically naked, like the rest of them. Tuxedo Kamen was nearly as well known as the senshi, and it wasn't like the boy had any features to be ashamed of. No, he was gorgeous and mellow, the perfect match for the Moon Princess. Almost too perfect, Rei thought, as she had many times before. I mean, come on, what could be more expected? Tall, dark, handsome prince meets sweet golden-tressed princess, and then bam, it's love? Oh, please. Make it more unexpected, more dangerous. Usagi belongs with someone like.... like....

"Rei!" Minako was calling her. "We've finished singles, and Rich wants to do a few group rolls."

"Sure thing." Rei disentangled herself from her thoughts, and strode over to where the rest of the senshi had gathered, which was right in front of a king-sized bed.

"You want us on the BED?" Makoto's disbelieving demand was the first thing Rei heard after she had joined them. "Sheesh, those yoga mats were bad enough...."

Rei turned a closer eye to the bed, which was quite picturesque. Four ornate gold posts rose from the corners, matching the head of the bed's intricate gold design. White satin seets, Rei supposed, so as not to clash with any of their outfits. A huge mound of matching pillows. Hmm... maybe someone was hoping for a pillowfight.

"All right, well, let's climb aboard," she said, gently pushing Makoto and a newly-humiliated Usagi in the bed's direction. Ami and Minako followed. They settled themselves amid the smooth sheets, Rei enjoying their soft fluidity beneath her legs. They were cool and pleasant, like water in a thirsty throat.

"Okay, Sailor Mars, we want you in the front. Kneel for now. And Sailor Mercury, could you rest a hand on her waist.... right.... then lay your head on her shoulder? Yeah, right like that. Now, Sailor Venus, I want you over...."

Having achieved his desired position, Rei allowed herself to tune the photographer's voice out. Instead she watched her princess, Usagi, whose eyes were darting nervously around the room, almost as if searching for an escape. Poor dear. Rei risked the photographers wrath by reaching a hand out and laying it comfortingly on her princess's thigh. "You're beautiful," she whispered. "Don't worry."

Usagi smiled tentatively, like a skater first stepping out onto a frozen lake, wary of thin ice. "Really?"

"Gods, yes."

The smile widened. It was truly a beautiful sight, Rei thought, as she basked in its sunniness. As much as she and Usagi bickered, she really did care for a girl tremendously, and enjoyed making her happy. Her princess's angelic features seemed more so than ever when she smiled, and her beauty was really quite overwhelming; Rei felt tears in her eyes, she was so affected. But what Usagi said next was even more affecting:

"Well, not nearly as beautiful as you."

Usagi thought she was beautiful? Rei was so stunned, she couldn't respond. Her, Rei, lowly miko and schoolgirl? It almost seemed like blasphemy, suggesting such a person could possibly compare to the golden beauty of the future Neo-Queen.

The photographer was snapping pictures now. Rei donned her best sultry, come-and-get-me expression, trying hard to keep a straight face. Modeling was such a joke. It was ridiculous, really, the value people invested into a pretty face.

And Usagi, too, was doing her best to stay focused and unembarrassed, but all that came to her were Rei's words just moments ago: You're beautiful.

Rei thinks I'm beautiful?

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So, that's chapter numero uno... What did y'all think? Let me know! ______________________________________________________________________________