lightthedarkness | Voicemail and Mailbox

Hey, you there? Sorry I'm late, we were slammed tonight! Be home soon, you want a snack or anything?

I'm... not hungry, but thank you, Minako-chan.

[Huh, that doesn't sound like her. She can hear something's off.]

Are you sick? Hang on, I'm coming!

[She starts racing toward home, swinging the door open with a crash once she gets there]

Usagi!

[Usagi has been curled up in her bead since she got home with Namine. She had hid how she felt until she practically jumped up when Minako busted in. She swallowed and wiped at her eyes. Minako will hear the soft sounds of "Flower Over Bones" playing and a white Casablanca pin in her hand.]

M-Minako-chan. [She couldn't hide it, not around Minako.]

R-Rei came in the store today. [She whimpered.] She looked me straight in the eye, Minako-chan. She looked at me and didn't know me. I couldn't reach out and hug her, I couldn't... I couldn't feel anything! It was a stranger in Rei's body!

Edited 2016-02-02 06:28 (UTC)

[Oh no. Minako sucked in a breath. She'd been dreading this day, knowing it'd be hard, but seeing reality for herself was immeasurably worse. She practically leapt over to take Usagi's hand in hers.]

Her spirit's still there---we talked to her, remember? She's just trapped, locked so far away from us.

[She clenches the opposite fist and thumps on the bed.]

But we're gonna break through. Every time we'll get a little closer.

I-It is, but it's so far down. It's so far from me. I w-wanted... I just wanted to hug her but she was so scared of me.

She- she was scared of me. [She closed her eyes, pressing a hand over them.]

In a dream I could hold her, I could hug her and comfort her.

But here I'm a stranger that she fears. I thought I could do this without any problem. But I can't. I-I can't see her again and be made to smile.

Edited 2016-02-03 10:32 (UTC)

[Minako curled close, tucking Usagi's head to her shoulder. She didn't know how in the world she could manage, but she'd have to.]

We've forgotten each other before, haven't we? It's...sort of like that. It never lasts forever, and Haruka-san and I will help you!

Do you think she'll visit the shop again?

[Not just forgotten, but attacked as well. Though that had been Galaxia's doing, not anything her senshi would have done on their own. She hugs onto Minako as tight as she can. She wants to hug Rei. She wants to bring her here and just hide her away from those who did her wrong.]

No... No she won't. I- I messed up. I messed up badly. [She sniffled.]

I just... I wasn't ready to see her and I nearly cried and e-everything was so awful.

Usagi...

[She starts rubbing her back gently.]

I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. I know it's awful and scary, but it'll work out somehow! Somebody's gonna have you deliver to her, right? You've always been great with second chances, right?

[Sigh.]

She loves you. I'm sure it'll go better next time.

[She swallows and can only hope so. She keeps a hold on Minako and just allows herself to cry so she can calm down. With Minako, she knows she can do this because Minako understands. Minako trained her to be Sailor Moon alongside Luna and stood by her as one of her best friends and the leader of her senshi. She was shivering as she wiped at her eyes. She sniffled again.]

I hope so. I... I have to be strong for Rei and for us. I'm sorry. [She didn't move away from hugging Minako, however.]

H-Hopefully I'll do much better... i-if I see her again.

Shh...no, don't apologize.

[Minako's weeping inside, as she always does. Holding it in is second nature for her at this point, but she'll never cease to be awed by Usagi's tender and strong heart. She strokes her princess's hair soothingly.]

You're gonna do a great job. The very best! We'll all be ready to reach out to her, 'cause I know you never ever give up.

[She needed to be stronger. She had to be stronger. But she wasn't... she could never just shove her emotions to the side. Her emotions are what gave her strength, the ability to love was her ability to fight.

She took a deep breath, finally calming down.]

Thank you, Minako-chan... I really needed this.

[She holds tight.]

We're gonna make it okay again, I know it.

[She nods and smiles at Minako, feeling much better for the most part, even as the future looms ahead.]

When we're all together we can do anything!

Minako has been feeling just a little off recently, but she's been tight-lipped about it. She keeps going as far as she can, but one too many chords from Flowers over Bones soon has her cracking, turning to her 'cousin' with a frantic whisper.

"Usagi-chan...ah, there's something I should probably tell you. Haruka-san too, but...maybe not yet."

Her cheeks are oddly pink.

Usagi looked up from her letter to Mamoru, because even if she couldn't see him, she could still write to him, a way to express all her thoughts and get them all out on paper. It allowed her to put a little bit of distance between her and the emotions in question.

She blinked as she looked up at Minako in their shared room.

"Minako-chan, you know you can tell me anything." Her cheeks were so pink!

"Ah...it's about Rei-chan. I had a strange meeting with her a few days ago." She was fidgeting with the edge of her skirt as she moved to sit on the bed, finding it impossible to shut certain thoughts out. Certain memories of heat and emotion...

"A few days ago? Ah, you mean at the diner?" she asked since she knew Rei had been there Valentine's Day. "Or before that or...?" she tilted her head, trying not to put too much pressure on her observations on Minako.

"Y---yeah, Valentines'. Funny story, actually..."

Minako could feel her cheeks burning already. "After she sang to us? She cornered me in the bathroom. She knew that I was from her past, that we were close. And I finally told her...that I love her."

Life was over. End of Minako right there.

Usagi tilted her head and when she heard Minako say she confessed she jumped up and clasped her hands.

"MINAKO THAT'S SO GREAT!" she exclaimed and hugged her. "I'm so happy for you! Aaaah you and Rei... oh my goodness, you're perfect for one another!" she exclaimed, clearly happy for Minako...

Only to realize...

Ah... Rei was dating someone here...

She swallowed as she kept holding Minako's hands.

"I'm glad you found someone to love like that, Minako, and I hope... when this is all over, that you still get a chance to be with her."

"No, I won't," Of that, Minako was absolutely sure. "I can't. When she remembers more, she'll understand why...but now she knows why I care so much about her. And she's going to keep sneaking us money."

She had to distract from this. She squeezed Usagi's hands softly, clinging to the one thing she could rely on.

"But that's not all...I never told her my name, I never hinted at it, but she called me Minako."

"Ah... why not?" she asked softly. "If you love her, and if she loves you back once she remembers, you both deserve that happiness. You both- all the senshi..." she swallowed. Haruka and Michiru could still be together and loved one another while still being senshi. Her brow knitted together. She didn't want to prevent anyone from being in love. She didn't want to stand in the way of such a thing.

She kept a hold of Minako's hand.

"Please... you deserve that kind of love."

The fact that Rei knew Minako's real name, it was almost a minor thing in comparison to the fact that Minako confessed and then promptly said she couldn't love like that. She bowed her head.

Was this her fault?

She squeezed Minako's hand.

"Minako... I'm glad she's remembering more," she closed her eyes and smiled even as she struggled not to be upset for so many reasons. For Minako resigning herself to not knowing such love, that such a resignation might be her fault, that Rei was remembering yet Usagi just kept pushing her away, that it may be best for her to avoid Rei altogether and leave such a thing to Minako and Haruka who were better at this than her, and to know that she was so much weaker in this place, more than she had even realized.

"I know it's hard to have her so far away, our precious Rei is so different but still the same in some ways so it's hard. But if she remembers you, maybe she'll trust in you. We said we would save her, and if we can get her back, it'll also be much easier to save everyone."

"We'll save her, I know it," Minako agreed, hovering close. She kept her eyes shut tight against the tidal wave of emotion surging through her. "And I'll love her like we all do, she's our dear friend..."

She sighs. "It's all right. This is the way things are...I've always known that, even before I ever met you all."

Edited 2016-02-27 07:35 (UTC)

Usagi reached out and wrapped up Minako in her arms. She gently stroked the back of the senshi's head. She was always depending on them, but she was also always trying to be there for them. She listened and knew that she couldn't demand Minako give up the idea that love wasn't for her, though she'd like to.

"I don't agree with it," she whispered. "I think you deserve to know such love, all of you do. Being a senshi... it doesn't mean you have to give up that kind of love. I don't want that, I don't want that for any of you."

Edited 2016-02-28 02:17 (UTC)

Minako shuddered against her. Ugh, this went against everything she'd always believed she was meant to do...but Rei hadn't cared, had she? Then again, she didn't remember their vows and their princess like she did.

"You never would, and...for a second, I thought maybe Rei was telling me she'd love me in another life." She blushed at the memory. "But I don't know if the Rei who remembers it all would approve."

Would she? Minako had to think that over for a minute. "But...even if we can't be, our love is what she needs."

"Well, we won't know until our Rei is back. And... she's clearly coming back, slowly." She kept holding onto Minako, rubbing her back and stroking her hair.

She wished she could just heal Rei and it would all be over, but that was beyond her at the moment. She closed her eyes.

She supposed now wasn't a good time to reveal her idea.

"I know... though... I come on way to strong for her."

"She's waking up so fast," Minako whispered back, clinging on. She hated to admit it, but she really needed this love and support. "One day she'll wake up and she'll realize your smile's what she's been missing."

Usagi would give all the love she had to give and would give even more than that, if Minako needed it.

"And she'll realize how much she's missed her sister in arms," she offered for Minako. "We've fought and lived together, have died together, and I know the guardian of Mars must be asleep deep down."

She bit her lip and wondered if now was a good time to bring it up.

"Minako... I... actually had an idea about that."

Minako was quiet for a moment, absorbing everything and trying her best to piece her composure back together, but those words had her full attention. She looked up, tucking her hair back behind her ear.

"Hmm?"

"Er... well you know... how all our memories about the past came back when Mamoru was killed by Kunzite?" she pressed her lips together because she had a feeling she knew what Minako was going to say.

"I was thinking... if worse comes to worse..."

Minako couldn't believe her ears. She pulled back and gaped at her princess, still not quite comprehending. She sucked in a quick breath, voice rising with each word.

"Of what, falling on the sword yourself? No, she'd never accept that! No...the other way is going to work. We didn't come this far to lose you, Usagi."

She almost felt herself tearing up again.

She physically cringed and practically wilted under that gaze. Alright, so admittedly, it was a really bad idea. She bowed her head, properly ashamed.

She swallowed and pressed her lips together. Okay, very very bad idea.

When Minako nearly started crying? She was quick to wrap her arms around her and began to apologize profusely.

"No no no, please don't cry, Minako I'm so sorry! I won't... I would never- I'm sorry, please forgive me for even mentioning it!"

"You'd better be sorry," Minako uttered, but the conviction wasn't quite there. She clung desperately to Usagi, willing her to never have to make such a big sacrifice. When she'd calmed, she finally spoke again.

"But...but in a way, I guess I understand," she whispered. "Tragedy follows us. I could see her transforming into Mars and burning down the enemy in an instant," she grumbled, an odd look of pride in her eyes before she turned her stern look to Usagi. "But that's not going to have to happen, got it?"

"I am... I shouldn't have mentioned such a thing, I shouldn't even have thought it." She kept holding onto Minako, glad that it was Minako she had told because if Haruka had heard this plan?

Well, Usagi suspected she'd put in a room with mattresses on all four walls and all sharp objects removed if she had told Haruka this.

"I'm sorry... I was just... we always seem to excel in the face of threats... when the Dead Moon Circus came and you all were able to transform into your stronger forms... when the grail made us all stronger together... I just... I know that we can handle things even in true dangerous situations. Haaa... and trouble seems to follow me regardless," drawn to her, in a sense.

She tilted her head so she could look up at Minako, offering a gentle smile.

"But with all the tragedy, I get the best friends in the whole universe." And the greatest love of her life and a daughter awaiting her.

"Yeah, and soon? You're gonna have us all again," Minako vowed, closing her eyes tight to blink it all back. "Because we're in this together, you hear me?"

She was scared, though she couldn't say that. She was scared to have Rei so far from her, far from them. It was like the Black Moon clan all over again only she was even weaker than before. She was just as in the dark and without much information. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, she knew she was putting so much on Minako.

She needed to be stronger too.

"It's okay," she whispered, taking another deep breath and squared her shoulders. She would be their princess, their future queen. She couldn't keep doubting herself.

"We'll be alright, and we'll save them all. I'm sorry I scared you."

Minako shudders in relief and clings to Usagi, desperate to protect her now more than ever. Her sweet, loving, far too selfless best friend. "You're right. It's okay. We're okay."

Gotta say it 'til she believes it.

"We'll make everything okay, that's what we do."

Voicemail and Mailbox

after that meeting (phone, at first)

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some time after galentines' day

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