Minako and Usagi Adventures: Loving A Man Series: Minako's Mystery: Morning Rises

5 August 2004

Summary: When Minako wakes up one morning, it is to find that she is not alone in a bed she's never seen. Her greatest mistake was bolting that fateful dawn.

AN: if you'll notice, this story was written in 2004, it was not completed, I had 16 pages into it before I lost it in the mirad of other stories I had wanted to write at the time, but I have never forgotten the two parter, hence the title, lol. I want to have fun with it and make it a serious somewhat story at the same time. I had actually written part two first and then I realized there was so much back story missing, so I went in and started this one. I have not edited it, it is the same as it was in 2004 with the slight exception of typos that I hadn't caught the first time through, there is probably still more. I still have not completed it, but I have given chapter indicators now, and so I leave you to read my very *old* story. I have every intention of writing more onto those 16 pages, part of the reason it was never published here was because until last night, I couldn't decide which one was supposed to be viewed first without giving the game away for the other. So it doesn't have to be read it order, and the last chapter of this will be published at the same time as the first chapter of the other one. I'm liking the idea of Usagi and Minako Adventures, without needing to follow this theme or story line, but anything to do with them and what trouble two blond girls can get themselves into... hehe...

Chapter 1

Minako was in love. She drifted from the dance with the man she just met. They hadn't said a word, but she was un-expectantly drawn to him and had no way in putting her finger on why it was this was happening. Except from first glance Minako was hooked and there was no way out of doing anything he wanted. But without thinking through any of the consequences, they had gone to bed together.

In the cold light of day Minako's thoughts were just as clear as the day's blue skies. She didn't know his name, how they got to the apartment he lived in, where they were or how many bottles of alcohol she had drank the night before but it was clear in her mind that she had too many because most of the night was foggy.

Minako rolled out of bed and redressed in the clothes they left on the ground in their hurry to satisfy their overwhelming desire. The only thought in Minako's head as she dressed was that she had only one option to save her sanity and get the hell out of dodge.

Minako had snuck into the apartment that she shared with one of her closest friends since high school and headed straight to her room. But her plans were intercepted by Usagi walking out of the bathroom door, her hair still wet from a shower. "Good morning Minako." If Usagi noticed the rumpled state of the clothes that Minako was wearing from the previous night, she didn't show it in any way.

"Good morning Usa-chan." Minako replied back hiding her embarrassment from finding out this morning she had slept with a complete stranger. "You're up unusually early." Minako commented but wanted to bang her head afterwards, never ask a personal question unless you want to be open to one as well.

"Oh." Usagi had the decency to look shocked by the fact. "I guess I am, couldn't sleep last night." She shrugged her shoulders. "Coming in from a late night?" She asked in return.

"Yeah." Minako smiled ruefully.

"I guess you'll want to sleep off whatever you drank." Usagi's glance to her bare feet under the terry cotton shower robe before looking back at Minako. "Wish I could have gone." She said sadly. "But last night I couldn't make it. I also take it that if you'll be sleeping, you won't be up to a little day shopping with me."

Over the last month they had slowly drifted apart, Usagi had more commitments to keep as Minako had as well. They were missing the friendly bonding time that made them such a special pair. "Actually Usa-chan, I slept last night as well, I crashed at a friends place in the same building." She lied, about part of it, but all she really needed was a shower to freshen up. "If I take a shower I'll take you on for the shopping trip."

"Really?" Usagi's eyes brightened at the aspect of spending some time away from the area and where all her problems laid especially with a friend who could take her mind off them. Minako wanted it for almost the same reasons; it would do her good too.

The shopping trip it seemed to be the exact remedy for two girls down and out on luck recently. Usagi for her own reasons had been unnaturally quiet these last few months and Minako for her rotten luck at jumping into things. It hadn't set in on Minako that the man she loved would be a man she'd never see again.

But Usagi surprised her by pulling out of her funk all together and making Minako laugh at almost every turn. They were acting like a couple of giggly schoolgirls but that made it all the more fun.

Minako and Usagi returned from their trip in high spirits and gigging all the way up the elevator to the annoyance of the elderly man that lived down the same hall. "Good day Amano-san." They said at the same time and entered their apartment. Their bags dropped to the ground and they collapsed onto the sofa.

"Want to go to dinner tonight Usa-chan, or do you think we should order in and pick up a movie?" Minako questioned.

"With the way we are now, I think we should do the latter, we'll annoy too many people otherwise." Usagi was still laughing a little but she was starting to get control over it. "So what movie do you want to see? I'll go pick it up."

Minako's reply was cut short by the phone ringing. "You better get that, it may be the love of your life calling for you to forgive him."

Usagi laughed that off for she knew it wouldn't happen and picked up the phone. Minako could hear the dark deep 'Usa-chan' on the line before Usagi was standing up with pleasure on her face. "Kunzite?" She asked happily. "Why are you calling me? Oh you are, are you? Well why didn't you ring me last night? Oh, I understand, of course I get it." She huffed in annoyance. "No, stop apologizing to me. I'll be seeing you next weekend anyways. Tonight? We-ll, I don't know, I'm kind of booked into a dinner tonight already."

Minako made a hand motion that was in a cutting her head off motion. "Go do it." She whispered. "It'll be fun and we'll do a movie and a dinner tomorrow or something."

"Kunz, are you still going to be here tomorrow?" Usagi asked instead, her face fell. "Well fine, don't hang out with me." She pouted and on the other end of the line there was a rebuttal to that statement and Minako beamed as Usagi finally had an opportunity to date somebody who returned her feelings.

Usagi laughed. "So you'll be here for part of the day tomorrow? Lunch then? No, why ever not? Oh…" Usagi sighed dreamily. "I get it, yes, go ahead and do that. Perhaps you'll be able to stop over and say goodbye to me tomorrow like a good boy before you leave. You will? Oh that's good. Yes I'm still coming down next weekend." Usagi rolled her eyes at Minako. "Yes, I'll see you then. Love you too, goodbye." Usagi hung up.

"So where you going to go with Mr. Mysterious Kunzite?" Minako asked wide-eyed innocent.

"I'm not going anywhere with him. While you're out tomorrow, working, he's going to stop by and see me for a few minutes before catching his flight from the airport down here. He had a meeting yesterday and this morning and decided not to head back for only a day before coming back to the city again for his flight."

"Ah, so I don't get to meet Mr. Mysterious?" Minako sighed. "It would be excellent if you fell in love too." Usagi didn't respond. "Usagi?" Minako looked at her friend. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing" She snapped out her glaze. "Nothing's wrong." She looked at Minako. "But who's the first one, you said fell in love –too-." Usagi dug.

"Well I met a guy yesterday, and it was instantaneous love." Minako giggled.

"What's his name?" Usagi plopped back down on the couch with Minako. "And why did you wait all day to tell me?"

"It's because I don't know his name, we met at the party last night. I'm surprised a man of such high society would know how to party like he did." Minako laughed again. "He was tall, blond and mysterious, a little off the normal romantic fantasies but I'll leave tall, dark and handsome for you dear friend."

Usagi threw a pillow at Minako. "So you don't know his name? When are you going to see him again?"

"I don't know if I ever will." Minako sighed sadly.

"Oh, is that why you seemed a little down today? Surely you must know some way to get a hold of him, what did you talk about?" Usagi asked concerned.

"Well… I know he's from Tokyo, he was saying how it was nice to finally return back to it because he's been gone for ages. Other than that I don't know. I didn't even ask how long it was until he'd have to leave again for his job. After that it was a mystery but we never spoke after that and I haven't seen him since." It was true, that little piece of information returned to her at Usagi's prompting but that was all they had said that night. That and some words about how beautiful she was, and other words she had whispered back to him in the middle of the heat.

There were also a few words shouted from both like 'yes' and 'oh' and 'yeah' and a few others. Minako had to hide her face in the pillow Usagi had thrown at her before. "I think we better get that food now."

Usagi mistook the red as a blush of embarrassment because the supposed goddess of love had never fallen for a man because she was unlucky enough to have somebody else casting the charms finally did fall. "All right, you get the food, I'll get the tape." They both stood up and walked carefully over their bags to get to the door.

Usagi had less distance to go because it took longer to decide on a movie than it did to order food. Minako however was going to be the one who got back late this time. She was ordering her food when Mr. Tall dark and handsome walked in. He tweaked her hair as he saw her. "Where's your twin?" He asked looking around the restaurant.

"Not here." She gritted her teeth looking back into the face of a man she couldn't figure out. He was obviously in love with Usagi because the first words out of his mouth always concerned the girl but he was always being a complete jerk near her. He had caused her friend more pain than it was worth.

"Then where is she?" He restated the question.

"She's out to dinner with Mr. Mysterious." Minako lied easily, for her friend she'd even resort to lying.

"Mr. Mysterious?' The man asked skeptically. "What is she up to now, a dating service? Those things are totally unreliable and unsafe, she's probably meeting up with an old fat balding guy right now."

"No Mamoru, she knew him well enough for him to call her Usa-chan." Minako didn't lie about that one.

Mamoru's gaze narrowed. "A lot of guys call her Usa-chan, Motoki for one, Jiro for another."

Minako shrugged her shoulders. "Point taken, but he still took her out to a private dinner. They even ended their telephone call with an 'I love you'."

"Ah, it's her brother." Mamoru looked smug. "He's probably in town and wants her to celebrate a promotion or something."

"It's not Shingo, I know his name, but you won't be hearing from my lips." Minako winked at him before getting to the point of her being there and ordering dinner.

"Awfully a lot for one person." Mamoru eyed her critically after she ordered. "You sure there's nobody your eating with?"

"I'm eating with the love of my life." Minako laughed. "Their names are Luna and Artemis."

"How your landlord let you have cats I'll never know." He shook his head.

Minako had a wry smile on her face as she confronted him after receiving her food. "You don't need to know how we got our landlord agree to it." She glanced up into his face. "Goodbye Mamoru, if I ever see you or hear your name again it will be too soon." She left with a hand over her shoulder in a half wave.

Minako arrived home shortly after Usagi did and Usagi was putting her clothes away. "Mina-chan, you home?" Usagi called out of her room.

"Yes." Minako shook her head; she might as well do the same as Usagi. But instead all she did was pick up her bags and moved them into her room. "Come eat before the food gets cold."

Usagi arrived out of her room instantly at the mention of food. "Yes, let's eat." Usagi popped the movie in and while they were watching it they ate their food. This time it was a Mexican take-out.

Although as they were watching the movie on Usagi's big screen, Usagi had unknowingly picked out a heavy-duty romance. And as the main actress followed Minako's footsteps closely and it ended in sadness as the two never got together again after he was sent off to war. Both Usagi and Minako were crying at the end of the movie and each turned to each other to offer comfort. Eventually they parted and went to sleep.