a/n: it's actually my first sailor moon fic. i've always focused on the Jessie/Katie pairing in Once and Again, and after seeing the tension between Rei and Minako in PGSM, and reading some of their fanfics here, my brain went into overdrive. I wished Haruka and Michiru were introduced in PGSM, but though they weren't, I took the liberty of including them here.
I LOVE KEIKO KITAGAWA! Go Rei!
A SENSHI'S HARDEST BATTLE
By: peach83
PROLOGUE
Being a sailor senshi, a sexy heroine at that, kicking youma's asses and saving the world, it's supposed to be fun.
Well, supposedly…
There had been ups and down; a few bruises and fast-healing wounds here and there. It didn't even leave marks. Physically, it never really mattered, 'coz she endured it and handled the pain quite well. But she never realized that some marks, though unseen, could make her feel worse...
She could remember perfectly the last time the five of them were all there together; it was Usagi's wedding day. Romantic, yes; comical, definitely. Princess Serenity had the biggest goofy grin plastered on her face which made the Goddess of Fire and Passion roll her eyes, only to realize that the smile on Usagi's face wasn't because of the wedding at all, although it could have been partly because of that, but mainly because of the bouquet of flowers she threw for her and Minako to catch.
And with their red faces, they made everybody laugh by playing, unintentionally, a 'Mars and Venus Football Match' as they threw the bouquet back and forth each other until Makoto decided to interfere and snatched the bouquet for herself. And ironically, later that day, she got engaged with Motoki.
It had been five years. Usagi is now pregnant with Mamoru's child. The Princess still acts so childish, that Makoto and Ami just couldn't contain their amusement. Makoto, who thought she would be alone forever, has Motoki; the two married a year after their engagement. From their earnings, they were able to establish their own restaurant, where Makoto is the head chef, while Motoki is the manager. Ami, who graduated at the top of her class, became a pediatrician, and is now in private practice, and holding her own private clinic. Hectic hospital work did not really suit her. Minako, leaving after Usagi's wedding to focus on her singing and now, with acting career, was rarely heard from since. The pop idol's career is soaring, which is unsurprising; she had been at the top of every billboard chart all over Asia since she started, and is now conquering Europe.
It all seemed so long ago. Having successfully thwarted Metaria's evil plans by the determined sailor soldiers, peace was brought back on earth. And all the senshi's, inners, and even the outers who came to their rescue in the final battle, are finally living the life they wanted.
Except for one…
Rei Hino, renowned priestess of Hikawa Shrine, a politician's elusive daughter, is as short-tempered and stubborn as ever, and feels that there is something missing. She rarely leaves the temple, and her friends had to exert their utmost efforts just to get her out of there once in a while. But they don't have to be psychics to notice; they don't have to acquire Rei's ability to read fire, and it's not really that hard to figure out why the Princess of Mars decided to shut herself out; it certainly wasn't the job that's keeping her in.
It was the person who is as stubborn, as strong, though slightly more charming and cunning than her who brings out the worst in her; the one person who disappeared from her life as soon as she came back to life. She is a distant memory now, and unfortunately, she couldn't be erased. Rei thought she had forgotten. But when for the second time after the final battle, outer senshi's Michiru Kaioh and Haruka Tenoh makes an appearance at the shrine, she knew, she had been fooling herself all this time.
Minako Aino, Princess of Venus, Goddess of Love and Beauty, is not that easy to forget…
Actually, it's just plain impossible…