Well, here we go. My first ever attempt at Sailor Moon fanfiction. If you're reading this right now, thanks for taking the time to check this story out. It's my baby, and although I'm not far on it, I've put a lot of effort into it thus far. So PLEASE, even if you absolutely detest it with every fiber of your being, please read it and leave me a review. That would be excellent.

First, a disclaimer. I don't own Sailor Moon, although sometimes I wish I did. I do own the plot to this story and all of the new characters I create.

Now, a word about the story. This is a Mina/Sailor Venus-centric fic. She's been my favorite of the Sailor Scouts/Senshi since I was little, and I always felt like she never got enough time to shine. Hence, this story. Now, if you hate her, don't hit the "back" arrow just yet. Although this is a Venus fic, it's also going to feature quite a bit of the other Scouts too...don't you worry! Plus, there's a new enemy and (hopefully) new attacks/transformations, not to mention some overdue romance for Mina.

This story takes place two years after the downfall of Galaxia. I'm going by American school years, so the girls are now juniors in high school. I'm going to use the American-ized names, simply because it comes more naturally to me, and, to make it easier on me, Raye goes to the same school as the other girls.

And...I think that's everything. On to the story...

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Savior of Love

Chapter One

The night sky was dotted with thousands of twinkling stars. All of the planets of the universe went about their regular orbits without interruption. A deep silence filled the galaxy. Since the defeat of Galaxia, a peaceful calm filled space for the fist time in what seemed like forever. It seemed as if all evil had been purged from the universe and had left the universe tranquilly in-tact. If the stars knew of any evil secrets, they kept them to themselves. Finally rid of any diabolical forces, space was still.

---

The morning sun had just slightly peaked over the horizon but the streets of Tokyo were already bustling with activity. It seemed like everyone was in a rush to make it to their early morning destination on time. Friends cheerfully greeted each other from across the street and co-workers smiled at each other and began chatting while sipping coffee on the way to the office. An outsider would be overwhelmed by the crowds, but a resident of Tokyo only saw the bustle as part of the daily routine.

In the midst of the hurried crowds, one person seemed not to be in a hurry. A slender teenage girl slowly walked down the crowded streets while clutching her school satchel to her navy blue and white school uniform and seemed oblivious to the swarming crowds around her. Suddenly, the autumn wind picked up, sending red and orange leaves spinning into the air as well as the young girl's long golden blonde hair into disarray. Her hands flew instantly to her hair and when she reached a crosswalk, she quickly stepped into an alley adjacent to the street she was walking on. The girl reached a group of stairs and dropped her school satchel on one of the steps before carefully removing the red ribbon from her wind-tousled hair. She dug through her satchel, found her hair brush, and began to run the bristles through her straight hair which reached down past her back.

"Mina!"

Her bright blue eyes lit up at the sound of her name and she scanned the street for a familiar face.

A white cat emerged from the crowd and began walking down the alley towards her. She shaded her eyes as she looked towards the cat. As he got closer to her, she could clearly see the mark of a crescent moon on the cat's forehead. Once she recognized him, she averted her eyes from the bright rays of the sun and continued to attempt to remove the knots from her hair.

The white cat cautiously glanced around the deserted alleyway before stepping up the stairs and seating himself on the same step as the girl's satchel.

"Mina, look at me."

She glanced at the stairs. The cat's concerned eyes met hers as he spoke again. "Is everything ok? You left the house early today. I was hoping you'd wait for me."

Mina set her hairbrush down next to her feline friend and nervously twisted the red ribbon in her fingers. She and the cat had been together for years and they shared a bond far stronger than pet and owner. He could easily read her moods and she knew he could tell she wasn't herself.

Sighing, she began to retie the ribbon into her hair and replied, "I'm fine, Artemis. I just needed some fresh air to make sure I'm awake before my history exam this morning." She shook her head, untied the red ribbon, and attempted to fix her hair again.

Artemis, clearly worried about his female owner, licked his paw and began grooming himself as he often did when he was anxious. "I don't believe you. You always have problems with your hair when something's on your mind."

Mina blushed lightly at her cat's accuracy and attempted to fix her ribbon once more. She smiled gently at Artemis and said, "Really, I'm fine. I just want to do well on this exam today. It could really help me boost my grade, and you of all people should understand how important that is."

She could tell he was not entirely convinced but decided to drop the issue. Artemis continued to groom his pure white as she finally managed to perfectly tie her red ribbon into her golden locks. With a triumphant grin she grabbed her school satchel and shouted to Artemis, "Race you to school!" With that, she dashed down the alley and back into the crowds of the streets of Tokyo.

With a sigh, Artemis thought to himself, "Maybe she's fine. I guess I'm just overreacting," before dashing down the alley after his owner.

---

Mina reached the tall iron gates of her high school and stood panting with her hands on her hips. Several minutes later, Artemis reached the gates. At his side was a black cat with the same crescent moon mark on her forehead.

"Took you long enough," Mina joked as Artemis leapt into her arms nimbly.

"Very funny," he purred as Mina stroked his fur gently. Kneeling, she lightly patted the black cat's head.

"Hi Luna. Are you feeling better?" Mina knew the black cat had been sick recently and was concerned because, as strange as it seemed, Luna was almost like a second mother to her.

"I'm feeling much better, thanks Mina," Luna responded gratefully.

Glancing at her watch quickly, Mina asked Luna of her owner's whereabouts. "Hey Luna, where's Serena? School's practically about to start. She's not late again, is she?"

"Of course she's late, this is Serena. I don't think that girl has ever been on time," Luna shook her head, causing Mina to giggle at the truth of her statement.

Sure enough, Mina, Luna, and Artemis could see Serena awkwardly sprinting towards the direction of school. Her blonde hair was a total wreck (although it was secured into two long pigtails at the top of her head) and she was wailing loudly, trying to figure out how she could be late yet again. All three collapsed into laughter. This was the epitome of Serena. Although she was a careless, clumsy crybaby, Serena meant the world to Mina because she was basically the definition of a true friend; she put others before herself and cared for her friends with her whole heart.

"Mina! Am I on time? Did I make it?" Serena gasped as she tried to catch her breath.

Mina couldn't stop laughing. "Yeah, you made it. But now we have to get to class on time and we've only got about three minutes to get there!"

"Well, what are you just standing there for? I can't afford to get detention again! I've already had to stay after school twice this week!" Serena grabbed Mina's arm and the two blondes ran inside the gates, leaving their guardian cats in the dust.

Luna glanced over at Artemis. "You're worried about Mina, aren't you?"

Artemis shook his head. "I can clearly tell something's wrong but she won't tell me. I don't understand."

"Maybe she just needs some space to figure out her problems," Luna said thoughtfully. Looking over at Artemis, she could see this wasn't the answer he wanted and that his frustration was building. She looked him directly in the eyes and said warmly, "Don't worry. Everything will work out."

Artemis smiled, "Thanks, Luna."

---

Somehow Serena and Mina managed to make it to their respective classes on time. While Serena headed to her early morning art class, Mina had to tackle her dreaded history exam. Taking her seat, she pulled out her notes and attempted to do some last minute cramming.

Her hurried studying was interrupted by someone sitting down in the desk next to hers. Glancing up from her notes, Mina saw Amy seated intently to her right, her hands gently clasped together on the top of her desk. The sight of her super-smart friend reassured Mina slightly; just having the smartest girl in school (as well as one of her best friends) by her side always seemed to calmer her down. Since history was Mina's worst subject, Amy's presence (and constant help during studying sessions) was a huge help.

Amy smiled warmly at Mina. "You ready for this exam?"

Mina continued to look frazzled as she flipped through her notes. "I don't know. I feel like I can't remember anything," she cried in frustration.

Amy leaned over and placed her hand on Mina's shoulder in an attempt to steady her flustered friend. "Don't worry Mina. We've been studying for this exam for a week and you know the material well. I have faith in you."

Mina loved Amy; her blue-haired friend always was a solid support for her whenever she felt like she was going to crumble from the pressures in her life. Her concern touched Mina and she felt so thankful. "Thanks Amy. You always know how to calm me down."

Amy winked at Mina and said, "Hey, it's part of my job as your friend!"

At that moment, the history teacher entered the room and the chatter of the classroom ceased. Mina took deep breaths as she received her copy of the exam and started working. She knew she needed to ace the exam so she could have a chance of raising her sinking grade. All she could do now was hope that her efforts would be good enough.

---

An hour later, the bell rang, signaling the end of first period. Mina and Amy exited the classroom quickly. As they walked down the long, crammed hallways, Amy asked, "So, how did it go for you?"

Mina sounded excited. "You know, I think it went really well! That's the first exam I've felt good about all semester!"

"I'm so glad to hear that! You studied really hard for it and you deserve a good grade," Amy responded. Mina may not have been the best student but she worked hard when she wasn't distracted with her friends or going to parties.

"Amy! Mina! Wait up!" The girls looked behind them to see Lita and Raye waving at them.

"Hey guys!" Mina greeted them.

"How was math? I heard we learn something new today," Amy asked excitedly.

"Math was incredibly boring, as usual. I practically fell asleep," Lita declared, her messy brown ponytail swishing behind her.

"Seriously Amy, I don't understand how you can like it so much," Raye shook her head.

"How can you not like math?" Amy asked, shocked. "It's so orderly and it always makes sense."

"Of course it makes sense to you," Raye said, twirling a strand of her raven-black hair around her finger.

"Raye's right. You've got the top marks in our class. Those of us who are not lucky enough to be super smart can't make any sense of it." Lita usually mediated arguments, but whenever she was in the middle of one, her brown eyes lit up with ambition.

As Amy, Raye, and Lita kept playfully discussing math, Mina fell silent. A mix of sadness and jealousy filled her heart suddenly. She walked with her friends until she felt like she was about to cry and then she couldn't take it anymore.

"Guys, I'm going to go this way today. I'll see you at lunch." Without waiting for a response, Mina turned sharply and walked down the nearest hallway.

"What is she doing? Her next class is nowhere near there. Mina, come back!" Lita shouted.

"Something's not right with Mina," Amy remarked as the three girls watched their friend walk away without turning back.

Raye's dark amethyst eyes softened with concern. "What makes you say that, Amy? Did something go wrong in first period?"

Amy shook her head. "We had an exam, but she seemed totally fine afterwards. She's just so…quiet. Mina's never quiet."

Lita looked confused. "Amy's right. Mina's always so bubbly and full of life. I wonder what could be bothering her."

"Maybe she'll cheer up by lunch," Raye suggested.

The other girls nodded uncertainly in agreement, but all were thinking the same thing. What could be wrong with Mina?

---

By the time the lunch bell rang, Mina was worn out. For some reason, school was really wearing her out today and she had no idea why. Entering the cafeteria, she yawned as she scanned the room for her friends. She searched through her satchel for her lunch as she made her way to the table where she and her friends usually sat.

Her fellow Sailor Scouts were all seated and were deep in conversation when Mina reached the table. "Hey guys!" She said, trying to sound as enthusiastic and energized as possible.

"Hi Mina," Serena answered with her mouth full. This caused Mina to laugh as she sat down and pulled out her sandwich.

"Mina," Raye said. "You know, your smile always brightens my day, no matter what kind of mood I'm in."

"Really?" Mina was taken aback. No one ever complimented her personal appearance.

"You really do have a dazzling smile," Amy agreed.

"Just like a movie star." Lita attempted to look like a seductive movie star, which caused Mina to erupt into another fit of laughter.

Recovering from her laughing fit, Mina said, "Thank you for your compliments. I only wish I can be as kind and beautiful as you all are."

"But Mina, you are kind and beautiful," said Serena in disbelief.

Feeling self conscious, Mina struggled to change the subject. "Uh...can I ask you a random question? Do you all know what you want to do once you graduate from high school?"

"Of course!" said Serena. "I'm going to marry Darien and I'll probably go to college and study fashion."

"You want to be a designer?" Mina asked. Of all people, she least expected Serena to have a career in mind.

"Yep. I love shopping and trying on clothes. Imagine wearing glamorous clothes all the time," Serena said dreamily.

"I'll probably study abroad in Germany and finally become a pediatrician," Amy said ambitiously.

"I'm going to move to Paris and become a world famous chef," Lita speculated, her eyes glowing at the thought.

"I know I'm going to be a singer-songwriter and a model-actress," Ray boasted.

"Wow. Sounds like you all really know what you want, huh?" Mina remarked, her eyes resting on the edge of the table.

"What do you want to be?" Serena asked.

"Serena, are you stupid? We all know what Mina's going to be," said Raye.

"You're going to be a teen idol, right?" Amy asked.

"Of course! Mina's going to travel all around the country and sing and dance for cheering crowds every night, just like she's always planned," Lita exclaimed.

Mina felt her body tighten. "Actually, I don't know what I want anymore."

Her friends stared in amazement as Mina's beautiful blue eyes began to fill with tears.

"Mina," Lita said gently. "What's wrong?"

"Did we say something to upset you?" Amy asked, concerned.

"Did something happen?" Raye questioned.

Tears were spilling down Mina's fair cheeks. Standing up from the table, she swayed slightly as she said shakily, "I'm fine, really."

Serena stood up too. "No, you're not. What's wrong?"

Grabbing her satchel, Mina's voice cracked as she sobbed, "I need to go to the library. I'll see you guys later." With that, she turned and left the cafeteria.

Serena sat down, stunned. "Okay, you guys are right. There is definitely something wrong with her. Poor thing."

Lita thought hard. "Has anything happened lately that would have set her off like that?"

"No. Life has been so peaceful. Nothing out of the ordinary has happened at all," Amy remarked.

Raye was silent a moment before saying, "Maybe Artemis might have an idea of what's bothering her. He could have a different perspective. I say we meet at the temple tomorrow after school and talk this over with Artemis and Luna."

"But we have to invite Mina. We can't have a Scout meeting without her!" Serena said forcefully.

"We can just tell her to come later. She doesn't have to know we're talking about her beforehand," Amy suggested.

The girls agreed just as the bell rang and they went their separate ways to their afternoon classes.

---

At last, the final afternoon bell rang. Mina left her music theory class feeling drained and exhausted. She tried not to let it bother her and instead focused on all of the homework she had for the night ahead.

Suddenly, she heard her name. A tall, slender boy with messy light brown hair hurried after her holding a stack of sheet music. She recognized him as the new student who had just moved to her school a couple of days ago.

"You might need this," he said as he handed the music to her.

"Thanks…" Mina's voice trailed off.

"Sam," he responded. His hazel eyes locked with her own and they stood staring at each other until he turned away to go to his locker.

Mina stood still for a moment, her skin prickling with goosebumps. He had the most breathtaking eyes she had ever seen.

With a sigh, she came to her locker and began to rummage through her satchel. Her hand grasped around something unfamiliar. Pulling it out of her satchel, she saw it was her transformation pen. She ran her hand over the newly discovered treasure, her eyes resting on the crystal ball with the orange symbol of Venus inside. She quickly fought the urge to shout out VENUS CRYSTAL POWER and held the pen close to her. Tears began to form at the corners of her eyes.

This was why she was so unhappy. She missed being a Sailor Scout.

Galaxia had long been defeated and at first, peace was a welcome change in Mina's life. Her freshman and sophomore years in high school had been successful; her grades had improved plus she still had time for fun with her friends. However, now in her junior year, Mina felt restless.

Peace made her feel inadequate.

Since she couldn't focus her energy on an evil enemy, Mina had begun to notice how much better her friends were then she was. All of them were kinder, smarter, more generous, more driven and more fun to be around, not to mention better looking. In everyday life, she felt like she was overlooked and ignored. However, when she was Sailor Venus, fighting alongside her friends, she felt invincible. She yearned for that feeling again.

Mina's reverie was interrupted by a wake of drowsiness. Her knees buckled and she almost fell forward. Rubbing her eyes, she grabbed the books she needed and hastily shoed them in her school satchel. She carefully placed her transformation pen on top of her books and drowsily started to stagger home.

---

An unidentified planet had been detected by scientists at the start of the school year. However, all of the scientists ignored its presence at the edge of the solar system, dismissing it as nothing to be concerned about. Slowly but surely, the planet rapidly approached Earth.

The stillness and silence of space had been broken.

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So. That concludes Chapter 1. Please read and review! I've already gotten Chapter 2 written and am working on Chapter 3. If people actually like this story, I'll upload Chapter 2 in the near future.

Thanks for reading!