You can trust me.
Those had been the words the girl had said to her a few nights before; it had been post battle, their first together without the others. They had won but just barely, and though Rei hated to admit it, it was because of her. You can trust me… Hah. Rei wanted to believe she could trust this girl but… Could she though? Could she trust this soldier so suddenly thrust into their lives? Could she trust her to watch after Usagi, as well as the others? Could she trust her to lead them to victory? Trust was hard to come by and most certainly it was something one earned. Trust was not yet earned when it came to the blonde Senshi who had joined their team only a few short weeks before.
Violet eyes surveyed her surroundings, arms folding over her chest as she released a heavy sigh. She was late. This was surprising, considering this girl was their so-called leader. Another black mark against the bubbly blonde that had oh-so suddenly come into their lives.
"Reeeeiiiii-channn!"
Hearing the shout from down the street, the raven-haired girl turned, eyes widening slightly at the sight of the girl on the corner. She came racing down the sidewalk, dodging around pedestrians, ignoring the sharp glances she received here and there. Her pretty features were beaming with a smile as she approached, a laugh tumbling freely from her lips. "Sorry I'm late," she said, shouldering her messenger bag, shaking out her magnificent golden head. For a moment, Rei could do nothing but stare, but then she blinked, coming back to reality. "I had detention."
"You really are Usagi's double," Rei said, the words coming out a little more tart and sassy than expected, but she couldn't take them back now. If Minako noticed the tone, she certainly didn't show it. Instead she flashed another of her breath-stealing smiles and tilted her head as if to ask oh really? Rei didn't like this. She didn't like the idea of putting the safety of Usagi and their team into this girl's hands. She didn't seem responsible, she didn't seem like it came first for her. Where was her soldier's passion? Where was her disciplined leader skills? She didn't seem capable of leading them as they needed to be led. "Come on," she gestured for the blonde to follow her up the stone steps to her shrine, which she did, and the two of them climbed in silence. It had been Minako's idea for them to meet up, just the two of them, and so Rei had suggested she simply come over after school the next day. What she wanted to discuss was beyond her, but Rei supposed it was inevitable.
Reaching her room, Rei slid the door open, allowing Minako to enter first, following after her a moment later. At once the blonde was making her way around the room, touching this and that, her blue eyes inspecting every single inch of the room. She was surprised by certain things- the stack of manga beside the bed, the lack of any photos at all, and the sweet, floral scent that lingered in the air. "What did you want to talk about?" Rei's voice caught her off guard and Minako turned, coming face to face with the dark-haired beauty. Minako could see her true feelings beneath that passive mask she always wore. Minako could see that she didn't trust her, that she downright may have not even liked her. She didn't blame her. Rei took a seat on one side of her table, gesturing that Minako do the same thing; dropping her bag, she stepped forwards, taking the seat directly across from her. As she glanced around, Minako came to realize how easily all five of them would be able to fit around that table, and how even now only a few short weeks into knowing the others, she could pinpoint exactly where they'd sit.
For a long moment, there was nothing but silence. But then Minako shrugged and leaned back on her hands, golden hair slipping backwards over her shoulders. "Us, I guess," she said after a moment more, her blue eyes finding the other's violet. Rei blinked and then nodded, as if she meant for the girl to go on. More silence. "Do you remember everything?" Minako suddenly asked and Rei looked up, surprised to see the somber expression that had fallen into place on the blonde's face. A slow nod and Rei watched as something like relief spread across Minako's features. And then, like a ton of bricks, an awful realization dawned on Rei. For how long had she been alone? For how long had Minako suffered the memories of their past lives all alone? For how long had she watched over them, knowing them but knowing they didn't so much as know her name. Something cold and dark clutched at Rei's heart and her stomach twisted up in a knot. How many nights had she woken in a cold sweat from the dreams of their past already? How many times had she looked across the room to see Usagi and realize she was so lucky to have her, safe and well? And then…. Minako had always been on the outside looking in. She had never had any comrades to offer her comfort from her nightmares. Had never had someone to bandage her wounds and tell her she did a good job. She had been all alone and they had been together.
For once in her life, Rei had been wrong about someone. Everything was starting to come together, everything was making sense about who Minako truly was. "I remember it all," Rei replied, closing her mind to the haunting images. "We all do." She clarified, thinking of Usagi, who out of all of them was having the hardest time with it all. You're not alone, she wanted to say. But she was not good with that sort of thing, she wasn't like Usagi, who despite her own sadness and her own feelings, could always make someone else feel better. Minako nodded, her eyes still so full of relief at knowing she no longer had to hold the weight of memories alone. Finally, they could be together and heal together and grow together. Finally.
"So you understand what our mission truly is?" Minako's tone had changed and her shoulders were set tight, her blue eyes solemn. Rei blinked but did not speak at first, surprised yet again by this blonde girl before her. "You understand that we are to protect Usagi at all costs. The past cannot… Will not repeat itself!" There it was, that soldier's pride that Rei had earlier thought this girl lacked. It seemed strong and true, brightening the girl from within. In an instant, it was as if they were in their past life, she was looking at her through her old eyes, seeing her, tall and strong, in her fuku, a familiar laugh in the distance… "Rei?" Blinking back to reality, Rei nodded, wishing for a way to convey her understanding of all of these things.
"I do." She said softly, the simple two words feeling powerful in her mouth. The blonde nodded, seemingly satisfied, and she sat back on her hands once more. Rei offered to order some pizza, to which Minako agreed, and they made small chat for a little while, Minako mostly listening as the conversation turned to the girls. "I worry for Usagi," she said, her eyes darkening, her gaze lowering. "I only want to protect her." Rei admitted, voicing for the first time the truth of her feelings for their beloved princess and friend.
"So do I." Minako agreed after a moment, the words forcing Rei's eyes back up. "I vowed I would find her and protect her. So I will… We will." The two shared a smile and for the first time since her introduction, Rei felt like Minako's teammate. Suddenly, trust had been established. Their pizza arrived and as Rei settled back down, placing it onto the table between them, she could only hope that there would be many more meetings like this between them. Between all of them.