A/N: Now comes explanations and a whole new Rei. ^^ Literal me or not, who knows? .

DISCLAIMER: Naoko Takeuchi and Monsters Inc. sure have aided this fic a lot. ^^ Okay, so maybe I AM straying from Monster's Inc. a bit here, since there's no big bad crab that drinks coffee and 'I'm watching you' slug from behind the counter with horrible lipstick and horn-rimmed glasses, but the whole thing is mostly for setting. ^^ (snoogly-woogly bear) .

Hidden Feelings

(Some Come In Physical Shapes)

Rei felt the awful throbbing in her head before she could even feel her toes, lest her body being gently rearranged on her bed's comforter.

Usa was the. . . Queen of Senshi Inc., the one who'd made the rules?

Her ditzy little blonde who liked to eat like she was a wolf, the one who cried like a baby when she picked on her, out of perverse fun? THAT Usagi Tsukino?

Rei couldn't believe it.

But she'd seen Usagi practically morph into something that was of uppish descent, and- WHO WAS PULLING ON HER CHEEKS LIKE THAT? The disgruntled priestess feigned sleep even though it hurt like living daylight, and listened while the OTHER blonde sang a clear, soothing lullaby.

"Don't worry, I won't leave you in the morning. I'll stay by your side, just don't kick me in the tummy. You'll see my face when the sun comes up to shine. I'll be there, just don't worry 'cause you can't get rid of me."

Rei stifled a sob.

They had used that same song three years ago back and more, and she had believed every word of it, even if those words didn't rhyme. She knew Mina-chan had talent, but dumbed it down in the location of her room.

The woman was still a great singer.

Rei tried to flip on her stomach this time, burrow her face in something soft, because those fingers on her cheeks were almost becoming unbearable. She gasped as Minako straddled her, preventing her from escaping, and Rei almost laughed when the pop idol of Senshi Inc. wriggled above her and whispered, almost in a panic,

"Rei-chan, don't, you can't breathe when you do that!"

Ah.

That explained all those wonderful nights when she'd DELIBERATELY set out sleeping on her stomach and wake up the next day, prim and properly up in bed.

The little sneak.

But Minako was sweet and warm, and smelled good, and damn, her libido was kicking in, oh no, she was on top of her-

"Minako-chan, yer HEAVY, get OFF!"

Rei was prone to outbursts.

Flipping the blonde off of her, Rei thought of ANY other subject to distract herself from underage jumping on a sexy goddess of love. Seeing Minako's grin on that angelic face, she about face-palmed herself and flopped back on her bed, exhaling loudly.

"Sooo. . . Why couldn't you get back to your world? Y'know, with the wierd tentacle-thing and all. Sure didn't look like Senshi Inc. to me."

Rei instantly regretted her question and the not-thought-out statements behind it. Not that she sounded rude or anything, just. . . curious.

Overly curious.

Like a pup.

Yet Minako just grinned and positioned herself next to her, leaning back on the headboard. Settling herself down to a comfortable position, she looked down at her, those baby blues dancing like there were no worries in the world.

Rei knew better.

So when Minako started, she just payed as close attention to what her blonde angel said, because underneath it, she knew Minako was sure to drop little hints and an occasional bomb. It would pay to listen.

"You remember Setsuna Meioh? Well, to understand WHY I can't go back, I've got to tell a pretty long story. You mind?"

Wise fire glanced over to sparkling love, and Rei smiled.

Grimly.

Better to hear the explanation now than later.

"Everyone loves a good story, me included. Let's hear it."

So Minako explained.

While Rei stared.

And fainted.

Again.

When she woke up, she knew everything.

The cards had been dealt and played.

Now was the time to reveal what they had in their hands.

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Minako bounced around on her knees, fidgeting nervously.

She used to have the habit of expressing what she felt through touch and hand gestures, and more than once she felt herself reaching for her Rei-chan's hand.

Sneaking a glance at the shocked priestess, Minako grit her teeth and looked away.

She needed something else to look at, to preoccupy herself while her little cutie was gathering her thoughts, grinding all the info in her head and making it something she could deal with. Rei-chan was a smart li'l hottie. She'd get through it fast.

Rei's room really hadn't changed, she guessed, except somehow, didn't that beam used to NOT be there? And that ELECTRIC PLUG! Now, one can change appearance, but whole PHYSICAL FEATURES?

Then Minako noticed the posters, actually NOTICED them.

Yes, there were women on them, showing off their cleavage and legs in leather and rubber and piercings, but looking closer, Minako realized they were GIRLS. Close to Rei's age. In fact,. someone had to be a good computer designer, because the colors surrounding the girls seemed to morph them into ethereal beings, a cross between demon and angel.

So good, in fact, that Minako almost missed those piercing eyes of fire, so familiar and hot. . .

"Rei-chan, you're in a BAND?"

Then Minako saw.

The thick cords and tendrils of an electric guitar's wires, the case coffin-like in the deep shadows of the room. Practically a silent being of darkness, the guitar itself was a slashing work of art.

Blue tendrils coiled into the gold and red, making the wood gleam, while the dipping neck gave it good holding and maximum comfort. Style blended into butter-boulder strings, and when Minako brushed her wrist over Rei's fingertips, she felt the callused hardness of a regular player.

Almost as a sleek afterthought, the base roundness eased into self-made strap for the player, and Minako had to smile when she saw the self-stitched nickname, 'Firecrotch', embedded in the leather.

It had been a running joke, Rei's inner fire being apparent even then in her pubescent teen years, her figure already forming and lush. "You're going to have to develop a good protective system, Firecrotch, or you'll be rolling your life away in a bed." Giving the hand underneath hers an affectionate shake, Minako looked into Rei's eyes and smiled.

She knew just how to get them relaxed and easy.

"Play for me, Rei-chan?"

Habits and old patterns are easy to fall back into, and Minako stroked one spot behind Rei's arm to get her to soften up. With a moaned sigh, Rei nodded and went to retrieve her guitar.

The priestess slid the strap on so naturally it almost made Minako gasp.

Rei looked beautiful right then, clad only in simple sport's underwear, making her gleam like a newly-polished diamond raw from the mines.

WIld.

Untamed.

And when she buckled her knees a bit and ripped off a few scorching notes of heatened lava, Minako almost drooled.

Rei belonged in a band.

Feral.

Yeah.

The band's name should be Feral.

And, when Rei told her later, to her surprise, it was. Or close, anyway. It was called Feral Fang. And when Rei started to play, she could understand if her band's fans felt like they were bitten.

It was almost like a softly-loved addiction that didn't harm you or put any pressure, just did something to you that made you want to come back for another good, healthy dose.

Fearing the darkness of what you'd dish out

I stayed locked in my room

But I soon got tired of my my boring four walls

And I emerged from my coccoon

It was then I noticed

The heated look in your eyes

I could feel the crazy thump of my heart beating directly to your own

And right then, there, I swore forever

That you'd be my only love

And so with that promise

I set out in search to tame your heart

There is a secret door

I keep shut, locked tight

The key I don't recall having one ever

But somehow I know it's ended up in my soul

Right there in the center of my heart

So reach in and take it out

Make me bleed

I'll still be yours

But until you open that door

I won't be free

I'm afraid to love you

So show me

You won't leave me

You'll be truthful

Even when millenia have passed

You'll still remember my love and come back

As the last note ached away, Minako couldn't help herself.

Rei's eyes were closed, a small scowl popular among certain bands apparent on her face. With her silk voice shattered by deliberate raw roughness, Rei sounded like an angel who had a sore throat and was trying to hide it with a rugged lilt.

Hands resting lightly on the curved back, Rei looked at ease as she soothed the strings down into some quick aftershocks.

Minako just couldn't help herself.

She squealed like a fangirl.

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Rei grinned as she heard the pop-idol's high-pitched shout.

It was a great reward to hear their fans sound like that, all out-of-their-minds for their songs, even if just for certain parts, certain movements from their playing, some occassional quick winks passed around after a nice glass of cold juice to freshen up-

"Oooff!"

"That wuz so CWOOOOL, Rei-chan, oh, you're such a hotti-i-i-ieeee!"

Whoa.

WHOA!

Rei fell backwards as something warm and smelling of heaven barrelled into her, smacking her against the closet door. Laughing as Minako pounced all over her, Rei tried to get to her feet. She did and slipped, clipping the edge of her guitar's neck and making it yowl a low-pitched warning.

Still Minako was on top of her like a pup, like a kitten, like an ANIMAL, squeeling on how awesome she was, Minako was so alive, she was hugging her, kissing her cheeks, it was almost like she'd never gone and-

*WHUMPH! THUD! CRE-E-EAK. . .!*

Rei tangled herself in the wire and pitched backwards, hitting the closet door and thudding through as it was knocked open. The guitar ripped off an exotically cool roar, and Rei winced as Minako fell on top of it and her.

Suddenly-

"You called, Master?"

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Minako was on top of Rei before she could help herself.

How could she NOT, with her little Rei-chan so damned cute and sexy and hot singing about love and life and being a total babe with a guitar. . .! Minako dug the guitar players as much as she digged being the Goddess of Love.

It ROCKED!

So when Rei-chan fell backwards and the closet door flew open, Minako shrieked again. Inside, it was a party, almost. A disco ball hanging from the. . . new(?) room, and lights were flashing in all kinds of bad-cool colors.

What caught her attention most, though, was the tall being encased in black tights, in a black shirt, belt, everything. . . except those haunting red eyes.

Minako got to her feet and slowly stood in front of Rei, her legs spread in a protective stance. The being was hot, she realized. Slender and solid, the form did nothing to give away gender, just a passionate flame underneath that ruggedly flowing voice of smooth.

Lights had dimmed, and melded back into soft flashing in the background, but Minako felt. . . edgy for some reason. Part of her was attracted to this specimen of a being, the long tendrils of gleaming black hair something that deserved petting, but on the other hand, Minako didn't want Rei-chan to be split from her.

She'd seen the look in her young Rei-chan's eyes, knew she shouldn't even consider something like that right now, but. . .!

"Sorry, Ire. I didn't mean to. Just showing Mina-san some stuff on you."

Minako froze when Rei's hand pulled gently at her shoulder, drawing her behind the priestess while she gave a casual grin to the one named. . . 'Ire'.

It sounded so. . . wierd.

And what was that 'on you'?

Turning to face her, Rei smiled at her confused look and whispered, loudly, "Ire's my guitar, Mina-san." as if everything was all normal and fine in the world. Minako opened her mouth to reply, but how?

"What happened to 'Mina-chan', Rei? SURELY you haven't ABANDONED her."

The haunting notes of a twanged melody sprouted wings from Ire's lips, and Minako smiled when Rei flushed red.

Mina-chan.

Her.

Rei still cared for her.

Minako smiled and grasped Ire's hand.

Rei shouted a warning, but it came too late.

Ire started to morph under her hand.

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Rei didn't know what to do.

The last time she'd touched Ire, her counterpart soul had captured in the guitar and her playing, and Ire had turned into a bawling baby and started playing songs that would make dead people drown in tears in their graves.

Actually, Ire was sort of a mirror for Rei, the chained being someone who reflected her unconscious desire quite perfectly.

Ire was her, in any case.

Rei ran over to Minako and jerked her away, shielding her as the room started to spin and chaotic music started to swirl. The first time this had happened, Rei had been in a really bad mood, so it was complete havoc.

Now, though, it was different.

She could feel it.

Minako was trying to peek over her shoulder at Ire, the Senshi a curious ball of love. Rei chucked lightly and gently ruffled her bangs away from her forehead, kissing the excited brow.

She breathed in deeply as she felt the blush under her lips.

Minako really was-

"Oh, Mina-cha-a-a-an. You're so adowable! C'mere, ya SEXAY Gyoddess of Luv!"

Rei froze.

Minako was giggling and Ire ripped her out of her grasp, cooing in a sickening tone.

What. . .?

SHE felt like THAT?

No way.

No way in WHOA!

"Aw, Ire, you're such a flatterer."

Rei narrowed her eyes over at Minako. The blonde was laughing and carrying on as if Ire had been a long-time friend-turned-suitor. Well, dammit, TECHNICALLY, Ire WAS! Minako was the only one who had known this side of Rei since she was a child and had split herself from it, and right now, Rei wanted Minako.

Bad.

So with Ire reflecting all that, Rei was getting jealous.

Huh.

Pathetic.

Getting jealous over her own dang self.

Rei couldn't have this. She wouldn't have it at ALL! Now, she would call herself childish later. Later she'd laugh at what a dum-dum she was.

But right then, Rei Hino walked out and slammed the door.

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A/N: *GRIN* I'm sure you saw how AWKWARD Rei called Minako-CHAN Mina-SAN, where she started off as a kid calling her Mina-chan. Name's'll get closer, so it hints at the relationship. ^^

Oh, and 'Ire'? Lookit 'Rei' just mixed up! ^^ Which explains Minako's attraction, Ire is just Rei's unconscious that's in her guitar and more direct about stuff. ^^

(The song and band are mine, I know the actual lyrics don't rhyme and it's too short to be a song, but then, there's got to be a chorus in there somwhere, just find it and apply it to your own favorite song and use that beat!) ^^

PS: Longest A/N ever, for me. ^^ Yaay! Ooh, wonder what'll happen next? ^^