Chapter 20

Minako hadn't meant to spy on Rei, and Jadeite's conversation, but it happened. She had been going to see Rei. She thought maybe if any one would share in her anger at this mess, it would be Rei. She had just reached the roof of the Hikawa Shrine when a portal opened, and Jadeite stepped thru. She was preparing to attack, when Rei showed up. She hid nearby, and listened to their conversation. She was shocked at what she heard. She also wanted to ignore the red string of soulmates between Rei and Jadeite. Even though she knew it wasn't true, she tried to convince herself that him killing Rei in the past would cut that string.

She was lost in thought before she realized a portal had opened. She watched as Jaedite stepped thru it, and disappeared. She continued to sit there for a few minutes. She didn't notice Rei was still sitting there, until Rei called out to her.

"I know you're there Minako. You can stop hiding now." Rei said.

"I wasn't hiding." Minako stated as she walked over to Rei, destransformed, and sat down.

"Usa's right, you're a terrible liar." Rei joked.

"Hmph. Why didn't you eliminate him when you had the chance?"

"He wasn't a threat."

"Yes he is. They all are. Especially to us."

"Minako, you know that isn't true."

"Yes it is. We have good lives. We have plans, and futures we're working towards. Things are calm, and peaceful, finally. They will disrupt that, destroy that."

"Will they?"

"YOU KNOW THEY WILL!"

"Mina, please stop yelling. Everyone is asleep, and it's late."

"Why aren't you more angry about this? Usagi, and Mamoru weren't thinking about how this would effect us, and disrupt our lives."

"Mina, I think they were thinking of us. They want us to have what they have. You know that we won't have that with anyone else."

"Soulmates is just a lie we tell ourselves so we can believe we won't spend our lives alone."

"Minako, stop. You know that isn't true."

"That's not the point."

"Then what is the point Minako?"

"They killed us Rei. They ended our lives. They destroyed everything. Then the second time around they tried to do it again. All they do is hurt us. Why should we trust they won't do it again?"

"Mina, they were possessed."

"That just shows they aren't strong enough to stand by our side, guard Mamoru and Usagi, or be trusted to protect this world. They couldn't do it before, what makes you think they could do it now? They can't because they're weak. They're not good enough."

"Minako, I know you heard what Jadeite said happened to Kunzite that brought about his downfall. In the letter he wrote me, he told me how he was captured."

"It doesn't matter. They weren't strong enough."

"Minako, if it had been us, we would have fallen too. We were no stronger than they were. Having magic depleted to that point, weakens one to a point of collapse. You know this."

"That doesn't matter."

"You know it does. Weakened by depleted magic, exhaustion from fighting, then being wounded is the perfect storm, making one a prime target for capture, possession, even death. NO ONE is immune, Mina. Not even us. Hell, look at Usa. She is the strongest of us all with the Silver Crystal, and she gets worn out from using it. It weakens, and exhausts her. Mina, you need to think."

"It doesn't make a difference. They shouldn't be here. We don't need them or want them."

"Don't speak for us Minako. You have no right to on this. We are our own people, who can make our own decisions. We know how we feel, and what we want. You need to let us figure this out for ourselves."

"So you're just going to pretend like the past never happened? Like they didn't fail us? Like they didn't murder us?"

"I didn't say that, but you need to see the bigger picture here. There is so much more to it than just that. They were POSSESSED. They didn't act of their own free will. They had no control over their actions or their own minds."

"That doesn't mean we should just forgive them, or forget that they betrayed us."

"I didn't say it did. Look at Mamoru and Usa. Usa forgave Mamoru because she knew he wasn't in control. She knew that his memories, and emotions were repressed. She forgave him for all he did. For trying to kill her, as he was ORDERED."

"That's because Usagi is a…."

"Watch it Minako. You are already walking a very fine line. I warned you once that I will step in if needed. Speak wrong about Usa, and I will replace you as leader until she returns."

"I was going to say a very forgiving person. He also did NOT actually kill her."

"No, but he tried. He would have if she hadn't done the one thing none of us even considered when in the same situation. She yanked on that bond as she reminded him of their love. She did what we didn't. Maybe it was us that failed them. Instead of them failing us. We didn't even try to pull them back. I knew something was wrong with Jad the moment I saw him. Instead of trying to reach him, I got angry, and yelled at him. Maybe if I had tried, I could have saved him, but I reacted without thinking. Did you try or did you get angry?"

"I….I…."

"Exactly. Even Ami, with all her intelligence, and logic, didn't consider it. Yes we were caught off guard, but we were soldiers, we were guards, we were leaders. It was our job to consider all angels, but none of us did because we were caught off guard. So maybe we really did fail them."

"It doesn't change anything."

"It has the potential to change everything, Minako."

"How? How could that possibly change everything?"

"Because it means we were just as responsible for what happened. We could have stopped it. We could have helped them, but we didn't. We are just as much to blame because we did nothing, but stand there like weak minded fools. We didn't fight back, we didn't see, we didn't try. We just stood there. We left our men to remain pawns in the hands of evil beings. We did that. We failed."

"They should have been stronger. They should have felt the bonds. They should have remembered. They ignored all of it."

"Mina, did Ami ever explain to you what she discovered about what happened to a person when Metalia's evil possessed them?"

"No."

"She explained it to me after grandfather had been possessed by one of the seven deadly monsters. When a person is possessed by evil it attacks the brain, especially the parts where memories, emotions, and bonds are stored. It seals those sections of the brain off. Like surrounding it with steel, and cutting them off from the person. The evil than creates negative memories, or makes the bad memories, and negative feelings the only ones a person has. They don't have access to the positive because the evil makes it so it's not there any more."

"Mamoru managed to get past that."

"No. Usagi did. She used the soulmate bond to break through. Had we tried the same thing, we may have been able to save them."

"It still doesn't matter."

"Minako, you're acting more stubborn than Usa. Minako, what is really going on? This isn't like you."

"Nothing. I just feel like this is a bad thing."

"I think you're wrong. I think there is more to this that what you're telling me. It isn't like you to get like this. It also isn't like you to ignore the strings of soulmates, and love, much less lie about them."

"Maybe I don't want someone who can betray…."

"Stop. Just stop. You heard everything Jadeite said. I don't want to hear another word about them betraying us. You KNOW what happened. If you don't want him, fine, but damn it, stop, think, and be HONEST!"

"You just don't get it."

"I get that you're being stubborn, and pig headed. You're also refusing to look at the bigger picture. I also think there is something you're not telling me. Mina, you know you can always talk to me."

"I….just a lot is going on right now. This just makes things that much worse."

"So talk to me. Maybe I can help."

Minako considered not saying anything, but decided she might as well. Mamoru and Usagi already knew. Why bother hiding it from Rei.

"It's a bit of a story."

"That's fine."

"Well you know my parents used to be my managers during my time as Sailor V."

"Yeah. I knew about that."

"When the Star Lights were here, Taiki and I got to talking one night, and got into a conversation about the money fame made us. I told him I never made much as Sailor V, even though I was popular. He said that surprised him based on all he had heard, and offered to review my contract to make sure I wasn't being screwed over by the model agency or the production company. I actually had to steal the contract from my parents because they wouldn't let me see it. Turns out my parents were taking 70% of all my earnings, and had been since the day I signed. That's way above average for managers. I tried to talk to them about renegotiating my contract as I should have been receiving a larger portion of my earnings.

"They refused. They said that was what they were owed for being my parents. After Galaxia, I went to Mamoru for help. He took me to his lawyer. I met with the man 3 times when I decided to fire my parents, cut them off, renegotiate my contracts, moved out, and filed for emancipation. I hadn't heard from my parents since then. The day the guys showed up, I was served with legal papers. My parents are suing me for wrongful termination of their contract. Mamoru and Usa are paying for the legal fees because, while I have money for my living expenses, and college. I don't have the money for a lawyer. Needless to say, the guys showing up now was really bad timing."

"Wow! Mina, why didn't you ever tell us?"

"I was embarrassed."

"Mina, you were 12 or 13 when you signed those contracts. You didn't know any better, and probably didn't understand any of it either."

"Yeah, but I should have looked into it as I got older."

"Minako, you were still young when you did have someone look into it."

"I just feel so stupid. My parents took advantage of me, and my work. I felt so….so…."

"Betrayed?"

"Yeah. And now they're doing it again."

"I think some things are starting to make sense now."

"What do you mean?"

"Hear me out ok?"

"Ok?"

"For the last few years you have silently been dealing with the fact that the two people who are supposed to love you the most took advantage of you, broke your trust, and betrayed you. You're finally an adult, you're preparing to go out into the world, and start your future, only for them to try to take advantage again. You're hurt, and your angry. Suddenly, in the midst of all of this, the man who loved you most, but killed you, shows up. You know the circumstances of why it happened, and that he wasn't in control. You had gotten over that betrayal. Now here he is, trying love you, at the same time people who betrayed you of their own free will are trying to do so again. You can't really take your anger out on them, but here is Kunzite. Despite what you know in your heart, he is the perfect target because he already feels guilty for what he did. He'll take your anger, and words. He'll take whatever you throw at him. That makes it easier for you because you're getting your anger out, and you're seeing someone hurt as you are. Does that makes sense?"

"Kind of. I think. Dumb it down for me."

"You're taking you're anger and hurt at your parents out on him because he's here and will take it. They're not, and you risk worse consequences if you do."

"Maybe. I guess."

"Mina, you need to look at the big picture. Ok?"

"Maybe."

"Look, for now, deal with one problem at a time. Kunzite isn't going any where. The issue with your parents isn't something you can back burner. If Kunzite approaches you, just tell him you have something you have to deal with, and you need time. You know he will give it to you. When that is dealt with, talk to him, listen to him. If you want of course. I think, either way, you should at least hear him out, when you're ready. Once you have then decide what to do about him. Just don't do that now, when your emotions are already running too high from a different issue."

"Yeah. You're probably right."

"Of course I am."

Rei and Minako giggled.

"Listen Mina, we all love you, and we're here for you, but you need to talk to us."

"Yeah. I know."

Minako looked out at the starry night sky. She was given a lot to think about tonight. Rei was right. She was too emotional right now, and she had to put all of her mental and emotional concentration on one thing right now. She needed to deal with her parents right now. If she didn't, it could get worse. She had a meeting with her lawyer later this week, and she needed a clear head for that. She knew there was one thing she could take off her plate for now. She knew the others would understand, and Rei would take care of things until she was ready.

"Uh. Rei. Can I ask a favor please?" Minako asked softly.

"I'll do what I can." Rei answered.

"I think you're right about me needing to focus on one thing at a time right now. I know things are calm, and we don't have enemies right now, but if some end up showing up, I'm not sure if I'm in the best place mentally, and emotionally to lead. Especially with Usa and Mamoru gone."

"What are you asking?"

"Um. Do you think….well would you take over as leader of the senshi please? Only until I get everything sorted out. I'm not leaving or anything, just stepping back, for now."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah. I need something off my plate for right now. I know you can handle it."

"Ok. Sure. When you're ready, I'll hand the reins back to you."

"Thank you. Do you think you could explain everything to Luna, Ami, and Mako please? About all of it. I just….well I don't want to go through the whole thing all over again."

"I can. Do you want to be there when I do?"

"Yeah. Thanks Rei."

"You're welcome. Does Artemis know?"

"Yeah. He was pissed then. He's furious now."

"I'm sure."

"Thanks for tonight Rei. I better go. Love you."

"Always Mina. Love you too."

Minako hugged Rei, then took off for home. She flopped into her bed, and released a world of tears, again. Artemis curled against her side. She hated all of this turmoil in her life.