Arisugawa's Locket

The Actress

Minako Aino smiled at the acting class, the thirty-something actress standing on the raised stage. "Morning, everyone," she said to them cheerfully, "I'm going to deviate from the usual thing, this morning."

Hotaru Tomoe, the woman running the class and a former child actress, raised her eyebrows but gestured, 'Go on.'

"On the way here, I was listening to the news about an actor," Mina paced back and forth on the stage, "who ultimately left a role because he wasn't treated right. And he talked about he had an agreement, but the showrunner never carried through."

Minako crackled with energy as she slapped the speaker's podium, "ALWAYS GET IT IN WRITING."

The actresses and actors leaned forward eagerly.

"I don't care if the executive Producer is nice, I don't care if the Showrunner is nice, I don't care if everyone involved in the show or movie is the nicest guy to ever nice. GET IT IN WRITING," Minako continued.

Hotaru nodded as she watched.

"Because verbal agreements can't easily be enforced, even if there's witnesses. Even worse, showrunners and producers can be replaced, and everyone answers to the network execs." Minako said. "So if you're promised something, and it's not in the contract you get, send it back with a note saying 'This is not what we discussed.' If needed, get your agent involved."

One of the students raised a hand, "What if it costs you the part?"

"That IS a risk," Mina conceded willingly but added, "but do you really want to work for someone that two-faced?"

There were murmurs of agreement.

"In summary," Mina continued, "as an actor or actress, you can only rely on what is spelled out in your contract. Do not trust in verbal agreements or promises, because your bosses do not have to carry through on them."

"What are the four words we need to remember?" Hotaru prompted.

"Get it in writing!" the students chorused.

"Exactly!" Mina chuckled warmly. She clapped her hands, "Okay, enough business. Let's get to the fun part..."

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

"So, did that happen to you?" Hotaru asked curiously as they got drinks that evening at the club Arisugawa's Locket.

"Ha. No," Mina admitted.

Both women were in fancy dresses. Mina was dressed in a slinky red sheath, that showed off her hips and chest, and was backless. Hotaru was in a stylish little black dress, and looked sleek and kind of goth. They were drawing admiring gazes as they sat together at the bar.

"I did have to quit Sex and the Senshi when the showrunner kept pestering me to have sex with him and his wife," Mina remembered.

Hotaru looked at her blankly, "Mamoru and Usagi?"

"Yup," Mina agreed, "Usagi's cute, but Mamoru's not really my type."

"Oh," Hotaru blinked. She HAD heard a rumour about the pair and the actress Rei Hino... apparently it was true!

Mina sipped her drink as she mentioned, "Have I thanked you lately for having me lecture at your Actor's Studio?"

"No, but it's not necessary. It's a honor to have a big name like you lecturing," Hotaru smiled back, pleased.

"Ha," Mina smiled. "This is a personal question, and it's totally okay not to answer... but why did you quit acting? You were quite the successful child star."

"I was never hugely into film," Hotaru admitted, "that was mostly my Dad. I have stayed active as a stage actress."

"You became an emancipated adult as a teen, as I recall," Mina mused, then realized that might be awkward to bring up.

"Yeah, after my agent Setsuna Meiou figured out my Dad was embezzling," Hotaru sighed. "That was after he started dating my co-star, Kaori."

"Awkward," Mina agreed.

"Well, he's happy. I still hear from Kaori, oddly enough." Hotaru admitted.

"Hello," Alpha smiled, the green haired android continuing, "Refills?"

"Yes please," Mina beamed.

"I think I'll just have ginger ale," Hotaru said to the waitress. "I'm an easy drunk," she explained to Mina.

"Fair," Mina agreed. Once their drinks arrived she added, "So you ended up living with Haruka and Michiru?"

"Have you hired a spy to follow me or something?" Hotaru teased.

"You WERE in the news while that was happening," Mina pointed out.

"True," Hotaru pouted. "Speaking of mildly embarassing things... I was SUCH a Codename Sailor V fan."

"Ha. Thank you," Mina smiled. "That was such a fun show to make."

"I bugged Setsuna to get me an appearance, but it never happened," Hotaru pouted.

"It would have been fun to save you," Mina raised her glass, referring to how often Sailor V rescued girls in distress.

Hotaru smirked, "Actually I wanted to be a villain of the week."

"Okay, that would have been cool," Mina admitted.

"And NO, I will not go into my repressed desire to dress all in leather and have you as my captive," Hotaru added.

"I'm okay with that," Mina added.

"Oh really?" Hotaru purred.

Mina smirked and sipped her drink. "I have to admit, I did wonder why you never hit on me," she admitted casually.

"I just don't hit on coworkers," Hotaru admitted. She added, "If things don't turn out well, it makes things awkward."

"Fair. But I only come in one day every few weeks," Mina noted with a sly smile.

"Are you hitting on me, Miss Aino?" Hotaru teased.

"Do you want me to?" Mina asked.

Hotaru finished her drink, then put the glass down. "Dance?" she asked.

Mina slugged her own drink down then followed her out to the dance floor.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

"This is a Arisugawa's Locket fic, but we barely got featured," Nabiki Tendo complained as they watched the dancers.

Ryouko was pouring drinks as the bartender noted, "I think this was a Sailor Moon Alternate idea the author had. Was too short though."

"Makes sense," Nabiki conceded.

"We'd better stop breaking the fourth wall," Ryouko noted. She continued, "How did meeting Nina's family go?"

Nabiki smiled warmly, "Better than I expected, actually. Her Mom is a sweetheart, and I ended up mostly talking business with her Dad."

"Hmm," Ryouko nodded.

"And Nina proposed," Nabiki added casually.

There was a beat of dead silence. "WHAT," several women nearby yelped.

"DETAILS!" May the android maid demanded.

"Did you get a ring?" Mai Tokhia asked eagerly.

"It's a family heirloom," Nina held out the diamond ring. "And no, we haven't set a date yet," she added.

"It's so pretty," Ryouko smiled.

"I'm guessing her parents knew?" May mused.

"Yup," Nabiki looked amused, "I had wondered why her Father was so nervous..."

"Very nice," Juri's voice came from behind them, "but we ARE at work."

"Spoil sport," Nabiki smiled at her boss.

"Yeah, yeah," Juri shrugged...

To be continued...

Notes: Loosely based on a real actor who was made various verbal promises, worked on a TV show, then demanded they keep their promises. They didn't, so he quit.

YES this was gonna be a Sailor Moon one shot. But I got blocked.

Arisugawa's Locket Staff Juri Arisugawa, Revolutionary Girl Utena, Alpha from Yokohama Shopping Log, Nabiki Tendo from Ranma 1/2, Ryouko from Tenchi Muyo, May from Hand Made May, Mai Tokhia from Mai Hime.

Characters: Minako Aino, Hotaru Tomoe, basically all Sailor Moon cast gets mentioned.