PRECIOUS METALS by Sailor Earth
*Chapter Ten*
After several minutes, Kunzite let go of Minako, and Minako slipped her shoes back on. Hand in hand, they walked back to the palace.
Just before entering the drawing room, Minako ran her fingers through her hair and smoothed her dress. Kunzite kissed the side of her face, right by her ear, and then whispered,
"Stop fussing and get in there! They'll never even notice we were missing!"
Sure enough, they were all too deep in conversation to pay much attention to Minako and Kunzite, but Minako muttered something about showing Kunzite to the bathroom, just to be on the safe side.
*****
Later that night, when the four generals had left, Minako heard a soft tap at her door. It was Makoto.
"Mina, honey, you are one lucky girl!" squealed Makoto in delight.
"I don't know what you're talking about," feigned Minako.
"I saw the way he was looking at you, and you were gone way too long to just be showing him the 'bathroom', so don't play all innocent with me, Aino Minako!" Makoto told her.
"Alright, alright...you guessed it, Mako."
"And?"
"And what? It's not official or anything, but..."
"Wow! I'm so excited for you! I'm so jealous!"
"And what about Nephrite?"
"Nephrite?"
"Well, you two seemed to be getting on PRETTY well, if you ask me!"
"Was I asking ?" Makoto teased.
"No, but as a goddess of love, I thought it was my duty to tell you anyway! Trust me, he's perfect for you!"
As they sat on Minako's bed, giggling together, three more figures crept into the room.
"What's going on in here?" asked Rei, as she, Ami and Serenity all settled down to join in the gossip.
"This is just like being teenagers again," commented Ami, as she stroked Luna's velvet-soft coat. Artemis lifted his head slightly, and muttered,
"Just when I thought you'd finally started to grow up!"
"Oh, Artemis, don't be so grumpy!" chided Minako
*****
In the early hours of the morning, Minako on her bed, staring at the ceiling. All her friends had passed into dreamland several hours ago, but Minako was restless. She was going over the events of the last few days in her mind. Some things were worrying her - she was starting to remember more of what had happen that night at Kunzite's house. When Kunzite had carried her upstairs, she had only been semi-conscious, but as she had dosed, words had come through to her:
"I watched you sleep before. You don't remember, do you? I held you all night."
What had Kunzite meant? Obviously he thought she hadn't heard. Thinking back, she also remembered how he'd mentioned Magellan when they'd first met. Yet, surely he hadn't been there before, how could he have done? In the past, the generals had had no business with the Venusians. So how come he said that he visited her home?
Also, Minako could have sworn that Serenity had been giving Luna some rather knowing looks earlier, when the generals were mentioned. Finally, she made up her mind. She sat up and slipped out of bed. Carefully picking her way around her sleeping friends, she moved towards her bedroom door. Silently she opened it, and tiptoed bare-foot down the hall to the heart of the palace.
Eventually she reached, a very ornate-looking door. It was heavy, and creaked as she opened it. The room she entered was filled with mist, and in the center was a tall gateway, guarded by a lone figure. The figure was tall, and dark, with a staff in one hand. Atop the staff sat a garnet-red sphere that glowed a faintly, illuminating the swirling mist around it.
*****
AN: What did you think? I FINALLY managed to finish this chapter, after lots of school exam-induced writer's block, so I hope it was worth the wait!
*Chapter Ten*
After several minutes, Kunzite let go of Minako, and Minako slipped her shoes back on. Hand in hand, they walked back to the palace.
Just before entering the drawing room, Minako ran her fingers through her hair and smoothed her dress. Kunzite kissed the side of her face, right by her ear, and then whispered,
"Stop fussing and get in there! They'll never even notice we were missing!"
Sure enough, they were all too deep in conversation to pay much attention to Minako and Kunzite, but Minako muttered something about showing Kunzite to the bathroom, just to be on the safe side.
*****
Later that night, when the four generals had left, Minako heard a soft tap at her door. It was Makoto.
"Mina, honey, you are one lucky girl!" squealed Makoto in delight.
"I don't know what you're talking about," feigned Minako.
"I saw the way he was looking at you, and you were gone way too long to just be showing him the 'bathroom', so don't play all innocent with me, Aino Minako!" Makoto told her.
"Alright, alright...you guessed it, Mako."
"And?"
"And what? It's not official or anything, but..."
"Wow! I'm so excited for you! I'm so jealous!"
"And what about Nephrite?"
"Nephrite?"
"Well, you two seemed to be getting on PRETTY well, if you ask me!"
"Was I asking ?" Makoto teased.
"No, but as a goddess of love, I thought it was my duty to tell you anyway! Trust me, he's perfect for you!"
As they sat on Minako's bed, giggling together, three more figures crept into the room.
"What's going on in here?" asked Rei, as she, Ami and Serenity all settled down to join in the gossip.
"This is just like being teenagers again," commented Ami, as she stroked Luna's velvet-soft coat. Artemis lifted his head slightly, and muttered,
"Just when I thought you'd finally started to grow up!"
"Oh, Artemis, don't be so grumpy!" chided Minako
*****
In the early hours of the morning, Minako on her bed, staring at the ceiling. All her friends had passed into dreamland several hours ago, but Minako was restless. She was going over the events of the last few days in her mind. Some things were worrying her - she was starting to remember more of what had happen that night at Kunzite's house. When Kunzite had carried her upstairs, she had only been semi-conscious, but as she had dosed, words had come through to her:
"I watched you sleep before. You don't remember, do you? I held you all night."
What had Kunzite meant? Obviously he thought she hadn't heard. Thinking back, she also remembered how he'd mentioned Magellan when they'd first met. Yet, surely he hadn't been there before, how could he have done? In the past, the generals had had no business with the Venusians. So how come he said that he visited her home?
Also, Minako could have sworn that Serenity had been giving Luna some rather knowing looks earlier, when the generals were mentioned. Finally, she made up her mind. She sat up and slipped out of bed. Carefully picking her way around her sleeping friends, she moved towards her bedroom door. Silently she opened it, and tiptoed bare-foot down the hall to the heart of the palace.
Eventually she reached, a very ornate-looking door. It was heavy, and creaked as she opened it. The room she entered was filled with mist, and in the center was a tall gateway, guarded by a lone figure. The figure was tall, and dark, with a staff in one hand. Atop the staff sat a garnet-red sphere that glowed a faintly, illuminating the swirling mist around it.
*****
AN: What did you think? I FINALLY managed to finish this chapter, after lots of school exam-induced writer's block, so I hope it was worth the wait!