Okay, well, now that you all know a bit about the story, let me explain…I'm not sure exactly where this is going. It's a new idea. I've never wrote about anyone in SM but Mamoru and Usagi…and I wanted a change. Plus, I wanted to try and make Minako look like a more serious character than she's often portrayed.

and I know what one certain special someone will say when he reads this…heh…well, honey, I'm not sure if it's going to be Motoki and Minako just yet. Probably not, actually…lol, but we'll just see, ne?

Dreaming of Dreams

Chapter Two


Minako rushed into the arcade, panting from her sprint. She noticed all her friends sitting in a booth near the back of the café and walked up to them. She smiled before collapsing in the seat. "Hey guys, sorry I'm late. I…woke up late."

Tsukino Usagi, who was sitting beside her, giggled. "That's okay, Mina-chan! I've done it before!" Usagi reached over and grabbed a half-finished chocolate milkshake off the table and started slurping on it, her pretty blue eyes happy and livid. The bubbly blonde then leaned back and yawned. "I was almost late myself. My alarm didn't go off."

Hino Rei, a raven haired Shinto priestess, rolled her deep violet eyes. "Alarm didn't go off, my ass. You're just too lazy to get up."

Usagi stuck her tongue out at Rei. "Rei-baka!"

Kino Makato, with brunette hair and a tall physique, clamped a firm hand over Rei's mouth before she could retort. "Oh, come on, guys, stop it!" She said, slight annoyance showing in her green eyes. She grinned and turned to Minako. "Glad you finally made it, though, Mina-chan. We were getting worried."

Minako nodded. "Gomen nasai…"

Mizuno Ami raised her sapphire orbs from a psychology book she had been reading to glance over at Minako. "Is something bothering you, Mina-chan?"

Minako looked over at the blue-haired girl. "Iie, Ami-chan. I'm alright. Why?"

Ami shrugged her small shoulders. "You just don't seem …peppy today."

Minako smiled. "I'm okay, Ami-chan." Ami nodded, though not completely satisfied with Minako's answer.

Rei stretched her arms over the table. "Okay, so, now that we're all here, we can finally begin. I called us all here because…well, I…" She stopped and grinned, then motioned for everyone to wait a moment while she rummaged through her purse for something. Finishing her search, she brought forth a brochure that she quickly hid behind her back before the other girls could see. "You see, a few weeks ago I signed up for a drawing. Well, I won! It's a fantastic prize, too! And I want to share it with all you guys!"

Usagi leaned over the table excitedly. "Oooh, what is it, Rei-chan? What is it, what is it?"

Rei grinned. "What, no Rei-baka?"

Usagi shook her blonde head furiously. "Iie, iie, no Rei-baka!"

Rei laughed. "Well, it's a trip for a group of six to a new resort that just opened up…in…"

All the girls were leaned in very close to Rei, their eyes anxious.

Rei was gloating over her information, knowing the suspense was killing her friends. She just grinned, placing a finger over her lips.

Makato pinched her.

Rei yelped. She looked over at Makato, who was threatening to pinch her again by leaning closer. Rei squealed. "Alright, alright! It's in Paris, alright! Paris!"

"PARIS!" They all yelled together.

Usagi was jumping up and down excitedly. "Paris, Paris, Paris!"

Minako grinned. "Count me in!"

They all nodded, accepting the offer as well. Rei reached behind her back and pulled out the brochure with information about the trip. She spread it out across the table. Makato and Usagi bumped their heads together trying to look at it at the same time.

Rei was still gloating. "I knew you'd all want to come. But now we need a sixth person as well. There are only five of us."

Usagi's eyes lit up. She looked up at Rei with a wide, pleading look. "Rei-chan, can I invite Mamo-chan along? You know, for male protection? Paris is such a big city, after all, and we'll need a…guardian!"

Makato started muttering under her breath, leaning back into the booth cushions. "Male protection…yeah, if Mamoru comes along she'll need LOTS of protection…a different kind of protection."

Ami and Rei heard her. Ami blushed, while Rei burst out into laughter. Usagi jumped up and leaned over the table.

"Hey! What are you laughing at, Rei! What did Mako-chan say?"

Rei just smiled at her. "Nothing, Usagi-chan…just a…private joke." She looked over at Makato and winked. Makato grinned.

Usagi rolled her eyes. "Well, can Mamoru come? Pleeeeeeasee?"

Minako laughed. "Oh, come on, Rei-chan; let the girl bring her boyfriend. At least she's lucky enough to have a boyfriend to share Paris with!"

Rei sighed. "Oh, alright…it's not like I have a boyfriend I could invite."

Makato reached over and grabbed Rei in a bear hug. "Awww, Rei-chan, we're going to France! You know there have to be lots of cute guys there! Maybe you'll meet someone?"

Rei grinned. "Yeah!"

Minako smiled. "Well, how long are we going to be gone?"

"Well, we leave Monday, and we'll be gone two weeks."

Usagi sighed happily. "Two weeks in Paris with Mamo-chan…" She noticed the girls giving her evil looks. She laughed nervously. "And you guys, too, of course."

Makato rolled her eyes. She started talking under her breath again. "I doubt she and Mamoru will ever actually leave the hotel room and SEE Paris…"

Rei started giggling again.

This time…Usagi heard what Makato had said.

"MAKO-CHAN!" She turned a bright red shade.

Makato batted her eyelashes. "Why, whatever is the matter, dear INNOCENT Usagi-chan?"

Rei burst out in laughter.

Usagi clenched her fists together. "It's none of your business what Mamo-chan and I do!"

"Well, that didn't keep you from telling us ALL about the night you lost…something…" Rei grinned, raising her eyebrows mischievously.

"REI-CHAN!" Usagi screeched, her eyes wide and face blushing brightly.

"Heeeeeeeeeeh…………." Rei giggled.

Ami tried vainly to block out anything that was said with her book. Minako smiled and listened to the two girls teasing Usagi, but decided that she wasn't in the mood to take part. She leaned back in her seat and stared up at the ceiling. She smiled. 'Maybe this is just what I need. A trip away from here might be good for me. Thank goodness for Rei and her contests.'

She sighed slightly and turned back to her friends. She grinned as she watched Usagi being bantered.

"Usagi and Mamoru, sitting in a tree! K-I-S-S-I-N-G!"

"REEEEEIIIIIII!"

"Oh, hell, Rei, you KNOW they've done MORE than just KISS…" Makato laughed, standing up and poking Usagi in the ribs teasingly.

"Makooooo-chan!"

Minako grabbed one of Usagi's long pigtails and tugged on it slightly, forcing the blonde to finally sit down again. "Don't pay any attention to them, Usa-chan. They're just jealous cause they're all still virgins."

Rei narrowed her eyes. "Oh, and you're NOT?"

Minako crossed her arms and stuck her nose up in the air. "I never said anything about me. I'm just saying that you guys are jealous of Usagi."

Rei and Makato slunk down in the booth, grumbling, admitting defeat. Ami looked up from her book at Usagi.

"Just make sure that if you and Mamoru are sexually active that you take precautions, Usa-chan. We don't want to see Chibiusa running around here TOO early, after all."

Usagi blushed again. "Ami-chan! That was…so…"

Minako was shocked herself. "Bold of you, that's for sure. It's so unlike you, Ami-chan!"

Ami shrugged. "Well, I can be bold when I want to be. Besides, I'm just worried over them. I don't think neither of them is ready to be parents just yet, anyways…well, at least I know Usagi isn't."

Usagi sat numbly, blushing.

Makato and Rei were tumbling over with laughter.

"Yah, Usa-chan's most definitely not ready to be a 'Momma'!" Rei said while choking with laughter.

Minako flinched at the sound of the word. 'Not that again…'

Usagi sighed heavily, standing up again. "Who says I'm NOT ready to be a mother? Well, it doesn't MATTER. Mamo-chan and I have already decided that we're going to wait until he finishes medical school before we marry and start a family…and that's going to be two more years!"

Makato nodded. "That's very wise of you. But let me guess, it was Mamoru who decided on that."

"Yeah…so?" Usagi mumbled.

Makato grinned. "Nothing, it's just that it's usually Mamoru who makes the logical decisions."

Rei nodded. "You'd be lost without him, Usa-chan…you definitely wouldn't have made it out of high school."

Usagi smiled slightly. "Even though I know that's an insult, you're right." Her eyes became dreamy.

"AH! Oh, no, we've gotten her started! Let's run before we get another 'Mamo-chan is so wonderful' speech!" Makato yelled. She jumped up and grabbed Rei and Ami by the arms and dragged them out of the booth. Usagi pushed Minako up out of the booth and started chasing after them.

"Hey! But I didn't say anything!"

"But you were going to!" yelled Makato, rushing out of the arcade. Usagi followed, running.

Minako stood beside the booth they had been sitting in and watched them through the window. Makato and Rei were running, both holding Ami by an arm each, her trying vainly to put a bookmark in her book. Minako smiled slightly as she saw Usagi chasing after them, her blonde pigtails flying behind her.

She sighed and walked away from the booth. 'What a crazy day.'

She started to walk out of the arcade when she saw Furuhata Motoki standing at the front counter, wiping it off with a cloth. He looked up and noticed her. He smiled and waved. "Hey, Mina-chan!"

She smiled back and walked up to the counter. "Hey, Motoki-kun. Business slow today?"

He nodded. "Yeah, a bit. What's up with you, Mina-chan? It seems like it's been forever since I last talked to you."

She sat on one of the stools at the counter and shrugged. "Nothing much. It has been a while since we've talked though, hasn't it? I'm sorry; I haven't been by the arcade much lately. I've…been so busy."

He smiled warmly at her. "It's alright. I've missed you, though. You've always been one of my favorite customers, after all." He laughed slightly and placed a light kiss on her cheek. "I'll be right back, okay? I think that kid over there is about to murder that game machine."

She nodded and smiled as he walked off. 'Motoki-kun…' She sighed softly, thinking fondly of the tall blonde haired man. 'He treats me like a sister…' She looked down at her hands in her lap. 'I wished for such a long time that I would be more to him than that…but it would have never worked between us, anyways, I don't guess.'

He walked back over to her and noticed her sad, forlorn expression. "Mina-chan? Is something the matter?"

She gasped and looked up at him. "Oh, Motoki-kun! I didn't notice that you were back. No, nothing's wrong, I'm alright." She flashed him a quick smile.

He frowned. "Okay, Mina-chan, but…you know I'm always here for you if you ever need to talk, right?"

She nodded, noticing concern in his deep brown eyes. 'How come everyone is so worried over me?' She thought. "Sheesh. I'm not always happy, after all." She forgot to notice that she said that last bit aloud.

"Well, I know, Mina-chan. No one is always happy…but you're one of those people that are rarely unhappy and when you are, it's easy to notice…because it's so odd."

She smiled. "Well…thanks for your concern, anyways, Motoki-kun. You're the greatest, as always."

He chuckled lightly. "Nah, I'm just your average, lonely arcade guy that would do anything to talk to a pretty girl such as yourself."

She grinned. "Well, I wouldn't say you're lonely. How are things with you and Reika?"

His smile quickly became a frown. "Mina-chan…you didn't hear? Well, you haven't been her much at all lately, but…Reika and I decided to…part ways a while back."

She gasped. "Oh! I'm so sorry, Motoki-kun."

He smiled sadly. "It's alright, Mina-chan. It was for the best, after all."

She tilted her head to the side. "But how come you broke up? You and Reika were so great together." She actually meant what she said, too. Even though she had always been incredibly jealous of Reika, she had always liked her. Reika and Motoki had made a good couple. It was really a shame that it had ended.

He shrugged. "Well…actually, it was her that broke up with me. She…found somebody new."

Minako frowned severely. "She's crazy! How on earth could she ever want any other guy over you?"

He laughed. "Well, Mina-chan…sometimes things just don't work out. I guess it was that Reika didn't feel like…we would last. So, she moved on. And don't worry, because I've moved on, too."

She smiled cheerfully. "I'm so glad! So have you got a new girlfriend?"

He shook his head. "Nah, but that's alright. I'm just taking my time. I want to find that special girl that I can love for the rest of my life."

She nodded slightly, looking down at the counter. "I know what you mean. I've been doing the same thing…for years. Well, Motoki-kun, I hope you're lucky enough to find that someone special, because you really deserve to be happy." She looked up at him with a watery smile. "Take care, Motoki-kun, alright? I have to get going now. When I have time, I'll stop by here, okay?"

Motoki frowned slightly. "Oh…well, yeah, I'd love it if you came by. You be careful, Mina-chan…"

She nodded and got up off the stool she had been sitting on. She threw a half-hearted wave his way and slowly walked out of the door.

He stared after her retreating figure, noticing how very dejected she looked. "Mina-chan, what on earth could be bothering you so much?" He muttered. "You're not supposed to be like that…it's not right…"


Minako sighed as she walked into her messy bedroom. She noticed that Artemis was napping on her bed, his little form spread out over a pile of her clothes. She giggled slightly as she watched him snooze. He was obviously having a very animated dream, as he kept reaching up and hitting something in the air.

She shook her head and slipped quietly out of the room, as not to disturb him, and into her bathroom. Standing in front of her bathroom counter with wide mirrors, she took her long sunny streaks of hair down out of the crimson hair bow that it had been held up by. She reached over for a hairbrush on the counter and ran it through the strands, getting the loose tangles out. She closed her eyes. When she finished, she reopened her eyes and stared into the mirror. Her face became pale as she noticed how much likeness there was between herself and the little girl in her dream. When her hair was down out of its hair bow, they looked almost identical, the only difference being the color of their hair. She gulped and turned away from the mirror. She shook her head violently. 'Who IS she? Damn it! Get out of my head!' She started crying softly and slid down to the floor, burying her face in her hands. 'I'll never find anyone to love and love me, and I'll never have a child…so just go away…I can't have a child, even in a dream…I'm not allowed that kind of joy…'

She furiously wiped at her eyes, trying to rid herself of the tears. 'Damn it…'


Mamoru stared at the night lights of the city of Tokyo from his apartment balcony with a deep from crossing his handsome features. 'I hope Minako is alright…she seemed so worried about the dream this afternoon. And why is this so bad that I can't tell Usako?'

Usagi came out to join him, carrying two cans of soda. "Mamo-chan, are you alright?"

He blinked and turned to the girl handing him a drink. He smiled. "Hai, Usako, I'm fine."

She smiled back at him. "Good! You look so serious sometimes, though…" She giggled slightly.

He smiled a little and wrapped his arm around her shoulders before turning back to the view of the city. "Gomen, Usako…I've just got my mind on so many things right now that I'm probably not that great of company."

She looked up at him confusedly. "Like what?"

Mamoru looked over at her from the corner of his eye. "Oh, don't worry about it, Usako. It's just little trivial problems and such."

She laughed happily, reaching up and kissing his cheek. "Oh, if that's what it is, then I'm sorry I can't help you, but you know me! I'm no good at trivia questions at all!" She giggled.

Mamoru just smiled and kissed the top of her head. He wasn't about to correct her mistake.

Chapter Two End.