Disclaimer: As much as I would love to own Sailor Moon and make Reinako canon, I cannot. All rights of Sailor Moon are reserved to Takechi Naoko. However, this current plot belongs to me. Any characters, places, or events are purely coincidental or historical.

So now that that's over with, enjoy the story!

Minako watched the bitter cold snowflakes fall gracefully outside her bedroom window. She had loved the winter season ever since she was little; it was just so magical and beautiful.

Two innocent children, both snug in winter coats, laughed as they had a fierce snowball fight.

Yes, winter was also the season that she had met the mysterious Hino Rei in when they were in their final year of kindergarten, before they had become Sailor Soldiers. It pained Minako that the shrine maiden hadn't remembered their prior friendship years ago; Minako had plenty of photos and memories to confirm it, too.

A young Minako took boredom and exhaustion induced turn down a narrow hallway in the famed T*A Academy—that happened to also supply kindergarten classes, in which she had attended.. She immediately his behind the corner and watched a the conversation of a group of girls—a few years older than herself—surrounding a small raven haired-girl.

"I wonder where Hino is going off to, maybe to go off and make up people's deaths?" one sneered.

"I don't make up people's deaths; I can't change them or the future!" the raven haired girl argued. "I wouldn't be shocked if you did though, Watanabe."

"Well, it's obvious psychics don't exist!" another girl said.

"Yeah," a third agreed. "They're just little girls trying to get all the attention, fame, and money all for themselves. They're so selfish and cheap."

"But—"

"Leave her alone!" Minako cut her peer's comeback. "I'm sure she has an amazing gift, and doesn't need meanies like you to make fun of her about it!"

"You're in on the act too, Aino?" Watanabe asked boredly. "Do us all a favor and leave, we don't need to be in the presence of blonde-headed idiots, either."

"I can sense it in her aura; she's anything but stupid," the raven-headed child stated.

"I'm bored, let's go." Watanabe turned and left with her lackeys flanked at each of her sides, almost like bodyguards.

"Thank you," the girl said quietly.

Minako smiled at the other girl's sincerity and flashed her a brilliant grin. "I'm Aino Minako, the Goddess of Awesomeness!"

"I'm Hino Rei," Rei introduced. "The So-Not-Buying-Minako's-Goddess-Act Mascot."

Minako laughed wholeheartedly as the they chatted away, hitting it off instantly.

She smiled briefly at the memory of which she and Rei had met for the first time. It had just hit Minako recently that the shrine maiden was so much more calmer and way less irritated back then, maybe it was the combination Usagi and her air-headed personalities put together. Putting them together was never a good idea, especially when they mimic movements; neither was that.

Minako clutched a fluffy orange pillow to her chest at the thought of the raven-haired girl, sending her diary—yes she had a diary—down to the floor, opening to a random page. If Minako were honest, she had been crushing on Rei for a few years now, and it had been approximately a year since they had defeated Galaxia. And yes, the great "Goddess of Love and Beauty" was bisexual, a fact in which she had come in terms with a while ago, especially after meeting Haruka and Michiru.

An eight-year old Minako had stared at Rei in awe. "The fire is telling you that I'm going to help save the world?"

Rei nodded. "Who knows, maybe you'll become a superhero or something?"

Minako grinned lopsidedly and posed, much like Sailor Moon would do in the future. "Yeah, I am the Pretty Suited Soldier in a Sailor Suit, Sailor Venus, and in the name of epic-ness, I shall punish you!"

"More like Sailor Hyperactive," Rei grumbled. "But why Venus and the speech?"

Minako shrugged. "I don't know, it just came to me."

Rei turned her attention to the fire. "Maybe—"

Minako couldn't remember how the rest of the conversation went. She hugged the pillow tighter. That was eerily similar to a future speech that Sailor V and Sailor Moon would both eventually say in the future, and her Sailor Soldier alias as well. Was she having flashbacks or random memories of the Silver Millennium back then, too?

Slurred speech and the opening and slamming of a door broke Minako out of her thoughts. Shortly after she had turned fourteen, her father had began drinking—eventually becoming an alcoholic. He had a lot of stress from his job and some from her mother, maybe sneaking out more to fight Youma had caused him to finally turn to alcoholism.

"I will give you one last love fortune, V; you will always chose your duty over love." Ace lost his grip and fell from the building to his death.

Minako grimaced. Would she always chose duty over romantic, friendly and family love; her parents, friends—and Rei? She couldn't turn her back on her duty, on Usagi, her best friend. At least Rei and the others could relate to her devotion—they all loved Usagi as much as she did—but her parents could never understand.

"Minako?" Yoshiro—her father—called.

Minako pulled the blankets up higher. Her father's temper while he was drunk also was much worse; any wrong move would probably result in some sort—whether verbal, mental, or physical—form of abuse, which had started months before. "I'm upstairs!"

Briefly hearing footsteps creek up the wooden staircase, she jumped out of bed and studied her outfit. Minako was sure her father would be okay with her white t-shirt with an orange collar and short sleeves, blue sweatpants, and the red band that tied some of her long blonde hair back in place of her casual ribbon.

"Why were you upstairs?" Yoshiro asked in his drunken stupor. "Were you planning on sneaking off again?"

Minako shook her head. "No sir, it's just really late and I have school tomorrow." She would have to tread carefully and watch the wording and expression she chose for the conversation, in fear of a beating.

"What's this?" Yoshiro picked up a book that he had conveniently been stepping on—her diary.

Minako paled. If he opened to the page that was about Rei, well, she would be the pure definition of screwed.

Her father thumbed the pages, licking his lips through the process. Then, he suddenly stopped, and his facial expression contorted into something Minako recognized quite clearly. It was the face that Rei made whenever she talked about the "new boy toy of the week", or when Makoto heard about someone who has cheated or harmed another; it was one of disgust mixed with some anger.

"What is this?" Yoshiro demanded, pointing to the page that had a few paragraphs and a picture of her and Rei with three or four little hearts around it. "You're one of them?"

Minako looked down. "T-that was one of my friend's books."

"And what's this about you being Sailor Venus?" he slurred, blatantly ignorant her previous remark.

As if on cue, her mother wandered into the room to see what the commotion was about, with Artemis stealthily maneuvering around her behind.

"What's going on?" Kimiko asked warily.

Artemis gave a Minako a concerned, 'You-So-Did-Write-About-The-Sailor-Soldiers-in-Your-Diary' look.

"Look at this honey," Yoshiro suggested, and went to his wife to analyze the diary's revealing content that he just had.

Kimiko concerned face fell ito one of horror. "You were Sailor V and Sailor Venus, and your friend Rei is Sailor Mars?"

Minako, you idiot! Artemis practically face palmed in the doorframe.

Minako bit her bottom lip. This wasn't good, she had to think fast or face the consequences. Well, at least her parent's didn't know Usagi's identity as Sailor Moon and the Princess. Her hand shot out to grasp her transformation stick in an attempt to hide it. "Uh, yeah, in the Sailor V video game!"

"What's this Minako?" Kimiko firmly ripped the transformation stick from her daughter's hands.

Yoshiro scowled deeply as he sloppily unbuckled his belt and got it hastily prepared for a—Minako guessed it—beating. "You lied to us about being a Sailor Soldier, and you have a crush on a girl; that deserves quite a disciplinary lesson."

Papa is just drunk, Minako reminded herself, just as a belt made contact with her cheek and a pained yelp tore from her throat.

"What do you want Usagi?" Rei asked over the phone in her bedroom, adorned in her school uniform and a small aggravated frown splitting across her lips.

"I think something is wrong with Mina," Usagi replied worriedly. "She was going to meet me at the arcade after we ate dinner, but she never showed up."

"It's already midnight Usagi, I'm sure she got grounded or something!" Rei exclaimed. "That is usual for her, after all."

"Aren't you worried about her? I would go but I got grounded and Mommy won't believe that Mina is in trouble, so she let me call you so you can go and check on up on her," Usagi said.

"Alright," Rei grumbled unintelligently and hung up the phone. She stood threw on a black unzipped hoody and scarf, then bolted from the Hikawa Shrine. Mina, you better be alright.

Minako's parents had left the house to "talk" hours ago after the whole incident. She hadn't gotten away easily those, she had cuts and bruises all over her body from the belt and slaps she got from her father. Her mother had seemed pained when it happened, but didn't stop him—there was nothing she could do to snap him out of it due to his drunken stupor, anyway.

"Mina, are you alright?" Artemis asked, cuddled in her lap. He had kept asking that question to every five minutes, and for the thought given, she was grateful; it just happened to be a tad bit annoying.

"I'm fine Arty, no need to worry! I had worst wounds as Sailor V and Venus, so I can handle a measly beating." Minako winked and gave her signature 'V' sign, then winced.

"You are clearly not alright Mina!" Artemis raised his voice. "We're getting you some sort of medical attention!"

She shook her head and went to say something, but was interrupted by the knocking of the door. Minako climbed down the timber staircase weakly.

"Mina, are you home?"

She heard Rei's voice call and instinctively opened the door. "Um, hi Rei."

Rei jumped to her side and stared at her friend's pale skin that had been marred by bruises and cuts, wide-eyed. "Mina, what happened?"

Minako felt a frown tug at her lips. "It's nothing I can't handle, Rei; I can deal with it."

"It isn't nothing Mina!" Rei argued valiantly. "Someone hurt you!"

I can't get Papa in trouble. Minako's frown deepened. "It doesn't hurt."

"I'm getting you to some sort of doctor now, and that's final!" Rei ordered, picking up her blonde friend bridal style, being cautious to prevent any further wounds.

"Rei . . ." Minako murmured and blushed profusely.

Suddenly, her father stormed in. "Your mother and have talked and—"

Rei noticed the blood on his hands, and her amethyst eyes immidiately narrowed dangerously. "He did this?"

Minako hesitated slightly, then nodded her head slowly.

Rei merely scowled silently, staring at the drunken man with pure hatred only imminent in her gaze.

"Y-you're that girl," Yoshiro stuttered. "You turned my daughter into one of them!"

He's drunk, Rei thought briefly as she came to the realization. "There's nothing wrong with Mina."

"But she's one of them!" Yoshiro shot back.

"One of what?" Rei raised a curious brow.

Minako became nervous. What if her father spilled the spleens about her crush. Or was it beans?

"Alright, she's a lesbian because you!" he growled loudly.

Rei's eyes widened as she put the pieces together. Minako had a crush on her? For how long did she have it? Would it affect their duty to Usagi? Rei mentally laughed at the thought. No, Mina would never chose love over our duty to Usagi, and neither would I.

Minako felt as if her world had shattered. Rei was going to hate her and their friendship was going to be destroyed, she just knew it.

W-where did he get that? Minako froze as her father pulled a gun. He aimed it at Rei, who was shielding her bravely.

"If you die, then she will be free!" Yoshiro said. "I will kill Mars, then Venus!"

"He's not your father Mina!" Rei revealed. "He's a Youma!"

"You finally caught on; it was so hard to keep that act up without breaking out into fits of laughter," Yoshiro laughed insanely. "Of course you were easy to trick for months, your real father is in some hospital in Kyoto sleeping peacefully, Venus; he has been for months."

Rei raised her transformation stick. "Mars Crystal Power, Make-Up!"

Sailor Mars grabbed Minako's hand and led her up staircase. "Get to safety, I'll deal with the Youma, alone."

"No way!" Minako shook her head. "We're both Sailor Soldiers and in it together!"

"But he has a gun," Mars explained. "Trust me, alright Mina?"

Minako went to protest valiantly, but was silenced by Mars' lips pressing against her own.

"I'm sorry Mina," she whispered before bolting from the room to face the Youma.

"Rei . . ." Minako pressed a finger to her lips. She turned and began rummaging through her closet, as if she were looking for something. "Well if Sailor Venus can't help, then maybe someone else can."

Sailor Mars was thrown into the wall by Youma Yoshiro, who had eight long plant vines sprouted from his back, newly grown fangs, ruby red eyes, and a green tint to his skin. She wiped away some of the blood that fell from the corner of her mouth. "I won't give up."

"Oh really?" Yoshiro raised a brow. "Then how come I'm winning?"

Mars frowned. "You're not."

"I am, now Plant Lightning Strike!" Yoshiro sent his vines—now electrically charged—whistling in her direction.

Mars paled and squeezed her eyes shut. There was no way she could move, much less dodge the oncoming attack.

"We'll protect the princess and survive the final battle, Venus. I swear on my life that those Earthlings won't touch the ones I love as long as I have breath in my body!" Princess Mars declared as she ran her fingers through Princess Venus' long blonde locks.

"But, you said the vision you had—" Venus began.

"Looks like you're the one conflicted about my visions this time," Mars cut her companion off with a bitter chuckle. "Don't lose hope my love, it doesn't look good on you."

Venus turned so that she was facing Mars. "I guess you're right, about this and the switching roles part; that was my line!"

Mars laughed and leaned down so that their lips were only centimeters apart. "I try."

And then their lips were touching.

Mars came out of the memory. She often heard that one's life passes by in flash before death, or past lives in her case. She had been dealing with the memories of the Silver Millennium flooding back in waves every other night after the battle with Galaxia, which had been weeks ago; peace apparently, didn't like her or friends very much.

Suddenly, a crescent boomerang gadget stopped the attack in a flash seconds before it hit Mars. She adverted her gaze her savior's direction and her eyes widened at who it was.

"I am the Pretty Soldier in a Sailor Suit, Sailor Venus! Codename: Sailor V!" Sailor V shouted and struck a pose. "And harming those who are innocent and fight to protect is unforgivable! Crescent Beam!"

Mars took it as an incentive to go on the offensive. "Mars Flame Sniper!"

The attacks melded together and obliterated the Youma brutally, to the point where even the golden dust that were normal remnants wasn't even present.

V had tears in her eyes. "Papa . . ."

Mars immediately went up to the distraught girl and enveloped her in a comforting embrace, stroking her hair rhythmically. "Mina, we know where you're real father is, and we'll get him back; I promise."

"I heard and saw everything," Kimiko stated flatly, appearing from out of the shadows. "I can't say I hate you Minako, but I need time to adjust to everything."

Sailor V ran up into her mother's arms. "I love you too Mama."

Sailor Mars watched the reunion from a distance, and a feint smile began to grace her lips. Mina as insufferable as you may be, you're still truly amazing.

"You're kidding, you so did not go through that Mina!" Usagi sputtered dramatically.

"I am not!" Minako shot back, holding Rei's hand. They were outside of the Hikawa Shrine on a day after school. It had been a few days since the incident, and since she and Rei became an item. "I'm not lying, right Rei?"

Rei nodded quickly. "I was there."

"Wow, Mina has Rei whipped big time," Makoto snickered.

"Mako, that was rude," Ami scolded.

Makoto's face went red under the genius' gaze. "I-I'm sorry."

"And she claims that I'm whippped," Rei scoffed.

Minako hugged Rei's arm tightly. "If that's true, can I have these new pair of shoes that just came out a few weeks ago."

"But those are really expensive!" Usagi enthused. "It took my whole monthly allowance plus Mamo's help to get them!"

Minako gave her the puppy dog eyes. "Please?"

Rei groaned. "My poor wallet!"

A/N: How did you guys like it? This took me like forever to write, so please remember to rate and review!

Kindergarten does exist in Japan by the way; it begins at age three or four. Kindergarten may be optional, but many young children still choose to attend anyway.