Notes: Episode 33, "The Last Sailor Warrior, Sailor Venus Appears". Or, "The one where Minako finally joins."

Episode 33

Minako knew he was there. She pretty much always knew he was there though, even if he liked to think he was sneaky. It was so cute, the way he'd sometimes stalk her around the flat, or when she'd stop in the local news agent after school for a strawberry milk and the latest Beano. Sometimes she'd say something, loud and obvious. Something like, "Boy I sure hope no cats are watching me have another chocolate bar, I might ruin dinner!" You know, right there, in the middle of the shop, which made her first few visits kind of interesting. Most of the clerks took her in stride now and ignored her.

Artemis never made mention of the fact that she'd caught him, but they both knew and that was enough.

But sometimes Minako just didn't bother to acknowledge that Artemis was watching her at all, and this was one of those evenings.

They'd be leaving for Japan tomorrow.

It was only a few days ago that Artemis had let her know. It had been weeks since Jupiter's awakening, and the Dark Kingdom was becoming desperate. It was time to go back. Sure enough, the next day her father announced an immediate transfer back to Japan, which had made her mother ecstatic beyond words.

And Minako should be too, shouldn't she?

She let her toes drag in the dirt under the swing.

"Tell me about them," she said finally.

"What do you want to know?" Artemis replied, stepping out from the shadows.

This was the first time she'd asked about her fellow Senshi. It was weird, but Minako felt like she already knew them, so she'd never asked, and Artemis hadn't pressed.

Plus, her knowing all about them while they had no idea she even existed …

"Everything. I don't know. Who are they?"

Artemis hopped into the empty swing next to Minako. She had to resist the urge to push him.

"Jupiter is the newest Senshi. Her name is Makoto Kino."

"Makoto," Minako repeated to herself. A good name.

"She's strong, and very brave. A bit of a temper, but Luna thinks that'll calm down in time."

Minako nodded but said nothing.

"She lives alone. Her parents died a while ago. Plane crash."

The swing paused, just for a moment, and then Minako resumed lazily pushing herself back and forth. She was surprised how much her heart could ache for someone whose name she only just learned.

"Mercury?" she prompted.

"Ami Mizuno. A true genius, apparently!"

"Well it's Mercury," said Minako, her voice oddly flat.

Artemis chuckled. "Good point. Ami's kind, and completely dedicated. Luna thinks the world of her."

Images fluttered through Minako's mind. Impressions, really, there and gone before she could grasp them. But yes. Minako could understand thinking the world of Mercury. Ami.

Man, this was so weird.

"Then there's Mars, Rei Hino," Artemis continued. "She's … difficult."

Minako lifted an eyebrow at that.

"Her relationship with the others sounds pretty complicated. I didn't get into it much." Artemis looked sheepish, or at least as sheepish as was possible for a cat. "I hate gossip."

"What? You LOVE gossip."

"Okay I love gossip. I hate COMPLAINING. Luna hasn't figured out the difference yet. At any rate, it sounds like Rei has very strong opinions and isn't afraid to express them. I think you're in for a challenge with that one, Mina."

That wasn't even the slightest surprise to Minako. She allowed herself a grin. "That works. I love a challenge."

"Finally, there's Usagi Tsukino. Sailor Moon."

And then there was nothing.

With all the others, Minako had a … a sense of them. Shadows of her memory, flashes of her dreams. But when she thought of Sailor Moon, there wasn't really anything at all. A vague glow sometimes, like in the periphery of her vision, but whenever she'd turn to get a better look, it was gone.

Artemis was relaying Luna's account of Usagi, which seemed pretty unfavourable really, but Minako discovered she didn't really care about that anymore. There was suddenly something much more important. So much more important. The most important thing in her entire life.

"Artemis?" she interrupted, and the cat fell silent. "Do you think they'll like me?"

"You're their leader, Mina." He said it like it was the only answer that mattered. She wasn't sure how to tell him it wasn't, so she didn't say anything at all.

Then Artemis was in her lap and nudging her hand with his nose. "You're Sailor V," he said encouragingly.

"I'll be Sailor Venus."

"You're Minako Aino," Artemis said firmly. "And they will love you."

Minako smiled at Artemis and scratched him behind his ear, just the way he liked. "Good," she said, thinking of these girls she'd never met but had never forgotten. "Because I already love them."