Chapter 3
Usagi, Ami, and Makoto sat at their favorite spot drinking down their shakes as they all silently pondered what to do about their two friends who seemed so different as of late. "So what are we going to do?" Usagi smiled, the first one to finish her shake as usual.
"I don't know." Ami sighed. "Maybe we should talk to them separately to get both their sides of whatever it is that happened. It obviously isn't something small and has both of them upset."
"That might work." Makoto smiled, playing with Ami's hand under the table, causing a light blush to find it's way onto the blunette's face. "Minako usually gives way with enough prodding, but Rei is the one I'm worried about."
"Don't worry about grumpy old Rei-chan! I'll handle it!" Usagi smiled brightly, already overjoyed at the thought of getting information out of the Martian.
Ami and Makoto shared a look before they looked at the blonde with worry in their eyes. "I don't think that's a good idea Usagi-chan . . ." Makoto started carefully.
"Why not!?" The princess bristled.
"You know how Rei can be. I fear with your tactics she might turn on you and then we won't have a princess to protect." Makoto laughed at Usagi's ghostly appearance. "Don't you remember what happened the first time you met?"
-Flashback-
After training Makoto and Ami took it upon themselves to give their new comrade a tour of the palace seeing as she seemed so lost. "And these are the gardens." Makoto pointed off to the right as the Martian silently observed, taking note of every little thing for possible future conflict and to avoid any further embarrassment in front of the Venusian.
"And there's the commander throwing herself at one of the guards." Rei couldn't stop herself from rolling her eyes this time when she saw the blonde leaning towards one of the guards standing at a door with a smile on his face as the Venusian pulled him in with her charms.
Minako immediately snapped her head over to the group when she heard the familiar taunting voice of her new subordinate. "Shouldn't you be out slaughtering a village or something?" She glared at the raven haired girl, feeling a hint of satisfaction when she saw the fire in the Martian's eyes ignite at her words.
"Shouldn't you-" Rei started stalking towards the blonde, but was interrupted when she saw a flash of blonde hair running at her from the corner of her eye. The pyro let her instincts take over as she quickly flipped the assailant onto their back and had her sword pointed at their neck when she was met with two big blue shocked eyes.
"Princess!" The three other girls went running to their charge's aid.
Rei's eyes widened when she realized the person she just threw to the ground was the person she was supposed to protect. The Martian hastily sheathed her sword and dropped to one knee, bowing her head. "Your majesty. I'm so sorry. I-I didn't know . . ." Usagi started immediately crying, rubbing her eyes with her hands as she sat up.
"Now, now, she didn't mean it Serenity." Ami kneeled down next to the princess, placing a comforting hand on her shoulder.
Head still down Rei gritted her teeth when she heard Minako mumble under her breath as she helped the princess up. "Fucking savage."
"Serenity." Came the unfamiliar voice of Luna as she rounded the corner, seeing her charge distraught and the Martian kneeling before her. "What happened here?"
"I just wanted to see the new guard and-and she . . ."
Luna sighed, looking at the Martian down on her knee. "The fault is mine." Rei kept her head down. "I acted foolishly without thinking. I hurt the one I'm sworn to protect. I understand if you must take my head as proper retribution."
"I can see to it that she's properly punished." Venus smiled wickedly down at the pyro.
"That won't be necessary." Luna shot Minako a look, causing the smile to drop from the blonde's face. "Serenity. . ." Luna turned her attention to the princess. "How many times have I told you that it's improper for a princess to be running around the halls like a child and to STOP tackling people into a hug when you first meet them. She is foreign to our land and is not used to our customs, let alone your own."
"I just-" Usagi sniffled.
"That's enough." Luna interrupted. "Martian, please stand." Rei hesitantly stood up, confused by the lack of punishment. "I don't believe we have met yet. What's your name?"
"Hino Rei . . . ma'am." Rei stood at attention, her hands behind her back, trying not to scowl at her snickering captain.
"Well Hino Rei I'm Luna and this is the princess Serenity who SHOULD be in class right now, learning proper etiquette so we can avoid such conflicts. I do hope there will not be a recurrence of what just happened."
"No ma'am."
"Good." Luna smiled, then looked back to the blonde princess who was trying to quietly sneak away before she got dragged back to her lessons. "Come along Serenity. You're not fooling anyone." The older woman snapped her head back at her charge.
"But lessons are so boring!" The blonde cried as she started to get dragged away.
Rei let out a sigh of relief and as she turned around to address her comrades she was suddenly tackled into a hug with blonde hair clouding her vision. "Nice to meet you Rei-chan!" Usagi smiled, hugging her new guard as tight as she could. Rei looked to her new friends for help, but they just laughed and looked away as the raven haired girl blushed lightly, hesitantly wrapping her arms around the princess in a hug she would never forget.
"Serenity!" Luna yelled when she realized the princess refused to follow orders.
"Save me." The blonde whispered desperately into the Martian's ear.
"Now!"
"Okay okay!" The blonde whined hesitantly letting go of her new guard, heading back to class as if there was a guillotine waiting for her.
"You got lucky this time Martian. Next time I'll have your head on a stick." Venus hissed in Rei's ear before she flipped her hair and walked away.
-End Flashback-
"I think that was the first time I ever saw Rei look so distressed." Makoto laughed, remembering the pleading look Rei gave her when Usagi had her in her grasp.
"I thought she was going to kill me." Usagi pouted as tears welled up in her eyes once again.
"Well I guess that will teach you. Never sneak up on a Martian." Ami smiled as Usagi's eyes widened.
"Not you too Ami-chan! Rei-chan has been a bad influence on all of you!" Makoto and Ami laughed as Usagi threw a fit.
Rei stood with bow in hand, inhaling slowly as she pulled back the bowstring, focusing on her target. She exhaled and let her arrow fly, releasing all of her troubling thoughts of Minako as the arrow hit dead center.
"Nice shot." Makoto smiled as she walked up behind her friend.
"I said I wanted to be alone." Rei didn't even look over her shoulder as she grabbed another arrow, pulling it back.
"Yeah, yeah." Makoto dropped her big duffle bag, waving off the fire senshi's bitter comment.
Rei released her arrow, hitting dead center again before she sighed and turned to her comrade. "What do you want Makoto?"
Makoto just smiled and pulled out one of her many spears, looking at the wood with a hint of nostalgia. "Do you remember the first time we trained together Rei?" The brunette turned to her friend, a smile still on her face.
"Of course." Rei's scowl turned into a light smile.
-Flashback-
Rei furiously shot arrow after arrow at her target as she went over the last run in she had with her commander. Yes, it was her duty to protect the princess, but she never agreed to being under the command of some egotistical Venusian. "Fucking savage." Rei mocked the blonde's voice, shooting her arrow more furiously. "I'll show you savage you stupid Venusian who-"
"Damn Rei, tell me how you really feel." Jupiter laughed, slowly approaching her new comrade, dropping a bundle of spears.
"I didn't hear you enter." Rei kept her gaze on her target, releasing another arrow as Makoto walked up beside her.
"I thought I'd find you here. I know the captain can be a bit . . . trying at times, but-"
"Save it." Rei grabbed another arrow, pulling back the bowstring. "Don't try to tell me that Venusian is anything more than a slut that would love to see my head on a stick."
"She is your captain." Rei released her arrow, missing her target upon hearing Makoto's stern words. "I know you don't like her and I know what the Venusians did back then was wrong, but you have to know she had no part in that." Jupiter picked up a spear and threw it at a target, hitting dead center.
"She may not have been part of it, but her ancestors, her family blood line ran the arena. They built the stone walls where my people were treated as dogs; the sands are still stained with the Martian blood that was spilled to amuse them. Spectating, laughing, and cheering as if death was nothing more than a game." Rei shot another arrow and sent it right through the center of Makoto's spear, splintering the wood.
"Nice shot . . ." The brunette mused to herself, forgetting their disagreement as she looked over at Rei. Shock filled her eyes when she saw the indent in the Martian's right wrist. "Wow, Minako's love me chain left a nasty mark. How were you able to bear that? It must have hurt like a bitch."
Rei absently looked at her wrist, staring at the hearts spiraling up it. "Life is pain. Love is pain. Death is pain. You can't escape it. The trick is not minding that it hurts."
"Wise words. I'll remember them." Makoto smiled lightly, picking up a spear and throwing it dead center again. "Now, let's see if you can do that nifty trick again where you hit my spear. Shall we make it a contest?"
"That is a contest you will lose Jovian." Rei grinned, pulling back another arrow, sending it flying towards Makoto's spear.
-End Flashback-
"Even then you were deadly with a bow and sword." Makoto grinned, throwing her spear at the target.
"Training and meditating helps me clear my mind from troubling thoughts." Rei let loose an arrow, hitting the end of the spear, leaving her arrow sticking out the back of it.
"Well what is troubling your thoughts as of late?" Makoto threw another spear.
"Nice try Makoto, I'm not going to give in that easily." Rei rolled her eyes, going to grab another arrow, but frowned when she saw she was out.
"Looks like you're out of arrows. I win the contest this time." The brunette smirked, walking with her friend to sit down in the grass.
"That's just a fluke." Rei waved off the Jovian's boastful comment, settling herself in the grass, absently picking at it.
"Rei . . ." Makoto grabbed the raven haired girl's hand. "We're all worried about you. What happened?"
The brunette was shocked when she saw the normally strong girls eyes fill up with tears, refusing to make eye contact. "I did something stupid Makoto . . ."
"What do you mean?"
"The other night . . . after we fought that youma . . . Minako . . . I . . . we had sex and I told her I love her. I didn't mean to. It just slipped out and she . . . she ran away as if I told her she was going to die tomorrow. . ."
"Wow . . ." Makoto sat back on her hands, looking up at the sky, then looking back to her distraught friend. "Why would she run away like that? She's the goddess of love after all."
"I don't know." A stray tear fell down Rei's face.
Makoto was quick to pull her friend into a hug. "Hey, don't cry Rei-chan. Everything will be okay." Rei just gripped her friend tightly, crying lightly into her shoulder as Makoto soothingly rubbed her back. "Did you mean it . . .?"
Rei pulled back confused, wiping her tears. "Mean what?"
"That you love her. Do you?"
"I . . . I don't know . . . It all happened so fast. I wasn't thinking and it just kind of . . . slipped out." The raven haired girl blushed, looking down at the grass. "I mean, I've been having different feelings towards her these past couple of weeks, but I didn't think it was love."
"I see." Makoto nodded, leaning back again. "Well Rei, you're both my friends, and I don't want to see either of you get hurt. What she did was wrong and I understand why you've been so cold towards her. I would be hurt if Ami did that to me. Maybe she just needs some time."
"I don't care." Rei said bitterly, picking at the grass a little more aggressively. "She can do whatever she wants. I'll never be that stupid again."
"Rei . . ." Makoto put her hand on the raven haired girl's shoulder. "Life is pain. Love is pain. Death is pain. You can't escape it. The trick is not minding that it hurts. You told me that and I never forgot it, I hope you haven't either. I know you're hurting right now and you don't want to deal with it. I'll give you your space . . . just know that I'm here for you if you need me." Makoto stood up, wiping off her pants.
"Thanks . . ." Rei said softly, looking down, trying to block out thoughts of the blonde as her friend walked away.
Down a couple of streets Minako laid in her bed, barely paying attention to the show on her tv. Her mind was too busy with thoughts of Rei, her touch, her kiss, and then the look in her eyes when she walked out on her. Those eyes haunted her.
"Hey Minako-chan. I didn't hear you come in." Artemis yawned, stretching out his paws before he jumped up onto the blonde's bed only to be met with sad blue eyes blankly staring at the tv. "Oi, Minako-chan . . . is everything alright?"
"I'm fine . . ." Minako said blandly, keeping her gaze away from her pet and adviser.
"You don't seem fine. Did something happen?" The white cat sat in front of the blonde's face, blocking her view.
"It's Rei-chan . . ."
"What happened this time?" Artemis tilted his head to the side, curiously looking at his charge.
"I . . . did something stupid . . ."
"Well that's nothing new." The white cat joked, but the smile fell from his face when he saw the sideways glance Minako sent him with no fight in her eyes. "I'm sorry . . . I mean, what did you do?"
"I . . . I had sex with Rei-chan."
"You what!?" The feline fell off of the bed in shock, slowly climbing back up when he composed himself. "How did that happen Minako-chan!?"
"We were out drinking . . . I went to her place and it kind of just . . . happened."
"That was beyond irresponsible." Artemis chided.
"She told me that she loves me . . ." The white cat took on a more somber look when he saw the look on Minako's face.
"Oh? And what did you say?"
The blonde shook her head, tears filling her eyes. "Nothing."
"Minako . . ." Artemis cuddled up to the blonde, trying to comfort her.
"She hates me now Artemis and I deserve it. I just left her there." Tears spilled out of Minako's blue eyes as she hugged her friend close to her.
"Now, now Minako, everything will be ok." Minako just buried her face further into his fur in response. "Do you . . . love her?"
Minako pulled away from her friend, looking at the wall. "I don't know . . . It all happened so fast. I've had deeper feelings for her as of late and I know I like her a lot, I just don't know if I love her."
"Then why don't you tell her that?"
"I can't . . . She hates me and probably never wants to see me again." The Venusian looked down at her bed sheets, shame taking over.
"You guys are a team." The white cat started sternly. "You need to put your personal feelings aside and make things right."
"I don't want to." The blonde rolled over childishly, turning her back on her adviser.
"Are you the leader?" Artemis put his paws on the blonde's side.
". . . yeah." Minako looked over her shoulder at her feline friend.
"Then act like it." Artemis jumped onto the window sill, heading outside.
The senshi of love mulled over Artemis' words as she gazed at the window he left out of. His words sounded oddly familiar. 'I will.' Minako thought to herself. 'I just need a little more time.' The blonde sighed, closing her eyes, letting sleep take over.
-Flashback-
Minako stormed into her room after her run in with the Martian, her sexual appetite completely gone after Rei's comment. "Who does she think she is!?" The blonde punched the wall. "Treating me, AINO MINAKO, as if I'm some diseased common whore!" The Venusian threw a nearby vase at the wall.
"Minako!? Is everything okay?" Artemis came running into the blonde's room when he heard the sound of things breaking. He stopped in his tracks, looking around the room when he saw the damage that had been done. "What is the meaning of this!?"
"That stupid fucking SAVAGE keeps undermining me at every turn! Treating me as if I'm some common whore! When I agreed to do this I wasn't told I would have to deal with a barbaric, stubborn Martian!" Minako glared at her adviser accusingly.
"Minako, you need to get a hold of yourself." Artemis started sternly.
"Why!? Why should I have to deal with this ridiculous nonsense? You can't possibly expect me to train this savage!"
"I don't expect it." Artemis stepped forward. "I demand it. You are acting like a spoiled child who got told no to a second dessert. I know that Martians and Venusians have their differences, but you are to put those differences aside. You are a team now and you must learn to work together. Rise as one or fall divided."
"She is the one who is making this difficult! Not me. I have been nothing but nice to her and she repays me with backhanded comments and this!" Minako pointed to the mark Rei left on her forehead when she headbutted the blonde during training.
"Are you the leader?" The older man asked, seemingly out of the blue, causing the senshi of love to look at her adviser and friend confused.
". . . yes."
"Then act like it." Artemis' tone dropped to a growl as he left the room, slamming the door behind him, and leaving the commander alone with her thoughts.
AN: Reviews and constructive criticism will be greatly appreciated :)