The Inner Senshi just stayed there for a moment, looking at the two women with surprise and bewilderment. Minako was the first one to break the silence.

"I can't believe this dreadful woman knows Aya Reiko!"

"That's all you have to say!?" Usagi exclaimed. "She doesn't just know her, she's dating her-"

"Nonsense. And not because she's another woman," Minako clarified, "Aya Reiko would just have better taste than that."

"Hm, I don't know, I think this other woman looks pretty too," Mako added.

"I mean personality-wise she's awful!"

"But, Aya-san said she was meeting with her lover…" Usagi insisted.

"Maybe they just didn't arrive yet and in the meantime, she's talking with her friend," Minako argued.

"They sure look very close to being just friends," Rei added.

"Cousins then-"

"Please, nobody actually believes that," Ami replied.

"Fine. Then let's go ask them," Minako proposed with a malicious smile. "I'd love to meet Aya Reiko and embarrassed that woman in front of her."

"Mina please don't" Artemis begged.

But of course, Minako didn't listen. She discreetly approached the two women, who were sitting on a bench. Her friends could only watch with exasperation their leader's antics.

"Ah, you! You really are following me don't you…!" Minako began with fake outrage before she looked at Reiko. "OH! Aya Reiko!? The TV Idol!?"

"Hey!" the other woman immediately stood up, clearly annoyed. "That's my line! Are you following me…!?"

"Karasuma-san, do you know this girl?" Reiko asked, confused?

Minako completely ignored Karasuma in favour of Reiko.

"You're Aya Reiko, right? I saw you on TV! I'm a huge fan!"

"You-"

"Oh, thank you!" Reiko replied with a polite smile.

"I also aspire to become an idol! I'm Aino Minako! It's an honour to meet someone so talented and beautiful as you!"

"Aww, stop, you're going to make me blush," Reiko replied humbly, seemingly embarrassed by the praises.

"Oy! Don't ignore me!" Karasuma interjected. "What are you doing here? You are bothering us!"

"Ehhhh? But I'm not talking to you!" Minako replied back. "I'm talking to Aya-san! Why would I want to talk to you of all people?"

"You little-"

"Oh, you know Karasuma-san?" Reiko asked, completely oblivious to the tension between them.

"Karasuma uh… I guess I do," Minako replied. "Is she your friend? Cousin?"

"In what world do we look like we're related!?"

"Karasuma-san is my talent agent," Reiko answered with a smile.

"Oh, I see," Minako replied, then thinking, "so it was just that, business relationship. That Karasuma woman was meeting up for work, and Aya-san's lover is still not there yet…"

But then, Reiko gently wrapped her arm around Karasuma's and brought her closer to her in a fond gesture.

"She's also my lover," Reiko added.

Seems like she was completely wrong.

"Ah-ha! So I was right!" Usagi suddenly exclaimed, coming out of nowhere.

And she wasn't alone, the other inner senshi were with her.

"R-Reiko you weren't supposed to… And who are those people!?" Karasuma exclaimed.

"We met earlier at my shrine," Rei replied.

"Oh… and what about the others?"

"My friends too!" Minako said.

"Great, more brats…" Karasuma complained.

"Hey, we're not brats!" Makoto protested.

"Oh! You're the girl I met earlier! Are you still hungry?" Reiko asked.

"Ah? Oh, huh, no, I'm fine, thanks…" Usagi replied, a little bit embarrassed now that she knew Reiko was an idol.

Then there was a short silence and Usagi was the first one to speak.

"So, Aya-san… when you mentioned your lover earlier… you meant Karasuma-san, right?"

"Yes!"

"What? N-No!" Karasuma denied, pulling back from Reiko.

"Eh? We're not dating?" Reiko replied, suddenly looking sad.

"That's… not the point. I told you to not just tell random people about it," Karasuma scolded.

"Well, she wasn't a random person, she introduced herself and told me her name!" Reiko argued back. "And this other girl, well I didn't mention you specifically."

"That's… what? Eh?"

"Yeah, thought so," Reiko added, proud of her 'logic'.

"So are you dating or not?" Minako insisted.

Karasuma glanced at her.

"That's none of your business!"

"Oh? Because that'd be an issue if people knew an idol is dating her own agent? Or for you if people knew you go out with your own client? What a scoop, a real conflict of interest," Minako teased.

"... Shut up…"

"So I'm right."

"...N-No…"

"Minako-chan, that's enough. You got what you want," Rei reprimanded.

"Oh my, I was just joking around. But, if you want to buy my silence, maybe you do me a little favour…?"

"Minako-chan…" Ami said, discouraged.

Karasuma grunt at that comment and pulled out a business card that she ended to Minako.

"Give me a call whenever you need that little 'favour', and then don't bother us ever again," she said as she pulled Reiko and started walking away.

"Ah…! It was nice meeting you guys!" Reiko said, awkwardly waving at them as Karasuma was dragging her away with her.

They waited a few seconds and all stared at Minako with disapproval in their eyes.

"I hope you're proud of yourself," Makoto said. "Was it worth it?"

Minako looked at her friends, then at the business card, where she could read "Karasuma Akane, Aya Reiko's talent agent" followed by a phone number, and then smiled.

"Yep, it was totally worth it!"

Time passed by in class and as usual, Usagi couldn't focus. She couldn't help but think about what happened yesterday. She felt bad for bothering those two and really hoped Minako hadn't annoyed them again yet. Maybe she should have a talk with her about that later.

Usagi sighed, still lost in her thoughts until she realized people were mumbling quietly around. That didn't seem usual in the middle of a class so she looked up. With surprise, she discovered a girl in front of the class, standing by the teacher.

"Everyone, I know it's sudden, but we have a transfer student!" the teacher said. "Please, introduce yourself."

The girl smiled and bowed politely. She had black hair tied into two tight and thin braids on top of two "odango" style buns who looked like cat ears.

"I'm Suzu Nyanko! I transferred all the way from Libya! Nice to meet you!" she said cheerfully.

Usagi noticed the bell collar around her neck. This girl… seemed familiar. Nyanko… have she met her before? She couldn't quite remember. It felt like a deja vu moment.

"Suzu-san's family runs a trading firm, so she lived in Libya for the last three years," the teacher continued. "Please be nice to her and make sure she knows her way around."

"Yes!" the class replied in unison.

"Perfect. Suzu-san, you can sit…" the teacher began, looking around for an empty seat," hm, behind Tsukino-san."

The teacher pointed at Usagi, who flinched, taken by surprise. Nyanko smiled and bowed to the teacher, before heading to the empty seat behind Usagi, her bell ringing as she passed by, and sitting down. Usagi continued to feel like she met her before but given she couldn't recall where, she eventually decided that it must be her imagination and gave up, trying to focus back on the class, in vain.

Once the class was over Usagi nearly jumped up, eager to leave, but was stopped by someone poking her back.

"Huh?" she mumbled as she turned back, discovering who it was.

"Hi!" Nyanko said with a bright smile. "Tsukino-san, isn't it?"

"Ah, yes! Tsukino Usagi. And you are… Suzu Nyanko-san, right?"

"Yep! But you can call me Nyanko!" she replied. "Hey, can I call you Usagi-chan?"

"Eh? Oh, sure…!"

This new transfer student sure was awfully friendly and informal for someone who just met her but Usagi didn't really mind. Changing school can be quite stressful especially when you don't know anyone so she was probably just looking to make some new friends.

"Hurray!" Nyanko exclaimed. "Usagi-chan, your buns are adorable! They look just like odango!"

As she said that, Nyanko reached for one of Usagi's buns, softly stroking it.

"Whoa, your hair is so soft!"

Usagi didn't know what to say. It felt somewhat uneasy to have someone she just met touch her hair like that but it didn't bother her too much. Now that Nyanko got closer, she noticed that she was wearing a single earring on her left ear, a ring one, and that she was around her height- so rather short, but more svelte than her.

"Usagi-chan, what are you doing? Minako-chan and Mako-chan already left…?"

Usagi noticed Ami walking towards them as Nyanko retracted her hand from her hair and turned back, still smiling.

"Hi!" Nyanko said.

"Hi… you're the transfer student, Suzu-san."

"Yes! And you are?"

"Mizuno Ami-"

"She's my friend Ami-chan!" Usagi exclaimed cheerfully. "Sorry, Nyanko-san, I had something planned with her. Talk to you tomorrow at school?"

"Oh, sure! Maybe you could give me a tour? Since I'm new?"

"Oh, huh, yeah! Tomorrow. Seeya!"

"Bye-bye, Usagi-chan!"

Nyanko waved at them with a smile as Usagi and Ami exited the classroom.

"Why was the transfer student talking to you?" Ami asked.

"I guess she just wants to make friends? Since she's new here. Anyway, let's go meet up at Crown! Mako-chan and Minako-chan must be there already!"

Ami nodded and they both headed to the school exit.

Once both Usagi and Ami left the classroom, Nyanko walked to the window and looked through it. When she saw Usagi leaving school ground a smirk appeared on her lips.

"I finally found you, Tsukino Usagi-chan… After so long, I got you…"

She let out a soft chuckle and clenched her fist, still looking through the window.

"Now, at last, I'll get my hand on her, as well as the radiant light she's carrying inside of herself!"

Is this fic just an excuse to bring back one of my fav villain groups? Maybe.
Thanks for reading and I hope you'll stick with me for the rest! Please let me know your thoughts! ^^