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Minako Aino walked up the steps to the Hikawa Shrine. It wasn’t her first time at the shrine but it was the first time she was there without most of the other Senshi.
Just her and Rei.
To have just a little teeny-tiny chit-chat.
Rei greeted her before she even knocked. The raven-haired girl led Minako to her bedroom where tea and snacks were waiting. The two girls helped themselves and talked about school and the latest gossip about celebrities.
Finally, Minako put her cup down. She looked at Rei and asked, “What’s wrong with you?”
“Excuse me?”
“What’s wrong with you?”
“I don’t understand. What are you talking about?”
Minako took a deep breath. “I know about you and Mamoru. I also know how you and Usagi got, or didn’t get along before I got here. I’ve seen how you react around her. Your reaction when Usagi and Mamoru’s True Identities were revealed was interesting. You were supportive. At that time. Then you’ve gone back to your rude and demanding, and let’s be honest, slightly hateful, and bullying self.”
“I never…” The Senshi of Fire was clearly livid.
“Oh, don’t clutch your rubies! I’m not in the mood for it.” The Senshi of Love clearly didn’t give a fuck.
“I’m going to ask you again. What is wrong with you? Why do you treat Usagi the way you do?”
“SHE’S TAKEN EVERYTHING AWAY FROM ME!!!” The scream tore its way out of Rei’s throat.
Minako raised an eyebrow. “Really? You have your life, your home, and your family. I think she’s given you more than she could possibly take.”
“She took Mamoru from me.” Hissed Rei.
“He was never yours.” Minako calmly replied. “Not. Ever. He is bound, heart and soul, to only one person. Usagi.” Minako rubbed her face. “Quite honestly, it’s not really fair to either of them to be soul bound that way. Mamoru’s been through things in two lifetimes that most people wouldn’t experience in ten. Usagi is remembering her past life in bits and pieces and the trauma from that and is now having to deal with the fact that the man she loves has been captured by the Enemy.”
“She made me kill Jadeite!” Rei leaned forward spitting out the words.
Minako nodded. “So, you remember him. Good. You killed him back in the Silver Millennium too.”
Rei reared back in shock.
Minako gave her an icy grin. “Oh, yeah. You killed him. Just like Jupiter killed Nephrite. You set Jadeite’s ass on fire and laughed until you died.”
Rei was pale from shock. Her mouth opened but no words came out.
Minako ruthlessly continued. “At least this lifetime you weren’t his lover. Probably made killing him easier. Until you realized what he meant to you. And Mercury killed Zoisite back then too.”
Minako glared at the priestess. “And you know what else…we. Were. At. WAR. A dirty, ugly violent war. And the Jadeite you killed? That was just a shell. That wasn’t your Jadeite. He was already dead. Killed by Beryl. And you knew it.” Hissed Minako. “Just like Mercury and Jupiter knew that the things they killed weren’t their lovers. Like I knew. But we didn’t win. We didn’t lose either. There’s been a…ceasefire…for a thousand years. And now it’s over. This time around, we must win. There is no other choice. And if you don’t get over yourself, YOU will be the reason we lose.”
Minako gathered her things and stood up. She looked down at the shocked priestess. “Go pray in front of your Fire. Do something. I don’t care. But if you don’t stop undermining Usagi and making Makoto and Ami do the same. I will stop you. And you won’t like my methods.”
Minako turned and walked out of Rei’s bedroom and out of the Shrine and back down the steps.
“Minako, did you get through to her?” Artemis had waited for her.
Minako sat on the bottom step and looked at her guide, mentor, and friend.
“I don’t know.”