Adventures of a Little Black Dress
Aino Minako Diary entry June 4 2009
Shock
For my next concert tour in December, I had teamed up with my new on road manager, a Velcro clad chick by the name of Orissa Zloty. She was also a great songwriter and we collaborated on a few songs for the new show. I grew fond of her, especially as she is a bit of a klutz; just like somebody we all know and love. Yup, Usagi. But to be fair, since we all got more than we bargained for with memory restoration freaking Usagi and I out, for you know what? I am Usagi’s half sister, or was. Let me explain.
During the Silver Millennium, mother dearest had seduced King Agamemnon, Sere’s father, of Elysian, and yes, the nepotism thickens, or plot, whatever. See the family resemblance? I always thought Usagi and I were good doubles and perhaps on some deeper level she sensed our past life connection.
Ha, I’m lucky I hadn’t known this before, Hmmm. I can tell you more antidotes, love gossip, but I digress.
I can call upon the Ginzuishou, although not the same way as Usagi can of course. But as I am a shard closer than most, and our Star Seeds are, kind of, family; well, I draw on the power of the crystal to probe the planet and the other kingdoms for any signs of trouble.
June 5
I thought I had heard it all until that day I leant a new and adventurous Setsuna my favorite little black dress. I looked gorgeous in it of course, if you’ll excuse my vanity. But Setsuna looked fantastic and I told her she could snare any guy who saw her in it, so that is where my little story begins.
Tokyo pre-Big Freeze
Oh my head, I had to wonder; were the Bento Boys -- a local troop of musicians with a bento box percussion ensemble led by a young female opera singer belting out amazing arias, performing in my head? Usually they’d put on a show in Azabu Park. But it felt like they’d barnstormed my brain this morning. Every Friday night and Sunday afternoon, this girl, alexia, a gifted student at the Juuban College of the arts, and her brothers would entertain the public and raise funds for the local orphanage. I was sure they were tap-dancing on my pretty skull right now. I moaned with the pain. I got smashed last night, and laid. I was glad it was Takehiko as I was relieved to find a chocolate flower on my bedside table, some aspirin and a glass of water. He is so sweet.
“I love parties, but not the aftermath!” I mumbled from under the orange coverlet. I heard the phone ringing, on my choker. “That’s silly,” I muttered, half still asleep, forgetting I had such a device.
Yup, I have a snazzy little choker communicator. Umino is so adorable. If Naru hadn’t snagged him, I would- “Ouch! Artemis! Claws!”
“Interview at the agency today Minako, I have spent the last half hour trying to wake you, and aren’t’ you going to answer that?” he said, raising a feline eyebrow.
“All right, all right, give me a sec… Hello?” I sat up, still half buried in the warm coverlet and drew my knees to my chest. Boy was I sore all over.
“Minako? I-its Setsuna!”
“What’s wrong!” I said, worried by the tone of her voice, she sounded in a slight panic.
“I am in um, trouble, major trouble. Look, I can’t go into detail now, can you drop over for lunch?” Setsuna said, sounding just like I felt right then; like shit.
“Sure, I will be done after 11:45, see you at your place?” I said, pulling my nightie over my head and tossing it over Artemis’ erect tail and giggled. “Sorry, I just pulled a prank on Arti-sama. You sound like you need a friend woman.”
“Yeah, see you then,” she said, almost sounding frantic, albeit it in that steady, smoldering way of hers.
“That was odd,” I breathed, shaking the cobwebs from my head. “If I didn’t know better, it sounds like Setsuna is more hung-over than I, and that’s saying something.”
“You’re telling me,” Artemis grumbled.
“Hey! Be nice!”
“Give me a break, Mina-chan. I tried everything to wake you, so go girl and no dawdling!” he trotted out of the bedroom as I felt the cool air caressing my body.
“What did you say before, Artemis; I didn’t hear a thing,” I called after him, wanting to know what he had done to try and wake me.
He soon reappeared at my bedroom door. “I said, that I had turned on the television, lit incense, almost burning my whiskers by the way, damn-it. So now young lady, up and at em’!”
“You’re so mean!” I wailed, and rolled out of bed. My body felt like a log, and my limbs felt as if stuck in a microwave oven, eep! I had post dreamy-sex fever. I was almost sure that I was now cooking from the inside out and back again.
I rubbed my eyes, placed the copy of Alice in Blunderland, no, not a mispronunciation, but a little satirical Gothic light relief novella mom bought me for my birthday. Of course, I have the original Alice; but this one makes me giggle, especially when I read it to Takehiko. He cracks up; a girl’s got to lighten up her guy before the main course, does she not?
“Oh! I look horrible, Artemis, am I still human?”
“You don’t want me to answer that do you?” he said, chuckling.
“With furball friends like you, who needs Galaxia and company?”
“I won’t answer that, Minako…”
“Good, thought you were smart cat!” I stared into the mirror then and took in my sallow countenance, “My hair is a mess!”
I felt like a bowl of oatmeal, ug!
“On your bike, Minako!”
“I’m too tired!” I whined, ”All right then, just let me get my circulation going. I will have a glass of orange juice first though.”
I poured myself the juice, squatted and leaned back on my haunches and closed my eyes as I drank. Setting aside the empty glass on a nearby coffee table I then did some light stretching exercises, climbed unsteadily to my feet, and offered the amused Mauan a wry grin. “I’m ready now!”
“Go for it, Minako!”
I was grateful he allowed me this minor concession. You see, a Mauan is a girl’s best friend. He listens to my incessant complaining, bad jokes, doesn’t say anything about the disheveled state I am in after a night on the tiles. Hell, I know I’m not supposed to use Sailor Teleport to return home from a night’s entertainment and passion, but give a female super heroine a break. All hard work you know, sex that is. Worth it for all the hickeys in places, I thought not possible.
“Fruit! I look like a freakin’ newspaper I’ve so many bruises. O oooh! That’s smarts,” I gasped, touching marks that looked as if I were on somebody’s dinner plate, “Eep! Tooth marks! I’ll skin Takehiko/hickey-hunk alive if the makeup doesn’t work on that thing on my neck!”
I stomped into the living room; pulling on a pair of shorts and fastening on a sports bra. I stretched, feeling something pop in my shoulder and groaned. I placed my red bandana on my head, turned on my stereo and rode on my exercise bike to Ayumi Hamasaki’s Secret CD; love that girl!
~*~
I knocked tentatively on Setsuna’s door. I had just remembered I’d leant her that sexy short little black dress of mine. I would ask her if I could have it back as Kunz and I were planning to go out to a restaurant and then onto a J-pop concert over the weekend. But when she opened the door, I was shocked by her appearance.
“Setsuna?” I croaked.
I have helped Setsuna on her bad hair days, relieved her at the Time Gate while she went on dates and needed to get some R and R. But this? She was wearing my little black dress, it was in good condition, and her bronzed skin and the emerald locks poring over its black silky surface, and her unkempt look gave her a weird sensuality if you forgot the washed out look on her face and reddened eyes. She had on smeared eye shadow, a lovely purple that looked as if she’d gotten into a fight and accumulated two shiners. Her hair was in a mess, tangled, and she wore no stockings or shoes; just my dress. I almost wished I hadn't leant it to her.
“You look like hell, woman. What is wrong? Can I come in?” I said, terrified of what she was going to tell me.
“Aha…” All of a sudden she smiled, her breath laced with liqueur, honey melon or something. She swayed and almost fell over as she hung onto the door handle for dear life.
“Setsuna!” I grabbed her wrist to steady her, stepped inside quickly, and shut the door behind me.
“Hello Sailor V!” she announced, and winked and pirouetted and almost fell and my heart caught in my throat. I freaked.
Setsuna now had the silliest look on her face, and was, if you can forgive the obvious pun, off her face as well. “You’re drunk.”
“Whatever… but hi Minako. I have to tell you something. You’re not going to be happy with me,” her smile dissolved into a pitiful frown.
“Hey, it is okay. You know I am here for you guys, all of you. Now lets sit and start at the beginning,” I said, taking her by the hand and leading her to the sofa where we sat.
“I have just spent the night with… somebody I shouldn’t have.” She looked down shyly at her hands that were folded in her lap. This wasn’t real. Setsuna, like a naughty teen just being caught sneaking inside the window after her lover vanished into the night.
“You look well and truly – screwed, fucked, laid, and wild in a good way. But did he hurt you? You got your rocks off, uber-cool. But look, what’s wrong with that and if you had such a good time why feel guilty about it honey? You’re a full-grown woman, one with feelings and needs like the rest of us. Hell, nobody is going to hold that against you.”
“You don’t understand. I was time hopping. I fixed things, then I needed him again; his touch, his kiss and his love. I couldn’t leave it alone.”
“You mean you were seeing somebody in the future and you’re feeling guilty because… I’ve heard of long distance relationships, but I don’t see a problem. Why don’t you just visit him whenever you need to and come back when we need you. Its fine. You’ve paid your dues and I won’t condemn you,” I said as sympathetically as I could, taking her hand and looking into her wide eyes.
“You get smashed, screwed by Takehiko and have heaps of fun, but me? I was sick of it, Minako, the loneliness, the isolation, the lie I am living. I don’t want to play by the rules anymore. I took what I wanted. He wanted me and I had fallen…pregnant with my little girl. Thanks to the Garnet Rod, we’ve lived in relative peace on Kallista. See, Minako, I stayed away and just got back.”
“Wow! Oooh, crap, you got to sober up. What about your little girl? You can’t right yourself off like that and not look out for her. I’m scared to ask. But I will. Who is the father, and the truth, woman.“
She hugged me then, and burst into tears. She tried to speak, “I-I messed things up, but I at least have Persephone,” she said, her lower lip trembling.
“Oh by the Kamis, Setsuna. You mean?”
“Yes, she is in the bedroom.”
“Mother?” the sweetest voice, like honey, drifted like music from the doorway caressing my ears.
I turned to see an eleven-year-old angel, a bronze statuette in miniature. She had hair like her mothers, blue eyes, and I knew then who her father was and gulped.
“Hello?” was all I could manage, as she smiled and offered a bow. I understood it all then. Persephone was holding the Garnet Rod, it was hers now. Upon her brow, the symbol of Terra glowed brilliant gold.
“Persephone, your Aunt Minako and I are going into the study for some tea and to talk, okay?”
“Yes, mother.”
Persephone smiled, a warm smile, and this time, offered the Senshi/Shitennou salute before walking towards the bookshelf and choosing a novel to read while we moved into the study.
~*~
Setsuna and I sat on a comfortable leather sofa and I listened intently to her story.
“I was in Crystal Tokyo, just visiting. Sere had taken a vacation to Mau, and Endy was alone and invited me to join him at the palace and help with the entertainment of the grandchildren. My older self was on assignment and as the days and weeks flew by, Mamoru had confided in me. He and Usagi still loved each other, but she had lost interest in sex. We talked and spent a lot of time together. That was when one night, he asked me to go into the old quarter for dinner and take in a theatrical performance at the Crystal Tokyo Theatre. That was why I came back here to ask you for the little black dress. I think that did it. He couldn’t keep his hands off me once we’d had a few drinks and were dancing. I had never felt so alive as I did that night, a glorious night of fiery desire I had never known had changed everything. But a month later, we were caught by Rei and Isamu. So, I had to reverse time, but I did not include my physical body as I sensed I was carrying his child and didn’t wish to lose her. So, I traveled to a small world far from our star system and with the help of tribal midwives and friends, I was soon able to bring her home. I returned to Crystal Tokyo with my child through the time Gate. I had altered events so Mamoru and everyone in Crystal Tokyo will never know of Persephone , and you cannot tell anyone. I had visited Usagi’s younger self and given her the cure for the condition that only by traveling further ahead and working with ,Ami’s son and daughter could I procure a vaccine that would restore Usagi’s sexual vitality and perfect health thereby guaranteeing a normal relationship for Usagi and Mamoru. I checked, they are happy, better for what I had done for them.”
“But you’re here now, and Persephone-“
“But I still visited Mamoru in that other timeline to spend with him. I couldn’t let go until I renounced my role as Guardian of Time. I demanded, and got, concessions for Persephone from Daphne, the High Priestess of Chronos. The reason I am recovering from a bout of inebriation, was I knew it was time to say good-bye to my Mamoru; if you’ll forgive me for using that turn of phrase. So after we spent the night making love for the last time, a most beautiful night; I brought Persephone here. I was so lonely, and just had to get out, please don’t be angry with me, but I was desperate for human contact and tenderness. I then went out to a club and spent last night with a stranger. He was a beautiful stranger, but I had to dull the pain.“
“Setsuna, despite the edicts of Chronos, nobody should have done and suffered as much as you have. We are all duty bound to protect Usagi and Mamoru, but what you had to do was more than should be asked of you or anybody else for that matter. You acted on very human grounds. Perhaps it was wrong, but I don’t think you should be condemned and I know the Gods of antiquity would not condemn you. You had taken a child for yourself. I know you will love and raise her well. Mamoru has a new life with Usagi, so you balanced it all out and whose to judge in the end anyway. You acted out of need and out of love. That, woman, is all that matters in the final analysis.”
I waited for Setsuna to shower and change, and she looked so much better and we shared some green tea. “Thank you for listening, I feel so much better. Something inside has healed. Thank you.” She hugged me and kissed my cheek and smiled, “Come on, Persephone will be getting hungry, and I would like you to stay for dinner, would you?”
“Sure, I’ll message Arti, he and Luna will take advantage of that. Thank you,” I said, as we joined her daughter. I smiled at Persephone, who was reading a Dickens novel, and totally absorbed.
Diary final notes for the day
Love has many currents: it is both unconditional and passionate. Conversely, it manifests as tough love and can also cut deep, delivering a sweet, sad, tender ache upon the edge of its ancient blade.
I am mistress of the bloom: the thorn and the flower.
You see, I am not just a pretty face. I might mess up my fugue, you know, that term that means I have a good list of words I can call on in any situation. But… I am here for my friends, and no matter the dilemmas they might get themselves into, I will always be there for them as I know they will be for me. And I have my little black dress back, all nice and sexy from the cleaners.
“Look out Takehiko, here I come!”
End
