Winter ~Samui Kisetsu No Monogatari
Title: Winter ~Samui Kisetsu No Monogatari
Genre: Shoujo ai, angst, alternate/expanded scene for Act 17
Series: Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon
Pairing: Hino Rei (Sailor Mars) x Aino Minako (Sailor Venus)
Rating: U
Disclaimer: Takeuchi Naoko and Toei own the rights to all PGSM characters
banner courtesy of automated_icons
many thanks to Sailor Dream
semi-related plug: kissearly
The threat of snow hung heavy in the crisp mid-morning air. The autumn leaves were turning slowly, one by one, into flakes of almost snow. Hino Rei scrapped the wooden branches of her broom harder against the stone steps outside the temple, as if the fierceness of her motion could somehow ease her agitation.
The temple had fallen under a black cloud whilst she was in residence, so much so that even Yuuichirou, who she had come to regard as painfully insensitive due to the sheer levels of his idiocy, had known well enough to stay away from her. In the empty branches above, the crows whispered and gossiped with one another, casting cold, black eyes over her movements.
It had been several days since her confrontation with Aino Minako in the empty hall of Saint Juban's, the overbearing white cross towering over them, simple and devoid of ceremony. Her cheeks burnt a brighter shade of red and she scraped the branches of the brush harder against the steps, beads of sweat rolling lightly down her spine. The memory of their conversation was still fresh in her mind, causing her lips to curl in distaste as she considered Aino's criticism of her ability and the accusation that she was somehow responsible for allowing the youma to escape its final end.
She tightened her fists around the end of the broom and scraped the branches harder still, her teeth grinding together. The wooden staff of the broom protested in earnest and snapped; the lower half shattering upon the steps beneath her.
She stood there for a moment, drawing heavy breaths and clutching the ruined handle in her burning palms. With a sudden discomfort she realised she was being watched. The discomfort sparked within her, igniting into flames of anger as she turned her head in a sweeping gesture towards the presence awaiting her, lips already parting to mouth Yuuichirou's name in disgust. She stopped abruptly, her cheeks turning from red to pale in a matter of moments.
Standing effectually in the shadow of the temple's massive gates and the clustered teahouses beyond was Aino Minako, indifferent and fierce-looking. The brim of a cow-print cowboy hat came down low enough to cover her eyes save for when she looked directly up and the sharp heels of her boots tapped a slow and infuriating rhythm upon the stone ground beneath her. Her hands remained clasped behind her back in what Hino could only interpret as an act of disrespect.
After sometime she looked up and met the shrine attendant's withering gaze.
"What do you want?" Hino whispered with restraint, the words hissed between the rows of her teeth.
Aino's gaze did not falter.
"I wanted to see if you were still sour because of your failure." She said, firmly but equally as quiet.
"I didn't fail!" Hino snarled in response. "I'm just as good a soldier as you are!"
"Which is why you should try harder." Aino smiled sadly. She turned away slightly, her eyes glancing to the right at the withered trees and frostbitten ground. "I didn't come here to point out your faults; I just wanted you to know I'd been thinking of you."
The sad smile curled into playfulness as she turned back and brought her arms out from behind her back revealing a small, delicately wrapped box topped with a red bow.
Hino's cheeks reddened at the sight of the box, the sweat feeling cold upon her back.
"What is it?" She whispered in surprise.
"It's a present." Aino responded. "You can think of it as an early Christmas gift if you'd like."
"A present?" Hino repeated with confusion.
She stumbled forwards and reached out for the small box resting in the palm of Aino's left hand. Deftly the other girl stretched towards her, taking hold of her wrist with her free hand and pulling her close before she could protest. Their lips met and Hino Rei's eyes widened in surprise, the blood rushing to her face and her heart leaping in her chest.
Gently Aino Minako pulled away from her, smiling with patience and keeping her fingers firmly around Hino's pale wrist. Hino Rei's expression crumpled in confusion as she lifted her hand to her lips, unconsciously tracing the lines of the kiss Aino had stolen.
"I...I don't understand this kind of present." The words stumbled from her suddenly dry throat.
Aino guided her hand slowly over to the small box she held outstretched and dutifully, Hino lifted the box and slipped her other hand free of Aino's hold. With trembling hands she undid the delicate bow and unfolded the orange wrapping paper to reveal a small red box.
She looked up again, her forehead creasing in a frown. Aino nodded patiently and, with some small hesitation, she opened the box. Cushioned between thick pads of red velvet was a delicate crystal snowflake on a silver chain.
Hino gasped and looked up with tears forming in her eyes.
"I...don't understand..." She whispered.
Aino shrugged and smiled, turning her face away to the withered winter trees once more.
"You need something to balance that fiery spirit of yours." Her enigmatic smile deteriorated into a smirk. "Or someone."
Hino's eyes parted as she struggled to find the words to express herself.
"I...I...want..." She whispered softly.
Abruptly, Aino lifted her hand up from Hino's own and struck against the other girl's hand with her palm. The necklace went sailing from her hand into the cold morning air causing Hino to lunge forwards and snatch it away from the grasp of gravity before it shattered upon the ground. She looked up, her face red and her hair falling over her eyes.
"What do you think you're doing?" She shouted, her voice echoing amongst the trees about the temple.
"I want you to fight for something." Aino said calmly. "I want you to show me that there are things in life you won't surrender."
She dashed forwards and struck out, her palms crashing into Hino's stomach and sending her staggering backwards, the hard soles of her geta crashing against the stone as she turned her staggering steps into a backwards jump, pedalling against the air and landing on the fragile slanted roof of the temple.
"I want you to be strong." Aino answered; her voice dark with barely concealed emotion. "I want you to be stronger than even me. I want to know that I can believe in you...that I can really fall in love with you."
Hino's face flushed a deeper red and she staggered, almost toppling from the roof. Without waiting for her to recover, Aino leapt into the air, her heels crashing into the tiles of the roof and her immaculate nails curling inwards as she balled her hands into fists.
She struck out and Hino side-stepped, throwing out her free arm and parrying the second blow before ducking down and sweeping her legs out in a circle that caused her rival to leap upwards into the air. She twisted her head, watching as the other girl landed in the branches of the nearest pine tree before swiftly turning and sprinting across the roof, her geta clattering as she ran.
With deft agility she ascended into the air, her feet landing upon the tree's spine. With an effort she kept her self in motion, sprinting upwards at an angle and leaping onto the same branch as Aino. Their fists met and she felt her skin split as the other girl's rings dug into her knuckles. She bit her lip and slammed her foot forwards, twisting her leg around Aino's and delivering a blow to her side that sent her flying from the tree.
Without losing her pace, Aino Minako darted into the air and landed upon the nearest branch of the next tree. Hino launched into the air after her, one hand still clasping onto the snowflake necklace as they danced from tree to tree, striking occasional blows against one another. She struck out once more and was a second too late to avoid Aino's fist rising in a simple uppercut that caught her beneath the chin and lifted her feet from the branch.
She tumbled to the ground, just managing to land upon her feet amongst the dead leaves and pine needles of the forest floor. Tentatively she wiped the back of her hand on her bruised lips, leaving a sharp trail of vivid blood on her cold skin.
Her rival stepped calmly from the tree, gliding through the air and landing unscathed before her. With a smile she closed her eyes and whispered:
"Venus Power," She lifted her hands and calmly crossed her arms, her eyes snapping open and meeting Hino's. "Make up!"
Flames of curling orange light ignited about her, peeling away from her body and rising to form a halo of burning illumination. The dry leaves at her feet withered, twisting inwards before crumpling into ash. Hino staggered back, fearful for the first time in her life, of the intensity of fire.
Slowly Princess Sailor Venus lifted her head, Aino Minako's eyes glistening behind the fringe of soft blonde hair.
Hino tightened her grip around the necklace and hardened her resolve, her heart hammering now in her chest. With a curl of her lips, Venus threw her arms backwards and launched forwards. Hino Rei matched her movements, throwing herself forwards into the princess' path and twisting momentarily to the side before bringing her fist crashing down from above and slamming into the side of Venus' face.
She felt the weight of her blow connect and cried out as she saw the princess' face twist in agony, her body falling forwards into the dirt and leaves.
The wind howled between the trees and slowly, bruising and smiling, Princess Sailor Venus lifted her head from the ground.
"Princess..." Hino whispered.
Venus rose, gingerly dabbing at the blood that marked the corner of her mouth. Hino Rei stood trembling before her, eyes full of tears and her hand clutching the necklace.
"Thank you." The princess whispered simply and opened her eyes.
Hino fell forwards without a second thought, the tears spilling from her eyes and leaving soft marks on the immaculate white of Venus' uniform. Gently the princess lifted her chin with a gloved hand and guiding her lips once more to hers.
They kissed and Hino Rei felt her knees give way, surrendering completely to the embrace and strength of her rival. So strange, she reflected, to have found such powerful feelings kindled in the places where her mother had been laid to her final rest and her father had abandoned her.
She surrendered unconditionally and about them both, the first snow of winter began to fall.
Genre: Shoujo ai, angst, alternate/expanded scene for Act 17
Series: Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon
Pairing: Hino Rei (Sailor Mars) x Aino Minako (Sailor Venus)
Rating: U
Disclaimer: Takeuchi Naoko and Toei own the rights to all PGSM characters
banner courtesy of automated_icons
many thanks to Sailor Dream
semi-related plug: kissearly
The threat of snow hung heavy in the crisp mid-morning air. The autumn leaves were turning slowly, one by one, into flakes of almost snow. Hino Rei scrapped the wooden branches of her broom harder against the stone steps outside the temple, as if the fierceness of her motion could somehow ease her agitation.
The temple had fallen under a black cloud whilst she was in residence, so much so that even Yuuichirou, who she had come to regard as painfully insensitive due to the sheer levels of his idiocy, had known well enough to stay away from her. In the empty branches above, the crows whispered and gossiped with one another, casting cold, black eyes over her movements.
It had been several days since her confrontation with Aino Minako in the empty hall of Saint Juban's, the overbearing white cross towering over them, simple and devoid of ceremony. Her cheeks burnt a brighter shade of red and she scraped the branches of the brush harder against the steps, beads of sweat rolling lightly down her spine. The memory of their conversation was still fresh in her mind, causing her lips to curl in distaste as she considered Aino's criticism of her ability and the accusation that she was somehow responsible for allowing the youma to escape its final end.
She tightened her fists around the end of the broom and scraped the branches harder still, her teeth grinding together. The wooden staff of the broom protested in earnest and snapped; the lower half shattering upon the steps beneath her.
She stood there for a moment, drawing heavy breaths and clutching the ruined handle in her burning palms. With a sudden discomfort she realised she was being watched. The discomfort sparked within her, igniting into flames of anger as she turned her head in a sweeping gesture towards the presence awaiting her, lips already parting to mouth Yuuichirou's name in disgust. She stopped abruptly, her cheeks turning from red to pale in a matter of moments.
Standing effectually in the shadow of the temple's massive gates and the clustered teahouses beyond was Aino Minako, indifferent and fierce-looking. The brim of a cow-print cowboy hat came down low enough to cover her eyes save for when she looked directly up and the sharp heels of her boots tapped a slow and infuriating rhythm upon the stone ground beneath her. Her hands remained clasped behind her back in what Hino could only interpret as an act of disrespect.
After sometime she looked up and met the shrine attendant's withering gaze.
"What do you want?" Hino whispered with restraint, the words hissed between the rows of her teeth.
Aino's gaze did not falter.
"I wanted to see if you were still sour because of your failure." She said, firmly but equally as quiet.
"I didn't fail!" Hino snarled in response. "I'm just as good a soldier as you are!"
"Which is why you should try harder." Aino smiled sadly. She turned away slightly, her eyes glancing to the right at the withered trees and frostbitten ground. "I didn't come here to point out your faults; I just wanted you to know I'd been thinking of you."
The sad smile curled into playfulness as she turned back and brought her arms out from behind her back revealing a small, delicately wrapped box topped with a red bow.
Hino's cheeks reddened at the sight of the box, the sweat feeling cold upon her back.
"What is it?" She whispered in surprise.
"It's a present." Aino responded. "You can think of it as an early Christmas gift if you'd like."
"A present?" Hino repeated with confusion.
She stumbled forwards and reached out for the small box resting in the palm of Aino's left hand. Deftly the other girl stretched towards her, taking hold of her wrist with her free hand and pulling her close before she could protest. Their lips met and Hino Rei's eyes widened in surprise, the blood rushing to her face and her heart leaping in her chest.
Gently Aino Minako pulled away from her, smiling with patience and keeping her fingers firmly around Hino's pale wrist. Hino Rei's expression crumpled in confusion as she lifted her hand to her lips, unconsciously tracing the lines of the kiss Aino had stolen.
"I...I don't understand this kind of present." The words stumbled from her suddenly dry throat.
Aino guided her hand slowly over to the small box she held outstretched and dutifully, Hino lifted the box and slipped her other hand free of Aino's hold. With trembling hands she undid the delicate bow and unfolded the orange wrapping paper to reveal a small red box.
She looked up again, her forehead creasing in a frown. Aino nodded patiently and, with some small hesitation, she opened the box. Cushioned between thick pads of red velvet was a delicate crystal snowflake on a silver chain.
Hino gasped and looked up with tears forming in her eyes.
"I...don't understand..." She whispered.
Aino shrugged and smiled, turning her face away to the withered winter trees once more.
"You need something to balance that fiery spirit of yours." Her enigmatic smile deteriorated into a smirk. "Or someone."
Hino's eyes parted as she struggled to find the words to express herself.
"I...I...want..." She whispered softly.
Abruptly, Aino lifted her hand up from Hino's own and struck against the other girl's hand with her palm. The necklace went sailing from her hand into the cold morning air causing Hino to lunge forwards and snatch it away from the grasp of gravity before it shattered upon the ground. She looked up, her face red and her hair falling over her eyes.
"What do you think you're doing?" She shouted, her voice echoing amongst the trees about the temple.
"I want you to fight for something." Aino said calmly. "I want you to show me that there are things in life you won't surrender."
She dashed forwards and struck out, her palms crashing into Hino's stomach and sending her staggering backwards, the hard soles of her geta crashing against the stone as she turned her staggering steps into a backwards jump, pedalling against the air and landing on the fragile slanted roof of the temple.
"I want you to be strong." Aino answered; her voice dark with barely concealed emotion. "I want you to be stronger than even me. I want to know that I can believe in you...that I can really fall in love with you."
Hino's face flushed a deeper red and she staggered, almost toppling from the roof. Without waiting for her to recover, Aino leapt into the air, her heels crashing into the tiles of the roof and her immaculate nails curling inwards as she balled her hands into fists.
She struck out and Hino side-stepped, throwing out her free arm and parrying the second blow before ducking down and sweeping her legs out in a circle that caused her rival to leap upwards into the air. She twisted her head, watching as the other girl landed in the branches of the nearest pine tree before swiftly turning and sprinting across the roof, her geta clattering as she ran.
With deft agility she ascended into the air, her feet landing upon the tree's spine. With an effort she kept her self in motion, sprinting upwards at an angle and leaping onto the same branch as Aino. Their fists met and she felt her skin split as the other girl's rings dug into her knuckles. She bit her lip and slammed her foot forwards, twisting her leg around Aino's and delivering a blow to her side that sent her flying from the tree.
Without losing her pace, Aino Minako darted into the air and landed upon the nearest branch of the next tree. Hino launched into the air after her, one hand still clasping onto the snowflake necklace as they danced from tree to tree, striking occasional blows against one another. She struck out once more and was a second too late to avoid Aino's fist rising in a simple uppercut that caught her beneath the chin and lifted her feet from the branch.
She tumbled to the ground, just managing to land upon her feet amongst the dead leaves and pine needles of the forest floor. Tentatively she wiped the back of her hand on her bruised lips, leaving a sharp trail of vivid blood on her cold skin.
Her rival stepped calmly from the tree, gliding through the air and landing unscathed before her. With a smile she closed her eyes and whispered:
"Venus Power," She lifted her hands and calmly crossed her arms, her eyes snapping open and meeting Hino's. "Make up!"
Flames of curling orange light ignited about her, peeling away from her body and rising to form a halo of burning illumination. The dry leaves at her feet withered, twisting inwards before crumpling into ash. Hino staggered back, fearful for the first time in her life, of the intensity of fire.
Slowly Princess Sailor Venus lifted her head, Aino Minako's eyes glistening behind the fringe of soft blonde hair.
Hino tightened her grip around the necklace and hardened her resolve, her heart hammering now in her chest. With a curl of her lips, Venus threw her arms backwards and launched forwards. Hino Rei matched her movements, throwing herself forwards into the princess' path and twisting momentarily to the side before bringing her fist crashing down from above and slamming into the side of Venus' face.
She felt the weight of her blow connect and cried out as she saw the princess' face twist in agony, her body falling forwards into the dirt and leaves.
The wind howled between the trees and slowly, bruising and smiling, Princess Sailor Venus lifted her head from the ground.
"Princess..." Hino whispered.
Venus rose, gingerly dabbing at the blood that marked the corner of her mouth. Hino Rei stood trembling before her, eyes full of tears and her hand clutching the necklace.
"Thank you." The princess whispered simply and opened her eyes.
Hino fell forwards without a second thought, the tears spilling from her eyes and leaving soft marks on the immaculate white of Venus' uniform. Gently the princess lifted her chin with a gloved hand and guiding her lips once more to hers.
They kissed and Hino Rei felt her knees give way, surrendering completely to the embrace and strength of her rival. So strange, she reflected, to have found such powerful feelings kindled in the places where her mother had been laid to her final rest and her father had abandoned her.
She surrendered unconditionally and about them both, the first snow of winter began to fall.