100 Sailor Moon Stories

Rivalry (Minako)

Minako hugged her legs tightly to her chest as she sat on her bed, gaze angled down at her socks. They had little crescent moons on them; a Christmas gift from Artemis.

Her room was filled with Sailor V merchandise. A little figurine at her desk, a plush smiling up from beside her pillows, replica red glasses despite owning the actual things. Newspaper clippings of Sailor V sightings and saves were pinned on her walls, and yet all she could focus on were the damned moons on her feet.

“Minako…” Artemis offered, but was quickly cut off by a squeak from the girl as she buried her head into her thighs. He recoiled, wincing as if the sound was a physical slap.

“You told me I was the princess…” she whispered. It took everything she had to keep her voice from cracking.

Minako felt so stupid, being upset by all of this. But Sailor V was a thing of the past, a heroine long forgotten now that Sailor Moon and the Soliders-- they were rarely listed out in the papers-- exploded onto the scene and thwarted four times as many crimes than Sailor V ever had on her own. It had bothered her, but she’d never admitted that before now. After all, Minako Aino was the princess of the Moon Kingdom, and Sailor Moon was her lead guardian. Minako needed to stay out of the spotlight to protect her identity and bodyguards.

But all of that had been a lie.

“I know,” Artemis said gently. She couldn’t see him with her head down, but could feel his body heat and breath against her ear as he spoke. She nearly shivered. “I know I did. But it was to protect Usagi, to help yo--”

“She’s such a crybaby!” Minako cried, making the cat beside her nearly jump out of his skin. She couldn’t look at him; that moon on his forehead was nothing but a taunt to her now of what she could have been; what she could have stood for.

Instead, she was permanently banned to the shadows.

Artemis sighed, only furthering her frustration. He’d always hated how vain she was, but if that was her motivation to fight, what was the issue? “Sailor Moon is a better Serenity anyway,” he said.

Shocked human blue eyes snapped up to pierce Artemis’s matching hue. “What?” she gasped, more hurt than the cat had ever heard her.

He swallowed. “I said, Sailor Moon is a better moon princess. Without lifting a finger, she will become legend.”

Minako could have hurled him at the wall in that moment, but instead found herself biting the inside of her own lip so hard she thought she might split it open. She wanted to be the legend. She wanted everyone to know who she was, what she’d done for the world. For the universe. Usagi couldn't care less about any of the notariety...

Gods, the scope of how famous she could have been hit her like a ton of bricks just then. Every guardian of every planet, all of their inhabitants, would have known who she was.

“Her legendary status will be handed to her,” he said, and even as Minako continued staring incredulously into his eyes she saw the side of his mouth quirk up into a grin. “You, however, will be famous by carving out your own destiny. Everyone will know Princess, and someday, Queen Serenity, but just as the powerful leader of the moon and wife to Endymion. You, however, will be the fighter girls will dream of becoming. Everyone in Crystal Tokyo and beyond will know you at the greatest Sailor Soldier to have ever lived. But you’ll need to prove it to them, Mina. Show them what you’re capable of, not being defeated by a lie Luna and I had to tell you to protect Usagi. If you were her? We never would have had to hide the truth, because you’re strong. We needed to make sure Usagi was able to handle it first. Please understand.”

With Artemis’s words, Minako sat up a little straighter. A final tear spilled from her eyes and rolled down her drying cheek as she continued staring at him for a long time. He was right. What the hell was she doing, wallowing over not being the princess when the world needed Sailor Venus to lead their protection? With a slow, inspired inhale, her features turned soft and the girl smiled widely. “Yes,” she said softly, and Artemis’s smile grew to match her own.

And so began the first day of the legendary and heroic heroine of love and justice, Sailor Venus.