Fic: Family Secrets
Title- Family Secrets
Author- Baka Gaijin30
Rating- PG13 (for now)
Chapter- 8
Pairing- Minako and Hotaru
Summary- Hotaru had always taken her parents at their word when it came to her past. But now, with memories slowly emerging, will she be able to handle what she learns? Set post Stars.

-Family Secrets-

Disclaimer: I do not own Sailor Moon, nor am I making any sort of profit whatsoever off this, so please don't sue me.

Author's Note: This story is based mainly on the anime. I'm fully aware that in the manga the Outers actually played a part during the Super S storyline, but for right now just go with it (wink, wink). Also, I'm beginning to notice my version of Rei Hino sounds more like the live action PGSM version than anything, which is probably because I've just started watching PGSM. Again, just go with it.

-VIII-

Their lips slowly separated, both girls slightly in need of air yet neither one willing to release her grip on the other. Minako, remembering something she'd once read in a tawdry romance novel, leaned in and lightly nipped Hotaru's neck with her teeth, then slowly caressed the area with her tongue. The sensation caused the younger Senshi's eyes to widen in surprise before closing once more as she let out a low moan.

Their lips came back together. The kiss this time was longer, deeper, and far more sensual than their first nervous attempts. Hotaru suckled on Minako's lower lip as they separated once more. They touched their foreheads together as the Senshi of Death reached up and slowly stroked the blonde's cheek with her hand. Hotaru licked her lips, the taste of Minako's strawberry flavored lip gloss lingered there and caused the younger Senshi to smile slightly. She took a deep breath as she closed her eyes and nuzzled into Minako’s neck.

Minako reached up and slowly began running her fingers through Hotaru’s hair. Her heart was in turmoil. It had all started out innocently enough. She’d had it all planned; she would keep Hotaru from running away by letting her stay with her, the younger Senshi would come to her senses and would go back to her parents, and everything would go back to normal. Making out with the troubled youth was most definitely not part of the plan.

As she felt Hotaru’s warm breath on her neck, she began to wonder where they were supposed to go from here. And, more importantly, exactly where was “here” anyways? Up until a short time ago, she was Hotaru’s “obi-san,” her “auntie,” along with the other Inner Senshi. What were they now? A couple? Obviously, they’d just kissed, hadn’t they? The problem was Minako wasn’t quite sure how she felt about this new complication. Was she in love now with Hotaru? Was Hotaru in love with her? What if the younger Senshi’s feelings were stronger for her than hers were for the younger Senshi?

What if they were less?

She began to wonder if they shouldn’t perhaps slow down a bit, or if it was already too late to slow down, when Hotaru looked up at her, her amethyst eyes sparkling a bit as she smiled somewhat shyly. “Are you scared?”

Minako blinked. “Hai,” she admitted.

Hotaru’s smile broadened a bit, “I am too.”

It was then that Minako realized the younger Senshi shared her concerns. The thought that she was not alone in her apprehension was reassuring. Silently she kissed Hotaru’s forehead and allowed her to once more nuzzle into her. She still didn’t know if what she was feeling was necessarily love yet, but as the Senshi of Love she did know that love wasn’t something that could be analyzed or controlled. It was something more than that, it was a primal force that moved through and grabbed hold of you, and the most anyone could do when in it’s grip was hold tight and go along for the ride.

She kissed the top of Hotaru’s head once more as she continued to stroke the Senshi of Death’s jet black hair. Maybe this wasn’t just another complication that had to be dealt with. And maybe this whole thing wasn’t going to end in disaster like she dreaded. Maybe, just maybe, things were going to work out alright.

--

Rei walked ahead of the three older Senshi, setting the broom she was carrying down outside the door as she entered the shrine. Behind her, Haruka turned to Michiru. “What gives?” she whispered, “Why did she get upset when you mentioned you were a more powerful psychic?”

“Because,” Michiru answered nonchalantly, “She has her pride, and it's one thing for her to acknowledge I'm a more advanced psychic, but quite another for me to point it out. Hmmm... I suppose I could've been more tactful.”

“We've no time for tact,” Setsuna answered back, “At least not at this point.”

Rei bit her lower lip. Despite their hushed tones, she could hear every word being spoken. She could still remember how it was, when she, Usagi and the others were trying to convince the Outers to join them, that no one had to die to stop the Silence. She could also remember Neptune and Uranus challenging Sailor Moon after it was all over, claiming she wasn't worthy of being their princess. She could forgive that; she'd once thought Usagi unworthy as well.

She could not forgive the Galaxia incident. They killed Pluto and Saturn, gave up their star seeds, and even went so far as to slap Sailor Moon across the face. And for what? A failed attempt at Sailor Galaxia that was doomed from the start. They hung out in their mansion constantly, hardly ever associated with the Inners (not once, during the entire Dead Moon Circus crisis, did they ever bother to show their faces or offer their assistance), were overly secretive, and had proven more than once they were capable of damn near anything if they thought the ends justified the means.

To make a long story short, Rei didn't trust the Outers any further than she could throw them. The one exception of course being Hotaru, and she was the one missing. Still, she had to admit that their concern for her was genuine. Especially Haruka's; she could feel waves of remorse and sadness coming from the tomboy. Michiru likewise seemed heartbroken to the psychic young miko, and Setsuna...

Rei stopped dead in her tracks in the middle of the hallway. As the footsteps behind her stopped, she closed her eyes and focused. Murder? She opened her eyes, her lips drawn down into a deep frown. Setsuna was prepared to murder the girl if necessary. She should've known. She closed her eyes once more. The other two only cared about her safe return. They had no idea.

“Rei?” Setsuna asked, “Why are we stopped? Is something wrong?”

Rei turned and stared silently at Setsuna. In one look, Setsuna knew Rei knew and Rei knew that Setsuna knew she knew. The Time Senshi had been so busy guarding against Michiru that she'd forgot to shield her feelings from the miko as well. The younger Senshi narrowed her eyes slightly. Confronting her in front of the others here and now would serve little more than to slow them all down. Hotaru needed to be found.

“No,” Rei finally said as she turned back around, “Nothing.” As she led the way once more, she resolved to keep an eye on Setsuna herself. Suddenly, a whiff of incense smoke drifted around the corner of the hallway, along with the beating of a drum. “What's going on?” she asked as she hurried around the corner.

The sight that met her caused her to stop once more, this time in astonishment.

Her grandfather, dressed in full ceremonial regalia, was slowly making his way down the corridor chanting. He had remembered his walker at least, but taped to the walker’s frame were burning sticks of incense and streamers with exorcism prayers hand scrolled on them. Also, hanging from the center of the walker by a string, a small gold bell rang with every step. Behind him, glancing nervously over at Rei, Yuuchirou banged away on a small white drum.

Rei put her hands on her hips as she glared at the pair. “Exactly what are you two doing?”

Yuuchirou winced a bit. “It wasn’t my idea, Rei-san. He…”

“Yuuchirou!” the elderly priest shouted, “Quiet! Keep banging on the drum while I perform the exorcism.”

“Exorcism?” Rei asked, exchanging a confused glance with Yuuchirou who simply shrugged his shoulders.

“The twenty-eight Lunar mansions are in flux,” the aged man said, as if the news made perfect sense, “The four Heavenly Kings are shaken, the planets are out of alignment, they’re…”

Rei put her hand up to her forehead. “Not this again,” she muttered, turning red from embarrassment as she realized the three Outers were witnessing the old man’s ravings. She knew that her grandfather was further along into Alzheimer's than previously thought, but she had no idea he was this far along. She was about to go over to him to bring him back to his bedroom when she felt a hand on her shoulder. Turning, she saw that it was Michiru who was withholding her. The artist’s face looked serious as she walked past Rei, brushing a strand of her elegantly wavy aqua hair back behind her ear as she politely bowed to the priest.

The old man’s eyes lit up. “My goodness,” he said as Michiru straightened up, “You look like my third wife.”

Michiru smiled slightly, “Indeed? And how many times have you been married?”

The old man gave a wink. “Twice,” he answered with a toothless grin.

For the first time in close to five days, Haruka laughed. Michiru blushed slightly as she regained her composure. “Flattery aside, what were you saying about the planets just now?”

Rei’s grandfather suddenly took on a serious tone. “The planets are in chaos,” he said gravely, “They’ve fallen out of alignment.”

Michiru sighed as her eyes looked sadly back at her fellow Outers and back to the elderly priest. “Yes, we know. That’s why we’ve come to your granddaughter for help.”

Rei’s mouth hung open a bit as she suddenly realized her grandfather had been trying to tell her something all along even in the midst of his dementia. “Grandfather…”

Her grandfather looked over to her, “Rei? Yes, yes of course. I’m going to walk the grounds, trying to appease the divine forces. Rei, she can help you. I’m no good for it anymore.” He turned away, chanting once again as he and Yuuchirou passed by the four Senshi.

Rei watched him walk around the corner. “He knew,” she muttered in shock, “Somehow, he sensed it. How did I not know?” She turned and looked sullenly at Michiru. The answer was blatantly obvious; Michiru knew because she was the more intuitive. She turned away, her dower mood now even more sour as she led them the rest of the way to the sacred flame.

--

Souichi Tomoe hurried along out of the subway depot towards Shiba Park in Minato, Tokyo. His lawyers weren't happy with him right now, which he could understand. But for the moment, this was more important even than his custody fight for his daughter.

Tourists to Japan invariably like to point out how much Tokyo Tower resembles the Eiffel Tower. In point of fact though the Tokyo Tower is thirteen meters taller than the Eiffel. And as Professor Tomoe entered the tower's main elevator, his mind quickly began going over the facts and figures of the structure. There was a four-story building located directly underneath the tower called Foot Town which housed museums, restaurants and tourist shops. The number of tourists from around the world that came and visited the landmark numbered into the millions each year. The number of casualties, should anything happen here, would be catastrophic.

The 2-story main observatory was located at one hundred and fifty meters up the structure, or four hundred and ninety-two feet. Professor Tomoe had ruled out this observatory as an illogical choice. If Kichi Asagiri was really going to go through with this insane plan of hers, she'd be far more likely to choose the smaller special observatory. It was up at the two hundred and fifty meter mark (eight hundred and twenty feet), was less guarded, and because of the extreme height had fewer visitors.

Professor Tomoe himself was afraid of heights. His heart began beating rapidly as he felt the elevator continuing to rise. He fought off a sudden feeling of nausea and tried to stay focused. Tomorrow was Saturday, the day Kichi said she was going to try to use her orgone accumulater on the tower. She wouldn't return any of his frantic calls, so he had no choice but to come here in the hopes she'd be here and he could talk her out of this.

After she had left his class earlier in the day, Professor Tomoe had gone to the university library to do a bit of research of his own. Wilhelm Reich's work with his orgone accumulators had convinced him that orgone energy was a negatively-entropic force in nature which was responsible for concentrating and organizing matter. Normally such claims would've been enough for Professor Tomoe to chalk the man up as a simple nut.

The problem was that Reich theorized a conjugate, life-annulling energy in opposition to orgone. He called it Deadly Orgone Radiation (DOR for short) and warned strenuously against anyone trying to tamper or alter his accumulator designs for fear of someone after him accidentally releasing a burst of DOR.

And Kichi had claimed to have made “improvements” to Reich's original design.

The elevator doors opened. The professor ignored his vertigo and suddenly increased nausea as he stepped out onto the platform. Grabbing the guardrail, he tried to catch his breath as he looked around. Tourists of several different countries walked around him, as well as several fellow Japanese nationals. Some took photos of the view and each other, while others bought postcards and other knick-knacks. As he forced himself to walk around the platform, he saw a few people in line to get their photos taken at a photo booth. The smiling female attendant turned in his direction, a startled look passing over her face.

It was Kichi.

The professor narrowed his eyes as he made his way over. “Why Tomoe-sensei,” Kichi said, “I didn't expect to see you until tomorrow, if at all.”

The professor pushed Kichi aside as he took a closer look at the photo booth. There appeared to be photographic equipment inside, but the outside of the booth didn't look right. There were three large tubes sticking out the back into the air, and wires and strange-looking control panels stuck out on both sides of the booth's entrance. There were also far too many monitors for a simple photo booth.

It was an orgone accumulator. An orgone accumulator cleverly disguised as a photo booth in order to get it past security.

“People, get back!” Professor Tomoe said as he attempted to push the people in line to get their photos taken away, “This is a potentially dangerous area, and...”

“Hey, quit shovin'” a large man in a leather jacket said as he pushed the professor away.

“Yeah,” a woman with a child said, “We've been waiting in line for the last ten minutes.”

He turned to Kichi, “And you,” he said as he came over to her, “How can you...”

“Will you calm down,” Kichi said in a low tone as she dragged him to the side, “You're making a scene. The accumulator's not even turned on.”

“Is there a problem here?” a member of security asked as he strode over to the scene.

“Yes, there is,” Tomoe answered, “Everyone here is in great danger from that thing!”

The security guard looked at him skeptically. “Everyone's in danger from a photo booth?”

“I have my permit to be here,” Kichi quickly said as she pulled out a bundle of paperwork, “Everything is legal.”

“I see,” the guard said as he roughly grabbed the professor's arm, “Come along now.”

“But no! But you don't understand,” the professor began to shout, “You're all in danger, you're...”

“Yeah, yeah,” the guard grunted as he pushed the professor onto the elevator, “Now get lost,” he said in a threatening tone as he pushed the button for the bottom floor, “Or next time I'll see to it that you're arrested.”

The guard stayed until the elevator's doors closed and the device began its descent. Satisfied that the troublemaker was gone, he turned and went back to his coffee and half-eaten donut he'd left in the security booth.

--

Rei sat on the back of her legs before the flame. Around her, Michiru, Setsuna and Haruka held up their Henshin wands. Three brilliant flashes of light later, Sailors Neptune, Pluto and Uranus stood in their places. Rei could already feel herself beginning to slip into trance before the flame, her breath and pulse rates were both slowing down as she opened herself. Behind her, Sailor Neptune summoned the Deep Aqua Mirror and Sailor Uranus summoned her Cosmic Sword.

“Come,” Sailor Pluto said as she held her Time Staff aloft, “Let us join the talismans together and awaken the Senshi of Silence, of Destruction, and of Death and Rebirth. Let us awaken our fellow Outer, Sailor Saturn.”

--

Hotaru sat down on the edge of the bed, looking up at Minako as the older Senshi put one knee on the bed and leaned into her, once more claiming the younger Senshi's lips as her own. “You have to tell me if I go too far,” the blonde panted as they seperated, “Or if you want me to stop...”

“I will,” Hotaru promised, “As long as you promise to do the same.” They kissed again, both losing themselves in the moment as they fell back onto the bed. Before either had a chance to go any farther though, both Senshi began to feel a tingling sensation. Minako opened her eyes and saw Hotaru's body glowing bright purple, the astrological symbol of the planet Saturn shining forth from her forehead. “Hotaru!”

Hotaru looked down, and was startled to see her clothing beginning to dissolve in a flash of bright light. She stood up from the bed just as fibers began weaving themselves around her body into her familiar sailor fuku. Her Silence Glaive appeared out of nowhere in her right hand. Hotaru was gone now, and in her place stood Sailor Saturn.

“Hotaru-chan,” Minako exclaimed, “What just happened? Why did you transform into Sailor Saturn?”

Hotaru shook her head, “I, I don't know, I...” Suddenly her jaw dropped as comprehension set in, “The talismans!”

--

Sailor Neptune joined hands with Rei, both psychics now fully opening themselves as they sat before the sacred flame. Sailor Uranus took Rei's other hand as Pluto took Neptune's other, and all four began to stare into the fire.

Slowly, the flame began giving off a golden light once again.

“Did it do this last time?” Michiru asked, “Did it give off this golden light?”

“Hai,” Rei answered, “But I couldn't make head or tail of it. Why gold?”

“Perhapse it's trying to tell us something,” Pluto suggested. “Let's see... Gold coins, gold crowns, Midas and his golden touch...”

“Golden blonde hair,” Haruka suggested. Suddenly the three others turned and looked intently at her. “What?”

Rei quickly turned back toward the flames. Golden blonde hair? She'd never even thought of that implication the first time around. Excluding any possible school friends Hotaru might have had, there were only two golden blondes she might logically have gone to. Usagi was automatically ruled out, since the princess wanted her back just as bad as anyone. Besides, there'd be no way she could keep that kind of a secret from Mamoru.

Which left...

As if in response to Rei's thoughts, before the four Senshi the sacred flame split in two, each column of flame rising upward at an angle from each other.

“A 'V,'” Sailor Neptune whispered.

Sailor Uranus narrowed her eyes and scowled. “Minako,” she growled as she slowly clenched her fists.

--

“The talisman's?” Minako asked, “Wait, I don't understand.”

“My parents... My former parents have used their talismans to force my Senshi transformation.”

“But... But why?”

Just then the phone rang. “That's why,” she answered as she quickly ran to the closet where she'd put away her luggage. “I shouldn't have come here,” she said, fighting the urge to cry, “I shouldn't have put you in this situation.”

“Hotaru-chan, stop!” Minako said as she grabbed Sailor Saturn's shoulders. “Look at me,” she said as the phone continued to ring. Hotaru reluctantly met her eyes. “Hotaru-chan, you can't just leave. Not after what just happened.”

“What else can I do?” she pleaded, “If they find us together it'll be even worse.”

“Hi, this is the Aino Minako residence,” the answering machine spoke up, “The lady of the house, being me, is not home right now, but if you leave your name, number, and a record deal, I'll get right back to you.”

-Beep-

“Minako, this is Rei. Listen, we know Hotaru's with you, so just...”

“When I get my hands on you, you ditsy blonde piece of...”

“Ruka, give me back my phone,” the sounds of a struggle for the phone could be heard, followed by a busy signal.

“There, you see,” Saturn said, “I have to go now.”

Minako's grip on Saturn's shoulders tightened. “And what about us?”

The younger Senshi shook her head. “There can't be an 'us,'” she said as her voice began to tremble. “It was all a wish, a dream...”

“No!” Minako suddenly said as she shook the girl in her grasp, “You can't do that. You can't come here into my life and over the course of a few days make me... Make me have feelings for you,” she said as fresh tears started to roll down her cheeks, “And then walk out as if nothing ever happened. I won't let you!”

Sailor Saturn looked at the blonde in shock. “Minako-chan, what are you saying?”

“I'm saying that I have a little money of my own stashed away,” the blonde answered as the phone once more started ringing, “We're leaving together.

--

“Minako-chan,” Artemis called out as he leaped onto the open window sill. Jumping down onto the floor of the dark dorm room, he scanned the area. The room was dark, and looked like somebody had ransacked it. Great he thought, they'd been robbed. “Hotaru-chan? Minako-chan?” No sound. He took a sniff. There was a slightly familiar scent in the air, but neither of the two Senshi's scents were currently in the room.

The cat became nervous. He quickly lept down from the window sill and made his way over to the small oven where Minako kept his supper dish. On his cat food she'd left two sardines crossed one on top of the other; it was a code from the early Sailor V days that meant 'danger, get out.'” He started to turn to head back out the window when the apartment lights were suddenly turned on.

“They're not here,” a clearly seething Haruka said as she took her finger away from the light switch. She then quickly rushed to the window, slamming it shut as Michiru stepped out of the bathroom door.

“Where are they, Artemis?” Michiru asked, kneeling down so that she could look more clearly into the cat's eyes, “If you know, tell us.”

“Because if you don't...” Haruka growled, her voice huskier than normal.

Artemis slowly backed into a corner. It was clear they were playing 'good cop, bad cop,' and it was equally clear who was who. As his eyes slowly went from one to the other, he swallowed hard as he realized he had no clue where either of them were.

“Minako-chan,” Artemis whined to himself, “Now what have you got yourself into?”

--

She placed the five dresses on the bed and eyed each with an analytical eye. Her date liked green, but the only green dress she owned was very high up the thigh and felt inappropriate for where they were going. There was a red one, but it reached down to her ankles. She wanted to look dignified, not not matronly. She rejected two of the other dresses before finally deciding on a turquoise one-piece dress with a tasteful floral print and spaghetti straps that went to just below the knee.

She'd never been to this restaurant before, but judging from the district her date told her it was in she surmised it had to be rather upper class (at least as upper class as either of them could afford at this time). She picked out a pair of dangling gold earrings and a pearl necklace her grandmother had left her. She also chose a pair of shiny black three inch heeled pumps, both for the way they looked and accentuated her legs as well as their functionality. She wanted to be at least a little bit close in height with her date tonight.

A little lipstick, some rouge and some eyeshadow, and she was ready to look at herself before the full-length mirror. It wasn't often that she got to dress up like this, and she really wasn't sure when she'd be able to again. After all, between the medical school and the culinary arts college being on opposite sides of the city, it was hard enough. But now there was the added pressure of having to return to Juban tomorrow to search for...

-Ding-

She gasped; the doorbell just rang. Quickly grabbing a small white flower from a vase on her desk, she stuck it in her dark blue hair behind her left ear and took one last quick look in the mirror. “Perfect,” she gushed as she grabbed her purse and practically ran to the door.

“Makoto,” Ami said happily as she threw the door open, “You're early, I...” her smile quickly faded as she realized neither of the two weary-looking young women standing before her were her date. “Hotaru-chan? Minako-chan?” she asked in disbelief, “What are you two doing here?”

“Experiencing a strange case of deja-vu,” Hotaru quipped. “Mind if we come in?”

-To Be Continued-