2429/Last Time On Sailor V

Last Time On Sailor V
Date of Scene:	25 March 2025
Location:	Cafe BAKE Neko
Synopsis:	Minako follows up with Mamoru and Usagi after the fight where it was revealed Kaitou Ace is alive. Some of Sailor V's past is explained, and plans are made to try and find Ace again.
Cast of Characters:	Minako Aino, Mamoru Chiba, Usagi Tsukino

---

Minako Aino has posed:
There were pasts which needed to be spoken of that had been long overdue being told. While Minako had spoken at times about her past as Sailor V, there were certain things which just weren't mentioned. Or at least were only breifly touched upon.

Given the revelation that had occured it was now time to tell quite a bit.

Minako Aino arrives at the cafe intent on explaining everything she could to Mamoru and Usagi. A serious expression is worn as she comes in with her purse slung over her shoulder and clutched tight in one hand as if she were afraid someone might try to steal it. As if that would really happen in Japan of all places. Even so, she clutches it protectively as she enters pausing only to keep the door open long enough for Artemis to slip in as well.

He had his own reason for being here and nervously darts toward the back with a few quick bounds. Time to try and make peace with Anko.

Mamoru Chiba has posed:
Oh no: Minako's coming in looking serious -- but it's fine, no one's died, because a) they would have gotten a text first, 2) Artemis is off on a fool's errand, and d) Minako is clutching her purse. Well, she could be hugging it, anyway, but that's still not a sign of someone having died.

Usagi and Mamoru are set up at the corner table as usual, with study materials spread out everywhere in a massive cram session before the last of their finals. This will be a delightful (maybe delightful) break in their eyes falling out of their heads.

Mamoru waves Minako over as Artemis vanishes into the back. "Yo!" he calls.

There aren't any cats on them right now, but Minako will have to share having a seat at the table with a grey and black tabby that's meatloafed on the chair across from Mamoru.

Usagi Tsukino has posed:
The studying is eating her alive, all the subjects and the lessons and the learning, and the worst part is that she really is doing better than usual - she's managing to get questions right on the second try, occasionally the first, but every success is born from struggle.

At her side is Luna, and at this exact moment she's sipping on what her mother would call an abomination of a drink - an iced matcha tea with lavender-flavored oat milk foam.

It's really good. Luna's drinking oat milk with some foam on-top, since neither matcha or lavender are safe for cats and she wasn't going to her human form for something as unnecessary as a drink. She's got a plate of egg bites and

"Minako-chan," Usagi waves, eager for a break from studying, and concerned, given the - well, everything, of their lives. "Come sit with us!"

Minako Aino has posed:
Minako Aino lifts a hand away from her purse to give a proper wave to the pair as she moves toward the table they'd already settled themselves at. The books are regarded warily for only a moment. Usually she'd be a bit more on-guard with studying but right now she really did want to speak to them both about what had happened, and happened since.

Gingerly and carefully she sits on the edge of the seat near the loafing cat.

"Hi Usagi-chan, Mamoru-san, Luna." They're all greeted while she settles her purse in her lap a moment and risks looking between them all. A single deep breath is drawn and let out slowly before she speaks again. "I wanted to talk to you both about the fight Mamoru and I had the other night. Mostly about Kaitou Ace." Mamoru had at least recognized the name when it occured.

Usagi Tsukino has posed:
"Kaito Ace," Usagi nods, slowly, lips pursed. "Mamochan told me a little about that," there had been a lot, and words hadn't necessarily been enough to explain everything that could be summarized in the concept, but...

Luna shuffles too, sitting up, tail tucked over her front paws. Both princess and cat fix their eyes on the Soldier of Love.

"We're listening, Mina-chan."

Mamoru Chiba has posed:
"I didn't have much I could explain about it, it's really your story to tell," Mamoru says, a little subdued. He reaches over the books for his coffee and drinks some of it before turning off tablets and putting bookmarks in books. He leaves the notebooks alone, but getting things out of the danger zone of potential theatrics is important.

"So definitely -- what was his deal? Was he really like-- like what Hematite ended up being? More good than evil?"

Minako Aino has posed:
Minako Aino breathes out a little sigh. She shifts just enough to poke the loafing cat who dutifully ignores her with only a sleepy 'mrrrp' to show she wasn't moving. Oh well. Instead she glances back up toward the pair with lips pressed together in a small smile.

"Well. I don't know, exactly? He had his own agenda and didn't seem as affected by the dark energy as Hematite was... I think." Mina's eyebrows draw together with a small frown. "When I first met Ace he was ... No, that's skipping. He was an idol and actor and was gaining popularity. There was a show that he was a gentleman theif on named Kaitou Ace."

"And then 'Kaitou Ace' started showing up to help Sailor V out."R
Her attention shifts to her purse to pull out a small sachet. It was neatly tied with a little ribbon, and as she continues explaining, she undoes the ribbon to dip her fingers inside.

"I ended up being cast to work with him on a new TV series. I suspect he set it up so that I'd be chosen. While we were on the set, between takes, he revealed to me that he... knew things... about me that I didn't yet know myself. He told me I still needed to wake up."

From the satchel she withdraws a ring which she slides out onto the tabletop with a fingertip.

"Ace Saijou was Kaitou Ace, and Kaitou Ace was Danburite, but he told me that he was originally Adonis from Venus. And that he was in love with the Princess of Venus."

Usagi Tsukino has posed:
Usagi's listening with wide eyes and baited breath as Minako reveals the deep-seated lore of Sailor V - the stuff that, even knowing Minako, and being her friend, and being her princess, hasn't netted her the knowledge of, and the stuff that she, as a girl who was once a hardcore fan of Sailor V, is eager to know.

And the gossip. is so. juicy!!!!!

"He was a TV star?" she gasps, "And a vigilante for real?! And secretly with the Dark Kingdom?!"

This is too many twists! This is too many shocks! This is - her friend had really lived an actual adventure, as shocking a romance as her own -

"HE GAVE YOU A RING?!"

She actually does shriek at that, and everyone in the cafe turns to stare, and she lowers her volume but does not shrink in embarrassment, though she does turn to Mamoru and demand, "Is that a pick-up tactic? You were his boss, did you teach him that, because Minako-chan, the very first day we met, Dari-kun swiped a ring out from under me and it turns out to be because he wanted to give it to me and you know he was the most handsome charming villain in the world, so if he turned that on yo-"

A beat. Eyes the size of doubloons.

"Did you say... from Venus?"

Mamoru Chiba has posed:
Mamoru leeeans away from Usagi as she shrieks, and he reaches up to rub to rub at his ear, giving her a Look, then sighing a little as she asks a ridiculous-- RIDICULOUS-- question. "I was thirteen and full of myself, I didn't teach him anything. Did he actually propose to you? Weren't you like. Twelve."

He glances sidelong at Usagi and then reaches up to rub his eyes, trying not to grin at 'most handsome charming villain in the world' and failing, then says apologetically to Minako as he drops his hands, "I was his boss but we didn't interact much. I knew he was Kaitou Ace's actor, I just didn't know he was a vigilante too. He was Danburite. He was a lieutenant that worked under Kunzite, when Venus was lending us troops near the end..."

Mamoru shakes his head. "I didn't remember that until I remembered being Endymion. Hematite didn't know. I feel like I got played, too. I was... kind of a mess when he died, since I was responsible for him..."

Minako Aino has posed:
Minako Aino wasn't entirely surprised by the reaction but it did jarr her a bit more 'aware' of her surroundings. People were still here. Oops. Her head ducks down some and she lets her finger slide through the loop of the ring just keeping it on the first knuckle of her finger. The light glistens off the untarnished gold. It hadn't been worn much, clearly.

"It's not your fault," she assures Mamoru quickly when he starts talking about being responsible for him. "I was the one who fought him, and," she hesitates as her eyes flit to Usagi to finish, "Killed him. I actually tried to save him in the end but he just chose to die after telling me about working with Kunzite, and falling in love with Princess Venus." A bit awkwardly she adds, "So really I guess he's my responsibility. Ultimately. We're from the same planet."

A little sigh, and she shakes her head solemnly as she explains quite certainly, "He didn't *propose* to me," she assures with an awkward little laugh. "He just said he got me a ring, put it on my finger and told me he loved... me..."

Minako pauses, eyes widening to stare with growing realization. Quietly she asks, "Oh my god *did* he propose to me!?"

Usagi Tsukino has posed:
"He put a ring on your finger and said he loved you, of course he was - uh," she pauses, processes the rest, and then, tentatively, "I mean, no, he was totally just giving you a promise ring, or something, right? Because he liked you!"

Maybe she should not tell her friend that she was part of the death of a boy she liked who confessed his love and then died in battle with her? Her brain has caught up with her a little slower than her words, but it's caught up, at least.

"I mean. Do you want him to have been proposing? Mamochan's right about you guys having been awfully young..."

Mamoru Chiba has posed:
"Awfully young," says Mamoru a little faintly, eyes on the ring Minako's holding, half on and half off. Did he propose or didn't he? Is she wearing it or isn't she?

Then he looks down at his hands on the table, considering the 'he's Vee's responsibility' and considering she was twelve... and considering he was only thirteen himself when Danburite died while under his command... his brows knit. "Can I ask... why you killed him? I'm sure you had a good reason-- and-- didn't you say you tried to save him after all?"

Minako Aino has posed:
Minako Aino the ring is dropped off her fingertip again and flicked gently to spin around on the table. The gold catches the light as it moves around only to settle with the stylized symbol of Venus (with a heart) lopsided from the odd shape for a ring.

"I don't... I don't know. I don't feel like he was my 'Destined Love' but at the same time ... If things had been different." Mina's expression grows darker. No, now was not the time to dwell on that. The questions Mamoru asked were very valid.

"Because. Even though he kept coming to save me whenever I needed, it finally came down to defeating all of those that were working for him. He was the only one left and after he explained fully who he was?" Mina shifts to rest her chin in her hand, elbow on the table, as her gaze flits between her friends with a frown. "He said in the past that he felt we were born to be lovers but that I had chosen duty over love, and that I always would. So he declared he would at least be my equal as an enemy. The building we were in had collapsed earlier while I was fighting someone else. We were on the remnants of the roof, and he attacked."

"I didn't set out to kill him, it was just instinct to defend myself. HE didn't defend himself though. He took the hit and it knocked him off the roof so I grabbed for him." Biting at her lower lip she hesitates. "He predicted my love fortune just before he died. 'You will be hopeless when it comes to love for all eternity. Your fate is to keep fighting.'"

Usagi Tsukino has posed:
"...speaking as someone who's now helped kill like, arguably five people," Usagi says slowly, her voice quiet, "That doesn't sound like you killed him, Minako-chan."

She wants to reassure her friend of that, even as she winces over the whole series of events. "If anything, it kind of sounds like he did it to himself, just... to make you sure you remembered him?"

She's frowning, and her heart is heavy with grief for her friend, for the weight she's held. So this Ace is the one who made her feel like love isn't for her, and now he's back, and... she can't say she approves of this whole, past situation.

"I don't know him, so maybe I have it wrong, and I'm not being nice enough to him. But saying that you were meant to be lovers, except that you made different choices... and then not taking your hand when you tried... that doesn't sound like it was on you."

Mamoru Chiba has posed:
"... yeah, um, if he had the time to be a dick to you before dying, sounds like the grab worked. I wouldn't blame you if you'd let go, but you didn't let go, did you," asks Mamoru without really asking. "He did."

Mamoru slouches down further in his chair, and the little black and grey tabby on the chair with Minako starts leaning against her and purring. The teenaged boy, on the other hand, is not purring. He takes his glasses off and puts them on the table, then drags his hands down his face. "Truly, neither of us should have felt bad about it all this time. It wasn't anything either of us did. He up and put all that on a twelve-year-old because he didn't get what he wanted in a past life. Sounds a lot like someone who went around stealing thirteen year olds because she didn't get what she wanted in a past life, too."

He crosses his arms and tries not to broadcast the scowl he's feeling. "I mean that's super in-- maidenless behavior."

Minako Aino has posed:
Minako Aino opens her mouth to protest, to defend Ace even. Nothing comes out. A lot had happened since she was twelve. She sits back in her own chair a bit taking care not to squish the cat that had been beside her either. Living with Artemis for ages had long ago helped her to become situationally aware to felines.

"... He didn't take my hand," she finally agrees with a slow nod. "I didn't drop him either. He just turned to dust like so many of the others I fought did. I thought..." There was a lot she had thought. QUITE a lot, but now she seems uncertain about it. "I thought I'd hit him so hard that he just couldn't last?"

Usagi and Mamoru's words cause her eyes to narrow as her own, more mature understanding, comes over her. "Oh that HUGE jerk!"

The hand her chin had been leaning on shifts back to drag over her hair stopping when fingertips brushed up against the bow that had been suggested by another huge jerk she'd known. "Ugh. You're right. He was also working with the Dark Kingdom as Danburite though. It's ... It's possible a lot of that was from the dark energy effecting him. Maybe." A huff of breath as she mutters, "It had BETTER have been that."

Sitting upright properly now her arms cross over her chest in that stubborn fashion she sometimes had when digging her heels in about a subject. "Anyway that's who he was, and he's back now. I want to find him. If I do, could you purify him, Usagi-chan? I'd rather make sure."

Usagi Tsukino has posed:
There's some patient waiting, for Minako to work through her initial reactions, Usagi pushing a hand across the table for her friend to take - if she wants - while she thinks it through. It sounds like the hardest thing to work through, especially from a guy who confessed his love, but she's sure that Minako will get there -

And she does.

"He turned into dust?" Her eyes go wide. "He must have been full of that stuff, even Jadeite didn't turn to dust. Maybe - maybe he will turn out to be better, now? And of course I'll purify him! I mean, if he attacks us. Otherwise, he has to ask, because - I'm trying not to just, you know, do that to anyone just because?"

Mamoru Chiba has posed:
"I mean that's nice of you but having been full of dark energy to the point of having wasps for blood for two and a half years I'm kind of coming down on the side of I hope you stop that, because the amount of gods-damned pride my brattiest brat has about that makes me bugfuck," says Mamoru with feeling. "But I get it."

He's also still got a furrowed brow, and he reaches out a hand to tap a fingertip on the table for a second before snap-pointing. "It could have been a youma faking being him?"

Then he cringes. "That's worse, nevermind."

Minako Aino has posed:
Minako Aino reaches out to take the hand offered by Usagi without even thinking about it. Fingers slide into Usagi's grasp offering a squeeze that she holds just for the sake of holding on. Even though it was a long time ago the situation she was recounting occured that didn't mean she didn't feel things about it still.

"Of course! Not without consent or because he needs a good kick in the pants," Minako assures even as she blinks toward Mamoru. Brattiest Brat just brings the name, "Zoisite?" To mind because she had spent a *little* bit of time around him enough to know he was a brat. Totally.

Then the mention of a youma makes her face scrunch in absolute distaste. "Ugh I hope not given how he hugged me." MOVING ON. "... He was younger when this all happened. Maybe if he'd had time to fight against the dark energy as long as you had things would have been different. There's no way to say for sure, I guess. Still." A pause and she throws up her hands, "He's alive! I'm going to kill him! Destined to never love, hah! Just because things didn't work out with Motoki or Rei or Kazuo doesn't mean that's true!"

Usagi Tsukino has posed:
Minako's hand is given a tight squeeze, Usagi doing her best to communicate all her love and worry. It might have been a few years ago, but those were formative things, as far as she's concerned - Minako-chan's very first year as a mahoujin, and one she'd been on her on in. For her very first ally to turn out to be an enemy in disguise - and for him to declare his love, and say she was doomed, if she didn't take it, because she'd always pick her duty, because her fate was to keep fighting...

"That wasn't fair of him," she says quietly, "It wasn't fair to you, at all."

And then Mamoru is making his own opinion known - and considering he had been full of dark energy, it sure is a valuable opinion. And it's true, that he wasn't like that, on dark energy...

"I'm not saying I won't do it - but he helped you both, right? That doesn't necessarily sound like he's as full of dark energy as he was when he died to guilt Minako-chan, and... your bratty brat brat still deserves to get his wishes respected. I just wish he'd argue with you instead of me."

Mamoru Chiba has posed:
"I'll tell him to argue with me instead of you," Mamoru says with a nod. "And... it is true, that maybe he wasn't like that before. Dark energy feeds into your worst qualities, your vices and faults. You still have them without dark energy, but they're much easier to control. It's totally possible he's fine, but you'd think he'd open with an apology..."

Minako Aino has posed:
Minako Aino purses her lips together a long moment considering all that has gone on. Her gaze shifts down to regard the ring she has left out in the open on the table. Abandoned. Yet a reminder she had kept over the years if not worn for perhaps obvious reasons. "I'll hope that's it for now. I don't know why he showed up like he did. I did see that he'd made an re-appearance interview though. That may not be totally true."

"I'm beginning to wonder. Most of your guys can teleport, right, Mamoru? Maybe he didn't 'turn to dust' like I thought." This was giving her a lot to think about but nothing she could verify. With a sigh she reaches out to scoop up the ring and plop it back into the little sachet bag she'd kept it in.

"Thank you both for listening to me about all of this. And I'm sorry," she adds looking quite serious. "I never shared these things before. I was trying to move on from it all."

Usagi Tsukino has posed:
"You told us when you were ready to," Usagi says, simply, "Maybe it wasn't right away, but... when it mattered, you told us. No need to apologize, Minako-chan!"

She squeezes her hand once more, then sits back, forking a bite of cake into her mouth and humming thoughtfully.

"You know... maybe he faked it. Or maybe he didn't. It sounds like it's just one more thing on the list of questions to ask when we find him again." Of course they're going to find him again. Minako's going to get an apology, even if she has to kick it out of him!

Mamoru Chiba has posed:
Mamoru NODS. "Actually-- yes. Pretty sure every one of the dark energy mahoujin in Obsidian can duskport, and we could all actually teleport-- me and my boys-- in the Golden Kingdom, and then in the Dark Kingdom..." He exhales, then picks his coffee up in both hands and just holds it for a moment.

"Yeah. I mean Zoi poofs into sakura petals, Danburite could have poofed into dust..." He shakes his head. "We'll hope it was the dark energy. Meanwhile, we'll definitely help you find him. Do you want me to knock him out if I do and call you?"

Minako Aino has posed:
Minako Aino squeezes Usagi's hand back. There's really nothing she can say to that: Usagi was spot on about discussing things when she was ready. A wan smile is offered though at least she looks less morose and guilty than when she walked in.

"If you see him. One way or another I'll get ahold of him but if you see him before me I'd appreciate that. As it is, I may have to pick up my old fan habits and hunt him down."