Harmony (Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon, Zoicite/Minako, oneshot)
Harmony
~ A Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon Fan Fiction ~
by aishuu
Pairing: Zoicite/Minako
Wordcount: 1,000
Notes: I wrote this a couple years ago for a challenge, but I just got around to giving it the final editing polish.
Summary: After the end, life goes on. Minako meets a new composer.
Minako knew him for what he was the instant her eyes settled on his face.
It had been years since she had last worn the uniform of a senshi, but she still carried that feeling in her heart that had made her stand upon the battlefield. She still lived to protect her princess from the Dark Kingdom, although her powers had been stripped upon her reincarnation. Seeing him again nearly gave her a heart attack, but she shouldn't have been surprised that their paths crossed. He'd always been a very talented musician.
She knew she was staring, but couldn't bring herself to care about the rudeness. He was staring back with a perplexed expression on his face, so she wasn't alone in forgetting about manners.
He looked like an ordinary man, a handsome one with high cheekbones and intense eyes. His hair was black and tied at the nape of his neck, an imitation of the style he'd worn while being one of Beryl's servants. He was handsome, she supposed, but her old instincts had her on guard. She keenly felt the absence of her henshin bracelet, and it took a concerted effort on her part to keep from running away.
Her manager Saitou wasn't the type to notice anything he didn't want to, so he blithely waved a hand at the newcomer before turning to her. Saitou was smiling with that plastered-on over emotionality that drove her crazy. “Minako-chan, this is Nanba Keiichi. He'll be helping with the arrangement of your latest song,” her manager said, before giving her another glowing grin. "Isn't that fabulous?"
It was all she could do not to roll her eyes. “It's nice to meet you,” she said, addressing the former Shintennou, bobbing her head and lying through her teeth.
Nanba bowed back, but it was belated. “Have we met?” Nanba asked, and he was frowning, like he was trying to place where they'd encountered each other before.
We were only mortal enemies, she almost said, but her common sense caught her tongue in time.
“No, we haven't. Maybe you've seen a picture of me,” she said sweetly, a slightly sarcastic remark that would have earned her a reprimand from Artemis if he'd heard. Luckily her adviser was spending his day with Luna.
“That's not what I mean. It's just... you seem familiar,” he said. “Like I know you.”
“I know I'd remember meeting you,” she answered truthfully. She tried to think of a reason to decline to work with him, but couldn't. Aino Minako was known for her approachability and friendly nature. The last thing she needed was to acquire a reputation as a diva, rejecting people as soon as they met. “I assume my manager sent my lyrics to you already.”
“He did. They're very striking,” he said. “I've been working with them, and I think I have something.”
Saitou cooed encouragingly, "I'm sure it will be wonderful! Get to work, get to work! We want Minako's next single to be the best ever!” Her manager made shooing motions, before bouncing out of the room and shutting the door behind him.
Minako listened at the door shut, trying not to wince. Now that she was alone, she was even more tense. She had known, from Usagi's story about Kunzite, that the Four Kings had mortal forms, but had not thought what it meant. If Usagi was correct, he wouldn't know what she was.
He wouldn't know what he was. As she stared into his face, she mentally resigned herself to giving him a chance. She trusted Usagi, and if Usagi said the Shintennou weren't enemies, she would have to believe her. If Minako was lucky, his instrumentals would be horrible, and she could regretfully decline his services with no one the wiser.
And if Nanba was trouble, she could handle him. Minako might not have her magic anymore, but she could take him out if he proved to be any kind of threat. She wasn't Venus anymore, but this man wasn't Zoicite, either.
Her long silence caught his attention. “Are you okay, Aino-san?” he asked.
“Call me Minako,” she replied flippantly, propping a hand on her hip as she tossed her hair back. "Can you play me what you've done so far?"
He took her over to a piano, and started to pick out a couple notes. Then he started to sing, setting her words to music. His voice wasn't bad, she thought. The melody he had created was catchy and would work well with her range, and he found herself humming it by the time he got to the third verse.
As he wrapped up the song with a couple decisive phrases, she felt her stomach sink. There was no way she could claim this song wasn't right; Nanba had managed to capture the exact tone she wanted for this song.
Ironic, really.
Fitting, too, since it was a song she'd written for Usagi and Mamoru, an apology for the obstacle she'd been to their happiness. She planned on releasing it on their wedding day as a special gift. Having the man who'd been Zoicite helping her brought things full-circle.
Mamoru would appreciate this song more, if he knew his former general had been involved. And what made Mamoru happy would make her princess happy as well. That was the way love worked.
“It's good,” Minako admitted, before making the mental commitment to work with him. “Play it again.”
His smile was soft, and she felt her stomach tighten with unexpected heat. Having a handsome man look at her like she fascinated him was always a thrill... especially a man who was so intriguing. She found herself smiling back at him, before she lifted her voice and sang a melody of perfect love.
“I'm sorry I'm not candid, I can say it if in my dreams...”
~ A Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon Fan Fiction ~
by aishuu
Pairing: Zoicite/Minako
Wordcount: 1,000
Notes: I wrote this a couple years ago for a challenge, but I just got around to giving it the final editing polish.
Summary: After the end, life goes on. Minako meets a new composer.
Minako knew him for what he was the instant her eyes settled on his face.
It had been years since she had last worn the uniform of a senshi, but she still carried that feeling in her heart that had made her stand upon the battlefield. She still lived to protect her princess from the Dark Kingdom, although her powers had been stripped upon her reincarnation. Seeing him again nearly gave her a heart attack, but she shouldn't have been surprised that their paths crossed. He'd always been a very talented musician.
She knew she was staring, but couldn't bring herself to care about the rudeness. He was staring back with a perplexed expression on his face, so she wasn't alone in forgetting about manners.
He looked like an ordinary man, a handsome one with high cheekbones and intense eyes. His hair was black and tied at the nape of his neck, an imitation of the style he'd worn while being one of Beryl's servants. He was handsome, she supposed, but her old instincts had her on guard. She keenly felt the absence of her henshin bracelet, and it took a concerted effort on her part to keep from running away.
Her manager Saitou wasn't the type to notice anything he didn't want to, so he blithely waved a hand at the newcomer before turning to her. Saitou was smiling with that plastered-on over emotionality that drove her crazy. “Minako-chan, this is Nanba Keiichi. He'll be helping with the arrangement of your latest song,” her manager said, before giving her another glowing grin. "Isn't that fabulous?"
It was all she could do not to roll her eyes. “It's nice to meet you,” she said, addressing the former Shintennou, bobbing her head and lying through her teeth.
Nanba bowed back, but it was belated. “Have we met?” Nanba asked, and he was frowning, like he was trying to place where they'd encountered each other before.
We were only mortal enemies, she almost said, but her common sense caught her tongue in time.
“No, we haven't. Maybe you've seen a picture of me,” she said sweetly, a slightly sarcastic remark that would have earned her a reprimand from Artemis if he'd heard. Luckily her adviser was spending his day with Luna.
“That's not what I mean. It's just... you seem familiar,” he said. “Like I know you.”
“I know I'd remember meeting you,” she answered truthfully. She tried to think of a reason to decline to work with him, but couldn't. Aino Minako was known for her approachability and friendly nature. The last thing she needed was to acquire a reputation as a diva, rejecting people as soon as they met. “I assume my manager sent my lyrics to you already.”
“He did. They're very striking,” he said. “I've been working with them, and I think I have something.”
Saitou cooed encouragingly, "I'm sure it will be wonderful! Get to work, get to work! We want Minako's next single to be the best ever!” Her manager made shooing motions, before bouncing out of the room and shutting the door behind him.
Minako listened at the door shut, trying not to wince. Now that she was alone, she was even more tense. She had known, from Usagi's story about Kunzite, that the Four Kings had mortal forms, but had not thought what it meant. If Usagi was correct, he wouldn't know what she was.
He wouldn't know what he was. As she stared into his face, she mentally resigned herself to giving him a chance. She trusted Usagi, and if Usagi said the Shintennou weren't enemies, she would have to believe her. If Minako was lucky, his instrumentals would be horrible, and she could regretfully decline his services with no one the wiser.
And if Nanba was trouble, she could handle him. Minako might not have her magic anymore, but she could take him out if he proved to be any kind of threat. She wasn't Venus anymore, but this man wasn't Zoicite, either.
Her long silence caught his attention. “Are you okay, Aino-san?” he asked.
“Call me Minako,” she replied flippantly, propping a hand on her hip as she tossed her hair back. "Can you play me what you've done so far?"
He took her over to a piano, and started to pick out a couple notes. Then he started to sing, setting her words to music. His voice wasn't bad, she thought. The melody he had created was catchy and would work well with her range, and he found herself humming it by the time he got to the third verse.
As he wrapped up the song with a couple decisive phrases, she felt her stomach sink. There was no way she could claim this song wasn't right; Nanba had managed to capture the exact tone she wanted for this song.
Ironic, really.
Fitting, too, since it was a song she'd written for Usagi and Mamoru, an apology for the obstacle she'd been to their happiness. She planned on releasing it on their wedding day as a special gift. Having the man who'd been Zoicite helping her brought things full-circle.
Mamoru would appreciate this song more, if he knew his former general had been involved. And what made Mamoru happy would make her princess happy as well. That was the way love worked.
“It's good,” Minako admitted, before making the mental commitment to work with him. “Play it again.”
His smile was soft, and she felt her stomach tighten with unexpected heat. Having a handsome man look at her like she fascinated him was always a thrill... especially a man who was so intriguing. She found herself smiling back at him, before she lifted her voice and sang a melody of perfect love.
“I'm sorry I'm not candid, I can say it if in my dreams...”