Chapter 9: Memories are Relived

"MINAKO! Wake up!"
Minako sat up in bed. "What is it?"
"It's time to go to school… AN HOUR AGO!"
The girl's eyes widened as she looked over 
at her alarm clock. "Oh my word!" she cried, 
leaping out of bed and throwing on her 
school uniform, "I'm late again! WHY DIDN'T 
YOU WAKE ME BEFORE, ARTEMIS?"
The white cat lying at the end of her bed stood
 and stretched, the golden crescent moon on his
 forehead sparkled. "Even a cat needs his beauty
 sleep, Mina-chan…" he yawned.
"Some help you are," Minako muttered as she rushed 
into the bathroom. She pulled her hair up into 
her usual red ribbon and bolted out the front door.
As she ran her routine marathon to school, Minako's 
mind wandered. It's so ironic that a Sailor Scout 
can fight yomas and negaverse creeps every day but 
can't get to school on time, she thought, It's 
probably some second nature I carried on from my past
 life… Minako had never regained all her memories 
from her past life, and she probably never would. It 
was fine with her, as long as she was alive here and
 now nothing else mattered.
She arrived at the front gate of the school, huffing 
and puffing, just after the gates had closed for the 
day. "DANG IT!" she yelled, kicking the iron gate with
 her shoe and proceeding to cry out in pain. Oh well,
 I'll just walk down to the park or something. It's 
not like I learn anything at that stupid school, anyways.
 She pranced away after sticking her tongue out at 
the school building.
Minako strolled to the park and sat down on a wooden bench
 beside a lake. She watched as some swans floated 
gracefully across the smooth face of the water. They look 
so serene and peaceful on the surface, Minako thought, 
but underneath the water their little feet are churning a
 mile a minute. Minako sighed and compared the metaphor 
to her own life. She always appeared to be happy and 
content with her life, but in reality she felt like 
something was missing. And that something she
needed very badly. Minako stood from the bench
 and sat down at the very edge of the water. 
She gazed down at her reflection and
 continued to think. Too bad Rei-chan is still in 
school, she thought sadly, I'd love to talk to someone right now…
"Are you all right, Miss?" Another reflection appeared
 beside Minako's. She looked up suddenly to see a young
 man seated beside her. A chill ran down Minako's spine
 when she saw him, his long, white hair and lavender 
eyes were all too familiar to her, like she knew him from before.
"Do I… know you from somewhere?" Minako said slowly. 
The man shook his head, "I don't believe so, but 
I was thinking the same thing myself. You look 
like someone… that I've dreamed about."
The two sat staring at each other for a moment, 
ntil the young man stuck his hand out. "I'm Kunzite. 
It's a pleasure to meet you…"
"Minako," she finished for him, "Aino Minako." 
She placed her delicate hand in his. As she touched 
him, a warm wave washed over her. She was under a
 blanket of stars in the comforting arms of her 
soul mate. In an instant, the scene vanished
 from her mind. The two remained silent, stunned, after 
experiencing the strange vision. Minako sorted out
 all the confused thoughts in her mind, until she 
remembered. "Kunzite?" she asked slowly.
"Minako-chan," he replied. He leaned over to her, 
touching her face tenderly. "My Minako-chan, Queen
 Beryl's powers have finally been defeated. I can 
remember everything…"
Tears ran down Minako's soft cheeks as their 
lips came together in a loving kiss. They 
clutched each other into a warm embrace. Kunzite 
rocked Minako back and forth in his arms as she buried
 her face in his chest.
"I love you, Kunzite," Minako whispered, "and this 
time I'll never let go."