gif from here. Sailor Moon Crystal belongs to Naoko Takeuchi and I just get to play in her world briefly.

It’d been not quite a week since they found out about Usagi, and Rei’s visions were getting darker by the hour. It also didn’t help that she now had memories of a life that was so alien and foreign to her current human existence on top of everything else. Some days, she wasn’t sure where her human memories ended and Sailor Mars’ memories began. Even the broom in her hands felt distant.

As if that thought reminded her hands that she had responsibilities, she began to sweep the leaves in front of the temple again, this time with a bit more enthusiasm. She tried to let the swish swish swish of the broom calm her mind, but her anxiety was getting the better of her training.

“Hey Rei, I think you’ve got them all!”

Rei started and turned around and saw Mina standing there with her usual mischievous grin. Phobos and Demios squawked from their perch in the trees above the yard. “You scared the heck out of me! Make some noise next time!”

Mina frowned as she walked closer to Rei, “I did make noise! I’m not that quiet! You were off in space somewhere!” Mina stopped, opened her mouth, then closed it again. “I mean…uh…”

Rei shook her head. She knew what Mina meant, and knew why this was awkward now. “Come on. Let’s go in. I’ll get us some juice.”

***

Both of them were sipping their drinks and not talking. There was so much that she wanted to ask Mina about their past lives, but now that she had the chance she didn’t know what to say. It was all too confusing and too much. And to think that Mina had to bear it for all of us for so long…

“Rei, you’re doing it again.”

“Sorry.”

“No, I’m sorry. I couldn’t tell you because we had to protect her identity for as long as possible. I wish I could have told you all a long time ago, but…” Mina looked away for moment.

“I can see why. That much power…in the wrong hands…but what is she really?”

“You’re the priestess, you tell me. You know more things about the spirit than I do.”

Rei stared at Mina. “I…I can’t explain it. I can’t explain what she felt like or what I felt inside except…”

“Except?”

Rei looked inside herself, remembering in slow motion the tear that came from Usagi and how bright and warm the light shining from it, from her, was. Even though they had lost Mamoru, that light still shone…

When Rei’s voice finally came back to her, it startled Mina. The look in her eyes wasn’t completely of this world. Mina remembered that look from their time in the Moon Kingdom before everything happened. The Sailor Venus part of her smiled to see Mars’ powers growing again.

“She brings the light of hope…she magnifies Spirit….”

Mina nodded. “And we need to make sure that she can continue to bring that light to the world. Rei, I’m worried about her. She hasn’t been to school for a week!”

Rei’s eyes returned to this world. “What?! Really? All right! We’re going over today to cheer her up! Let’s call the others.”

Mina knew that there was more to come their way, but seeing hope return to Rei’s eyes lessened her worry. She pulled out her phone.