Mixing business with pleasure (Minako) 12/26 PM

[Neo Queen Serenity]

Usagi slumped in her chair a bit and stretched her legs out under the table, slurping on her milkshake. It was never as good as the ones she used to have at Crown, but as far as milkshakes went it wasn't half bad. Then again, it was at a cafe of sorts in the palace-- at least, the one for the executive wing of the palace. She knew she could have anything she wanted to eat or drink brought to the office itself, but it was nice to occasionally see different parts of the palace; plus she could use the time to stretch her legs, especially during this mid afternoon slump. There was also a chance that the South African delegation wouldn't find her here where they otherwise would be able to locate her in her office; they had been sucking up much of her time-- she couldn't wait to see them off tomorrow.

She almost felt guilty, sitting here people-watching and waiting for Minako to arrive, when there was so much work to be done. Although what she was talking to Minako was sort of about work-- though fashion had been something they could enjoy long before she became queen. Usagi giggled to herself at the thought of appearing on the cover of these international fashion magazines; she hadn't the slightly clue what she would be doing and would need all the advice she could get from Minako-- not to mention Usagi was eager to hear more about her tour. She never saw the senshi enough, it seemed like, though they had the meeting later tonight... And Ami-chan is doing her residency here now, so I will definitely see more of her! Usagi was going to have to make sure she didn't spill the news now to Minako...

Tapping her fingers idly on the briefing folder, she glanced down at it and frowned. Ah-- and that other bit of very important business. She had no idea how Minako would react-- but it had to be asked. She can always say no...

[Aino Minako]

Minako strolled through the palace, passing by scurrying staff, delegates in their native country garb, tourists snapping pictures of the public wing of the palace while tour guides rattled off facts about their newly established government. Minako didn't have to glance at her watch to know she was late, but then Minako was late about ninety-nine percent of the time, so what else was new? She wasn't likely to change her basic personality anytime soon.

She reached the executive wing of the palace and lifted her badge. Security scrutinized the badge and gave her a passing glance. While she was known both as an idol and a senshi, security was never too careful. The Queen was not a target they were going to risk lightly. Minako was pleased enough with that fact that Sanzo and Ryu didn't feel obligated to follow her around when she was surrounded on most sides by palace secret service. She liked having her body guards around, but even an idol needed a break from being an idol every once in awhile.

Minako strolled through the executive wing until she reached the small cafe Usagi had told her about. The Queen was not hard to spot - Usagi was the only person Minako had ever known who wore her hair in odangos. Sure there was a few fangirls who tried to mimic the queen's hairstyle, but none of them had moon hair like Usagi, and thusly, none of their odango's looked anything like the Queen's.

"Usagi-chan!" Minako called out as she approached the table. "I'm sorry I'm late, but you know how it is." Usagi's reputation wasn't much better than Minako's in the promptness department. The blonde gave her friend a quick hug, then slid down into the seat across from her. "Tell me that shake isn't delicious. I could use one of those myself!" She glanced around looking for a waitress, who rushed over at the sight of Minako, took her order, and scooted off to the kitchen to fill it. "So tell me more about this magazine thing."

[Neo Queen Serenity]

Usagi looked up at the sound of Minako's voice, jumping out of her seat and rushing at her with a hug and laughing a bit. "Oh, don't apologize... One of the few perks of being Queen is that I get to say 'a queen is never late, everyone else is simply early' and I'm sure the privilege extends to my court as well," she winked, settling back down into her chair.

"You should order one, it's really good... They'll make it however you want it, and there's some pretty exotic ingredients they can put in." She gave another happy slurp as Minako ordered one of her own.

"Ah, yeah, the magazines... That's one of two things I have to talk to you about... I get offers all the time, finally the PR office decided to allow Vogue to have a photoshoot and interview, and then another one with Elle and Vanity Fair. And I have no idea what to expect. The Vogue shoot is in some of the palace locations but the others will be at a studio in town. I'm excited, but terrified! Is it anything like the paparazzi?"

[Aino Minako]

Minako listed to Usagi tell her about the photoshoots. "Well, the first thing you need to do when working with Magazines is establish your ground rules. They'll want a short interview to go with the photos. You want to set the tone for that by limiting what they can ask. I know you tend to be open about your life, but you don't want them prying into things that might taken the wrong way. I always have to be careful about what I say, or the tabloids come up with the craziest stuff."

Minako paused as the waitress returned with her drink. She took a long sip through the straw and smiled, "I've missed kicking back and relaxing with a shake. Anyway, you also want to set some rules about the pictures. How do you want to look? Classy? A little on the sexy side? Totally professional? I think your contract should also state that only pictures that meet your approval are posted, and I feel like you should push to retain rights to the photos, so that they don't do anything with them down the line that you might not agree with.

"Photo shoots aren't really like the paparazzi, and that's a good thing." Minako raised an eyebrow. Was Usagi unaware the paparazzi already attempted to hound the queen? Palace security must have been excellent. "The paparazzi are trying to take unflattering pictures of you. Vogue will want the best."

[Neo Queen Serenity]

Usagi listened to Minako, admiring her friend's professionalism when it came to these things. Minako could explain it so much better than her press secretary ever could. "I should take you along with me, seriously. You know what to do," Usagi said, a little bit in awe. "I'm getting to be much less open than you might think, actually... When they started digging through the trash at my parent's house..." she shuddered, sliding down in her seat a bit and taking a consolatory slurp of her milkshake. "Well, I knew to start taking privacy seriously. Anyway, I already told them I wanted the interview printed in Q&A format in its entirety. I didn't want something like the first two television interviews... What a disaster," Usagi remarked, not without a note of bitterness. She had been so nervous, and then they had edited out the bulk of her responses, making her look like a total idiot, and then when she complained, said it was edited for time. She had felt so betrayed by the press, and that had been the beginning of her deep distrust of the media.

"Yes, you talked a little about that in your email... I told the press office. I don't want totally professional photos, those are so boring... Just glamorous, I suppose, but not too sexy..." She thought out loud in response to Minako's questions. "I ask about the paparazzi because... Well I hate going outside because of all the flashing and the mobbing-- and I get blinded and they're screaming at me trying to get me to look their way..." she made a face. "I just hope a photoshoot will be... quieter. A little more dignified way of picture-taking. Is there any etiquette I should know about?" she asked, full of questions.

[Aino Minako]

"I'd love to come, Usagi-chan!" Minako exclaimed. "And you know, I may have done photo shoots tens of times, but they are all different and every photographers has his quirks..." Minako listened to Usagi talk about the lack of privacy and nodded along. She understood every word the queen was saying, probably more-so than any of the other senshi would. Every shred of information suddenly because newline fodder - a way for someone else to profit via word or picture or video. "You do have to be so much more careful." She laughed, "Do you remember when we were on their side? When we'd go gagga over any tidbit about whomever we were crushing on at the time?"

"Just remember, that the photographer is a professional. Listen to what he says and mimic. After it's over, you can look at the pictures and knock out the ones you don't like, but don't try and direct the shoot. Let them do that." Minako had tried to insist once on a specific pose. After an argument, the photo was finally snapped. Afterwards Minako shuddered at how awful it had looked. "Not that you can't make a few suggestions before the shoot starts, but once the camera is snapping, just roll with what he tells you. He can see what the camera sees. You can't."

[Neo Queen Serenity]

"Then you'll come!" Usagi exclaimed happily, beaming at the idea of Minako joining her. She never spent enough time with her as it was, and Usagi needed an ally when it came to things like this. She wasn't afraid to admit to herself and Minako that she needed someone to hold her hand now and then. "I'm so glad you want to join me... It'll be good to go out and do something fun together... And I need all the help I can get when it comes to this!"

She laughed at Minako's reminder of how they were as teenagers, total fangirls, squealing over the newest heart-throb and the newest photograph or exclusive. "Oh, I remember, alright. We wanted to know everything about them, made us feel as if we knew them..." she grinned, awash with nostalgia. "But I don't think I was ever on the paparazzi's 'side.' If I knew then how much it could hurt, the disgusting ways they go about getting their pictures and making things up... I wouldn't have bought so many silly magazines, I don't think. One of the perks of this job is getting to meet some of the people we used to crush on," she winked at Minako. "I met a movie star at a dinner function, I was so star-struck. Fortunately he was far more flustered with me than I was of him. Isn't life strange? I'm sure, since you're actually in the business you've had those moments much more than I have!" She had had many famous musicians offer to do the music at her wedding, or some other event... Usagi decided to stick with a traditional orchestra, but it was interesting nonetheless to suddenly be in contact with these people, mingling with them. None of it felt as glamorous as she had dreamed it would be.

"I'll do as he, or in Vogue's case, she, says," Usagi replied. "I've gotten used to it with speeches, at least... 'Look at the camera with the red light' 'Read from the teleprompter' 'Don't fidget' 'Come in stage right,'" she laughed, mimicking some of her staff. "I don't question anymore, I just do, at least when it comes to photos and TV appearances." She leaned back, having finished her milkshake, regarding her friend carefully.

"Mina-chan..." Usagi hesitating, looking down at her hands as she began to play with her hair nervously. "You know, the magazine thing wasn't the only reason I needed to talk to you today. There's something else... I'm just not sure how to ask something this big of you, though..." She had wanted to wait, to wait for the senshi to come to her if they wanted a role in the governance of New Earth. She wanted them to have their own dreams, without facing any sort of pressure from her. But this had to be done-- and when it came down to it, Minako was the one she trusted the most to do it. "I really hate to even ask this, there's just... Well you're the one I would think of... You don't have to say yes, if you don't want to, there's no pressure at all, I can find someone else," she said frantically, waving her hands. "If you're happy doing what you're doing, and you don't want this responsibility, because it would be a big responsibility, you know, that's totally fine..." Usagi rambled, feeling herself flushing.

[Aino Minako]

Minako laughed along with Usagi, her own memories of being fanclub member number five or the gushing girl on the front row of the newest idol craze rushing back like she'd been that person only yesterday. Sometimes Minako thought she still was that person - she just didn't have as much time to idol chase given the amount of time she spent on the receiving end. "Oh yeah, I went to this award show once and Utada Hikaru was receiving an award and I could feel myself drooling. But then afterwards she came up and told me how much she loved my music and I wanted to melt. I mean, Utada Hikaru right!" Minako's eyes lit up like stars at the memory and her hands clasped together under her chin. She could feel herself morphing into the screaming fangirl and for a brief moment she realized how much she missed those carefree times with Usagi. Even if those carefree times hadn't always been all that carefree.

She paused as Usagi began to ramble. Then, slowly, she reached forward and placed a finger on Usagi's lips. "Usagi-chan," Minako began quietly. "You never have to ask. You've been my princess for thousands of years and now you are my Queen. Just tell me what you need." She pulled back and settled into her chair. Minako had been living her dream for years now, but she had never once deluded herself into believing that it was anything but a dream. Minako, like the other senshi, had had that brief moment where they stepped into the future and saw the true vision of Crystal Tokyo. She almost laughed. They had a long way to go.

[Neo Queen Serenity]

"Utada Hikaru?!" Usagi exclaimed, getting just as worked up as Minako. "Oh, that's so incredible! She liked your music?! Of course she did, you're even better than her! Minako, that's great! Now, if you ever meet Ayumi Hamasaki... Well, you'll HAVE to introduce me..." she giggled. No, Usagi hadn't lost some of her fan-girl ways!

Usagi's eyes widened as Minako put a finger on her lips. She slowly nodded, feeling a little sheepish. "Well... I guess there's no other way to put it. Since Mamoru and I won't be married for another few weeks-- I should have done this ages ago, but it's critical now-- I need someone to take command should something happen to me. Take command of the government of New Earth, I mean. And after Mamo-chan and I are married, if something happened to both of us, we'll need someone to do that. If I was assassinated or injured and unable to make decisions... Well, it would all fall to you. Provided you want to, of course." Usagi bit her lip. "Minako, I appreciate what you just said, but if you don't want this you can walk away. You're just-- well, I don't think you enjoy power any more than I do and that's the reason I came to you first. Your security would have to be increased-- and you'd receive regular briefings on things that are going on. I'd try to keep the midnight phone calls on serious issues to a minimum..."

She glanced at her long-time friend and senshi. "I know it's a lot to ask, but someone has to do it..."

[Aino Minako]

Usagi's request was the last thing Minako expected. To even acknowledge the thought that someone would attempt to take Usagi's life, much less succeed was difficult, and yet it had happened many times over. Usagi had died. At least three times. But then, Minako and the others had died too.

Minako nodded and then smiled. She often wondered at her ability to smile at anything and everything, but Usagi wasn't asking her to do this because the world was doom and gloom. Usagi was asking her to do this because Usagi had faith in her, and that alone was something to smile about. "Usagi-chan, of course. Being an idol is fun, but it isn't my purpose in life." Minako felt herself sliding into senshi form, mentally rather than physically. Sailor Venus was the leader of the inner senshi. Sailor Venus had been their leader in the Silver Millennium. "I was born in the Silver Millennium to be the leader of your court and I was reborn in this lifetime to protect you once again. If being your back-up is part of that role, then I gladly accept."

There was a part of her that was almost relieved. She loved being an idol, but upon returning to the palace after her last tour she felt estranged from the friends who had been there for a large part of her life. Everyone seemed as busy with their own affairs here as she had been while gone. She hadn't even seen Rei, although that would change during their evening get-together, or Ami for that matter. At least her meetings with Makoto appeared to be normal. Perhaps being forced to spend more time in the palace would bring those relationships closer again.

She tilted her head slightly, and joked, "Besides, we know you're fine. After all, Chibi-usa chan was born wasn't she?" Pluto had warned them that the future wasn't set in stone, but Minako was certain that the cosmos wouldn't destroy Usagi's chance to have her child.

[Neo Queen Serenity]

Usagi relaxed, smiling back at Minako. "Thank you so much, Mina-chan, I really appreciate it." More than just accepting the task at hand, Minako was telling her she was choosing to be a part of all of this-- that she valued their friendship and their duties together. It helped Usagi feel much less alone in her job as Queen. Ami had come back to her, and maybe Minako had never really left. Or maybe all of this was in her head... She just had to hear it from the others, too.

Though she knew Minako was trying to lighten her mood with a joke, it just didn't strike Usagi as very funny. "I certainly hope that's what it means!" She tried to laugh. "Though we can't take our futures for granted-- we make our own choices, after all. We've seen in the past how things that happen-- even things we can't control-- that will change the vision of the future we saw." Usagi hesitated, giving her friend a small smile before deciding to open herself up a bit. "Actually, there have already been several close calls. You never hear about the successful stopping on these kinds of things on the news. It's so different, Mina-chan, from what I'm used to... There's no youma to turn to moondust, or some enemy hunting for the ginzuishou-- there are just some very skilled and determined humans who just don't like me very much. The security here is top-notch-- but they have to get it right one hundred percent of the time, and these other people-- potential assassins, I mean-- just have to get it right once. Usually I don't find out until hours later that something has gone down. 'Commander Philips is on line one, the reporter you agreed to speak with is in the other room, we need your signature on this and by the way this morning you were three seconds away from being shot dead,'" she mimicked how she would be told by others.

Usagi shrugged. "Maybe... This is too morbid to follow that up on, but I have my will and a living will here that you should probably take a look at..." Now she found herself giggling. "Nothing is going to happen to me, Mina-chan, it's just a precaution... But isn't this surreal sometimes? I guess you would understand more than the others, too, you have your bodyguards, you understand what it's like..." She opened the briefing folder and slid it over to her friend.

[Aino Minako]

"Fighting evil in the form of monsters and phages sounds easier because we've had a lot of practice. One might say we've had too much practice!" Minako agreed, although her expression was sober for once. The thought of someone intentionally trying to kill Usagi - a person who was human in body and soul - was hard to swallow. At least the youma and phages were possessed by chaos, the purest form of evil in the universe. And while she had security and body guards, they existed more to keep her protected from people who loved her too much, rather than from people who didn't love her at all.

The folder came sliding across the table towards Minako, but instead of taking the folder, she placed her hand down on top of Usagi. "Usagi-chan," Minako said softly, "It won't be like this forever ok? The world will change as your power grows and one day everyone will be impacted by the ginzishou the way we are. I know it will happen, because I believe in you. I've seen the way you light up the world when you put your heart into the crystal."

Lifting her hand, she picked up a pen, and began to read through the papers. Halfway through the first one her head was already spinning from the complicated legal language. "I think... I'm just going to have to trust you on this one..." Minako muttered as she began to scribble her signature on the dotted lines marked "X". "What exactly I am signing here?"

[Neo Queen Serenity]

Usagi nodded, happy that her friend understood. "Exactly, that's what we're used to! And it was a lot more black and white back then, too. Not that we didn't have our moral conundrums now and then, but for the most part you could write the enemy off as evil and act accordingly. With politics and human enemies-- they may not like one of my policies, or just what I stand for, or this form of government-- and while that doesn't make violence acceptable, at the same time, you have to be careful when going after those kinds of people. Sometimes I miss the old days-- just dust a youma and go home and let the Middle Earth government of Japan do the picking up," she laughed. "Now I'm the one doing the picking up."

She smiled down at Mina's hand, giving it a gentle squeeze in return. "I don't know what it will be like. There's a lot of good I can do with the ginzuishou, but it won't create a utopia-- or solve the basic human condition. I'm too busy getting through today to worry about any of that right now. But-- I want you to know that your confidence in me means the world."

Usagi sat back as Minako went through the forms, giving her friend a sympathetic glance as she seemed confused. "You can wait on signing things until a lawyer explains it all to you, if you want. I don't want you signing something you don't understand, trust me it can come back to haunt you!" The months before and after the Coronation had seemed like one giant cram session to Usagi when it came to everything from legalese to entertaining.

"Basically..." Usagi glanced around to make sure no other employees were around; they were looking at some rather sensitive materials. Her agents lingering nearby caught it and hustled the waitress back into the kitchen.

Usagi smiled in thanks; she had gotten used to forgetting they were even in a room with her sometimes. "Anyway-- it's just saying that you've read my will and my living will and will see to the execution of my estate, and assume the duties of Queen should I die or become incapacitated, but following the proper laws and procedures that have been set in place. If there's a law you don't like when I croak there's a procedure to change it," Usagi said, trying to deadpan but the corners of her mouth twitched. "It also says that if I die after an heir (Chibi-Usa, really) is born, that you will be the Regent until she is of age to take the throne. Now, this--" Usagi reached out and turned the pages, "-- is called Operation Metamorphosis. It's the procedure that would happen if there was an attempted coup and I was captured or deposed. Certain elements of the military reserves would be called up to fortify critical parts of the government world-wide, and you'd be protected and quickly sworn in as Queen. That's pretty involved-- you can keep this file, but since it's classified Top Secret you shouldn't remove it from the private parts of the Palace." Usagi hoped she wasn't scaring Minako off. "I know, it's like a B-list military sci-fi movie, only more corporate. This is all just contingency plans; I mean you'll get a card of launch codes for crying out loud, and we both know that if something big went down I would go for the ginzuishou and not something like that. But it's there in case the impossible happens."

[Aino Minako]

Minako nodded, listening along as Usagi spoke. She was silent, trying to absorb the immense implications of everything Usagi said. There was more to think about than Minako had realized. What to do if Usagi was taken alive. What to do if Usagi's heir had been born. What to do if Usagi could no longer assume the duties of Queen. What to do if she were killed outright. Minako knew, however, that no matter what those procedures said, she would do what she believed Usagi would want her to do. Even if that meant to break every rule to do what was right.

"It's a lot to read," Minako replied nodding. The stack of papers were at least two inches thick, grouped by paper clips and staples with neat little forms coupled with long grueling detailed explainations of each and every bullet point. Minako wondered how many of these Usagi was stuck reading every day. Usagi - who like her - wasn't a fan of reading anything but a comic book. How much had they changed in the last ten years? Minako wondered if Usagi even had time for a good comic book anymore. Minako made a mental note to have a few goods ones shipped to the queen, just to remind Usagi that they were still fun-loving people and not just governmental leaders. "If you don't mind," Minako said sucking in a breath, "Then I'll take this back to my chamber and attempt to read it all before I return it to you. I'll try and get it back to you in two days ok?" Minako picked up her stylish brief case and opened it up. Inside were slits for her to store important papers. One slit contained the script for the movie, while another had numerious sheets of music for some of her newer songs. She also had a planner - the only way the blond could hope to keep track of her appointments. In front of all those things, she placed the documents, the most important paper now in her briefcase.

Setting it back down, she picked up her shake. "Now, for more important things." Minako smiled, trying to make light of their previous conversation. She didn't like thinking about Usagi dying anymore than she was sure Usagi liked talking about it. "How about I see if Utada couldn't make a guest appearance at that New Year's Eve party you've got planned?"

[Neo Queen Serenity]

"Of course I don't mind," Usagi said. "I'm actually happy you're taking the time the go over things thoroughly. I don't want there to be any misunderstandings about what the expectations are, or any surprises for you. Take the time you need. Though in a few days you should over security with Lucan," she remarked as an afterthought, and then shrugged. "Again, I know it's a lot, but you can't say I didn't warn you," she grinned.

Usagi was quite happy to resume talking about some of the more carefree aspects of their former conversation, letting all this serious business and boring paperwork fall by the wayside. "Oh, Mina-chan! That could be so amazing! You know they're going to be showing it live around the world, you could even sing a song if you wanted to! Could be great exposure for you. That would be so cool if either one of you came and sung for us." Usagi was beaming with pride at the thought of what Minako had accomplished-- becoming successful enough to be able to invite such a big-name artist to the Palace event, or even headline it herself if she so chose. "I can't believe how huge this bash is going to be. Not nearly as big as the wedding but it's still massive all the same."