Mixing business with pleasure (Minako) 12/26 PM

[Aino Minako]

Minako sipped on her chocolate shake, the drink bringing back memories of the old crown soda shop and the arcade. While Minako would never go back, part of her occasionally missed how she and her friends would hang out all the time. Now jobs and life in general impacted how much time they had for fun, let alone managing to organize that fun all at the same time.

"Sing a the New Years Party? Usagi-chan I'd love to! I have the perfect song too." Minako squealed. "I can't tell you how excited I am about the party! It will be so much fun for all of us. Dancing and Socializing, and the formal dress!" Minako thought about the gown she's just bought and that she could wear it for New Year's Event.

"And the wedding! I'm excited about that too. I feel like we've been waiting forever for you two to finally get in gear and tie the knot."

[Neo Queen Serenity]

Usagi giggled along with her friend. "It's been sooo much work, but it'll be worth it, I think! So yes, please sing! That would be so exciting! I can't wait to see your dress... I'm going in a traditional furisode for most of the night, but I also had a couture dress in the works too... It's gorgeous, but a little out there-- actually quite a bit out there. I'm a little nervous about wearing it, actually," she laughed.

She flashed a bright smile at Minako when the topic of the wedding came up. "I know, it's taken us ages! The upside is I get to plan a fairytale wedding, the downside is a royal wedding takes a lot of planning! But you know the scariest thing? I don't even have a dress yet! I'm kicking myself because so many of the gowns I've worn already-- you know, my trademark Princess Serenity one and the coronation gown and several others were white. So I have totally screwed myself over. I need something unique."

[Aino Minako]

"Hmmm, as your second, I should probably mimic your dress. If you're wearing a furisode for some of the party, I probably should too. And I wouldn't mind the extra shopping trip to pick one out!" Minako's eyes sparkled at the thought of shopping. "Yes, I think I like that idea as well. And then for the countdown I'll switch to white-tie." She could already picture the entire affair. Love, Romance, and Beauty would be in the air. A party of such magnitude was just her style. "I wonder if we threw such elegant affairs on the moon as well." Minako had flashing memories of the final ball when they were attacked by the Earth, but for some reason she had the feeling that something... or someone.. had been missing from the event. She pushed the thought aside. The Moon Kingdom was long gone.

"I still think you need to wear white, Usagi. Everyone will be watching and everyone will expect you to be the perfect bride. Not that you have to meet anyone's standards, but I think you should go with tradition. Not that you have to listen to me!" She giggled, "You could always try that silly American custom on for size. Something old, something new, something borrowed, and something blue. How stupid does that sound???" Minako didn't consider the fact that in English the little saying rhymed, unlike the Japanese translation.

[Neo Queen Serenity]

"Minako, I don't expect you to do that!" Usagi laughed. "Please don't mimic my dress just for the sake of doing it. Wear what you want! Have fun!" Her eyes sparkled. "I do take some care about my appearance, because it can have such political implications, but now I'm learning to relax a bit and wear more of what I please. No matter what I wear I'll end up offending someone, so I have decided that I'll dress more to my own tastes. There are much more important things for me to be worrying about than what people think about my clothes... If you want an excuse to go shopping for a lovely furisode, though, then be my guest," she teased. "Any reason for shopping is okay with me!"

Usagi smiled at her question. "I have such few memories of the Silver Millennium, but I think we did have such big affairs, or perhaps even bigger ones! I'm sure we had our own dances and different types of music, even different cultural fashions... There's so much that I feel I'm missing out on, sometimes, by not having more memories of it."

She giggled and nodded. "Oh, I do plan to wear white, I just can't find a dress that will live up to my standards! It can't look too much like any other dress I've worn, it has to be fancier than the others because it's my wedding, and I have to look like a Queen in it... That makes it so hard! I need something regal and unique, but also... bridal." Usagi sighed, but laughed at her friend's recitation of that old phrase. "I haven't even though about that! Now you'll get me frantic about that!" she giggled. "Well, I know there are some blue hydrangeas flowers in the floral arrangements, so there's blue. We're renting out a lot of chairs, so there's borrowed. There's a lot of new stuff, so we're covered for that, but I don't know about something old!" She laughed, trying to figure out what could count for old. "Oh, and when it comes to the dress... You'll help me, right? I don't want to look like a snowbeast. Imagine-- the doors open and the bride looks like a giant marshmallow! Mamo-chan will think a Yeti is walking down the aisle!"

[Aino Minako]

"Any excuse to shop is a good one to me. Besides, I can't remember the last time I went with tradition. I don't get to pick what I wear when I'm touring. There are people in wardrobe that do all that work. I sometimes get a say or I can refuse to wear something, but most of the time, I just accept what they put on me. After all, it's their job to coordinate my hair and make-up and jewelry and shoes and clothing... well, the whole look. I think that's why I love shopping so much. I get to decide what to take off the rack." Minako took another sip of her shake. "And you have to care Usagi. Even if you don't want to. The media will find any way to pick you apart, to the point of posting pictures of you in the tabloids with 'queen has drunk morning' just because you look disheveled. It's not easy. Trust me. But you have to make that point now to check your hair in the mirror when you leave the bathroom and smooth out that wrinkle from the hem of your skirt before you step into the sunlight.

"But not every part of being famous is stressful. Trust me! It really can be fun to arrive somewhere in a limo with the crowd screaming your name and singing your lyrics and snapping pictures like no tomorrow." Minako could already imagine it the next time she'd tour. If there was a next time. Minako decided not to think about that for awhile. She wasn't sure if the security detail would allow large screaming concert crowds.

"Of course I'll help you shop for a dress. You don't have to do traditional Japanese either. I just think you stick with the traditional color is all. I suppose if you adopt someone else's tradition though, you should do their colors... so maybe you should do.. oh screw it. Do what you want Usagi." Minako finished.

[Neo Queen Serenity]

Usagi nodded along as Minako spoke, understanding what she meant. "It's similar for me. In the palace, for the most part I can wear what I want as long as it's work-appropriate and professional. If I'm meeting any dignitaries here, however, there is a different protocol to apparel. And if there's going to be a public event outside the palace, or anyplace with a photographer, I have a whole staff that picks out things for me and does hair and make-up, too. And even the clothes I choose for myself are purchased by a personal shopper. Now, when it comes to things like the New Year's party-- when no matter what I wear, someone is going to be offended because many cultures and ages and represented, I might as well dress to please myself and the level of formality for the event, because the majority of people are going to disapprove, anyway," she giggled. "And trust me, I get it when it comes to the tabloids and the press. Believe me, I check my teeth in the mirror after lunch religiously just for those reasons. But at some point I have to step back and let go. I've stopped reading the tabloids entirely; I have to focus on what the New York Times and the Daily Yomiuri say about me rather than Globe Magazine or Us Weekly. Now, I read several newspapers in the morning, so if I wake up and my staff hasn't brought me the papers, I know something bad has really gone down." She grinned inspite of herself. "Actually it's kind of cute how they try to protect me when there's a really bad press day."

She could tell how much Minako enjoyed what she did. "Oh, Mina-chan, there are so many parallels here..." It was such a relief that she had someone who could relate to her on these matters! "I feel the same way when I get to make a speech, or driving by in the motorcade... Thousands of people waving flags and waving at me and wanting to shake my hand! The cheers when I step up to make a speech-- to have that many people listening to my every word at once-- it's nerve wracking but amazing all at once. A total rush. And they are the real reason I do all of this-- it's a chance to connect with them," she smiled, her face lighting up as she talked about the people that she served as Queen. Usagi loved them. She didn't know them personally, but she loved them all the same.

Usagi giggled at Minako's ramblings about tradition. "I'm sticking with white for a wedding dress, but other than that the design is totally up in the air. And it's not a traditional Japanese wedding-- more Western-style, with a non-denominational ceremony. The traditions that I'm following are more royal than any one culture, if you know what I mean."

[Aino Minako]

Minako noticed the word 'protocol' came up nearly every time Usagi spoke. She began to wonder if there was anything the queen did that didn't have a documented set of procedures, back-up plans, and super security policies. The clothing policies Minako could deal with; they weren't much different than her own. She was used the tabloids as well: the rumors, the bad pictures, and the made-up headlines that accompanied the interviews and smiling photos. "I still read them," Minako said with a blush, "But not so much to see what they write about me, but what they write about the competition. The other actresses and singers and idols out there are both your companions and your competition. You'd rather see their name smeared across the pages, but even smearing is still your name given to the public. So if their name is being smeared more than yours, or praised more than yours, you have to find a way to swing the tabloids back to you even you dread the thought of what they write. Better to have your name accompanied with some made up rumor than not on the headlines at all. Most fans are smart enough to know that the Globe and others like it make up everything they say, but just seeing your name plastered in big letters keeps you in their mind. Oh, and you'll know what's coming. Tabloids work on a trends. If two of your rivals are pregnant, expect to have a baby bump in some pictures pretty soon after. I swear, photoshop was a tabloid editors' dream!!"

Minako laughed, "Parallels here? You mean in our lives always. Detention partner, make-up buddy, sharer of Rei's wrath over being late to yet another senshi meeting... I don't think I'd have survived school without having you Usagi." She paused, wondering as Usagi's second if she'd be required to fill in for speeches when the queen was busy, ride in motorcades and wave, travel to diplomatic meetings... or would she just sit here in the palace under protection just in case... She didn't ask. Instead, "What of the other senshi? Do you have positions for them as well? Are we all to be involved in the new government?" Talking dresses and weddings and idol dream was fun, and Minako hoped they'd still have time to spend enjoying themselves, but she still felt there was a lot she didn't know about the new government. "I've been away so long I don't know what Ami, and Mako, and Rei have been doing to help you."

[Neo Queen Serenity]

Usagi grinned and nodded in understanding as Minako explained. "I never thought about it like that, but it makes total sense for the business you're in. I sort of do the same thing with the newspapers-- make sure the story that's out there is representing to people what I want them to know, see how the editorial board is going to affect reception to my policies. As for Photoshop," she giggled, "it can be just as useful for photographers who take pictures for newspapers as well. There have been several instances where photographers have photoshopped more carnage and destruction in photos so they look more dramatic. Or they don't use Photoshop but carry around dirty children's toys or shoes to randomly stick in photos to make it even more emotional." Usagi's voice changed from amusement to disgust. "Even the 'serious' news can be untruthful about things. They will take information from 'anonymous sources'-- as if anyone could verify an anonymous source, or write things just a certain way to reflect their own bias. They also don't care if what they publish might put other people in danger. Just like the tabloids, the newspapers will put out what they think will sell. Don't get me wrong, I think freedom of the press is important, and we need the media to keep us honest. But we need to keep them honest, too."

She gave Minako a goofy smile. "Forget school, there's tons of things I wouldn't have survived if it hadn't been for you, Mina-chan!"

Usagi quieted down as Minako spoke of the other senshi. "Actually Ami-chan has an announcement about that later on tonight-- so I'll let her tell you about it then. But I haven't asked anyone to do anything when it comes to policy, and I was quite reluctant to even ask you. I want everyone to pursue their dreams without any pressure from me. If you all want a part-- then you'll have to make that choice yourselves and come to me. I mean, there's the shrine and the kitchens, and that's all a part of the Palace-- but I just don't want to ask anyone to feel pressured-- to do as much or as little as they please. I was so worried about this conflicting with your pursuing your dreams as an idol, but I really did need to ask someone, and you seem to understand me in some ways that I don't feel like others do. And considering your position with the senshi, I thought I would make formal what we already seem to follow anyway," Usagi explained. "I promise I will do whatever I can to make sure this does not interfere too much with your career."

[Aino Minako]

Minako shuddered. They had spent a large part of their lives saving other people from evil's harm - be it something as large as the end of the world or as small as a youma who'd attacked a few people. The fact that the press used incident like that to drive ratings and make money left her stomach feeling hollow. She didn't like it anymore than Usagi, even if the press had always been that way. "I swear, Usagi, they'll do anything to make an extra dollar won't they? I'd rather they just focused on the truth, although I've learned in this business that the truth can change depending on the angle you spin it from. I've seen more than one story that was completely true and yet totally out of context."

Minako had the sudden urge to hug Usagi. "I wouldn't be alive with you," she said softly, thinking about to the battle at the D-point or the final fight again Galaxia. Usagi's love and power had restored her life more than once, while Minako and the other senshi had fueled Usagi's power with their belief. At least when chaos was concerned, the senshi needed each other to survive. "I'm glad that..."

Minako trailed off as her bag began to beep. She pulled out her planner, an electronic palm pilot thing that was overly complicated. "Oh junk. I have a conference call with my agent in fifteen minutes." She flashed Usagi an apologetic look. "I'd blow this one off for you, but I think he wants to talk about the movie deal and get that contract signed, so it's pretty important. They can't move forward without these papers in place." She paused, "And you know how much I've always wanted to do a movie." Minako felt a sudden stab of guilt. Here she was still talking about her dreams after Usagi had just asked her to take on such an important role. Then again, Usagi had just told her to continue with her career.

She stood and moved to give Usagi a hug good-bye. "But I'll see you tonight, right?"