Starting Again

Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters except Anna. So no lawsuits please. You have been officialy warned.

"SERENA! Hey, I'm over here! COM' on, were going to be late if we don't hurry!" Exclaimed Anna. Waving to get Serena's attention. They were meeting up on there way to class.

Usagi Tsukino being her birth name taken on Serena when coming to America for school, finding that it would be easier for people to remember her by having a name in English. Like most foreigners happen to do. Has bright blue eyes and golden blond hair that she used to wear in a strange pony tail bun fashion she changed shortly after moving. She cut her usually knee length tresses to a most easier length of crazy layers all over with the longer bits around her waist, and the shorter pieces just above her shoulders with longer bangs done in the side swept fashion. This was a great hair style for her to still do allot and look professional or nothing at all and looks like she's ready for a day at the beach. She found it nicer to finally change her hair style to something that fit her more now that she has grown up a bit. With out the constant idea's thrown out to her by her friends back home. Serena grew up allot in the last 7 years. College with good grades for 4 years, 3 years of dedicating work for her profession. Not as clumsy and ditsy as before and she really has gotten used to using the fine brain in her head. She has a strong love for the Pin-up girl fashion, with all the high weisted lines and those 1950's Marilyn Monroe style. Finding it to be one of the best times in all of fashion. With everything that was good about the female body accentuated beautify. And not needing to use the same old models that are barley more that skin and bones. There isn't anything there to really accentuated, because there really isn't anything there period.

Annabelle Meadow prefers Anna. Was from the bay area and L.A. in California already knowing the fashionista's of west coast, tan, and tall. With her vivid green eyes and, chocolate brown wavy hair cut below her shoulders always slightly disheveled as her bohemian style in clothing. She could always catch the eye of anyone near her with her free, laid back gypsy attitude. But always preferred to kick it with her friends more. Anna has the looks for a Dark Goddess and Serena does for a Golden Goddess, and they both have the attitude to prove it. Both different in appearance but very similar in personality were just meet to meet and befriend each other when they needed a friend the most. Also liking the Pin-up girl style still prefers the Bohemian and Hippy styles the most with all the colorful, simple and easy flowing cloth. Peace, love and happiness. Defiantly her type of clothing. She loved to get dressed up and be able to relax in it as well.

They were both enrolled in The Fashion Institute. Serena more for the designing and drawing aspects, and Anna for sewing and making the designs. They were a match made in heaven they loved what they did and got along from the moment they met. Like sister's they fought but always made up never to end there relationship over petty squabbles. They stuck through the rough times that a four year University can give you. After the first year, they put in there room mate paper's and stuck it out since. Now 5 years later graduated and living together on there own, in there small 3 bedroom apartment downtown. Designing and making clothes to sell to private buyers. Not as luxurious as it seems but they make due, when they aren't making and selling there own creations they work for other established designers and do there back stage work when it comes time for the runway. As Serena was thinking about the fine and fun times when meeting up with Anna in school and what they did afterwards. She started thinking she was missing something, or forgot to do something. Then it dawned on her. She revved up from her day dream still staring at the blank sketch pad sitting there on her lap on top of her bare legs. For hours it sat there. With the now renewed aggravation of not getting anything accomplished that day. It has seemed to be a problem as of late.

"I CAN'T CONSENTRATE!" Serena yells at her sketch book. "What is my problem lately, I can't believe this" she groans to herself. With a flip to the cover, closing it and giving it a toss crossed the bed. With a sigh to herself flopping back onto her pillows. A bit later nearly dozing off thinking, she heard some noise coming from the entry way.

"Serena? You home?" came a voice she knew well. It came from her friend and room mate, Anna.

"Yeah, I'm in my room. Frustrated as hell!" she yells back at her friend of 7 years.

"Hmm... Good, now get out here and help me put some of these groceries away. They're heavy" Anna replied whining loudly while banging all her bags on the wall's trying to get them inside.

'Hopefully, theirs no eggs in one of those' Serena chucked to herself as she got up to help put the food away. "Hey there, how was your day?"

"It was good." Anna said cautiously. Which made Serena stop dead in her tracks, with her full attention on Anna?

"What do you mean...?" Serena said warily.

"Why do you always do that? You always think the worst!" exasperated, Anna stopped and plopped down on one of the bar stools looking at Serena. "Oh, never mind... Look I want to talk to you about something important. Sit. This might take a while."

"Is it bad?" Serena said hesitantly.

"Depends on how you take the news. Well... I want to move. And no, don't even open that mouth of yours. I. Am. Not finished." Anna had to interrupt her from talking. "I want you to come with me. I think it will be a good opportunity for you, and you need to get out of New York. You hate it here. I don't even know why you stayed here, honestly." Anna explained.

"I stayed because of you, and I don't hate it here, that much" Serena mumbled softly. Well she wasn't expecting this kind of news. "Where do you want to move too?"

'Well, here goes.' Anna thought before she answered. "Uh... Japan."

"Japan... Wow, that's far away..." Serena's head snapped up in understanding. "WHAT! WHY JAPAN?" She yelled. "HONNTOU NI BAKA!" Serena stood up from her stool and started pacing while screaming things in her first language. She did this sometimes. When she was overly emotional, being really mad was no exception. "KOREHA OKO TTEINAI" She started to pace around their apartment. When she was cooled off she sat back down across Anna.

"You finished?" Anna Inquired.

"No...'Rebel'." Serena said finally. "Now I'm done."

"I'm not a traitor, and do you forget... I can speak Japanese too. You're not the only one who can speak multiple languages." Anna pointed out. "Serena, do not be like this. I actually really want to go. It's good for me to get out and explore different countries. I want to make clothes, and I can't do that to the best of my ability, unless I get out and explore! Please, for me?" Anna begged.

"I guess... that would be a... HELL NO! I left there for a reason Anna, no, the puppy dog eye's wont work on me."

"Serena, I'm begging you. I need you. It's not like you need to stay here. You can work from where ever! And you need a break. When we got out of school we made a pact. That no matter what we would stay together, and that you design the clothes and I would make them! You need to come with me. You promised. Besides, being unhappy isn't a good reason to stay away from Japan." Anna stated. Knowing that Serena won't argue over a good point made, but also knowing that she wont like it just the same. Serena hated to be caught when her reasoning's were dumb.

"Let me think about it." Serena replied as the finished putting the groceries away in semi silence as they left each other to there thoughts about what this move would mean. Serena couldn't really think of really good reasons to not go back. She love's her family and friends but there was that one person that she refused to think about because of there strong connection that he refused to acknowledge that her and pushed her to make the decision into leaving. She never told any one the real reason. And she wasn't going to start. Over the next couple of days she really thought about it and if she could handle not being with Anna and not living with her and the answer she came up with was that she couldn't. She was going to stay with Anna for as long as they saw fit and if that meant that they were going over seas, then so be it.

One night after deciding it she waited until they were getting ready to call it a night to give her friend the news. They were sitting in comfortable silence and out popped the begrudged four letter word.

"Fine" Serena stated abruptly.

Anna looked at her for a minute trying to understand what 'fine' meant and then broke out in a 100 watt smile that she couldn't hold in once grasping what they were now talking about. "Yes! I knew four years in college together and living together would pay off some time!" Anna laughed. "I just know you!" Anna got up from her perch and started to dance and sing to Serena in her happy melodic voice telling her how much she loved her and how excided she was that Serena agreed.

Over the next month Anna and Serena started making arrangements for there move from New York to Japan. There last night on American soil they sat up and finished the last of the cleaning they had to do in there apartment before dropping the keys in the mail slot and a letter before there flight. Having already sent there stuffs off to Japan a few days sooner to an apartment that they mare arrangements with for two weeks over the phone. They sat up talking for a while before they pulled out there sleeping bags to sleep. There flight out was early the next morning. 7:35 A.M. to be exact, and she would get to Japan 23 hours later after the waiting and baggage check. About 6:30 A.M. The next day, they will be driving the streets of Japan. She and Anna will be picked up by the car rental service and off to there apartment and to explore most likely, if Anna had any say in it at least.

Relaxing from planning she started to think of what was in Japan as she lay looking out the sliding glass door, looking at the moon about everything that was awaiting her in Japan. Her family and friends. Mamoru... Last she heard from her friends was that Rei and Yuichiro were thinking about marriage, and that Motoki and Mina moved in together. She started to smile to herself. Maybe moving back home isn't such a bad thing after all. It's not like it was terrible. Just lonely she thought to herself. Besides, Anna was right about one thing. She could draw where ever she was. And just maybe they can finally get that little store opened that they wanted to open so badly. With all there own clothing designs and jewelry.

As she drifted of to sleep that night she though about one single guy that she had fallen head over heals for and always tried her hardest to get the attention of but never fully succeeded in. A drop dead gorges man. Jet black hair always a touch long like he was late for a hair cut and just did not want to go, sapphire blue eyes that can just look at you from the inside out. As if he was reading you soul and keeping what he found out to himself. He always kept to himself and barley his best friend Motoki. He always seemed to have a little bit of time for her in his busy schedule. Remembering back on all the time she stayed up at night wishing more would happen between them. Just to realize that it wasn't meant to be. She stayed up crying several nights before she was off to America to start a new life. Without Mamoru, his quiet personality and devilish looks. To get over her school girl crush and get on with her life.

Not having a great slumber that night. Sleeping on the floor was uncomfortable, with thought of the handsome man she fell head over heals for drifting out of her mind with the moon from the night before. Waking up to the alarm that would set the day off and inevitably the next installment to her life back in Japan. She and Anna got up and got the day started. Off to the Airport and on with Japan. In 8 years, it will be her first time back. She will be back with her family and her friends, and hopefully not to see the man that made her run away in the first place.

Japanese words: In order.

Honntou ni baka = Really stupid

Koreha oko tteinai = This is not happening

Rebel = Traitor