Hey there!

This is the first Sailor Moon fanfiction I've had the courage to type and post. It's my second story here, but I write under another name in another category. It helps keep me separated, the two of me that are warring over which anime is my favorite - Inuyasha or Sailor Moon. Right now Sailor Moon is winning, but Inuyasha is the one with a whole section of my wall claimed...

Anyway, I'm sure you're bored with what I'm saying now...

Notice: This is a girl X girl style fanfiction. If you're homophobic or can't stand lesbians, then you may or may not wish to continue. It's all up to you!

Disclaimer: I don't own Sailor Moon... but Kari is my own character.

Hikawa Shrine – 3 pm

Four of the senshi were sitting around the low table, their school books and homework sheets littering it's surface. Rei was diligently working on her readings for her history class, and Ami was explaining chemistry formulas to Minako. Usagi was seemingly engrossed in her English textbook, but by now the others had learned that she would never be that interested in her homework, but they had given up in yelling at her for reading a manga instead of studying. Besides, it was the first day of their summer break. There would be plenty of time to scold her later when they had the next study time. None of them would have started their summer homework, were it not for the fact that they were so used to this pattern.

But, there was a single issue with the whole picture – Makoto wasn't there. And for once, no one knew where she was, including Ami and Minako, who were the closest to her out of the group of them.

"All right, we've been at this for over an hour. Where the hell is she?" Rei finally asked, voicing the question going through everyone's head. "Do you think we should call her?"

Usagi looked up at the fire senshi and frowned. "You know, that may be a good plan. Why didn't we do that to start with?"

"Probably because we thought she ran home to pick up snacks," Minako pointed out. "And we know that she's the most reliable out of all of us when it comes to calling at the first sign of trouble, so that's out."

"She also calls when she's going to be late, or if she can't be present," Rei countered.

Before anyone else could say anything, the door slid open to reveal a flushed Makoto. Behind her stood another young woman about a head shorter than the thunder senshi.

"Hey. Sorry I'm late. I ran home to pick up the brownies I made last night, and found Kari standing outside, and, well… I guess I forgot until about fifteen minutes ago," she explained sheepishly. "Kari, these are my friends."

Introductions were made quickly, and the two newcomers sat down, their closeness not missed by the others in the room. Minako watched Ami take in their proximity to each other and reach her own conclusions, and then turn to the formulas again half-heartedly.

"So, how do you two know each other?" Minako asked Makoto, genuinely curious but also trying to scope out whether suspicions were true or not.

"Her mom was really close to my mom, back in high school and college. I lived with her grandparents for the longest time after… Well, anyway, we kept in touch after I left, and stayed friends even after all these years of separation."

"Was this… before or after your sempai?"

Makoto blushed, and looked at her hands.

"Well, Sempai was at the middle school I went to after leaving," she admitted quietly. Minako rose an eyebrow.

"So, Kari, any reason why you're in town?" Rei asked, catching on to what Minako was doing. She, too, had noticed Ami's evasion.

"I was coming to exam Tokyo University, and remembered that Makoto lived nearby, so I decided to drop by," the visitor answered strongly. Her eyes caught Rei's, as though challenging her. Makoto busied herself with setting out the brownies, the smell catching Usagi's attention away from this new presence.

"Oooh! Makoto, they look so delicious!!" Usagi exclaimed, tossing aside the textbook and manga to stare at the brownies.

Makoto laughed and shook her head. "They're edible, Usagi. Help yourself! They're the double chocolate chip, your favorite."

"Really? Thank you, Mako!!" Usagi grabbed two brownies and proceeded to bite into one. "Ooh! So delicious! Thank you, Mako!"

Everyone chuckled, also helping themselves.

"With cooking like this, why go to cooking school?" Minako asked Makoto.

"I want my own restaurant, remember? I need to go to school to get the proper training. Besides, there's still so much I can learn. I'm nowhere near as good as my mom used to be," Makoto admitted.

The room went silent as the senshi looked at their friend. This was the first time she had ever told them anything about her parents. Sure, she's mentioned them before, alluding to the fact that she had parents, but then she'd get all solemn and change the subject.

"Your mom cooked too?" Usagi asked. "Is she the one that taught you so much?"

Makoto tensed up, and Kari put a hand on hers. Makoto looked at it, and then forced herself to relax.

"She… did teach me some things, but… Living on my own helped, a lot. I had to learn, and I did everything I could to take care of myself. It wasn't until, Sempai… that I really chose to… really cook," Makoto admitted slowly, sadness etched into her voice. Kari took her hand in hers and gave it a gentle squeeze. Makoto squeezed back, and then pulled her hand away, glancing at Ami for a split second.

However, that glance didn't go unnoticed by the senshi of love, and it surprised her. Did Makoto have feelings for Ami as well? If she did, then why did she seem so intimate with this other girl from her past?

"Anyway, Kari's campus tour is tomorrow, and after that I'm headed for the country. Her grandparents have invited me, and they said you guys could come too if you wanted. There's plenty of room in the guesthouse for all of us, so we don't have to be in the main house. They wanted to see me, and I wouldn't mind visiting them… And I figured it'd give us a real vacation away from home, together," Makoto told the group.

"Sounds like fun, I'd love to go!" Usagi said.

The others voiced their agreement with the princess, all except for Ami, and Makoto noticed.

"Ami?" she said softly, pulling the girl from her thoughts. "Will you be going too?"

"Huh? Oh, well… I'd have to discuss it with my mother, of course, but… I'll probably be able to accompany everyone."

Makoto grinned. "Good. I want to have a great break with all my friends. Especially when… Well, my past is there, you know? I… I really want to share it with you too."

Ami smiled and nodded. "I wouldn't miss it, Mako."

Minako grinned inwardly, knowing the two were unaware that she was listening. However, she saw Kari frown at the two, her shoulders slumped a little. The senshi was sure that this girl had feelings for Makoto, and that she felt a little left out of the loop with this little exchange, but she couldn't help but feel a little satisfied in the initiative Makoto took despite her friend's presence. Sure, Kari was probably a nice girl and all, but Ami was her friend, and she didn't want her to be unhappy because Makoto chose another girl from her past.

The next couple of weeks was going to be interesting…

There's chapter one. If I can get... well, at least two reviews for the first chapter, I'll post the second. But I'll be expecting more reviews as I go along, so be ready for it!

Thank you!