Konnichiwa minna

Konnichiwa minna-chan. How's it going? Oh yeah, I forgot to mention earlier that I don't have permission to use Usagi et al in my story so if the companies that own them wanted to, they could sue me. But then again I'm mentioning that I don't own them so why would they want to? I mean, its not like I'm claiming them as my own. *imagination bubble appears* They're mine! They're ALL MINE! MUAHAHAHAHA ::clings to all the characters::: MUAHAHAHA! *Imagination bubble pops* ahem...anyway, yeah. The people I DO own however, are Brooke Ki and others to come. I think I've babbled long enough...

* * *

Chapter Two

Presents and Cake

                Brooke stood by the junior high, wondering what was taking Usagi so long. She looked at her watch...11:53 AM. She sighed gently, looking around for any sign of her. Finally she saw her running from across the street.

                "He...he...Hey!" Usagi stopped in front of Brooke, out of breath and holding her stomach. "Ss...sorry I'm...late."

                Brooke smiled. "It's Okay. I was enjoying the fresh air. Where are your friends?"

                "They are setting up the party at the park. Come on! Let's go!" Usagi took hold on Brooke's wrist, leading her to the park.

* * * * *

                Usagi led Brooke over a large, green hill, where beyond it Usagi spotting Ami, Rei, Makoto, Minako, Mamoru, Hotaru, and Chibi Usa. Brooke was looking around the park and at all the other people, not noticing the party. She looked around the beautiful scenery; the birds were chirping a soft melody, squirrels roamed the ground trying to find whatever food they could find. Brooke also noticed the large amount of people in the park. There were couples on picnics, kids playing baseball with each other, a guy playing Frisbee with a young child. Brooke watched the guy playing Frisbee with interest. From what she could see, he was rather handsome, yet he was pretty far away to know for sure. She saw the parents of the child run up, grabbing the child and walking away. Aww, how sad, Brooke thought.

                "Tada! Here's our birthday girl!" Usagi gave Brooke a small push into the group of people. Brooke looked at all of them, then around at the party setting. She blushed slightly.

                "I'm not use to so much attention," she said bashfully.

                A girl with long hair that was as black as a crow's feather walked over to Brooke. "So you're Brooke? Nice to meet you! I'm Hino Rei. That is Mizuno Ami, and that's Kino Makoto, and she's Aino Minako..." The other four girls waved, greeting Brooke with a kind smile. "And over there, the smaller girl is Chibi Usa, and that other girl is Hotaru." Brooke smiled kindly at everyone.

                Usagi grabbed onto a tall, young man with dark hair. "This is Chiba Mamoru. My dream hunk!"

                "Usagi!" He shook his head at Usagi then smiled at Brooke. "Nice to meet you Brooke."

                "Likewise," Brooke said, still blushing.

                Rei pulled Brooke aside from everyone. "I'm sorry you met Usagi first. She's such a klutz and a meatball head. She eats and sleeps too much and --"

                "I heard that Rei!" Usagi screeched. She ran over to Rei and pulled her hair.

                "Hey! Stop!" Rei pulled Usagi's hair.

                "Not again..." Mamoru shook his head.

                "You two must be really close." Brooke giggled.

                The two stopped fighting for half a second to turn to Brooke. "Why would anyone want to be close to a pig like Usagi?" Rei said snobbishly.

                "Who would want to be close to a snob like Rei?" Usagi made a face at Rei, which caused them to start fighting again.

                Two little girls ran over to Brooke. One had shoulder-length black hair, while the other had pink hair that was pulled back into two short odango on her head. "Hi!" They said in unison.

                "Hello." Brooke gave the two young girls a gentle smile.

                "You're pretty," the pink-haired girl said, "unlike Usagi."

                "Chibi Usa! You little brat!" Usagi ran over to her, pinning her to the ground. All the girls came over to try to break them up. Brooke laughed, looking around once again.

                "You guys got all this for me?" gasped Brooke. Tons of presents were spread across a picnic table. Blankets lied on the ground with three baskets of food on them. A huge chocolate cake also lied on the table.

                Usagi looked up. "Of course! How else would we greet a new friend on her birthday?"

                "None of my friends have ever done anything like this for me before. You guys hardly know me and you would do all this for me?" Brooke turned her gaze from person to person.

                "Friends are important in our lives," Ami said. "We want to cherish them as much as we can, even if we don't know them very well."

                "Yeah, this is a great way to get to know you!" Minako said.

                "Hey! I have an idea!" Usagi jumped up. "Let's do the presents now! Then we can eat cake afterwards!"

                "Not a bad idea Usagi, but can you ever get food out of your head?" Rei commented.

                "Rei! I'm gonna--" Usagi rushed towards Rei but Mamoru stepped in the way.

                "Let's keep the fighting until after presents and cake, all right?" Mamoru said gently.

                "...Fine..." Rei and Usagi said together.

                The girls walked over to the blanket and sat down. Brooke sat in the center while the girls and Mamoru sat around her. They handed her the presents one by one.

*   *    * * *

"...Umm...What's this?" Brooke asked, holding a wooden contraption that had two wheels bounded together with a small lever.

                "It's a sock washer." Usagi grabbed the contraption to try to explain it to Brooke. "See, you place your sock right here, then turn this thing right here and –"

                "Uhh...thank...you?" Brooke said uneasily, trying not to hurt Usagi's feelings.

                "See, I told you it was a stupid gift, Usagi!" Chibi Usa laughed.

                "Grr...why you little!"

                "Girls! Please! Remember what I said!" Mamoru tried to stop them. The two continued their fight anyway. Rei ignored the two and gave Brooke the present from her.

"Here Brooke. It's a good luck charm. You wear it around your wrist and it will bring you good luck."

                Brooke smiled, speaking loudly so everyone could hear her, "Thank you everyone for the presents. They were all lovely and…interesting." Everyone smiled and cheered. "Now who's up for cake?"

                Usagi jumped up. "ME! I AM!" Everyone laughed.

Makoto handed everyone a piece of cake. "Enjoy everyone! I made it myself, so I hope you like it."

                "Mmm…Makoto, you seriously made this?" Brooke said after she took the first bite. "This is the best cake I've ever tasted!" Brooke went on engulfing the cake.

                "Thanks! I don't think I'm that good though." Makoto blushed slightly.

                "Sure you are!" Usagi replied. "And anyone who thinks you aren't must be crazy!"

                "Thanks Usagi. I can always count on you for cheering me up." Makoto placed a hand on her shoulder, smiling down at her.

                Brooke stood up. "Here everyone, give me your napkins. I'll throw them away for you."

"Oh no, we'll get it," Minako said, "I mean, after all, it is your birthday,".

                "No no no, I want to. This has been a birthday dream of mine...to throw away napkins! Please don't ruin my dream!" Brooke winked. Everyone laughed.

                "Well...okay, if it makes you happy," Rei said.

                "It most certainly does!" Brooke took everyone's napkins, walking away from the party scene. She walked over to a trashcan, disposing the napkins. The wind started to pick up, causing Brooke's good luck charm that she received from Rei to blow off her wrist. Ah! Stupid wind. Brooke was chasing after it when she knocked into someone, completely leveling him. She tripped over him and fell on the ground also. The charm continued to fly away. Brooke reached her arm up trying to grab the charm, but it was gone. Brooke placed her head back on the ground.

                "Oww..." a muffled voice said from behind her. The person slowly got to his feet, holding onto his arm. He walked over to Brooke, looking down at her. Brooke looked up.

                "Oh my goodness! I'm so sorry!" Brooke's face turned red from embarrassment. The stranger helped her to her feet.

                "It's okay. It's not everyday that a pretty girl knocks me flat on the ground and breaks my arm," the stranger said.

                "I'm sorry." Brooke tried to explain while she was dusting herself off. "I was trying to get my charm that was flying away and –"

                "I said it's okay. Don't worry about it."

                Brooke finished brushing herself off then looked up. She gasped, taking a step back. It was the guy she saw earlier that was trying to play Frisbee with a little kid. She couldn't believe how handsome he was! He looked about eighteen years old; his hair was as dark as the night's sky; his eyes were a deep brown, wonderful to gaze into. He was tall...very tall for that matter. He continued to hold onto his muscular arm.

                "Did I scare you? I'm sorry...I usually have that effect on girls," the stranger snickered.

                "Oh no, it's not that. I mean...sorry for what I did to your arm. Are you all right?"

                "Yeah, I'll be fine. You have a little dirt on your cheek." He gently brushed the dirt off her cheek. She gazes into his eyes; they are almost hypnotizing her.

                "Thanks. I –"

                "Brooke! Where are you! Come back to the party and have some fun!" Usagi shouted.

                Brooke jumped slightly at the sound of her name. She looked around, coming back into reality. She glanced back at the tall young man. "I'm sorry, I have to go."

                "Wait!" She ran off before he could stop her. "Brooke...now that's not a common name around here. I wonder –" He watched her as she ran back to the party.