Title: A New Beginning

Author: LadyAngel

Disclaimer: I don't own Sailor Moon or the song New Skin by Incubus. L Boo hoo for me.

Hey everyone! I am SO sorry for not updating sooner. I just get lazy a lot. Anyway this chapter is gonna be rather short but next chapter will be long, I assure you. Also, I am putting a few songs in this but that's only while the radio is on in the story. And also, if you're a BtVS fan, you'll notice something that Willow said about Buffy in this chapter too. So without further ado, the story!!!

(Note: I am trying to think up a new title name for this whole story s if you have any ideas please tell me!)

A New Beginning

Makoto sighed as she plopped down onto her old maroon-colored couch in front of her TV. She had just finished cleaning up her house and getting things ready for her sleep-over with Usagi. She was determined to find out what was wrong with the normally preppy high-schooler and to do that she decided that cooking a few batches of cookies would make the girl talk. Of course, had it been any other day she would have been sure it would work but the way she snapped at Rei and the others only hours before told her differently. Just then the doorbell rang, signaling that the guest of honor had arrived. Makoto looked at the clock in disbelief as she went to open the door. 'My God…she's early!!!'

"Hey Mako-chan." The golden haired senshi of the moon greeted, setting down her bag of clothing .

"What's up, Usagi? How ya doing??"

Usagi didn't answer as she sat down on a nearby chair. Makoto gulped nervously, wondering if she would get anything out of her best friend. A bell rang and Makoto ran to the kitchen.

"It's the cookies I baked for you, Usagi. Hold on! Let me get something to put em' on!"

Usagi couldn't help but giggle. She knew how Makoto loved to cook, it was her favorite thing to do. Plus it didn't bother her when she'd eat all of her delicious food. Oh how she'd miss her best friend's cooking…

"Here you are Usagi. Twelve freshly baked cookies all for you." The brunette said coming back into the living room and setting down a plate of cookies on the coffee table. Usagi shook her head and turned away, "No thanks, Mako. I'm not hungry."

Makoto inhaled sharply. "Okay…you want to listen to some music or something?"

The hime tsuki shrugged, not looking at her.

"Alright, I'll take that as a yes." Standing up, she walked to a very old fashioned radio and turned the knob a few times before settling on a station she liked.

A woman began talking and then the sounds of music could be heard and a young man's voice was heard.

At first I see an open wound

infected and disastrous.

It breathes chaotic catastrophe,

it cries to be renewed.

It's tears are the color of anger,

they dry to form a scab.

To the touch it's stiff and resilient,

underneath the new skin breathes.

As outwardly cliché as it may seem-

Makoto swore as she turned off the radio and then plastered on a fake smile, turning to look at Usagi. "Well, that was…interesting. Let's not listen to anymore music, okay? Okay."

There was an awkward silence between the two of them for quite a while before Usagi broke the ice. " Mako-chan…I need to tell you something important. But you have to promise not to tell the others- especially not Mamoru." Makoto nodded, happy that Usagi was finally going to tell her what was wrong but also very worried. 'If she doesn't even want Mamoru to know, something must be wrong.'

Usagi fidgeted with the hem of her skirt, not quite sure how to begin. Then she turned to her long time friend and spoke. "Makoto-chan- I've been giving this a lot of thought and… I don't think I'm quite ready to be Neo-Queen Serenity. Nor do I want to be. The burden of being both a senshi and a hime is enough. I mean, three or four years ago, I was just a simple fourteen year old girl enjoying the wonders of life. Now here I am, the champion of justice, the princess of the moon, future mother, future wife, and future queen. And I have no say in it whatsoever!

"My whole life has been set for me but I don't want it to be. I want to make my own destiny, choose my own husband, and decide when I'm ready to have a child! Don't get me wrong, I love Mamoru and Chibiusa dearly, but my birthday is a month away and I'm sixteen going on FORTY! I'm not ready for that, I can't handle that. And I've decided that from this day forth I am no longer Sailor Moon or the tsuki no hime. I am Tsukino, Usagi- plan and simple."

Makoto stared wide-eyed at her friend. "Usagi… I know how hard this must for you but it's your destiny to be queen and to be a senshi. You can't just turn your back on us."

Usagi sighed. " I knew you wouldn't understand. Listen Makoto, I don't want to do this to you guys but I've got to! I need to see what my life would truly be like had I never met any of you. I know that sounds mean and selfish and I will miss you all so much. But you've got to understand I'm only sixteen, I need to expand my horizons and live my own life. Besides, what right do I have to be the Queen of the World? Turning this whole beautiful place into one big crystallized city? There's evil in the world, yes but there always has been and whether you want to believe it or not there always will be. That's why there are senshi and every generation of senshi has protected this world and excepted their destiny. But this once…just this once…I want to be the senshi who decides for herself what her destiny will be, not some prochecy from the past."

Makoto sighed and nodded in defeat. " I understand, Usagi… and I support you all the way."

                "Oh! Thank you Mako-chan! You're the greatest!" Usagi grabbed her friend and hugged her tightly.

"Yeah, yeah. I know…I know."

That night, Usagi lay in the guest bedroom snoring loudly while Makoto lay in her own room looking up at the ceiling. She turned on and lay on her side, reaching for the phone next to her bed. She dialed a certain number and waited patiently as the phone rang. There was silence and then a groggy voice was heard on the other line. "Mushi Mushi. Who the hell is this? It's 12:00 at night."

"Minako, it Makoto. I've got something important to tell you but you have to promise not to tell anyone else."

"Oh? What wrong's Mako?" Minako asked, now fully awake.

"Well, brace yourself because you won't believe what I've got to say…"

*********************************************************************

Ha ha! I didn't think it possible but I did it! I finished the second chappy! YAY!!!  Oh and also, I decided not to put a slight Mako/Minako. Don't ask why I just didn't feel like it, okay? Thank yo all!  Bye now!

-Lady Angel.