I've had a lot of you wondering about what's going on, especially with Mamoru's attitude. I'm not going into depth with him for a reason. You'll see later on. I'm actually keeping his opinion out of this as much as possible. In later chapters, you'll realize why. Don't worry, you'll all get to find out everything.
I know this story is annoying a lot of you in that it's very…. vague. It's that way for a reason. I don't want to give everything away for a reason. It's evil, I know, and you all probably want to kill me for it, but I really am enjoying all the questions you guys are worrying over! Some of them will be answered; others won't because they won't be of any concern in this story. You'll just have to read on to find out, and hope to god that I don't become bored with this, right? Lol
Oh, and in case you haven't already figured it out… (Caution younger readers) Usagi is a total bitch in this story. Lol.
You've Always Deserved My Love
Chapter Seven
The temple door was nearly knocked down by the loud, hammering pounds that Chibiusa beat down on it. "REI-CHAN! REI-CHAN!"
From inside the temple, Ami, Rei, and Minako heard the knocks. They had been making 'welcome back' banners for Makato, but when they heard the loud raps, they sprang up and rushed toward the door. Rei opened it, and Chibiusa fell into her arms, heaving huge breaths.
"Chibiusa-chan! What's wrong?!" Patting the girl's back, she led her to a living area where they all sat down.
After several long moments of heaving and panting, Chibiusa raised a hand and, through choked out words, said, "I ran the whole way here from the park."
"Goodness, Chibiusa-chan! That's over three miles from here!" Ami started.
Chibiusa cut in. "I had to hurry. You have no idea. I saw her. I SAW HER."
"Who?" Minako asked.
Rei stood up. "Not her."
Chibiusa shook her head furiously. "No, it was her. It was HER."
Minako furrowed her brow. "WHO?"
"USAGI!" Chibiusa all but screeched. "She was in the park with SEIYA. She cut all her hair off, but I knew it was her within an instant of looking at her face. It's her. She's back. I heard her talk about a funeral. I think Papa Tsukino died."
Ami snapped her fingers. "I heard about that from Naru-chan the other day. She lives so close to the Tsukinos, you know. I should have thought of that."
"What are we going to do, guys?" Chibiusa panicked, running her fingers through her fingers.
"Nothing." Rei said. "We'll do absolutely nothing. We'll stay away. Make sure that Mamoru doesn't see her. That's all we can do. It's obvious she's not back to make amends."
"She even said she hoped she didn't run into any of us." Chibiusa said.
"Alright, then. That makes it final." Rei looked at Ami and Minako. "If any of us see her, we ignore her. Don't act like you know her. If you're with Mamoru and you spot her, distract him. Get him away instantly. Understood? I won't have him fall apart for us to put him back together again."
The girls nodded.
Rei took a deep breath. "We'd better get to the train station. Mako's train arrives in an hour."
They all nodded and got up from their seats, grabbing their purses and walking out.
"Not a word of this to anyone... not even Makato. We're going to keep as few people out of this as possible. Minako, if you say a WORD to Mamoru, I will kill you." Rei muttered as they walked down the steps.
Minako gulped, wrapping an arm around Chibiusa's still shaking shoulders. "Why does she always suspect me?"
Chibiusa giggled slightly. "Because you're such a gossip."
Minako huffed.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Mamoru was already at the train station when they arrived. He was sitting on one of the docking benches when they walked up. He stood with a smile when they arrived.
"About time you guys got here. Her train will be here any minute."
"We…uh… had to make a few stops. Minako got hungry and wouldn't stop fussing." Ami cleared her throat and nodded toward the blonde girl, who was happily munching on a fast food hamburger.
Mamoru cringed. "Does she have ANY clue how bad that stuff is for her health?"
"No, and I don't think she would care if she did." Rei said, laughing.
Chibiusa suddenly ran up and hugged Mamoru. Surprised, Mamoru blinked and hugged her back. The girl pulled away and smiled. Mamoru raised an eyebrow. "What was that for?"
The girl shrugged. "I just… felt like hugging you." She smiled and sat down.
Mamoru blinked confusedly for a moment, and then sat beside her.
A whistle was blown and the people crowded around the receiving station all stood and huddled where the train would arrive. The girls and Mamoru stood behind the crowd. The incoming train caught Chibiusa's attention. She looked at it a little funny. It actually ran on tracks. It looked like the ones that in the 30th century, with the bullet fashion front and the white and chrome paneling, and it was fast as it came in, but still… it ran on tracks! That alone amazed her. She'd never seen a train like this before… all the ones she knew simply levitated a few feet in the air. She said so to Mamoru, who laughed.
"We're just old timers, I guess, Chibiusa-chan."
The train entered the station safely, and the passengers began descending the steps into the station where they met their friends and family or simply started to leave the station. Chibiusa noticed that those who simply left mostly wore business suits. She assumed they were simply in town for business. For a while, the girls were worried, as no one spotted Makato anywhere, but finally, she stepped down and took her bags from the conductor who handed them down to her. She smiled graciously at him and started to walk down the docking lane until she met them.
"Hey, guys!"
They all blinked at her for several moments.
She raised an eyebrow. "Are you all alright?"
Finally, Ami spoke, clearing her throat. "Did… you… did you change your hair, Mako-chan?"
The brunette giggled, shaking her head to let them admire her new, short brown curls. "Yeah! You like?"
It was short. Short hair… no ponytail… on Mako-chan? Chibiusa was stunned for a few moments, like the rest of them, until she walked around the girl and looked at her intensely. Finally, she reached a verdict. "I think it looks fabulous."
Makato reached out and hugged her. "Have I ever told you that you were my favorite?"
Chibiusa giggled.
Mamoru even complimented her. "It suits you, Makato-san."
She smiled. "Thanks."
Finally, the other girls jumped in as well.
"Yes, now that I really examine it, I see that it does compliment your features." Ami said.
"Yeah, it looks totally fab!" Minako said.
"I really love it, Mako-chan. You can wear some really cute hairpins and make it look really cool." Rei said.
She laughed at them all. "You guys, really."
They helped her gather hew few bags (in other words, Mamoru took her large suitcase and Rei took her small one) and they left the station, all piling into Mamoru's small car instead of facing the long walk to Makato's apartment. Chibiusa found herself sitting on Rei's lap, while Makato was laden with Minako on hers. Ami had opted for the front seat beside Mamoru, where they had a lovely conversation on the approaching lunar eclipse. It was much more complicated in the back, where the bunched up girls laughed, jabbed, hit, and smacked each other the whole way home.
To say the least… there was no elbow room.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A few uneventful days passed… especially to Makato's eyes. She had been so used to rushing to get up and get to class everyday, where she would put all of her concentration and efforts into trying to impress whatever chef was assigned to her class for the day. She had always thought herself a fantastic cook… at least, she had always been the best at all of the cooking schools she had attended in Tokyo. Class after class, she had always outshone the rest. But at this new school, she was challenged. It was exhilarating, being able to compete with others around her. Sometimes she won, but other times she lost. One day her pâté would be absolutely fabulous… the next, her soufflé would be flat and tasteless.
She had learned so much since she had been gone. Yet, when she returned to Tokyo and her life went back to normal, she found herself happier than ever. Sure, she had loved the experience… but she loved her friends and her life in Tokyo more than anything.
As she sat in the MoonBeam café, sipping a cup of steaming hot coffee, her thoughts drifted to her friends. They had been acting a little odd lately, especially Minako, who was… rather quiet. They had given her many odd looks as well. She had just supposed that to be because of her new hair, but, with those girls, you could never tell. She ran a finger through her new brown curls. She grinned. It had shocked them all. But it was a change; it was different. She felt different, and she knew she looked different. Three months could do a lot to a girl.
Unazaki, a waitress at the MoonBeam, came up to the girl's table. "Hey, Mako-chan. More coffee?"
Makato looked up and shook her head. "No, thank you. Is Motoki downstairs today?" The MoonBeam was a small café that was a floor above the CROWN arcade, where Unazaki's older brother Motoki worked. He was well acquainted with all of the girls, and had been especially close to Usagi and Makato… well, now that Makato thought about that, it seemed like a long time ago. Makato's face rested in a soft smile as she thought of the childish crush she used to have on him… until Mamoru had crushed her dreams, that is, by telling her about Motoki's girlfriend. Her smile turned to a frown.
"Nope, he's off work. Going to classes at the Institute today."
"Oh, that's great. Chibiusa's been going there, you know."
"Yeah, I saw she came back from…wherever. She's so… grown up! How old is she now?"
"Fourteen."
"That's impossible!"
"No… no, she's fourteen. She was twelve when she left… it's been two years… she's fourteen."
"But I heard she's already finished college! And is now taking more courses at Azubu just for the fun of it! She gets perfect marks; it annoys Motoki. He has a psychology course with her."
Makato laughed nervously. "She… takes after her father."
"Oh, is her father a genius or something? Let me guess; he's some secret scientist who creates weird experiments that will stop global warming!"
Makato, again, laughed nervously. "No, no, he's nothing of the sort." She got up and placed a few yen on the table. "I have to be going now. It was nice talking to you, Unazaki." The girl left the café, practically sprinting outside.
She breathed a sigh of relief. Talking about Chibiusa was rather difficult. She was an odd one to explain, that was for sure. She was like a mix of everyone, it seemed. She was fun and vivacious like Minako, deep and spiritual like Rei, a genius like Ami and Mamoru (Maybe that was why she was so smart! She could be their brains put together! Makato nearly choked at the thought of it), strong and brave like herself, and…
Makato stopped and frowned. Beautiful like Usagi.
She sighed. No one had mentioned Usagi since she had been back. Not a word had been spoken about her. It was rather odd. It was as if she had completely ceased to exist. She was sure that when she came back, Usagi would be a topic they could talk about. But no one did; no one said a word.
Makato looked around at where she had stopped. She was at the Tokyo tower: the middle of the shopping district. Looking around, she decided to go east, toward the Hikawa shrine. The girls had been at the temple nearly every day since she came back. It was like they held meetings every day. No one ever wanted to go out and do anything; they just wanted to sit at the temple. Makato would show up and give them all funny looks when none of them would explain why they didn't want to go to a show or out shopping or anything. Even Ami would refuse to go anywhere, including the bookstore!
The short-haired brunette passed by a shoe shop and peeked in the window as she passed. A pair of dark green open-toed heels with a small ribbon bow on the front caught her eye, and she had to stop and look at them. She walked up to the window and looked at the beautiful shoes for several minutes, picturing herself walking around the town in them. She giggled to herself and looked away from the display.
Her eyes, however, caught on something when they left the shoes. Inside the shop, a blonde girl was trying on a pair of boots, while a man stood behind her, fidgeting around and looking extremely bored.
Her eyes narrowed. The man was turned away from her; she couldn't see him. The woman looked familiar, though. Too familiar. She slipped into the shoe store and immediately began to pretend to be shopping. She even asked a sales person for a size eight of the green shoes she had seen.
The blonde woman was sitting in a chair trying on multiple pairs of boots when Makato took a chair in front of her. She didn't notice the brunette, simply looking at her leather clad feet.
Pouting, the woman looked up at her companion. "What do you think, honey?"
He looked down at the shoes. "They're nice."
"Nice? That's all you can say? Nice?"
"I've seen millions of boots today… they all look the same!"
The woman let out a sigh. "You're almost as impossible as…"
Makato tuned in to their conversation intently now.
"As who? As who, DEAR?"
"Never mind. No one."
Makato stole a glance at the woman. She gulped as she saw the furious blue eyes of her ex-best friend flash down at the pile of boots around her.
Trying to keep her composure, Makato slipped off her own boots and started to try on the green ribbon shoes.
The woman across from her noticed her boots. "Ooh! I love your boots! Where did you get them?"
For the first time, the woman looked up at her.
Makato looked back at her as well, and their eyes met.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
End Chapter Seven
(OMG…. I absolutely LOVED writing this chapter. I have goosebumps…XD)