Chapter 7: First Date?
The morning was rough as Makoto had to struggle to keep herself awake in class after all of the lost sleep from the previous night's patrol of the city. The Scouts had been up roaming the area for nearly two weeks since they met with Sailor Venus or as they know knew her, Minako. During the night no scout had been able to locate the enemy or any strange behavior but the number of missing people was still rising as they discovered in the news the day before.
"Usagi-chan," Makoto whispered harshly as she turned to catch the blonde falling asleep on her desk.
"But Mako-chan I'm so sleepy!" she whined and she forced her head off of her desk.
"I know, everyone is tired. We have to keep going though," Makoto insisted with a smile.
After school Usagi and Ami collapsed into one of the booths in the Crown while Makoto walked over to the counter where Motoki was working.
"Hey Toki-kun," Makoto greeted as she sat down.
"How was school Mako-chan?" He asked.
"It was boring as usual," Makoto sighed.
"I was wondering if maybe you'd like to hang out with me after I get off work?" Motoki asked trying to sound casual.
"Oh, uh, maybe. I mean Usagi said something about the girls hanging out later but I'll see if they don't mind me not coming."
"Alright, you just let me know the plan," He replied with a smile.
"I'll be right back then," Makoto said with grin.
"So, how long have you been flirting with him?" Minako asked as she joined Makoto on her way over to meet the girls.
"Jeez Minako-chan! You freaked me out coming outta nowhere like that!" Makoto jumped.
"You didn't answer the question Mako-chan," Minako said with a grin.
"I wasn't flirting were just friends."
"Sure, that's what they all say," the blonde giggled.
"I'm serious Minako-chan."
"You can't lie to the guardian of love Mako-chan."
"Lie about what?" Usagi asked as the girls sat down.
"Nothing," Makoto said rolling her eyes at Minako.
"So we're not doing the night patrols anymore right?" Makoto asked once Rei had arrived.
"Yes, we need to focus our energy on something else since people are still disappearing and we haven't seen anything," Ami said frowning.
"Are we going to do anything tonight?" Makoto asked.
"I don't think so. We need time to come up with another plan."
"Looks like you're free to go on that date Mako-chan," Minako snickered.
"I-it's not a date!" Makoto insisted.
"Who are you going on a date with?" Ami asked curiously.
"Isn't it obvious Ami-chan, it's with Motoki-nii of course!" Usagi squealed.
"It is not a date! He simply asked if I wanted to hang out, friends are allowed to just hang out right?"
"Okay, okay," Minako said with her hands up still smirking.
"Alright well, I need to head back to the shrine to help my granddad," Rei said after she had finished her drink.
"I should get home too so I have plenty of time to work on my homework," Ami said standing up as well.
After a few more minutes Makoto was the only one left of the small group and walked back over to sit at the bar.
"So are you free?" Motoki asked as he leaned on the counter.
"No I'm not." Makoto said.
"Oh maybe some other time then," Motoki said with a small frown.
"How could I be free if I'm hanging out with you Toki-kun?" Makoto asked with a grin.
Minako might be right, I am flirting aren't I? Makoto asked with a mental face palm.
"I guess it's a date then," Motoki said with a laugh.
Makoto felt her face heat up a little at the word date.
What did I just get myself into? she thought.
Once it was time for Motoki to get off work the two exited the Crown.
"So what did you have in mind?" Makoto asked as she walked beside him down the street.
"Well I thought we could start with dinner, you can pick the place."
"Hmm, follow me but don't look," Makoto said.
"How can I follow if I can't see you?"
"Just close your eyes," she repeated.
Once his eyes were closed Makoto grabbed Motoki's hand and led him down the street.
"Why are my eyes closed again?" Motoki asked after they had been walking for some time.
"Because I don't want any complaining," Makoto said as she had them round the corner to where her apartment building stood.
"I told you it was your pick so why would I complain?"
"You're complaining now aren't you?" Makoto laughed.
Motoki could hear the fumbling of keys as Makoto let go of his hand and opened her apartment door.
"You can open them now," Makoto informed him as she turned on the lights and walked into her kitchen.
"So this is your apartment huh?" Motoki asked as he looked around at all the plants that decorated the apartment.
"Yeah, it's not much, the plants spend more time here than I do," Makoto laughed.
"I think it's a nice place."
"Yea and this is how you keep a kitchen stocked in case you were wondering," Makoto joked as she started pulling various things out of the kitchen.
"I can't wait to see what you can make out of it. All I hear from the rest of the girls is how fantastic of a cook you are."
"How does sweet potato miso soup sound?" Makoto asked as she pulled out one sweet potato, red miso, soup stock, rice, and salt.
"Sounds great," Motoki said as he took a seat on a stool in the kitchen.
Makoto grabbed two pots and set them on the stove. The bigger one was filled with water while the other was filled with the soup stock and she left them both to boil while taking the potato to wash and cut it.
"So Mako-chan, I want to get to know you some more."
"Well, what do you want to know?" Makoto asked as she finished cutting up the potato and added it to the boiling pot of stock while adding rice to the pot of water.
"Well, let's start basic. What's your favorite color?"
Makoto laughed and added four tablespoons of the red miso with more stock and started to stir them together.
"I'm serious, I wanna know," Motoki smiled.
"My favorite color is green. What about yours?"
"Green," Motoki replied.
"No seriously what's your favorite color?" Makoto asked.
"It's green I promise. It's because I love turtles," he explained.
"Really? Turtles?" Makoto asked curiously.
"Yes turtles.
"That's actually really cute," Makoto laughed a she saw his cheeks turn color.
"Have you ever made rice balls before?" Makoto asked as she turned the burner for the rice off and set the burner for the soup on a lower setting.
"No. I've never really cooked anything before, other than small breakfast stuff."
"Well you're gonna learn come over here," she ordered.
Motoki joined her at the sink as she told him to wash his hands.
"Once your hands are washed don't dry them yet."
Makoto washed her hands as well and while they were wet she put a little bit of salt on her palm and did the same to Motoki.
"Alright not just rub your hands together with the salt and grab a handful of the rice and start squishing it together," she instructed.
Motoki grabbed a handful of rice and started to fumble with it, trying to make it look remotely like a triangle. Makoto noticed his struggled and smiled as she put down the first rice ball.
"Here, let me help." Makoto placed her hands over his and helped him form the rice ball.
"There, and that's all there is to it!" she said as she quickly finished the rest.
"And dinner is served," Makoto announced pouring the soup into two bowl and placing the rice balls into a serving tray.
They made their way to the table and sat down to eat. Half way through the meal Makoto heard a buzzing coming from the kitchen.
"Excuse me," she said going to get her phone. When she got to the counter she noticed that it was her scout communicator that was buzzing and not her phone.
Taking her phone and communicator she rushed to her bedroom and answered.
"What's going on?" she asked into the communicator.
"Mako-chan sorry to interrupt your date but two youma have shown up at the park and we need your help!" Sailor Moon said urgently.
"For the last time it's not a date! Anyway I'll be there as soon as possible hold on you guys!"
Makoto rushed back out to the living room.
"I am so sorry Toki-kun but Usagi called and she really needs my help. You can stay and finish eating but I have to go," Makoto apologized as she grabbed her keys.
"Is everything alright?" Motoki asked concerned.
"Yea it'll be fine sorry but I have to be fast," Makoto said as she vanished out of the front door.
Sailor Jupiter arrived at the park to see the scouts tied up by one of the two youma.
"Supreme Thunder!" Sailor Jupiter yelled as she came running in. Her lightning broke the youma's binds on the rest of the sailor scouts allowing them to get back into action.
"Are you guys alright?" Jupiter asked as she brought her arms up to block the lung from the second youma.
"We are now. Thanks Sailor Jupiter!" Sailor Moon said.
Jupiter took off her rose earring and threw them to block the attack that was aimed at Sailor Mercury as she used her Supreme Thunder to blast the youma in front of her.
"Now Sailor Moon!" Venus called as she used her Venus Love-me Chain to hold the youma in place.
"Right! Moon Tiara Action!" Sailor Moon yelled as she finished off the youma.
By the time she had finished Mars and Mercury had beaten the second youma allowing Sailor Moon to finish the job.
Once the youma had been taken care of Jupiter transformed back and wandered around to look for her earrings.
"Oh I really hope I didn't lose them!" She said as she frantically searched the brushed of the park.
"Lose what Mako-chan?" Usagi asked as she came over.
"My earrings! I threw them to block an attack and now I can't find them!"
"They're pretty small, I don't know if you'll be able to see then in the bushes, especially with how dark it is," Rei informed as she joined the search.
"They were my mothers, I have to find them!"
The girls searched for almost an hour with no sign of the earring.
"I'm sorry Mako-chan, we just can't find them anywhere," Usagi said with a frown.
"It's getting really late, we really need to get home," Ami said.
"Your right. Thanks for looking anyway you guys," Makoto said quietly.
Makoto opened the door to her apartment, wiping the few tears from her eyes with the sleeve of her jacket.
"Mako-chan? What happened?" came the worried voice of Motoki as he quickly left the couch to place a hand on her shoulder.
"I didn't think you'd still be here," she sniffled as she set her keys back on the kitchen counter.
"I wanted to make sure everything was okay so I decided to wait until you came back," he explained, "So whats wrong? Why are you upset?"
"I lost my rose earrings. They were my mother's so I always wore them but I couldn't find them after I met with Usagi at the park."
"They have to be there somewhere. I can look for you tomorrow if you want?" Motoki offered.
"They're gone Motoki, we looked for almost an hour. I'm just want to go to sleep now," Makoto said as she walked past him.
"I guess I'll see you tomorrow," Motoki said, "And hey, you will find them I promise."
Authors Note: Hey guys I hope you enjoyed this chapter. It's longer than usual I hope you don't mind but I had to find a place to end it. I would love to hear your comments and suggestions and I hope you still like the story. My reviews have gotten pretty quiet so I hope your still reading. Anyway thanks for reading and the next chapter will be up hopefully pretty soon since I have way to much free time right now!