The usual disclaimers...blah blah...

A/N: An apology beforehand, dear reader. I'm terrible at battle scenes which is why I thought if it would be best that I wasn't particularly in-depth in that scene. Those of you who were expecting action, so sorry!

Chapter 6: Suspicion

Makoto frowned as she tossed some yellow peppers into the stir fry she was preparing. Something didn't add up and she figured it was time to sit down and think. One moment her apartment was filled with her friends' laughter and the next they were gone. First Mina and Rei had taken off, the latter quickly apologizing stating it was a family emergency. They weren't the only ones, Ami had been acting differently too. The four girls exchanged looks just before leaving, silently communicating to each other when they thought Mako's attention was elsewhere. Even Usagi who had been the most relaxed suddenly had an air of urgency about her. Ami had looked at the blonde before nodding. Mako couldn't take it anymore.

"Ami, Usagi, what's going on? You're all being weird." Mako demanded an answer while trying to stay calm.

Usagi had stepped up and laid a hand on her arm, as if to assuage her. True, it had helped somewhat but it didn't make the tenseness in the air vanish.

"Mako-chan, there's a lot of things we need to explain to you. Now is a really bad time to go into it though. I promise we'll be back." Mako had glanced at the other woman and Ami nodded, her face pale and drawn.

"What? What is it?" The brunette suddenly felt herself pitched into a state of frenzy, she needed to do something but didn't know what.

"We can't get into that now Mako. I'm sorry, I'll be back later tonight." It was Ami who spoke, determination and coolness dripping from each word. It left Mako feeling as if she had been thrown into a pool of freezing water. The blue haired woman turned to Usagi. "We can't wait any longer." Ami had given Mako one more look, her expression bleak.

They walked out the door and Mako experienced a sense of loss so keen she couldn't move. It didn't feel like they were going to come back at all. What kind of secret were they keeping from her that they couldn't tell her in the first place? Obviously they felt it was something they couldn't trust her with, Mako thought bitterly. And so she had thrown herself into a whirlwind of activity, thinking it was best she kept her mind off of it instead of worrying and doubting. She cleaned up the living room and washed all the dishes. She started to pace once the dishes were done and decided to cook something for Ami when the smaller woman came back. Where did she go, anyway?

The scent of something burning registered in her brain and she looked down. Cursing, she grabbed the skillet off the stove and threw it into the sink. The stir fry was very much inedible, it could not even qualify as food anymore. Turning off the stove and whipping off her apron she strode into her bedroom. Opening and closing drawers she finally found what she was looking for and changed quickly. She didn't think about anything, she just knew she had to move, had to do something to dispel this wild feeling inside.

Mako started to run the moment her feet hit the ground. She let her body set the pace, animal-like grace settling onto her figure as she ran. Breathing easily, the cool air of the night entered her lungs as her muscles stretched taut with exertion. This feels good, Makoto thought, Ami did say I was good at physical stuff. Ami again. No matter what she was doing, her thoughts always came back to Ami. It was more than obvious to Makoto she was attracted to the the blue haired woman.

"Wait a minute," skidding to a stop, Mako's eyes widened then narrowed. "She said I was good with physical stuff...good at martial arts." Doubt crept in, Ami's story of the incident ringing false with each second that ticked by. "Let's say...if I'm so good at it, how come I couldn't take care of the guy who attacked Ami?" Her feet did not like being idle for long, she picked up the pace again. "I was beaten so badly that I can't remember a thing." Brow furrowed. "Beaten..."

"...but I don't feel any kind of pain and it was only yesterday..." Footsteps slowing, Makoto paused. "Where are my injuries?" Making her decision she turned around in the direction she came from, running faster than before.

-x-x-x-

They ran along the sidewalk, Ami glancing at Usagi worriedly, "How are we going to explain all of this to her?" The idea that Makoto would hate her after explaining the truth troubled the woman greatly. She did not want the brunette to think of her as a liar or as someone she could not trust. Usagi paused for breath, about to answer when a low-slung sports car pulled up beside them.

"You two, get in." An almost masculine voice commanded from the driver side, and they tumbled into the back seat of the vehicle.

"Thanks Haruka-san, Michiru-san." Ami offered her gratitude.

"Thank me later. Hold onto something." Stepping on the accelerator, the car peeled off before Haruka finished her sentence. The two younger women were thrown back into their seats as they sped along, the blonde masterfully controlling the vehicle with deft movements. Arriving at the scene, they saw other senshi already transformed and in the midst of battle. Calling out their transformation phrases they joined the others for the ugly fight ahead.

Sailor Mars, Venus, Pluto and Saturn were fending off four youmas and the arrival of the others evened the odds. Ami was shocked, she didn't think there would be this many when Luna had alerted everyone. Going to work right away she turned on her visor, seeking weaknesses that could be exploited. Engaged in battle, no one noticed when dark clouds appeared, obstructing the starry sky. Thunder rumbled in the distance, forbidding and foreboding.

Omake 1:

Her feet did not like being idle for long, she picked up the pace again. "I was beaten so badly that I can't remember a thing." Brow furrowed. "Beaten..."

Makoto suddenly had a craving for scrambled eggs.

Omake 2:

Engaged in batter, no one noticed when the baking pans disappeared.

A/N: Yes...the omake bits are just plain silly...

Hope you enjoyed this chapter. Will be updating soon.