Notes: Episode 107, "Art is an Explosion of Love! Chibi-Usa's First Love". Or, "The one where Chibi-Usa's crush crushes on Michiru."

Episode 107

The door to Makoto's apartment swung open, and Chibi-Usa skipped inside. She swung her grocery bags to some internal rhythm, heedless of Mako's involuntary winces whenever the bag contents thumped and rolled against each other. Three times Mako had cautioned Chibi-Usa against bruising the apples. Three times Chibi-Usa had stopped doing it for approximately 45-seconds before childhood enthusiasm (or the extra hot fudge Mako let her get on her sundae) returned, and the bags were off again. Mako had given up four blocks ago and was just glad she'd bought extra apples.

Chibi-Usa was in mid-story. "And Umaru had the paints but told Chi-chan he DIDN'T."

"Oh?" Mako said, thoroughly engrossed. "What happened then?" She'd actually lost the plot several minutes ago and couldn't keep the baffling cast of characters straight, but she enjoyed Chibi-Usa's zeal.

The little girl was having trouble lifting her arms high enough to put the heavy bags on the counter. Mako reached over her and helped, leaving Chibi-Usa free to continue the story. This time, there were hand gestures. "Chi-chan was looking everywhere until Birin showed her where Umaru had hidden them. Chi-chan confronted him and when he lied again, she punched him. Right in the nose!"

Mako barked a laugh, loud and throaty. "Nice one, Chi-chan."

Pink pigtails bobbed as Chibi-Usa vigorously nodded her agreement, but then she frowned. "Sensei said fighting was bad though."

"Oh, well," Mako said, piling the apples in the sink for washing. "Sensei knows best, I suppose." Her tone said that sensei was bonkers.

Conversation lapsed for a time as Mako showed Chibi-Usa how to hold the peeler and the best method to use it on the apples. Chibi-Usa was the perfect attentive student, and anxious to try. Under Mako's watchful eye, little hands fumbled and hacked bits of peel everywhere. Chibi-Usa's tongue poked out between her lips and her expression was one of gravest concentration. Mako chuckled. On behalf of the moon, apples were being terribly punished.

Once she was sure that only fruit and not fingers were in danger, Mako grabbed a knife and joined in. "How did your 'slave for a day' thing work out with Usagi?"

"She was terrible!" Chibi-Usa said. "It didn't matter WHAT I told her to do, she kept messing it up!"

One long string of apple peel dropped heavily into the sink. Chibi-Usa looked from Mako's perfectly clean apple to the warped thing in her hands. Bits of peel still clung in random spots and chunks were missing all over. "Ikuko-mama had an automatic peeler," Chibi-Usa said apologetically.

"Slice 'em up, no one will notice," Mako assured her. "So what did Usagi do?"

"NOTHING," Chibi-Usa exclaimed, grabbing another apple. "I told her to clean my room and she just stuffed everything into the closet. I told her to make me a sandwich and she kept getting it wrong. I told her to carry my books when I went to the library and she dropped them everywhere!" She furiously attacked her apple like it had suddenly grown blonde odangos. "I'm never asking her to do anything again!"

Unbidden, an image popped into Mako's head of Usagi, grinning like a maniac. "Success!" crowed Imaginary Usagi, flashing a V-for-victory.

"I, uhh … I'm sure she tried her best," Makoto said, rubbing the back of her head.

"Whatever. Stupid Usagi! I don't know why you guys are friends with her!"

Makoto just laughed nervously and tried to swat away the mental image of Usagi celebrating her conquest over a ten-year old.

"Hey, Mako-chan?" Something in the little girl's voice captured Mako's full attention. Chibi-Usa was still peeling her apple, but as an afterthought, just something to do. "Why don't I have any friends?"

The question caught Mako off-guard. "But you do! What about Chi-chan and Birin and well okay, maybe not Umaru, but—"

"They not my friends," said Chibi-Usa. There was a flat, factual sound to the statement that Mako didn't like. "I wasn't part of all that, I was just watching them."

"What about Masanori-kun?"

Chibi-Usa's head dropped. "We got a new girl in class and … he started talking to her and ignoring me."

Mako felt her jaw clench. God she hated boys sometimes. "Well then he wasn't your friend at all and that's HIS loss."

"I know it is!" Chibi-Usa said, and the smile she flashed was genuine, much to Mako's relief. "I just don't know why I can't make friends. It's my important mission, Mako-chan."

Another flawless string of apple peel dropped into the sink. Mako considered the problem for a long moment; actions were her specialty, not words, and she wanted to get this right. Chibi-Usa watched in patient and expectant silence.

"Maybe…" Mako began, dragging the word out. "Maybe that's the thing. A friend isn't a mission, a friend is a gift."

Chibi-Usa blinked, taking this in.

"I think you're trying too hard. That's all."

"Really?" Chibi-Usa sounded unspeakably relieved. "Then you think I can do it?"

Mako ruffled the girl's hair, causing a bluster that only made her affectionate smile grow larger. "I know you can. You've got a friend out there for you, Chibi-Usa-chan. She's just waiting for you to find her."