Notes: Episode 116, "Sunny Skies After a Storm! A Friendship Dedicated to Hotaru". Or, "The one where Hotaru goes with Usagi & family for a picnic".

Episode 116

Why should Usagi and Mamoru be the only ones to have a picnic today?

They shouldn't. Hell with that.

Mako spent the next hour whipping together a delicious lunch including everyone's favourite sandwiches, and by the time she arrived at the park, the others had already picked out the best spot, near the trees so they had some measure of privacy, but getting plenty of sunshine to enjoy the beautiful day. Apparently Rei had driven off a cluster of pre-teen boys who didn't quite grasp that this wasn't a football pitch. Despite the disapproving undertone with which Ami relayed the tale, Mako high-fived Rei and tossed her a can of tea as a reward. Screw pre-teen boys, it was PICNIC TIME.

Everything was perfect, Mako decided as she finished her third cake. Next to her, Ami was absently tracing patterns on the picnic blanket while concentrating on the conversation. Rei was next to Ami, her arms pillowing her head as she lay on her back in the sun. Her eyes were closed but she, too, was listening intently to Minako.

Between Rei and Mako was Minako. She was lying on her stomach in the grass, kicking her legs back and forth as she read the next question in her magazine quiz. The subject was "Is he 'The One'." None of them had a "he", but so what? These were important questions to maybe ask yourself one day in the hypothetical-but-hopefully-really-soon future!

"'Are you,'" Minako read in a clear and overly articulate voice, "'able to handle his little faults?'"

She gazed at her audience, pausing to make sure everyone had a good solid grasp on this vital question before continuing.

"'A. I'm trying to change his bad habits. B. His habits drive me crazy. Or C. No problem, his habits are easy to brush off.'"

"Hmmm," four voices echoed in simultaneous contemplation.

"A," Minako said decisively. "I'm sure he just doesn't realize how annoying he's being, and will be totally ready to change once I tell him. He'll love me so much it won't be a problem." She nodded her head at this, confident in every facet of her answer.

"I think B," Rei said, to a chorus of groans. She flinched as a wadded up paper napkin bounced off her nose. "I'm being honest! They probably will!"

Minako shook her head sadly. "You're going to be single forever."

"I guess not all of us were lucky enough to find the perfect most understanding imaginary boyfriend of all time," Rei shot back. Her eyes were still closed, but it was pretty obvious they were rolling.

"Also hot," said Minako, waggling her eyebrows.

"I think B for me too," said Ami, then quickly throwing her hands up to ward off Mako's incoming napkin grenade. "BUT, but I'm sure we'll work out a compromise!"

Rei tilted her head back further to look at the remaining answerer. "What about you, Mako-chan?"

Mako rubbed the back of her neck, deep in thought. "Probably—"

"Tag, you're it!"

Mako groaned as she felt Minako slap her shoulder, and heard the same from Ami. "Aww, c'mon, you can't be serious!"

But as she opened her eyes and saw Minako dragging an equally surprised Rei into the trees, Mako knew she was COMPLETELY serious.

"Tag" was what Minako called her latest training exercise. She would, at any time, begin a game, running off with one of the others. Those left would have to 'tag' the other team with their powers. These matches happened without preamble or warning. Minako called it preparation for action at any time.

Makoto called it 'inconvenient as fuck'.

"I JUST ATE SO MUCH CAKE!" she yelled to the unfeeling sky.

Ami was slowly standing. "I've been working on a new idea. Theory, really." She offered Mako her hand. "Want to help me test it?"

"Will it end this stupid game fast?"

Ami grinned. "Ideally."

Mako grabbed her hand and rolled to her feet. "Then hell yes."

They slipped into the trees and transformed as soon as they were sure they were alone.

"Okay what do I do?" asked Jupiter.

"Well the idea is to 'tag' the other team, right? The most efficient way of doing that is to spread our powers out over a large area."

"Makes sense."

Mercury nodded. "Make a lightning storm. I'll handle the rest."

... ... ...

It would be the talk of the local news that night. A freak out-of-season hail storm that struck without warning. And it wasn't just the suddenness of the storm, but how vicious it was. One newscaster said it was almost as if the storm were out to get somebody. Her co-anchors laughed.

Elsewhere, four teenage girls were NOT laughing.

Usagi never did find out why it would be the next summer before anybody would go on another picnic.