Forget Me Not, Part B
Another week went by, and even though she had dozens of notes from Seiya, the one Usagi thought about the most was about food.
I miss Earth food! Seiya wrote. I wish I could cook anything similar here.
After toying with the idea of trying to send a mini cheeseburger through the burner, Usagi found herself admitting that she was interested in learning how to cook something new. She thought of Mamoru's upcoming visit and wrote about how nice it would be to learn how to cook an American meal.
"I have a hard time following recipes though," she admitted.
"You should ask Makoto. I'm sure she would help you," Seiya wrote reassuringly. "Try it! It's always good to try new things."
When she thought back to the last time she had tried something new, she thought fondly of learning how to play baseball with Seiya. Getting hit in the face with a ball wasn't very fun and that wasn't a part of the memory that she was fond of, but spending time with her friend and being not-so-terrible when it was time to play against another team was worth the effort. She never really thought of herself as adventurous (if it didn't involve saving the planet from impending doom), so she decided to act on her sudden burst of motivation before it disappeared.
With a confident nod, she set the note down and picked up her phone. After a few rings, her friend picked up the phone with a curious, "Usagi?"
"Hi, Mako-chan!" She said cheerfully.
There was a short pause before Makoto said warmly, "It's so good to hear from you, Usagi-chan. How are you?"
They exchanged pleasantries before Usagi tried to get to the point. "So Mako-chan, I was wondering… and I know you're really busy with school and work and I know you do a lot-"
She was cut off by her friend's gentle laugh. "You know I would do anything for you."
"I was wondering … um, if you would teach me how to cook something?"
Makoto didn't miss a beat in responding. "Oh, Usagi-chan! I'd love to! Did you have something in mind?"
"Oh, well, Mamo-chan is coming home soon for Christmas and I was thinking it would be nice to know how to cook something that tastes American. Maybe something you ate on your trip last summer that you liked?"
"That is such a fun idea, Usagi-chan! Oh, I know - let's get some bottles of wine and invite all the girls," Makoto said with excitement.
"Oh, I… Mako-chan," Usagi stumbled out. "Honestly, I was hoping we could just do something together," she finished quietly. She hoped she wouldn't have to explain herself.
The silence between them filled Usagi's stomach with anxiety.
"We can do that, Usagi-chan. I would love that," she with a gentle, understanding voice.
When Usagi said goodbye to her friend and set down the phone, she was startled by a voice behind her, asking, "Was that Mako-chan?"
She felt like her heart dropped into her stomach, and as she turned around, she instinctively reached for the broach that she used to keep on her chest.
"Usagi-chan, it's me! I'm sorry, I didn't mean to scare you," said the small black cat. Her round, red eyes were full of concern.
Usagi laughed and touched her cheek. "Oh, my. I'm sorry, I didn't know when to expect you, Luna-chan."
Luna slinked closer and pressed herself to Usagi's leg. "Have you been well?" The woman smiled and bent down, gently brushing her fingers against the golden crescent moon adorning the feline's forehead, then continued to run her hands down her silky fur.
"I've been really good," she said, smiling. "I have a lot to tell you about!"
As Usagi explained to Luna about the incense burner and the letters from Kinmoku, she felt excitement run through her body like electricity. She knew the movements she made with her hands were dramatic and that at times her voice got a little too loud, but the joy was hard to contain. At the end of her short tale, Luna said something she didn't expect:
"Wow, Usagi-chan. I'm proud of you!"
"Huh." The blonde stared at the cat for a moment before asking, "Why?"
"You used your power in a new way! I'm sure that all that practice is helping you become more disciplined when using the crystal."
"Oh, I guess I did." She tilted her head and looked up as she thought about the time she spent sending letters. "It does get easier each time. I wonder if one day I won't even need to hold the crystal in my hand to use it," she mused. She thought of the glittering crystal inside of her broach, no longer hiding among the mess the drawer of her nightstand, but now sitting prominently on top of it. It was odd, but sometimes when she held the crystal in her hand, it felt like it was happier now. But how could an inanimate object be happy?
"That is the kind of discipline your mother, Queen Serenity, had. And I'm sure Neo-Queen Serenity probably has it as well," Luna said with a proud smile.
Usagi's eyes widened as she thought of a person— a future version of herself— that she hadn't thought of in a few weeks. She pictured the neo queen: graceful, elegant, and beautiful with her soft curves, cascading locks of golden blonde hair, and her serene smile. In her vision she held hands with a short, young child. The child had pastel pink hair cascading from cone-shaped buns on the top of her head and wide, red eyes behind thick black lashes.
Usagi wasn't sure why thinking of the young child made her feel uneasy.
Desperate to change the subject, Usagi said with exaggerated enthusiasm, "Tell me about your vacation!"
Usagi laid down on the sofa as she listened to Luna recount details of sprawling green hills, mountain peaks shrouded with low clouds, and the smell of fresh, clean air. She watched the black cat speak with a longing smile on her lips. "That sounds so lovely, Luna-chan," she murmured. The sound of Luna's sweet, sing-song voice describing the beautiful scenery relaxed her, and by the end of her story, her eyelids began to feel heavy.
"Yes, Usagi-chan. I hope we can go together some time," Luna replied, nuzzling her nose against the sleepy woman's cheek.
Usagi thought back to a trip to the mountains she took in high school with her friends, and the surprise it was to find The Three Lights there, shooting an action film. As she drifted off to sleep, that misty, Japanese mountain turned into the rolling green hills of Kinmoku, speckled with delicate orange flowers, just like in Seiya's letters.
The next morning, Usagi awoke feeling refreshed and excited. She tapped her feet, bit her lip, and wished that time would go faster so that her kitchen-savvy friend could leave work and come over to visit. There was a moment when Usagi wondered if it'd be too weird to stop by the restaurant where Makoto was for a bite to eat. She decided against it.
When the sound of the doorbell rang through Usagi's apartment, she was quick to rush to the door to answer it. There stood Makoto, two reusable grocery bags hanging from her arm. After being ushered to the kitchen, Makoto began to pull ingredients out. Fresh herbs, bottled spices, vegetables, cheese, cream, noodles, and a package of chicken breasts were piled onto the counter.
"And last but not least," Makoto started as she pulled a bottle out of the bag. "Sauvignon Blanc!"
"Sauvi-what?"
"It's a white wine, Usagi. Don't worry, we'll work on that."
"That sounds French. Aren't we making American?"
"Wine goes with everything, besides," Makoto squinted at the label. "This one's from Chile. That's in South America."
"But we're making North American."
Makoto laughed as she slipped a floral patterned apron over her green sweater, "Just trust me, Usagi-chan. It'll pair well. Oh, and this is for you," she said, reaching into her bag to pull out a second apron.
"Ooo," Usagi gasped, unfolding it. She held the apron against her body and looked down, grinning widely at the cutesy pattern on it. The garment was a pastel pink with white and black rabbits scattered all over it. "Sugoi! Is this for me?"
"Yeah, there's a boutique next door to the restaurant that sells them. They're all handmade. I saw the bunny one this morning and I knew I had to get it for you."
"Thank you so much, Mako-chan." When Makoto smiled at Usagi, it filled her heart to the brim with warmth. She didn't expect to feel so much at once, and suddenly she began to feel tears pooling in her eyes. Quickly, she brought a hand to her face, wiping them away.
"Oh, don't cry, Usagi-chan," Makoto laughed gently, stepping closer to give Usagi a hug. "I'd do anything for you. Getting you a new apron is the least I could do, really."
"It's not just that," Usagi murmured. "You're a really good friend, Mako-chan. I know I haven't been around much, but I hope you know that I love you."
The taller girl held her friend tighter and when Usagi looked up, she could see that her emerald-colored eyes were sparkling with tears as well. "I love you too, Usagi-chan. We all do, you know."
"I know."
Once the girls finished their hugs and wiped the tears from their eyes, they washed their hands and began to gather pots and pans, cutting boards, knives, and all the other essential things Makoto asked for in Usagi's surprisingly well-stocked kitchen.
"I'm impressed, Usagi-chan," Makoto said, looking at the variety of tools and dishes laid out on the counter top.
The blonde shrugged, "It's all Mamo-chan. He likes to cook."
Usagi soon found herself closely watching Makoto make a row of slices across a golden-yellow potato. She looked down and began to slice her own, "Is this right, Mako-chan?" She tried her best to keep the round, earthy vegetable from rolling out from under her freshly-sharpened knife.
Makoto leaned over to inspect and nodded, "That's great, Usagi-chan. Next time make your slices a little thinner, but it will cook just fine." Usagi continued to follow her lead as she added olive oil and seasoned the potato with salt, pepper, and herbs.
"What is this dish called again?" Usagi asked curiously.
"Hasselback potatoes."
"Hmm... that sounds German."
"Swedish, actually."
"But I thought we were making American!"
Makoto laughed heartily and said, "American food comes from everywhere, Usagi-chan. But look, I brought stuff to make macaroni and cheese!" She held up a box of dry noodles and shook it. "This is the most American thing we can make!"
Usagi was already distracted, holding a bushel of fresh rosemary to her nose. "Ohhh, Mako-chan, this smells so good."
Usagi had so much fun that she forgot about all her worries for awhile. The vegetables she prepared for the salad were unevenly chopped and of various shapes and sizes, and her chicken breast was maybe a little bit too browned on one side, but she felt good about trying something different and not completely failing at it. It helped to have Makoto, who was patient, understanding, and kind. Her friend was careful to keep her on task, correct her in gentle ways, and patiently demonstrate how to do things. While Usagi loved all of her friends, she was relieved that the others weren't there to distract her or tease her if she made a mistake.
Once the table was set and Makoto took a picture of Usagi smiling beside the plate that she had prepared, the two women sat down to enjoy their "American meal" of chicken breast, roasted potatoes, macaroni and cheese, and a fresh salad. The two gently clinked their glasses together, and Makoto giggled as Usagi sniffed the sweet but earthy-smelling alcohol before taking a small, cautious sip. When she scrunched her nose, Makoto's giggles grew into full-blown laughter.
"It will grow on you," she said before taking a sip from her own glass of wine. "It's been a few weeks now... how are the Starlights doing?"
Usagi smiled fondly, "They are doing really well. They rebuilt their home and seem to be really happy. Seiya's been writing a lot of songs lately." She thought of the lyrics he had sent a few days ago, and she briefly wondered if he would send more.
"Do you talk to him often?" Makoto asked. Usagi looked down at her plate, poking at a cheesy noodle as she thought of how to answer that question. She felt like it had so many nuances to it. She wondered what her friend would say if she told the truth, that yes, we talk often. In fact, we talk every day.
"I guess so," she said with a shrug. A silence settled over the table, and Usagi looked up from her meal, searching Makoto's face for anything that would make her feel like she could open up without judgement. Her friend was kind and understanding, but would she understand this? Did Makoto still think that Usagi was oblivious to Seiya's feelings? A part of her wanted to say something about the collection of letters, and those words danced on the tip of Usagi's tongue.
Suddenly, the image of Rei with her intense violet eyes in a disapproving scowl flashed across Usagi's mind.
While she trusted Makoto with her life, she wasn't sure if she could trust Makoto not to tell Rei. And Rei knew better. She knew that Usagi wasn't oblivious. She had seen Seiya confess to her with her own eyes.
Usagi decided she couldn't tell Makoto. She allowed the silence to continue.
Usagi felt guilty for shutting her friend out, but grateful that she wasn't pressing her for more information. Makoto continued to eat her meal, looking up every so often at her blue-eyed friend. Usagi avoided those glances by looking down at the lettuce on her plate, and after some time, she let her thoughts wander back to her earlier conversation with Luna. Bringing up her cat's vacation sounded a lot better than sitting in silence, but as she thought back to the previous night, she was reminded of the elegant Neo-Queen holding hands with a lovely, pink-haired little girl. With a small sigh, she quietly asked, "How do you think Chibiusa-chan is doing?"
"Chibiusa?" Usagi looked up suddenly from her meal to find Makoto blinking with confusion, before looking up at the ceiling, as if to search her brain for an answer. Suddenly, the mental light-switch turned on, and the brown-haired woman seemed to have her moment of enlightenment. "Oh, yes! Chibiusa-chan. I'm sure she's doing great. Do you think she'll be visiting us again soon?"
Usagi stared at her friend for a moment before shaking her head. Meekly, she murmured, "Unless there's an issue in the future, I don't really think so,"
Makoto continued to eat and ask questions, and Usagi did her best to answer them. However, the swirling discomfort in her stomach traveled up her body, like a tub filling with water, and it made it hard for her to focus. There was only one question that was important to her at that time:
Why did it take so long for Makoto to remember who Chibiusa was?