How long is four years? In the grand scheme of things, the be-all, end- all all-mighty plan, perhaps it is nothing more than a grain of sand in a never-ending hourglass. Four years of one individuals life, amongst billions of individuals and endless years. Surely four years cannot be much. Or can it? Fill those years with a longing so intense you feel your heart may explode if you let yourself even think about how deep it really is. Spend those four years beside that which you crave most in this whole world, a hand span away, yet never being able to touch it, possess it. Being so near....so near you can see how truly far away you are. Four years can be an agonizing eternity. Makoto learned this lesson the hard way, long before most do. She had spent four years lost in the painful limbo mentioned above. Locked away in a cell of cowardice with the all-powerful Fear as the warden. But finally, today, she broke free from her self-imposed prison. She had captured the courage she was so well known for and prepared to use it for what could be the most important thing in her entire life. Today she would finally tell Minako, her best friend, what she had many times before only in dreams. That she was in love with her. Makoto had been grinning ever since she made the decision. She was nineteen years old now. Finished school. The bank had approved the loan for her restaurant, which she would have ready for business before Christmas. She had a future, something to prosper with, until the day came where she, along with the other senshi, lived only to protect Neo Tokyo and its Queen. She had more than just empty promises to give along with her heart. And it was that realization that gave her the strength to decide to lay her heart out on her sleeve for Minako. Fate seemed to have a hand in this as well. Not ten minutes after Makoto had made her decision, Minako called and invited her over for dinner. Though this was a common occurrence, Makoto took it as a sign from the gods themselves for her to proceed with her declaration of love. It was too much of a beautiful coincidence to think otherwise. She had decided on wearing a pair of black jeans and a white, long sleeved sport shirt. Now that she wasn't forced to parade around in a makeshift high school uniform, she found a new sense of style which dominated her wardrobe. Gone were the gaudy old Technicolor dresses and flashy tops, and in went the denim and cotton shirts, and the professional, clean cut look of Armani suits. Makoto chuckled and shook her head. "A lot can change in four years...thank God my fashion sense was one of them. Even if I kinda do look like a Haruka clone now...." She turned to look at a small-framed picture by her bedside. "But some things never change...no matter how much time goes by." She whispered to herself while picking up the picture, and stroking the cheek of the young blond girl in it tenderly. Makoto took a moment to remember fondly how she came to own that picture. It had been about two years ago, and the five friends had gone shopping. Minako had seen something in a window that caught her attention. Her eyes went big and she had that 'if-I-don't-get-that-right- now-I'll-just-die' look on her face. She dashed into the boutique, leaving Makoto, Rei, Ami, and Usagi just standing in the middle of the mall. When she came out, she was sporting her latest purchase. A revealing black dress with the playbunny insignia in the middle of the chest. Makoto had been caught off guard by this, and never realized how much she was staring until Usagi spoke out. "Ooooooh!!!" she squealed "You look so good in that Mina-chan!" "Yes," Ami agreed, and grinned slyly. "you do. Why, Mako-chan...you had better pick your jaw up off of the floor before you trip over it. Though I'm sure Minako loves the attention." Rei grinned evilly. "Yeah Mako...you should take a picture....it'll last you longer, girl." Makoto turned bright red, not knowing what she could say. She had been caught red handed. She looked away from Minako and to the ground, mumbling something incoherent. Before anyone could make things any worse for her, Minako stepped up to her. She broke out giggling and handed Mako a picture of herself. "I always keep one with me," she said. "In case I see someone who looks Hollywood." She slipped into a sultry voice. "Here you go, Ms. Big Shot Director." She winked at Mako-chan. "Take this...and think about me...." She turned on her heel, her mock offer hanging in the air along with the scent of her perfume. She started slowly walking away from Makoto and towards the fountain, exaggerating her every step with a slip of her hips. Then she turned around and blew Makoto a kiss, causing all five of them to erupt in laughter. "How....sensual.....Mistress....Mina..." Ami choked out in between giggles. "Oh yeah!" Rei chimed in. "Minako's not bad.....she's just drawn that way..." Usagi fell to the ground nearly in tears. Makoto decided to give in to the insanity. She dropped her voice a few octaves, and tipped the brim of her cap at Minako. "Here's lookin at you, kid." Ami now fell to the floor with Usagi. Minako saw this, and realized she had an opportunity to perform now that she simply could not refuse. She ran into Makoto's arms. "No, Makoto!" She cried out. "Don't leave me! Take me with you, or stay with me, but don't leave me with a broken heart!" Contagious laughter being all around her, Makoto was battling with her own set of giggles now. She ticked Minako's chin. "You know I can't stay, sweetheart. I have to go...and it’s too dangerous for you to come with me. I'll come back for you. You know I will." Rei fell to the floor, red faced and barely able to breathe. Then Minako grabbed the collar of Makoto's shirt, and pulled her down. She stepped up on her tiptoes and planted a noisy, exaggerated kiss on her lips. Then she shoved Mako away. "Go then, if you must! Go! But please, come back to me quickly. I'll be waiting for you!" Makoto stumbled back from the shove, and forced herself to laugh with everyone else, knowing it would look suspicious if she didn't. Behind the front she put up though, her mind was racing at breakneck speed. What did all of that just mean? Was it just for show, as it was probably intended? Or was there something more...? So lost in her thoughts was Mako she didn't hear anything until the piercing sound of Usagi's wail broke her out of her reverie. Mina-chan and Makoto's show had made her laugh so hard, she started to wet herself. Makoto sighed wistfully. ~Sometimes I really miss those old times...miss feeling like I was...a part of something. Of course we're all still senshi...we're all part of the galaxy...but we're not together anymore. I can't make cookies for them. I can't goof off with them. I can't protect them.~ Ever since they finished high school, the inseparable five senshi had started to drift apart. Not because they wanted to, but simply because the world turns. The older you get, the more responsibility you shoulder. Rei was running the temple now, since her grandfather had passed away. She was renovating it, making the old shine like new, in hopes of making it a noteworthy tourist attraction. Ami was back and forth between Juuban and Germany, studying furiously for her dream, her doctor’s degree. Whichever of the two countries she was in, she lived in a textbook, stepping out of the medical world only to eat and sleep, and write a letter to one of them once in a while. (Which wasn't very often.) Usagi and Mamoru had gotten engaged, much to Mr. Tsukino's disapproval, and had just moved in together. That, on top of Luna's intense teachings to prepare her for ruling Neo Tokyo, made Usagi a rare sight to be seen. Minako had been accepted into a five star modeling school only a few miles outside of Juuban. She was top in her class and well on her way to becoming the world class model Makoto always knew she would be. Minako was the only one who had stayed in Juuban with Makoto besides Rei, and the two kept in close contact. Sometimes it felt as if they were the only senshi left. That feeling had brought them closer though, if nothing else. Memories faded to a dull hue, but were never forgotten. Makoto considered trying to get them all back together for a while. Just to catch up...to say, hey, I'm here, I'm alive...and I miss being a part of a whole that has been torn to segments. Maybe she'd hold a private reunion banquet for them all when she opened her restaurant. With that plan, she knew at least Usagi would show up, if no one else. She'd discuss the idea with Minako tonight and see what she thought about it. "Ok," Makoto mumbled to herself, "time for my date with destiny." She shook her bangs out of her eyes and slipped on her shoes. She grabbed her keys from her coffee table and stepped out of her apartment, locking the door behind her. She had only walked about five blocks when she saw it. A woman, in about her mid thirties, had set up a small wooden vendor's stand on the edge of the sidewalk. Curious, Makoto took a slight detour from her route to Minako's, and went to see what the woman was peddling. "Hello," she said with a grin, "I was just wondering if I could-" "Flowers." The peddler woman nodded and broke in. "I have the flower for you." Makoto blinked. "Huh? I didn't ask for-” "Flowers." The woman repeated. "You're going to see her, and you should bring her a flower. You always do." The woman giggled. "And not just any old flower either. Special flower. My flower." Makoto decided it was best to just walk away from this. The woman was obviously a little crazy, and she didn't want to make a scene. She tried to think of the best way to make a tasteful departure. "Come now," the woman continued, "I have it right here." She reached under the counter and pulled what Makoto could only assume was a flower. She couldn't quite tell because the woman's hands were guarding it as if it were a precious soul secret. Makoto slowly made her way closer to the vendor. "That's right," the woman smiled. "I knew you wouldn't forget. You told me yourself how much she adores these. That's why I grow them special, only for you. For you to bring to her." When Makoto was close enough, the woman opened her hands. Inside was the most beautiful rose Makoto had ever seen. It was pure white, with four shades of blue around the edges of the petals. A baby smooth, thornless stem, with two sweetly curved and rich, green leaves unfolding on either side of it. It was perfection. She knew at once that she had to buy it for Minako. "See?" the woman leaned over and whispered conspiratorially to Makoto. "I always make them just right. For you to bring to her." Makoto only nodded slowly, overwhelmed by the beauty of the flower, and the sense of déjà vu flooding her senses. The eccentric woman carefully cut the stem of the rose on an angle, and placed it into Makoto's hand. "Take it now dear...you always bring her one. It would be silly not to this time. You spoiled her. She expects it now." She winked and pinched Makoto's cheek. Makoto held the flower as lightly as if she were handling razor blades. She felt as if her touch could somehow ruin it, wilt it. She prayed it would keep until she reached Minako's. "Thank you," she said to the peddler woman. She reached her free hand into her pocket to pull out the yen to pay for the one of a kind bloom. "If you could just tell me how much it is...?" The woman shook her head and shooed her away. "No no no...I told you before you already paid me more than its worth. Get going now dear." Makoto was confused. "Hey wait...I didn't pay you. Come on now, I just want to give you the money for it-" "Get going!" The woman barked. "You don't have nearly enough time as it is! Go now!" Makoto shook her head and backed off from the woman, who seemed to be getting annoyed with her. "Well, ummmm...thank you then, ma'am. Thank you very much." She said quietly, cupping the rose in her hands. "If you ever need anything miss..." Makoto turned around to wave goodbye to the crazy but kind woman, only to see she, and her stand, was gone. As if it had never been there, but in a dream. "The hell?!" Makoto scowled and carefully checked the area the stand had been. There was nothing. No indentation in the grass where it would have stood. No mark on the sidewalk. Not so much as a petal floating in the wind. "Lady? Flower lady?" Makoto called out, wondering if maybe she'd just slipped behind a corner somehow. Silence was her only answer. Makoto looked down into her hands, and saw the rose there, nearly glowing with its radiance. "I couldn't have imagined it...I have this...this is in my hands...I'm holding it, and it's real...the hell is going on..." "MAKO-CHAN!" Makoto was yanked out of her reverie with a noisy greeting and a slap on the shoulder. She turned around to see a bubbly blond meatball headed girl smiling at her. "Hello Odango head," Makoto grinned, knowing Usagi hated that nickname. "How have you-" "OH MY GOD!" Usagi shouted, pointing desperately at the rose held in Makoto's hand. "Where did you get that?! I've never seen anything like it anywhere!" Makoto looked down at her sneakers. Telling the truth about this was out of the question. She didn't want to tell anyone about it until she figured out what was going on. "Umm...well...I bought it from a woman selling them in the street...er...I got the last one." Usagi looked crestfallen. "Well, do you know where she went? Maybe she could get a hold of one more for me?" Makoto broke out into a laugh. "Oh yeah, like you need any more roses. Or did you suddenly forget who your boyfriend is? You're up to your ears in roses, Odango head!" Usagi started to whine. "But none of them are like that one! That one looks so...so...special. All I get are plain old run of the mill red ones! Nothing like that one!" Makoto sighed and mumbled something about tracking down that flower vendor for Usagi later. Satisfied with that, Usagi stopped her wailing and became her perky self again. "Thanks, Mako-chan. You're the greatest." She gave Makoto a hug. "I have to get going now, Luna's waiting for her food." Usagi held up a bag she had been holding with Luna nummies inside of it. "All right," Makoto nodded. "I'll see you later then." "Er...wait." Usagi grabbed at Mako's arm. "Before you go, I was just wondering...what do you have that flower for anyways? I mean, you just don't seem the type to, well, be gathering flowers." ~Ah, you think I'm too butch to appreciate beauty, huh Usagi? No...I'm not that far. Haruka maybe...but not me. I suppose I seem that way though, compared to the rest of you. I've led a different life. I've changed in more ways that you can imagine. I'm stronger because of it. And, I guess, a lot more masculine too.~ "It's not for me, Usagi." ~Might as well be honest. Honesty seems to be the theme of the day...Today's episode of sesame street has been brought to you by the letter H, the number 1, and the word Honesty...~ "I bought this for Minako." Without another word, she turned around and walked away, leaving a confused looking and very astounded Usagi behind, and for once, speechless. Her mind was still racing over the strange disappearance of the flower lady when Makoto was stopped once more from her journey by a sight that saddened her. An old woman, dressed in dirty rags and looking half starved, had taken refuge in a door front of an old liquor store. She looked up at Makoto, pride shining in her eyes despite her awful disposition. This woman was not a beggar, and would not be mistaken for one. Still, Makoto wanted to help. She knelt down in front of the woman, and held all of her yen out to her. "Here," she said. "Take this. I was given a gift today, and so in return I'll give a gift to you." She hoped the woman would take it if she put it to her in those terms. The old woman smiled. "Yes, you did right." She graciously accepted the yen. "I've been waiting for you here, for a long time now Makoto. I can see you still have the same kind heart you always did. I will return to you what's yours now... and be on my way again." Makoto stood up. "No, wait, how do you know my name? Don't go, we have to talk! Please answer me!" The old woman stood up, and seemed to... melt, into a whole new being. A clean, healthy, beautiful woman, who bore a slight resemblance to the flower woman. "Take care, Makoto. This is your second chance. You deserve it." With those words, the woman disappeared slowly, until she had vanished completely. In her place was left only a small, worn looking plush kitten. Slowly, Makoto knelt down and picked it up. The moment she touched it, she was bowled over with a flood of emotion, and memories. She looked at it, her vision hazy. "Peeko... " She whispered softly. And then... she remembered. Everything.
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