Chapter Text
“Huh? You wanted me to do grocery shopping today?” Usgai had her ear pressed up to the flip phone. Her free hand swung by her side as the other one kept the flip phone by her face. When Mamoru responded over the line, she let out a little nervous laugh. “Oh yeah! You did mention that this morning before you left. Hehe, well, sorry Mamo, but I totally forgot! You can just stop on your way home from work though, yeah?” As Mamoru prattled off a response, Usagi saw the familiar, welcoming brick building Makoto’s bakery was in. Her stomach growled in delight at the sight of it. “Mamo! I said I’m sorry!” She pouted, jutting out her upper lip, even though Mamoru couldn’t see her over the phone. “Look, I’ll make it up to you when I get home okay? I’ll give you a big, nice kiss! That’ll be enough, right?” Usagi smiled when Mamoru confirmed. “Well I’ve got to go Mamo, girl’s night is about to start! Love you! See you when I come home!”
After exchanging ‘I love yous’ and goodbyes, Usagi flipped her phone closed and threw it in her pocket. Her steps got quicker as she hurried over towards Makoto’s bakery. It was a quaint little place on the edge of Juuban’s shopping district. A little brick building with a wide window display of all of Makoto’s baked goods. Makoto had been running this place since they ended high school, so for nearly five years so far! As Usagi approached the door, she saw the sign had been flipped over to ‘closed’, per usual. Ignoring the sign - it didn’t apply to her, she was one of Mako’s best friends! - she knocked on the door. In a few moments, Ami had come over and pushed it open.
“Good evening, Usagi!” Ami’s greeting was chipper enough, but her face looked worn out. The mousy blue haired girl had just finished her undergraduate studies - getting majors in biology and chemistry, all while being on the pre-med track - and was now beginning medical school. While also volunteering at the local hospital everyday. To say that Ami was exhausted was an understatement.
“Ami!” Usagi lurched forward, encompassing Ami in a big, fat hug. The smaller girl let out a surprised laugh before hugging back. “It’s been too long! We haven’t hung out since last girl’s night!” Pulling away from the hug, Usagi gave Ami a serious look. “You and I need to hang out more. I won’t take no for an answer.”
Ami gave Usagi a smile. “I feel the same way. We’ll have to schedule something. I can always make time for you, Usgai.” The two smiled at each other before a yell cut them off.
“What, are the rest of us deadmeat or something?” Minako teasingly called over from where she sat at one of the various tables in the bakery. She was looking amazing, as usual. Ever since becoming an idol, Usagi has only seen Minako in extravagant, eye-catching, flashy clothes. Minako says it's mandatory - that it’s all ‘a part of her brand’ - and she can’t be caught by the press in anything less than perfection. Next to her was Rei, who was in some casual clothes. Unlike Minako, Rei had picked a more reclusive career. She had taken over the Hikawa Shrine in full from her grandfather and dutifully ran it everyday. Usagi always felt bad for Rei’s workers, though. Rei was a mean boss. Whenever Usagi went to visit, Rei would be yelling and barking orders at the poor, young shrine maidens. The Shrine was spotless, though, and it had a lot more customers than it did when they were in high school.
“Of course not!” Usagi yelled back. She dashed over to the table, giving each girl a quick hug. Ami followed behind, taking a seat at the table while Usagi gushed over the girls. Taking a chair next to Rei, Usagi was quick to ask the girls about their lives. Just like with Ami, Usagi didn’t see much of Minako, being an idol meant Minako was always rushing about. Either on tour or in the studio or filming a commercial or movie! It was easier to hang out with Rei and Makoto, only because their jobs were close by and not super heretic. But with Minako and Ami, Usagi really only got to see them at their once-a-month dinner parties at Makoto’s bakery.
Speaking of Makoto, she came bursting through the kitchen doors a few minutes later holding steaming trays of food. “Oh Usagi!” She said happily when she noticed the blonde at the table. “You’re on time this month, what a surprise!” Makoto meant no malice, she was just genuinely surprised and happy to find Usagi here so early.
“Hey.” Usagi pouted. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
Makoto grinned as she set the trays down on the table. “Don’t act like you’re not always late for things. For you, being on time is being thirty minutes late.” Usagi would’ve argued back, but her attention was quickly drawn away by the amazing looking right in front of her. Juicy cuts of steak, hot loaves of bread, and vegetables that actually looked yummy took over all of Usagi’s concentration.
“Wow, Mako! This looks great!” Usagi cheered.
Makoto blushed bashfully, grinning. “Gee, thanks, Usagi. Let me go grab the plates real quick so we can get started.” The minute it took for Makoto to grab the plates and silverware was almost too long for Usagi. But eventually Makoto came back and set the table before taking a seat next to Ami. “Let’s dig in!”
The table quickly devolved into eating and chatting. Every girl talked about what they’d been up to in the past month since their last girl’s night. Makoto’s bakery had just gotten a big order for a wedding cake, Ami had gotten perfect scores on all her midterms, Minako was recording a new song, Rei was planning the upcoming summer festival, and Usagi… Well Usagi didn’t have much to say.
“You guys have such exciting lives.” Usagi pouted while in the middle of gnawing on some steak. Her hand was on her chin, keeping it propped up. “I don’t have anything cool like that going on.”
“Well, whadda do when Mamoru’s at work?” Makoto asked. “You can’t be spending all your time cleaning and cooking.”
With a nervous laugh, Usagi rubbed the back of her head. “Well, I do some of the cleaning, but I don’t cook at all. Mamo got food poisoning one time too many…” When nobody else laughed along with her, Usagi quickly moved on. “But I do everything else! The only chore Mamo needs to do is cooking…and taking out the garbage…and washing the dishes because that’s gross…and-.”
“Oh my god!” Rei interjects, swallowing a piece of steak in one gulp. “Come on, Usagi! He’s at work all day and then he has to come home to cook, do the dishes, and probably a bunch of other stuff? That’s not right!”
“Hey!” Smacking her utensils on the table, Usagi argued back. “I do things! It’s not like he does everything - just, just a little.”
“Easy, easy everyone!” Capturing everyone’s attention is Minako, who is waving her fork around lazily as she talks. “Why are we at each other’s throats? It’s girls night! Who cares about Usagi’s chores? Let’s talk about some fun, juicy shit.” Minako leaned forward, a mischievous grin on her face. “You all would never guess who I got to fuck last week.”
With Minako’s hot gossip, the girl’s night calmed down again. They all laughed and talked the night away, just as friendly and close with each other as they were in high school. It wasn’t until it was pitch dark outside and all the girls were finally starting to feel tired did the conversation wind down. Usagi let out a loud yawn, stretching her arms out.
“I should probably get going soon, Mamo can’t sleep right if I’m not beside him, even if he’s really tired.” Usagi giggled a bit. “He’s become such an old man, he goes to bed at ten now - at the latest!”
“Being a doctor is hard work, Usagi,” Ami gently scolded. At this point, all of the girls were shuffling out of the booth. Makoto had rounded up all the plates and quickly took them to the back, “I’m sure he’s just tired from all of that.”
“Yeah, probably.” Usagi hummed before turning to Rei. “You’re still okay to drive me home, right?”
“Of course,” said Rei, sliding her purse over her shoulder. “I couldn’t live with myself if I let you walk home alone in the dark. Your stupid ass would find some way to get killed.”
“Hey!”
“Now, now.” Makoto said, a weary smile on her face as she came back out into the main room. “We can’t end girl’s night on a fight.” Both Usagi and Rei complied, blushing a bit in embarrassment. “Better.” She looked at all four other girls. “It was good to see you guys, don’t be a stranger, you know?”
All the girls exchanged hugs after that. They chatted about how they’d keep in touch until their next monthly meeting before splitting off. Makoto went upstairs, to her apartment above the bakery. Ami got into her small car alone, driving off back to her house. Rei and Usagi started playfully bickering as soon as they got into the parking lot, driving off yelling at each other. Minako could hear it from where she stood by the front of the building, waiting for her limo to pick her up.
But she could feel it - there were eyes on her.
Minako stood in silence, crossing her arms, waiting to see if whoever it was revealed themselves. After a few moments, she lost her patience.
“You can come out now, you know.”
From the shadows, figures came dashing towards Minako. She could feel the strong wind whip into her from their fast movements. Before her, where nothing had been merely a moment before, stood the Outer Guardians. Uranus and Neptune stood back to back, as usual. Looking as elegant and brilliant as ever. Pluto and Saturn looked as serious as ever. Their staff and glaive glimmering in the moonlight.
Minako took one long look at them before sighing. “You’re transformed - that isn’t a good sign, is it?”
“How astute of the captain.” Neptune said it in a way where Minako knew she was being mocked, but Neptune could deny it if challenged. It was always like that with Neptune and Michiru, she liked acting all haughty. “Yes, something is wrong.”
“Something has entered our solar system.” Uranus cut in, always clear and to the point. It was much better to deal with Uranus in that regard - she never played games.
“Something?” Minako frowned.
“More like someone.” Pluto corrected. “Or two someones, to be precise.”
“Damn, you guys can detect when things enter our solar system? To such an accurate degree too?” Minako sighed. She sent them a look that was half teasing , half reprimanding. “That would’ve been great for the whole Galaxia issue.”
Uranus looked annoyed. “Look, we’re sorry, Neptune and I got lazy when we first awakened - didn’t think the solar system border needed protection anymore. We were wrong, but that’s why we’re here now.” The solemn, guilty way Uranus says it almost makes Minako feel bad. Almost.
“Can we just get to the point?” Saturn interjects. All chatter stops and all the women look towards Saturn. “Venus, the two that entered the solar system are the Starlights. They aren’t trying to hide their presence, which could mean a few things. Some good, some bad. How would you wish to handle them?” Saturn narrowed her eyes. “Do we treat them as friends or as enemies?”
“Wait, wait, wait.” Waving one hand to Saturn and using the other to press her temple, Minako frowns. “You said you felt two presences, right?” All the Outers nod. “But there’s three Starlights. So why are only two of them coming?”
“We won’t know until they arrive.” Pluto says.
Minako frowns. “And when’s that?”
“Probably about this time tomorrow. Maybe a little earlier.” Uranus says, crossing her arms. She sneers a bit. “I say let us four greet them first. You Inner Guardians have a soft spot for them - but we don’t have that issue.” If possible, Uranus’s frown gets deeper. “And I have a feeling they’re bringing trouble.”
“Trouble? Why would you say that?” Minako probes.
“Their energy,” Michiru begins. “It’s a very sad, very desperate energy. It’s the aura of people willing to do anything.”