Depatures

"Are you sure you don't want to come?" asked Usagi looking towards the boarding ramp of the plane.

"I'm sure we could smuggle you aboard," added Mina.

Makoto laughed, "I don't think you'd get me past U.S. customs. Honestly. I should be fine on my own for two months."

Usagi's eyes got slightly blurry, but to her credit, she didn't cry. She'd matured greatly since they'd fought Galaxia six months ago.

"Come here," commanded Makoto as she watched Mina smile a good-bye and disappear in the boarding ramp.

Usagi stepped closer and Makoto embraced her in a bear hug.

"Ok. Now I want you to go to the United States and sweep Mamoru right off his feet. Don't let the girls bully you. You're our future Queen, you know," said Makoto, grinning as she pulled away from the smaller girl.

Usagi smiled, and blushed, "Hai. I will."

"We'll make sure she does," said Michiru coming up with her arm woven into Haruka's.

Haruka grinned and then looked back at Setsuna and Hotaru who were finishing the luggage scan a few yards away. Makoto watched as Usagi very slowly entered the ramp and disappeared within it and then felt Haruka's hand.

"Take care of yourself," said Haruka. "Keep an eye on things while we're gone."

Makoto nodded seriously and was surprised when Setsuna and Hotaru also came up and handed her a package.

"What is this?" she asked in surprise.

"An early birthday present," said Michiru.

Makoto's eyes widened, "But it's not for a month!"

"We know," said Haruka with a boyish grin. "But we won't be here. Hurry and open it."

Makoto bit her lower lip as she quickly tore open the rapping paper and then threw the trash into the nearby trash bin with perfect aim. Then she opened it and her face shot up to look at the Outer Scouts.

"Why?" she whispered, sincerely touched.

"We wanted to wait till you were seventeen," said Setsuna. "You see. Jupiter is an outer planet, and although you never really stayed with us, you acted the part of the strongest of the Inner Scouts before we came. You protected her before we came and you deserve the recognition. From four outer scouts to another."

Makoto gently gazed at the painting in the box of the solar system with the face's of Michiru, Haruka, Hotaru, Setsuna, and herself at the side with their tiara's on their foreheads. She was silent a moment and then looked at the younger, and older girls.

"Thank you. You have no idea..." started Makoto but found herself choking on her words.

"Come Hotaru." said Michiru taking the younger girl's hand. "Let's let Makoto talk to Setsuna a moment.

Makoto exchanged hugs with Hotaru and watched as she cheerfully walked away between Haruka and Michiru.

"Makoto." said Setsuna presenting a simple looking box. "There is something else I want you to have. Something the Queen Serenity had wanted you to have when you were older."

Makoto closed the box and set it at her feet carefully and took the new box she was offered. She opened it and looked at it curiously.

"What is this?"

Setsuna was about to answer but the final boarding call went out.

"It's time to go. I will call you in the United States when I can." she said.

Makoto nodded and hugged Setsuna with a whispered thanks. She then watched as Setsuna rushed to the boarding ramp and disappeared within it. Makoto glanced down at the new present and took it from the box. She gazed at the clear white ball with wisps of white within it's center and then looked up out the window at the plane her friends were on.

"Good-bye" she whispered. "Thanks."

She stood a while longer, and watched as the plane was taxied onto the main take off point and then as it took off into the air. She remembered a time when she'd done the same thing when she was younger, when her parents had left. She felt her stomach drop and she quickly turned away from the window and gathered the box containing the painting into her arms. She refused to believe that something like that could happen again and then made her way out of the airport.