Sailor Moon Silver Legacy

Act I: Overcast (Part 2)

At an elementary school across town, a bell rang, and a beautiful young woman dressed in shades of purple, stepped onto the playground to call her first-year students inside. "Playtime is over! Come on, time to come in!" she announced with a smile on her face. Makoto Kino—or Miss Kino as she more often went by now—marveled at the little ones as they filed back into the school for their afternoon lesson.

Makoto was new to teaching but so far, was loving the job. As the last of the children entered the school, the statuesque woman swept her flowing, voluminous brown curls over her shoulder, the sides of which, were held back by her favorite green hair tie, revealing a pretty set of rose-shaped earrings.

"Good afternoon, everybody," she said upon returning to her classroom.

"Good-af-ter-noon, Miss Ki-no," the children replied in a well-rehearsed monotone, which had always made Makoto giggle.

The rest of the children's day was spent making artwork using potatoes to stamp various shapes in paint, then finishing with a story. As they said goodbye to their teacher, two of them gifted her shiny red apples, which she gratefully received before sending them on their way. Once the classroom emptied, an adult appeared in the doorway.

"Good-af-ter-noon, Miss Ki-no," said the rather attractive man in a mocking tone. He was tall, with striking, hazel eyes, and medium-length black hair, which was parted evenly.

"Oh, it's you, Mr. Mori," said Makoto with feigned surprise.

"'Mr. Mori?' You can call me Ren when the kids aren't around, you know," he suggested.

Makoto began packing up her bag while the overly familiar, chatty teacher from the adjacent classroom spoke. Then, upon noticing Makoto open her desk drawer to drop in the two apples she had received, he exclaimed, "Whoa! Are you growing an orchard in there?"

Her entire top drawer appeared to be full of apples. "Don't your students give you apples?" she asked.

"It's been known to happen, but with the amount you've got, we could have painted with apples today and saved the school a couple of bucks on potatoes. I guess your lot must really love you! Not that I can blame them..." he stated flirtatiously. Makoto rolled her eyes as he continued. "Speaking of painting, it doesn't look bad in here. You should see the mess my class left me! Maybe you'd like to help me clean up?"

"As fun as that sounds, you'll have to manage on your own, I'm afraid," she answered jovially.

"I think I'll leave it for the morning. Fancy going for a drink?"

"It's three o'clock in the afternoon!"

"On Saturday, then? Make it dinner. I know this great little place. How about it?" he asked hopefully. "You've been here almost three months now and I feel like I barely know you."

Makoto blushed ever so slightly before hoisting her packed bag over her shoulder, smiling kindly and saying, "Sorry. I'm busy. I'll see you tomorrow, Mr. Mori."

"Okay. See you tomorrow, Makoto," Ren sighed dramatically, grinning as she passed him and headed out the door, then called after her, "I'm not giving up, though!"

Makoto waved coolly without looking back. She felt mildly guilty for spurning Ren's advances. He was handsome, sensitive, intelligent, funny—everything she could have hoped for in a suitor—but she really was busy. Too busy for a love life, or friends for that matter. Between the demands of her job and all the extra cooking she had become accustomed to, she preferred to spend what little free time she did have alone. That was what she told herself anyway.

After a quick stop for ingredients at her local store, where she had to turn down another offer of a date, this time from the greengrocer she had become friendly with, Makoto arrived at her apartment.