Prompt: "Where the Stars Are", which actually didn't make it into the story!

Makoto closed her eyes, welcoming the warmth of the coffee as it slid smoothly down her throat. The strong taste of it lingered on her tongue, and she rolled it around her mouth for a few quiet, precious seconds. She eyed the spotless glass doors that opened up into the street. The dark night sky was just starting to flirt with the grey fingers of dawn, and Makoto knew it was almost time.

A smaller door behind her opened with a bang, but Makoto barely blinked. A chaos of noise invaded the still air, and a fresh wave of the scent of baking pastry mingled with the robust aroma of brewing coffee. Nariko struggled through the door with a steaming tray of hot rolls. Makoto watched silently as Nariko expertly slid the tray into the glass case and flicked on the light to illuminate them. She had come a long way, Makoto reflected, from the sullen high school student looking to make a little money waiting tables. Much to their mutual surprise, Nariko shared Makoto's love and instinct for baking, and she had stayed on as an apprentice after she graduated. Makoto, stretched increasingly thin as her business expanded, welcomed her help.

Makoto pressed a fresh cup of coffee into Nariko's hand, and her friend smiled thankfully. They talked a little, though Makoto kept one eye on the sky. Her other morning baker, Ryoji, would be nearly finished with the croissants, and she would be needing at least a few of those very soon.

Her timing was perfect. She unlocked the door just as the first two silhouettes appeared on the street, one very tall and clean-cut, and the other curvy and short, with unmistakable hair. She returned Usagi and Mamoru's grins as she opened the door for them, while Nariko poured two extra cups of coffee.

"Hi, Mako! Hi Nariko!" Usagi was getting much better about improving her morning energy levels. Makoto suspected it was because she had Mamoru to wake up to. Usagi grabbed her coffee and headed straight for the cream and sugar counter, adding copious amounts of both to her mug.

"Hey Nariko, hope that coffee is blacker than the pit of doom. I've got a double shift at the hospital today." Just hearing about Mamoru's crazy medical student schedule made Makoto's head spin. She watched as Usagi's fingers brushed his.

"Oi, Mamoru. You'd better take another cup to go. On the house." She smiled at him, and he glanced at her gratefully.

The door opened again, and Rei appeared, looking for breakfast and friendly faces before her journey back to Hikawa Shrine. Rei arose very early each day to come to this place, but she always managed to look fresh and glowing. Makoto wished she knew Rei's secret - she needed at least one cup of coffee each morning just to see straight.

Ami followed closely behind, looking exhausted and her school bag packed to bursting. She headed straight for Mamoru, who realized her intent and took a big swallow of his blacker-than-the-pit-of-doom coffee. Her medical school exams were coming up, and she wanted some advice. Makoto greeted them both, and they smiled hugely when she plied them with rolls and coffee.

Minako stumbled in at last, looking a little rumpled but cheerful. Makoto could see Artemis's glowing green eyes peering out from her bag. Makoto waved at him, and he winked back at her. Minako stopped for her food and coffee, and settled in next to Usagi, brandishing the latest edition of their favorite magazine. Makoto slipped a roll into the bag for Artemis, laughing when Minako said just what she was going to do him if she found crumbs inside her new bag. Artemis ignored her, purred exuberantly at Makoto, and tucked into his breakfast.

Other customers trickled in and out, but Nariko and Ryoji took care of them. It was an unspoken agreement they had with their boss; this hour of the morning belonged to Makoto and her friends. Makoto congratulated herself daily on hiring excellent help.

As the minutes passed, the members of their little group soaked up each other's company. Makoto loved these quiet mornings, when they were all free to just be together, before everyone got whisked back into their busy lives. This wouldn't last, and she forbade herself from hoping it would. A kingdom would be founded soon, and they would all play their parts in its making and its keeping. When that day happened, Makoto Kino who owned a bakery on the corner would have other duties, responsibilities where lives hung in the balance. They all knew this, and that was why they came. They were clinging to the edge of normalcy in a world they knew would change any instant, and this little life, this little time, was their goodbye to their childhoods. Makoto was happy that they had this chance to cling.

One by one, they slipped away into the world, off to work or school. Mamoru accepted his second cup of coffee, stooped to kiss Usagi, and strode out the door. Only Usagi was left now, looking at Makoto with an unreadable expression.

"Thanks for this, Mako," Usagi said, softly.

Something in her eyes glittered briefly, but it was gone before Makoto could identify it.

"You're welcome, Usa." Her voice scraped across her tongue.

Usagi smiled, turned, and walked out the door into the sun. Makoto smiled a small smile that hovered on her face like a shadow, and began to clear the table.

It was almost time.

Note: I remember reading once that Makoto's dream was to run a cake shop, but I've never read any fic of her actually doing so (her love of baking is often retained, though). The cake shop here has pretty much been transformed into a general bakery, but I bet Mako makes cakes to order. Time-wise, I imagine this fits in sometime between the Galaxia wars and the establishment of Crystal Tokyo.