All I've got
By Elara
I don't own the characters. I'm using them. I hope they don't mind…
Wild Winds
Makoto looked out the window of her best friends living room. She listened to the argument that was taking place between her friend, Usagi, and her husband of nearly ten years, Mamoru. Their two-year-old daughter, ChibiUsagi, was spending the day with her maternal grandparents.
"Usa, we need to talk about this at a more appropriate time, Makoto agreed to come over and teach us how to make Chicken Florentine with Tomatoes, She did not agree to listen to us fight about our lives!" Mamoru screamed over the blonde's voice.
"Mamoru! Listen to me! You cannot…" Usagi started.
Makoto moved from her spot by the window and slowly made her way to the front door. Mamoru was the one to notice.
"Mako, I'm sorry."
She sighed, "It's okay, maybe I'll teach you guys some other time." She said the words but both knew they were untrue. She opened the door and walked out.
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A breeze wound its way across a distant plain. It was whispering to any who were near, saying that danger was fast approaching.
No one could understand it's language, the breeze became stronger, gusting through the streets of a town as it passed. Still none could understand.
The gust grew desperate, yelling through a forest. The trees bent in the strong wind, the frightened animals running for cover. The wind hooked clouds, and the clouds hooked others and soon a fierce storm was approaching the city of Tokyo.
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Makoto looked to the west. She shivered when she realized a storm was coming. She couldn't see it so much as feel it. A soft breeze ruffled her red brown hair. She could almost hear a soft laugh, the breeze seemed happy.
She shook her head. That's just silly, breezes cannot be happy. She walked away form Usagi's house, it would be blocks until she couldn't hear the blonde's voice. She had nowhere to be so she just wondered around, thinking about Usagi and Mamoru.
Usagi had gotten married when she was seventeen. She had finished high school as one of the many married students. She decided that she would take some classes at a local college. Everyone was surprised when it turned out to be classes on politics. She was starting to think about the future.
Mamoru had finished his degree in medicine at Azubu University and had graduated at the top of his class. He worked at Tokyo General and made a great deal of money. He provided well for his wife, and still provided well when Chibiusa was born. He did the best he could to provide for the future.
Mamoru had bought a beautiful piece of land a few years ago and had the house built. It was a surprise for their fifth anniversary. Usagi hadn't liked it, but moved in anyway. That might have been the start of the fights.
Until that time Mamoru and Usagi had seemed to be completely on the same page. Their first public fight happened when their group of friends was informed of Usagi's pregnancy.
Mamoru had been standing at the top of the stairs at the Hikawa Jinjo after carrying Usagi up all two hundred stairs. She had twisted her ankle getting out of the car and had asked him to carry her. He, being the dutiful husband, agreed.
Her friends had all been gathered. Ami, from her post as Head Doctor at the same Tokyo General where Mamoru worked, Minako from her sojourn to Milan for her modeling agency, Makoto from her position of chef at a five star restaurant, Haruka and Michiru from their international violin tour, Hotaru from her fathers mansion, Setsuna from the time gates, and Rei, who had offered her temple for the meeting place. Usagi had told them the news and then almost instantly started yelling about Mamoru, who had done nothing anyone had seen. Everyone was confused as they watched the two bicker and when Usagi had slapped him, Makoto and Haruka had broken up the fight. Makoto had taken Mamoru down the steps in the direction of a park nearby and Haruka took the pregnant blonde towards the temple.
Everyone hoped this new development was only because of Usagi's hormones, but a year after Chibiusa's birth proved that the fights were not going to go away. Now, after another year it was obvious that things were just not going to work.
Makoto cleared her head by jogging. She had grown used to these long walks that turned into jogs. She was constantly thinking of her two friends and she frequently remembered that day in the park with Mamoru.
Makoto and Mamoru reached the park in silence. Mamoru turned to her as they were walking and spoke, "I'm sorry about that. We haven't been getting along very well for the last couple of months. Usagi is taking so many classes that she's getting stressed out, now there's the baby, and I'm always at the hospital… Things just got really stressful, that's all."
"It's okay, Mamo, I know how Usagi can be sometimes. She'll get better. But if things don't get easier you can call me and talk if you need to. Usagi may have been my friend longer, but you're my friend too. Usagi will no doubt tell Rei and Minako everything. It's only fair if you get to tell your side too, ya know." Makoto said quietly.
Mamoru's eyes widened at her words. He looked as if he didn't believe her. She smiled at him and nodded her head, as if affirming some thought that she was actually serious. "I don't know what to say, Mako,"
"Just say thank you and that you will come talk to me if you need to," she replied.
He smiled, "Help accepted, Mako-chan!"
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The howling wind sped along the countryside, screaming it's terrible news, the clouds began crying, their voices magnified to shout the warning. Lightning danced through the clouds announcing the danger coming fast. In the distance a city gleamed and the wind and clouds knew that there had to be someone who could understand their urgency.
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The sun was setting by the time Makoto could see the clouds she had earlier felt. They were black and scared, though she didn't know why she felt they were in danger. She realized then that she had jogged the day away. She smiled as she neared the park across from her home. I'll only sit for a minute. I'm so glad I took vacation from the restaurant, I haven't felt this good in ages!
The smile stayed on her face until she spotted a man on the bench facing her apartment building. His black hair looked like he had been running his fingers though it. His face was contorted into a worried frown. When he saw her relief flooded his face.
"Makoto, I needed to talk to you and I called your cell phone and your house phone then came over when you didn't answer. I came over here to watch for you when you didn't open your door," he rambled.
"Mamoru, I'm sorry, I got so wrapped up in my thoughts this morning that I didn't think to grab my cell phone before I went to your house earlier, " Makoto said as she sat down on the bench. "I've been running all day, I'm so sorry, hehe… I tell you to call me if you need to and then I'm unreachable, some friend I am."
"Mako-chan, you're a great friend. You always help when others need it, you don't get too caught up in emotions anymore, and you're definitely the peacemaker out of the girls, well you and Ami," Mamoru reassured her.
She smiled again, a slight blush coming to her cheeks because of his compliments. "Thank you Mamo-chan, but it's not my spirit that needs lifting, it's yours. So tell me… what had happened to make you so upset?"
"Usagi."
"Well that was sort of obvious," Makoto half laughed.
"I really don't see what it is that she complains about. She tells me that I'm not there for her and that I'm useless as a protector because of it. I can't help it if I'm busting my ass trying to give her everything she wants. I'm gone all the time because I work for a living. I'm a doctor, the second youngest in Tokyo! I am bound to be called to perform an emergency surgery, or relieve a co-worker that has been there for seventeen hours. Most of the time I'm relieving Ami! Usagi doesn't understand about work, she's never had to work a day in her life! She shouldn't even have room to tell me about things like this! And besides, She is the one that keeps throwing me out when we have fights!" He sighed sadly. "I've given her all that I've got and I have no more left to give!"
The wind picked up and the rain came with it. The air was still warm and it was only a drizzle. The pair on the park bench ignored it.
Makoto didn't know what to say. On impulse she reached for his hand. She held it gently cradled in hers and smiled at him. "You have no idea how much you sound like my conscience. I've worked almost everyday since I was ten. I was always so upset when the girls would get allowances and go shopping and I had to buy groceries or pay the bills. They didn't know what responsibility was, and to some extent they still don't know. Usagi always made me feel the worst. She made me feel like I wasn't good enough to have money left over. I'd work myself to the bone to prove that I could have money left, that I could have fun, but then I'd be too tired to shop, to tired to do anything, except fight youma. Then I realized that it didn't matter what they thought. Usagi is Usagi. She will always be warm and caring while she is tearing out your heart. I don't think she realized what she did to me. I'm not saying anything exactly bad about her, what I'm saying is that she is still ignorant of her actions. I have to ask you this Mamo-kun, do you love her still or are you just her protector?"
"I still…I'm still…" Mamoru began. But suddenly Makoto wasn't listening to him.
"…Crystal…Crumble…Palace…Falling" the wind circled around Makoto creating a small tornado.
"Mako-chan… Mako-chan! What's wrong? Mako-chan!" Makoto's eyes looked far away and she was as stiff as a board. Mamoru squeezed her hands. "Makoto! Please! Makoto what's wrong?" She had lost nearly all color.
"…Future… Breaking… Time …Crystal… Palace… is… disappearing… Daughter… Save… Future… Protect…. the… Crystal… Future…" The tornado became stronger, actually picking up the brunette from the bench. Mamoru jumped off the bench and reached for Makoto.
"Makoto, what is this? Are you doing this, Makoto?!?"
"Save the future, protect the Crystal Palace. The Past is unstable, Daughter, balance the past, and center the path to peace. This man… He is part of the instability. Make him see the correct way… We must leave now spread our message. Save the Future!" the tornado dropped Makoto back onto the bench and disappeared. The rain was pelting now and the lightning flashed violently.
"Makoto, are you alright! What was that?" Mamoru cried, rushing over to her side.
"We…we should get inside, we'll… get sick staying out like this…" Makoto replied.
She tried to stand but was so shaken up that she fell back down on the bench. Mamoru stood and picked her up. She started to protest but he ignored her. He walked over to her building and up the stairs. He paused to grab the keys from her fumbling fingers.
"The silver one," Makoto instructed.
Putting the silver key into the lock he turned it. When the door opened he walked in closing it with his foot. He headed in the direction of the bedroom and didn't put her down until she had begged for some time.
"What just happened Makoto?" Mamoru demanded.
"I… I… don't know Mamo, I just don't know," she replied.