The usual disclaimers apply.

Happy New Year, dear readers!


Chapter Twenty-Seven: Burn

Urgent knocking roused both of them. Wrapped in Makoto's warm, bare arms, Ami shifted and turned her head toward the door where the noise originated.

"Didn't we just go to sleep?" Makoto growled in a throaty mutter and if it wasn't for the desperation of the knocks Ami would have snuggled back into the tall woman's arms and pressed a kiss to her throat and lips.

"Healer Mizuno-shi! Neo-Queen Serenity requests your presence immediately."

The tone and words themselves conveyed there was an emergency. Ami sucked in her breath in surprise and sat up quickly. The sleep-fog which filled her brain not a moment before cleared and she called out for whoever it was to give her a minute as she scrambled for her clothing. If there was anyone she had expected Queen Serenity to summon it would have been Makoto. The brunette sat up as well, her hair a tousled mahogany mess as she swung her feet onto the floor.

"I'll come with you." It was half question, half suggestion from a standing Makoto who was already shoving her arms into the sleeves of her tunic.

Ami blinked quickly, "No, no, you stay. If it is an emergency the Queen may not want too many people getting in the way." She pulled up her skirt past her thighs and looked down to ensure the garment was on properly.

When she looked up again it appeared Makoto almost seemed hurt by her words, a fleeting emotion exposed on her face in just an instant. Ami wondered if she imagined the emotion when Makoto replied, "Okay, do your best."

"I will. Try to get some more rest," Ami said, coming to stand before the brunette who sat back down on the bed. She kissed Makoto briefly on the lips in a silent apology. "Hopefully, I will be back soon." Mako nodded, appeased by the contact, limited as it was and Ami wasted no more time. She was out the door and following the attendant down the hallway wondering just what she was going to face. Up the ramp she was taken to the seventh floor and toward the other side of the castle from the guest chambers. They were moving along too fast for her to really pay attention to her surroundings until they stopped in a chamber four times larger than the one she was currently staying in with Makoto.

The room was utter chaos, the windows and doors were flung open, furniture and things scattered about-As if a great blast of air passed through, Ami thought. She had no idea how close she came to the truth. Her attention snapped to the woman with the long loose silver hair standing near the bed. Next to her was a girl of sixteen with somber, worried eyes whose gaze was fastened to another teenage girl laying in the big bed. The Healer had never seen her before, much like the Queen but she heard accounts of the royal sisters during her visits to the town sometimes. It's princess Chibiusa, Ami realized. The princess was almost overwhelmed in the big plushy bed. Queen Serenity gave Ami a pleading glance when the Healer drew closer to the bed.

"Your Highness," Ami began-

"Please help her, Mizuno-shi!" Though they had yet to fall, the sheen of tears were very evident in the Queen's eyes.

Ami nodded quickly, decisively, not wanting to fail her sudden patient or the Queen. "I will do everything I can, your Majesty."

The Queen, satisfied with her words stepped back and Ami moved closer to the bed, finally able to get a better look at the girl lying in it. Her pink hair appeared vibrant compared to her pale face. The blood smeared pillow behind the girl's head concerned her and she turned the princess' head gently to locate the source of bleeding. Someone had been smart enough to place strip of folded cloth over the wound and Ami removed it carefully to assess the damage. She winced, a gash as long as her finger sat in the middle of a large bump, presumably where the girl hit her head. It was a nasty cut and bump but otherwise that seemed to be the extent of the damage to her body. The wound was far from clotting; for it to start healing she would have to help it along. She placed the cloth back gently in place and turned her attention to the girl's vitals. The rise and fall of her chest assured Ami she was breathing well. Placing her index and middle fingers against the princess' throat Ami found a strong steady pulse. She passed her hands over the limbs, ensuring the girl had not suffered any broken bones or other wounds.

She turned back to the Queen who looked at her hopefully, "I believe she is just unconscious for now which was caused by the knock to her head. I can take care of the wound but we'll have to wait for her to wake on her own. I think she'll be fine however."

Serenity nodded, "Thank you. Please do whatever it takes to help her."

"Yes, your Highness. I lost all of my healing herbs when the niphropid attacked us. I will need to make a poultice and there are also several other items I require," Ami stated.

"Of course," Serenity brushed a hand over her brow then turned to the attendant beside her," Lillith, make sure Mizuno-shi receives everything she desires at once."

"Right away, your Highness," Lillith responded.

"Thank you, your Majesty."

She rattled off a list and Lillith appeared relieved. Ami guessed it was most likely all of the materials she requested could be found within the castle. The attendants were off like a shot leaving the large chamber in tense silence. Glancing around her surroundings once more, Ami noticed the room neater than when she first walked in. It must have been done quietly while she was busy examining the princess. Her gaze landed on the Queen who looked drawn and helpless-quite different from the self-assured woman she had met just hours before. Her assurances that Chibiusa was okay was all Ami could give and since she had already given them she didn't quite know what else to say. She was relieved when Lillith and the attendants returned as promptly as they could under the circumstances; if her hands and mind were busy on the patient she wouldn't have to worry so much about social graces, especially in a situation like the one she was in currently.

"Your highness, in order to focus on the princess I would like to have everyone vacate the chamber. Once I clean and dress the wound and give her medicine you may come back."

The request was granted, the attendants first to leave. Ami had no doubt they would anxiously await nearby to hear word on the princess' health. The Queen was next, if hesitantly. Only the girl standing next to the bed refused to budge. She held onto the princess' hand on the other side of the bed and Ami figured the princess and Hotaru were close; if their roles were reversed it would be the princess standing there ignoring Ami's words.

"Hotaru-" Serenity who made it halfway out of the room came back, and lay a gentle touch on the girl's shoulder.

Hotaru flinched, but tightened her grip on Chibiusa's hand. Ami felt compassion for Hotaru.

"It is alright, your Highness. Hotaru will assist me, won't you?" she cast her eyes at the girl and Hotaru looked up to meet her eyes in surprise. She said not a word but nodded instead, a grateful look passing from her to Ami.

-x-x-x-

The door closed behind Ami.

Sitting at the edge of the bed Makoto told herself she'd wait for the Healer but it wasn't long before she succumbed to the exhaustion that seemed to be a constant feeling lately. She yawned for the thousandth time since the knocking woke them, her eyes drooping shut as she struggled to stay awake. Sitting on the bed did not seem to help so she stood and stepped toward the glass door leading to the terrace. She pulled the curtain aside but there was nothing to see outdoors. For once, since she arrived the sky was black, not a source of light seeped through. She yawned again and trudged back toward the bed, reclaiming her spot from a moment ago. She blinked and for one moment the castle chamber before her was replaced by her bedroom at home.

Home.

How long had it been since she came here anyway? She was starting to lose track of time. Or maybe it was because she was tired. Makoto couldn't be sure, it wasn't the best time to be thinking especially when most of her mental faculties seemed to be asleep. Two weeks, give or take? What's Ran and Margie doing? I'm sure uncle Alex and aunt Noami know I'm missing by now. Shit. Things had been happening one after the other and Makoto had been dealing with them at the expense of putting aside the thoughts of her loved ones she left behind. She leaned back against the headboard, her heavy eyelids denying the urge for them to stay open. In the end sleep won.

It was snowing, Makoto noticed as she peeped out the window of the brownstone home where her adopted family lived. It would be pretty for now but if accumulated it would turn into a dirty icky mess on the roads and sidewalks by the next day. Mako sighed, she hated when it snowed in the city. Or at least, she always hated the day after.

"Earth to Makoto!" Ran waved a hand between her and the window and Makoto turned to see the blonde smile at her. "Stop moping about the snow for now, you can think about that later. Right now we're celebrating."

"That's right, Mako-chan," a short, trim, dark haired man joined her and Ran next to the window. Ran grinned but said nothing and Makoto knew her bestfriend would trot out the nick-name when she really wanted to get under Makoto's skin. She would never let anyone else call her Mako-chan but her uncle Alex and aunt Naomi were an exception. In the beginning, when Makoto first moved in with them she wouldn't respond to anything else. They were the ones who raised her after her parents died. Makoto had been too young to remember them but Naomi, her mother's sister and Alex who was a friend of Makoto's father always seemed to have tales of the parents she never knew. She didn't miss them, but she did at least wish she could have met them. But that was alright too. She was grateful Alex and Naomi had raised her as their own without once acting as if they could replace her biological parents.

She smiled at her uncle and ignored Ran's grin. He gave her a small glass with a clear liquid and handed one to Ran as well. "Let's have some wine but before that try this, I picked it up on my last trip." Naomi joined them and received a glass as well.

"To Christmas, to family and good friends!" Ran toasted with a big smile. Their glasses clinked together to cries of cheers and Makoto swigged the contents of her own. She wished she hadn't.

"Gahh!" She gasped, her throat burned and her eyes watered as the alcohol made its way down.

"Oh my goddddd, I feel like I'm breathing fire," Ran choked out, "I'll take a good Riesling over this any day." In the background Makoto could hear her uncle and aunt chuckle and she joined in.

"-akoto?" The smile dying on her lips, she opened her eyes to find Ami looking down at her.

"Huh?" Makoto asked. Her cheeks felt wet and she absently wiped them as she stared at the woman in front of her blankly.

"You were laughing and crying at the same time in your sleep," Ami said, her voice soft.

"Ah-I was having a dream about my family, it was so silly-" but as she tried to express the content of the dream her throat convulsed and her tears started to flow again. Somehow she felt incredibly homesick, even for dirty snow covering the city sidewalks.

"Oh Mako," Ami voice was gentle, her touch gentler as she wrapped her arms around Makoto. This time it wasn't her throat that burned, but her eyes.

-x-x-x-

"Hey Ami, do you think Queen Serenity would be against us checking out the library?" Makoto asked as she pulled her tunic over her head. They had decided to take a quick bath before leaving the chamber. But not before Ami filled Makoto in on her sudden patient. Makoto had mentioned it seemed strange that the princess' girlfriend did not know what happened even though she had been there all along.

Ami, in the midst of donning her own tunic froze. "Library?" She parroted before her eyes glazed over. Makoto laughed to herself, if Ami was one of those anime characters she'd literally have stars in her eyes. All at the mention of the word library.

"Yes, you know, a great room of those things with pages. I'm sure the castle has to have one." She teased as she glanced at Ami in the periphery.

"I know what a library is you goose!" Ami stepped up behind Makoto and poked her in the middle of her back. Makoto jumped forward two steps.

"Hey! I'm ticklish there," Makoto protested as she turned around to face Ami.

"Good, I will save that information for later," Ami retorted, "but why the sudden interest in the library?"

"I'm tired of sitting around waiting for others to fill me in on what's going on. There must be a book of legends or whatever hanging about the place. I'm sure there's a record. There's always some type of record in instances like this."

Ami pursed her lips, her finger tapping against them in the gesture Mako adored. "You are right. Let's ask Kasha, or maybe Lillith."

"Excellent. Let's go right now since we're dressed!"Ami nodded enthusiastically, and Makoto could see the Healer was thrilled at the prospect of facing books. It was evident Ami had a passion for all things relating to knowledge and that charmed Makoto.

The smaller woman was about to open the door when Makoto stopped her by placing a hand against it. Ami looked at her quizzically but melted against her body immediately when Makoto captured her mouth in a kiss. Heat immediately blossomed inside her when she felt Ami's responsive lips under her own. Regretfully she pulled away knowing if she continued there would be an encore of the previous night's performance. But she couldn't allow herself to be distracted, as much as she loved being distracted by Ami.

Clearing her throat she explained, "I'm sure you wouldn't appreciate if I did that while we were out there."

"Yes, of course," Ami replied with a smile, her own voice a little shaky. Was that a flash of disappointment in the depths of those blue blue eyes? Maybe. Mako knew they'd be returning to bed at some point tonight; it was fine to delay the inevitable even for a bit. Perhaps Makoto's demeanor displayed her thoughts because Ami's smile contained a trace of promise before she opened the door.

When they stepped out into the quiet hallway Makoto heard the swing of another door. She looked down the corridor in time to see a red-faced Misha who paused then turned the other way when she spotted them. What's her problem? Minako followed not a moment later, pulling the door closed behind her as she yawned behind a hand.

Oh. Makoto realized. That explains why she ran the other way. Beside her, Ami's cheeks were pink, a telling sign the Healer had reached the same conclusion.

"Sorry girls, been a long night with entirely too little sleep," Minako yawned again as she approached them. "Where are you off to?" She asked as she came within a few feet and automatically fell in step with them as they began their walk towards the ramp. Her golden hair was damp which told Makoto the woman had taken a bath as well before leaving her chamber. "Breakfast?"

"The library, or rather, we are about to request permission to enter the library," Ami beamed at the blonde who could only smile at the Healer's enthusiasm. She then turned to Mako, "Actually breakfast would serve us well before research."

"A woman of priorities," Minako exclaimed with delight while patting her stomach.

"I agree wholeheartedly of breakfast and priorities," Makoto proclaimed as her stomach announced its emptiness. She remained quiet the rest of the way as Ami filled Minako in on her early morning excitement regarding the princess, instead going back every so often to the moment when Ami held her tenderly while Makoto gave into the feelings of homesickness.

-x-x-x-

To Rei it felt like they'd been riding forever since the storm started. In reality it was only a few bells. She was wet and cold, her soaked clothing rubbing against her skin uncomfortably with every step the mare took. She was grateful that the horse kept her together with the rest of the knightes; the rain hid everything and if they were to separate, Rei would be completely lost. Looking around every so often, Rei wondered if she was imagining things. Shapeless, shadowy masses appeared to be lurking near the sides of the roads but due to the speed of the horses they were gone in a flash.

They can't be any creatures right? She asked in her mind only to remind herself not too long ago she encountered a faceless monster and the knightes had a battle of their own. She didn't want to jump at any little shadow however. They approached a bend in the road and ahead of her Haruka called back to the group but she couldn't hear what the head knighte was saying.

"We're going through the forest soon, we're almost there." Lane shouted, alerting her and Rei nodded to the knighte.

She was the last to enter the shallow forest. The closest tree trunks and branches were barely visible and the rain seemed much louder as they pummeled the leaves. A sound that had nothing to do with the rain reached Rei's ears and she stiffened. The horse did as well, an involuntary shudder passing through its body as it heard the sound. The small hairs on the back of her neck stood up. It was a shriek-like caw filled with malice and she hoped whatever animal issued it would be left behind soon. She heard it again. Then, once more for the third time.

And again, before the realization came that it wasn't just one. There were many of them. But they weren't birds, nor were they bats. They were something else entirely, though she wasn't sure what. They began to cry all at once and Rei looked on in horror as a great dark cloud began to form above them as the individual things flew up from the forest and gathered together in the sky. Despite the rain they kept a close formation and if it weren't for the volume of the cloud or their cries she would have ridden past them entirely. But the things, had no intention of letting them just ride through.

One of them swooped low and all Rei could see were fangs as it aimed for her face. The blade of a sword fell onto it, stopping the creature in its path and leaving it in half. Hot blood splattered on her face as the pieces fell to the sides in the mud. Rei, her face pale except for the blood spots and wide mauve eyes looked to her right to see Haruka with her sword outstretched, while their horses kept pace. Once more Haruka had rescued her.

Ahead of them and above, the cloud of creatures were moving in the same direction following the road. One by one they broke away from the great cloud about to attack them. Both Sheik and Lane slashed at the creatures left and right. Haruka swung her sword at them, protecting both herself and Rei and the disciple realized how helpless she was without her bow or even a blade. The creatures avoided Haruka's broadsword, seeming to find the rhythm in the head knighte's swings. One of them ducked under the sword and bit into Haruka's hand which held her sword. She cried out in pain before grabbing ahold of it when her other hand and flinging it away. Blood dripped freely from the blonde's wound and Rei was horrified as she watched it flow before it mixed with rainwater.

"There's too many to fight! Cover your heads and ride. Get low!" Haruka, sheathing her broadsword yelled over the din the of the flying creatures. With so many of them, fighting was futile, Rei realized. She ducked low, following the head knighte's advice and rode as fast as she could. The crowd of things flew behind them, pecking at their hands and knees and their horses.

She was trapped in a space filled with noise which confused her from all sides. Heavy rain, the shrieking creatures, the cracks of thunder and lightning and the screams of the horses as they ran for their lives. A feeling of helplessness overtook her while she clung to the mare's wet neck. There had to be something she could do. Anything. Anything at all. Tears of frustration squeezed out of her tightly shut eyes. But no matter how much she closed her eyes she could still hear the noise that surrounded them. Could still feel the rain beat down on her. Could still see the blood dripping from Haruka's hand.

You want to help, child?

Rei stiffened. It was the voice from the underground cavern. She wasn't imagining it, she was sure. Yes! Rei thought in response, Yes! I want to help!

Then fight, Fire Maven. You have power.

A surge of heat filled her from head to toe and Rei sighed in relief. This was home to her, this feeling of all encompassing warmth. Her bones and skin and hair hadn't forgotten the sensation. It was overwhelming and addicting. It was the same feeling that accompanied her into the pillars with the faceless monster.

The heat swept through her again, stronger this time and she raised her head and sat upright. The creatures continued to swarm around them. Beside her Haruka was busy swatting away one of the things as more surrounded her. Rei tugged on the reins and the mare stopped. Rei could feel the trembling of the horse's muscles as they simply stood there. The creatures came, dancing in front of her. Letting the reins fall, Rei raised her right hand, palm out as she flung it skyward where the cloud of creatures swarmed.

Flames burst from the center of her palm and engulfed the cloud. The death-shriek of the creatures were deafening as they fell burning, one by one into the mud. Through it all Rei felt a calm she had not experienced since before she left her temple home. The heat and fire scattered the other creatures and Rei raised her hand again, this time the flame almost whip-like as it went from creature to creature, striking them down as they flew away in frenzy. There might be more hiding elsewhere but it was best to get rid of as many as possible while she had the chance. She watched the things fall, their wings on fire curling like paper in the wet dirt.

"Rei?" Haruka called to her from behind and when she turned she found the knightes staring at her with awe on their faces and their jaws hanging open.


To be continued.