Previous disclaimers apply, ** = change scene, Italicized = Dream/Memory
*ducks glares*
Chapter 2
Ami's haunted look made her friends catch their breath. The bags under her eyes, her drawn face, her red eyes, something was wrong with Ami, and they had an inkling on what it was.
"Do you think Makoto will come back anytime soon? Her not being here is killing Ami." Mina said in a hushed tone as she snuggled closer to Rei. The two were sitting out on the steps in front of the shrine, watching the stars. Rei sighed and hugged Mina. "I don't know, but we have to do something, before Ami does something drastic. I just wish I knew why Makoto left without saying anything, or why the two of them didn't talk about their feelings for each other. I mean, you don't have to be the Senshi of Love to tell that they cared about one another." Mina nodded, "Your right, but what can we do, we don't know anything. We don't know where Makoto went, why she went or anything." Rei softly kissed the top of Mina's head. "We can't do anything about Makoto, but we can help Ami. It's all we can do now."
Ami looked out the window to see Rei kiss Mina softly. She looked away quickly, and stared down at her open book. She sighed, and began to pack up her stuff. "Usagi, I'm gonna go. I need to go.. Help my mom, with stuff. Ok?" Usagi gave her friend a sad look before she nodded. "Kay, but be careful. Please?" Ami nodded without looking at her, and quickly walked out the door. Wiping a tear from her eye, she started her way homewards.
Usagi looked after her and sighed. Her thoughts drifted back to when things were so much simpler. Sighing again, she packed up her stuff, and went to bid her friends farewell.
**
She hadn't slept in days, eaten in days, and she was working the day shift again. She was at home now, leaning against a wall, bloodshot eyes staring at nothing. Makoto's mind was a whirl of thoughts. Thoughts of Ami, thoughts of work, thoughts of Ami, thoughts of the scouts, thoughts of Ami, Ami, and more Ami. Ami swimming, Ami fighting, Ami smiling. Ami.
'The same Ami that you could never have.' A voice whispered into her ear. 'The same Ami that could never love you. The same Ami that you pushed away, the same Ami that you will never ever be with.' Makoto squeezed her eyes shut. "Shut up, shut up, shut up. You're not real, you're not here, and listening to you is what got me into this mess in the first place. You're just a figment of my sleep deprived imagination. You're dead. Both of you, and I know it. So just go away!" The voice laughed, and it changed to a feminine pitch. 'Of course we're dead dear. But we are here. Just like you wanted, and we're going to stay here to. Nothing can change that. You brought us here. Don't you want us anymore?' Makoto kept her eyes shut tight, and shook her head. "No, I don't want you here anymore. All you've done is screw up my life. Now go away!" Laughter filled hr ears, and Makoto let out a shriek, before throwing a blind punch. The voice stopped laughing and Makoto opened her eyes., and then sighed. "Great, now I have to fix the wall." She gently extracted her hand from the shattered plaster and dry wall. What few cuts and abrasions she had on her fist were already starting to heal, thanks to her Senshi healing. She went over and sat down on the couch. She closed her eyes again, and fell into a deep sleep of exhaustion.
---
The sun was shining brightly. There was almost no clouds in the sky, and there was very little wind. Children were laughing and playing in the park. People were scattered over the green hills, reading or picnicking. Couples walked together, or sat together under shaded trees. A group of friends sat together on one of the hill, under a couple trees. They were laughing at each others antics and stories. They sat on a picnic blanket with three picnic baskets near them. A blonde was digging through one of them like a madman.
"Mako! Did you bring any of those bean bun things?" A girl with long brown hair and emerald eyes laughed at her friends antics. "Yes Mina, they're right next to the soda pop." She got up from sitting aganst the tree to help Minako. "Planning to tease Rei to death? What'd she do to earn this?" Minako gave her friend a small laugh. "That… is none of your business." Makoto blushed a light pink, and Minako giggled. "Your almost as bad as Ami." Makoto laughed and shook her head, "Whatever, go..tease your girl." As Minako scampered off, Makoto found herself pursuing her favorite activity. Ami watching. The blue haired girl was sitting on the stone bench surrounding one of the fountains reading a book. Makoto fowned herself entranced as she watched the water reflect onto Ami's hair as it slowly fell across her face. After a few moments Ami reached up to brush away the strand of hair, and then go back to her reading. Makoto gave soft sigh and gentle smile before settling back against the tree. "Hey Mako, whatcha doin?" Makoto jumped a little as Usagi poked her in the side to bring her out of her daydream.
"Usa! Don't do that!" The blonde grinned as she poked Makoto again. "Do what? That?" She tried to poke the brunette again, but found her wrist encircled by a vice like grip. "Yes, that. Don't do that." Usagi grinned as Makoto let go of her hand. "So, you didn't answer my question. Whatcha doin?" Makoto sighed, and sat back against the tree again. "Nothing Usagi, just relaxing. That's all." Usagi considered her friend for a second, before looking at where she had seen Makoto staring. Moving behind the tree, aware that Makoto was watching with a curious expression, Usagi corresponded the angle of Makoto's stare with her position. When her sights landed on what she thought they would, she gave a definitive nod. "I thought so." Makoto looked at her with an almost fearful expression. "You were staring at that guy behind Ami, that looks like your old Sempei!" If Makoto wasn't already sitting down, she would have fallen over. She settled for a heavy lean against the tree. "Right, you got me Usa. Don't tell anyone that I'm still doing that please?" Usagi grinned at her, "What's in it for me?" Makoto rolled her eyes, "Three batches of cookies, and a chocolate cake." Usagi squealed and held out her hand. "Deal." Makoto sighed and shook Usagi's hand. "I'll have the cake by tomorrow and the cookies the day after, kay?" Usagi nodded, and then got up and ran over to Mamoru. Makoto watched her go for a second before leaning back against the tree, and watching Ami again.
Across the way, Ami let out a small giggle. It was a low point when the princess sunk to accepting bribes for a secret. But that was Usagi for you. Ami watched as Makoto settled back against the tree. Her hair fell into her eyes blocking her view of Makoto, so Ami reached up and brushed it away again. May be she should cut it. Ami sighed as she remembered one time when Makoto had brushed it away for her, and told her she liked her hair like that. So cutting it was out. Ami grinned as she heard a shriek emitting from Minako. She looked over to see Rei tickling the blonde as they rolled across the grass. Ami giggled and shook her head as the two quickly settled down into a cuddle session. Looking back over at Makoto, she smiled as she saw the brunette resting against the tree, with Luna in her lap, and Artemis curled up near her side. They were just so cute sometimes.
---
Ami gave a hollow smile as her friends messed around in the park. They had decided on having a picnic to celebrate for no reason. Ami sat at her usual spot on the fountain bench, but without Makoto there, she had no reason to pretend to read a book. She just sat there and smiled at her friends antics. It was lonely without her fellow quite Senshi. Ami sighed and looked down into the water, watching as the soft breeze created ripples in the water. She caught the glint of money the rested on the bottom of the fountain, and gave a small grin. Kami knows how much yen she had slyly slipped in there, hoping for her wish to come true. She lost her grin, and her eyes grew sad. But it hadn't. Makoto had left. Ami jumped off the stone bench, and walked towards her friends. "I'm going to head home now. I'm not feeling very well. I'll call you guys later. Okay?" Usagi nodded as she went forward to hug Ami. "Right, call us when you're feeling better." Ami nodded and waved to the rest of them, before turning and walking away. The breeze ruffled her hair, and aft her jacket around her. The others watched sadly as Ami's figure slowly got smaller and smaller in the distance. Turning to the others, Usagi sighed and said, "She's not gonna make it if we don't do something." Rei nodded, and hugged Minako closer. "But what can we do? We don't know where Mako is, and we don't even know what we would do if we did know. Makoto left for a reason. What that reason is, I don't know. But if she left it probably was a big one."
"She left because of love. Or unrequited love, I should say." The other's turned to look at Minako as she snuggled closer to Rei. "But not so unrequited as she may have thought." Mamoru frowned, "Why do you say that?" He asked, Minako smiled at him, "I am the Senshi of Love you know." Usagi hugged him and sighed. It was going to be a long, long lifetime.
***
Makoto sighed as she walked out into the back ally of the restaurant. For fifteen minutes she was able to lose the smile that she was forced to wear. Fifteen minutes where she could just relax, or try to, before she had to go back in there. She didn't know which was worse, working at a fast food place, or her classes, that were getting tougher by the day. She didn't have Ami here to push her to study. Although that was the pint. Not having Ami here. No matter how much it hurt, she needed to be away from the women who had stolen her heart.
Looking at her watch, she sighed, and then walked back into the restaurant, smile already affixed on her face.
WEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ^_^v
_* *_
*ducks all flying objects, and balls of flaming paper.*
I'm back, as you can see. I was reading some fic at 2:00 am, and thought "Hey, why not type up the rest of chapter 2 of 'Listen to the Rhythm…'?" I mean why not? So here it is. And yes, yes I am flammable, so please, be gentle with your flames.
*pats at a smoldering piece of clothing*