Chapter 4: Guard check
Makoto sat, lazily tracing the bunny print designs on the blanket she was sitting on. The air was slightly chilly but the sky was perfectly clear as they awaited the fireworks. She closed her eyes and listened to snippets on the conversations that had started up among her friends.
Have I really started to think of them as friends? Makoto thought to herself.
I will admit, Usagi-chan has made an impact on me over the past couple of days. She's just so cheerful and there's something about her that makes it easy to forget-forget why I had my heart guarded.
Makoto sighed heavily to herself. There was a comforting and calming feeling about this group she had been dragged into. She was a Sailor Scout, she couldn't avoid that, and she couldn't avoid the girls.
And then there is Motoki-kun...
She could feel a light blush rise to her cheeks. Quickly she shook her head and frowned. I can't let myself get too attached to these people!
They could be friends, having friends was simple, but they could only be just that, nothing more.
The closer I get to them the more it will hurt when we have to part ways. Keep it simple Makoto, guard your heart.
Keeping people at a distance was hard, painful even sometimes, but it was for the best, or at least that's what she told herself.
"I'm hungry," Usagi whined, reeling Makoto in from her thoughts.
"There's a small convenience store just down the street. I'll go get us some drinks and snacks," Makoto offered, wanting an excuse to get up and clear her head.
"I'll go with you," Motoki said.
"No, you don't have to," Makoto protested. "It's no problem, besides, I can help carry it back for you."
"Yea Motoki, you should go, it sounds like a good idea. Besides, it's getting dark Makoto-chan, you should have a little company," Rei added.
Makoto gave in, seeing that it made a lot of sense. "Right then, we'll back in a couple of minutes," Motoki said as he lead the way to the store.
The store was empty, except for the cashier dosing off behind the counter. "So uh, Motoki-kun, what kind of snacks should we get. "Well, a mix of things would be good, Usagi-chan and Mamo-kun both have a sweet tooth but I know that Ami-chan likes more salty stuff and Rei-chan likes spicy snacks."
Makoto nodded with a small smile. Figures Rei-chan would like spicy.
"What about you Motoki-kun?"
"Huh, well, I'll eat just about anything really. And you?"
"I have more of a sweet tooth but i'm not a picky eater. To be honest I think I have more fun making food that eating it sometimes."
Motoki chuckled, "Yea, Usagi-chan tells me your an amazing cook."
"I do alright," Makoto replied modestly.
They brought all the snacks and drinks to the counter, the cashier lazily getting up and putting their items into a bag. Motoki paid and Makoto lead the way out. As soon as she stepped outside Makoto wrapped her arms around herself, fighting the chill in the air. "Did it get colder since we went into the store?" She asked. Motoki set his bag down and started shrugging his jacket off. "Here, this will help." Makoto shook her head. "I'm alright it's not that big of a deal."
Motoki rolled his eyes and grinned putting the jacket around her shoulders, "Humor me then."
Defeated Makoto slid her arms into the sleeves. "Thank you Motoki-kun."
"No problem Mako-chan," he said cheerily. Makoto's face reddened at the new nickname. "Is it alright if I call you that?" he added sheepishly.
"Yea, thats fine."
As they continued to walk back to the park they heard a high pitched scream. "What was that?" Motoki asked as he looked around. "It sounded like it came from the alleyway back there, lets go!"
"Mako-chan wait-" Motoki tried to call after her but she had already started running into the direction of the alley. Shaking his head he ran after her dropping the bags. Makoto turned into the alleyway to see a Large plant like youma stealing energy from a young woman. She was about to transform but Motoki had caught up with her causing her to panic.
I can't transform in front of him! But I can't let this youma get away either...
With a frown Makoto prepared to fight in her human form, "Hey you, let that nice lady go before I pull out the weed killer!" she threatened. The youma dropped the now unconscious woman and turned to face her and Motoki. "Motoki-kun please take her to the hospital," Makoto said as she began to walk towards the monster. "Mako-chan, are you insane! I'm not leaving you here with this thing, you'll be killed!"
"She needs help, I can hold the overgrown weeds back while you run."
"Your probably faster than me, let me hold them monster off. I don't want you to get hurt Mako-chan!"
"Motoki-kun, please. I'll be fine. Your jacket will be enough to protect me okay," she said as she turned to look at him with a fake smile.
The youma extended vines form the ends of it's hands and swung them for Makoto. She jumped forward out of the way and landed herself in front of the monster. With a solid round house kick Makoto sent the plant youma falling onto it's back. She glanced behind her and saw that Motoki was staring at her in awe.
"Motoki! Run you idiot that woman needs help!" she yelled at him. His eyes widened as if he had been smacked in the face.
"Right, I'll get help for you too, hold on Mako-chan!"
As Motoki rounded the corner out of sight, Makoto felt something wrap around her ankle. The plant youma yanked hard on the root that surrounded her ankle sending her crashing to the ground, landing on her back just as the youma had. Makoto let out a gasp of pain and clenched her eyes shut before pushing herself to stand up again.
Motoki ran down the street carrying the unconscious woman, almost colliding with someone on the street.
"Can you take this woman to the hospital? I have to go help a friend in trouble!" Motoki asked as he handed the woman off.
Now I can go back and help
Motoki ran back to the alleyway full speed.
"Makoto-chan and Motoki-kun sure are taking a long time, she said the convenience store was just up the street right?" Usagi asked after a while.
"Do you think we should go look for them?" Ami asked.
"They might have gotten into trouble, but maybe we're just overreacting," Rei said with a frown.
"Just to be sure, I think we should go and look for them," Mamoru said as he stood. They all got up and went separate ways in hopes to find their friends as quickly as possible.
Makoto had been constantly dodging attacks, with no chance to transform as the youma lashed out with it's roots and vines. She got close enough to punch the youma in the stomach, causing it to double over.
"Jupi-"
"Mako-chan! Are you alright?!" Motoki called as he came racing into the alley. Makoto inwardly groaned as she was yet again stopped from transforming.
"Motoki-kun, what are you doing here?!" she hollered.
"I here to help you of course!"
Makoto got back into a fighting position as the monster stood back up.
"Motoki-kun, be careful."
The youma attacked again, Makoto managing to dodge the vines while she noticed that Motoki was fumbling around with difficulty.
"Motoki-kun, watch out!" she screamed as she threw herself at him. Makoto knocked Motoki while a part of the yomas attack hit her in the leg. The sickly green substance from the attack burned her knee and calf as she cried out,
"Mako-chan!" Motoki panicked, pulling Makoto into his arms as the youma walked towards them.
"Hold it right there you ugly weed!"
The youma, Motoki and Makoto looked up to see four figures standing on the roof of one the building above them.
"Attacking innocent people in absolutely unforgivable. In the name of the moon I punish you!"
Sailor Moon, Sailor Mercury, Sailor Mars, and Tuxedo Mask jumped down in front of Motoki and Makoto, prepared to save the day.
"Fire Soul!" Sailor Mercury said as she released a fireball on the youma. The plant took the hit dead on catching fire and shrieking as it flailed around.
"Moon Tiara Action!" Sailor Moon finished off the monster while Sailor Mercury had begun to help Makoto and Motoki.
"Motoki-kun, are you alright?" Sailor Mercury asked.
"I'm fine, though Mako-chan is hurt."
"It's just a minor burn. She'll be fine, no need to worry"
"Yea, I'm fine. Thank you Sailor Scouts," Makoto said, smiling knowingly.
"Do you need help getting Mako-chan home?" Sailor Moon asked picking up on the new nickname.
"I think we'll be fine. Thank you."
"In that case, we must be going. take care!"
"My Apartment isn't all the far from here actually, I think it would be better to take you there," Motoki said as he helped Makoto stand up.
"It hurts to walk on this leg but I think I can make it to my own apartment, there's no need to inconvenience you," Makoto protested.
"It's no problem, really. Besides, you should rest as soon as possible, You must be exhausted as well as in pain."
"I guess theres no point in arguing, it doesn't seem like you'll let me win anyway," Makoto sighed.
Motoki grinned and without warning picked Makoto up and started walking.
"I'm not completely unable to walk ya know!" Makoto huffed.
"I know, but I'm going to carry you anyway"
Makoto rolled her eyes and let Motoki carry her to his apartment.
So much for keeping things simple Makoto, way to go
Authors Note: I am terribly sorry for the long wait in updating. Major dose of writers block has held me up on just about every story I have. I hope this chapter and the anticipation for the next one was worth the wait and I also hope I haven't lost any of my dear followers! I again want to thank angry penguin, LoveInTheBattleField, Godloverk, and Karaseneau1, for their encouragements and I'll try my hardest to bring you the next chapter as soon as possible!