Disclaimer: No copyright infringement intended.
Lightning strikes
Makoto was sitting by the balcony door, staring out into the night. Rain was beating against the glass accompanied by a raging thunderstorm. She watched lightning flash across the sky, and it reminded her forcefully of the stabs of pain her best friend had been forced to endure over the last few months. Ami was the one person she cared most about in all the world and who she would give her life to protect. Of course, she loved the other Senshi too, but Ami was special. Makoto could not pinpoint why but had decided a long time ago that this was not really important. What counted was how she felt.
At the moment, however, she felt deeply upset because Ami was in pain, and she could not do anything to help her. Even worse was that none of the problems in Ami's life were in any way her own fault.
"How can the world be so unfair?" Makoto demanded as another flash of lightning split the night sky.
She got up and opened the balcony door. Suddenly, there was a crash of thunder that made even her step back and slam the door shut.
"Something is coming - again", she sighed.
Suddenly, her communicator started beeping and she snatched it up from the couch table, flipping it open.
"What happened?" she barked.
"Youma in Yuuban Park!" came Rei's panting voice. "Hurry!"
The device went dead as Makoto rushed out of the door, down the stairs and into the next abandoned side street to transform.
When Sailor Jupiter arrived at the park, the other four senshi were already engaged in a fierce battle. With their combined powers they defeated the monster and came together to check on each other.
"Everyone ok?" Sailor Moon asked, looking at her friends.
"Yeah", they all nodded and smiled at each other.
"Guys, I have to go now", Sailor Mercury said after a moment of silence. "My mom's waiting. See you soon."
Before anyone could say anything, she had turned and only her hurried footsteps could be heard.
"I'm going after her", Makoto said immediately and the others nodded.
"Take care of her."
Makoto took off at a sprint and, even though she stepped into an alley to transform back, caught up with Ami after a few minutes. She slowed down and followed her friend, who was also in her civilian clothes again and was walking slowly, her head downcast.
Taking a deep breath, Makoto called out, "Ami! Hey! Wait a moment!"
Ami froze but did not turn around. She just stood like a statue, but Makoto noticed that her friend's shoulders were heaving. She was not sure what to do but decided to take a risk. So Makoto approached Ami who still had not moved, and gently put both hands on the shorter woman's shoulders.
"Listen, Ami", Makoto started but upon feeling her friend's shoulders tense, she faltered.
And as if their elements were echoing their feelings, a clap of thunder echoed through the air as the sky opened up to release a torrent of rain. Still, both women remained immobile.
"Come on, let's get out of here and find a dry place", Makoto whispered, gently pulling Ami's shoulders.
But Ami still remained rooted to the spot – and so did Makoto. Then, quite suddenly, Ami stepped away from Makoto's grasp and turned around. And the taller woman's heart broke at the pain on her friend's tear-streaked face but she managed to give Ami a gentle smile.
Suddenly, the blue-haired woman threw herself at Makoto, who almost lost her balance. Ami was sobbing hard as Makoto held her amid people rushing past to escape the downpour.
"I hate it. I don't want it. I just want it to stop", Ami mumbled against Makoto's shoulder as her fingernails started digging into the taller woman's back.
Makoto held her close, placing her cheek on top of Ami's head.
"I know."
When Ami finally let go of Makoto, she hung her head and whispered, "I'm sorry."
She was about to walk away but Makoto grabbed her hand.
"Come on, my place is close. Let's get dried up."
Half an hour later Ami was sitting on the sofa amid cozy cushions clothed in one of her friend's track suits, while Makoto was preparing tea. Rain was still splattering against the windows and the occasional bolt of lightning and rumble of thunder could be heard as Ami stared blankly into the night.
The movement of the sofa pulled her back to the present and she found Makoto sitting on the other side, smiling softly at her.
"I hope green tea is ok," Makoto said as she offered Ami the steaming mug.
Ami had to smile. "It's perfect, thanks."
Instead of drinking, though, Ami gazed into the gently moving liquid and sighed deeply, inhaling the soothing scent of Makoto's too large track suit.
Makoto watched and was hard put not to press her friend. But she knew that Ami would just close herself off more. So she just sipped her tea and watched the thunderstorm light up the night sky.
"It's strange," Ami said into the silence as a particularly powerful clap of thunder seemed to make the ground shake.
Makoto turned around. "What is?"
Ami gave a distant smile and then said, "How your element is so violent and frightening but you are such a kind and gentle person."
Makoto stared, speechless. She wasn't used to thinking of herself that way, especially because life had forced her to become harder than she might have been. But since she'd met the others, things had started to change. She had become gentler and particularly Ami had contributed to this change.
"I know you don't think of yourself that way," Ami said, as if reading Makoto's thoughts. "But I've often wondered that ever since we first met."
And still Makoto didn't know what to say. Where was Ami going with this? Why now?
"I mean, Rei is as fiery and erratic as her element, Minako could not be more like the goddess of love and I … I am as harmless as water," Ami continued, still gazing out at the rain and her voice fading as she passed judgement on herself.
The latter statement jerked Makoto out of her stupor. "Ami, you are not harmless," she said, turning to her friend. "I mean, you are sweet and gentle, yes, but you ARE powerful."
Ami snorted slightly, refusing to look at Makoto.
"Even if you haven't felt like it recently," Makoto whispered, taking Ami's hand.
At this, Ami finally turned glistening eyes upon Makoto whose heart ached at the hopelessness in her friend's expression. Then Ami sighed and lowered her gaze. She set down her cup. Without looking at her, she intertwined her fingers with Makoto's and lifted their joined hands as if to examine them.
Makoto opened her mouth to speak but Ami said, "What would I do without you?"
This made Makoto's heart flutter.
"I have been feeling so helpless with all that's happened in the past few weeks, but … but you really make me believe that I can get through this."
Makoto squeezed Ami's hand. "Hey, I KNOW you can get through this … and … I'll be with you all the way."
Ami's head snapped up and she locked eyes with Makoto. The thunder senshi raised a questioning eyebrow and gave a slight smile at her friend's surprised expression.
"What? You really didn't see this coming?"
Ami let out a soft chuckle. "Some genius, am I?"
This made Makoto heart lift and, unable to contain herself, she embraced Ami who was stunned at first but then returned the hug, exhaling.
"You are, but everyone needs a little help sometimes and there is no shame in that," Makoto said. Then she let go of Ami and, looking here directly in the eyes, added, "You taught me that."
Ami smiled and a comfortable silence settled over the two friends as they sat sipping their tea and watching the rain and thunder. Then the ringing of Makoto's cell phone broke the silence.
"Oh, come on," she sighed as she got up.
"Hey, Rei. Is everything ok?" Ami heard Makoto say from the hallway. And then, "Yes, she's with me. Don't worry. I will. Ok, bye."
Ami turned when her friend reentered the living room and said, "I still forget that they worry."
"Yeah, me too," Makoto said, "but its nice to be reminded that they do."
"Yeah."
Makoto went over to the balcony door and opened it.
"Look, the thunderstorm has almost passed and the rain has brought wonderfully fresh air."
Ami got up from the sofa and joined her, taking a deep breath. Then she took off her socks and stepped outside.
"Wait," Makoto blurted out. "You'll get soaked. Let me…"
But Ami turned and smiled. "I won't."
Makoto stared. Ami was right. She was standing in the rain but not a single drop made contact with her body. As Makoto looked closer, she saw the faintest shimmer surrounding Ami. It seemed to form a kind of protective shield.
"Wow," she breathed, "I didn't know you could do that."
Ami stretched out her hand and this time the rain made contact. Then she pulled it back and it was protected from the water once again.
"Neither did I," she whispered, closing her eyes and seemingly focusing on her newly found ability.
Makoto blinked, but before she could say anything, Ami continued, "I mean, I somehow felt something was different just now, before I stepped outside."
"That's amazing," Makoto said, "a new power. And such a practical one too," she added with a chuckle.
Ami giggled and turned. "I'll say." Then she held out her hand to Makoto and said, "Do you trust me?"
"Of course," Makoto said without hesitation and took her friend's hand.
Ami pulled her out onto the balcony and Makoto braced herself for the downpour. But nothing happened. She remained completely dry and the same soft shimmer was surrounding her now.
"What the…?" she breathed. "How?"
She turned to stare at Ami who smiled knowingly.
"It seems I can use my power to protect others too."
"Wow. That is seriously cool," Makoto said, clapping her hands in excitement.
But a second later she spluttered as the rain drenched her.
"Oh dear," Ami squeaked and instantly grabbed her friend's hands again, reestablishing the shield's protection.
Makoto shook her head, splashing Ami with water.
"Well, now we know you need to touch the person you want to protect," she laughed, and Ami joined in. "Jup, looks like it."
After a while Makoto said, "Ok, let me go and get dried up."
She made to pull away from Ami but the water senshi stopped her.
"Wait. Let me try something."
Makoto raised an eyebrow but complied. Ami faced her, raised her free hand as if to grab something out of mid-air and closed her eyes.
For several seconds nothing happened but then Makoto's mouth fell open. Ami was drawing the water out of her clothes, hair and off her very skin drying Makoto completely.
When Ami opened her eyes again, she was breathing a bit heavily but looked thoroughly pleased.
"Quite useful," she said smirking.
Makoto let out a shout of laughter.
"That's the understatement of the year. Ami, this is fantastic!"
She embraced Ami and lifted her off the ground in her excitement and the shorter woman laughed.
"You sure ARE very excited about my new power," Ami said when Makoto set her down again.
"Of course I am! This is awesome!" Makoto smiled.
Ami nodded and then said, "But it's made me pretty tired, now that I think about it."
Makoto made to reenter the apartment again, pulling Ami with her this time.
"Then let's get inside and I'll make something to eat."
to be continued…