Makoto tried her best to shake off the sick feeling rising in her. "Damn it, this can't be happening!" She clenched her fists; she wanted to be at peace, with Ami forever.

"How dare they take away the happiest time in my life." She growled to herself. "JUPITER CRYSTAL POWER, MAKE-UP"

With a surge of lightning, Makoto stood clad in her rose and green fuku. She felt the thunder rush through her body. She scanned the arcade for Mercury, and noticed her across the room. She felt weak. Did touching the game make her feel this way? Had it taken her energy?

"Mer-" She stopped as a fit of coughing dropped her to her knees, covering her hand with her mouth. Breathing heavily, she noticed speckles of blood on her glove.

Unnoticed hovering above her was a black mass with glowing red eyes. It took the form of a woman wearing a flowing dress.

Makoto couldn't move, she felt powerless.

Sailor Mercury saw the glowing eyes hovering above the kneeling, weakened form of Sailor Jupiter and felt panic rising in her throat. For a moment her head felt flooded with impulses of adrenaline, overwhelming the more rational and logical thoughts that typically resided there. The blue eyes widened as she realized how real the danger was. Why hadn't she noticed sooner that the energy around the arcade suggested had been corrupted? Why hadn't she called on Usagi and the others for help?

"Jupiter! Look out!" she cried.

The blue-suited sailor soldier moved to action, but there had been a pause from before and she couldn't yet tell if that delay would be enough to jeopardize her attempted action. Sailor Mercury spun around, swirling the energy around her body like streams of clear water. Her heard thudded painfully in her chest. She had to remind herself to stay calm, to focus on this attack and impacting the monster. This was different than other battles, somehow, but she didn't have time to think about why.

"Mercury Aqua Rhapsody!"

Sailor Mercury felt her fingers dance across the liquid "strings" of the harp, her body surrounded in a cocoon of water. Jets of water, enhanced with the power of her guardian planet, shot out towards the black mass. She could only hope that it would destroy or at least push back the thing, moving it further from Jupiter, providing some kind of opportunity to get the exhausted sailor soldier out of the enemy's path.

Shakily, Jupiter stood up. Wincing, she slowly made her way over to the gorgeous water goddess in front of her.

"Ami-chan..." tears started to stream down her rosy cheeks. "These months with you, have been the best times in my life. Ever since I met you, you've been my best friend." A weak smile appeared on her face.

Jupiter's smile suddenly turned into an empty stare as a blast of dark energy hit her back. A trickle of blood escaped her mouth. "A...ami-chan... no... Ami. I love you."

Just as she touched Ami's elegant hand, she was pulled back by the dark woman. "AMI!!!!" She yelled, tears streaming down her cheeks as the dark woman disappeared with her into thin air.

Sailor Mercury stared up at the ceiling of the Crown Game Center, at the place where Sailor Jupiter has just been, stunned. She felt cold. Numb. Confused. Hazy. So many feelings whirled inside of her that sorting them out confused her with any attempt. The words that Jupiter had said, that final cry before her friend disappeared...what...what had she meant?

"I love you."

Wasn't that the phrase that every young girl dreamed of hearing someday, spoken aloud by a dashing young man, a modern-day prince on a white horse who whisks his princess away to a life that continues "happily ever after"? But this was no romantic moment and there was no prince in sight—instead, two young women, friends and comrades, in a moment of panicked separation. Ami never doubted that she loved the other sailor soldiers—they were more than mere "friends", having spanned time and space to be together, orbiting around the brilliant glow of their princess. It was a deep and enduring bond. But she couldn't rationalize away what she had heard: the phrase that Jupiter uttered did not refer to the closeness of fellow guardians.

Romantic... love.

Just the thought of this gave Mercury goosebumps. She remembered love letters and the intense physical illness that followed that small token of affection. She thought of the ultimate example of love in her world: Serenity and Endymion. Wasn't that how love was supposed to look? But what about Uranus and Neptune? Everyone knew, although rarely was it addressed directly, that the bond between the soldiers of sky and sea was not a "friendship" but a "romance". Ami admitted that she had never expected any kind of love in her future. Crushes on classmates or the almost universal warm feelings towards "big brother" Motoki at the arcade—those were all moments in her life but none of them seemed indicative of any future "love". Her brain didn't seem to understand what to do with those words, unable to translate them into a concept.

How should she respond?

Sailor Mercury shook her head. She... That was too much. Right now, that was... She... She couldn't... Her heart pounded in her chest and she could feel her face and even her ears burn with the confused involuntary emotional reaction. Later. Don't think about it. Just... just...

Her attack, although directed towards the strange shape, had effectively cleared a decent space for Sailor Mercury among the brainwashed patrons in the arcade. She finally saw them, understood that the group had backed off but would soon surround her again, and knew she had to act. Wherever that unknown evil force had taken Sailor Jupiter, she had to follow and rescue her friend. She tried not to think about the way her stomach twisted into a strange knot at the thought "friend". In seconds the handheld computer sat open on one hand while the other typed quickly, scanning for anomalies.

Ah-ha! The blue eyes flashed and looked to the left, only now seeing the strange distortion that the data announced. Whatever dark energy existed here, it had made itself a cozy secret base in a warped area below the Crown Game Center. Sailor Mercury glanced again at the zombie-like gamers, and used her Sabão Spray ability to fill the area with a thick mist, obscuring their ability to find and track her. Taking advantage of this opportunity she rushed into the portal, knowing that the energy signature her computer read there just had to be Sailor Jupiter.

She only hoped she could get there in time.

Jupiter opened her eyes; a groggy feeling enveloping her entire body. She remembered what had happened, but had no idea where she was. It was dark, with auras of dark red flashing through the darkness. 

She looked to her wrists, which were tied to a structure that resembled an upside down crux. The substance tying her down was some sort of dark red plasma. Her legs were the same way.

"Show yourself, damn you!" She screamed. She strained her eyes trying to find the woman that brought her to this foul place. 

A woman materialized in front of her, her eyes glowing red. Sailor...Senshi... The woman had an almost demonic sounding voice. A voice Makoto had never heard before. The woman smiled with an evil grin, and stuck her hand into her heart. 

"AHHH!" Jupiter screamed, as she felt her very soul break apart. What was she doing? What was happening. "A...ami...chan...." Makoto didn't know how much longer she could hold on.

She heard the screams in the darkness before she arrived. Jupiter's voice, crying out in pain. Mercury's own muscles burned as she ran, but she tried to move even faster, trying to prevent or at least lessen whatever horrible suffering awaited her friend. She didn't think about what had been said, or what remained unsaid, her mind cleared by the terror of what she might find when she stumbled upon wherever they had taken Sailor Jupiter. She wished she was faster, stronger—so she could do something now—like Jupiter herself.

The darkness gradually gave way to a dim light, almost red, and there in the center was the slack form of her tall friend, affixed to the cross structure. The menacing form from before, even more solid now, had an arm thrust into the other girl's rib cage while the brunette cried out in agony. It was like so many awful things they had seen before with Pure Heart Crystals, Dream Mirrors, or Star Seeds. Shouldn't all of that be behind them?

"Shine Aqua Illusion!" Sailor Mercury called out, sending the torrent of water towards the evil creature, hoping to either knock her aside or freeze her solid.

The creature saw the attack, and dodged it. With a smirk, she vanished.

"A...ami..." Makoto looked up, drained of all her energy. A fit of coughing brought more blood to her lips. "D..don't be fooled...she's...here..." Makoto's head fell down as she passed out, not able to hold on anymore.

"Sailor Mercury..." An almost demonic voice whispered to her ears. "You cannot escape, this time, the world will fall into darkness."


She materialized behind Sailor Mercury, and thrust her arms forth, and a giant ball of darkness hurdled toward the azure clad Soldier.

Drat, she had missed!

Sailor Mercury scanned the area almost before she watched her attack evaporate into nothing, as it had failed to hit her intended target. She heard the soft pleading voice of her friend, and the weak noise cut into her. Ami would have preferred that it was her there, trapped by the enemy, rather than having Makoto injured and hurting. If there had been an opportunity, if the enemy had tried to bargain, Mercury would have sacrificed herself willingly.

Why?

She halted only slightly, her blue eyes widening. All of the thoughts she had been trying to push back bubbled to the surface.

Why would you do that?

Mercury inhaled sharply, shaking her head slightly, trying to clear the unsettling thoughts. Because she is my friend, she rationalized. I'd do the same for each of my friends.

The same, hmm? that other internal voice echoed. It feels exactly the same?

She tried to tell herself "yes", but there was a lingering sensation of dishonesty. Mercury had given her life time and time again for her Princess, of course. That was partially from a sense of duty as a sailor soldier, but mostly because of her deep and thorough love for Usagi. Usagi, her very first friend—the one who rescued her from a bleak and lonely existence. The other girls, they were her teammates. She loved them, too, in a different way. She fought alongside them so many times, always willing to do whatever was right to help them. That was how she felt now, right? That was how she felt about...

Memories flashed through her mind. That time they danced together. Moments in-between battles, two responsible members of the Sailor Team working hard in their own ways. The way she felt when she learned she was going to have to leave Japan, and how relieved and shocked she felt when Makoto offered her a place to stay. Their time at the festival, seeing her beautiful friend crowned as the winner of the contest. The quiet girl felt a blush rise to her cheeks as she reflected on these. There were so many thoughts in her mind, and not even seconds had passed. Was that why she wanted to save Makoto now—just because they were friends and teammates?

Or could it be... something... else...

And then she heard a whisper, from so nearby. Too close.

Sailor Mercury whirled around, the pale blue ribbons of her back bow fluttering, her hands already glowing with channeled energy. She felt power welling up inside her, something finally synchronizing with the budding emotions blossoming in her heart. Mercury would use all of it, whatever it took, to protect someone so precious to her.

"Mercury Aqua Mirage!" she cried, sending the powerful attack right into the evil figure behind her, paying no heed to how close the two were and any potential recoil. This needed to end, now. She had to save Makoto!

The figure was hit, and with a cry of anguish collapsed on the cold stone. Y...you haven't won yet...

The figure warped over to where the soldier of Jupiter was. With a dark aura she picked up the girl and held her over her under her arms. "Let's see you try to attack me now!" she cackled, almost certain she had won.

"Nnngh..." Jupiter stirred, and hazily looked around her. She saw Mercury, her goddess. She would do anything to save her. "Ami-chan...." Her voice was raspy, weak. "No... Ami...please don't worry about me... if you attack with your water... we can finish this putting our powers together. Thunder and Rain can finish this.... a thunderstorm."

She closed her eyes and her lightning rod slowly emerged from her tiara. Even with her fuku tattered, and brooch cracked, she still had this. Her rod sparked. "Ami.... let's finish this, even if this is where I fall, I'll always be with you."

"No!" she replied to Jupiter's faint oath. There was a hint of uncharacteristic passion in her strained voice. "I won't lose you, Mako-chan!"

The enemy thought she could hide behind Sailor Jupiter, using someone so important to Mercury as a shield. She wasn't going to let that happen. Moments flashed through her mind—all the times that Sailor Moon had saved everyone, even when it seemed like all hope was lost. Ami would never be like Usagi-chan—she was a bright star, beyond all compare—but she could still embrace those lessons and that hope. They were going to make it out of this alive, somehow. Together.

Gathering the power of her guardian planet, feeling that cold water swirl around and through her, she concentrated on what Jupiter had said. With water and lightning, they could cleanse this awful creature and try to undo all the harm caused. But Mercury couldn't allow the woman to take a sacrifice on her way.

She leaped forward, almost flying through the air, towards where the tired form of Jupiter was held hostage. Her blue eyes looked deeply into those of green, and she felt a stirring of emotion inside her heart. It propelled her forward as she continued to concentrate on her abilities, waiting for just the right moment. Her arms reached out for Makoto, one hand extended to clasp the fingers of the other girl. She couldn't leave her here.

"Mako-chan!" she called as her fingers strained to intertwine with the Soldier of Protection. "Now!"

Together, maybe they would be enough to defeat her.

"Mercury Aqua Rhapsody!"

"Mako-chan," she whispered as the water surrounded them, ready to mix with thunder and lightning of Jupiter's powers. The noise drowned out everything else in Mercury's ears. In this moment of battle, there was less to focus on, less of a reason for her to blush or look away. Instead, she found that she could make direct eye contact. If they were unsuccessful somehow—if this was the last time that they were close, she wanted it to count. "I... I love you."

"Ami!!!" Makoto held onto her hands, tears streaming down her face. "I've always protected you, Ami... even back then when the Dark Kingdom attacked, I've always tried to protect you." She smiled a little, as the waters of Mercury surrounded the two.

She had finally said it... those three words she thought Ami would never say to someone like her. She wasn't the most feminine, she wasn't as good at manly endeavors like Haruka, she was just "Makoto". If that was good enough for Ami, she had no regrets. "I love you too, Ami."

Without yelling her attack, Jupiter was content. "Supreme Thunder" She leaned in, and her lips met with the soldier of wisdom. The sparks met with the water, and with a brilliant flash exploded where the two were.


The figure disappeared with a scream, leaving the soldiers behind. Jupiter lay lifeless on the cold stone floor, still holding Ami's hand.

The enemy had been defeated.

But at what cost?

Sailor Mercury could barely comprehend what she was experiencing. Her mind processed data, logical as ever, but when she tried to compile the things she sensed and translate that into understanding, there seemed to be a critical error. There should have been celebration at a job well done, but there could be no victory here. The gloved hand still clasped in her own was cooler now, growing colder with every passing moment. Her friend did not reach over to cheer or hug her, as they usually did when their team defeated an evil entity... instead she lay there, unmoving. The deep blue eyes observed the anomaly: Jupiter's body looked limp and gray.

But this time, Sailor Moon was not with them. Sailor Moon healed them so many times when they gave their all to fight. What could she do now? Usagi-chan... she should call her... Would that do anything? Still expressionless and confused, Mercury glanced at her communicator only to see that it had been damaged in the battle. So now...

She turned and saw the tattered pink bow of Sailor Jupiter's uniform. The heart-shaped emerald brooch at the center looked cracked. The ponytail, usually so neat and tidy, lay in disarray around the girl. Mercury turned her head slightly, something catching her eye, and saw one of the rose-shaped earrings on the stone floor—a single bright dot of pink against the gray.

Her mind filled with memories of Makoto: the brunette turning around with a smile, after having joined their team. Her constant domestic attention, cooking elaborate lunches for the group. Makoto leaning over to water one of her many plants, carefully tending to their needs. The intimidating way she looked whenever she stood up to protect their dear Usagi-chan. And always there were those beautiful feminine earrings. Her signature.

The tears spilled over onto her cheeks.

"Mako... -chan..." she whispered, her voice choked with grief even as her eyes continued to stare straight ahead.

How could this be happening?

And after all that she had finally learned.

"No..." she said again, clutching at the hand still in hers. "No, please. Please."

But there was no one to answer her.

Makoto's body was almost as frigid as her companions attacks. Her face was once full of life; vibrant with color and passion. But now, it seemed, as empty and dull as the cobblestone she lie on. Although it was no longer in her physical body, her spirit was alive in the form of her Starseed.

Mercury couldn't see her projection. To her, it was just a simple green crystal.

Makoto, now stripped of all clothing, was floating with her Starseed on her chest above her lifeless body. A phantom... that's what she was now. She looked at her translucent hands. She wanted to comfort the girl she had come to love, but knew she could not.

Like droplets of rain, tears began to flow down her cheeks. "I'm so sorry..." She whispered, floating over to Mercury. "Do you even feel me here... am I going to be sent to the cauldron soon..? Is there any way I can be with you again?"

The emerald crystal that emerged from lifeless body was beautiful, sparkling with small currents of electric energy. It bathed the area in a heartwarming verdant glow that reminded her of being in the forest and watching sunlight dapple through the outstretched leaves of trees branches that arched overhead. She loved it and simultaneously she hated it. Mercury had seen this before, and she had hoped that it would never happen again. Sailor Jupiter's—no, Makoto's—beautiful starseed.

Her throat, parched from crying, couldn't even whisper protest through her trembling lips.

It's not fair. We finally... understood how we truly felt in our hearts...

If only Usagi was here, with them. Sailor Moon would have found a way to make this better. There was always a miracle for their beloved princess. Although Mercury, too, was a princess in her own right, it wasn't the same. There would be no such marvel for her. How could she have ever thought she could do this on her own? How could she have thought she could save Makoto? She never would have risked it if she had understood the terrible cost she gambled with.

"Please... please don't go," she begged, the words barely audible. She reached unsteady fingers towards the crystal, unwilling yet to let go of Jupiter's hand. Could she catch it? Could she stop it from disappearing, to be reborn somewhere that she wasn't?

"I don't know what to do without you."

"Ami... you have given me more happiness in a few months than I have felt in an entire life time." She smiled at the girl. What could she do now? Without Sailor Moon she could not be healed; without her Princess, maybe she wasn't as strong as she once thought.

Makoto reached out towards Ami's hands and her translucent fingers intertwined with Ami's long, elegant fingers. Slowly tears began to roll down her cheeks. She wanted to stay. She wanted to live with Ami... memories filled her mind.. the scarf, the huge dinner she had made for them.. was it all just going to fade away like this?

"NO!" She yelled. She was not going to be extinguished like this. She belonged here. She floated over to her body, her starseed floated above her brooch. "JUPITER CRYSTAL POWER!!!" She yelled, making her starseed pulse with electricity. Her body was still cold.

"JUPITER....CRYSTAL....POWER!!!" She yelled louder and longer, causing more sparks to fly.
"WHY?!" she yelled, the anger rising in her soul. A storm began to brew inside her starseed. She needed a catalyst... she needed more power... but how?

The starseed—that beautiful shimmering source of power—was glowing now. Brighter and brighter. It caught Mercury's attention almost immediately, flooding the place with the light from those sparks. Makoto's light. Makoto's energy and electricity. If her beloved was dead, how was the sailor crystal reacting this way? As her gloved hand softly wrapped around it, she felt a surge of lightning. It was almost as though Jupiter were here, holding her hand.

She could feel the tears on her cheeks, soft and gentle, even though she thought she had nothing left to cry.

Sailor Mercury stood on unsteady legs and placed her hands around the crystal that thrummed softly with power. She didn't feel so alone. Was this some kind of sign? Something to tell her that Makoto was still here and still trying to reach her? If that was the case, there had to be something she could do to help.

"Mako-chan..." she whispered, almost a prayer to the glimmering crystal. "Please—please come back."

A soft blue aura began to emanate from Mercury's body, as an unseen wind fluttered her skirt and sailor collar. The tiara on her forehead faded quietly, revealing the shining outline of her planetary symbol. She closed her eyes, concentrating with the quiet diligence of an excellent student hard at work. The light that radiated from her was soft and dappled, like sunlight seen through the surface of a clear pond.

"Mercury Crystal Power!" she called, her voice firm and unwavering.

Please... please, I'll do anything. I'll give whatever it takes.

Suddenly, Makoto felt a heat rising in her body. A storm was brewing. "My guardian Jupiter! Brew a storm! Call the clouds! Send down the thunder!" The symbol of jupiter glowed with a bright green light as she conjured her power. "JUPITER POWER!!!!!"

Suddenly the crystal sparked - igniting the whole area with blinding light. Makoto floated over to her body and kissed her brooch. "I'm not ready to give up yet!" She embraced her lifeless body, and faded into it.

The brooch lit up with a spectacular green light, chiming with the sound she was familiar with, a sound that she had heard every time her wands lit up with power.

She stood up and the blinding light faded. She was left looking at her beloved. "Ami..." She smiled as her body glowed with a green hue. "Thank you." She didn't move, but instead stood there, admiring the girl who had fought so hard for her. The girl that she had met at the arcade all those years ago. The genius girl - Ami Mizuno. The memories of her petting luna for the first time when Ami was holding her. She remembered Ami's blushing. She remembered so much. When they danced together, all the times Makoto had protected Ami in battle. She had loved her all along, but didn't know it until recently.

"Don't cry anymore, it's alright."

Not crying wasn't quite something she could manage at the moment. She felt the tears fill her eyes as her ears heard a voice she had feared would be silenced forever. Every motion seemed to take an agonizingly extended period of time as she turned towards it, the movement almost as unconscious as a flower tracking the glow of the sun. Sailor Mercury didn't notice that her hands were empty—that the starseed had returned to its true home. She noticed instead that Jupiter stood there, those emerald eyes looking straight at her. Truly seeing her. As more than just a comrade and friend. It was a look filled with love.

"Mako-chan..." she whispered, taking a step forward. Her fingers curled slightly into a fist, the arm held hesitantly near her chest. What if... what if this wasn't... Mercury's mind swirled with doubt and uncertainty, holding her back.

Something else inside of her gave her the gentle nudge forward. The slight momentum took hold, the heels of her blue boots clicking against the ground in those short steps that erased the distance between them. Her arms seemed to reach out almost without her conscious choice, seeking the warmth and strength of the young woman before her. All those times that they fought together, serving the same mission and protecting the same princess... now Ami understood that there was a special place in her heart that only this other person could inhabit. She didn't want to waste any more time. They lived dangerous lives—any moment could be their last.

She felt her transformation fade from soldier to schoolgirl as she wrapped her arms around the other teenager, hiding her blushing face against the taller one's shoulder. Her heart thumped so loudly in her own ears that she wondered if Makoto could hear it. Was it conveying a message? Was this what happened when you... loved someone else? She could hardly believe that any of this was happening to her—Ami Mizuno, the worthless girl with no value other than her studiousness. It almost felt like a dream, but she knew that it was real. She knew that she had found, and then almost lost, a romantic love that she fully reciprocated.

Her blush deepened as she thought of those words. Words she had barely managed to say, and under such dire circumstances. And then again only when it was too late.

Now she was here, safely nestled in Makoto's arms. This time, Ami whispered them, almost to herself, like a mantra.

"Mako-chan... I love you."

In a flash of green, Jupiter's fuku faded as Ami entered her arms. Makoto held Ami for what seemed like an eternity. They did it. Without Sailor Moon, without the Silver Crystal. It was truly a miracle. "I love you too..." She whispered back. 

Makoto rested her head on Ami's, the faint remnants of her shampoo still smelled like wildflowers. A smell she had smelled so many times before, but now was a smell of comfort and peace. Makoto Kino, the loner transfer student, who would have thought her life would have turned out this way? Everyone always made fun of her, people were afraid of her, but not Ami - sweet gentle Ami. 

With a single movement, Makoto swooped Ami up in her arms, and gave her a big smile, with tears streaming down her face. "Let's go home." She smiled as she walked out of the dark building. 

The outside sunlight illuminated everything. After being in the dark so long it was a rejuvenating light - soft and warm, just like their princess. 

Makoto set Ami down, and took her long elegant fingers and intertwined them with her own. They were delicate and soft, just like the girl herself. She kissed her hand before starting to walk. "Let's go home..."

"Yes," Ami replied, although she knew she didn't need to. "Together."

---

She hummed to herself as she sorted through the stack of neatly-folded laundry. Sure, there were plenty of staff to take care of the more menial tasks, but Mercury liked to do whatever she could of her own housekeeping. It gave their home that extra "home" feeling. It felt nice. It felt grounding.

Opening the drawer and shifting a few things aside, her eyes caught a glimpse of faded silk. It had once been the same sapphire blue as her eyes, but no longer. The deft fingers—surgeon's hands, after all—carefully lifted the folded item, supporting the worn material in her hands. She felt the memories bubble to the surface of her mind almost immediately as she unfolded the well-loved scarf. The water lily pattern no longer looked as vibrant as it had once—in fact, it was probably just her knowledge that such a pattern existed that allowed her to still see it. But she remembered exactly what it had looked like when it was brand new.

She remembered that day, when they had gone shopping together. In some ways, that felt like the start of everything, although in reality that was not the case. It was only one episode highlighting things she just hadn't noticed. For being a "girl genius", she thought to herself with a smile, she wasn't particularly perceptive. Especially when it came to feelings, whether they were hers or someone else's.

Ami wore that scarf for years and years. It almost felt like a talisman, protecting her from any harm like the warm strength of the giver herself. She knotted it confidently around her neck, perfecting a variety of tying methods to highlight it. She received compliments on it when she wore it to class in medical school and to social gatherings during her residency. It proved, as always, that the one who had selected it had excellent taste. It starred in countless photos taken of herself and her friends for decades.

But it was a man-made item, not quite prepared for the enhanced longevity that Mercury currently experienced. The colours faded. The silk suffered thin spots where the material had worn away. The hemmed edges began to fray. It had to be retired, but she couldn't bear to part with it. Instead she had tucked it here. It felt like she was keeping those memories safe.

The sound of the chopping board echoed through the bright spring day, and the smell of fresh cooked vegetables wafted through the house. She smiled and remembered the time she had made an entire meal for Ami, once they definitely couldn't have finished as just two. That seemed like an eternity ago. 

Makoto smiled and slid the carrots off the cutting board with her knife, closing the pot lid to let the vegetables cook. She wiped her brow and removed her apron, hanging it gingerly on the back of the mahogany chair. 

She stopped in the doorway to her and Ami's room. She watched as Ami tied the scarf onto her elegant neck. That scarf was the beginning of it all, wasn't it? That scarf was precious, not only to Ami, but to Makoto herself. It was almost like her first 'confession' to Ami. Even though many years had passed, the scarf still retained it's elegance and beauty, especially when she was the one wearing it. 

Makoto slowly walked over to Ami and put enveloped her in an embrace and kissed the back of her head. That familiar shampoo, still as lovely as ever. No words needed to be said at this point, as the two were already well aware of how they felt. After all, thunder and rain go hand in hand, they thrive off of each other, and are perfect for each other. A beautiful storm.