Sailor Moon Fan Fiction ❯ Love and Lament ❯ Ami 3 ( Chapter 5 )

Love & Lament

 

Chapter Five

 

 

 

 

“Ami, I'm home.” Ayanee called into the silent condominium. She had left an hour earlier to get dinner and let her girlfriend, Umi, know that she wouldn't be able to go over tonight.

 

Ayanee found Ami curled upon her couch clutching what appeared to be a shirt to her chest. “Ami honey, dinners here.” Ayanee ran her fingers through her daughter's short blue hair, gently rousing her from her slumber.

 

“Mom?” Ami mumbled trying to wake up. Visions and emotions from her dream still clung to her not wanting to drift off.

 

“Hey honey, did you get a good nap in?” Ami nodded in confusion, the realm of dream and reality still a little blurred.

 

“I brought home some soba and miso.” Ayanee smiled presenting the Styrofoam containers that held their dinner. Ami took a seat in front of her coffee table where Ayanee set out their meal. She left the shirt she was clinging to on the sofa, she would not risk it getting stained in any way.

The shirt was one of Juni's. Ami had found it in her laundry bin, and it still smelled of her dead lover. It was one of Ami's most prized possessions.

 

The two Mizunos ate their meal in silence. It was a simple meal, but neither of them were ever big eaters. They did'nt need to, Ayanee barely reached five four, and Ami was still under five feet. Normally, Ayanee would add a meat dish of some sort, but she wasn't up to it. They continued to eat, lost in their own thoughts. They had a rough day, and were content to perpetuate the silence.

 

“Oh, hey!! I forgot, there was a message for you in the mail box.” Ayanee broke the silence rather suddenly. Ami watched curiously as she reached into her back pocket and handed her a slightly crumpled note.

 

“A lot of your friends are worried about you, y'know. Grandpa Hino has been calling regularly, and Miss. Kino and Mr. Fiore have stopped by a few times.” Ayanee continued talking as Ami read her note. “Their was also this weird girl with her hair done up in two long pigtails. I think she said her name was Tsuki or something.

 

“Ayanee looked up when she heard Ami ripping up the note. “Ami what is it?” Ayanee was shocked to see her daughter so angry that she was shaking. In all the years she had raised her, Ayanee had never seen Ami get this worked up about anything. Ayanee did'nt know what to say, deciding instead to wait for her daughter to calm down. When Ami finally spoke, her voice was cold and hard. It was something that Ayanee wished she would never hear from her daughter again.

 

“If that girl shows up again, please make it clear that I do not wish to speak to her, nor do I ever want to see her again.” It nearly broke Ayanee's heart to hear her daughter speak with such obvious hatred. Her attempt to find out what this girl had done was stopped by the cold look in her daughter's eyes.

 

“But, don't you go to school together?” Ayanee couldn't think of anything to say but the obvious. Ami had not returned to school since Juni died, but when she did she was bound to see this girl again.

 

Ami remained silent as she decided what she should tell her mother. Given all the lies and half truths already passed between them, she decided that only the truth would work this time. “Mom, I want to stop attending school.”

 

“What?” Out of all the things Ayanee thought Ami might say, this certainly wasn't it.

 

“I would like to work exclusively with private tutors, so I can focus on getting into the best University as early as I can.” Ami remembered when Juni had told her about a younger student who had done the same. Unlike Kanzaki Urumi, Ami actually planned to use the time to study and not waste it on mischief.

 

Ami seemed completely driven, and Ayanee doubted that she could change her mind. Never the less, she did need to try. “Honey, you just turned fifteen. What about your childhood, don't you want…”

 

“Mom.” Ami interrupted. “Think about our lives the last few years. When was the last time I had a chance to be a kid?

 

Ami winced at the obvious regret that covered her mother's features. She wanted to take it back, but what's said is said. “Oh mom, I am sorry, I did not mean…”

 

Ayanee held up a hand to stop her daughter while wiping at her eyes with the other. “No honey, you are absolutely right. I know it's been hard and I am so sorry for that.” Tears slowly spilled down the elder Mizuno's cheeks. “I've tried to do my best, but there were times, especially when I was drinking that I was responsible for making you grow up as fast as you obviously have.

 

Ayanee wiped futilely at her tears trying to stop them. “My God, you practically raised me for over six months!” Ami was silent as she thought of the long months following the death of her mother's lover Noriko. Ayanee hadn't taken it well and had a serious breakdown. She became severely depressed and a raging alcoholic. During that time Ami was not only responsible for herself, but for her mother as well.

 

Ayanee's tears had yet to abate, so Ami pulled her into a hug. She tried her best to help her mother. Seeing her mother like this hurt Ami. More importantly, it served as a reminder of what could happen if she let the grief of loosing Juni overwhelm her. Just as loosing Noriko had nearly killed her mother.

 

“Shhhh. Everything is going to be ok. I do not resent or blame you for this. If anything, that time helped to make me a stronger woman. Please do not torture yourself like this.” Ami spoke with a sincerity that brooked no room for argument or denial.

 

Ami cringed at the strength of her mother's desperate embrace. “But, what about…”

 

“But nothing mom. That is all in the past. Now I need to look to my future.” Ami continued to speak as she dried her mother's tears on her shirt. “Did you know that the studying I did with Juni was at or above the university level?”

 

Ayanee was surprised by this revelation, and shocked when her daughter continued. “I also learned to read and write English, German, Chinese, Russian, and a little Spanish.”

 

“My God Ami, but you only studied with her for a few months. How did you…?”

 

“I do not know. I do know that for whatever reason I have a gift, and I do not intend on wasting it in a public school.” Ami fought to hold her tears as she continued. “Juni left me with a fortune. I intend to put it to good use. I… I want to make her proud.”

 

Ayanee felt a great deal of respect toward her daughter. Her sense of responsibility, was just one of the many things that showed her budding maturity. It was one of the many things about Ami that made Ayanee proud. She would love her daughter no matter what, but she felt blessed that her daughter was Ami.

 

Ayanee and Ami sat shoulder to shoulder, their hands entwined and resting on Ayanee's lap. It had been a long emotional day for both of them. Ayanee realized with a bit of disappointment, that it was time to get ready for work. “Asagai-sensei will be very proud of you honey. I know I am.” Ayanee kissed her daughter on the forehead as she rose to her feet. “I will start researching everything you'll need to make this transition as soon as I get home from work.”

 

Ami looked up at her mother with a panicked expression. “You need to go to work today?” Ami croaked out, obviously not relishing the idea.

 

Ayanee suddenly felt guilty, although she knew that she shouldn't. “Yeah, I will not be living off of you. Besides, we don't know if there is anyone who will contest your inheritance, so you can`t be overly dependant on that.”

 

“Please, skip work today.” Ami pleaded, her voice, quiet and wavering. “I do not want to be alone right now.”

 

Ayanee could see the obvious need and pain in her daughter's eyes and agreed without hesitation. “All right, I'll go call in. When I get back let's take a nice hot bath. Then we can listen to some music and relax a while. I think I'm about talked out for the day.”

 

Ami sniffed lightly, still trying to regain her composure. “ok” As Ayanee turned to go Ami caught her hand and squeezed it tightly. “Thank you mom.”

 

“Anytime honey. We help each other out when we need it, if you ever need anything just let me know. It won't be easy, but I promise you that you will get through this.” Ayanee returned the squeeze and gave her daughter a reassuring smile. I love you Ami.”

 

“I love you too mom.”

 

 

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“I'm home.” Makoto called out as she removed her shoes before entering the living quarters of the temple. She smiled to herself. She liked the way that sounded, and loved that for the moment, it was true. It was a dream that she never realized she had wanted, come true. She sighed, but did not loose her smile as she thought of other dreams that would never come to be.

 

“Welcome home Mako. How was your day?” Makoto was visibly surprised when Fiore appeared next to her and started to rub her shoulders.

 

“Flower boy? But I thought…”

 

“Shhh.” Fiore whispered in her ear. “What is, is. But I will not have our friendship changed or ruined because of it.”

 

Makoto's smile widened as she turned around to catch her friend in a crushing embrace. Both friends enjoyed the contact for a moment before Fiore lightly pushed away. “Come on, your muscles are all bunched up and knotted. I'll draw you a hot bath, then you me and the old man can sit down for a nice dinner.”

 

“Thank you Flower Boy.” Makoto ran her fingers along the side of his cheek before lightly kissing him on the side of his mouth. “I love you.”

 

Fiore cupped her hand in his own and squeezed gently, inwardly smiling at her words. “I love you too. Now let's get you relaxed. Then we can eat, and you can tell us all about your day.”

 

 

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“So, that's it.” Makoto, Fiore, and Grandpa Hino sat cross legged around a small table. They had just finished a delicious meal, and Makoto had finished relating all the information Shinozaki had given her.

 

“Well,” Hino began as he wiped at his mouth with a napkin. “If it were just up to me, I would say yes now. You and Fiore are good people, and I would be honored to have you as a daughter. But, I do need to speak to my granddaughter first.”

 

“She doesn't have a problem with us staying here does she?” Fiore questioned, embarrassed that he had never asked about that before.

 

“No, no, she's fine with it. She is looking forward to meeting the two of you though.”

 

“When will she get back?” Makoto asked as she finished her meal. She had been talking the entire time and couldn't eat as fast as her table mates.

 

“One month, seven days, sixteen hours, and twenty-seven minutes.” Hino was obviously excited. “So I will be able to give you a definite answer in less than two months.”

 

::Cutting it close. But, my birthday is not until December 15, so I'll have a few weeks.:: Makoto quickly tried to figure out her timeline in her head. “Thanks for everything, grandpa Hino. Y'know for putting us up like this and helping me when I was hurt and everything.”

 

“Nonsense, having you and Fiore here in the temple has been a blessing to me. The temple has never looked better. Plus,” Hino winked slyly. “The food, garden, and gorgeous company is a great bonus. Of course, there is also what you did to help Ami.

 

Hino's bushy eyebrows scrunched up in sudden thought. “Speaking of which, has anyone seen her since Asagai-sensei died?”

 

Both Makoto, and Fiore flinched slightly. Makoto was quick to speak up, however. “She keeps rejecting our company. You know what though? Tomorrow I am going over there and I am taking her out weather she likes it or not.”

 

“That's a wonderful idea!” Hino called from the kitchen as he returned with desert. “Fiore are you going with her?”

 

Fiore looked a little embarrassed as he glanced sidelong at Makoto. “No, I have someone I have been meaning to talk to.” Hino noted the silent exchange and the sad smile Makoto gave Fiore as she took his hand.

 

“Well, when you're out and about avoid the number six bus. There has been some strange stories and rumors about it.”

 

“Sure no problem Grandpa.”

 

Hino smiled to himself as he cleared the table, letting the conversation die. He could see that the two young people in front of him would not have heard him anyway.