1186/Discussions Over Lunchtime

Discussions Over Lunchtime
Date of Scene:	12 March 2016
Location:	Seishou Public School - Classrooms
Synopsis:	(Forward-dated.) Makoto takes on the unenviable task of warning Ami that her boyfriend is a jerk.
Cast of Characters:	Makoto Kino, Ami Mizuno

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Makoto Kino has posed:
It's lunchtime at Seishou, and the weather is nice enough to let them spend the break outside. As usual, Makoto's lunch bento is big enough for two people - just in case - but Usagi is off somewhere animatedly regaling Naru with who-knows-what story so Mako and Ami have a bench to themselves for the moment, half under the shade of a stand of trees.

Mako has the top part of her bento in her lap, the bottom part set on the bench between them in the off chance that Ami for some reason doesn't already have a lunch. She seems distracted, though, inwardly fretting over something.

Because it's Makoto, it doesn't take her long to come out with it. "Hey, Ami-chan," she says, looking over somewhat anxiously over at her friend. "About Agera-san..."

Ami Mizuno has posed:
Being back, without the weight of world-destroying problems on their hands, has been good for Ami. She's smiling more, laughing more, and certainly sleeping more. At school, she looks warmer and more outgoing than she has in months. Not that Ami Mizuno is particularly outging, but to her friends (like Makoto), the differeence is almost night and day.

At lunch, Ami has her own bento, but she's not shy about reaching over to take things from Makoto's tray. After all, he friend wouldn't make such a big lunch if she didn't enjoy watching others eat it.

Thus, Makoto's question comes when Ami has one of Makoto's own little bites of food in her mouth, which she is savoring the taste of with a goofy smile!

"Mmmmm?" Ami asks around the taste of food.

Makoto Kino has posed:
Mako bites her lip, suddenly feeling guilty. She doesn't really want to have this conversation, doesn't want to cast any shadows over Ami's happiness, but--

It's something Ami needs to know about, she reminds herself, and takes a breath.

"He came by after school the other day," she begins, "looking for me." She'll just explain what happened, she's decided. Give Ami the facts and let her draw conclusions the way she does best. She knows Agera better than Mako does; maybe--

But Makoto doesn't truly believe that there's any reasonable explanation for what happened that afternoon.

"Apparently he's been going kind of crazy trying to come up with a return gift for you for White Day, and he wanted to know how I made those chocolates I gave you." Innocuous so far, but Makoto is looking more and more unhappy as she says it.

Ami Mizuno has posed:
Ami opens her eyes to peer at Makoto, and then those eyes widen in surprise. "He what?" she asks, suddenly quite sobered from delicious food. "Oh geeze, he doesn't have to do that. I don't need anything for White Day. Oh my gosh."

She's blushing now, embarassed. "I've never had a boy give me anything for White Day before. Agh. Did you help him? What happened?!"

Makoto Kino has posed:
Mako sets her chopsticks down across the top of the bento container in her lap, and reaches up to rub her hand over her face. "If he gives you candy or something with magic in it, that's the reason," she says, briefly muffled. "Honestly, it was kind of creepy."

She lets her hand drop and looks toward Ami again, worry clear in her eyes. "He was really caught up in this idea that he had to make something just as good as those chocolates. I was just trying to tell him that it wasn't that big a deal, and as long as he gave it his best effort to give you something you liked that was all that was important, but - I mean, your list mentioned he doesn't really know how to people, and you know how I am, I say things without thinking sometimes so I might've put it the wrong way--" She's talking fast, words spilling out on top of one another as she tries to explain. Mako has to catch herself a little and remember to take a breath. "It was like I personally insulted him or something. For a second or two there I seriously felt like he was going to youma out."

Ami Mizuno has posed:
Those words seem to calm Ami right down. She straightens a little and studies Makoto's face, considering her friend carefully. "Mako-chan," she mumbles, "I know he's creepy sometimes. I mean, I've definitely felt that way, too. It's why I'm still not sure if even dating him is a good idea. But ... remember he was born with Dark energy in him. He practically is half-youma. I don't ... maybe it was just a bad interaction. Did he upset you?"

Makoto Kino has posed:
Did he upset her? Makoto is quiet for a moment, staring off across the school grounds. Takashi's words replay in her memory and her fists clench, mouth tightening - oh, yes, he upset her, all the more because parts of what he said might as well be echoes of the inner voice that taunts her when she looks in the mirror on a bad day.

More than that, Ami knows the signs well enough to see it in the tight fists, the furrowing brow and the set of her jaw: Makoto is angry.

But she does her best to shake it off. "I know you like him a lot, Ami-chan," she says quietly. "I know how much he did for you, and for Mamoru-san. But the way he was acting... it really made me regret ever encouraging you to go out with him."

Ami Mizuno has posed:
Ami watches that slow change of Makoto's expression from nervous to angry, and her own expression darkens with it--not to matched anger, but to concern. Setting her own bento aside, the bluenette scoots closer and hugs Makoto gently. "You're more important," she notes quietly. "If you want me to stop dating him, I will. I won't promise to stop trying to save him, just as I wouldn't stop saving Kunzite or any of the Shittenou for Venus. It isn't Takashi's fault that he's full of Dark Energy. Someone has to help him, and I'm going to do that. But if you want me to keep it strictly professional, I will."

Makoto Kino has posed:
Makoto leans gratefully into the hug, some of the pent-up emotion relaxing out of her with the contact. She lets out a breath, curls her arm around Ami and hugs back.

"I'm not gonna say don't keep seeing him," she says. "Especially after everything that happened with Nephrite... I don't think I have any ground to say that. And definitely, if you want to save him, I'll help however I can."

She pauses, just for a moment, throat working as she swallows. "Just... if you do go out with him again... maybe make sure that you have a way out." Looking down at Ami, Mako's eyes are once again shadowed with honest worry. "The way he talked about you, it's obvious you're really important to him, but at the same time - he might be the kind of guy who gets a lot of expecations and turns ugly if things don't happen the way he wanted."

Ami Mizuno has posed:
Ami takes a slow breath, then squeezes Makoto just a little more before leaning away to study her friend. "I know," she says quietly. "I'm terrified of what he might do," she admits, "but ... I also admit I'm curious what will happen, too. And if I can save Kunzite, surely I can save him." Not that Kunzite is fully saved, yet. But so far everything seems to be going according to plan.

"I have to try," Ami explains to Makoto sadly. "And if I can save him, then maybe this sort of creepiness will go away with the darkness."

Makoto Kino has posed:
"If there's someone in front of us who needs to be saved, of course we should try to save them." Makoto says it without hesitation. She may dislike Takashi personally, but whatever he said or did that made her angry is irrelevant to this.

This time when she tries to smile for Ami, it works a little better, for all that she's still worried. "Just be careful, that's all. More careful than I was with Nephrite." The corner of her mouth twists for a moment, her smile turning wry. "It worked out in the end, but things could've gone really bad. If you need me for anything, call me right away, okay?"

Ami Mizuno has posed:
"They could have," Ami agrees quietly as she leans away and picks up her bento again. "I watched the recordings. If I'd seen you do half of that live I'd have been so nervous." She smirks at Makoto worriedly, then dips chopsticks back into her food. "I'll be careful," she promises. "If you want, I can give you an app on your Virtue phone that can watch what happens with the two of us, just like I wanted to watch you and Nephrite."

Makoto Kino has posed:
In spite of herself, Makoto laughs a little. "I feel like that might get embarrassing for both of us," she says, something of a playful sparkly coming back into her eyes as her worry dissipates. "But... it would make me feel better."

She picks up her own chopsticks again, nips up an unnecessarily cute octopus-shaped sausage link. "I promise I won't tease you about it if things get cute," she says, flashing Ami a quick grin. "I just want to have your back, the way you had mine."

Ami Mizuno has posed:
Ami smiles at Makoto despite the blush that forms on her cheeks. "I don't think it'll get um. Cute," she suggests, then holds out a hand. "Lemme have your phone. I already rigged the app up just in case we'd need something like this. It should only take a few minutes."

Once given the phone, Ami pulls the Mercury computer out of nowhere and begins syncing the two, adding custom software to Makoto's phone for just this purpose. "Honestly, I wouldn't be surprised if we wind up not being ... comaptible or whatever it is? I don't know. He makes me so nervous and flustered when we're talking about anything that isn't science, magic, or chess."

Makoto Kino has posed:
When Ami asks for it, Mako dutifully produces her Virtue phone for tinkering, then sits back and nibbles on her lunch while Ami works. "I guess we'll just have to see what happens," she offers. She can't deny that it'd be a relief to her if Ami did decide that she and Agera weren't compatible - but in the end, Makoto figures, that decision is not up to her.

Looking up, she studies the sky, and a thought occurs to her. "Hey, Ami-chan," Mako says. "Why'd you decide to go to Seishou instead of Infinity?"

Ami Mizuno has posed:
The bluenette frowns just faintly at Makoto's question, then tilts her head. She doesn't respond right away; instead she finishes chewing what's in her mouth, then seems to dwell on the question for a long time.

"I don't know," Ami admits after a while. "I guess I just never thought of going to a private school, and my mom's so busy at work she didn't really think about it, either. You're not the first person to have me thinking about this recently, though," she notes.

"I keep wondering if I shouldn't be there," Ami admits quietly. "Taking college courses like Takashi-kun and Mamo-kun. I coul d be learning a lot more than I am right now. But on the other hand, it would threaten my grades, since then I'd be taking much harder courses. But I do like a challenge. On the other hand, I also like making absolutely certain I know the topcis I'm studying, perfectly. So ... oh I don't know. This isn't an easy topic for me, Mako-chan. What made you ask?"

Makoto Kino has posed:
"...Something Agera-san said," Makoto admits reluctantly, after a moment of hesitation. "I mean, I really like having you and me and Usagi-chan all at school together, and it'd be a little lonely if you transferred, but... Rei-chan goes to a different school, and it's not like we don't see her all the time."

She looks down, nudges at her lunch with her chopsticks. "And if you went to Infinity, there'd probably be a lot more people who could talk with you about the things that Usagi-chan and I can't keep up with."

Ami Mizuno has posed:
Ami blinks a little at Makoto. Then she puts her bento aside and leans forward to hug the taller girl all over again, this time burying her face against Makoto's arms. "Oh god, it's like you're giving me permission to leave you guys. Mako-chan, I'm not going to leave you guys. I love you too much. Even if I go to Infinity, I'd stop going to Cram School so outside of classes we'd see each other even more, and I'd make sure to still help you study and just spend time with you guys. I promise. I'm not going to leave you guys even if I do switch to Infinity, okay?"

Makoto Kino has posed:
Makoto jolts just a little in surprise this time when Ami hugs her. Then she smiles and puts her chopsticks down into her bento again so that she can reach across and ruffle her hand over Ami's hair. "I know," she promises. "I know, really. I just wouldn't be able to study off your notes any more, your classes would be too far ahead." A hint of a laugh bubbles in her voice as she says it, gently teasing.

Once again she leans into the hug and wraps her arms around Ami in return. "I really didn't mean it that way," she says, although maybe she did a little. "Whether you transfer schools or not, you couldn't lose us if you tried. I was just thinking about it, how you said before that it was nice to be able to talk to Agera-san about those kinds of things."

Ami Mizuno has posed:
Makoto's easy reassurances do the trick and Ami almost immediately slumps in relief. She doesn't, however, let Makoto go. She just keeps right on hugging tightly to her friend. A soft sniffle is the only hint that she was so close to tears before Ami turns her head aside and sighs. "Okay," she says, as if convincing herself that the word is accurate.

"And I mean," she mumbles, "I really do think I'd benefit a lot from a school like that, intellectually. But ... on the other hand, how much would I lose socially for it? I'm not nearly as bad off as Takashi-kun is. I know how to talk to you and Usagi-chan. But ... but ... you know. I mean. I don't know. Mamo-kun goes there. So I guess it wouldn't be so bad. But I don't know anyone else at Infinity." Not that she knows more than three at Seishou.

Makoto Kino has posed:
"It's not like you have to decide anything right now," Makoto points out. "Maybe just think about it for a while longer, until you feel like you can make a decision."

Her hand smooths soothingly over Ami's hair. "It might not be so bad, though, don't you think? The other students there would be closer to your level to start with." Not at Ami's level; as far as Mako's concerned, there's no one else who meets that standard. But closer.

"It's not like any of us is the same as we were before we met Usagi-chan and got to know each other. We've all learned some things. And Mamoru-san's getting almost as good as Usagi-chan at pulling people in, in his own way, isn't he?"

A pause, and Mako humms a little in contemplation. "Do you think he's going to try to get the other guys to go to school with him?"

Ami Mizuno has posed:
Ami remains tucked up close against Makoto, relishing the soothing attentions. But her thoughts do drift towards the shittenou, and she giggles a little at the idea of Kunzite attending the very school where he once taught.

"I don't know," she admits. "And Nephrite's old enough to not really attend. Kunzite will probably be older still, when he's reborn. So ... maybe Jadeite and Jerkisite."

Makoto Kino has posed:
"See?" Makoto says, sounding pleased now. "So that's at least two people you'd be able to talk to, if you don't count Zoisite." Mako is probably more inclined to be forgiving of the youngest Shitennou, but going by that 'Jerkisite' Ami is probably in fact not counting him as someone she would be able to talk to.

"Anyway," she adds cheerfully, "that's if you decided to transfer. There's no reason to rush into a decision. If you wanted to, you could finish out middle school here at Seishou and then go to Infinity for high school, or something like that. Right?"

Ami Mizuno has posed:
"Yeah, I could," Ami agrees thoughtfully, then squeezes Makoto gently before finally putting enough distance back into place that she can resume working on her lunch. "I don't know, it's a lot to think about, and right now, after everything that's happened, I'm not sure I can handle being away from you guys."

Makoto Kino has posed:
Makoto nods her understanding, smiling gently as she picks up her own lunch again. "Then don't worry about it," she says decisively. "Staying here is fine too, if that's what you feel like is the best thing for you right now."

She smiles beatifically over at Ami as she raises her chopsticks toward her lips. "It means we can share lunch break like this, after all."

Ami Mizuno has posed:
"I wouldn't miss that for the world," Ami says with a smile, before reaching over to steal another bit of food from Makoto's bento box. She smiles at Mako, then noms on the food and resumes blissing out. Because Makoto's food is the one great mystery of perfection that Ami will never try to scientifically deduce. It would spoil everything to do so.