Cute and Misunderstood: Chapter One

Chapter One: The Typhoon

Fat drops of rain hitting the windows broke her concentration away from charcoal lines, swirls, and careful smudging. Taking two steps back she surveyed the drawing that had engrossed her for the past hour. She shook her head in frustration, waves of teal green hair captured in a ponytail bobbing in silent agreement with her. It still wasn't right somehow. And the deadline was two days away. She muttered what she considered a lady-like curse as she gnawed on her lower lip with her teeth. Am I going to make it in time?

The raindrops pounded against the window panes and she suddenly realized how quiet it was in the clubroom. She was the only one left. Whooshing winds buffeting the side of the building brought home the fact that all the other students with good sense had left before the conditions outside worsened; she sighed at her folly. She had heard the reports of course, a typhoon was making its way towards the city and all students were warned off campus. They were told by faculty members to leave, they didn't have to go home as long as they weren't hanging around St. Lulim Academy.

A set of lone footsteps echoed in the hallway, stopping directly in front of the clubroom door. It slid open to reveal a female faculty member. "Miss Kaioh! What are you still doing here?"

Water Lilies: Chapter Twenty

Disclaimer:Song lyrics for "You Get Me" belong to Teitur Lassen. 

Chapter Twenty: You Get Me

Ami stared and Makoto stared back, neither knowing where to start or how to break the silence. The innocuous smell of toast and eggs lingered in the air. Ami had in fact arrived home with the intention of immediately having breakfast before settling in to work. With Makoto's unexpected presence, appetite had been rudely shoved over to make way for shock. Ami suddenly realized how much smaller the kitchen felt when Makoto was there. Or maybe it only seemed that way because she was so aware of the other woman.

Ami was the first to speak. "I never expected I would find you here."

Makoto looked down at her feet, shame evident in the action. Immediately she looked back up, directly into Ami's eyes. "I wanted to see you...I wanted to apologize."

Those words served as a catalyst. Ami felt the dam holding every emotion she had felt regarding Makoto break within her. "How could you?" she beseeched, the buried pain of years finally exposed to the light of day. To the person she loved. "How could you just leave like that...I did not demand anything of you, I just wanted to spend time with you." She dropped down into the seat Hana vacated, unable to stand and face Makoto after the outburst.

Verdantia: Chapter Six

Chapter 6: The Whip Wielder

Minako Aino noticed them the moment they walked through the door. She knew who they were and what they sought. Although she had never been a patient of the Healer, she recognized the blue-haired woman. She did not know the name of the taller woman, but there was a strange air about her-an other-worldliness if it could be called that. She would be the Traveler. Minako was one of the select few who knew a Traveler had been summoned. If Minako's main occupation was a seller of pleasure then her second would be a collector of information. There was no one who knew more of what was happening in Verdantia than Minako herself. Not even the Neo-Queen and her advisor knew as much as Minako did. Whether it was wild rumors, idle gossip, or highly guarded secrets, somehow they all made it into Minako's den of iniquity where she stored them for further use. Alcohol made short work of loosening the tongues of her customers; she also had some very loyal informants. Of course, because of this the Neo-Queen often made use of her services.

She watched as they walked up to the bar, the Healer leading the way, her expression somewhat uncertain. It amused Minako when she surmised the short-haired woman had probably never set foot in a place like this before. She listened in as they stood a few feet away from her while Naru asked for their orders. The Traveler looked like the drinking type; the Healer, on the other hand, did not seem like she ever partook. They also looked desperately in need of a bath and some sleep. It appeared as though their trip from the Southern Forests had been quite rough indeed. Not surprising really, given the rumors that had reached her ears lately.

Verdantia: Chapter Five

Chapter Five: Setting Out

It happened so quickly but to Ami it was a scene burned into her very retinas. She was rooted to the spot, could only stand and stare as Makoto stripped off her clothing. Lean muscles rippled across a lightly bronzed back and Ami's fingers twitched in response. She felt a sudden need to trace her fingers over every contour of that magnificent expanse of skin. Her gaze wandered down to the Traveler's exposed posterior and felt her breath catch. If her fingers twitched before, they positively tingled now at the idea of touching Makoto's perfect rear. The brunette began to wade into the water and every little movement showcased the work of art that was her body. Lean muscles subtly undulated under silky smooth skin.

For the first time in her life Ami came face to face with unmasked desire and it left her stunned and gasping for air. Her entire body felt hot. She had seen plenty of naked forms in her line of work as a Healer. In every one of those cases she had felt a sense of detachment but for her Makoto was so very different. The woman just seemed larger than life and not just because she was much taller. Every time they were together Ami realized her eyes were drawn to Makoto. The brunette was a feast for all senses. Whether it was listening to her husky voice, watching the play of light in her eyes or across her face or simply spending time together, these were all things Ami enjoyed. Even the woman's occasional crankiness was welcome.

Water Lilies: Chapter Nineteen

Chapter Nineteen: Déjà Vu

Tokyo Station, the busiest of all stations located in the large city teemed with all sorts of visitors intent on reaching their destinations. Announcements for arriving and departing trains were broadcasted overhead in a courteous if somewhat robotic monotone. A group of three, two adults and a child stood by one of the many idling trains. Goodbye hugs already dispensed, Chibi-Usa and her mother waved at Ami cheerily as she boarded the train car. "Goodbye, aunt Ami! Please visit us again!"

"Yes aunt Ami, please visit again. We miss you!" Usagi chimed in with a playful smile.

Ami smiled at the two females waving at her, so alike in their enthusiasm. If Usagi had been much younger, or Chibi-Usa much older, she would have sworn the two were siblings instead of mother and daughter.

"How would you like to visit me instead? The Fall festival will be here soon." Ami called back through the open doorway of the train car. The idea to extend an invitation had struck her the night before but with Makoto constantly in her thoughts all else had been delegated to the back of her mind.

Chibi-Usa turned and wide red eyes to her mother, "Could we, Mom?" The excited question was loud enough for Ami to hear over the bustling mass in the station.