Deep Down (part 3 of 22)

a Non-Anime Fanfiction fanfiction by Vexed Fusion

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"Reflection"

	Setsuna was regretting what she'd done earlier for the past three hours and 
found it hard to concentrate on the conversation she was having with a one, 
Hakishu-san.

	'It's not like they'll never talk again.  The girl was simply introducing 
herself and Makoto can now have someone to converse with at school.  Okay, 
yes...'

	"Your mind is on something else, isn't it dear?"

	The dark haired woman looked startled for a moment and then dipped her head 
out of slight embarrassment.  "Hai, oba-chan.  Do you remember Makoto, the 
young girl I've recently begun looking after?"

	Grey-blue eyes sparkled with amusement, "Ah, yes, the one who told the 
young nurse to get her, what was it, 'Head out her ass and bring another 
damned pillow'?"

	Grinning, Setsuna responded, "Oh, yes that was her."  Magenta eyes relaxed 
a bit, though the smile never left.

	"I do remember.  How is she doing?  It can't be well if your mind is 
wandering as it is."

	Pausing a moment to take a sip of the water on the table to the left of 
her, Setsuna chose her words carefully, "Well, Makoto has only been at the 
new school for two weeks now.  I attempted to get hold of her transcripts 
from her previous school, but I could only find them from two years ago.  
When I questioned her about it, her eyes took a sort of defensiveness, and 
she said that some things happened where she had to take time off.  That was 
all I could get out of her."

	Hakishu-san opened her mouth slightly in understanding and nodded, 
encouraging the younger woman to go on.

	"Because she's been on edge since I found her, I didn't want to press the 
topic.  After thinking about it, I figured that if I could get her to make 
some friends, that maybe she'd relax and tell me things.  She's a very 
intelligent girl, but I think since her parents' deaths, Makoto has become 
very distrustful of people.  That's my opinion though; as I would never dare 
assume what the girl is actually feeling."

	Taking another deep breath, the dark haired woman spoke a little faster for 
the last part, "And just when I realized she found a friend, Mizuno's 
daughter, Ami, who she was having a conversation with, I had to go and pull 
her onto the elevator, when I should have just allowed the two to converse.  
But I thought that they'd been talking the whole time I was gone, until 
Makoto shot me a look that would've scared the devil."

	Setsuna breathed out heavily, as though she had just rid herself of a dirty 
secret.  Looking up into her elders eyes, she silently sought out any advice 
the woman could give.

	Several moments passed before the older woman spoke.  Setsuna found the 
silence not very comforting at all and began to fidget in her seat, hoping 
for an answer soon.

	"Patience, Setsuna-chan."

	"Oh, I'm sorry.  I guess I was just worrying because of the uncomfortable 
sil..." Setsuna stopped midway as Hakishu-san interrupted her.

	"No, young lady, my advice to you, is to be patient."

	Magenta eyes closed part way in concentration, attempting to understand 
what the older woman was trying to say.  Several moments passed before those 
eyes widened in understanding.

	"I should be patient with Makoto."

	The grey haired woman bowed in agreement and lifted back up to meet the 
younger woman's gaze in amusement.

	Both sat in silence for the next few moments, contemplating the things at 
hand.

	It was the old woman who broke the silence, "Now that you've got that out 
of your mind.  Let's tackle that romance issue!"

	A red faced Setsuna coughed and cleared her throat, a little shocked.  
"Oba-chan!"

	"What?  You like her don't you?  This many years and you've still never 
asked her out.  You ought to be ashamed."

	The dark haired woman simply smiled and looked off into the distance 
dreamily.

---------------------------------

	"That's the second time Taki-san!"

	Makoto leaned back, triumph written all over her face, smirking in an 
indignant way.

	"Mmm-hmm, now that I've taught you the basics, we'll play for real this 
time."

	Green eyes widened in amusement, "For real this time?  I told you I already 
knew how to play.  Don't tell me you were going easy on me those first two 
times."

	Raising an eyebrow, Taki opened his mouth to reply, only to be cut off.

	"I said don't tell me.  Because you weren't going easy.  I know."

	Closing his mouth again, the old man rustled up a resentful snort and 
picked up the deck of cards to shuffle them.

	The two sat in silent for the next several moments; the bald man too 
resentful to speak and Makoto deep in thought, not noticing her guest's 
irritation.

	'Mizuno Ami.'

	Makoto was chastising herself for letting her feelings get the better of 
her around the short girl.  At the same time, she kept thinking about the 
baby blue eyes that looked on in fear, and, at the same time, friendliness.  
She was captivated by those eyes.  They were not too small, not too large, 
but just right.

	Had they been small, Makoto would have been suspicious of her intention.  
Conversely, had they been too large, Makoto might think ill of the girl's 
intelligence and brush her off as someone who just wanted to make friends 
simply for companionship.

	But hers were neither.  They were... nice.

	It was too bad that the chestnut haired girl was pulled away so quickly 
from her new friend; but she wasn't about to disobey the only person who 
might actually want to look after her.  And it wasn't like she couldn't talk 
to Ami again at school.

	'I do want to talk to her.'

	Makoto surprised herself again with the thought.

	"So what'll it be?" The gruff voice intruded the green eyed girls' 
thoughts.

	As Makoto laid down her first card, her eyes narrowed in delight at the 
outlook of winning another game against her elder counterpart.

	'That'll teach him for assuming I'm just another idiot child.'

--------------------------

I also post at fanfiction.net, come look for me, Penname: Vexed Fusion

Onwards to Part 4


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