Senshi: the Gathering of Five Part Ten
Usagi shifted in her bed, long golden hair spread out on the pillows. She didn't know what it was that woke her, but the most wonderful smell filled the air. The slim girl looked around her blearily, seeing the black cat sleeping soundly on the end of the bed.
'Someone is cooking something nice,' Usagi blinked, carefully sliding out of bed and trying not to wake up the cat. 'And it can't be Luna. So that just leaves my new roommate,' she thought. Making sure that her pajamas were reasonably neat and rubbing the sleep out of her eyes she shuffled down the stairs.
"Good morning," Makoto Kino smiled, standing in front of the kitchen stove. The tall brown haired woman wore the traditional school girl's uniform, with a cheerful apron thrown over it, and she seemed quite happy amid the boiling pots and frying foods.
"Good morning," Usagi managed, sitting at the kitchen table.
Makoto gave her a sympathetic glance, noting that she was apparently not a morning person. She poured some tea, setting it down in front of Usagi, "We need to do some shopping after school, too. I've done my best with the leftovers in the fridge, but.."
"Oh, right," Usagi blushed slightly, drinking down some of the tea. "I haven't been cooking much lately," she said softly, "mostly just getting takeout."
"I wanted to say thank you, for letting me live here," Makoto said quietly, dishing up the food for both her and Usagi. She sat down at the table while giving Usagi a bit of room, "Rei told me about what happened to your family."
"Thank you," Usagi ate the food happily, bur oddly her eyes glistened with unshed tears. "I haven't eaten like this," she said softly, "since my mother.."
"Usagi?" Luna's questioning voice came from upstairs, and in a few moments the little black cat bounded down the stairs.
"I made something for you as well," Makoto got up, grabbing a bowl from nearby the fridge. She turned, "Do you want this on the floor or at the table?"
"Uh, the table please," Luna managed. Makoto sat the dish down there, and Luna jumped up beside the bowl. She sniffed it, sampled a bit of the food, the cat's eyes widened slightly in surprise, then she dug in quite happily.
"I know I should have asked before using your kitchen," Makoto said softly, "but you looked like you could use a good meal."
"It's all right," Usagi reassured her. She smiled, "You can cook anytime you want."
"Please," Luna echoed. At Makoto's curious look the cat sighed, "Usagi and I aren't particularly good cooks, I'm sorry to say."
"Then I'll cook," Makoto shrugged, "but you two have to help with the cleaning up."
"Hai!" Usagi agreed cheerfully.
They finished up their breakfast, then Usagi and Luna joined Makoto in the little kitchen to help clean up. Assigned to do the dishwashing, Usagi scrubbed them clean while Luna rinsed and dried, and soon they were all done.
"You'd better get dressed," Makoto reminded her, "we've got to go to school soon."
"Right," Usagi bounded back up the stairs, her twin golden ponytails bouncing. She stripped her pajamas off quickly, grabbing her uniform skirt and blouse and dressing.
"That was your mother's apron she was wearing," Luna's voice was soft, "wasn't it?"
"Yes," Usagi softly answered, and a few tears escaped, trickling down her face. She wiped them away with her sleeve, forcing a cheerful smile.
"I'll.." Luna got up to go back downstairs and have a talk with Makoto, but Usagi stopped the cat with a gesture.
"She didn't know," Usagi said quietly, "and I've got to start getting over this sometime, right?" She grabbed her school-bag and rushed downstairs, finding Makoto ready to go.
"It's kind of nice to have someone to walk to school with," Makoto noted as they walked, the taller girl shortening her steps a bit so Usagi could keep up.
"I'm a bit embarrassed to say I never saw you at school," Usagi admitted, Luna riding perched on her shoulder.
"We don't really hang out with the same sort of crowds," Makoto said gently. She paused before offering, "Do you want me to stay away from you during school?"
"Why?" Usagi looked up at her curiously.
"You're reputation, for one," Makoto smiled wryly, "I've got a bit of a bad one myself." Silently she thought, 'Not to mention the conclusions that some of the more hentai students might come to, seeing us together.'
"Considering I have to carry this thing with me," Usagi nodded to the sword, safely hidden in a long case, "I'm already thought of as the odd kendo girl." She paused, "And I don't really care what people might think seeing us together."
The surprised looks on both of Makoto and Luna's faces were just priceless. "Remind me not to underestimate you again," Makoto chuckled to herself softly as the two of them walked through the school gates together.
The university was bustling as Professor Ami Mizuno made her way across the campus. She made her way into the administration building, then headed up the hall to the president's office. She checked her watch, then knocked firmly.
"Professor Mizuno," the secretary smiled up at her a bit apologetically from her desk, "the president will be right with you."
"Thank you," Ami took a seat, getting her laptop out of her shoulder bag. 'Now,' she mused as she went to work, 'assuming the Youma continue to attack, I should be able to grab enough data to determine the central transport nexus they use.' She worked for a few moments, until the sound of a throat clearing got her attention.
"The president will see you now," the secretary said.
"Good," Ami slid the laptop away. She knew that it annoyed some people when she went to work while being kept waiting, but that didn't bother too her much. Privately, she had to say that she rather enjoyed doing it.
"Prof. Mizuno," the president gave her a wary smile as she went into his office. They had a interesting relationship, he wishing to exercise his authority over her, and Ami calmly ignoring him. He cleared his throat, "I was a bit surprised to receive the request for a sabbatical from you."
"How so?" Ami raised an eyebrow as she sat down, "It is well within my rights, under the agreement I signed with the board."
It was clear he wasn't happy about that agreement from the way his face flushed. Still, he calmly said, "It's the undefined length of the sabbatical that concerns me."
"Oh?" Ami asked coolly.
"I'm unsure if we'll be able to keep the Chair of Chemistry open for you," he smiled, clearly enjoying himself, "if your sabbatical runs too long."
Ami looked at him, a little tyrant trying to exercise what little power he had. Sadly, that sort of thing only worked it the victim allowed it. "May I be frank?"
There was something in her tone of voice that wiped the smile right off his face. "Yes?" he asked tentatively.
"While Tokyo University is a quite well respected school, it lacks many scientists of note," she said coldly. "The majority of our professors in residence are no longer being published, or have yet to even be published." A grim smile, "I, on the other hand, am published, I have a string of quite profitable patents, and more than one university is head- hunting me. Putting it bluntly, you need me much more than I need you."
The principal's face was bone pale, and he gulped audibly. He couldn't afford to lose her, and they both knew it. "Your Chair will be ready when you return," he finally managed.
"Good," Ami said crisply. Taking some pity on him she added, "I hope that my absence will only be a few weeks."
"Thank you," he sighed weakly.
Ami strode out of the office a few moments later, giving him a chance to save face. The secretary had the oddest smile on her pretty face, and she wouldn't have been surprised if the lady had listened in on the conversation.
'Now,' Ami thought as she strode to her lab to pick up the remaining equipment she'd need, 'it's time to really get to work finding the enemy.'
To be continued...
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