917/Ice and Gingerbread

Ice and Gingerbread
Date of Scene:	23 December 2023
Location:	Dorms #2
Synopsis:	Makoto visits Ami to give her a Christmas gift: Gingerbread! Ami updates Makoto on the rescue of Jadeite at the airport, and unloads some romance novels on her friend.
Cast of Characters:	Makoto Kino, Ami Mizuno

---

Makoto Kino has posed:
It is not - quite - the night before Christmas, but the day is fast approaching! Makoto has been busy on several fronts, and though she might have had a good bit of her understanding of herself and her mission turned on its ear not so long ago, she has also managed to spend a good bit of time in the kitchen facility available to students in the common area of the dorm building. Wonderful smells have permeated the halls on and off all week.

On this Friday evening, however, she's all finished with her baking. Now it's time to deliver the goods, and that's what brings Mako down the hall to Ami's room. Balancing her gift carefully in one hand, she knocks a polite tap-tap-tap and waits, only a little fidgety and feeling pretty pleased with herself just at the moment.

Ami Mizuno has posed:
There's not long to wait for the door to be answered. A quick, "Coming, just a moment please!" is heard from within in response to the knock as Ami pushes away the books she'd been going through. It was almost the New Year, and so it was time to go through her bookshelves to determine which books were worth keeping, which needed to be passed on, and which ones she may have overlooked reading (the horror!) It was also an easy way to pass the time since she was already caught up on her school work and had nothing left to do for at least a few days. Everything tended to drag a bit around the holidays.

The door opens so she can peek out, blinking at Makoto from behind the large reading glasses she rarely wore unless she was really, REALLY focusing on reading for a prolonged period of time. Recognizing her friend draws a bright smile. "Oh, Makoto-chan, hello! What brings you by?"

The door is opened wider to invite her fellow senshi inside to get out of the hall at the very least. As for the dorm room it was a mix of what was clearly Ami's (a desk, a bed, a book case, a computer) and what was likely Hannah's. There was a punching bag among other items.

"You're welcome to come in for a bit if you'd like. I was just tidying up some before the New Year."

Makoto Kino has posed:
Ami's greeting is answered with a cheerful "Meri-kuri, Ami-chan!" as Makoto holds forth her offering: a smallish plate, decorative but disposable, heaped with carefully-cut squares of rich reddish-brown gingerbread dusted with powdered sugar, wrapped up in cellophane that's been tied at the top with a bit of ribbon. "This is for you."

She's happy to take the invitation to come in, getting a quick look around as she does. "Tidying up is a good idea," she says with an approving nod. "I could help, if you like. Two sets of hands make it go twice as fast."

Ami Mizuno has posed:
"Oh? Meri-Kurisumasu, Makoto-chan," Ami responds in kind while reaching out to accept the plate of gingerbread. Though her responses were automatic her expression clearly reads one of unexpected surprise to get the tasty treat. "Oh this looks and smells wonderful! I'll have to share some with Hannah-chan," she decides because, really, Makoto's cooking was always great for sharing.

The plate is transfered to one hand as she nudges the door shut behind Makoto with the same shoulder ignoring using her opposite arm a bit. It wasn't *bad* at this point. Just sore, and she was favoring it out of habit. In her mind she should still be injured.

"Thank you so much. I'm afraid I don't have anything for you though. Unless you'd like some book recommendations that is," she tries with a hopeful smile.

The offer of help has her glance toward a neat stack of books she'd already set aside. "Actually some help would be nice. Those are the books I'm going to sell or give away. I'm still a bit sore from the other night."

Makoto Kino has posed:
Mako laughs softly and shakes her head when Ami says she doesn't have a return gift. "You don't have to give me anything. That's why it's a gift, and not a trade! So don't worry about that. Although I certainly won't turn down book recommendations from you, either~"

The way Ami's favoring her arm doesn't miss Makoto's notice. At 'the other night,' her brows lift and the look in her green eyes becomes one of visible concern. "The other night?" she echoes. "What happened? Was there a fight I should've been there for?"

Ami Mizuno has posed:
Ami Mizuno sets the plate down on a spot cleared off her desk. There were other surfaces she could put it, but that was one of the most often used areas so she wouldn't be liable to forget the gingerbread was there in a prolonged moment of literary distraction. The question about the other night earns a tip of her head to look back over her shoulder at Makoto with an apologetic smile.

"Jadeite took over the airport and called out Mamoru and Usagi. Rei and I were able to meet them there. He was..." Her expression falters just a bit at the recollection turning grim, worried.

"Honestly I can't think of a better way to describe him other than desperate and out of his mind. He'd hypnotized the entire airport and there were planes circling unable to land while running low on fuel. He attacked us right away."

Makoto Kino has posed:
Because Ami's looking back toward Makoto when she explains what happened, she gets the opportunity to see Mako actually blanch a little, eyes wide. "The airport?" She recovers quickly enough, but for a second there she almost looked a bit ill.

"That sounds like a lot," she manages after a moment, giving Ami another concerned look over. "I'm sorry I wasn't there - you all managed, though, or I'm sure we'd be hearing about it on the news. How bad was it?"

Ami Mizuno has posed:
"Well." How bad was it? Ami turns to face Mako completely as she considers this while idly unwrapping the plate with her good hand. There was gingerbread calling her. "He attacked me first with an ice sword. He teleported so it was too quick to react. I got hit, but not badly," she adds quickly with a soft smile. "I'm mostly better. Just stiff and sore. Really, he got the worst of it. He was still injured badly from the fight at the shrine."

"He's lucky he's alive at all. Prince Endymion had to heal him after Princess Serena purified him. As soon as the dark energy was dispelled so was the hypnosis."

There was more to it than that, but that was the basic run-down so that she wouldn't worry Makoto TOO much. She doesn't even mention that he tried to run them down with a jumbo jet. "I was able to get the planes back onto auto pilot until they could be controlled properly again. No harm done other than some damage to one of the runways." Likely it was ruled as 'bad concrete' or the like.

Makoto Kino has posed:
The breath goes out of Makoto in a relieved sigh. "That's good, then. I'm glad you weren't hurt too badly... and you were able to help the planes all land okay." She shakes her head a little, the corners of her mouth twisting for a moment. "It sounds like it could've been really ugly. I guess Mamoru-san went back into hiding afterward? And... probably took Jadeite with him, if he was purified?"

She props a fist lightly against her hip and frowns contemplatively. "Since your arm is still sore, why don't you point me at anything you need carried. I can tote those books you were wanting to give away or sell, if there's somewhere they need to go."

Ami Mizuno has posed:
"Yes, they went back to The Gates that Sailor Pluto oversees. Usagi's been going there when not in school," Ami informs with a little smile. "I haven't gone back since I helped to set up their camps there. At least they're out of Obsidian's reach this way." And Queen Beryl or whomever else might want them, really.

The tension and concern from Makoto doesn't go unnoticed though. Reaching out she gives her friend's arm a light reassuring pat. "It ended well, though it would have been good to have you there, too. I always feel a bit safer with you around."

Looking back to the books she nods a single time, and reaches up to tuck her blue hair behind her ear again. "All right, but you'll have to let me buy you a drink at least for doing all this work for me. Oh, and if you like romance stories, I've a few in the pile you may enjoy."

Makoto Kino has posed:
Makoto nods. Ami's words, and the pat on the arm, seem to reassure her; she relaxes a bit and smiles again, albeit wryly. "That's the important thing," she agrees regarding Mamoru staying out of the reach of Obsidian. "I'll just have to have Usagi-chan take him and Saitou-kun their Christmas snacks." None for Jadeite, purified or not. Not that she could've anticipated that any of this would happen when she was doing her baking.

With renewed cheer she adds, "I'll let you get me a drink if you want to. And I love romance stories! I'll have to have a look."

Ami Mizuno has posed:
"Well, that sounds like a plan then. I'm sure if we leave a message with Naru so that Usagi knows you're looking for her to pass along some treats." Ami knew for certain that would get Usagi's attention even with the distraction of Darien there.

With that she starts to sift through the pile offering a few various books out to Makoto so she can read them herself.