The Sailor Kids: Chapter 7, part 1
SUMMARY: Chibiusa isn't the only child of the future. What does mercury have to do with it? Find out in this epic tale. AmixMakoto, ReixMinako, HarukaxMichiru, and more. A remake of the old version. Better content and story line. romance/drama/adventure and more.
Chapter 7: Ways of the Senshi, part 1
Early signs of the morning began to show through the gray clouds. The crickets had quieted down and the sun was just barely peaking over the treetops. Orange hues of morning inviting the birds to sing. Haruka, though sleepy eyed, had been clearing the brush off of the small hillside near the cabin. It was a nice place for battle practice. Only a few trees could get in the way, they would make great cover.
Makoto, for her part, had caught some fish. Her current mission was cleaning them to be cooked. It wouldn't hurt anyone to work up on emergency survival tactics, meaning there would be no going into town. As gruesome as the job was, Makoto took it with a grain of salt, her mind that of a robot, refusing to think about the matter deeply.
Saeko was currently busying herself by watching the fish and the streams. She didn't leave the comforts of civilization often. Seeing a wooded area like this astounded her. Was this what her ex-husband saw before he would put a pencil to paper? It was fun to muse about. His artwork always seemed magical, and she never knew why. Now she was surrounded by the types of nature that he often painted. What else she had missed? She was unsure.
Saeko's life hadn't ever been easy, she could admit that gladly. However, with each and every difficulty, there was also a great gift involved. At least, that's how she'd tried to think.As a mother, she'd done her very best to instill such a way of thinking in her daughter. Saeko now knew, she had been successful. Ever since the children came here, it seemed as if the entire world had been turned upside down. It was an interesting way to ponder things. The quandary in rather simple in nature...
Saeko wondered if this is how everyone else felt, when they had become Senshi.
Alas, such a thing was impossible to think about right now. The thought, and all of the humor that went along with it, quickly interrupted as soon as Makoto called her for breakfast. She would have to stew about the questionable matter at a later date. Preferably with Setsuna by her side.
Fish, fish, and more fish. That's all they had to eat. Munching on the fire roasted morsel was difficult. Immaculate tastes would find little to savor. The flavors were bland. Saeko forced herself to eat it though, even if only out of kindness, and hunger. The other two didn't speak, and Saeko longed for some sort of conversation. With an inward nod, she set herself onto her task.
The days itinerary would be a good start. "Well, now that we have rested, what are we going to do today?" She asked taking a sip of water. Makoto and Haruka looked at each other and then back at Saeko. Haruka didn't seem all together sure. Makoto seemed as if she was far more contented not to answer. The silence dwindled for a few moments longer.
"That depends on what we feel like doing." Makoto shrugged as she grabbed a near by stick, poking the campfire with it. "I think today, we will probably just go for a long distance hike. I want to see how far we can push your powers, without going overboard." Her eyes burned as she gazed deeply into the flickering flames. "How much power can you use? That's the real question."
"I didn't realize that would be a concern." Saeko told them, her food now finished. "Do all Senshi have a limit?"
Haruka sighed, there could be so much she could say. "It's true we heal quickly when we get hurt." There would be even more she could deny. Still, the answer was something unspoken. "The thing is, we don't know if you have the same limits that Ami would have. We all work differently."
"I should be worried, shouldn't I?" Saeko spoke quietly. Makoto looked up from the fire, her eyes watering a bit from the heat. "I thought that being a Senshi was more clearly defined."
"It is, for those of us who have memories in tact." Makoto nodded. "You're new still. Luna can give you a mind meld all she wants, fact is, you're still a rookie. We've always assumed that a Senshi were in mass numbers. Our powers imply that very fact. The problem is simple, we've never had more than one per planet. Sure, there were thousands in the past, but in this day and age, we were never prepared for such a thing."
"Setsuna told me that Sailor Senshi were only born on other planets. That earth was a place of mortality." Saeko sill felt confused by it. Haruka nodded, having studied her history lessons from Setsuna well. Makoto on the other hand, simply shrugged. "I can't understand it all."
"Senshi is a very loose term for what we really are. Warriors are by nature skilled in different ways. The same holds true for us." Haruka told her, although, she'd had wished Setsuna would have covered the basics before all of this drama had occurred. "The sailor Senshi you see before you, well, we are heirs to our thrones. Our powers are much stronger than that of an average Senshi. At least, that's what Setsuna says."
"That brings me to my exact point." Makoto sighed. "For Haruka and I, a hike is more like a cake walk, but for you we aren't sure. Also you will be transformed, we, on the other hand won't." Makoto had finished her meal and pulled out a very small pocket knife. "In order to understand your powers, we need to see if you are still human even while transformed. You're a city girl, a hike will easily do you in if your powers can't kick in." with the knife she began to sharpen three walking sticks. "Deal with the packs." Makoto said to no one in particular, although clearly she'd mean Haruka.
The blond stood, and went back into the cabin. Saeko followed closely behind. Going to one of the back rooms, the blond pulled a key off the top of the door frame. A staircase lead to the basement. It was full of different types of weapons, most of them swords. on the far side were quite a few wooden ones that were used for beginners, also, on the far wall were also back packs and a cabinet of freeze dried rations. Ignoring the weapons Haruka made a beeline for the backpacks, filling them up with an assortment of different things. Saeko on the other hand had, eyed the weapons shelves.
"See anything there of interest?" Haruka asked, she wasn't particularly one for small talk, but without Michiru by her side the Senshi of wind couldn't help herself.
"Nothing really, I was just wondering why someone would need all of these swords for. They all look the same to me." She said looking at two of the ones furthest from Haruka. Having finished packing the bags by this time she sighed and walked over next to the confused doctor.
"That's exactly why you aren't to be swinging that blue sword around until you do see a difference. Some of these look the same because they are the same type of sword, however some are built with different materials, and that changes them greatly." Haruka sighed as she looked at all of the weapons. "Your sword is made for you. The transformation likely fuels the power yours has. That's why you'll use it to fight." Haruka said going back to her task. "go ahead and use your powers, then take a better gander at the one you use."
Saeko transformed, and did as she had been told. Her hands could grasp it easily. The blade, though made of ice, was as sharp as could be. "This still feels odd, seeing something like this in my hands. How do I even begin to comprehend how to use it."
"Along with powers, you'll have natural fighting instincts." Haruka told her, zipping up the final knapsack. "Still, knowing your powers, and applying, them are different. The phrases, and abilities come forth naturally, but knowing when to use them takes a little time and practice." Haruka handed Saeko the smallest of the three, and nodded. "come on, we'd better get a move on."
Once outside each of them donned their packs. It was a long walk to were they were going, which to Saeko was still a mystery. They talked about random things, the weather, among other silly musings that held very little importance. Around afternoon there was a lull in topic of conversation, luckily for them they were at their destination. It was a large spring, the waterfall was lovely, and the smooth boulders made for a good place to rest.
Unfortunately for Saeko, rest was a fleeting thing.
"Wow. This place is so beautiful, how did you know about it?" Saeko asked looking around the wonderful scenery. Birds were flying over head, perched along the trees, and feeding along the ground. She was so enthralled that she didn't happen to notice her companions had left her side.
A lound splash pulled her attention. "The water is so-what ARE you doing!" The poor elder Mizuno said while gawking. The two of them didn't seem to care in the slightest, that their breasts were on public display.
"We are swimming, surely you know of the concept." Haruka said just a bit bluntly.
"I can see that much, but why are you both topless?" Saeko had no idea why she was even holding this particular discussion. Her mind was simply boggled, thankfully Makoto came to the rescue before Haruka could say another word. Sadly even so, subtly was never either of their strong suits.
"We are swimming topless because it's more comfortable for us this way." Makoto's breasts bobbed up and down as she began to float on her back. The cool water fell elegantly over her form. "If I had a swim suit I would have used that, but, I can't exactly do that right now, can I." Makoto said in hopes that it was an explanation enough.
"Well how about your bra then Makoto?" The two swimmers just looked at Saeko, highly amused by that statement. A fit of laughter followed shortly behind. "I don't see what's so funny." Saeko said with slight annoyance in her voice. The brunette decided she'd explain this far better than Haruka would. After all, the blond wasn't known to be a flirtatious playboy for nothing.
"I don't normally wear a bra unless it's a sports one, and that's only if I need to look formal. If I'm going too do something that requires a lot of physical strain, I use a binder so my back doesn't hurt me, I am rather large after all." Makoto shrugged, her breast were so large now, back pain became normality. Saeko nodded at that, remembering that the tall, brawny girl was a candidate for breast reduction, purely because of her health. "Binders help keep them in check." Makoto winked.
Saeko rolled her eyes. "That doesn't explain her, though." Saeko nodded in Haruka's direction. "She doesn't have such an issue."
Makoto regarded Haruka for a moment as the blond was doing calm laps in the water. Makoto simply shook her head and sighed, she had to admit, Haruka looked odd. They both did. "Haruka uses a binder mostly also, and they aren't comfortable to swim in. Not to mention, that if you don't give yourself a break every now and then, they end up doing more harm than good." Makoto exited by the edge of the water, her nipples pert from the cold water. She picked up her shirt and put it on.
Sitting next to the edge of the water, she dipped her feet back in. Saeko was doing her best to avoid eye contact. The woman continuing to glare at the treetops. Haruka by this time was trying to scale the waterfall, attempting to get to the top. "Well are you going to just stand there in shock, or are you going to sit down?" Makoto said laughing at the look on Saeko's face. It was a mixture of emotions that the brunette couldn't exactly describe. Slowly the elder Mizuno took a seat quietly before placing a hand to her brow.
"Why does it bug you anyway? It's nothing you don't have, or haven't seen before for that matter." Makoto had been topless in front of Saeko a few times, not all battles went according to plan. "You handle all of our physical health needs, so I don't think there's a single one of us you haven't seen at least partially exposed." Makoto said still highly amused by all of this.
"Makoto, those times were far different." Saeko's voice was soft, and mirrored her daughter in times like this. "All of the times you are referring to, were because of injuries. I could not have treated the wounds properly, or dress the deeper cuts with fabric in the way."She shook her head, her eyes that of wisdom, and a motherly glare. "That's strictly professional. You two are not in need of medical treatment."
Looking up she saw Haruka dangling from one of the bolder formations. Promptly she decided to amend that sentence. "That is, not yet anyway." That's when the splash of water could be heard, followed by a few choice words. Then Haruka set to try again. Makoto rolled her eyes, Saeko shook her head. Then a rather odd thought came to mind. "Anyway I wasn't aware you were all so open with your nudity. Please tell me, my daughter doesn't mimic this." Saeko said in vain hope that perhaps her daughter had more class than to display herself to the public eye.
The brunette about fell over as she laughed at statement. "Would you relax! We have all seen each other naked. Lets face facts sometimes we have to transform at very inopportune times. Our transformation cover us up in battle, but if we get hurt badly enough that transformation kinda craps out. When that happens we are sometimes left totally naked. Besides it's not like we ogle each other or have random orgies. I think the only one who even freaks out Rei, but she is very reserved when it comes to that type of thing. As for Ami, there is very little that catches her off guard anymore, nudity included, mind you she still looks like a tomato half the time."
Like mother, like daughter, Makoto noted. Saeko's cheeks a light shade of pink. The newly found warrior prayed to every deity she knew of. Wishing beyond all hope, that she would never end up exposed in such a manner. She also made a mental note, that even more oddball situations were bound to arise. She wanted to chalk it up to another eccentricity, one that made the Senshi what they were.
"I'll just have to learn to deal with it." Saeko sighed with a deject voice. If the inevitable event included her, or Ami, she would just need to remind herself that she's the one who insisted on becoming a Senshi. Taking all the good, bad, and on occasions embarrassing, situations that went along with it.
After a few more attempts to climb the rocks failed, Haruka redressed and they proceeded back to the cabin. Makoto cooked some more fish, and they spent the evening in front of the fire pit talking and having a good time, since Saeko seemed to not be highly affected by the hike, the next morning she was going to be taught some basic hand to hand skills. As soon as the sun set, Saeko went off to bed, Haruka, however had other plans, and promptly dragged Makoto into an old storage room near the back of the cabin.
"Umm, what are you doing?" The brunette looked at the box her blond friend happened to have in her hands. Not answering Haruka promptly shoved Makoto into the bathroom, locking the door.
"Haruka what do you-" the Senshi of wind cut her off quickly.
"Shut up and let me do this. Make yourself useful and strip down to your binder and boxers." That was the quick reply. Makoto had no idea what to even think.She decided to follow wherever the wind took her, what the blond had in mind was only a mystery.
Haruka wasted no time fiddling with Makoto's binder, testing the elasticity among other things. The binder itself would be good for only two things. One would be for the smaller breasted women who wanted to conceal them, or in Makoto's case give more support where she would have none otherwise. Finally the blond spoke.
"Okay first things first, that sad excuse for a binder has gotta go. No way in hell can you butch around in that monstrosity. It cuts off to early for in to actually push your boobs down, what you need is a full length one." It finally clicked, the thunder Senshi had asked Haruka to help her with a new self image. She must be following through with the promise she made. After fiddling in the box Haruka tossed a full body binder her way to try on. It was a good fit for the most part, and the Senshi of wind seemed pleased.
"Alright, that was a easy fix, now lets do something about your clothes." Haruka again went into her box of treasures and pulled forth a pair of baggy denim jeans and a grey shirt that had a thick blue streak going to the sides of the shirt, meeting at the underarm before following a path down too the end of the shirt sleeve.
After Makoto pulled on the shirt she was astounded to find that she looked a whole lot smaller in the bust. The shirt was slightly tight but allowed you to see just how muscular she really was. The jeans fit around the waste just fine but, it was obvious the way they fit, that they were intended for men. It was odd to see herself in this sort of getup, and yet she didn't find herself trying to complain. That's when she noticed her friend was in deep thought.
Haruka then looked to Makoto's hair and shook her head. The blond knew that the thunder Senshi would most likely want to keep it long so what they could do with it was very limited. Finally, Haruka opened one of the cabinets in the bathroom and pulled out a very thin hair tie. She pulled the feminine one out of the brunette hair. Pulling the hair down and tailing it closer to the base of the neck instead of high up on the head helped a little. Noticing that curly hair is particularly a pain in the ass to tie down, she left the two strands loose that usually framed Makoto's face. This gave the blond an idea and she left the room only to come back with a slightly worn, black leather jacket. In the pockets were equally worn out leather brawlers gloves.
After a careful look in the mirror she couldn't even speak. It was alarming how much of a tomboy she looked like, and yet nothing major was really changed, just augmented. Makoto no longer looked girly, but rather a badass with an attitude all her own. She wasn't nearly as masculine looking as Haruka, nor did she have as rough a voice, so she wouldn't be mistaken for a man on a regular basis. She turned her speechless look to Haruka, who just chuckled lightly.
"So, how does it feel like to come face to face with yourself now?" The blond asked, she knew it was a loaded question, and that's exactly why she had asked. Makoto stood there for a moment pondering.
Was this really how people saw her? It was true that in junior high she had a very bad reputation. Even now she heard whispers of what she had done back then. Thinking back, she was an exact image of a rebel, her curly hair was a trademark of being tough, and hers was that way naturally. Being really tall meant wearing a longer uniform then the rest, this also made her stand out, sure size alone was one thing, but when you added her strength to the equation, it got worse. Anyone who knew Makoto, knew she could easily bench press a full sized adult with little effort at all. If you factored that in with the way she had lived alone, had a slightly explosive temper, and her past dating prospects...it all added up.
She wasn't just looking in the mirror of a different clothing style. Haruka was trying to show her how people on the outside viewed her, Deep down, it was okay to be viewed that way. Sure her breasts appeared smaller, and she looked as if she could kick the living crap out of anyone with one hand tied behind her back, but she was still herself.
Kino Makoto...
She was the girl with a temper, and now a look to match. Her heart was still soft and fragile, fiercely loyal and very protective of the people she cared about. Anyone who knew the real her, would know that would always be true.
Makoto's eyes glistened with tears, but the small smile on her face said it all. "Thank you, Haruka." She said bowing her head slightly.
"Don't worry about it, although all I really did was give you something to wear." She said playing dumb, however she mentally added 'I know how it feels to learn that lesson Makoto, I'm just glad you got the chance to learn it early.' Her expression equaled Makoto's and she remembered when she first met Michiru. Yes, the smart, confidant, playboy, blond was not always that way. It took a lot of love from Michiru to break her from her inward prison, and Haruka suspected that for Makoto a very large role in learning this lesson came from Ami.
Onto next chapter
Chapter 7: Ways of the Senshi, part 1
Early signs of the morning began to show through the gray clouds. The crickets had quieted down and the sun was just barely peaking over the treetops. Orange hues of morning inviting the birds to sing. Haruka, though sleepy eyed, had been clearing the brush off of the small hillside near the cabin. It was a nice place for battle practice. Only a few trees could get in the way, they would make great cover.
Makoto, for her part, had caught some fish. Her current mission was cleaning them to be cooked. It wouldn't hurt anyone to work up on emergency survival tactics, meaning there would be no going into town. As gruesome as the job was, Makoto took it with a grain of salt, her mind that of a robot, refusing to think about the matter deeply.
Saeko was currently busying herself by watching the fish and the streams. She didn't leave the comforts of civilization often. Seeing a wooded area like this astounded her. Was this what her ex-husband saw before he would put a pencil to paper? It was fun to muse about. His artwork always seemed magical, and she never knew why. Now she was surrounded by the types of nature that he often painted. What else she had missed? She was unsure.
Saeko's life hadn't ever been easy, she could admit that gladly. However, with each and every difficulty, there was also a great gift involved. At least, that's how she'd tried to think.As a mother, she'd done her very best to instill such a way of thinking in her daughter. Saeko now knew, she had been successful. Ever since the children came here, it seemed as if the entire world had been turned upside down. It was an interesting way to ponder things. The quandary in rather simple in nature...
Saeko wondered if this is how everyone else felt, when they had become Senshi.
Alas, such a thing was impossible to think about right now. The thought, and all of the humor that went along with it, quickly interrupted as soon as Makoto called her for breakfast. She would have to stew about the questionable matter at a later date. Preferably with Setsuna by her side.
Fish, fish, and more fish. That's all they had to eat. Munching on the fire roasted morsel was difficult. Immaculate tastes would find little to savor. The flavors were bland. Saeko forced herself to eat it though, even if only out of kindness, and hunger. The other two didn't speak, and Saeko longed for some sort of conversation. With an inward nod, she set herself onto her task.
The days itinerary would be a good start. "Well, now that we have rested, what are we going to do today?" She asked taking a sip of water. Makoto and Haruka looked at each other and then back at Saeko. Haruka didn't seem all together sure. Makoto seemed as if she was far more contented not to answer. The silence dwindled for a few moments longer.
"That depends on what we feel like doing." Makoto shrugged as she grabbed a near by stick, poking the campfire with it. "I think today, we will probably just go for a long distance hike. I want to see how far we can push your powers, without going overboard." Her eyes burned as she gazed deeply into the flickering flames. "How much power can you use? That's the real question."
"I didn't realize that would be a concern." Saeko told them, her food now finished. "Do all Senshi have a limit?"
Haruka sighed, there could be so much she could say. "It's true we heal quickly when we get hurt." There would be even more she could deny. Still, the answer was something unspoken. "The thing is, we don't know if you have the same limits that Ami would have. We all work differently."
"I should be worried, shouldn't I?" Saeko spoke quietly. Makoto looked up from the fire, her eyes watering a bit from the heat. "I thought that being a Senshi was more clearly defined."
"It is, for those of us who have memories in tact." Makoto nodded. "You're new still. Luna can give you a mind meld all she wants, fact is, you're still a rookie. We've always assumed that a Senshi were in mass numbers. Our powers imply that very fact. The problem is simple, we've never had more than one per planet. Sure, there were thousands in the past, but in this day and age, we were never prepared for such a thing."
"Setsuna told me that Sailor Senshi were only born on other planets. That earth was a place of mortality." Saeko sill felt confused by it. Haruka nodded, having studied her history lessons from Setsuna well. Makoto on the other hand, simply shrugged. "I can't understand it all."
"Senshi is a very loose term for what we really are. Warriors are by nature skilled in different ways. The same holds true for us." Haruka told her, although, she'd had wished Setsuna would have covered the basics before all of this drama had occurred. "The sailor Senshi you see before you, well, we are heirs to our thrones. Our powers are much stronger than that of an average Senshi. At least, that's what Setsuna says."
"That brings me to my exact point." Makoto sighed. "For Haruka and I, a hike is more like a cake walk, but for you we aren't sure. Also you will be transformed, we, on the other hand won't." Makoto had finished her meal and pulled out a very small pocket knife. "In order to understand your powers, we need to see if you are still human even while transformed. You're a city girl, a hike will easily do you in if your powers can't kick in." with the knife she began to sharpen three walking sticks. "Deal with the packs." Makoto said to no one in particular, although clearly she'd mean Haruka.
The blond stood, and went back into the cabin. Saeko followed closely behind. Going to one of the back rooms, the blond pulled a key off the top of the door frame. A staircase lead to the basement. It was full of different types of weapons, most of them swords. on the far side were quite a few wooden ones that were used for beginners, also, on the far wall were also back packs and a cabinet of freeze dried rations. Ignoring the weapons Haruka made a beeline for the backpacks, filling them up with an assortment of different things. Saeko on the other hand had, eyed the weapons shelves.
"See anything there of interest?" Haruka asked, she wasn't particularly one for small talk, but without Michiru by her side the Senshi of wind couldn't help herself.
"Nothing really, I was just wondering why someone would need all of these swords for. They all look the same to me." She said looking at two of the ones furthest from Haruka. Having finished packing the bags by this time she sighed and walked over next to the confused doctor.
"That's exactly why you aren't to be swinging that blue sword around until you do see a difference. Some of these look the same because they are the same type of sword, however some are built with different materials, and that changes them greatly." Haruka sighed as she looked at all of the weapons. "Your sword is made for you. The transformation likely fuels the power yours has. That's why you'll use it to fight." Haruka said going back to her task. "go ahead and use your powers, then take a better gander at the one you use."
Saeko transformed, and did as she had been told. Her hands could grasp it easily. The blade, though made of ice, was as sharp as could be. "This still feels odd, seeing something like this in my hands. How do I even begin to comprehend how to use it."
"Along with powers, you'll have natural fighting instincts." Haruka told her, zipping up the final knapsack. "Still, knowing your powers, and applying, them are different. The phrases, and abilities come forth naturally, but knowing when to use them takes a little time and practice." Haruka handed Saeko the smallest of the three, and nodded. "come on, we'd better get a move on."
Once outside each of them donned their packs. It was a long walk to were they were going, which to Saeko was still a mystery. They talked about random things, the weather, among other silly musings that held very little importance. Around afternoon there was a lull in topic of conversation, luckily for them they were at their destination. It was a large spring, the waterfall was lovely, and the smooth boulders made for a good place to rest.
Unfortunately for Saeko, rest was a fleeting thing.
"Wow. This place is so beautiful, how did you know about it?" Saeko asked looking around the wonderful scenery. Birds were flying over head, perched along the trees, and feeding along the ground. She was so enthralled that she didn't happen to notice her companions had left her side.
A lound splash pulled her attention. "The water is so-what ARE you doing!" The poor elder Mizuno said while gawking. The two of them didn't seem to care in the slightest, that their breasts were on public display.
"We are swimming, surely you know of the concept." Haruka said just a bit bluntly.
"I can see that much, but why are you both topless?" Saeko had no idea why she was even holding this particular discussion. Her mind was simply boggled, thankfully Makoto came to the rescue before Haruka could say another word. Sadly even so, subtly was never either of their strong suits.
"We are swimming topless because it's more comfortable for us this way." Makoto's breasts bobbed up and down as she began to float on her back. The cool water fell elegantly over her form. "If I had a swim suit I would have used that, but, I can't exactly do that right now, can I." Makoto said in hopes that it was an explanation enough.
"Well how about your bra then Makoto?" The two swimmers just looked at Saeko, highly amused by that statement. A fit of laughter followed shortly behind. "I don't see what's so funny." Saeko said with slight annoyance in her voice. The brunette decided she'd explain this far better than Haruka would. After all, the blond wasn't known to be a flirtatious playboy for nothing.
"I don't normally wear a bra unless it's a sports one, and that's only if I need to look formal. If I'm going too do something that requires a lot of physical strain, I use a binder so my back doesn't hurt me, I am rather large after all." Makoto shrugged, her breast were so large now, back pain became normality. Saeko nodded at that, remembering that the tall, brawny girl was a candidate for breast reduction, purely because of her health. "Binders help keep them in check." Makoto winked.
Saeko rolled her eyes. "That doesn't explain her, though." Saeko nodded in Haruka's direction. "She doesn't have such an issue."
Makoto regarded Haruka for a moment as the blond was doing calm laps in the water. Makoto simply shook her head and sighed, she had to admit, Haruka looked odd. They both did. "Haruka uses a binder mostly also, and they aren't comfortable to swim in. Not to mention, that if you don't give yourself a break every now and then, they end up doing more harm than good." Makoto exited by the edge of the water, her nipples pert from the cold water. She picked up her shirt and put it on.
Sitting next to the edge of the water, she dipped her feet back in. Saeko was doing her best to avoid eye contact. The woman continuing to glare at the treetops. Haruka by this time was trying to scale the waterfall, attempting to get to the top. "Well are you going to just stand there in shock, or are you going to sit down?" Makoto said laughing at the look on Saeko's face. It was a mixture of emotions that the brunette couldn't exactly describe. Slowly the elder Mizuno took a seat quietly before placing a hand to her brow.
"Why does it bug you anyway? It's nothing you don't have, or haven't seen before for that matter." Makoto had been topless in front of Saeko a few times, not all battles went according to plan. "You handle all of our physical health needs, so I don't think there's a single one of us you haven't seen at least partially exposed." Makoto said still highly amused by all of this.
"Makoto, those times were far different." Saeko's voice was soft, and mirrored her daughter in times like this. "All of the times you are referring to, were because of injuries. I could not have treated the wounds properly, or dress the deeper cuts with fabric in the way."She shook her head, her eyes that of wisdom, and a motherly glare. "That's strictly professional. You two are not in need of medical treatment."
Looking up she saw Haruka dangling from one of the bolder formations. Promptly she decided to amend that sentence. "That is, not yet anyway." That's when the splash of water could be heard, followed by a few choice words. Then Haruka set to try again. Makoto rolled her eyes, Saeko shook her head. Then a rather odd thought came to mind. "Anyway I wasn't aware you were all so open with your nudity. Please tell me, my daughter doesn't mimic this." Saeko said in vain hope that perhaps her daughter had more class than to display herself to the public eye.
The brunette about fell over as she laughed at statement. "Would you relax! We have all seen each other naked. Lets face facts sometimes we have to transform at very inopportune times. Our transformation cover us up in battle, but if we get hurt badly enough that transformation kinda craps out. When that happens we are sometimes left totally naked. Besides it's not like we ogle each other or have random orgies. I think the only one who even freaks out Rei, but she is very reserved when it comes to that type of thing. As for Ami, there is very little that catches her off guard anymore, nudity included, mind you she still looks like a tomato half the time."
Like mother, like daughter, Makoto noted. Saeko's cheeks a light shade of pink. The newly found warrior prayed to every deity she knew of. Wishing beyond all hope, that she would never end up exposed in such a manner. She also made a mental note, that even more oddball situations were bound to arise. She wanted to chalk it up to another eccentricity, one that made the Senshi what they were.
"I'll just have to learn to deal with it." Saeko sighed with a deject voice. If the inevitable event included her, or Ami, she would just need to remind herself that she's the one who insisted on becoming a Senshi. Taking all the good, bad, and on occasions embarrassing, situations that went along with it.
After a few more attempts to climb the rocks failed, Haruka redressed and they proceeded back to the cabin. Makoto cooked some more fish, and they spent the evening in front of the fire pit talking and having a good time, since Saeko seemed to not be highly affected by the hike, the next morning she was going to be taught some basic hand to hand skills. As soon as the sun set, Saeko went off to bed, Haruka, however had other plans, and promptly dragged Makoto into an old storage room near the back of the cabin.
"Umm, what are you doing?" The brunette looked at the box her blond friend happened to have in her hands. Not answering Haruka promptly shoved Makoto into the bathroom, locking the door.
"Haruka what do you-" the Senshi of wind cut her off quickly.
"Shut up and let me do this. Make yourself useful and strip down to your binder and boxers." That was the quick reply. Makoto had no idea what to even think.She decided to follow wherever the wind took her, what the blond had in mind was only a mystery.
Haruka wasted no time fiddling with Makoto's binder, testing the elasticity among other things. The binder itself would be good for only two things. One would be for the smaller breasted women who wanted to conceal them, or in Makoto's case give more support where she would have none otherwise. Finally the blond spoke.
"Okay first things first, that sad excuse for a binder has gotta go. No way in hell can you butch around in that monstrosity. It cuts off to early for in to actually push your boobs down, what you need is a full length one." It finally clicked, the thunder Senshi had asked Haruka to help her with a new self image. She must be following through with the promise she made. After fiddling in the box Haruka tossed a full body binder her way to try on. It was a good fit for the most part, and the Senshi of wind seemed pleased.
"Alright, that was a easy fix, now lets do something about your clothes." Haruka again went into her box of treasures and pulled forth a pair of baggy denim jeans and a grey shirt that had a thick blue streak going to the sides of the shirt, meeting at the underarm before following a path down too the end of the shirt sleeve.
After Makoto pulled on the shirt she was astounded to find that she looked a whole lot smaller in the bust. The shirt was slightly tight but allowed you to see just how muscular she really was. The jeans fit around the waste just fine but, it was obvious the way they fit, that they were intended for men. It was odd to see herself in this sort of getup, and yet she didn't find herself trying to complain. That's when she noticed her friend was in deep thought.
Haruka then looked to Makoto's hair and shook her head. The blond knew that the thunder Senshi would most likely want to keep it long so what they could do with it was very limited. Finally, Haruka opened one of the cabinets in the bathroom and pulled out a very thin hair tie. She pulled the feminine one out of the brunette hair. Pulling the hair down and tailing it closer to the base of the neck instead of high up on the head helped a little. Noticing that curly hair is particularly a pain in the ass to tie down, she left the two strands loose that usually framed Makoto's face. This gave the blond an idea and she left the room only to come back with a slightly worn, black leather jacket. In the pockets were equally worn out leather brawlers gloves.
After a careful look in the mirror she couldn't even speak. It was alarming how much of a tomboy she looked like, and yet nothing major was really changed, just augmented. Makoto no longer looked girly, but rather a badass with an attitude all her own. She wasn't nearly as masculine looking as Haruka, nor did she have as rough a voice, so she wouldn't be mistaken for a man on a regular basis. She turned her speechless look to Haruka, who just chuckled lightly.
"So, how does it feel like to come face to face with yourself now?" The blond asked, she knew it was a loaded question, and that's exactly why she had asked. Makoto stood there for a moment pondering.
Was this really how people saw her? It was true that in junior high she had a very bad reputation. Even now she heard whispers of what she had done back then. Thinking back, she was an exact image of a rebel, her curly hair was a trademark of being tough, and hers was that way naturally. Being really tall meant wearing a longer uniform then the rest, this also made her stand out, sure size alone was one thing, but when you added her strength to the equation, it got worse. Anyone who knew Makoto, knew she could easily bench press a full sized adult with little effort at all. If you factored that in with the way she had lived alone, had a slightly explosive temper, and her past dating prospects...it all added up.
She wasn't just looking in the mirror of a different clothing style. Haruka was trying to show her how people on the outside viewed her, Deep down, it was okay to be viewed that way. Sure her breasts appeared smaller, and she looked as if she could kick the living crap out of anyone with one hand tied behind her back, but she was still herself.
Kino Makoto...
She was the girl with a temper, and now a look to match. Her heart was still soft and fragile, fiercely loyal and very protective of the people she cared about. Anyone who knew the real her, would know that would always be true.
Makoto's eyes glistened with tears, but the small smile on her face said it all. "Thank you, Haruka." She said bowing her head slightly.
"Don't worry about it, although all I really did was give you something to wear." She said playing dumb, however she mentally added 'I know how it feels to learn that lesson Makoto, I'm just glad you got the chance to learn it early.' Her expression equaled Makoto's and she remembered when she first met Michiru. Yes, the smart, confidant, playboy, blond was not always that way. It took a lot of love from Michiru to break her from her inward prison, and Haruka suspected that for Makoto a very large role in learning this lesson came from Ami.
Onto next chapter