Setting Up (Open) December 27 AM

Makoto did not sleep well the previous night. Her encounter with ol’ blue eyes the evening before did nothing but bring on her most massive headache yet and cause her dreams of the man in uniform to become more vivid and somewhat frightening. Feelings of happiness and love followed by extreme pain and anguish with visions of death and destruction did not make for a peaceful slumber. Therefore she was up at 4 AM, pacing her room, trying to come to a logical conclusion as to what was going on in her brain. The kiss she’d shared with the man in the alley had felt so right yet she knew it was so wrong and she continued to mentally beat herself up over it. Not to mention the name that burst forth onto her lips from the depths of god knows where. She had no idea who “Nephy” was, or why she’d call this man by that name. And she was still incredibly embarrassed that she’d ruined a perfectly good kiss with an incredibly attractive man by saying something so stupid.

She was in the main kitchen by 5 AM. Mako was the kind of person who needed to do something when she was frustrated, whether it be pummeling someone into the ground or cooking. This morning she decided to cook. She knew that Ami was going to be working in the medical wing of the palace this morning. No better time to welcome her home and welcome her co-workers to the palace than now, and no better way to do it than with fresh-baked pastries. She mixed the ingredients together with her hands, combining them thoroughly, molding the dough into small forms before placing them onto a baking sheet and into an oven. Over and over she did this, like a machine with no off button. Her fellow workers knew to keep their distance when she got like this. They gave her the space she needed and in turn she would let them live. It was win-win for them. By the time she’d finished, she was thoroughly covered in flour and jelly and icing. She loaded everything onto a delivery cart before going to the massive sink and washing off her arms and face, scrubbing away what she could with a washcloth. She checked the mirror in her office and sighed when she saw herself. Bags under her eyes, flour still in her hair. She shut her office door and decided to do something she rarely ever found necessary. Makoto put on makeup.

By 9 AM she was satisfied with her appearance and decided she’d best be on her way to the med-wing. She pressed the button for the automatic doors to swing open and rolled the cart through. Workers lined the hallways, painting, edging, moving beds and equipment. She wasn’t sure she’d find Ami in this mass of people. It just seemed she hadn’t traveled far enough down the hallway. She eventually came upon Ami next to what appeared to be a nurses’ station which would make an excellent place to leave the cart piled high with breads and muffins and pastries. It was right in the center intersection of a few hallways and would give everyone the opportunity to pass by and grab a bite.

She smiled her best smile manageable at Ami. “Good morning, Dr. Mizuno. I do hope you’ll forgive this little interruption, but I thought that you and your crew could use a little energy boost.” She flipped the sheet off the top of the cart revealing what some would call a ‘smorgasbord’, but Makoto just called it ‘breakfast’.

Makoto laughed, “I know Ami-chan. It just seemed so appropriate for the occasion!” And she smiled a genuine smile at Ami’s reaction to what she’d brought. “You and everyone else here are more than welcome.”

She followed Ami as she was pulled into an “office”. She laughed again at Ami’s inquisition. “I got up at the same time all bakers do… Long before anyone else,” and gave her friend a wink. Her smile lessened though, as Ami handed her one of the pastries. She looked down at it and decided she’d best accept it so as not to cause any more concern for her friend. “Actually, I did have a couple bites out of the ‘boo-boos’ that didn’t make it onto the cart. But I guess I am still kinda hungry. Thanks.” She took a bite and chewed, a thoughtful look on her face. “Do you think there’s enough for everyone you have here? I was really worried about that…”

Makoto followed Ami’s gesture and sat down. She gave a nervous laugh and said “Ok, I just really wasn’t sure. I knew it was getting later on in the morning and didn’t want to show up with breakfast after noon!”

She slightly grimaced when Ami asked about her headaches. It was all she could do to keep from spilling everything, but she really did feel like this was something she needed to try to sort out on her own. But at this point, she did need some bit of help. “Honestly Ami, after yesterday… I probably could use something a little stronger. It’s just strange because I only used to get the occasional stress headache. But over the past 48 hours I have had the worst headaches of my life. Tylenol helped at first, but now it won’t even scratch the surface.” She frowned. “I was awake at 4 this morning, not that I could really say I was sleeping before that. But I was out of bed by then.” Mako let her head fall into her hands. “I really don’t want to resort to prescription medication, but after last night I’d sell my soul for some relief.”

Makoto couldn’t help but frown. “Not really, no. I was very restless, and when I did sleep I had tons of dreams…none of which I understand.”

She looked up when she heard the squeak of the chair as Ami leaned forward and touched her. While she was not ready to share all that had happened, she was honest in her reply. “I really, truly, do not know…on both accounts. There is something about him. Something that one part of my mind keeps screaming at me, telling me I should know. The other part of my mind is screaming at me to stay away from him, that he’s dangerous. And because of this…” she looked back down at the floor. “No, Ami. I don’t think I’m ok at all.”

Mako sat up and gave Ami a small hug in return. “I think I just really need some time to think about all this. It’s just so much hitting me at once…it’s a lot to take in.” She managed a small smile. “I’ll be OK, Ami, really. Just give me time.”

She thought for a moment. “Ami, I do think there is something you can help me with. Give me something to do around here. It’ll keep me safe in the palace, and it’ll keep my mind off of everything else until I can get that prescription filled. What can I do for you?”

Makoto smiled and nodded. “I promise Ami. If I need anything, I will come straight to you.”

She took the prescription from Ami and looked down at it, then looked back up at Ami. “Thank you so much. I really hope this works.” She folded it and stuck it in her pocket, making a mental note to run it by the pharmacy before she started whatever task Ami would give her.

“I would love to help you paint. Let me run down to the pharmacy really quick and when I return I will be at your service for the rest of the morning.”

Mako nodded. “If there’s any left, I’ll grab another pastry on my way over to the pharmacy just in case.”

She left Ami at the nurses’ station where she was able to grab another small item off the breakfast cart and then continued down the hallway to the pharmacy and turned in her prescription. They told her it would be ready in an hour or so.

Back at the nurses’ station she waited while Ami finished talking to who she assumed was Nina. She smiled once Ami turned back to her, saluted Ami and laughed “Kino Makoto reporting for duty.”