All characters presented herein are not of my creation. Dragonball Z and Sailor Moon are owned by their respective creators and producers. ********************************* To Protect a Princess By Tunguska_Boy Chapter 12 Consciousness settled over Makoto like a dense fog. Thoughts crawled around her mind in a daze, struggling to find each other. Slowly she began noticing things about her surroundings. "I'm cold." Was the first successful coherent thought that entered Makoto's brain. She struggled to form another. "I'm naked." Her brain announced with no small amount of effort. The third thought crept up on her and presented itself with all the grandeur it could muster. "I'm wet." Her three thoughts created, she began the difficult task of linking them together. Eventually she settled upon the proper sequence. "I'm cold because I'm naked and wet. But why I am I naked and wet?" A question not easily answered, as it would require opening her eyes. Faced with this near impossible task Makoto steeled herself for the task ahead. With all the energy she could muster she forced her eyelids to crack open. Her vision was cloudy and she could barely make out the shapes she saw. The effort of opening her eyes also made her acutely aware of the small patches of warmth that were on her skin. One was on her right shoulder and the other was on her right outer thigh. Her eyes focused through the haze she saw and she spotted a mass of blue centered in her vision. "Ah, something I can focus on." She thought. A new goal in mind she began to focus on the blue. It seemed to be bobbing slightly and every so often it would move the side and dip down before returning to its original position. While she was focusing on the blue mass, she heard a voice say her name. "Mako-chan?" The voice asked. "Mako-chan? Are you awake?" Makoto tried to discern where the voice was coming from and who it belonged to. From all indications it was coming from directly underneath the blue mass she had been watching. With no small effort she began to speak. "Ami, is that you Ami?" She asked, trying to reach out to the voice. Her hand rose and reached out to the blue mass she thought was Ami. She felt warmth on her hand as well as a small amount of pressure that forced her hand back down. "Yes it's Ami. Just relax Mako-chan, you shouldn't try to move yet." Said Ami sweetly. Makoto relaxed and let her hand fall back to where it was before. "Ami?" Asked Makoto as she struggled to see the features in Ami's face. It just looked like a blob at first, but slowly Makoto was able to find Ami's eyes, nose, and other features. "Yes Mako-chan?" Asked Ami. "Am I naked?" Asked Makoto. She knew the answer but was kind of hoping that she was wrong. "Yes you are Mako-chan." Said Ami as a slight blush crept across her face. "Why?" Asked Makoto as more and more of Ami's face came into view. "You have a lot of cuts and abrasions that I need to look at. And I needed to take off your clothes in order to do so. Do you understand Mako-chan?" She said trying to sound clinical. "Yeah, I understand," said Makoto appreciative of Ami's simple explanation, "but why am I wet?" Ami laughed softly to herself. "What is it?" Asked Makoto. "I just didn't expect you to be able to speak and think so well so soon. You're doing quite well you know." Ami smiled warmly. "Thanks, but why am I wet?" Asked Makoto. "You're lying in a stream. I needed to wash most of you're wounds and this was the cleanest water available. Is it too cold?" Ami's voice went from clinical too concerned. "No, I was just wondering." Said Makoto as she looked around her surroundings. She started to turn her head to look around but was stopped by Ami's gentle hand against her cheek. "Don't, you shouldn't be trying to move. You're more hurt than you realize." Said Ami. Makoto's vision was clear now, and she could see the details of her surroundings. She could feel the soft grass against her upper back as she leaned back against the bank of the stream and the wet cloth Ami was using to wash her wounds. She rolled her eyes around, trying to see as much as she could without moving. She glanced at her submerged legs and saw several cuts. Most were only an inch long but one ran the length of her right thigh. "Will I be okay?" Asked Makoto as she looked at the cuts that crisscrossed her legs. "You'll be fine Mako-chan. You just need to rest for a while." Said Ami. "When will I be able to train again." Asked Makoto. "Not for awhile I'm afraid," said Ami, "you took a lot of punishment in the last battle. If you tried to train or fight you'd just make your injuries worse." Makoto slumped and her eyes darkened. "I'm sorry Mako-chan." "It's not your fault Ami," began Makoto, "I just wanted to be able to help. What if there is another attack and I'm not ready to fight?" "Don't think like that Mako-chan," said Ami, "besides we'll have Piccolo to help us if you're not ready." From the look on Makoto's face Ami knew that what she'd said hadn't helped. "I'm sorry Mako-chan, I didn't mean to say that we didn't need you. We do, you're the best fighter out of all of us. We need your strength to help us. And in order for you to be able to help us you may need to sit out of a few battles until your better." "I suppose you're right." Said Makoto, her expression somewhat brightened. "Of course I am." Said Ami as she stood. "C'mon Mako-chan. We can put on the bandages when we get back to camp." Ami reached down and took Makoto's hand. Slowly she pulled the taller girl to her feet. Ami put Makoto's arm around her shoulder and the pair slowly began to move back to camp. They walked side by side, Ami waiting for Makoto to take each step before she would move. They were nearing the tree line that separated the stream from their camp when all the strength fled from Makoto's legs. She began to fall but Ami caught her and, in order to keep them both from falling, swung Makoto's other arm up on her other shoulder. Makoto's chin came to rest on Ami's shoulder and Ami instinctively brought her arm around Makoto's back in order to keep her steady. Makoto's breathing gave evidence to the frustration she felt. They stood there for a time, Ami not wanting to rush Makoto. "Excuse me," came a voice from the tree line. Ami looked over Makoto's shoulder and could see Rei looking at them with a raised eyebrow. "Breakfast is ready." Said Rei quickly before she turned and walked swiftly back to camp. Ami blushed upon realized what Rei saw. A wet, naked Makoto leaning against Ami with Ami's arm wrapped around her. Between ragged breaths Makoto spoke. "I'm sorry for embarrassing you Ami." Whispered Makoto. Ami hugged Makoto gently in response. "Don't worry," said Ami, "I don't mind doing this if it's to help a friend." Makoto smiled inwardly at Ami's words. A few moments past before Makoto was able to lift herself off of Ami. Makoto still needed to have her arm around Ami's shoulders for support as they walked. Just before they entered the camp Makoto paused and leaned close to Ami. "Thanks," she whispered, "for everything Ami-chan." Ami looked over at her. "You're welcome Mako-chan." She said smiling. The two then made their way into the camp and Ami began applying bandages to Makoto's legs and arms. Ami had thought that something like this would happen, and had the foresight to bring a large quantity of bandages and some anti-infection cream with her. Across the camp from where Ami was tending to Makoto's wounds Usagi and Minako sat sullenly looking into the fire. Minako looked over at where Ami and Makoto were for a moment before turning to Usagi. "Doesn't that weird you out just a little?" Asked Minako. "What do you mean?" Asked Usagi without looking up. "That." Said Minako gesturing to Makoto. "What? That she's naked?" Asked Usagi. "Yeah, I mean were all good friends here and all but I just don't need to see that." Said Minako. "Cut her some slack, she's pretty messed up." Said Usagi. "But still, couldn't Ami at least put some underwear on her or something?" "Maybe Makoto's out, we haven't been able to do laundry in weeks. She probably doesn't have anything clean." "Maybe, but still. A towel or something? It's just wigging me out." "Ami doesn't seem to mind." "You're right, she almost seems to be enjoying it." Said Minako slyly. Usagi looked up at her for the first time and then over to Ami, who was smiling while she was applying the bandages. "And what exactly are you implying Minako?" Asked Usagi. "Nothing, nothing at all," said Minako, "why, what were thinking I was implying?" "Nothing at all, I was just curious about your tone of voice." Said Usagi. The two blonde Senshi eyed each other playfully, hoping the other would say something. Usagi broke the silence first. "You know, this is probably great practice for Ami." Minako eyes bugged out and she stared at Usagi. Usagi glanced at her out of the corner of her eyes. "I mean, if Ami wants to be good at it she needs to be comfortable around naked women, she'll probably wind up seeing a lot of them." "Hey now, that's not fair. We don't even know yet, and besides I was just joking." Chastised Minako. "I was just saying that if Ami wants to pursue being a doctor that she'd need to be comfortable around nudity is all." Said Usagi with a grin. Minako's face went slack. Usagi laughed to herself and smiled the smile of victory. Minako's face burned with embarrassment and she quickly turned her attention to the fire in front of them. Breakfast came and went, then lunch, then dinner. Usagi, Minako, and Rei all trained with Piccolo while Ami and Makoto sat and watched. More than anything Makoto wished she was out there, sparring with her fellow Senshi and testing her strength against Piccolo. This wish was written all over her face and was why Ami had not gone to train that night. They didn't speak, but Ami knew that Makoto appreciated the gesture. The Senshi had not really slept in a day and a half, and when night came they drifted off one by one to sleep the most fitful night of sleep they'd had in weeks.