Will we meet for dinner in elysium, my dear(Ami and Natsume)

[Midnight Sun]

"You didn't put a damper on anything, in fact you made it quite entertaining," Natsume assures her. "I would offer to walk you home, but making that kind of trek would be more trouble than its worth I imagine..."

"Well, at the very least, I could escort you to the bus stop," she continues. "If that's alright with you."

[Bean Bandit]

Ami blushes, nodding and folding her hands together shyly in front of her skirt as she agrees. "I-I'd like that..."

[Midnight Sun]

"Well, we'd better get going then," Natsume says as she goes to fetch a jacket. She comes back before long, hoping it is enough to resist the cold. "I'll be back soon Kurumi."

[Bean Bandit]

While Natsume informs her sister of her whereabouts, Ami reassmbles her outfit for the inclement weather, preparing to leave the house, and waiting for Natsume by the door, her collar pulled up high, obscuring her jaw and mouth, and the small smile she wears as she absently considers the evening...

[Midnight Sun]

"Ah, I really wish winter would end already, I've never been good with cold weather," Natsume says with a shiver after closing the door behind them. She makes a mental note to buy a thicker jacket as she zips up the one she is wearing now. "It doesn't seem to bother you much, Ami-chan. Does having ice powers make you immune to it as well?"

[Bean Bandit]

Ami blinks, looking askance at Natsumi, blushing slightly at the '-chan'. "I've never been particularly immune, except recently, when I wore my talisman." she observes. "But I'm really not that cold tonight..."

[Midnight Sun]

"Oh, I imagine not, seeing how red your face is," Natsume says with a smile.

[Bean Bandit]

Ami flinches, turning an even deeper red. "Uh...uhm..." she stammers, shrinking back into the flipped up collar of her coat.

[Midnight Sun]

"Really Ami, you have to learn to relax more. You get embarrassed way too easily," Natsume says after a short laugh. "But...I guess that's what's so cute about you."

[Bean Bandit]

Ami's eyes widen slightly, and her blush shifts in hue from red to pink. C-Cute...she called -me- cute? Am I dreaming again? After looking at Natsume in silence for a long moment, she snaps out of the stunned gaze. "A-Ah...Un..." she agrees embarrassedly, nodding and smiling back sheepishly. What do I do? What do I say?

[Midnight Sun]

"Ah, here I am talking about being relaxed. Not too long ago I was always so serious, and could think of nothing but beating down miscreants with my bokken," Natsume recalls. "Now its like I'm a totally different person. I guess meeting you and the senshi changed me alot more than I realized..."

[Bean Bandit]

"M-Meeting the senshi can change virtually everyone." Ami manages shyly as she reboots her brain. "Before I met Usagi-chan, virtually all I did was study, and plan for the future." She sighs a little.

"Being unable to deal with people...and later, my friends, when I finally made some, made me miss opportunities and cost me dearly." she sighed. Why am I pouring this out now? Ami wondered, with distant, mortified incredulity. "But, I feel useful now...and that's better than being alone." she finished, smiling up at Natsume.

[Midnight Sun]

"Not being able to communicate with people, I had that problem. I was so caught up in upholding my own ideals..." Natsume mused. "But I think now...I'm beginning to realize that being a samurai is more than swinging a sword and being righteous."

It felt...odd, to be saying such things, but it at the same time each word came with a wave of relief. Like they very much needed to be said...

"Its also about being honest. Both with the people around you and with yourself," she continues. "Speaking of which, I really have a hard time believing you had never felt useful until now. I'm sure you were always useful, you just didn't know it yourself."

[Bean Bandit]

Ami's cheeks flushed a bit more, and she shrugged meekly. "Perhaps, but...I never had the opportunity to find out. Without my father, Mother works hard to support us, so I was home alone a great deal...and...having a reputation as being stuck up kept me isolated from everyone at school...until I transferred to Juuban, where I met Usagi-chan." Ami sighed a bit tremulously.

"What about you, though?" She asked curiously. "I can't imagine you as any less than I know you as now..."

[Midnight Sun]

"Before I met Anne, I had never known defeat," Natsume explained. "Besides  grandfather, I would easily beat anyone I went up against, in both official tournaments and at school. Because of that I had a very high opinion of myself, and felt it was my right to impose my sense of morality on everyone."

She had never realized what an ass she had been until now. It was almost funny...

"Thats not to say I threatened innocent people. Most of the people I beat over the head deserved it in one way or another, but regardless, it wasn't my place to choose. I realize that now," she continues. "When I fought...no...when I was beaten by Anne, I realized just how small I was...how much I didn't know. I realized just how little by swordsmanship meant in the real world..."

It had been quite a while since she had seen Anne, come to think of it...

"Well, in any case, I'd like to think I've grown from all that," she says with a smile now. "Otherwise I don't think you'd have anything to do with me."