SAILOR MOON: - THE KIDNAPPING OF AMI
AUTHOR'S NOTE: - For those of you who read the original, there's going to be nothing new for you except a general refining of the story and the ironing out of a few errors (such as NA names mixed with Japanese names). Just think of this as the 'Gold Edition!' Cheers!
"NOOOOO!" Usagi wailed, her eyes springing open. "I'm gonna be late for school again." She leapt out of bed knocking Luna flying into the wardrobe and yanked on her clothes before haring out of the room. Luna recovered and sighed.
"I really wish that girl would get an alarm clock, or one that works." She dropped her head in despair.
If there was a world record for getting up and leaving the house, Usagi would have smashed it several times within the last week. She charged down the road towards Juuban Junior high, narrowly knocking over an old woman with her shopping.
"I'm sure I'll have broken the light barrier one of these days." She puffed.
Swerving into the gates she ran smack into the back of Ami.
"Hey, watch it...oh, sorry Ami-chan." She apologised, getting up off the ground
after rebounding off her friend.
"Hey, Usagi-chan." Ami greeted her whilst helping her up. "Have you studied for the maths test, yet?"
Usagi's face was one of total panic. "MATHS TEST?!" She screamed. "I totally forgot. If I flunk this, my mom's gonna barbecue me in bacofoil."
"Well look on the bright side." Ami smiled. "Maybe Mako-chan can show your mom how to cook a Usagi surprise!" She giggled. Usagi didn't look happy.
"I'm gonna kill you for that, Ami-chan." She fumed, but then she changed her attitude to one of friendliness. "Unless you help me with the test."
Usagi put on her best puppy dog look, but gave up as she realised that it wouldn't work.
"You should be studying for yourself." Ami fumed, and walked off into the building.
"What am I going to do?" Usagi moaned to herself.
"Maybe I can help you." Umino offered, appearing seemingly from nowhere.
"AAAAH!" Usagi screamed, physically jumping three feet into the air. "UMINO! Everyone needs to be fitted with an Umino detector so they know when you're slithering up."
"Well, I can help you study at break, the maths test is before lunch." He offered.
"NO!" Usagi firmly refused him. "I've got better things to do, such as shoot myself in the leg. Anyway, why don't you go and annoy Naru and leave me alone?"
She stormed off into school.
Kunzite looked at the crystal ball. After the loss of Zoicite, he was more than a little annoyed. Heartbroken might be a better word, but for now, he wanted revenge. The desire for revenge was consuming him almost entirely, and a vengeful Negaverse general was not a pretty sight.
"I'll get you, Sailor Moon for what you did." He fumed between clenched teeth. He closed his fist and smacked it down on the table in front of him. "I just need a foolproof plan to get you where I want you."
He moved his hands over the crystal ball and an image of Ami appeared, hard at work in class.
"Ah, Mizuno Ami. The brainiest girl in Juuban Junior high." Kunzite muttered.
"If I kidnapped her then people are likely to know about it. Then Sailor Moon will come running." Kunzite smiled. "And then, I'll have you where I want you, Sailor Moon."
He laughed, a cackling evil laugh that resonated around the chamber.
"Mizuno Ami." Kunzite smiled. "I hope that you're not expecting me."
At the end of school Usagi looked up at the notice board where the results of the morning's test were posted.
"Oh, no! I got a thirty, again?" She whined. Makoto appeared behind her and put her hand on Usagi's shoulder.
"Hey, don't worry about it. It's only a pitiful little maths test. I only got a sixty-five."
"Thanks, you're really helping."
They went outside to where Ami was sitting on a bench, looking pleased with herself.
"Another perfect score I take it." Usagi said to her with daggers in her eyes.
"Well now that you mention it, yes." Ami replied, looking up into the depressed face of Usagi.
"Maybe if you were to study more, you'd get better grades."
"It's always the same old story."
"But it's a true old story." Put in Makoto.
Ami got up and they left the grounds and headed towards the park. Ami was still trying to convince Usagi that she should study, but gave up. She knew that the day Usagi studied would be the day when Queen Beryl would appear in front of them all and beg forgiveness. Usagi dived into the arcade as they were passing despite the protestations of Makoto and Ami.
"How am I ever going to explain my result to mom?" Usagi wailed as she put a coin in the slot of the Sailor V game.
"Well, you could buy her a bunch of flowers." Matoki suggested, walking up to her. Makoto stood there with wide eyes, totally gone as she always was when Matoki was around. Ami elbowed her and Makoto snapped out of it.
"No, that won't work, Matoki-chan." Usagi sighed. "I tried that once before and all I got was more hostility."
"Well then, why don't you try...."
The conversation lasted for approximately another five minutes, during which time the doors opened and Minako came through closely followed by Rei.
"Hey, guys." Minako happily said, then saw Usagi's face. "I take it all is not well in Usagi-chan's world."
Rei knew without thinking what had happened.
"You flunked another test, didn't you?"
It didn't take long for the tongues to be stuck out at each other.
Ami wandered home on her own. It was getting dark and she was a little scared, especially that half the streetlights in this part of town weren't working. It was also getting cold. She shivered a bit and suddenly stopped. She listened, she was sure that someone was behind her. She looked behind her. The street was deserted. Ami's heart rate was increasing. She walked on, but her pace was increasing. She heard footsteps behind her and whirled around. Nothing. Not a soul. Ami was really scared now and her heart took the strain. She ran.
The footsteps behind her also increased. Ami sprinted, she was wheezing now. She wasn't used to this much exercise. She charged into the park, she was still a good distance from home and safety. The footsteps were getting closer. Ami was really scared now. She reached into her skirt pocket and whipped out her communicator. She pressed a button and Rei's face appeared on the screen.
"Ami-chan, what's wrong?"
"There's someone following me." She whispered, her voice full of fright.
"Are you sure that it's someone?"
"Thanks for reassuring me Rei-chan. In our experience it could be something. I'm in the park not too far from you. Can you get here? Hurry!"
"I'll be right there."
Rei switched off the communicator and charged out of the door. She ran across the street and into the gates of the park.
Ami stood and waited. She heard the footsteps behind her and spun around. She screamed as the youma that was chasing her wrapped a tentacle around her waist. Ami screamed again as the youma picked her up and carried her off into the night.
Rei heard Ami's scream and increased her pace. She rounded the corner and saw nothing. Something on the ground caught her eye and she picked it up. It was Ami's communicator.
"Oh, Ami-chan." Rei whispered, holding the device to her chest and fighting against an urge to cry. "What's happened to you?"
It wasn't long before the four remaining senshi had assembled at the temple. Luna and Artemis were pacing the floor and the girls' faces were pictures of worry.
"Where do you suppose she is?" Usagi wailed. "What happened, Rei-chan?"
"I don't know. Ami contacted me and told me that someone was following her. I said that I'd be there as soon as I could. I heard Ami scream but when I got there all I found was her communicator."
"We've got to help her." Minako announced, standing up. "I don't know about you, but I'm going now!"
"No, wait!" Artemis protested, but it was no use.
"VENUS POWER MAKE-UP!" Minako shouted, raising her transformation pen into the air. Makoto, Rei and Usagi looked at each other and before Luna and Artemis could stop them they transformed.
"We've got to track Ami down." Usagi said. "Do you think Kunzite is behind this?"
"Almost certainly." Started Luna. "But be careful. I'm sure that he kidnapped Ami so that he could get to you, Usagi. He has a serious revenge problem, so be very careful."
"I sure will Luna, because you're coming with us!"
"WHAT?!"
Ami woke and shook her head. She tried to raise her hand up to rub her aching temple, but she suddenly realised that it had been tied down. She jolted into full consciousness and realised that she had been tied up in a chair.
"Wh...where am I?" She asked the shadowy figure next to her. The figure moved into the light and Ami gasped as her eyes viewed the maniacally grinning face of Kunzite.
"No need to panic, Ami." He said soothingly, almost patronisingly. "But I need you here so that I can get my hands on Sailor Moon."
Ami's mind raced. Did Kunzite know her true identity? If that was true, did he know the identities of her friends? Ami decided to play it safe and subtly find out.
"But why did you kidnap me?" She asked.
"Because you're the brainiest kid in the school. Therefore if you went missing, people will know about it and then Sailor Moon will come running. Right into my trap!" He laughed evilly and Ami felt frightened again. She tried to shrivel up but her restraints prevented this.
"I don't like it here." Ami complained. "Let me go!"
"I don't think so." Kunzite informed her. "But if you're a good girl then I might give you some more freedom."
He turned and disappeared into the blackness, leaving Ami alone. She struggled against her bonds again but realised that it was fruitless.
"Come on, Usagi-chan. Help me." She whispered to herself.
"Two days?" Usagi moaned. "How can we not find her after two days?"
Luna jumped up onto the bed and sidled into Usagi's arms.
"Don't worry. We'll find her."
"It's all very well for you to say that, but she's my friend."
Everyone had taken it hard, Ami's mother had phoned Usagi's mother to tell her that Ami hadn't come home that night and was she at Usagi's? After a day had passed, the papers had picked up on the story. Usagi could still see the headlines even though she'd only glanced at them. 'Local Schoolgirl Missing' and 'Top Student Disappears.' It was all very worrying; not only for the parents of Ami but the police who were desperately trying to search for her and finding no clues whatsoever.
The others had spent every night trying to find Ami at all the old Negaverse haunts. Usagi was really wrapped up in worry and couldn't concentrate on anything else. Even Ms Haruna had been lax with workload, and didn't set any tests for them. Everybody who knew Ami personally was on an emotional knife-edge.
Usagi sighed and buried her face in her hands. A few whimpers escaped her throat and she started to cry. Luna realised that trying to be firm wouldn't help matters. There was a knock on the door and Usagi's mother's muffled voice came through.
"Usagi, darling. Your friend Minako is here."
The door opened and Minako came in, looking as depressed as everyone else did. Her eyes were slightly red and it was obvious that she'd been crying as well. If anyone else could possibly match Usagi in being a crybaby, it would be Minako.
"You okay?" Minako asked her.
"I'm as okay as you." Usagi simply replied.
"Any new info?" Minako asked, sitting down beside her.
"Nope."
"Don't give up hope. We're going to find her."
"But I don't see how."
"Leave it to me." Luna said and jumped off the bed.
"Does she know what she's doing?" Minako muttered to Usagi.
"I trust Luna completely. She knows exactly what she's doing."
"I hope so."
Ami was fast losing hope. She had lost all concept of time in the dingy surroundings that she was in. Kunzite had been surprisingly nice to her, probably because he was saving the physical torture until Sailor Moon arrived. Ami had been very careful with what she said and did and this was beginning to pay off. Kunzite had untied her from the chair not long ago and now she was only restrained by a single chain around her ankle in a small dark room.
'They should have been here by now.' She thought to herself. Then she realised with a sigh that it was because she wasn't with them. They were normally quick because she was the one that did all the work in finding out where the enemy was. Ami knew that any time frame she set for them would be optimistic. She brought her knees up to her chin and cuddled her legs. A wave of total despair washed over her and she burst into tears.
The door opened and Kunzite entered. Ami was sure that she could see trees - albeit slightly dead ones - through a window outside. She breathed a small sigh of relief - at least she wasn't in the Negaverse. Kunzite did not look happy.
"Those sailor brats should have been here by now. What's taking so long?"
"Well maybe they don't know where I am." Ami replied sarcastically.
"Well, well. Look who's trying to be clever." Kunzite hissed. Ami stood up to try and put a shorter difference in height between them. He raised his hand and took a swipe. Ami dodged it as best she could and Kunzite just missed her.
"You'd better watch your mouth, Ami." He instructed her. "But you do have a good point. I think now is the time for a ransom note. I mean, I can't exactly stroll up to your parents and say 'hi, I'm Kunzite, a Negaverse General and I have your daughter.'"
He turned on his heel and strolled out the door, slamming it shut behind him. Ami was on her own in the dark again.
"What did you say?" Usagi asked Rei.
"I said, Ami's parents got a ransom note from her kidnapper this morning." She replied.
"So what's our next move?" Makoto asked the assembled group.
"I really don't know." Luna sighed. "I suggest that if - or rather when – Ami's parents pay the ransom, we watch what happens and follow the person who comes to collect it."
"But what about the police?" Minako curiously enquired.
"I don't think that we need to worry about them too much." Artemis replied. "They'll be too busy watching as well, besides, they know about Sailor Moon to some extent and if she appears then they'll think twice before interfering."
"But what exactly does the ransom note say?" Usagi asked them. "Anybody have any clues?"
"Well, when Ami's mother came over earlier I eavesdropped on the conversation." Luna put in. "Nobody suspects a cat!"
She grinned.
"Well, what's the gossip?" Usagi impatiently asked.
"From what I can gather, Ami will be returned safely if the parents pay a vast sum of money - I didn't hear how much - and that the money must be left in the bin at the entrance to Juuban Station. If it is the Negaverse, they must be using the ransom money as a front, because they know that we'll be following them when they pick it up."
"But what if the ransom money is delivered and they don't return Ami?" Minako whined.
"We kill them. End of story." Makoto answered her.
Sure enough, the ransom was collected, mainly from donations from worried parents, teachers and students. Two of the local papers even contributed. The police wanted to set up a sting operation to catch the kidnappers when they came to collect the ransom, but Ami's mother was worried that there would be someone where Ami was. If the collectors didn't return by a certain time she thought, then that person may hurt or even kill Ami.
This naturally worried everyone more and the police decided a surveillance and tail operation might work better. Everything was in place for a week later. At the temple, Luna and Artemis reassured the girls that everything was going to be fine.
"Well, what are we waiting for?" Usagi asked. "I want my friend back. MOON PRISM POWER MAKE-UP!"
Her body was swathed in rainbow colours and within moments she was Sailor Moon, champion of justice. The others followed suit.
"MARS POWER MAKE-UP!"
"JUPITER POWER MAKE-UP!"
"VENUS POWER MAKE-UP!"
The senshi were ready for action.
Ami looked up after crying for the umpteenth time that day into the face of Kunzite.
"I have to go and fetch some money." He said to her. "This is my... 'assistant.' He'll make sure that you stay in line." He laughed as a youma stepped into the light. Ami gasped - it was the same youma that had grabbed her in the park on the first night.
"You make any false moves, and Sebatoh will kill you in an instant."
Kunzite's laugh reverberated off the walls as he left the room and went down the corridor. Ami was left alone with Sebatoh, the thing that could kill her.
"How long until the deadline?" Police chief Tejou Kawasami asked the assembled undercover officers.
"About fifteen minutes." One of them replied, checking his watch.
"Okay." Kawasami started. "I want you all to keep a close eye on that bin. There's a paint bomb and a tracking device in the money sack, so if our friend shows up, we should be able to track him. If this happens we may be able to recover Ami and the money without any serious problem. You know your orders, let's go!"
The police officers disintegrated into the surrounding area, each taking up an inconspicuous position from which they could see everything that was going on. At the top of a small building, Usagi and the others watched, each ready to attack at a moment's notice.
"You guys ready?" Usagi asked them.
"As ready as we'll ever be." Minako replied.
"Will you shut up and concentrate on watching the street." Rei instructed them.
Usagi glared daggers at her.
Kunzite knew that the area would be swarming with the police but he didn't care. Anything that the police threw at him he could handle. Besides, his real quarrel was with Sailor Moon and her brat friends, Mercury, Mars, Jupiter and Venus. He calmly strolled over to the bin and picked up the sack of money. On top of the building Luna gasped.
"It is Kunzite!" She whispered to Usagi, who nodded.
"Let's go!" She whispered to the others.
Stealthily they jumped down from the building - which was only a couple of floors - and tailed Kunzite at a distance. He wandered up the steps into the station, but instead of heading for the platforms, he went into the service entrance to the subway. Usagi and Rei exchanged glances and followed. Kunzite led them through a web of tunnels, gradually leading down. He eventually opened a door and climbed a ladder. The senshi followed him and blinked in the sudden light as they emerged out of a manhole. There was a dingy looking building near some trees. It was about the size of a primary school and looked as if it hadn't been used in some time. There were numerous pipes leading out of the building into the ground and a large water tower situated behind it. Kunzite was nowhere to be seen.
"I bet you a month's allowance that's were Ami's banged up." Usagi muttered.
"You're on." Replied Minako. "I'm short of cash at the moment."
"Why don't you get a job?" Rei asked her.
"Because I don't have the time." She said simply.
Kunzite looked at the object on the floor. The object in question was a rather dishevelled Ami who was still chained to the wall. At the moment she was asleep and Kunzite cursed himself for finding pleasure in watching her doing so.
'Soon.' He thought. 'Soon I will have you, Sailor Moon.'
"It's gonna be sooner than you think." Usagi announced with infinite majesty.
"Oh goody." Kunzite sarcastically replied, turning to face her.
"I am Sailor Moon, Champ-"
"I've heard it enough times." Kunzite told her irritably, waving his hand for her to stop. "Let's say we just get on with the task in hand."
"Don't forget us!" Rei shouted. "We're the Sailor Senshi!"
On cue, Rei, Minako and Makoto formed up beside Usagi. "Prepare to bite the dust."
"Wha...what's going on?" Ami groggily asked, waking up. "Oh guys!" She exclaimed as her eyes rested on Usagi, Rei, Makoto and Minako. "You came to rescue me!"
"VENUS CRESCENT BEAM!" Minako shouted, bringing her arm down and pointing it straight at the chain holding Ami's ankle.
"SMASH!"
The yellow beam cut metal chain cleanly in half and Ami was free, even though about a metre of chain was still attached to her. She got up and ran towards Rei.
Kunzite saw what was happening and blocked her path. He slapped her viciously across the face. Ami recoiled in pain and fell onto the floor. Usagi ran forward but Sebatoh cut in and wrapped a tentacle around her waist. Usagi struggled as Sebatoh picked her up, but couldn't do anything as Sebatoh flung her across the room. She crashed into the wall and shook her head in shock.
"BURNING MANDALA!" Rei shouted and flung her rings of fire in Sebatoh's direction. The youma didn't even have time to breathe before the attack smashed into him, vaporising him instantly.
Kunzite cursed and kicked Ami in the side. Ami screamed with pain and tried to get up.
"SPARKLING WIDE-" Makoto started but Kunzite saw what was coming and ran out of the room, dragging Ami behind him by the severed chain that was still firmly locked around her ankle. Ami's screams could be heard reverberating around the corridors.
"Come on!" Rei shouted to the others whilst helping Usagi up.
They charged out of the room.
Kunzite dragged Ami into a large central room, and Ami recognised the chair that she'd been tied to when she came to after being kidnapped. Kunzite shut the door, picked up Ami and practically threw her into the chair. He waved his hands. Ropes materialised and quickly tied themselves around Ami's waist, wrists and ankles.
"Great." Muttered Ami. "Here we go again."
The door crashed down and the other four senshi entered the room.
"You're going down, pal." Usagi shouted at Kunzite.
"Oh, I don't think so, somehow." He grinned. A portal opened and a group of youma poured out of it.
"This little lot ought to keep you occupied!" Kunzite said, grinning like a lunatic. He opened a portal and disappeared into it.
"Great!" Usagi muttered. "Now what?"
"I'll free Ami-chan." Rei said and ran towards her. "Ami-chan, I'm coming!"
"VENUS WINK CHAIN SWORD!" Minako shouted and eviscerated three youma with one blast.
"Hey!" Usagi protested. "You're stealing the show."
"Well get on with it then!" Shouted Rei, who was busy untying Ami-chan."
"Fine. MOON SCEPTRE ELIMINATION!" Usagi shouted and using the Moon Sceptre, mashed a group of youma into pulp.
"Every time I do that, I feel much better." Usagi said to herself.
"SPARKLING WIDE PRESSURE!" Makoto dealt with another two youma.
Rei finished untying Ami, who hugged her hard.
"Thanks, Rei-chan." She said quietly. She was too welled up with emotion to say anything.
"Hang on a minute!" Shouted one of the youma, catching on to the fact that there were only four senshi. "I thought there were five of you?"
"I'm just joining in!" Ami shouted. "MERCURY POWER MAKE-UP!"
Within moments Ami was Sailor Mercury. The chain around her ankle melted during transformation.
"I think we need to get out of here." Ami said to the others. "I need to study."
Usagi rolled her eyes.
"SHABON SPRAY!" Ami shouted and released the fog. The senshi took their cue and ran out of the room.
"Now, let's go home." Rei said to the others, to which there was general agreement.
Ami had been emotionally unstable for a few days afterwards. She refused to talk about her ordeal for two reasons. Firstly she didn't like it anyway and secondly she didn't want to reveal her identity.
At the temple one night Ami finally took the opportunity to thank her friends.
"Thank you so much you guys for rescuing me." She said, managing not to cry.
"No problem." Usagi replied. "You guys would do the same for me right?"
There was a long silence.
"Er...guys? You'd rescue me wouldn't you?"
"We'd think about it." Rei said to her.
Rei and the others left the room, Usagi running after them.
"Hey! GUYS!"