Disclaimer: I do not own Sailor Moon Series or it's character but I do own this story and the refined tweaks to the characters personality. No story follows Manga cannon or Anime cannon perfectly. All rights reserved.
This is the second story of a series! Please go to my profile to start at the beginning, if you favor this couple and don't want to hear the rest... well I guess I can't stop you... but I warned you.
Zoicite was shocked with Ami, down right shocked. She was the best conversationalist he had ever meet! The more they talked the more he realized he really didn't want them to end. He decided to take her to a local eatery low key but still not as noisy as a bar might be. They had to turn the waitress away three times admitting they hadn't even looked at the menu yet. Zoicite was amazed by Ami's knowledge she knew a lot about everything even when he tried to test it, bring up obscure topics she still fired back like she had been there.
"The fall of old wasn't actually a fall at all, it just sounded good for the history books. It's like the Boston massacre, sounds gruesome but only three poor saps died," Ami said as the conversation took a turn to political history. And her humor! Ami seemed so matter of fact almost too bookish to have a good joking side but oh it was there, well hidden and very dry but he enjoyed it and shot back some one liners too when he got the chance.
"Yeah everyone thought Mercury was uninhabitable, since it's close proximity to the sun but they found a way to work that to their advantage. Of course it has evolved to what it is now which is like living under the sea," said Ami talking about the solar system transformation after the queen came to power or as she saw it a revival. Ami really has missed Zoicite and maybe jumping to these topics like polarity, historical facts and popular literature was moving a touch fast she just could help it. From what she could tell from his witty replies and well-formed opinions he really didn't mind.
When they got their food he found it more distracting then ever before not allowing him to speak he had to finish his bite before making a counter point. Zoicite almost had a feeling like he knew her; he just knew her speech pattern. Ami said just earlier that she has lived in Crystal Tokyo all her life and mainly takes trips to Mercury, a planet he found, she holds great pride for. She seemed to have a special interest after he told her about his orphan past and how he only had a single paper with handwriting on it which he assumed was his mother. Zoicite has always seen Earth as his home, maybe a special tie to Europe but he went to college there and since he was an orphan he would just backpack the country instead of taking summers back home. Ami seemed to totally understand his weird connection with the countryside. Ami said the first time she stepped on Mercury she knew she was home.
"So that is why I couldn't get a hold of you," Zoicite said nonchalantly thinking back on the first week on the job and his mounting annoyance for the assignment.
"Sorry about that, I go off planet quite a bit for work. There is a wonderful silence that comes about when a mobile phone is turned off," How was she expected to explain that her mobile was really just a way to appear accessible in normal society? The only thing she kept on all the time was her communicator; come to think of it there wasn't an off button for the damn thing… The simple truth was she didn't want him to know about her being… Queen Mercury. This might make things weird later but once someone knows your apart of the royal alliance owning you own planet and making choices that no one could really fathom it changes people. Ami doesn't expect Zoicite to have such idol worship but after the years a fear builds up, one that doesn't crumble easy, even with someone she once loved like Zoicite. Though maybe she should try and find some more time for this detective.
"I've never been to Mercury," Zoicite said out of the blue almost in a dreamy tone. Ami smiled at this,
"I think you should, it is a beautiful place," Zoicite then looked straight into Ami's eye and pondered for a moment. He was really lucky to have dinner with her, he knew this now she was wise smart not to mention very attractive. He was always attracted to woman like this and that was now more apparent to him more then ever. "Thinking of anything special?" came Amis soft voice almost a challenge for him to speak his mind.
"Nothing too important, so do you think we have monopolized this table long enough?" Zoicite said playfully paying the bill long ago. Ami gave a simple nod and they both left back onto the darkened streets of Tokyo.
"Hi Venus do you know where Mercury is? We are suppose to talk about the pray pillar today but I have no clue where she is," said Mars coming up to Venus in the hall. Before Venus could answer Serenity joined the group.
"Do either of you know where Mercury is?" Obviously the whole castle was at a miss from Mercury's disappearance.
"She didn't tell anyone she was running to a planet to fix anything," said Venus looking to the both of them, a cheeky smile slowly growing on her face. "Is Mercury, dare I ask, late to work?" Mars and Venus were both about to jump for a communicator when Serenity pulled out her own giving the two a stern look. The com beeped oddly long, Mercury normally had the small device near in case of emergencies.
"….What?" came a groggy mumble from under Mercury's covers obviously she had just woken up.
"This is Serenity Mercury. Are you all right? You are never late at the palace," the concern in Serenity's face was easy to read through the small view screen.
"Mm sorry Serenity, I just got to sleep an hour ago, I will get up and head over," Ami said ruffling back some blankets.
"No," came Serenity's commanding voice, "you deserve your rest, I'm sure we can manage here. Come in when you feel like it, and Mercury, try not to over do it so much," Serenity promptly closed her communicator, "she has been doing so much, it was only a matter of time," Serenity spoke to her other friends with a sigh.
"That or she was out with bhghg," Mars quickly covered up Venus's mouth muffling the last part of her sentence.
"Yep! Over worked, poor dear, hope she doesn't get sick. Well! Venus and I have some work to get done so see you later Serenity," Mars said whisking Venus off her hand still covering the struggling Venus's mouth. Serenity just raised her eyebrow; those two have seriously gotten sillier as the years passed.
Zoicite decided to walk to work, he would of taken a transport unit but he noticed it was a nice day and he had a bounce in his step. He slept like a baby and was refreshed for a new day. He greeted people as her walked into the office, which got in some quizzical looks but he paid them no mind. "What has you in a good mood?" asked an officer listening to Zoicite as he hummed to himself.
"I meet with my witness last night," he said with a smile.
"Oh? Did you get any clues from them?" asked the officer leaning on the doorframe. Zoicites face dropped rushing through his memories trying to recall, the actual case never came up in conversation, and his smile slowly came back.
"You know, just because a person is sweet doesn't mean their not tricky," an with that he left into his office leaving the police man still waiting wondering how that answered his question.
"Calling me back so soon?" Ami said as her greeting. Zoicite smiled again real big, the phone only rang once.
"Well it seems we didn't talk about the case at all. Since it was my excuse to take you out to dinner I was hoping I could recycle it, maybe for coffee or tea?" he had a bit more confidence asking this time, he wasn't normally playful let alone to a witnesses.
"Mmm coffee the best idea I've herd all day, I will meet you there in 30 minutes," and with that the dial tone went dead but Zoicite was already on the move. To think they already had a coffee shop they meet at. Ok more like met at the shop and he stalked with no avail but he is going to ignore that face at the moment.
When Zoicite got there he saw Ami with her small coffee table littered with papers.
"Looks like you are hard at work," he said coming up to the table; Ami didn't even look up to make her reply.
"When am I not hard at work?" Ami then remembered whom she was talking to. "Editing certainly has a paper trail, um how about you go get something to drink and I will clear all of this off," she already started to clear off her work zone as Zoi left for his tea, looking over his shoulder to her ever so often.
"So what's the word bird?" Zoicite asked sitting down across from Ami.
"The other night you told me about your unknown history with your family. Well the palace has records on every birth in a volt. I'm sure there is something there if you're interested," Ami said sweetly. Zoicite's eye went big in shock, news about his parents maybe something about who they were why they left him, the opportunity was something he only dreamed of.
"The volt? The palace? Ami all of this sounds too good to be true but unless you have a friend in the filing department I don't think I could ever get my hands on something so well guarded," reality stinging the back of his throat as he said it.
"Oh Zoicite it's just the palace not some high security prison," Ami said rather uncharacteristically, like his worry was almost childish. She walked by those volt doors everyday, a fact she was going to keep very secret.
"Are you really suggesting we break into the palace and steal official information?" the doubt that rattled his mind came out in his voice, break into the palace? It's the palace for goodness sakes! The place where the high court lives, all of the planets rules, history is made there you don't just break in!
"If you want to know about where you're from for any cost then do it. It's only a matter of not getting caught," Ami said almost as if she was challenging him, his apprehensive face proved he wasn't convinced. "Honestly your a criminal investigator, you have the best excuse to use the volt room. If you would like to try you will need my help," Ami started to gather her things to leave, "when you have made up your mind call me," she said before promptly grabbing her muffin and leaving out the door, her grand scheme playing out as expected.
"Mercury I herd you didn't come in the other day, are you ok?" asked the King as he casually stopped Mercury in the hall the next day.
"Oh yes I'm fine. I just have a lot of side projects... It's fine I will just learn to manage my time differently," she shuffled her books trying to avert eye contact, she didn't feel guilty. She didn't really do anything wrong but not informing him that she had awoken his best friends of old was a hard choice to make. Mercury thought the knowledge of their existence till they had to take orders and it was just as important to keep the girls away as it was Endymiond. Mercury knew the switch over from citizen to leader of the government was going to be hard for anyone, add to it new memories of a past life and you got a world of trouble, best to start it as late as possible.
"Well if you need to do less work just tell me. I know you have a lot going on, more then we even know," there was a pause that worried Ami. Oh gosh what did he know? She swore the photon torpedoes were built just for scientific curiosity. She really wasn't planning on using them! "You always know best with or without us knowing so no harm done, remember ask for help," Endymiond said as he walked away continuing down the hall as Mercury looked back at him a confused face rattling her brow.
Mars spent most of her week canceling appointments and not getting any real work done. Mainly because she had her day off taken away from her and she wanted some type of retribution. There was one bit of work she still had to do.
"Rei, what a wonderful surprise," Lita said smiling into her communicator.
"Hello Lita just wanted to give you a heads up," Rei said causally as she could for as serious as the subject was. Rei knew Lita has been off planet for a while touring her own planet, and her days off were normally taken on Jupiter and not the safety of her small town eatery.
"Hey Lita where is the mixer?" came a voice in the distance, a male voice, this certainly sparked, caught flame and lightly burned at Rei's interest.
"On the bottom shelf," Lita called back over her shoulder.
"Who is that Lita?" Rei's mischievous tone not expertly hidden like Mina had mastered many years ago.
"Oh just someone I'm training to cook at the bakery," Lita tried to make it as nonchalant as possible; she was lucky that it worked on Rei.
"Anyways are you going to be at the bakery on your next day off?" Rei asked her little devil tail creeping up.
"I should be, why?" Lita was starting to get annoyed; she needed to be in the kitchen before Neflight broke anything.
"Oh I just told Zoicite to meet you there around lunch time," it was snow Rei's turn to act nonchalant. Though she did get the response she wanted hearing the communicator drop to the ground.
"He has been reborn? What about the others?" Neflight came out of the kitchen clearing off his hands with a towel just to over hear on this now very interesting conversation.
"Ami woke up all the generals and put them in jobs to meet us. Mina hasn't told you? Wow you have been gone a while," Rei was honestly surprised Mina usually went wild with that kind of gossip.
"Ami did... And been meeting Zoicite on the sly? She can be so tricky. Thanks Rei for the heads up, I will be at the shop at that time," and with that the two said their goodbyes and canceled the call looking over to Neflight. "I guess she woke up the other generals just months after I found out how to for you," she didn't know how he would react to this.
"So do I get to see them soon?" Neflight had no memory of his other generals but he hoped meeting them would spark something.
"Maybe not yet, Ami could have this set up to span years or just a few months, she knows best," Lita had full confidence Ami's choices. If it wasn't for Ami forgetting her notebook one trusty morning Neflight wouldn't be standing here in Lita's favorite green apron. "I'm going to call Ami right now," and without another word she dialed Ami into the small device.
"Did you know Rei has become quite a gossip hound? I really can't trust her with anything," Ami said, as her standard way of jumping right into conversation.
"At least it is for the right reasons. Of all things Ami to bring back the generals? I guess you know my little secret then," Lita said winking to Neflight who totally gave up on cooking all together.
"With his stone missing and you handing me back that notebook I connected the dots. I also checked "Nik's" genetic memory pathways and he is clean just like all the other generals. He will not have the same fate as blue," Ami said getting sad at the mention of blue sapphire; she had worked on several projects with him.
"Speaking of which Rei told me to expect Zoicite next Tuesday," the playful teasing very apparent in her lofty voice.
"Oh good, I was worried Rei would send him straight to Mina and that would mess it all up. Remember only answer what has been asked. Also don't tell Serenity about all of this, it will all unravel soon," Ami said with a smile, good Lita was next her plans were working.
"Of course not a word to the queen. Well I have to go Neflight is making me dinner," Lita was very happy at least one of her friends knew about Neflight.
"Yes, I will have to meet up with him to ask a few questions purely science, I'm sure you'll understand. Ok well till tomorrow," Ami then disconnected the line.
"That went rather well," Lita said as they walked back into the kitchen.
"Yeah all accept the end when I became the human science experiment," Nik said in a slight grump.
Zoicites mind was slowly consumed by Ami's suggestion to visit the palace. It all sounded so good except for the breaking into the most highly respected and guarded buildings in the solar system. Now Zoicite liked adventure yes. He would gladly wonder around the world for information about his family. He would go climbing in caves, seek town elders heck he would even be ok with fighting for some info but the most high tech security locked buildings ever conceived by man? Maybe he should draw the line there. The idea that Ami had a way in kept burning in his mind. Ami wouldn't suggest something like that unless there was a way. Maybe she knew something he didn't. Maybe she knew someone that worked there like a friend or and old school fellow. After what felt like days Zoicite decided that what ever Ami had in mind was worth the risk. He was going to break into the castle.
All Ami said was meet her in the courtyard of the palace by any means necessary. As if it was simple as walking through the front gate. The crystal palace was surrounded by a tall thick wall several feet high and no simple way in. Zoicite pondered his options, or their lack of. 'No way around it,' he thought resolutely and went over to a vine climbing up the wall and over into the palace. He gulped trying to find a steady branch to start climbing on. Ami on the other hand looked up at the main gate, she never came in this way, weird the first time would be to break into a high security zone and steal top-secret information. Two guards marked the entrance. Ever so often they would do a weird formulated march and change positions. As she came closer they stool still noticing her presence. "Sorry mam, only people with a high security clearance can come in," said the guard holding out his hand like it would in force his words that much more. Ami just smiled then digging in her pocket for something. She pulled out her communicator and the guard's jaws dropped.
"I hope this is enough of a clearance," she said sarcastically as the guards gathered their wits.
"Yes queen, sorry queen, we are not use to your civilian cloths," stammered one of the guards.
"No worries, I would like to make some requests. One is to take all the guards on duty in the castle from here to the volt to go off duty. The other thing. There is a man climbing the wall on the north side, ignore him," The guards gave Ami an odd look but nonetheless did as she requested. It wasn't normal for the queen of Mercury to give orders to the palace guards; mostly it was Mars or Jupiter. Ami gleefully walked through the gates to wait in the courtyard.
Zoicite looked down to the ground, now 10 feet away and started to panic. 'I hate this, why did I agree to this? For my parents?! Well if I die it won't matter at all,' he took another step up the vine. Oddly convenient that a vine easy to climb would be planted right next to the wall. 'I bet it's in the castle wall guide lines, must plant big vine bush.' Zoicite just kept his mind busy, as long as he didn't look down again he would be fine. He took a deep sigh when he got to the top pulling his body up to sit on the ledge. Looking up his breath caught in his throat. The palace up close was much different then in the tourist photos. He was so aww stricken he totally lost balance. "Ahhhh!" he shouted making the rest of the trip in a grace to match even the Queen herself. Zoicites meeting grass as his decent landed him face first into the corner of the courtyard. Brushing himself off he saw Ami walk up to him.
"What part of stealth do you understand!? Obviously none of it, your lucky no guards saw you," Ami said helping him remove the grass from his coat.
"It's not easy getting in! How did you get in hum?! Dug a tunnel?" he asked out of spite.
"No genius I went through the front gate, now so you want these papers or not?" she asked a sense of urgency fueled her voice. Zoicite just curtly nodded, she was right this is no time to haphazardly climb walls. How did she get through the front gate anyways? Ami didn't give him time to ask she was already walking up the front entrance Zoicite crept behind her looking every direction he could to make sure the coast was clear. In the end it made Zoicite look like a paranoid stalker. "Zoicite stop looking around like the place is about to explode. Didn't you ever play cops and robbers?" Ami asked sympathetically, maybe it wasn't a good idea to bring him to the castle.
"I always played the cop, Jedite liked to play the robber, little did I know it was great practice for his future," Zoicite said suddenly shrinking back against the wall mistakenly hearing a noise.
"We have to hurry up before someone finds us," Ami said prying him off the white marble walls and down the hall only to see a guard who wasn't taken off duty. While Ami wood back to ponder how she would get him to leave Zoicite took a faster approach. He grabbed a vase on display near by, creeped up behind the guard and hit the man up side the head with the large metal vase. The guard fell to the floor easily.
"What in the hell are you thinking?" Ami said looking down at Steve, the poor man knocked out.
"I improvised now let's hurry up away from him," Zoicite said dragging Ami away from the guard. 'I'm sorry Steve,' Ami thought as she got pulled away. 'I will have Jupiter bake you up some cookies!' she thought in shock as she was pulled by Zoicite tramping further into the castle. Soon they reached a hallway that was at a slight curve. Like they were walking the perimeter of a big circle. Reaching a big door that certainly looked like a volt. Zoicite instantly started inspecting the door. "I do think this is the very room," he said looking at the pass code panel. Ami smiled,
"I would hope so, that's what it says on the panel next to the door." Ami looked both ways, they had spent half the time she allotted just in getting to the volt, they needed to speed up.
Zoicite was making a game of trying to get the password right with little results.
"Would you mind if I try? I do have a talent with numbers," Ami said eagerness in her voice.
"Ami, you have a talent in everything, but if you think you can get in far be it of me to stop you," Zoicite stepped aside but not without noticing Amis blush at the compliment. Ami had the door unlocked after the second try. "Ah ha! Now Zoicite I think it's best you look and I will stand guard out here," Ami said, a plan already formed in her mind.
"Wonderful! Give me a warning if anyone is coming," and with that he left into the volt room. It seemed the entry way lead into a center hub with computer stations for easy reference and finding the right file chamber which chromed the walls around.
Zoicite ran to the computers and started typing using his well-formed library skills.
"Mercury, I do say your loitering," said Mars walking up to Ami standing in the hall. Mercury instantly signaled to Mars to quite her tone.
"I'm 'standing guard' Zoicite is in the volt looking up some information, he should be out soon," Ami said almost whispering to Mars making Rei draw close to Ami.
"Why didn't you just tell him instead of making him sneak in here?" Rei asked, remembering Zoicite wasn't the slyest of the generals.
"Where is the fun in that?" Ami said as if what Mars was suggesting was unthinkable.
"The way you flirt should be tested not practiced," Rei said flatly peeking into the volt room with a raided eyebrow, "I had better leave before he see's you talking to the very person your suppose to be standing guard against." Rei waved as she left down the hall only to pass the knocked out guard Steve turn around and gave Ami a look that clearly read 'you have got to be kidding me' and kept walking.
Zoicite shuffled through the files like a pro. His breathe caught when he arrived to his own folder. Not wanting to waste time he grabbed the whole folder and shut the file cabinet. Zoicite clambered out of the volt to see Ami waiting. "I've got it but how do we get out?" he asked looking both ways down the hall.
"We can use the public entrance," Ami said as they shut the volt door. Zoicite's face fell clearly dejected.
"Why didn't we use that to get in!?" he felt quite put out, he could of gotten in here as a visitor.
"Don't be silly, we could of never gotten to this part of the castle if we came in as visitors, now come on, we don't want to be caught." Ami practically dragged Zoicite down the hall. They weren't that far before they found a gated off area reading 'no visitors beyond this point please' and just like any young punks causing trouble they hopped the gate and quickly found the public exit.
Zoicite took a deep breath once he got off the grounds,
"I never want to do that again. I think I'm going to go home and read this file. What about you?" Zoicite asked turning to Ami.
"Probably ketch up on some work. You had better take that transport unit just across the street," Ami said pointing as the unit was just rolling up to the gat. Zoicite nodded and started jogging off only to turn around and shout, "Thanks again!" he hopped on the unit and it speed off. Ami smiled and made an about turn right back into the castle, she was certainly in a good mood and felt like she could get a lot of paperwork done.
After working just a short while Ami was distracted by a call on her communicator. "Hello Jupiter," Mercury said reading the call.
"This is actually Nik, or I guess Neflight as you know me," Neflight spoke with hesitation. Talking to all these royals was so weird. Heck it's hard enough finding out your girlfriend is a royal but she also is friends with all the rest of them.
"Ah Nik, wonderful to hear from you, what can I do for you?" Mercury certainly wanted to gather some facts on his reincarnation.
"Lita said something about you wanting to ask me some questions..." he trailed off, man why was he submitting himself to this again? Ah yes, true damn love.
"Ah yes will Monday suite you? I know Jupiter has to be in town Tuesday and it's best you both come in together," Ami said making sure to invite Jupiter too. They both talked for a little longer before the plans were confirmed. Ami let out a happy sigh, she really felt like she accomplished a lot today.