AN: This chapter was uploaded on AO3 a day earlier because the pit of voles was not letting me get to the Doc Manager.

Chapter 12: Wisdom's Redemption

Zakari pulled away from their third kiss of this life. He smiled down at Ami. "Do you remember our first kiss of our last life?" He asked.

She nodded. "It seems both first kisses of both of our lives were rewards," she said. Her eyes glanced around at the empty. "It doesn't surprise me that Usagi left."

"I didn't hear Usagi," Zakari said. "Do you remember how our third meeting in our past lives happened?"

"Yes. Are you wondering why I was even walking around in that part of the Moon castle?" She asked. Zakari pulled her into a sitting position.

"Always have. It's always baffled me why you were able to find me," he said.

"Our bond had formed by then, but I didn't know it," she said, "or understood it."

"So you went and followed where it lead you?" Zakari smirked as he rose to his feet.

"Yes," she said when he offered a hand to her. "Do you recall how to procure that lotion?"

"Why do you ask?" Zakari asked as Ami took his hand.

"Just like my last life," Ami said as Zakari helped her to her feet, "I still gets hives when I receive love letters, but not as bad as it was."

"Do you know any of them who sent those letters?" He asked her.

"No," she said as she left go of his hand. "Thankfully, none have been from Greg's reincarnation."

"About him," said Zakari pressing his lips together, "who was he exactly besides being the person that passed letters between you and your dad in that time?"

"He was a lower noble of Mercury, but he did have some peculiar abilities that made Dad choose him," she said before slightly biting her bottom lip.

"Is there something fearful that you don't want to say about Greg?" Zakari asked as he felt the uncertainty come through their bond.

"Beryl's puppet met Greg's reincarnation in this life." Ami looked out the window in her room, hiding her eyes from him.

"Beryl's puppet...the puppet that she created from what she stole from me." Zakari sunk down to the bed. "Which one was he?"

"The one who see things in the future." Ami came over to him. Slowly, she wrapped her arms around him. "His name in this life is Ryo Urawa. It's been a long time since I see him."

"Do you know where he is?" He asked as he allowed Ami hold his head firmly against her chest.

"No, but I found a letter from him that I should have read when I received it," she said.

"He saw something that he was wanting to warn you about," said Zakari, letting his rest against her chest.

"Yes, he was warning me that I was to go through some mentally trying times," she said before sighing. "This letter arrived before I took your stone from Mamoru's."

"So no warning about the kidnapping," he said as he felt her arms tightened around him.

"No," she said before whispering. "The nightmares are lessening."

"Good," he said in a whisper. "I love you, and would do anything to help with your nightmares."

"Thank you," she said as she let go of him. "We should see where Usagi went."

"Yes, we should," he said as stood up. "Ready?"

She nodded before she began to walk to leave her room with Zakari at her side.

Ami kept to her thoughts as she walked beside Usagi. They were heading to the shrine to meet the others. Last night had been dinner with her parents and Zakari. Now tonight would be the first time with everyone since returning to Japan. However, she felt something wasn't going to go as planned. /Ami, could you and Usagi make a little detour?/ Zakari asked through their bond.

/Where to?/ She asked. Her feet came to a stop.

/The usual place it seems,/ said Zakari.

"Zakari asked for us to help," she said. Usagi had stopped and turned to her.

"What kind of help?" Usagi asked.

"It was implied what help," Ami said before walking past Usagi. "We need to go."

Usagi nodded before she and Ami began to walk away from the normal path to the shrine. As they walked towards the place that seemed to attract monsters now, Ami could feel it. "I'm glad you two could make it." She looked towards the voice and saw Zoisite with two swords at his waist.

"What exactly is it, Zoi?" Ami asked as he lead them closer to the clearing.

"A monster, but it's too fast to defeat on my own," he said before glancing at her. "I don't want help now." He took his sword from his first life and placed it into Ami's hands. "If you absolutely find an opportunity to help me, I want you to use this."

She nodded, wrapping her fingers around the sheath. He threw her a reassuring smile and then dashed with sword drawn towards a monster in the clearing. Hearing Usagi transform into Sailor Moon reminded her that she should also transform just in case. Laying the sword down at her feet, she took a moment to settle her mind. As she uttered that phrase that unleashed her powers, she thought about how long it had been since she transformed. It had been too long, she thought as she crouched down to the ground fully transform.

With her eyes not looking down, Sailor Mercury picked up the sword. She didn't cast any glances to Sailor Moon when she stood next to her. However, her lips began to twitch downward. "Guard yourself, Zoisite," she said more to herself than Moon.

"Mercury?" Moon's voices drifted into her ears but she didn't hear it as she stood.

"It's the same as the past," she said as she wrapped her hand around the hilt of the sword. "He never seems to realize he never guards his left side." She drew the sword out of its sheath.

Mercury never heard Moon's gasp. The sword glowed. Mercury's own eyes latched on to the sword as it drew her into another world. A thick fog hid all of this other world from her eyes. But she knew the fog was not nature's creation. It was a magical fog. Before her mind could ponder the fog, a bell-like laughter reached her ears.

"Who's there?" She called out to the mist as she took up a fighting stance.

The laughter rang out again. "I pose no danger to you, young one," said the owner of the laughter.

"Then who are you?" She asked as a shadowy figure appeared in the mist.

"My name is lost due to sins. Sins perceived as being caused by me," said the voice as the figure approached her slowly. "My youngest cousin probably referred to me as his eldest cousin."

"Cousin?" Mercury furrowed her brow. The figure's dark navy clothes came into view. "That does not help. Who is the cousin you speak of?"

"Mercurius."

Mercury was stunned. "You're my predecessor...correct?"

"Yes," said the voice before the figure, a woman, stepped forward. The mist still obscured her.

"Why would you be here now?" Mercury asked.

"You tapped into Wisdom's Redemption's abilities," said the woman lightheartedly.

"Zoisite's sword is called Wisdom's Redemption," Mercury said. "We were told it was one of the Blades of Redemption. Not which one it was exactly.

"Yes. It's a sword to unlock a power for the guardian who would succeed me," said her predecessor. "The lesson learned was that no one should come into their full powers so quickly." Her predecessor looked up. "Those powers were so powerful and unwieldy. I hope you never ever experience that."

"Is that what lead to your downfall?" Mercury asked.

"Yes," said the woman turning towards her. "But enough talking about me. I should share what Wisdom's Redemption can do."

"Then do share," said Mercury.

"Close your eyes and listen for your element," said the woman. Mercury closed her eyes. "Now you will start feeling Wisdom's Redemption's power. Grab hold of it and it will give you a quick power boast." Mercury nodded. "Any of your attacks can be channeled through that blade, but this power will tire you. Especially in the condition you're in."

"Thank you," said Mercury before opening her eyes back to the clearing.

She blinked a few times before seeing the danger Zoisite was about to land in. Closing her eyes again, she did as her predecessor had instructed. She felt the power from Wisdom's Redemption flow into her. As it flowed, her fuku disappeared under a light-weight blue armor. Finally, she felt all that it could give her was given.

Opening her eyes, she glanced towards the battle and saw the monster make a move that Zoisite didn't see. With feet that didn't touch ground, she ran into the battle. Then she slashed at the monster. "Mercury Aqua Rhapsody!" She said as the attack came out of the blade and injuring the monster.

As Zoisite's own sword sliced through the monster and destroyed it, she sunk to her knees. She let her transformation go. As soon as her transformation was gone, the sword was also gone. All her strength was gone. She didn't know why she was still awake or even sitting. But in a moment, she felt what little strength keeping her upright draining away. Then she felt an arm behind her causing her to glance to the person next to her. "How did you do that?" Usagi whispered.

"Later, Usagi," she said as she felt Zakari (no longer Zoisite) picked her up.

"Can you please give Rei a heads up on arrival?" Zakari asked.

"The message has been sent to her," said Usagi.

"Ready?" Zakari asked Ami.

Ami nodded. Then there was a crack as Zakari went ahead and teleported him and her to a place near the shrine.

Zakari's arms were starting to tire from carrying Ami. He kept moving forward. His eyes spotted the shrine. Then Rei slipped out of the shrine in her miko garb."Zakari, what happened to her?" Rei asked softly. "Usagi was vague in her message."

"She used my sword," said Zakari. Rei's eyes look down to Ami.

"So do you know the name of his sword?" Rei asked.

"Wisdom's Redemption," said Ami. "And Jadeite's sword is?"

"Battle's Redemption," the miko said. "However, I think you probably know more than I do."

"I can explain later." She poked Zakari lightly. He slowly lowered her down to her own feet. "But I feel like eating something, then a nap."

"You're in luck." Rei grinned "Makoto arrived a few minutes ago and she has a bento especially for you."

"Is she in the kitchen?" Ami asked.

"Yes," said Rei as Ami took a careful and hesitant step under Rei's gaze. "Do you need some help getting there?"

"Zakari can help me," she said. Zakari joined her at her side.

"Are you even sure you can walk on your own?" He whispered into her ear.

"I can," she said before leaning against him. "I just need you to lean on you occasionally."

Instead of words, he kissed her forehead before wrapping his arm around her. She gave a wave to Rei before they began to walk to the kitchen of the shrine's residence. It was slow, and several times Zakari asked her if she wanted to be carried. But each time she waved him off. Her determination to do it on her own impressed Zakari. Eventually, they made it. Makoto saw them instantly. "Ami, it is so good to see you," said Makoto as she came up to them and hugged Ami.

"I feel the same, Makoto," said Ami as she pulled away from Makoto. "Rei said you had a bento for me."

"Yes, I do. Do you want it now?" Makoto asked before Ami nodded. "When Usagi told us about how you were, I knew I had to make a bento for you."

"Makoto, you don't have to beat around the bush," said Ami. Makoto pulled out a bento box and laid it on the kitchen table. "I know you can see that I lost weight."

"Are you all right though?" Makoto asked as she sat down and opened the box.

"As good as one can be after what I experience," said Ami as she looked over the food in the bento. "Is there anything I should try first?"

"I did try something different with the rice balls." Makoto sat down on a chair across from Ami. "Please let me know what you think."

Ami picked up one of the rice balls and took a bit of it. "This is good, Makoto," said Ami before looking at Makoto. "Did anything interesting besides Nephrite and Jadeite awakening?"

"Zakari healed me once," said Makoto. "Saved me a lot of time."

"Just never ask me to heal bones." Zakari sat done in a chair next to Ami. "I've tried in my last life, and I could never heal them. Mamoru might, but I don't know if he has used his healing ability like he did in the past."

"I doubt so," said Makoto. "Nephrite is Nobuyuki and he's the brother to Jun, who's Jadeite."

"Ah, they're related." Ami's hand picked up another rice ball.

"Yes, and when you get back to school, you'll see them both," said Makoto.

"I still can't believe Nobuyuki is a couple months older than me," said Zakari, "but he's still in high school."

"It can't be blamed," said Makoto before sighing. "When Beryl got to them, she messed them up so bad that they had troubles with coming back to a normal life."

"Unlike how me and Katashi were able to continue on," said Zakari. His eyes watched Ami eat. "They were the first and I bet she had to regroup since what happened to those two caused quite a stir. At least, that's what Katashi told me."

"Where are those two?" Ami asked as picked up the last item in the bento.

"They're around here," said Makoto as she stood up. "Jun had some things he needed help with."

"Did I hear someone talking about me?" A male voice asked.

"Jun, did Nobuyuki come with you?" Makoto asked as she walked over to the sink.

"No, he didn't," said Jun.

"Ami, would you like some water?" Makoto asked as she reached for a glass.

"Yes, please," said she as Jun came up to her.

"So, you're Ami," said Jun as he looked at her.

"And you haven't change one bit from you past life," said Ami before yawning. "I don't think I could stay awake much longer."

"I could pick you up and carry you all the way to my room," said Jun as he wiggled his eyebrows ever so slightly.

Zakari snarled. He wanted to smack Jun. In their first life, whenever Jadeite wiggled his eyebrows, he was always flirting with some. "I wonder what Rei would say if she knew what you were trying to do," said Ami before Makoto placed a glass in front of her. "Thank you, Makoto."

"The offer is still good," said Jun as Ami began to drank the water, "but I would take you to Rei's room instead."

"Zakari can carry me," said Ami as she placed the empty glass on the table. "You, Jun, can lead him."

"All right," said Jun with shoulders dropping.

Zakari's lips curled upwards slightly. /You handled it well,/ he said through their bond. He wrapped his arms around Ami and began to slid Ami off her chair.

/Yes,/ she said before leaning into Zakari.

"Jun, can you lead me?" Zakari asked. "I doubt it will be long before she drifts off to sleep."

"Certainly," Jun said before he began to walk away from them. "Rei's room is this way."

Zakari nodded and began following Jun. As he walked, his arms felt Ami relaxing in his arms. His eyes glanced down at her. She was dozing slightly. Once they reached Rei's room, Zakari walked over to Rei's bed. His arms clutched Ami closer as he knelt next to the bed. He slid her into the bed, jostling slightly. Ami woke from her dozing but didn't seem aware. After pulling the covers over her, he began to slowly run his hand over her hair. The motions of his hand was enough to given into her tiredness.