Ambrosia lifts the book carefully, almost as if it is more precious than life itself. She hesitates only a moment before handing it to me. I undo the latch and glance through the pages to be sure it really is the right book. The book is written in an old Scottish script. The latch will only open to one who is allowed to look at it. I close it again and hand it to Ambrosia. She understands that I am testing her, to see if she can open it. Ambrosia smiles somewhat slyly as she carefully undoes the latch.
"There is something else I want you to see," She says as she turns back to the vault. She takes out another book that I hadn't seen in there. This book had not been preserved like the other. This one shows the aging that the book on display showed. I recognize it to be Failow's journal. It has some technical notes in it, I know, but most of it is about her life. Ambrosia carefully takes out a small piece of paper from the back and hands it to me. On the yellowed parchment is a sketch of Failow with her arms around her husband. I sit on a stool in front of them, holding their baby. Of course, it never happened; I had drawn it for Failow after she had lost her husband so she could see them as one happy family. She had insisted I put myself in it also. Other than the dress I wear in the picture, I look exactly the same. Ambrosia clearly sees this, it would be impossible not to, no one could look that much like any relative.
"She wrote about you a lot," Ambrosia says, "I found this book not long ago. Well, actually, some family of mine found it when they were moving Failow's body to a more appropriate gravesite. I have worked my entire life to try and reclaim the knowledge she once had. They all think I'm crazy to go chasing after something as impossible as controlling energy, but I have learned a little, enough to make this vault. It can only be opened with the right words, so the books are safe. And now you're here, but how?" She asks, her face quite serious.
It is a painful story to me, how I came to live so long. It is all Beryl's fault; I would have been able to die with everyone else, if it wasn't for her. Beryl is the real witch. However, it is a story that I should not tell to someone I just met. Yet, I feel I can trust her.
"Have you read the books then?" I ask, ignoring her question for now. She seems slightly chagrinned.
"Actually, no, I can't read it. I don't understand the script, I guess, though I have been able to read other writings from that time and place. When I try, all I get is gibberish. The diary is easier to read," She adds.
"The journal was written for her family to remember her always. The book, though, is for a more select audience. You must be taught to read it." I pause, considering, then continue, "Since you are able to open it, you are allowed to read it." This seems to be all she was waiting for. Ambrosia smiles brightly again.
"Would you teach me," she asks eagerly, like a little girl learning to ride her bike, an image only distorted by her gray hair and crow's feet.
"Yes," I reply, returning her smile and almost laughing at her innocent enthusiasm, "When do you get off?"
"Now, if I like," She answers. We decide to go out to lunch. As we head toward the stairs, books in hand, I notice one of the workers is trying to put a small statue back together. It has several cracked figures standing on a pedestal. I know the art style, and can see that he is about to put the wrong nose on a face. The art lover of me takes over.
"NO!" I scream, startling a group that is already tense from being so close to a battle. They all freeze and I run over to the man with the statue. "This goes here," I say, taking the piece from him.
"What are you doing!" he demands indignantly, trying to get the thing back. A man comes over, an air of authority hangs about him. He must be the one in charge of the operation. He is old and graying, slightly over weight, with a stern expression softened by his kind eyes. His nametag labels him as Dr. Handrisky. The doctor looks over the statue and at the piece I am fighting over with the worker, trying to get in the right spot. He laughs.
"She's right, you know," Dr. Handrisky says with clear amusement, "You have quite an eye for details for one so young."
I sigh to myself. That is something I have heard before – a lot.
"You should hire her, after all there is so much to repair," Ambrosia says, slightly amused. He stands, thinking for a moment, then laughs again.
"You're right," He says before turning back to me, "Would you consider working here, after school of course."
If I do agree, it means that I won't be able to spend so much time watching over the Scouts. I don't need the money, after all, but I think it could be fun. Besides, what good had I ever really done them? Besides, some of the damage is my fault; the least I can do is repair it.
"I'm out of school," I say, hiding a smile. He looks a little taken back. I pull my driver's license out, which I got for just this purpose. I can drive, but the license is more than a little illegal. I had it made by some friends of mine in England. I hand him the card, which says I am twenty-four. His eyes widen in surprise.
"I'm sorry miss," he says after glancing over it, "Come back at two and we'll work out a contract." I agree. Ambrosia and I go out to lunch to begin her training.
The next morning, I am up again, this time getting ready to go to work. I have both books; Ambrosia had insisted I keep them the day before since I would get more use out of them than she. I plan to stop over at Serena's before going to the museum. I eat a piece of toast as I look for the right page. The book could be considered to hold spells. Each page contains one "incantation" that is nothing more than a few words strewn together for the purpose of concentrating ones energy as well as releasing the energy trapped in the page for that spell. There are three hundred and sixty pages. I find the memory spell, read through it casually, and head out the door.
As I head to Serena's I have to wonder if making her remember wouldn't be a bit too painful for her. I have a hard enough time dealing with the past, and I hadn't actually seen the moon destroyed! She would have to remember dying. I pause at the corner of Serena's block and read the spell more carefully, thinking to myself that I could make a few changes that would limit just what she would remember. Her memory will be returned in the form of dreams. After all, the past is just lying dormant in her subconscious, so bringing the images forward as dreams would allow her time to adjust to it. Pulling out a piece of paper and pencil form my bag, I rewrite the spell to fit my specific needs. Now it is designed such that Serena will only remember that I was a friend, and servant, no more, no less.
I look at my watch and find that I am now late. I go to the museum and decide to catch Serena on her way home later.
After work, I look for Serena, but as usual, she is in detention, so I wait outside of the school for her. A few hours go by and I begin to wonder just what Serena is in trouble for. I glance down at my watch. I don't even have time to look up as I hear a screech and a blond torpedo hits me head on. I fall back a few steps, but catch myself before falling. Serena isn't as lucky; she hits the pavement with a wail.
"I'm sorry! ...oh, it's you."
"Good evening to you, too," I say, grinning and helping her up. My smile fades to a more serious expression as I continue, "I can give you your memory back."
She looks confused for a moment, probably not remember our conversation from before. Then realization dawns on her face, followed by panic.
"Great! But I'm running late, so can we talk as we go," she asks. Without waiting for my reply she's off again, probably late for dinner. I run along slightly behind her.
"Are you sure you want to remember? I will give you some of your memories back, not all of them. You don't want to remember everything," I say with a slight shudder.
Serena stops so suddenly that I almost run her over.
"Will you work with us if I do remember?" She asks. I don't know what to say. I'm being selfish anyway; she already has good friends and a new life. I'm the only one who is still living in the past.
I shake my head sadly. "The other scouts don't like me. They don't trust me. How could I possibly work with them when they aren't even sure if I am an enemy or not?"
"Yes, I want to remember, if it will help you." With that said, ignoring my last question, Serena continues running home.
That would always be Serena, one of the least selfish people ever when it really mattered. Sure, sometimes she would whine and wail, but in the end it would be Serena who would do anything to help another. I want to protect her and the others. I feel like I owe them something because I lived while they fought. Sometimes I really envy them, that they were allowed to die and have a new start from everything. Not even sure of my own motive, I decide to use the spell. I go to the museum for my first day of work and another day of training Ambrosia.
My first day went fine. Dr. Handrisky turned out to be a very nice, funny guy. Ambrosia reminds so much of Failow it's scary. She is, to use an old expression, curious as a kitten, with a real enthusiasm for life to match Serena. Only Ambrosia doesn't eat or klutz out. However, now I am ready to do the spell. I read off the paper that I'd written on earlier even though I've memorized the words already. There is no bright light or flashly breeze, only a momentary feeling of stored energy leaving my body. Since I am not reading out of the book directly, I can't activate the trapped energy there so I use my own. I sink to the couch and fall asleep.
It is a lot harder to get up the next morning than usual. It is Sunday and I don't have to go to work. Correction on the morning part, it is well into the afternoon; I slept longer than I thought. I drag myself down to Serena's. Her mom answers the door and I introduce myself as Serena's friend. Then I notice her worried expression. She lets me in without saying a word.
"Is something wrong?" I ask. Her eyes focus on me for the first time.
"I'm sorry. But, well, you know Serena, never wants to get out off bed." I begin to get a sinking feeling. "It's just that she's never been this hard to wake up before. You can go up to her room if you like." She leads the way upstairs to a room decorated in pink with bunnies on everything, a very crowded room. Serena's mom goes back downstairs, saying something about calling the doctor.
The four girls and two cats around Serena give me a hard look. I walk in anyway.
"You were the last one to talk to her, Luna saw you," Lita says accusingly. I don't deny it; I won't ever lie. Having nothing to say, I just stare at them. They stare at me. I realize that this happens whenever we're together. Rei brakes the silence this time.
"So what did you do to her!" Rei says as she jumps to her feet. I can almost see the fire in her eyes. Leave it to Rei. I am wondering what I did to her myself. I step cautiously through the living obstacle course, half expecting someone to attack me. I had never been friends with the other princesses, and for all the time I spend watching over them, I still don't know what to expect from them. Luna jumps up to Serena's bed as I stand beside it. Serena doesn't seem in pain, just sleeping. The memories were supposed to come back while she slept, but slowly, not in one continuos flow. I have no idea why the spell would keep her asleep. I have no idea what to do. I reach out a hand to see if I can feel energy leaving her.
"Don't touch her!" Mina says. She is closest to me. I pull back my hand out of reflex. They'll always be princesses in my mind; when they give an order, it is obeyed. Man, am I ever living in the past.
"I'm sorry," I say softly to no one and everyone. But, that is enough of an admission of guilt for them.
"Venus star power!"
"Mars star power!"
"Jupiter star power!"
And a more hesitant, "Mercury star power!"
The room some how seems more crowded with the Sailor Scouts in it.
"Tell us what you did to her!" Jupiter says again.
I sigh resignedly. "I don't know. Just let her sleep. She should come around…" They don't seem to be buying this. Steps are heard from the stairs, forcing the scouts to power down. Serena's mother and a doctor come in. I slip out to go home and to consult my books. I am such an idiot for trying a spell on a person that I haven't even seen for over a thousand hundred years!
No matter how hard I look, though, I can't find a reason for Serena to stay asleep like this. I call the Tsukino's the next to find that the doctor also doesn't have a clue and only suggests that she be allowed to rest, giving some nonsense about hormones and adolescents as a reason. My theory is that I opened the door to Serena's memories, and Serena being stronger than any spell, wanted to see more than what I had intended. It is just what she is remembering that worries me more than how long she sleeps. I go to visit Serena whenever her friends aren't there, which is almost never. I can't go while they are at school since I have a job. Mrs. Tsukino is very nice and is happy to keep me updated when I call. A week passes before Serena wakes up.
Oh no, what could have gone wrong with the spell? Is Serena going to be all right? Stay tuned for chapter four. ^-^
