Chapter 8: Planning and Escape
Ami looked around her frantically. She was in one room with windows on all sides. There was a bed in the center of the room, and a small table next to it. A door on the side led to a bathroom, with toilet, tub and sink. She couldn't see out the windows, but she was sure they could see in. Who were they? What did they want from her? They were obviously an enemy, but why did they seem so different, so, familiar? Questions raced through her mind as she tried to calm herself. She had to think of a way out, she had to think of a way to get her Mercury Crystal back, without it she was worthless.
That's not true, something in her mind told her, without your Crystal you're not a senshi, but before you were a senshi you weren't worthless. Think Ami, think, it ordered her.
"Okay," she took a deep breath and exhaled. She went and sat on the bed trying to find a way out of this.
Seaharmony walked in and handed Ami her communicator, "Call the other senshi, tell the leader to go to the Tokyo Tower at 7:00 tomorrow morning. There will be a letter waiting for them," she ordered Ami.
Ami nodded, she flipped on her communicator and it fuzzed. She couldn't communicate through time and space. What was she thinking? "It's not working," she said quietly.
"What? Why?" Seaharmony demanded.
Ami almost screamed at her, Because I'm not the right person! but she held herself calm and responded, "You must have broken it."
Seaharmony glared, "Then you'll write a letter and tell us where the rest of the senshi are," she ordered.
"I don't know where they are," Ami replied, "And if I did I wouldn't tell you because you can't kill me, there's something you want from me."
Seaharmony scowled viciously.
Ami thought of another place they might be, a place she hadn't checked, "But if you get me a phone I could call them."
Seaharmony smiled cruelly and went off to find her a phone.
"I hope they're there," she wished quietly.
Seaharmony came back with a phone and threw it to Ami, "Five minutes," she told her and began to walk out.
Ami quickly asked for a phonebook, and Seaharmony muttered to herself running out to get it. She came back and handed it to Ami.
Ami quickly looked up Mamoru's number and dialed it.
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The phone rang, and Mamoru got up grumpily to get it, "Who would call this late?" he asked himself quietly looking at the clock; it was one in the morning.
He answered the phone, "Moshi moshi," he said sleepily.
"Mamoru? Are the rest of the senshi there?" Ami demanded.
"Who is this?" he asked, quickly waking up.
"Listen to me, your new enemy has me here, and they say to go to the Tokyo Tower at 7:00 tomorrow morning to get a note, but only Sailor Venus can go. Do you understand me? It's urgent you tell Endymion this," Ami began quickly.
"No more!" Mamoru heard Seaharmony's voice shout and her slam her fist into whoever it was.
"No!" Ami shouted on the other line as it went dead.
The other's lost their anger when they saw Mamoru's face as he hung the phone up; it was drained of color.
"Mamoru?" Usagi asked.
"Someone knows where we are. They know that we're here, and I heard the enemy in the background, but the strangest thing was that whoever it was it sounded as if they were being beaten by the enemy, and it sounded like Ami, only, different. They tried to give me a message to give to you, Endymion, but they were cut off," Mamoru tried to explain.
"Sailor Mercury," Endymion's face drained of its color, "Someone sent her back to find me, and the enemy got her."
"What?" Ami questioned horrified.
"We've got to get her back," Minako balled up her fists.
"But we don't know where they are," Hotaru reminded them.
"Then we'll find them," Makoto said determined holding up her hand.
"No," Ami told her, "I'm glad you want to fight for me, but the best thing to do is go get that note tomorrow."
Setsuna and Michiru nodded in agreement, "She's right."
"But until then we need to get rest," Helios informed them.
Everyone eagerly agreed; they were all tired from the day and within minutes were sound asleep.
After Chibi-usa was sure everyone was asleep she snuck over and slid next to Helios.
"Small maiden," he whispered softly wrapping his arms tightly around her.
Chibi-usa smiled as he kissed the top of her head, and she fell asleep.
Helios stayed awake for a long time just watching her sleep, and somewhere deep in his heart he knew if something happened to her he wouldn't be able to live without her.
Eventually he fell asleep and was awakened when Chibi-usa pulled away from him. Hotaru was near her looking nervously over her shoulder toward the room where King Endymion slept.
Chibi-usa got up and crept back to where she was, looking back wistfully at Helios who smiled. She turned to thank Hotaru yet again.
Hotaru nodded and walked to the glass door to watch the sun come up.
Chibi-usa got up and walked over to her putting a hand on her arm and smiling.
Hotaru smiled back and Chibi-usa began, "Hotaru, you're such a great friend. I don't know what I'd do without you."
"I'm glad we're fellow senshi, but I'm even more glad we're friends," Hotaru told her.
Chibi-usa nodded in agreement, and the two turned to watch the sun rise. The sky was dotted with pinks and oranges, blues and purples, a stroke of green and red, and a flaming yellow.
"Look we're in the sunrise," Hotaru told her.
Chibi-usa beamed, "We are aren't we?"
They laughed and talked as they waited for the others to wake up.
Usagi woke up at 6:30 the last senshi to arise, even she knew this wasn't a day to sleep in.
Minako paced, and Haruka scowled, "You're making me nervous," she told her.
"I'm sorry, but I just want to go," Minako couldn't stand still.
"You're sure you don't want anyone to come with you?" Makoto asked again.
"They said only me. They've got Mercury; we can't risk anything," Minako replied.
"Including being late, it's time," Michiru told her.
"Venus Crystal Power Make Up!" she shouted transforming and running out
the door.
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Ami had been awake a long time before the sun had risen only sleeping a couple solid hours. No matter how hard she tried she couldn't think of a way of getting out with her Mercury Crystal; she didn't even know where it was. How could she leave without it though?
Seaharmony walked in with a bowl of white rice and set it down in front of her along with a glass of water, "The transfer has been made," Seaharmony laughed.
"May, may I know where my Mercury Crystal is? Are you taking care of it?" Ami questioned.
"Oh it's in good hands, ours, forever," Seaharmony snickered walking out.
Ami tried not to cry, she had to think, but how could she get out of this? She lay on the bed and cried. "Endymion," she whispered sobbing.
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Minako walked back into the apartment with the note in her hand. As she walked in everyone stood and she handed the note to Endymion. He opened it with shaking hands;
We're going to generous and give you two options:
1. Exchange the small girl with pink hair for Mercury or
2. Meet us at Crossroads Park tomorrow midnight for a final battle, to the death.
Leave and we will kill her, trick us and she dies, we'll see you there tomorrow for a trade or a fight either way we'll be waiting
Blackpearl, Sunlash, Nightdragon, Seaharmony
P.S. I'm back~ Firesnake
"I won't let you take her," Helios stood in front of Chibi-usa and had Endymion not been frazzled he would have said something.
"Don't be stupid, we would never let anything happen to Chibi-usa," Rei growled.
Chibi-usa let out her breath.
"You didn't think we'd ever let anything hurt to you did you?" Ami asked smiling.
"No, no, no, it's just… what do they want with me?" she inquired
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Ami woke up with tear stains on her cheeks; she couldn't remember anything from the time Seaharmony came in. "Why can't I remember? What happened that my mind doesn't want me to remember?" she demanded herself.
"Oh you were just muttering things in your sleep," Seaharmony laughed walking in.
Ami glared, "What?!"
"Oh just things you shouldn't be saying you know, things about a certain King of Crystal Tokyo," she smiled viciously.
"What?" Ami whispered. Did she know? Did she know about Chibi-usa?
"Oh yes, I know all about your secret love for the King. It could be useful for when we go to Queen Serenity and demand control of Crystal Tokyo."
"You won't ever take Crystal Tokyo from us!" Ami shouted.
Seaharmony stepped back, "Us? And your love for the, King? Oh no!" she moaned, "We have the Sailor Mercury from the future?"
"What?!" Nightdragon shouted outraged appearing inside.
"The wrong one?" Blackpearl whined.
Seaharmony nodded, "But that's okay. They'll come anyway, and they know that we'll kill them, so they'll give us the Princess don't worry," Seaharmony assured them.
"They better because if you mess this one up Seaharmony," Sunlash began.
"Don't worry, I won't," Seaharmony promised.
"I'm watching you, we're all watching you. One more mess up and you're done, permanently," Sunlash threatened.
Seaharmony gulped and nodded as they disappeared.
She screamed at Ami outraged, "You didn't tell me you were from the future you stupid bitch!"
Ami smiled sweetly at the insult, "Why would I tell you anything? You're the enemy," she informed her.
"Because I have this," Seaharmony snapped her fingers, and Ami's Mercury Crystal appeared in front of her.
Ami jumped for it but Seaharmony snatched it up, and smacked Ami across the face with the stone opening a gash in her cheek and fracturing her jaw. She fell to her hands and knees. She spit out blood and it mixed with tears of pain making a watery rust on the floor in front of her.
Seaharmony kicked her hard in the stomach, "Want it? Get up and fight!" she dared her.
Ami struggled to her feet and held up her fists.
"Oh the frail Mercury tries to fight without her precious gem, won't this be interesting?" Seaharmony mocked.
Ami whipped around and ran for the open door. She was halfway out when Seaharmony slammed it on her, and she collapsed in a heap on the floor.
Seaharmony kicked her already half broken ribs and muttered to herself, "Stupid fool," she drug her unconscious body inside the room and slammed the door.
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"What if they do want more than the Ocean's Rose? What if they want Crystal Tokyo too?" Michiru asked Endymion quietly.
Endymion shook his head, "This can't be happening."
"Don't go into denial, not now, we need every mind in this one," Setsuna ordered.
"Because this is happening, and it's not going to go away," Hotaru added.
"What are we going to do?" Mamoru asked quietly.
"What we originally planned, assess the enemy and find their weak spots, get a plan and stick to it," Ami responded, "We're going to use the time they gave us to our advantage, and we're going to start planning now."
The three Outer Senshi who were in on the planning nodded, and they all walked back to Mamoru's room.
"What should we do?" Rei asked.
"We are going to wait, and see what to do. If anyone can think of a plan those four can," Haruka assured them.
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Michiru, Setsuna, Hotaru, Mamoru, King Endymion and Helios sat in Mamoru's room as Ami told them everything about the enemies that she read from her computer:
Blackpearl~ Weak against physical attack, but with her scepter she is nearly indestructible. The scepter she holds is extremely powerful and when it is used to it's full capability it can destroy the world. It can equal the power of the Silver Imperium Crystal, but is extremely difficult to use
Sunlash~ Known for her brutal and cruel ways of punishment and torture she is the most ruthless of the Dark Senshi. Her whip can torture opponents until death She is not known for her intelligence however and can be easily tricked.
Firesnake~ The most hateful of all the Dark Senshi. She's extremely violent, and likes to scorch her enemies with her boomerang which she named Ruby for the ruby's that make it. She will do anything for revenge and can be easily deceived for the price of that revenge.
Nightdragon~ The strongest of the Dark Senshi without a weapon, she prefers physical fights over those with weapons because you must get close to her for her weapon to be of use she's strong at close fights, but fights from afar she is weak in. Her weapon is a sword, and it summons the power of thunder to run through it as she pulls her downswing.
Seaharmony~ She is the smartest of the Dark Senshi and is strong in her wit, but when it comes to attacks she is weaker than them all. She prefers fights from far away because she needs time for her waterspout attack that comes from her flute. She doesn't have time to build up a strong enough waterspout when she hits from close up so that is her weakness.
Ami finished and exchanged hopeful and satisfied glances; they knew exactly how to do this without words.
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"Get up!" Seaharmony shouted at the twice battered Ami the night of the fight. She was a doctor she knew that her bones were starting to heal improperly; that her body was covered in bruises and blisters. She had open gashes that needed stitches and even now trickled with blood and other cuts that were infected. She could barely walk because her ribs hurt so badly, but she managed to stand. She didn't want Seaharmony or any of the others to hurt her anymore.
Seaharmony disappeared with Ami and they reappeared in Crossroads Park it was night, a beautiful night, the stars were out and Ami looked to the moon. I don't care what Serenity's done I'll always protect her, she promised herself.
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The senshi walked to the park to find the Dark Senshi along with a battered Ami.
"Oh my God," Sailor Mars whispered seeing her.
"They'll pay for what they've done," Sailor Jupiter growled.
"We stick to the plan," Sailor Venus told them all.
They nodded in agreement, and walked toward the Dark Senshi.
"So have you made your decision?" Sunlash asked them.
"We fight, now, to the death, no running," Venus responded.
The Dark Senshi looked horrified but Sunlash smiled viciously, "The brave senshi decide to fight us? Well fine okay we can play."
"Jupiter Oak Evolution!" Jupiter knocked Nightdragon down from afar throwing her sword down and into the river.
"I'll kill you!" Nightdragon charged for Jupiter and threw punch after punch kick after kick as Jupiter blocked them. Nightdragon hit her hard in the shoulder, and Jupiter's left arm was left, dangling, useless. She winced but blocked Nightdragon's next punch and threw one of her own hitting her in the cheek. Her head was thrown back, and Jupiter punched her in the stomach causing her to keel over in pain. She elbowed her in the back and sent her to the ground.
"Jupiter, Oak, Evolution!" Jupiter shouted but Nightdragon kicked her feet and Jupiter fell too.
Tuxedo Mask threw a rose and knocked the Dark Opal Wand out of Blackpearl's grasps, and King Endymion picked it up.
"No!" Blackpearl shouted scared.
"Moon Gorgeous Meditation!" Sailor Moon shouted as her attack spiraled toward Blackpearl.
"Stupid!" Sunlash grabbed her and pulled her away from the attack. She threw her whip around Sailor Moon's wand and ripped it from her grasps.
"Sailor Moon, the crystal!" Tuxedo Mask shouted, and she nodded pulling out the Silver Imperium Crystal. A pink glow surrounded her and spiraled toward Blackpearl and Sunlash. Sunlash jumped out of the way, but Blackpearl was incinerated by the crystal.
"I believe that you want me for something," Sailor Uranus smiled viciously taunting Firesnake.
"You!" she shouted furious. She threw her boomerang at Uranus who jumped it.
"Mars Flame Sniper!" Sailor Mars hit Firesnake in the back throwing her to the ground causing her boomerang to go spiraling past her and into a nearby tree.
"Got it!" Sailor Neptune pried the weapon out of the tree and smiled happily.
Uranus winked and jumped out of the fight, Neptune behind her.
Firesnake charged toward Sailor Mars throwing her to the ground and crushing a lung. She tried desperately to avoid the blows being given to her by the Dark Senshi on top of her.
"Venus Love Me Chain!" Venus whipped her chain around Firesnake pulling her off Mars.
Sunlash whipped Venus over and over again tattering her Sailor Outfit and forcing her slowly to the ground.
Mars stood and held her arrow to Firesnake, "Mars Flame Sniper," she breathed quietly her voice rasping from her collapsed lung. She let the arrow go, and it killed Firesnake immediately.
Nightdragon held Jupiter's wrists tightly cutting off blood flow to her hands. She threw her like a rag doll to the ground, the grass caught her fall some, and she struggled up bruised and battered, "Jupiter, Oak, Evolution," she was weak but she hit her attacker dead on and threw her into a tree. She slid to the base, unconscious.
"Jupiter, Oak," Jupiter collapsed from the use of energy.
"Jupiter!" Mercury shouted; she had to help her friend. She turned, but Seaharmony hit her with a small waterspout in the back sending her to the ground. She pulled herself back up and dove for Jupiter. She pulled the stone from Jupiter's tiara and shoved it into her hand Jupiter realizing she had to say words smiled and began, "Forest's Thunder Wish," she relaxed, relieved as the ball of thunder pulled her into it and cured her of her wounds. She stood and began hatefully, "Jupiter, Oak Evolution!" she shouted, destroying Nightdragon, leaving only Sunlash and Seaharmony.
Sunlash had Venus to the ground and Tuxedo Mask threw a rose into her whip freezing it. When she had it free again she turned on him and threw it around him throwing him to the ground. She lashed him again and again beating his mask off his face and tearing his cape. He couldn't even move from the spot.
"You and your stupid senshi friends will pay for what you've done to the others!" Sunlash screamed as she beat him over and over.
He held up his arms in a weak defense, and she threw her whip around them and yanked up breaking them. He screamed in pain and winced horribly.
"Mercury Aqua Illusion!" Mercury froze Sunlash's whip long enough for Tuxedo Mask to crawl away, but in her absence, Seaharmony created a waterspout and threw her to the ground. Once more, she struggled to stand, there was fluid in her lungs; they must be punctured, how though? She looked underneath her and noticed she had fallen onto a pointed rose that had gone through one of her lungs. She stood and pulled it out as the thorns stuck in her lung.
The senshi looked at her horrified, and she smiled weakly letting them know she was okay, for now.
"Mercury Aqua Rhapsody," Mercury shot the water toward Seaharmony throwing her to the ground.
"Mercury, Aqua Illusion," she was getting weaker; her attack froze Seaharmony's arm solid.
She whimpered in fear of the approaching Mercury. She bled freely from her wounds and there was a tired sense of revenge in her eyes. It was going to be over, now.
"Mercury, Aqua, Mirage," she whispered as her stream of water spiraled toward the paralyzed Seaharmony killing her.
Venus stood shakily and pulled out her chain of roses, "Venus Love and Beauty Shock!" she was furious about the injuries of her friends and she beat Sunlash to the ground, and eventually to death, "Crystal, Love, Kiss," she whispered healing herself in the heat of love.
Sailor Mercury knew she had to be healed, but Tuxedo Mask needed it too. He was going to die, what could she do? She slowly walked toward the battered Tuxedo Mask and pulled the stone from her tiara discarding her tiara completely. It skidded away from her, and she held the stone in her hands. Carefully she placed it in his, "Ocean Aqua Healing," she said softly.
"No," Tuxedo Mask tried to protest. She shook her head and tried to get up from the healing process but collapsed.
"Ami!" he shouted reaching for her. He didn't care anymore, all that mattered was him saving her.
He grasped her hand and gave her her stone but it was too late. It had already begun to work, and he was being healed as she died, for him.
"No!" he shouted holding her hand, praying that she didn't die in front of him.
"Mamoru?!" Sailor Moon demanded furiously, but he didn't hear her, all he heard was his heart and the water rushing through him.
Ami coughed up blood and tried to breathe but couldn't, there was too much fluid in her lungs.
"No!" he shouted. A tear slid down his cheek and onto her stone, which lie between their hands. It crystallized and formed another crystal. A small blue rose. His eyes widened at its appearance.
"No!" Helios and King Endymion shouted as Hotaru began to sob.
Ami rose from the ground and was cloaked in ribbons of water as she was healed and transformed again. She came to the ground wearing a long blue gown that flowed like a river and was made of beautiful blue fabric. It fell to her ankles and had a train. She wore a small blue rose in her hair, and white gloves that came to her elbows.
"What?" she asked quietly as the rose soared to her.
"The Ocean's Rose," King Endymion said quietly begging Chibi-usa to forgive him.