"Usagi-baka!" yelled Shingo, dashing up the stairs for the blonde
girl.
"What?" asked Usagi, sitting at her mirror and brushing out her hair.
"Mamoru-san told me to tell you that he's going to be a little late.
He has a little more work to do."
"Okay, that's fine."
Usagi stood up and looked at herself in the mirror. She wore a short,
tight black dress with her hair pulled into her traditional odangoes. She
had on black high heeled shoes and grabbed a sweater and she got up and
walked past her closet. She went down the stairs and as she was walking
past the door, the doorbell rang. She flung open the door to reveal Mamoru.
"Mamo-chan," she said, running into his arms. He wrapped his arms
around her, then leaned down and kissed her.
"Come on, I've got dinner reservations for tonight."
"All right."
"Not too late, Usagi-chan," said Ikuko from the doorway.
"I won't be, Mom!" called Usagi over her shoulder.
Mamoru and Usagi got into his car and he took them to a fancy and
expensive restaurant on the other side of town.
"Try not to order too much, Usako," laughed Mamoru as they sat down.
"I don't need to be paying for tonight's dinner for the rest of my life."
"I know," Usagi laughed back.
They ordered and made small conversation. Usagi's eyes kept worriedly
drifting to the table across from theirs.
"What's wrong?" whispered Mamoru.
"They mentioned the silver crystal," she whispered back. "Something's
wrong."
"You're paranoid, Usako," laughed Mamoru.
"No, Mamo-chan, I'm not kidding." She shushed him and leaned over
toward the table.
".We must find this Moon Princess. She has the key to the universe. I
discovered that she and Prince.Prince Endymion of Earth were reincarnated
on Earth as two normal people," said one man in a hushed voice.
"Yes, but how do we find them?" asked the woman.
"I've created a device that will alert us as to when this princess
uses her powers. We can get there quickly enough so that we can see her and
then know who she really is."
"Mamo-chan," whispered Usagi. "Let's go, please?"
"Of course," he said. He paid for their drinks since the food hadn't
even come yet and wrapped a comforting arm around her as he led her out to
the car.
"We should find the rest of the senshi," she said when they had
gotten back in the car.
"Let's just enjoy our date for now, okay, Usako?"
"I suppose, but still, Mamo-chan, I'm worried. What if that
scientist's device reacts to Chibiusa's powers as well as mine?"
"You were just hearing things. Come on, let's take you home."
***
"Master," came a low voice from the shadows. A scientist stood in the darkness in his laboratory as one of the servants hurried in and bowed. "What is it?" asked the scientist. "I have important news. I have discovered the true identity of a sailor senshi, Sailor Mercury." "Excellent. Kidnap her and use her as bait for the others. Force the princess to reveal herself."
***
Ami ran to the temple, clutching her henshin pen. I can't believe I was so stupid, she thought as she ran. Transforming in front of that guy, even to save Motoki and Unazuki. She dashed up the stairs and fell, breathing heavily onto the stairs. "Ami-chan? What's wrong?" asked Makoto. "Motoki and Unazuki were in trouble, so I transformed to beat the youma that was attacking them," she puffed out. "And?" asked Makoto. "A scientist guy saw me transform. He keeps following me. I don't know why." Usagi looked up, worriedly. "A scientist?" "Yeah, why Usagi-chan?" "When Mamoru and I went out last night, we sat at a table across from a group of scientists who were talking about the silver crystal and using it to conquer the world. They mentioned finding Mamoru and I and using me to get to the crystal," she said. "Hmm. I'm going to go home and do some research on these scientists. I found his nametag that he dropped, so I can trace him. Maybe we can find out what their motive is," said Ami. "Good idea, Ami-chan," said Minako. "I'll come with." The two girls left, talking as they went. After about a block of walking, Ami pulled Minako into an alleyway. "That's him," she whispered. His footsteps got closer and Ami backed away, ready to run. "Ah, Sailor Mercury. My master is very interested in you," he grinned. "Are you talking to me?" asked Ami. "Don't play dumb with me," he snapped. "I am Quartzite. I know your every move, Ami." Minako jumped in front of Ami. "Hold it, geek. In order to get to my friend, you have to deal with me first." "Fine, blondie," he sneered, tossing a handful of energy at her. She jumped out of the way, but the energy ball followed her and finally sent her crashing into a couple of garbage cans, knocking her unconscious. "Minako-chan!" screamed Ami. Quartzite teleported behind her and put one hand over her mouth, and binding her hands with the other. He teleported away with Ami just as Minako sat up, holding her head. "Ami?" asked a dizzy Minako. She shook her head to clear the dizziness and stood up. She bent down once more and picked up Ami's computer. She punched a few buttons and a map appeared on the screen. A red blinking and beeping dot moving along one of the lines appeared with the map. "Good," said Minako to herself. "I can find her." She turned on the communicator part of the computer and called Makoto, Usagi, and Rei, who were all gathered at the temple. "Sailor Senshi, we need your help. Ami's been kidnapped!" "Kidnapped?" asked the three senshi in shock. "That's right. The creepy scientist guy, Quartzite or something took her. I have a tracer on her, so I know where she is." "That's good. Send it over. We'll follow it on our communicators," said Makoto. "Sending, Makoto-chan," said Minako. "Got to go, I have to get to Ami before they pry something out of her, or worse, hurt her." She closed the computer and shouted, "Venus Crystal Power, Make Up!" She reopened the computer and ran out of the alleyway and along the street, following the map. ***
"Ah yes, Princess Mercury," came the same eerie voice from the shadows. "Who are you?" asked Ami, struggling at her bonds. "Stop moving," commanded the man. "I am Tyrolite, the leader of the search for the Imperium Silver Crystal." "Well, I've got news for you, buddy, the Imperium Silver Crystal was found a long time ago by Princess Serenity. There's no way you're ever going to get it." "Yes, I will, because you're going to tell me." "No, I won't. Mercury Crystal Power!" she yelled. Nothing happened. "Looking for this?" he asked, taking her henshin pen from a table in the shadows and waving it in her face." "Actually, I am," she said, swinging her legs up and kicking him in the stomach, causing him to lose control of the force field surrounding her and the chair that she sat on. She grabbed the henshin pen "Mercury Crystal Power!" she tried again. It still didn't work. Quartzite appeared from the shadows. "Master," he said, bowing low. "The Sailor Senshi are on their way. I haven't received any powers from the princess yet, but they should be bringing her with." "Serenity figured you and your little machine out. There's no way she'll unleash her powers," snapped Ami. "Oh, she will, Ami, she will."
***
"Master," came a low voice from the shadows. A scientist stood in the darkness in his laboratory as one of the servants hurried in and bowed. "What is it?" asked the scientist. "I have important news. I have discovered the true identity of a sailor senshi, Sailor Mercury." "Excellent. Kidnap her and use her as bait for the others. Force the princess to reveal herself."
***
Ami ran to the temple, clutching her henshin pen. I can't believe I was so stupid, she thought as she ran. Transforming in front of that guy, even to save Motoki and Unazuki. She dashed up the stairs and fell, breathing heavily onto the stairs. "Ami-chan? What's wrong?" asked Makoto. "Motoki and Unazuki were in trouble, so I transformed to beat the youma that was attacking them," she puffed out. "And?" asked Makoto. "A scientist guy saw me transform. He keeps following me. I don't know why." Usagi looked up, worriedly. "A scientist?" "Yeah, why Usagi-chan?" "When Mamoru and I went out last night, we sat at a table across from a group of scientists who were talking about the silver crystal and using it to conquer the world. They mentioned finding Mamoru and I and using me to get to the crystal," she said. "Hmm. I'm going to go home and do some research on these scientists. I found his nametag that he dropped, so I can trace him. Maybe we can find out what their motive is," said Ami. "Good idea, Ami-chan," said Minako. "I'll come with." The two girls left, talking as they went. After about a block of walking, Ami pulled Minako into an alleyway. "That's him," she whispered. His footsteps got closer and Ami backed away, ready to run. "Ah, Sailor Mercury. My master is very interested in you," he grinned. "Are you talking to me?" asked Ami. "Don't play dumb with me," he snapped. "I am Quartzite. I know your every move, Ami." Minako jumped in front of Ami. "Hold it, geek. In order to get to my friend, you have to deal with me first." "Fine, blondie," he sneered, tossing a handful of energy at her. She jumped out of the way, but the energy ball followed her and finally sent her crashing into a couple of garbage cans, knocking her unconscious. "Minako-chan!" screamed Ami. Quartzite teleported behind her and put one hand over her mouth, and binding her hands with the other. He teleported away with Ami just as Minako sat up, holding her head. "Ami?" asked a dizzy Minako. She shook her head to clear the dizziness and stood up. She bent down once more and picked up Ami's computer. She punched a few buttons and a map appeared on the screen. A red blinking and beeping dot moving along one of the lines appeared with the map. "Good," said Minako to herself. "I can find her." She turned on the communicator part of the computer and called Makoto, Usagi, and Rei, who were all gathered at the temple. "Sailor Senshi, we need your help. Ami's been kidnapped!" "Kidnapped?" asked the three senshi in shock. "That's right. The creepy scientist guy, Quartzite or something took her. I have a tracer on her, so I know where she is." "That's good. Send it over. We'll follow it on our communicators," said Makoto. "Sending, Makoto-chan," said Minako. "Got to go, I have to get to Ami before they pry something out of her, or worse, hurt her." She closed the computer and shouted, "Venus Crystal Power, Make Up!" She reopened the computer and ran out of the alleyway and along the street, following the map. ***
"Ah yes, Princess Mercury," came the same eerie voice from the shadows. "Who are you?" asked Ami, struggling at her bonds. "Stop moving," commanded the man. "I am Tyrolite, the leader of the search for the Imperium Silver Crystal." "Well, I've got news for you, buddy, the Imperium Silver Crystal was found a long time ago by Princess Serenity. There's no way you're ever going to get it." "Yes, I will, because you're going to tell me." "No, I won't. Mercury Crystal Power!" she yelled. Nothing happened. "Looking for this?" he asked, taking her henshin pen from a table in the shadows and waving it in her face." "Actually, I am," she said, swinging her legs up and kicking him in the stomach, causing him to lose control of the force field surrounding her and the chair that she sat on. She grabbed the henshin pen "Mercury Crystal Power!" she tried again. It still didn't work. Quartzite appeared from the shadows. "Master," he said, bowing low. "The Sailor Senshi are on their way. I haven't received any powers from the princess yet, but they should be bringing her with." "Serenity figured you and your little machine out. There's no way she'll unleash her powers," snapped Ami. "Oh, she will, Ami, she will."