My thanks to: 

               Silver Tiger: votes noted, Heart Soul:  Thank you! = ) alexz:  I'm glad somebody knows....let's pretend that I knew (which I didn't) that her first bf's names was Freddy & changed it due to the different time period...(Must remember to go back and watch the 2nd? season of SM) = )! Firefly Princess: I'm glad you enjoyed my story--I enjoy reading your enthusiastic reviews = P!  Zero: votes duly tallied.  the Desert Fox:  Do you have random conversations w/ random people, too?  Thanks for the support!

And voting has closed:  The polls ended with only two against Usagi and Heero, and a myriad other votes for couples.  Therefore, Usagi and Heero it is.  Also, sorry to the one person who voted against Rei/Wufei, but Rei/Wufei is it.  The other three...I'm still leary about.  I like the couples that have been voted for, but the ones I wanted in this story are different...so if you don't mind, I'm going to take my time and think about how to revise the situation.

Hands of Fate; Changes in Destiny

Chapter 6:  In which a Mercury Silence falls

By:  AutumnHime

               Ami waved goodbye to Usagi, hoping that the blonde had a better day than Ami was sure to have.  Brushing back her navy hair from her face, she glanced up into the rearview mirror, smiled a sad, soft little smile, and eased up off of the brakes.  She pulled the SUV into main-stream traffic, and let her mind wander where it would.   

               Is it bad of me to wish that Usagi knows all of our secrets, and becomes the friend, the leader, the person I knew?  The Senshi of Ice and Wisdom wondered.  Is it so terrible that I want her back?  She grinned wryly, thinking about that statement.  It wasn't as if she had lost Usagi...no, Usagi still seemed to be the same, a little more serious now, more...punctual, but lacking the depth perhaps, that the Usagi back then  had.  This time's Usagi still had the same light, the same laughter, the same quality that drew all of the Senshi, from the withdrawn and yet fiercely loyal Outer Senshi, to the more interactive and fiercely loyal Inner Senshi.  She was still Usagi, but without being Sailor Moon, without knowing that she was their saviour, their Messiah, their Tsuki-no-Hime, without being able to understand their concern for her safety, Usagi lacked the empathy she had gained as her powers from the moon had developed.  The pain, suffering, and despair; the joy, happiness, and friendship of their years as friends on earth a millennia or more ago had tempered the then Usagi.  She had always been friendly and giving, but she became...more than she was before her first transformation.  It was just...(1)

               "OMIGODDESS!!!!!!!!!!"  SCREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEECH!  Ami surfaced from her thoughts in time to put the brake pedal to the metal.  The world  blurred together for a few moments than jolted back into stillness, as the slender woman in the driver's seat slammed back into her chair. The driver of the red corvette in front of her gave her a puzzled glare.  She was glad that her windows were tinted.

               "Ami, my friend,"  the cobalt-eyed woman spoke to herself, shaking at the near miss.  "Pay attention to the road!  You aren't going to do anyone any good by becoming street pizza.  Your worries will be there when you get to work... think about them then."

               There were no more mishaps as Ami finished her drive to the small clinic she worked at.

               As she strode into the cool interior of the brownstone building, gauzy skirt tugged this way and that by the playful wind, Ami greeted her colleagues and work-friends.  She didn't stop to talk, rather she strode on to her office.  She had several calls to make before she began her rounds, and her rounds began in a half-hour.

               She entered the quiet room with a feeling of satisfaction.  The office was relatively large and airy with two floor-to-ceiling windows.  Swirls of blue and turquoise with hidden flashes of silver covered the walls.   A painting on the south wall shone with bright reds, warm golds, and sunny yellows.  The placement made her able to ignore it when she needed tranquility, but a futon on the opposite wall meant that when she needed energy,  she had something to look at.

               Ami turned towards the desk, intending to get started on her phone calls.  A knock on the open door caught her attention.  Straightening, she turned around, a smiled on her face.  The smile remained as she froze when she saw the new comer.

               "Hi, Ami!"  a pretty woman greeted the elfin-esque doctor.  The woman appeared mid-twenties perhaps, with her sandy hair in two large corkscrew curls.  She was tall and yet very feminie, despite the green fatigue-like clothes. 

               "SALLY!"  Ami practically shrieked, dashing up to the taller woman.  In a move that was almost completely out-of-character with Ami's normally professional attitude, the blue-haired woman had thrown her arms around the taller form of Sally Po and gave her a brief hug. 

               "It's good to see you to, Ami!  I missed your expertise on the field this last expedition."  Sally declared. 

               Ami laughed.  "Yeah right.  Like you aren't ten times the doctor I am.  Besides,"  she added, her voice softening, "I have commitments here on earth.  You know that."

               Sally nodded.  "But you never tell me what!  We've been friends since before the break-out of the war.  I wish you would tell me!"

               Ami simply sighed, turned around and sat on the arm of one of the comfy chairs her office contained.  She contemplated the wall paintings before replying, "I would if I could...but I can't." 

               Sally looked at her younger friend.  Ami looked exhausted and, the green-eyed Preventer did not want to burden her any further by pressing harder.  "So what have you been up to?"  she asked, changing the subject.

               "This and that."  Ami replied vaguely.  "Sally, stop standing in the doorway." she scolded, her mood changing with the speed of a tsunami.  "People are going to think I'm rude."

               Sally obeyed, her military fatigues rustling as she eased herself into the other of the comfy arm chairs.   

               Ami grinned at her friend.  "So how are you and your partner getting along?  From your letters, he and you mix like oil and water except in battle." 

               Sally laughed.  "I'm still trying to convince him that women aren't 'baka onnas' and that if he calls a female in my presence 'weak', he isn't going to be very comfortable for a week or two.  I have him well enough trained that he doesn't call me either names anymore, at least.  Otherwise, Wufei still has a long way to go."

               "Wufei?" Ami pressed.  "This is the first time you've ever mentioned his name before."

               Sally looked thoughtful for a few minutes, eyes focused inward.  "I don't know why.  I don't question your trustworthiness, and I doubt you'll ever meet him. I mean it's rare enough that you and I see eachother, and we are both doctors."

               "Hmmm..." Ami hummed for a bit.  "I guess.  And I never asked about him or his name so I suppose that's another reason.  Oh well, forget about that last bit."  She waved her hand for a bit before dropping it back into her lap.  She had slid down the chair of the arm to a much more relaxed position,  one of her navy flats slipping off of her heel to dangle by her toes.  "So what does bring you to my humble realm, Sally?" 

               Sally smiled wistfully.  "I'm here half on assignment, half on vacation.  Wufei's temporarily assigned somewhere else, but I'm here to play doctor, although I doubt I'll be needed.  I thought I'd take a break and come visit you.  Sure beats waiting for nothing to happen!"

               "I'm glad you did come, Sally," Ami declared earnestly.  "You've given me a nice surprise to my routine." 

               Sally had just started to reply when the navy -haired woman's eyes flew up in shock.  She glanced at her watch before violently jumping to her feet from the awkward, if comfortable, position she had been in. 

               "What is it Ami?"

               "It's time for my rounds, Sal."  The pixie-like woman gasped out, dashing around the room, grabbing her stethoscope, clipboard, pen, and various other slightly ominous looking tools.  She stopped abruptle, thinking hard.  To Sally, it looked as if a hurricane had simply stopped.  No slowing winds, lessening rains, anything, accompanied the action.  Just rising action and then bang two-ton brick wall hitting you in the face. 

               Ami's voice woke her up from the hyperbolic descriptions her mind was bungling.  "Sally...Mercury to Sally, wake up!" She snapped in front of her face.

               "Huh..what?"

               "Do you want to come with me on my rounds?" Ami asked, drawing out the words. 

               "Ummm...no, actually I think I'd better be getting back to my place of employ. How about lunch?"  Sally offered.

               "Sure!  If you don't mind joining some other friends of mine.  I think you'll like them!"  Ami added to her enthusiastic agreement.  It would be nice to spend time with someone besides her Sailor Scout friends.
               "Okay...Should I meet you here?"  Sally asked, as they stepped out of the office.  Ami turned and locked the door, using some kind of wacky looking turquoise key. 

               "That's fine.  How about we meet at one?"

               "Great.  I'll see you then."  Sally shouldered the bag that she had held unobtrusively.  "Have fun on your rounds, Ames!"  She called, waking away, throwing her hand up in a little farewell.

               "Oh, I will."  Ami yelled back, voice promisingly threatening. (2) They laughed as they drew further apart.

               Ami moved gracefully down the hall, a calm deep river with many hidden undercurrents. The white, sterile passageway made the Senshi of Mercury's walk appear both out of place and right at home.  As Ami walked she slipped back into her normal routine as if Sally Po had never interrupted her organized schedule.  Easing back into her regular day, however, left Ami time to think about Usagi and the obstacles that were forming. 

               "Stop!"  she muttered forcefully to herself.  "Finish your rounds then contemplate."  Ami's spoken self-directed commands left several of her co-workers staring at her.  Ami blushed delicately at the attention, yet the commands did the trick,  leaving Ami grateful, but not for long.  She finished her rounds quickly, and ducked outside to an inner courtyard for fresh air. 

               "I hate hospital air!"  Ami declared aloud, breathing deeply of the floral scents.  She moved towards a rose bush, and plucked an early-blooming white one from it's spot on the bush.  Somthing pricked the delicate skin of Ami's million-dollar hands, and she glanced down quickly.  Blood welled and memories flowed from that tiny wound.

(-----------------------------------

               Silver lightning streaked by and shadows flew past. Delicious smells of chocolate, rich and heavy, combined with the spicier scents of cinnamon, nutmeg, and apples.  Misty signs of breath floated like small clouds.  Near the street, carolers shifted about as the words to the song 'Silver Bells' drifted through the air as glorious as any choir of angels. Icy crystals hung like tiny chilled diamonds in midnight blue hair. 

               Ami laughed with the fantasy of it all. Golden globes illuminated the fairy-tale winter wonderland scene. It was almost Christmas and even the most studious of teenagers couldn't spend such a night as this inside.  The snowy atmosphere outside of the apartment she and her mom shared had drawn her out, moth to flame...or perhaps snow-maiden to the first major snow-fall of winter.  Ami simply stood under the already fairy-dusted branches of an ash tree enjoying the scenery.  It was almost as if a war wasn't going on, and there wasn't anything to worry about.  Everybody glowed with the happiness that only a truly perfect evening could provide. She sighed, about to turn around.

               Thwack!  Something solid hit Ami square in the back of the royal blue parka she wore. 

               Spinning around, Ami tried to find her mysterious assailant. Nobody seemed to be paying any attention to her.  She closed her eyes, briefly shutting out their aquamarine glory, as she strategized about where someone wishing to engage in a snowball fight would hide. 

               THUD Thwap!  This time a whole pile of snow fell on top of Ami's head.  The cold wet feeling of slowly melting snow stung Ami's flesh.   She shook her head to dislodge more snow and caught sight of the culprit. 

               "You wanna play?"  A sandy haired woman, the instigator, asked.  "I'm in the mood for a snowball fight."

               Ami was surprised when she heard her answer.  "Sure.  Let's go."

               And they were off...the sandy haired tomboy and the navy haired bookworm dashed about the park until they were breathless, trading insults and snowballs indiscriminately.  They accidently hit another tall teen with freaky dark hair that had been leaning against a tree once, but since no reprisals besides an emerald laser glare were forth coming, they kept it up. Finally they collapsed in a snow drift, laughing and giggling like little children do when they're trying to get away with something naughty. 

               Ami finally got control of herself.  "That's the most fun I've had in a while," she admitted to the woman lying beside her.  "I'm Ami Mizuno." She held out a sapphire-dyed woolen glove.

               "Whoooo..." The tawny stranger exhaled, and held out her hand as well.  "Sally Po."  They shook hands, the wool of Ami's gloves trying to stick to the leather of Sally's.  "Say, Ami Mizuno, since I started the fight, you want some coff..."

               A high pitched whine, like that of a helicopter...a HELICOPTER?  drowned out the rest of Sally's words. 

               "What the devil?"  Ami scrambled to her feet, looking around for the noise.

               Sally had also regained her feet. "I don't know, but I'm going to find out.  Go back to your home!  This could get dangerous." 

               "I don't care.  What's going on?  Helicopters aren't allowed here.  This is a no-fly zone."  Ami's voice climbed steadily from panicked to screeching.

               Before Sally could answer, a short rat-a-tat accompanied the sound of ice breaking, and a large splash.

               A clinically detached voice boomed from overhead.  "IF THERE ARE ANY REBEL PILOTS IN THE AREA COME OUT NOW OR INNOCENT LIVES WILL BE LOST!  HESITATE A SECOND AND THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE OUTCOME RESTS ON YOU!"

               "They can't do that." Ami muttered furiously.  She began to run toward the lake, legs churning the snow, where the chopper noises seemed to come from.  Sally held out a hand trying to stop her, trying to tell her that the situation had already been taken care of, trying to do...something.   But she failed, and her arm dropped back to her side, shoulders sagging in defeat. 

               Meanwhile, righteous anger began to course through Ami's blood.  The bullies from the army had ruined the best night in her life and were threatening completely innocent people.  Why on earth would a Gundam pilot be here...they couldn't mean anybody else, there were no other rebel pilots of any consequence.   

               "I'll show them!  Ruin the best time I've had in forever, will they?"  Ami cried, skidding to a halt.  The helicopter loomed ahead.  Several soldiers had herded together what people hadn't run screaming from the park as hostages. 

               The detached voice boomed again. "REBEL PILOTS:  YOU HAVE  ONE MINUTE TO DECIDE.  DO YOU WANT INNOCENT LIVES TO BE LOST BECAUSE OF YOU?"

               "STOP!!!!" Ami screamed, charging right up to the helicopter.  Her blood was boiling. Several rifles simultaneously trained their sights upon her head.  Ami ignored them.  "How dare you destroy the most peaceful and perfect night this area has seen in a long time!  What gives you the right to harm anybody tonight?  Why of all nights' are you here now?"

               The voice ignored her.  "GUNDAM PILOTS, YOU HAVE THIRTY SECONDS."

               Ami's anger grew but her temperature began dropping.  From the scalding temperature it had been to what those thirty seconds had changed it to was at least a difference of twenty degrees. 

               She cried again, "I'M TELLING YOU TO STOP!"

               Behind Ami, and out of the sharp-eyed pilot's sight, three figures stood in the shadowy protection of the forest.  "She's brave." One of them commented sparsely.  His lean figure still leaned against the tree he had been by earlier. 

               "We have to go out there.  They're going to hurt those people, Trowa...they might hurt that girl!" His companion, who had been sitting in the treetops when Trowa got decked with snow pleaded...not whining but in earnest.  The snow blended well with his platinum hair and his innocent world-weary eyes begged with the force of one who knows that no matter how much they want to avert it, disaster is going to occur. 

               "We can't, Quatre," Sally Po sighed, "Not until Heero contacts us..."

               The exchange had taken less than ten seconds.

               Ami, unaware of the conversation behind her, became very still.  Energy flowed through her body, from the frozen tundras of one world, to the snow-capped mountains of another.  Hail rained down around her without hitting her.  Her fingers tingles as if they had been asleep for a long time and her hand itched to move.

               "GUNDAM PILOTS YOU HAVE TEN SECONDS! OR ELSE!"  The threat was simple and vague, like all good threats. 

               A soft sigh floated upon the wind in Ami's hearing.  It sounded like two women weeping, apologizing for what was about to happen.  Ami ignored it, just as she ignored the crunch of the snow behind her.

               Her voice rose above the wind.  "I TOLD YOU TO STOP!  YOU CANNOT RUIN THIS NIGHT ANY FURTHER."  Words tumbled out of her pale blue lips without her volition and her body moved without her brain's consent.  "MERCURY BUBBLES..."  Snow blew up between the three members of the rebel force and Ami.  Wind howled only in their ears, disguising Ami's voice.  Sally later commented that it sounded as if a woman had spoken "it's the least I can do."

               The last word flew from Ami's lips, freezing the enemy soldies, unparalyzing the legs of the civilians and causing a thick mist to settle over the entire scenery.  "BLAST!"  And memories tumbled forth as two woman clothed in strange outfits wept over the part they had to play and Ami tumbled to the soft powdery ground.

-------------------------------------)

               The sound of a man's voice brought Ami back to the present once more.  "Excuse me, Dr. Mizuno."  The baritone was pleasant, a little husky from disuse.

               Ami blinked dumbfounded. Her turquoise eyes appeared turbulent and her mind focused far away before shutters droped over them.

               "Dr. Mizuno?"  The question wasn't really a question, merely a tone. 

               "Sir?"  Ami stumbled, tripping over her own tongue.  "I'm sorry, I zoned out. What did you want?"

               "A mutual friend of ours, Sally Po, asked me to drop in while I was down in this neighborhood.  She can't make your lunch today, but promises to call and reschedule." 

               "Oh,"  Ami's gaze dropped from the clear grassy one that stared as if trying to recall a dim memory.  "I'm sorry to hear that."  She looked up again.  "Thank you for telling me, Mr...?"

               "Barton...Trowa Barton.  I'd better be going."

               "Ummm...okay."  Ami's mind, still not functioning quite properly,  failed to ask any other questions of the tall slim-hipped man stepping into the hospital proper.  She didn't even say a farewell.

               This situation with Usagi has to be resolved, Ami thought.  And that's that.

*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_

(1)  Les Miserables 'On my Own' was playing while I was writing this...if that explains anything.

(2) I have no idea whether or not anybody besides myself understands what I meant by that statement.  If you have ever teased a friend and promised them retribution for something in a laughing manner...that's more or less the tone of voice I'm talking about.

I've gotten a lot of questions about plot on both this story and on another one I'm currently working on, "From Then, To Now, Til Later."  If you would like a better explanation of the story, feel free to drop me an e-mail at dragon_no_hime@yahoo.com.  Be sure to put something fanfictionny in the subject area, or I might delete it.

Thank you!  And I'm trying to update faster, but it isn't working...

AH