Okay we are ready for a new chapter of this story! Yahhhhhh! I got a box of triscuits on hand. I was trying to watch my Fushigi Yugi tapes but my dad's video camera which we are temporarily using as a VCR is screwing up my tapes. The funny thing was that it kept messing with the sound so that everyone was talking in really deep voices. Tamahome sounded just like Sesshomaru from Inuyasha. I decided that this made him twenty times hotter. Yui sounded suspiciously like Tasuki though. So disturbed by that, I had to shut it off. (Oh Miaka sounded like Nuriko…) People inquiring about Ami, alas, I fear I cannot write her very well or at least I don't feel like I'm writing her as well as I write others so I kept putting it off. Forgive me.
Agent MarbleEyes: Um, point taken…^_^!!!
MajikzPawn: This chapter is for you. ~_^
SilverStarWing: And also for you.
Freakiedgirl: I hate it when I do that!!! GRRRRRRR!!! Stupid typos that some how slip through the cracks!
Yui: Aw, I'm on your favorite's list? **Gets all red and shuffles feet** Thanks!
Disclaimer: I don't own Sailor Moon
Warnings: Cussing and other stuff like that. I think.
Second Chances
Chapter Fourteen: She Said Not To Get Her Gifts!
"This is my December,
These are my snow-covered homes,
This is my December,
This is me alone."
-My December by Linkin Park
"Too many people on the couch!" Hotaru complained loudly. "Somebody needs to move!" There were two couches in her living room; she didn't think it would be that much of a stretch. Of course the other couch was crowded too. On the couch with Hotaru was Kakyuu, then Seiya, then Taiki, and of course Yaten. The other couch consisted of Mamoru, Usagi, Rei, Makoto, and Minako.
"Maybe Kakyuu can sit in Seiya's lap." Yaten cracked.
"Shut up Yaten!" Seiya snapped at the silver-haired boy.
"If you can't knock it off…" Setsuna was sitting in a chair facing the two couches. "We have something important to discuss here."
"Sorry Setsuna." Seiya apologized immediately.
"Why did you call a meeting?" Usagi asked from her couch.
"The youma that I fought spoke of an empress." Setsuna informed them. "We need to find out about this."
"It couldn't be…" Usagi trailed off thoughtfully. "Maybe it's Empress Metallia."
"Metallia…that was the first big enemy you all fought?" Hotaru asked, recalling what she had heard about the enemy.
"Yeah." Usagi frowned. "We know she's been reborn. Remember Halloween?"
"Metallia…but she wasn't a real person…" Rei speculated.
"Many things can be reborn. No matter if they are good or evil." Setsuna explained. "Metallia was destroyed, but the soul of Metallia has been reborn. She may have her powers."
"That would explain the youma." Minako put in. "But what if we're wrong?"
"That's why we can't make a move unless we know for sure." Setsuna told them all.
"It could be that a number of enemies has been reborn." Kakyuu concluded. "We've seen…um what did you call them Hotaru? The Witches Five?"
"Yes. I've seen others…Mistress Nine…" Hotaru trailed off grimacing.
"Whose Mistress Nine?" Seiya asked.
"One of our old enemies." Setsuna put in quickly, sensing that Hotaru really did not want to share with everyone the time she was evil.
"What about others?" Rei inquired. "Beryl for instance."
"I cannot say who has been reborn or who hasn't." Setsuna told them all. "We must all be on alert for anyone or anything suspicious."
"Especially if it comes from Metallia!" Usagi joined in. The others all nodded in agreement.
"Now that's settled…" Hotaru got up off the couch. "I'm going to get something to eat." She walked off towards the kitchen.
"We're going to go." Kakyuu told everyone, her cheeks flushing slightly. Seiya and her left as everyone waved good-bye.
"I've got to go study." Taiki informed them pulling out a book. "See you." He walked out the door while reading. Hotaru came back out with a package of Oreos, sitting down on the couch next to Yaten.
"Want some?" Hotaru offered him the package. Yaten made a face at her.
"Can we play video games?" Minako asked hopefully.
"Of course you can." Hotaru smiled at them. Though the way that the Inner Senshi seemed to enjoy spending time at Hotaru's apartment was a little tiring, she enjoyed their company all the same. Yaten reached out and took an Oreo from the package trying to look begrudging.
"I better go." Setsuna gathered herself up. "I've got lots of papers to grade."
"Bye Setsuna!" Hotaru waved at her. Setsuna left.
"I'm winning!" Minako announced as they all furiously raced cars.
"You guys are lame." Yaten informed them all.
"You don't have to stay." Rei told him, her eyes narrowing a little.
'
"I'm not going to!" Yaten snapped back at her. "It's just that I don't have any money and Taiki took off."
"I could lend you some money." Hotaru offered him.
"No, I'll walk." Yaten got up and started to go out the door.
"Why is Yaten always so rude?" Minako asked Rei. "He's always so mean!"
"Bye Yaten." Yaten did not turn around he just waved two fingers over his shoulder at Hotaru as he walked out the door.
"Maybe he's just a little hard to get to know." Usagi amended. "He'll probably warm up a little one of these days." Hotaru thought personally that it was her fault. Obviously Yaten didn't like her at all. Maybe he would be nicer to everyone if Hotaru weren't around. She didn't tell anyone this.
* * *
Ami walked along as she went to school. She had her briefcase and several books besides. She was reading a really good mystery story. The main character had just figured out who the killer was and it was getting rather thrilling.
That's when a strong wind knocked the book out of her hands. Ami went after the book but noticed that the wind was unusually strong. She turned to where it was coming from and saw a terrible looking youma who seemed to be part of a tornado.
"AHHH!" Ami screamed as she dropped all of her books and her briefcase. The youma started to reach out for her. Ami was frozen.
"Energy…" The youma wrapped its arms around her. Ami struggled against it.
"No…" Ami pushed with all her might. The youma simply cackled at her. Ami realized that she was glowing. At first she thought it was something to do with the youma but the youma was looking at her apprehensively.
"You have to transform!"
"Mercury Star Power, Make-Up!" Ami called out as she felt cool metal in her hand. She was holding a blue wand. Ami transformed, breaking away from the youma.
"What the…" The youma looked amazed before snarling in rage.
"Shine Aqua Illusion!" Ami fired the attack that came so easily as if she had done it a thousand times. Or maybe she had. The youma took the hit and laughed, as it didn't make much of a mark. It blew its wind at her. Ami felt her body smash into a tree. She got up.
"Sailor Senshi must die!" The youma grabbed her and she felt the energy slipping away from her.
"Shabon Spray!" Ami hoped that the attack would distract the youma. The youma snapped its head ferociously towards her, opening its mouth full of sharp gleaming teeth. Ami screamed in pain as the youma bit her into her shoulder.
I'm going to die…
Ami struggled against the thought as the youma clamped down harder, trying to break through bones.
I don't want to die…
She closed her eyes as the pain became unbearable. Ami started to slip away. The pain hurt too much. She could not stand it any longer. Ami put her hands up, feeling it was her duty to try to kill it this youma no matter what the costs.
"Shine Aqua Illusion!" Ami fired the attack right into the youma who reared away shrieking in pain. The youma began to suck more energy from Ami; it's hands not leaving her neck.
"Sparkling Wide Pressure!" The shout came and the monster dropped Ami in pain as something hit it. Ami fell to the ground, gasping for breath. She couldn't move at all. Ami turned her head in time to see a tall brunette smashing her elbow into the youma's face. Then Ami closed her eyes, drifting off into darkness.
* * *
"Is she alright?" One voice asked.
"Hotaru healed her but she's still out." Another voice answered. They were both female. Ami opened her eyes, having to squint to focus because she didn't have her glasses on.
"She's waking up." The first voice commented as Ami made out a person standing over her.
"Who…" Ami trailed off weakly.
"Maybe we should give her back her glasses." One voice commented. Ami saw that the figure was handing her something. It was her glasses. Ami slipped them on and the world went into focus. She reached up to her shoulder but found it wasn't hurt at all. She was sitting in a bed at someone's house. Ami blinked as she recognized the person standing over her.
"Usagi?" Ami gasped in recognition.
"Hi Ami." Usagi smiled at her. "How are you feeling?"
"A little tired." Ami bit her lip as she saw others in the room. Rei, Minako, and Makoto. "Where am I?"
"We're at Hotaru's." Makoto explained. "We didn't know where else to go." Ami turned her head to one side.
"You were the person I saw!" Ami exclaimed. "The one who was fighting the youma."
"You were doing a good job yourself fighting that youma." Rei commented.
"I was losing though…" Ami dropped her eyes from everyone. "What was happening though? I transformed into…"
"Sailor Mercury." Usagi finished her sentence for her. "You're a Sailor Senshi just like the rest of us."
"Your one of the guardians of this planet." Minako smiled at her.
"We were all reincarnated." Rei added on. The door opened and Hotaru came in with a tray that had a bowl of soup on it with some crackers.
"Oh! You're awake." Hotaru set the tray down next to the bed. "I thought you might be hungry."
"Wait…wait…" Ami shook herself a little. "One at a time."
"Sorry." Usagi threw a hand behind her head apologetically.
"Your Sailor Mercury, guarded by the planet Mercury." Rei began. "You have been reborn, just like the rest of us. I'm Sailor Mars."
"I'm Sailor Moon, your guys' princess." Usagi announced importantly.
"I'm Sailor Venus." Minako told her.
"I'm Sailor Jupiter." Makoto informed her.
"And I'm Sailor Saturn." Hotaru put the tray in Ami's lap so she could eat her soup.
"Okay." Ami nodded. "I get all that."
"Plus there's others. Kakyuu is Princess Kakyuu, Seiya is Sailor Star Fighter, Taiki is Sailor Star Maker, Setsuna is Sailor Pluto, Michiru is Sailor Neptune, Haruka is Sailor Uranus, erm not that you know them," Minako listed off on her fingers. "Who am I forgetting?"
"Yaten is Sailor Star Healer." Hotaru added on.
"Oh that's right!" Minako snapped her fingers. "Can't believe I forgot him…"
"We're finally altogether!" Usagi cheered. "It's so exciting!"
"You can say that again." Makoto agreed with her.
"Thanks for letting us use your apartment Hotaru." Rei thanked the lavender-eyed girl.
"No problem." Hotaru smiled somewhat tiredly. "After all, you guys are always here anyway."
"Heh." Minako grinned like the Cheshire Cat. "It's a nice place, what can we say?"
* * *
Hotaru opened up the apartment and found it completely dark inside. That was odd. She thought Mamoru was home by now. She reached for the light switch, flicking it on.
"SURPRISE!" Hotaru nearly jumped out of her skin as everyone yelled the word loudly. All the Sailor Senshi were there beaming at her.
"Omigod! You guys scared me!" Hotaru exclaimed, clutching her chest.
"Happy Birthday Hotaru!" Usagi rushed up to greet her.
"You told them it was my birthday didn't you?" Hotaru asked Mamoru with an accusing look.
"What? You never said I couldn't tell anyone!" Mamoru said defensively. "Why are you complaining? You get presents…"
"Presents?" Hotaru repeated the word questioningly.
"Yes." Kakyuu joined in. "I like surprise parties."
"I think they're lame." Yaten commented and Kakyuu sent him a seething look. Yaten's face almost looked sheepish at that point.
"Well are we going to make Hotaru stand there all night?" Setsuna asked them all. They lead Hotaru into the living room where a pile of presents was waiting on the table beside several bowls of chips and different kinds of soda.
"You guys didn't have to get me presents!" Hotaru told them all. "After all it's-"
"Watch, she's going to go into her speech about how her birthday is a week before Christmas." Mamoru told them all.
"Oh hush!" Hotaru grinned at him before sitting down on the couch in front of the presents.
"Open them!" Haruka called out excitedly.
"Okay, okay." Hotaru took the first one of the stack. It was from Setsuna. "It feels like clothes…" Hotaru commented as she felt the package before ripping it open. She held up to see that it was a really nice purple dress. The embroidery was very finely done on it, having vines and little Saturn symbols going up the sides.
"That embroidery took me forever." Setsuna shook her head a little.
"It's really cool! Thanks Setsuna!" Hotaru exclaimed happily before carefully folding the dress and putting it aside. Then she grabbed the next present. "Whose this from?"
"It's from me." Minako hit herself on the head. "I forgot to put my name on it." It was a brand new racing video game. Hotaru almost started to laugh when she realized that they would probably all end up playing that game in the very near future. She got a book from Ami about astrology, a charm bracelet from Rei, a huge package of homemade fudge from Makoto, a necklace from Usagi, a new lamp from Mamoru, and a tape of Haruka and Michiru doing duets on the violin and piano. Then there was one really big present left.
"That's from us." Kakyuu explained.
"We all chipped in and bought it." Seiya informed her. Hotaru opened it up and saw that it was a beautiful music box. When she opened it up it began to play a very sweet melody.
"This is great!" Hotaru had to carefully heave it off her lap because it was really heavy. "You guys…" Hotaru trailed off.
"Group hug!" Usagi yelled pouncing on the dark-haired girl. Everyone else seemed to join in. Well not everybody. Yaten opened his mouth to say something but Seiya beat him to it.
"Yaten, you say anything and I swear…" Seiya trailed off in some unspoken threat. Yaten closed his mouth but gave them all sour looks, as they broke apart.
"Thank you guys so much." Hotaru told them all. "But you know you didn't have to do this, Christmas is only a week away."
"What did I tell you?" Mamoru said knowingly. Hotaru rolled her eyes at him. Although she didn't say anything to anyone else, Hotaru felt that this was one of the best birthdays she would ever have.
Hallmark moment…Or kinda anyway…Yeah so I hope that was an enjoyable chapter and I know that the loyal Mercury fans will love it! (Hopefully although I wouldn't be surprised if I got some complaints…Ah well I did try. That's the important thing right? I mean I could have been like "I will conveniently forget Ami…" or something. But I didn't! So go me!
Second Chances Akugis!
Take One!
Ami: I don't want to die…
Setsuna: Well, it won't matter if you do. I mean have you
seen your powers?
Hotaru: They don't do jack.
Haruka: If you want to start pulling some weight around here, I suggest you get something better than blowing bubbles at the enemy.
Michiru: This is why we aren't in this scene isn't it?
(I openly apologize to Mercury fans…it was just poking a little bit of fun at her attacks and not the character herself.)
Take Two!
Seiya: We all chipped in!
(Flashback to buying a present for Hotaru)
Seiya: Hey this looks nice.
Kakyuu: How much cash do you have Yaten?
Yaten: Why?
Seiya: 'Cause your buying!
Yaten: What? (Kakyuu steals his wallet.)
Kakyuu: This looks about right.
Yaten: HEY!