Chapter 7
Ami awoke early that morning. It was time. The finals were right after breakfast. She wanted to be alert for her match against Ky. She had a feeling she would need it.
Ky and Ami entered the game room together. This time there was no idle banter, no laughter between friends. This time they were opponents. Ky's eyes sparkled with determination. Ami nodded at her friend once, and Ky gave her a half smile.
"Play all out," Ky said to her as she took her seat. "I don't want to beat you unless you are going full out."
"Don't worry about beating me, Ky." Ky looked amused. She turned her attention down to the chess board then, no longer meeting Ami's gaze.
Ami played with all her might. She thought through every move before she made it, watching Ky's pieces as well as her own. She spotted a weakness in her friend's defense. She took Ky's white queen with her own black queen.
"Check," Ami said softly. She scanned the board. Too late, she realized her error. Ky's face broke into a huge grin. She took Ami's queen with her rook. Ami cringed.
"Check mate, Ami." Ami smiled, and shook Ky's hand.
After awards the two finalists had to do promotional photo sessions. Ami smiled until her face felt it would crack.
"Just another few shots, girls," the photographer said from behind his camera. Ami sighed inwardly, and repositioned herself in the old wooden chair.
The ground began to shake. Ami shot to her feet just after Ky did. Ky ran out the door. It slammed shut behind her, trapping Ami and the photographer in the room. The photographer banged on the door.
"Lemme out!" he cried.
"Sorry, buddy," said the voice of a young girl. Ami looked around. She spotted three people standing on the stage, under the lights. "But we need hostages." The photographer went deathly pale. The three people moved, and Ami could recognize them. The two men that stood on either side of the young girl where the Guardians of Earth and Fire. The girl was dressed in a Senshi uniform. It was all green, much like Jupiter's uniform. The gem on her tiara had a tree sillowet in white outline.
Ami stepped bravely in front of the man.
"Let him go. I'll. . . I'll co-operate with you, but let him go." The girl laughed.
"Think you're so brave then, do you? Sorry, no deal."
"The two of us could raise quite a commotion," Ami warned softly. This time the two Guardians laughed.
"That's what we want. You'll draw the Senshi to us." Ami sighed heavily. She couldn't save the man without transforming. She put her hand in her pocket, touching her transformation pen. Reluctantly, she glanced back at the door, wondering if she could break through. She smiled when she noticed the hinges were on the inside.
"Distract them," she urged the man. He nodded, and flew at the girl brandishing a wooden chair. Ami quickly pulled the door hinges up. The door swung open, then fell to the ground. Ami lunged at their three captors with a loud cry. Startled, they looked at her. The photographer fled. Ami turned to follow after him, when vines wrapped around her legs. She fell to the ground.
"Clever kid," the Guardian of Fire said, helping the girl lift Ami, tying her to the wooden chair with the vines.. "But that won't save you in the end."
Ami struggled against the vines, and hoped that Sailor Kotanam would show up in time.
"Hey, Senshi, better show your face soon, or this girl will join us!"
"I'll never join you!" They laughed at her.
"You will. Everyone falls in the end." The Senshi grinned at her. "You're nothing special."
"You're wrong," said a new voice. "This girl has a brilliant mind, Woods." Ami sighed in relief. Sailor Kotanam had come.
Sailor Kotanam entered through the broken door. A scowl was set on her face. "Can't Hibroy come up with a new plan besides attack civilians?"
"Shut up, Kotanam," replied the girl, the one that Kotanam had addressed as "Woods".
"Gladly, if you let the girl go." She held her staff out before her. The gems in it flashed on their own accord. Kotanam looked over at Ami for a brief moment, surprise shining in her eyes. Ami frowned, wondering what the other Senshi saw.
Suddenly, a black beam shot at Sailor Kotanam. She rolled out of the way. The beam slammed into Ami. Ami expected to black out, as she had the first time she had been hit by the beam. She expected that the beam would reveal her true identity, that she was what Kotanam had called an Elite Senshi.
The black beam crackled around her, and turned silver. Ami stared, open-mouthed, as a silver beam shot off her, and slammed back into the Sailor of the Woods. The other Senshi went flying backward. She slumped to the ground, and didn't move. The two Guardians looked flabbergasted. Kotanam took advantage of the situation immediately.
"Kotanam Gate!" she cried. The two Guardians disappeared into the swirling black vortex, but the Senshi remained.
Sailor Kotanam awoke the unconscious Senshi with simple smelling salts.
"Princess Kotanam?" the girl whispered, coming awake. "What, what happened?"
"Shush now, sister Senshi. This girl saved you. Now, I will send you to a safe place, but only after I deal with the girl. Are you alright?"
"I am. Thank you. The horror. . . . Oh, Kotanam, you just can't imagine it. I'm so sorry. . . ."
"It's not your fault, sister Senshi. Hibroy's powers are beyond yours, but that is nothing to be ashamed of." The Senshis gingerly touched Kotanam's hand. She rose.
"I will wait for you in the nearest woods."
"Alright. I'll find you shortly." The Sailor of the Woods disappeared in an explosion of leaves.
Sailor Kotanam came over to Ami and untied her bonds.
"Thank you," she said simply. Ami stared.
"For what?"
"For freeing my cousin. I don't know how you did that, but it's clear you've been touched by the Silver Crystal. Even if that means nothing to you. . . . Any way, thank you." Then she disappeared into a red swirling portal. Ami shook her head. She headed off to find Ky.
