Chapter 16:



Ky felt sick. Ami had succumbed to Hobroy's power.

"Mercury, get up," she cried. Ami's head bobbed, but she did not even moan.

"That one is mine. You can let her drop," Hibroy said. "What is you name, senshi?"

"I am Princess Kotanam," she replied angrily. She threw the two senshi off her arms. "You have taken your last victim, Hibroy."

"Ah, the Gate Guardian. Good. Now I no longer have to search for you, troublesome brat. Get her."

"You will never take me!"

"That's what your friend said, and she is mine now. Watch." He looked over at Ami's still form. "Rise, Sailor Mercury. Rise and do my bidding."



Ky held her breath as Ami stirred. She stood. She turned to face Ky, and winked! Ky stared in disbelief.

"Mercury, please," she cried, realizing she need to keep up the charade.

"Show me your attacks. Freeze the princess so she cannot escape." Ami raised her hands to do her attack.

"Mercury Aqua Rhapsody!" she cried, spinning about so that she hit Hibroy with her power. Hibroy was frozen solid in a block of ice. Mercury turned back to the senshi approaching from behind.

"I am Princess Mercury. I command you to halt." Her gem flared, and a beautiful maiden in a graceful, blue dress stood in place of Sailor Mercury. She held a small blue gem. "Planet Mercury, lend me your strength. Let me heal them!"



There was a flash of light, and Ami flopped over, returning to her senshi form. The five senshi blinked, as if they had just realized where the were.

"I don't know how Sailor Moon does it," she whispered, breathing heavily. "Kotanam, do what you must!"

"Reality Buster!" she cried, focusing her energy on Hibroy. Hibroy's eyes went wide, and then he was caught in her power.

"Mommy," he said, his voice whiney like a child's voice. "I wanna go play."

"Not until you let everyone go," she replied. "Every single person under your control must be freed."

"Awe, but mommy!"

"Do as I say."

"Yes mommy," he sighed, and his body began to glow. Dark bits of energy appeared all throughout the room, engulfing him.

"Is that everybody?"

"Yes mommy."

"Good boy."



Ky pulled herself from the illusion, and Hibroy's eyes began to re-focus.

"Come on, Mercury," she said. "It's time to go." She turned to the five senshi. "Do as you will with that beast. Just keep him out of other dementions."

"We can do nothing," one of them said. "We're nothing but Lessers."

"Then I will do something," Ky replied. She considered opening a gate, and banishing him to a world of monsters, but there was always the possibility that he would escape, and she couldn't allow that. "I will bring him back to my world, where he will be tried for attempted murder, murder and regicide. Death."

"He's human, Kotanam. You can't kill him."

"He's not human," Ky replied. "See for yourself." She tugged on his hair, and his skin fell away, leaving a large purple blob.

"You will pay for this, Kotanam."

"Empty threats." She waved her hand, preparing a gate. But the five senshi unleashed a torent of magic, a blast of fire, a gust of wind, lightning, a beam of ice and a thin stream of light crashed into him at the same time. He exploded into tiny pieces of goo.

"Together, I guess we can do stuff," the littlest one said with a grin.





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Ami had never been so glad to be home.

"Tell the others goodbye for me," Ky called from inside her gate.

"I will," Ami replied. She waved to her friend.

"Goodbye," Ky called. "And good luck."

"I don't put faith in luck, and you shouldn't either, Kotanam." Ky gave a laugh.

"I'll see you again," Ky promised. "Never forget me."

"I won't. And next time we see each other, I want a rematch!"

"Fair enough."



Ami headed home, feeling exhausted. She pulled up her communicator. Rei answered.

"How's Serena?"

"She's fine," Rei replied. "Why? Did something happen?" Ami blinked. Then it occurred to her. Reality Buster. She gave a laugh.

"Never mind, Rei, never mind. I'll be a little late.'

"Late? Are you sure nothing's happened."

"Very sure. I just need to play a good game of chess."