Legacy
Chapter 4: The Birth of the Faerie
by Lessa of Ruatha
AN: god! i just read the last chapter again and realized i'm trying to make this into a just-romance story. i really didn't mean to. i will have romance in, but i don't want to focus on relationships, at least this early in the story. and i'm not sure but i think i'm gonna put mako with draco. BUT I HAVE NO IDEA IF OR WHO AMI SHOULD BE WITH. if you have an idea (maybe a weasley twin or something) lemme know. for the people who've asked, artemis will come in later. i don't know why, but i really don't want luna in here so i'm gonna say she went with rei, mamoru, and minako.
disclaimer: i don't own SM or HP. i do own my own characters.
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"I don't want you to give it all up,
And leave your own life collecting dust,
And I don't want you to feel sorry for me,
You never gave us a chance to be,
And I don't need you to be by my side,
And tell me that everything's all right,
I just wanted you to tell me truth,
You know I'd do that for you"
-- Hoobastank "Running Away"
~~~~~~~~~~
Ami looked up, a frown creasing her brow. What was that sound? It sounded like ... almost like a choir. Dozens of voices coming together to form a single sound. But where was it?
She looked around the library. She was currently in-between two of the bookshelves, sitting comfortably in a small window she had found. She marked the book she was looking at as she glanced out the window. Her eyes narrowed. Was that group of trees glowing? She could practically feel the power emanating from that spot.
She idly wondered if Seren was doing some kind of magic. During one of her free periods she had found the other girl sneaking around the halls and forced an answer out of her. Apparently Seren's magic worked in the way it had during her first life- a kind of magic referred to as "the Gift." It meant that her magic worked differently than the way everyone else's did. As such, she rarely attended classes so as not to embarrass herself or the professors.
Ami had noticed that some subjects, like History of Magic, were particularly easy for her. In retrospect, she had noticed that Makoto, whom she regularly had classes with, had a tendency to end up doodling or throwing things at the ceiling behind Binns' back. Or likewise, she found that she had a hard time with Divination, whereas Hotaru had said it was incredibly simple. Or, vice versa, Hotaru found Charms difficult, and Ami found it rather medium in terms of difficulty.
It seemed that senshi abilities had nothing to do with it. According to Cho Chang, an older girl in Ravenclaw, all students had classes they were good in and some they were bad in. Even Hermione Granger, probably the smartest girl in school, easily had as much trouble with Divination as she did. Though she had learned that Hermione had dropped the class in her Third Year.
Wondering what it was, she quietly left the library and headed outside. She glanced over her shoulder guiltily. She felt bad about sneaking out this late, but something about that magic ... that feeling of power had captured her.
As she entered the rather large grove of trees, she had the oddest sensation of being examined. A gasp escaped her lips as she saw the thousands of colors that hung around the grove.
A single one, a bright green, hovered in front of her. It seemed to solidify and, in the next moment a small human-shaped thing was there. It was perhaps two feet tall, and very female. Her hair, cut neatly at her bare feet, was a pale green, the same color as her eyes. She wore a shift of a strange amber cloth. In her hand she held a thin blade, which was pointed threateningly in Ami's face. But the most incredible thing was the twin butterfly-like wings that sprouted from her back.
"What wrath dost thee wish to encure by trolloping in our land?" she asked in a strange accent.
Ami recognized the tone of voice as something akin to Shakespearean. "Er ... I saw your lights" she offered, somehow losing all her eloquence.
The tiny woman looked insulted. "What didst thou say?" she demanded. "We of the Faerie cannot hear you, mortal."
Ami realized maybe if she spoke like them- "Um ... I sawest thous lights and such by the ... uh ... glass of looking and wondered what was thine's cause" she tried.
The woman still looked ruffled, but she looked more calmed. She opened her mouth to say more when a younger boy flew in front of her. He was as green as she, his hair cut at his waist not his feet, and dressed in the same amber cloth. They were very alike. He, apparently, didn't have the same language-ideas as she. "You saw our shimmers? Is that even possible for a mortal, Mama?" he asked.
The woman frowned at him. "If thee dost not keep thine own lips sealed, thee could be at mine own blade point one day" she said sharply.
The boy looked deflated, but continued talking. "But she saw the lights" he persisted. "And L'chea said that only one mortal would be able to and would be the one to-"
Ami, for the life of her, couldn't tell you what he said next. Her attention was riveted on the tree stump behind the creatures. And the thing that sat on it. It was Michiru's Deep Sea Mirror!
Seeing that the two Faeries were too busy arguing, she made her way over to the Mirror, intent on retrieving it. The moment she touched it, however, a bright light emitted from the Mirror, capturing everyone's attention.
Ami caught the multiple expressions on their faces -awe, fear, incredibility, disbelief- as she fell into blackness.
"They told me you would come" a soft voice said.
Ami spun around, trying to make her eyes focus. "Who's there?" she wanted to know. Her vision blurred, then everything came into focus.
She was in an apartment, a very plain one. Most of the walls were either white or blue-grey. There were few possessions save the bookcases. In one of the chairs was a woman. Her blue hair was trimmed neatly at her chin, her dull blue eyes hidden behind a pair of glasses. She was wearing a crisp white linen shirt and a gray skirt that fell to her calves. Casual shoes covered her feet. She wore no speck of makeup or jewelry. "Me" the woman replied.
"And who are you?" asked Ami again.
"Mizuno Ami" replied the woman.
Ami squinted at the woman, wondering what was going on. Then, she began to note the similarities. The eye- and hair-color was very close, and the facial features were more pronounced, but similar. The older woman had a few strands of gray in her hair, and a few wrinkles at the corners of her eyes. "I don't understand" Ami dropped into another chair.
"It's very simple" the older woman continued. "Right now in your life, you are at a crossroads. I am here to tell you what will happen if you take one road."
"What's your life been like?" Ami asked curiously. "And- what should I call you? I mean, I'm Mizuno Ami. It feels weird to refer to someone else as that."
"Call me ... Hikari" the other woman said finally. Her eyes were dark with pain for a moment, before they cleared. "My life, you ask? My life began, or rather ended, when Seren told us she was no longer Serenity. As senshi, our duty was to our hime. If we no longer had a hime-" she trailed off. "We drifted apart. Haruka and Michiru were the first to leave, heading off on a concert tour around Asia. I heard from Michiru a few years ago- they married and have a daughter. Makoto and I left about the same time. Hotaru remained at Hogwarts, graduated, and is living in the Wizarding World, perfectly content." She sighed, rubbing directly between her eyes.
"Why do you ask me to call you Hikari?" asked Ami curiously.
Hikari smiled softly, but the pain was still in her eyes. "Seren disappeared years ago, but every year or so we all get letters from her" she explained. "Apparently, she married some man from Hogwarts and they had three children. Hikari is the eldest. Even though we never really see the children, Seren named Makoto and I godmothers to Hikari. Haruka is godfather to her son, Motoki. Hotaru is godmother to her youngest daughter, Reika. Michiru is godmother to her next child, who should be born in a few months."
"Ah" Ami could see why the name was painful to hear, but full of purpose. "What was your life like here, in Japan, after the split?"
"I had always wanted to be a doctor" continued Hikari, a faraway look in her eyes. "With my grades, every medical school in the world wanted me. I ended up attending school in America. I worked there for my residency, but I wanted to return home." She took a breath, a funny look on her face as she looked around the room. "Odd. I've been living in this apartment for almost ten years, and I lived in Japan for my childhood, but this doesn't feel like home."
"'Home is where the heart is'" Ami quoted the old saying.
"And my heart is with my dead hime" Hikari's tone was bitter. Ami glanced up, startled. Hikari gave her a smile as bitter as her voice. "No, I blame none of this on Seren. She didn't do anything. But being a senshi was too much of my life. Without that ... I am a shadow" she waved a hand in a mindless gesture. As if just remembering where she was and what was going on, Hikari folded her hands in her lap and life came back into her dull eyes.
"You don't have friends?" Ami was appalled. "Not even with your coworkers?"
Hikari shook her head slowly. "I don't think you understand" her voice was soft, almost weak-sounding. "All of the doctors I work with are either married or have children to occupy their free time. And I'm Dr Ami Mizuno [1] and people don't want to be friends with me" her voice had that bitter quality again. "No, after all, we can't have someone corrupting the world's best brain surgeon." Her voice was frank and her eyes held Ami's firmly. "I am 34 years old and I haven't been on a date since I turned 29. People hold me on a pedestal; they want to see me, watch me, not listen to my problems. They care that I come to work everyday, that I'm alive, not if I want to run away and never come back. People don't want to date me; they want to idolize me. Now-" her voice lightened, and the storm in her eyes disappeared. "We were speaking of you, I believe. What brought you here?"
"You remember Michiru's Deep Sea Mirror?" Ami asked. "Well, I was in the-"
"Yes, yes, you touched the Mirror and you fell into darkness and wound up here" Hikari waved her hand in a gesture of displeasure. "I am already aware of that. I did the same thing, nineteen years ago. But I made one choice when I returned- AMI!"
Ami's attention had been diverted by the blackness slowly appearing on the wall. Hearing Hikari nearly shriek her name, she turned, slowly, as though unable to tear herself away from it. Glancing down, she was shocked to see her body was beginning to fade into nothingness.
"Ami, listen to me!" Hikari's voice was desperate. "Don't make my mistake! Listen to all the choices the Faeries give you! Don't be greedy with them! Don't take what they say for granted! Question them! And don't anger L'chea!"
And with that, Ami disappeared into the darkness.
Ami blinked rapidly, trying to clear the spots from her vision. She clutched her temples as they pounded, before glancing around. She was still in the forest, not more than a few feet from where she had touched the Mirror. The Faeries were still twinkling around, though she could spot only a few colors. The most predominant ones were the green woman from before and another woman, this one red.
"The mortal is awake, M'lene" the red Faerie said. "If you will leave, I will question it" the Faerie continued.
"I wish to observe thee, R'nel" M'lene said.
R'nel inclined her head slightly. Then she turned back to Ami. "Mortal, why did you dare to touch our scryer?" she brandished a blade worse than M'lene's; hers still had what looked like dried blood on it.
"It belongs to my friend Michiru" explained Ami, though some part of her subconscious protested it didn't feel like Michiru owned it. It had felt like hers. "It's her Deep Sea Mirror."
"It's called the Mirror of Delphi" another voice piped up. It was the little green boy from before.
"Hush, D'neiu" hissed M'lene, gesturing the boy to come to her.
But he shook his head stubbornly. "L'chea told me that this is the one we've been awaiting" he told R'nel firmly.
"And how would a child like you know of such matters?" demanded R'nel.
D'neiu bristled at her words. "May I remind you that I am three hundred years old and my Ceremony will be in the coming Spring" he snapped. "In a few short months I will no longer be able to be called a child. And I know of this because L'chea had said that myself and Y'neri would be the ones to find and teach the one. Now, L'chea herself will be the one to question the mortal. So, if you will remove your wards ... " he fashioned the question as an order.
R'nel could say nothing to that. It was true, the lad spent most of his time with old L'chea. And he often played messenger for her. It wouldn't be that odd for L'chea to send him. And if L'chea thought this was the one- Without a word, she released the wards that kept Ami from moving.
Ami stood, slowly, aware of the stares she was receiving. D'neiu motioned for her to follow him, and she walked slowly as he flew toward an area away from where the Mirror was. Ami threw one look behind her shoulder at it, reluctant to leave it there.
Slowly, they made their way up to a large tree. D'neiu flitted upwards for a moment to speak with another Faerie, this one a yellow girl around his age, before an older Faerie appeared. Oh, she looked no older than M'lene, but something about her screamed ancient. There was also something very familiar about her ...
"I will not require your company, D'neiu" she said, voice a bit raspy. "Nor yours, Y'neri."
The two Faeries bid her good evening, then disappeared back to what Ami guessed was a celebration.
L'chea looked at her speculatively. She was the first blue Faerie Ami had seen, a pale blue that was nearly white. As soon as the two younger Faeries were out of earshot, a thin smile graced her lips. "Princess Mercury" she nodded her head deeply.
"You know that?" Ami questioned.
"Princess, you do not have your full memories of the Silver Millennium, do you?" asked L'chea, obviously expecting a negative response.
"Not exactly" said Ami slowly.
"As I expected" sighed L'chea. "We of the Faerie are most of what remains of your Mercury Kingdom. I am the only one who is old enough to remember the great Millennium."
"But if you're what was my Kingdom, why do you have Michiru -Neptune's- Mirror?" wondered Ami.
L'chea shook her head slowly. "Princess Neptune was our envoy trying to find you" she explained. "And, like D'neiu has likely told you, it is called the Mirror of Delphi. And it is yours." Seeing Ami's disbelief, she shook her head and continued. "As you know of, your Serenity no longer lives within the mortal body she inhabited. As such, the abilities you have that are tied to her are fading. As you have probably noticed, you no longer have the ability to become the senshi of Mercury." Seeing the startlement in Ami's eyes, she nodded. "And other things- you cannot use your transformation pen as a wand anymore. You cannot feel your connection to Mercury very well. When you were a senshi you needed very little sleep; now you find yourself needing much more."
Ami slowly nodded. "I was going to mention it to Seren, Serenity's reincarnation" she explained, "But it never came up. None of the other girls ever mentioned it, so I assumed I was imagining things. I couldn't transform because it was time for a power boost; my wand wasn't working simply because I wasn't focusing; my connection was weakening because Mercury was at the farthest point in its orbit; I was needing sleep because of all the energy I was exerting in my classes."
"But nothing seemed to help" L'chea finished Ami's thought.
Ami nodded slowly.
"It has nothing to do with power boosts, or your focusing, or Mercury's orbit, or exertion" began L'chea. "It has to do with the fact that you are no longer drawing power from the Silver Crystal. And the other senshi have also had problems, though only two of them have mentioned it to your ... Seren, did you call her?" At Ami's nod, she continued. "She has told them that this will happen. Now." Her voice was stern, eyes hard. "There are three possibilities of where you go from here.
"One" began L'chea. "You forget of the Faerie and return to Hogwarts, remembering only what you want to believe-"
Ami opened her mouth to say yes -after all, this was incredibly confusing business- before she remembered what Hikari had said. She hadn't waited for the other options, instead taking the first choice without thought. Snapping her mouth shut, she let L'chea continue.
A look of triumph in her eyes, L'chea continued, "Your second option is that you can regain your true form and take over your rightful position as Princess Mercury."
Ami was greatly tempted by that. True form? Rightful position? She was about to ask a question when she remembered L'chea said there were three choices.
"And your third choice is that you can learn the truth of the Faerie and gain your true form, and return to Hogwarts to continue what you feel is your duty" finished L'chea, a pleased look in her eyes.
Ami remembered that Hikari said to question the Faerie, but not to anger L'chea. So, tentatively, she asked, "What do you mean true form'?"
L'chea looked confused. "Pardon?"
"You said I could regain my true form'" repeated Ami, wondering what the problem was.
"No, not that" L'chea waved a hand. "I am just surprised. You do not think that is what you looked like on Mercury."
Ami raised a hand to her hair, a startled look on her face. "Huh?"
"Aiya! [2]" L'chea turned her face heavenwards. "Great Selene, give me strength!"
Ami sensed L'chea was getting worked up. Deciding to give the Faerie a few moments, as she muttered to various gods and goddesses, Ami turned her thoughts to trying to guess what L'chea meant. She knew she would have looked different- goodness, Serenity had wings in her transformed state! But L'chea implied something more than just an addition like wings or such.
A few minutes later, after L'chea had been silent for a bit, Ami mustered up the courage to say, "L'chea?"
"Yes, princess?" smiled L'chea.
"You were saying about my true form ... " Ami trailed off, hoping the Faerie would continue.
"Yes" L'chea's bright blue eyes darkened for a moment, before they returned to their normal shade. "Back on Mercury, your appearance was only vaguely similar to this-" she waved a hand at Ami.
Ami suddenly felt very self-conscious, but curious as well. "May I see my true form?" she asked, eager as a little girl told she could wear her favorite dress.
L'chea chuckled at her excitement, but let it die out. "First, I must ask you to make your decision" she objected.
Ami mulled over it for a few minutes before smiling, realizing she had long since known her decision. "The third option" she said in a strong, unwavering voice.
L'chea nodded, smiling brightly. She began to chant, first softly, then louder, then softer again, in a language Ami couldn't recognize. She began to note a pattern; when the words were loud they were higher, but when they were softer, her voice was low. Finally, L'chea completed what sounded like a prayer and whispered four words under her breath.
And Ami gasped as she felt the changes take over [3]. She could feel her appearance changing, but more than that, she could feel that reservoir of power that she drew on changing. She took a deep breath as she felt the ice-cold power wash over her. When it finished, she blinked, pulling off the wire glasses that she no longer needed.
A look of pride shone in L'chea's eyes. "Call your Mirror to you" she instructed. "And you will see your true form."
Ami did so, knowing instinctively how to bring it to her. She made a gesture, and it transformed into a full-length mirror. And she gasped at what she saw.
Her once shoulder length bright blue hair now fell to her feet, and it had lightened to a pale blue color. Clear glass beads held her bangs away from her forehead in sections. She was barefoot, but her nails were tinted a pale blue. Her dress was not what she had expected- it was nothing like the dress Serenity wore. The neckline was modest enough, with strings that wrapped around her neck. It had no sleeves, only the strings. It was fitted to her waist, where it flared out slightly. The dress ended at her knees, but it was in points of different lengths, like icicles. Glass beads, like the ones in her hair, were bunched at where the points began to taper off from the dress. She wore one piece of jewelry- a crystal bracelet on her right wrist. But the most incredible thing were the thin, pale blue, butterfly-like wings that came from her shoulders.
Ami raised a hand to her cheek in a gesture of incredulous surprise. "Incredible" she breathed. L'chea made a sound of pain and she quickly turned to the Faerie. She gasped when she saw L'chea slowly fading away. "L'chea?!"
"Listen to me, princess" L'chea's voice was full of warmth. "The Mirror is also your transformation device. Because Sailor Mercury no longer exists, you have a new form to fight in. You can also transform it into your wand, your true wand. This is what I have been waiting for for these two thousand years. Thank you for freeing me of my burden." She smiled proudly at Ami. "You have my blessing ... " and with that, she disappeared.
Ami was shock-still for a minute, before the realization came to her. Smiling sadly, she let the wind carry her soft words away. "I wish you peace in your next life, L'chea." For she knew what L'chea had tried to tell her. L'chea had been awaiting her rebirth since the fall of the Millennium. She was bound to the Mirror of Delphi, and it prevented her from moving on to the afterlife. Now she could finally be at peace with her Mercurian ancestors.
She looked down at the Mirror, changing it back into its hand-held form. She would have tried out the transformation or the wand when the yellow Y'neri appeared.
"She has passed?" Y'neri knew the answer, but asked the question anyway.
"She has passed" answered Ami.
"With L'chea's passing, I am now the Wise Woman of the Faerie" Y'neri told her, voice wavering just a bit with sorrow for the older Faerie's death. "And as my duty to my planet remains, I will take over the spot as head of the clan. D'neiu will be appointed as envoy between us and you." She saw Ami's surprise and offered the girl a smile. "It is given that all Wise Women have talents akin to what humans call witchery. My talent is slight abilities in ForeSeeing something. I ForeSaw your choice, and as such I know that you will return to your Hogwarts."
"I still have my duty" Ami reminded her.
"And I understand that" nodded Y'neri. "Before you return, though, I must ask that you attend the celebration."
Ami opened her mouth to ask what celebration when the knowledge in her mind answered her and she nodded in an oh yeah, of course' fashion. "Who's playing?" she wondered aloud.
"L'tani" answered Y'neri. "She is a wonderful hand with a lute. I believe she is also the one singing. Please, follow me."
Ami chose to walk, not used to using her wings, and followed behind Y'neri slowly. As they neared the rest of the Faerie, she could hear them quieting. As they glided past rows of them, there was complete silence. Ami let them glimpse the Mirror she held tightly in her hand, the wings on her back exactly like theirs. And the fact that Y'neri carried the staff that L'chea had always had with her.
When they reached the tree stump, Ami sat down on it, so that Y'neri, the only Faerie above the ground, was at level with her.
"I bid all of us Faerie to welcome our Princess, M'nira!" she called loudly.
The name did not startle Ami. That was the name the Faerie were to call her, that she knew without ever telling them or being told. Obviously, Y'neri's ForeSight had Seen that.
"L'chea has passed, and I, Y'neri, Yellow Faerie of our Clan, am her successor!" she continued. "Are there any objections?" She knew there would not be. She had been trained since her birth to take over the role as head of clan and Wise Woman. She nodded. "I wish to keep the Council L'chea gathered over her years. I am also admitting D'neiu into the Council, as envoy between we of the Faerie and M'nira. M'nira has a duty she must fulfill, and will return to Hogwarts."
Ami nodded, looking over the Faeries. She was surprised to see there were few blue ones, only four out of the hundreds of Faeries there. Perhaps blue was a special color for them.
A few of the younger Faeries came forward and presented her with gifts- flowers, mostly, a few small pieces of jewelry. One of the littlest Faeries, a pale pink one, offered her a small bird. With a smile for the girl, she accepted the bird, placing it in her lap. A few of the older Faerie women offered her weapons, but she shook her head. She would fight, yes, but she didn't want to fight to kill. She would stick with her Mirror.
She glanced up at the sky, seeing the sun was beginning to rise. She stood, making sure not to drop anything. "I must return before my absence is noted" she told them, reluctant to return. The closeness, the warmth she felt here made her want to stay but she knew she needed to return. She probably would skip her classes [4] today, but with all the magic she had used, added to the fact she'd had no sleep, she didn't feel so bad about it. She would just alert her Head of House [5] that she didn't feel well. Who knows? Maybe she would just hang out with Seren for the day. She had seen a lot of Serena in the girl, and was more than curious about the life she had hidden from them. She was hurt that one of her best friends had done that, but she was also realistic. She understood why Seren had done that, and she agreed.
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1 -- does anyone know how to say doctor in japanese? or if someone could email me a list of japanese words i'd be eternally grateful.
2 -- no, this isn't something in some kind of Faerie language i'm making up. it's an exclamation. kind of like you have anime characters rolling their eyes and saying "kami-sama" or whatever. a Faerie wouldn't be saying "kami" or "god" so i'm making her say this. it's pronounced eye-uh. and she's calling ami "princess" because how is she gonna know japanese?
3 -- i always read those sere is the one with special powers' fics. i know this started out like that, but i'm gonna have each senshi with a new look, transformation, and powers. this is ami's.
4 -- i know its kind of ooc for ami to be skipping classes. but i need her not to go, so she's not gonna go.
5 -- anybody know who the ravenclaw head of house is? mcgonagall is gryffindor, snape is slytherin, and sprout it hufflepuff. but i can't find out who's ravenclaw.
PLEASE REVIEW!!! AND LET ME KNOW WHO YOU WANT AMI TO BE WITH:
ami/fred weasley
ami/george weasley
ami/oliver wood
ami/original character
she can't be with draco because i think i'm gonna make this a draco/mako fic. and i think i'm gonna make it ron/hermione too. so, lemme know.
as always, full lyrics to Hoobastank's "Running Away":
Running Away
I don't want you to give it all up
and leave your own life collecting dust
and I don't want you to feel sorry for me
you never gave us a chance to be
And I don't need you to be by my side
and tell me that everythings all right
I just wanted you to tell me the truth
You know I'd do that for you
So why are you running away?
Why are you running away?
I did enough to show you that I was willing to give and sacrafice
and I was the one who was lifting you up
when you thought your life had had enough
when I get close you turn away, nothing that I can do or say
so now I need you to tell me the truth
you know I would do that for you
So why are you running away?
Why are you running away?
Is it me? Is it you?
Nothing that
I can do
To make you change your mind
Is it me? Is it you?
Nothing that
I can do
Is it a waste of time?
Is it me? Is it you?
Nothing that
I can do
to make you change your mind
So why are you running away?
Why are you running away?
(What is it I have to say?)
So why are you running away?
(To make you admit you're afraid)
Why are you running away?