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Disclaimer Sailor Moon is not mine.
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~~~~~~~ Dream~~~~~~~
Dreams of the past and the future swirled through her mind as Ami tried to come to grips with the things that she had seen and experienced in the last few days.
Standing in a dark room she knew in her mind that she was dreaming but could not yet force herself to wake up.
A stream of light soon lit a covered path in front of her. Walking upon it she saw a door in front of her bearing the insignia of Mercury.
Sighing as the familiar sign filled her with some comfort she quickly opened the door and walked into the darkness beyond.
Hearing the door slam shut behind her Ami gasped as she found herself in a winter wonderland.
Ami looked up and watched the white snow slowly fall from the sky catching her eyebrows and covering her hair.
Laughing she heard the tinkle of the icicle laden trees which lined the pathway and made her way forward.
Passing through the frozen forest, Ami heard the wind howling through the trees adding its own symphony to the scenery.
Breaking through the edge of the forest she saw a large lake stretching as far as the eye could see.
But that was not what commanded her attention.
A large medieval stone castle floated in the middle of the lake.
Staring up at its old but strong walls Ami felt her heart beat faster as she could feel a tugging of warmth from within that building.
'I have to get over there,' she said looking around her for a boat.
Walking on the lake's edge Ami could see the frozen statues of persons who had tried to make it across the choppy waters seeking the riches that lay hidden in the castle.
'They are all frozen' as she saw the statue of a man who had just made one step into the water but had frozen before his second step. 'Strange. How could they freeze like this when the water shows no sign of ice?'
Reaching into her pocket Ami smiled as her hand grasped her wand. Pulling it out she made her transformation into Sailor Mercury.
'Let's give this a try'.
"Mercury bubbles freeze" she shouted casting her hand over the choppy lake.
All was silent as the entire lake quickly froze over.
'Wow I had no idea I could do that,' she mused 'But now is my chance' she thought running across the frozen tundra.
Upon approaching the entrance she saw that the almost 50 foot drawbridge was up and quickly used her computer to scan for another opening.
Seeing none she looked at the large bridge once more.
"Mercury Aqua Rhapsody"
The blast of water hit the bridge like a hurricane and the force could be heard echoing throughout the castle walls but upon dying down Mercury realised that her attack had not even caused a dent in the strong wooden structure.
'Then how..' her thought remained unfinished as she started to hear the ice cracking beneath her feet.
'Dammit' she looked back the way she came and saw the choppy waves once again appearing swallowing up the ice in its path.
'I can't go back'
"Mercury bubbles freeze" but the water kept making a steady path towards her as if to mock any attempts saying 'it will only work once.'
About to give up hope, Mercury heard a groaning like that of rusted wheels churning.
Looking up she saw the bridge was slowly but surely coming down and stepping back from the giant structure, she hoped it would hurry its descent before the water reached her.
With what appeared to be twenty feet of descent left Mercury felt the ice she was standing on break away and realised she was floating away from the castle.
With a giant leap she grabbed onto the top of the drawbridge and started to pull herself up and over. Standing on it she felt the bridge stop its descent and start to rise again.
Finding herself sliding down its length, she ended up on her butt in a large hallway lighted by candles which flickered casting dancing shadows upon the wall.
Standing up and dusting herself off she continued down the hallway she came to a stop in a large circular arena where five large picture frames hung on the walls. Turning in a slow circle, she saw men dressed in what appeared to be 16th century attire.
By their appearance she could see that they were all prestigious and well off and easing closer to the pictures she recognised the faces of Endymion and Kunzite.
Moving to the next picture she saw the man in the alley who had cut off her attacker's arm. "Jaedite" she said as she saw his name carved into a gold plate underneath it.
"So this is the one that got rid of the guy behind me," she said as she looked at the other picture.
"Thanks Zoicite" and she could have sworn she saw the picture smirk.
Coming to the last picture, she saw a man she knew she had not seen before.
'He's the one who eased my pain'
Smiling softly she reached her hand up to caress the painting's face. Without even looking at the name she breathed softly "Nephrite"
Beyond the paintings she could see yet another room, and walked into it. Gasping Mercury fell back against the wall as before her stood an even larger picture.
Taking up one third of the wall the picture stood some 20 feet tall in the large room, but even though surrounded by priceless antiques, it was the main centrepiece as from all sides of the room it was easily seen and admired.
'It's me' Mercury stood shocked her blue eyes gazing into the portrait's own where her figure was clad in the same old century garb that the men in the previous room had been in.
In the portrait she looked ethereal, almost too beautiful to be for real. Her short blue hair had been allowed to grow wild and free and curled about her face cascading in waves to her waist.
There was a power in her stance that the present Ami would never have had but there was also an air of innocence, of one that needed protection.
Her eyes blazed sensuality, humour and intelligence and Mercury gaped at the woman silently wishing she could be like that.
Almost as if the picture beckoned her Mercury walked up to the image and it seemed to her that as she craned her neck to look up, the portrait shifted its eyes to look down.
A whisper of wind twirled around her body and as she broke eye contact with the portrait she realised her scout uniform was gone and she stood naked in the room.
Feeling something within her hand, Ami saw she was still clutching her wand. About to use it she gasped as it started to burn her hand.
Dropping it quickly, she fell to her knees as she watched in horror and fascination as the wand melted leaving a pool of stardust and metal on the floor in front of the painting.
Suddenly the floor shifted and she found herself sinking through the floor. Screaming, she shouted for help and tried to grab anything she could get her hands on but found herself slipping further away into the darkness.
-------
Wrestling with the sheet covers Ami tried to fight her way from the darkness but could hear a soothing male voice on the horizon.
"Shh it's ok. Wake up and come back to me"
As her eyes fluttered open she found herself staring into the deep brown eyes of the man she had seen in her dreams.
"Nephrite?" she said timidly.
He smiled, eyes lighting with happiness "Yes" he looked at the others whom she could see now on the horizon of the large bed, concern etched over every one of their faces.
"She's awake. In every sense of the word," he sighed in relief.
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~~~~~~~ Dream~~~~~~~
Dreams of the past and the future swirled through her mind as Ami tried to come to grips with the things that she had seen and experienced in the last few days.
Standing in a dark room she knew in her mind that she was dreaming but could not yet force herself to wake up.
A stream of light soon lit a covered path in front of her. Walking upon it she saw a door in front of her bearing the insignia of Mercury.
Sighing as the familiar sign filled her with some comfort she quickly opened the door and walked into the darkness beyond.
Hearing the door slam shut behind her Ami gasped as she found herself in a winter wonderland.
Ami looked up and watched the white snow slowly fall from the sky catching her eyebrows and covering her hair.
Laughing she heard the tinkle of the icicle laden trees which lined the pathway and made her way forward.
Passing through the frozen forest, Ami heard the wind howling through the trees adding its own symphony to the scenery.
Breaking through the edge of the forest she saw a large lake stretching as far as the eye could see.
But that was not what commanded her attention.
A large medieval stone castle floated in the middle of the lake.
Staring up at its old but strong walls Ami felt her heart beat faster as she could feel a tugging of warmth from within that building.
'I have to get over there,' she said looking around her for a boat.
Walking on the lake's edge Ami could see the frozen statues of persons who had tried to make it across the choppy waters seeking the riches that lay hidden in the castle.
'They are all frozen' as she saw the statue of a man who had just made one step into the water but had frozen before his second step. 'Strange. How could they freeze like this when the water shows no sign of ice?'
Reaching into her pocket Ami smiled as her hand grasped her wand. Pulling it out she made her transformation into Sailor Mercury.
'Let's give this a try'.
"Mercury bubbles freeze" she shouted casting her hand over the choppy lake.
All was silent as the entire lake quickly froze over.
'Wow I had no idea I could do that,' she mused 'But now is my chance' she thought running across the frozen tundra.
Upon approaching the entrance she saw that the almost 50 foot drawbridge was up and quickly used her computer to scan for another opening.
Seeing none she looked at the large bridge once more.
"Mercury Aqua Rhapsody"
The blast of water hit the bridge like a hurricane and the force could be heard echoing throughout the castle walls but upon dying down Mercury realised that her attack had not even caused a dent in the strong wooden structure.
'Then how..' her thought remained unfinished as she started to hear the ice cracking beneath her feet.
'Dammit' she looked back the way she came and saw the choppy waves once again appearing swallowing up the ice in its path.
'I can't go back'
"Mercury bubbles freeze" but the water kept making a steady path towards her as if to mock any attempts saying 'it will only work once.'
About to give up hope, Mercury heard a groaning like that of rusted wheels churning.
Looking up she saw the bridge was slowly but surely coming down and stepping back from the giant structure, she hoped it would hurry its descent before the water reached her.
With what appeared to be twenty feet of descent left Mercury felt the ice she was standing on break away and realised she was floating away from the castle.
With a giant leap she grabbed onto the top of the drawbridge and started to pull herself up and over. Standing on it she felt the bridge stop its descent and start to rise again.
Finding herself sliding down its length, she ended up on her butt in a large hallway lighted by candles which flickered casting dancing shadows upon the wall.
Standing up and dusting herself off she continued down the hallway she came to a stop in a large circular arena where five large picture frames hung on the walls. Turning in a slow circle, she saw men dressed in what appeared to be 16th century attire.
By their appearance she could see that they were all prestigious and well off and easing closer to the pictures she recognised the faces of Endymion and Kunzite.
Moving to the next picture she saw the man in the alley who had cut off her attacker's arm. "Jaedite" she said as she saw his name carved into a gold plate underneath it.
"So this is the one that got rid of the guy behind me," she said as she looked at the other picture.
"Thanks Zoicite" and she could have sworn she saw the picture smirk.
Coming to the last picture, she saw a man she knew she had not seen before.
'He's the one who eased my pain'
Smiling softly she reached her hand up to caress the painting's face. Without even looking at the name she breathed softly "Nephrite"
Beyond the paintings she could see yet another room, and walked into it. Gasping Mercury fell back against the wall as before her stood an even larger picture.
Taking up one third of the wall the picture stood some 20 feet tall in the large room, but even though surrounded by priceless antiques, it was the main centrepiece as from all sides of the room it was easily seen and admired.
'It's me' Mercury stood shocked her blue eyes gazing into the portrait's own where her figure was clad in the same old century garb that the men in the previous room had been in.
In the portrait she looked ethereal, almost too beautiful to be for real. Her short blue hair had been allowed to grow wild and free and curled about her face cascading in waves to her waist.
There was a power in her stance that the present Ami would never have had but there was also an air of innocence, of one that needed protection.
Her eyes blazed sensuality, humour and intelligence and Mercury gaped at the woman silently wishing she could be like that.
Almost as if the picture beckoned her Mercury walked up to the image and it seemed to her that as she craned her neck to look up, the portrait shifted its eyes to look down.
A whisper of wind twirled around her body and as she broke eye contact with the portrait she realised her scout uniform was gone and she stood naked in the room.
Feeling something within her hand, Ami saw she was still clutching her wand. About to use it she gasped as it started to burn her hand.
Dropping it quickly, she fell to her knees as she watched in horror and fascination as the wand melted leaving a pool of stardust and metal on the floor in front of the painting.
Suddenly the floor shifted and she found herself sinking through the floor. Screaming, she shouted for help and tried to grab anything she could get her hands on but found herself slipping further away into the darkness.
-------
Wrestling with the sheet covers Ami tried to fight her way from the darkness but could hear a soothing male voice on the horizon.
"Shh it's ok. Wake up and come back to me"
As her eyes fluttered open she found herself staring into the deep brown eyes of the man she had seen in her dreams.
"Nephrite?" she said timidly.
He smiled, eyes lighting with happiness "Yes" he looked at the others whom she could see now on the horizon of the large bed, concern etched over every one of their faces.
"She's awake. In every sense of the word," he sighed in relief.
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