Act 3 "Ami and Ryu's true feelings! The clever hypnotist strikes!"
In the library of KO University, Ami walked down the wall of books. The rolls of bookshelves were tightly packed together like wafers. In the study area students diligently flipped though books, digested passages and wrote down a lawn of thick notes. The only noise was an occasional cough, the gentle flipping of pages, and the scratching noise of writing instruments.
Ami turned and picked out a book, flipped through it and placed it on the foot tall pile she carried in her left arm. As she made a turn around a blind corner, a person suddenly came around at the same time and they collided in the narrow hallway.
"Oh! I'm sorry! I-I wasn't looking!" the other person quickly apologized. Ami rubbed her head and said, "It's all right, really…" she picked up her glasses and what she saw stunned her.
"Ryu-kun?"
Ryu, who had been busy picking up books looked back, was equally surprised "Ami-chan? Ami Mizuno!"
The librarian poked his head into their roll and made an annoyed hushing noise. Ami and Ryu, still sitting where they had fallen, both blushed.
Outside in a nearby park, the two sat with the library books sitting on one end of the bench.
"So how have you been Ryu-kun? It's been several years since I last saw you," asked Ami.
Ryu blushed again and scratched his head. "Well, my parents are still moving around a lot due to their job, but…" he turned to look at Ami and smiled. "I'll be living in Tokyo for a while since I have just enrolled in this university."
At the same time, the Tsukino girls were walking toward the park. "Why did you have to wake me up so early Luna?" Usagi complained as she yawned and stretched.
Luna sweat dropped. "Please Usagi…you're in college now! If you don't get up early you'll be late for class and college professors don't let you make up the material you missed just because you overslept! Even Chibi Usa woke up earlier then you!"
Usagi sulked as she practically dragged herself onward. She turned to look at her future daughter and noticed that Chibi Usa was staring blankly at the pavement as she walked. Diana had a worried look on her gray furry face as she sat between Chibi Usa's odangos, but like her mistress, spoken not a single word.
Usagi stepped behind Chibi Usa and tapped her on the shoulder. "Chibi Usa…"
Chibi Usa looked up before Usagi could continue and replied with a fake smile, "I'm fine Usagi…really I am!" Usagi looked unconvinced. Chibi Usa placed Diana on the ground and said in a seemingly cheerful manner, "I'll go ahead first. See you guys later!"
After Chibi Usa disappeared around a corner, Luna looked worriedly at Usagi. "Usagi-chan, I think Chibi Usa-chan doesn't want to talk about her problem…It must be very hard for her." The black cat shook her head "The other girls meet yesterday at Rei-chan's temple but no one, not even Ami-chan could come up with any possible reason why she'd suddenly lose her powers."
Usagi sighed inwardly while Luna continued. "And this new enemy of ours…they may very well be the ones behind all this. It's just that I'm worried about Chibi Usa. It's very much like to her hold up her feelings, but for her to pint up all her frustrations and anger on herself…." Luna sighed heavily. "Diana told me that she's been crying nearly every night! We must do something Usagi-chan, or else she may never be her old self again."
Usagi only frowned deeper as she gazed at the road before her, but in her heart she knew that the only way to mend Chibi Usa's broken pride was by regaining her powers. And yet, before they can understand the cause of Chibi Usa's grief, the only thing Usagi can do was to try and comfort her future daughter.
As Chibi Usa passed by a nearby park she noticed Ami and Ryu sitting on a bench in the park not far beyond the roll of bushes. "Who's the guy with Ami-chan?" Chibi Usa said to herself after she stopped to look. Usagi ran up and looked in Ami's direction.
"Hey, that's Ryu-kun!"
Chibi Usa looked puzzled at Usagi "You know him?"
Usagi nodded, "We meet him a long time ago while fighting Queen Beryl. He was one of the Nijizuishou carriers. Ryu-kun has a crush on Ami-chan ever since they've meet!"
Chibi Usa looked shocked and blushed slightly. "Are you saying that that person's Ami-chan's…!" before she could finish Usagi pushed her head down with her left hand.
"Get down or they might see us!"
Luna's whiskers shot up and hissed, "Usagi-chan we shouldn't be peeping! And besides, you need to get to …!"
But before Luna could finish her sentence Usagi wrapped her other hand around Luna's mouth "Shhh!" Usagi hissed. Chibi Usa looked up, twigs and leaves stuck in her pink hair. She looked curiously at the two people before her.
"That's great! I'm studying medicine. What major are you in?" Ami asked enthusiastically.
Ryu blushed harder when Ami looked directly at him. He turned his head away and answered slowly. "Well…I'm currently enrolled in an advanced microbiology course and an introductory biochemistry class. I …uh…hope to do research, nothing major but hopefully something that will be beneficial to people. What about you Ami-chan? What do you want to do after college?"
Ami leaned back and looked up at the clear blue sky. "My dream…is to be a doctor. I had always wanted to be like my mother." Ami watched as patches of snow white clouds trailing past the great blue sky. "It would be a great honor for me, to be able to help people in need and save lives."
"Chibi Usa move your head, I can't see!" Usagi whispered sharply as she and Chibi Usa wrestled for a better view. Eventually they leaned on each other over a branch and watched with intense interest.
Ryu nodded "That's a very noble dream you have."
Ami flushed. "You think so?" Just then Ami noticed Ryu was twisting his fingers nervously. Ami's eyes darted over to Ryu's face and saw it was as red as an apple.
"Uh…Ami-chan…" Ryu began.
Ami looked on earnestly "Yes?"
Ryu fidgeted and his voice became a tiny whisper "I…"
Just then the branch that was supporting Chibi Usa and Usagi began to snap. Diana heard the noise and was about to warn the girls when the branch promptly snapped in two, sending the girls and cats tumbling onto the grassy field.
"Ahhh!" Usagi and Chibi Usa screamed as they fell face first into the dirt.
Both Ryu and Ami jumped out of their seats as they stared at the two peeping-toms.
"Usagi-chan! Chibi Usa-chan!" Ami stood up as the two picked themselves up.
Usagi laughed sheepishly, still sitting in the dirt. "Um…we were just passing by when uh…the uh…when we tripped over the sidewalk!" Usagi laughed and sweat dropped.
Chibi Usa stared at Usagi out of the corner of her eyes. "That's the best one you can think of?" she silently whispered. Usagi glared at Chibi Usa before picking herself up.
Ami began walking towards them to see if they were okay when Ryu said, "Since you've got visitor's I'd better go. I… I'll see you in the park tonight at eight okay? Bye Ami-chan!"
Before Ami could reply, Ryu was running away from the park and into the street. Ami whispered "At eight…". She looked sadly in Ryu's direction before she resumed her way toward the girls.
She helped Usagi up when Chibi Usa asked her meekly, "So what were you two talking about?"
Ami's cheeks glowed and smiled. She walked back to the chair and picked up her book. "I don't know…he didn't tell me anything except that he'll be going to school here." Chibi Usa noticed that when Ami said that she looked rather disappointed.
Usagi, embarrassed about what had just happened, scratched her head "Sorry Ami-chan…"
Ami smiled and shook her head. "It's okay Usagi-chan. Since Ryu-kun will be going to school here I'll get to see him quite often."
Just then the clock on the clock tower struck eight. Ami glanced at the clock and cried "Oh no! I'll be late for my human anatomy class if I don't hurry! I'd better go!" Usagi suddenly jerked, remembering that she too was late for class.
"Ami-chan, how about if I'll help you carry your books to class" Chibi Usa suddenly offered.
A rather surprised Ami nodded. "But the class room is quite far from..."
Chibi Usa smiled and snatched the book out of her hands "It's okay, it'll be good exercise! See you later Luna, Usagi!" Usagi watched as Chibi Usa waved good bye and left with Ami.
"What's that little brat up to now?" Usagi asked herself.
"Usagi-chan…" just then Usagi heard a low hissing voice below her. She slowly turned and saw that Luna's eyes were shut, her fur was standing up straight on her back, and her claws extended.
"Ah ha! Oops, forgot! Gotta go!" With that, Usagi raced down the sidewalk toward the bus stop, leaving a trail of smoke behind her. Luna sweat dropped and sighed.
"To think that she's the future queen…" Luna shook her furry head before chasing after Usagi.
Chibi Usa and Ami walked down a lane of falling ginkgo leaves as they headed toward Ami's class.
"So Ami-chan who was the person I saw you with" Chibi Usa asked. Ami was taken back, but she blushed and smiled "His name's Ryu Urawa. I meet him when I was still in junior high." Chibi Usa watched Ami as the fan-shaped leaves gently floated down to earth, creating a rain of golden snow flakes around Ami. "We saved him from the Dark Kingdom when Zoicite took away his crystal and changed him into an Youma. He's a very smart person and he even beat me once in the school wide exams!" Ami smiled at Chibi Usa, as if getting beaten by him was a memorable and even happy event. "He has a lot of potential," Ami continued "and even though he has powers which allows him to ace every test he doesn't use that power. Instead he works very hard to earn his grades and I'm proud of him for that…" at this point Ami's blush deepened.
Chibi Usa watched Ami's face closely as she asked her next question "Do you…like him?"
Ami opened her eyes wide, her face now beet red. "Well I…I mean we are very good friends but…" she looked down at her hands and smiled melancholy "to say like or not like in that sense well. Mmm, sometimes when I watch Usagi and Mamoru-san together, an image of him would suddenly flash in my mind. But in my mind right now we are just friends."
Just friends… Chibi Usa remembered the time when she was looking at Mamoru and Usagi, she suddenly remembered Helios. She walked tentatively closer to Ami. "Ami-chan…when you think of Ryu-kun, before you saw him again today, how do you feel inside?"
Ami looked up at the waltzing ginkgo leaves. She closed her eyes for a moment before answering, "Well, it's a strange feeling. An empty sort of feeling. I want to see that person and yet…and yet I have no way of finding him…"
Chibi Usa nodded knowingly. She looked at Ami again and asked "But how did you know that this feeling means that you…well…love him?"
Ami stared blankly for a second before she smiled broadly and answered "I don't really know. But perhaps that really is what my heart has been telling me …"
Chibi Usa turned her eyes from Ami and looked down at the ground
Your heart is it?
In the dressing room, Argent was looking attentively at a TV set showing a drama series. Argent, with a tissue in her hand, was sniffing and blowing her nose loudly as the scene she was watching reached its climax.
"I don't know how you feel about me…but I love you Sango-san!" said the leading actor.
"Oh Yama!" the actress cried and threw her self into the arms of the actor. The couple looked lovingly in each other's eyes while Argent sniffed and threw another tissue onto the large heap of paper wads beside her ottoman.
"This is so romantic! (sniff) I'm so happy for them!"
Argent's big puppy eyes received a gagging sound from Eisen. "Yuck! Do you really think that these stupid human entertainment are worth crying over?"
Argent returned the raspberry and stuck up her nose at Eisen. "Well, I don't expect an idiot like you to understand anything about art!"
Eisen narrowed her eyes and was about to jump off her seat when Oro stepped in. "Please! Will you two clam down!" Oro turned to Argent, massaging her temples "Argent turn that thing off! Do you want to get yelled at by Bellona-sama again?" Argent made a sore face but complied. Oro sighed deeply "I think it's time I get out of this hole or else you two will drive me nuts sooner or later!" she walked over to the map and selected a nearby target. The picture was that of Ryu with a sad look on his face.
"Hmm…he doesn't seem very interesting to me," said Argent "but he is pretty cute!" she said with a wink.
Oro studied the picture for a moment before smiling "Hmm, good! He's just my type!"
Eisen looked up at the gold-haired woman "Your type? What's that suppose to mean?"
Oro grinned and pulled out a watch made of gold and large rubies from her sleeve. "He's obviously very worried about something. This makes him vulnerable in that he wants to take the weight off his shoulder but doesn't know how. I can easily trick him into believing me and with this little beauty…"she held up the watch, the rubies glisten in the artificial light from the ring of light bulbs around the mirrors, "he won't know what hit him!"
Chibi Usa plopped down on her bed and hugged the pillow tightly "I'm so tired! May be I shouldn't have walked all the way to Ami-chan's classroom! I didn't think it'd almost half an hour!"
Chibi Usa turned to face the wall, thinking But what Ami-chan said…hmm Chibi Usa turned to look at the ceiling. If Ami-chan misses Ryu-kun and she's in love with him, then does that mean that I'm…in love with Helios? Chibi Usa could feel her cheeks grow warm at the thought, but it nevertheless brought a smile to her face.
She remembered the time when they had first meet in her dreams. Back then she was still a little girl and didn't know about the secrets of the Golden Crystal or the fact that the dream Pegasus was in fact a boy. Chibi Usa blushed harder when she remembered the time when she first saw Helios' human form and he had given the future princess her first kiss.
Chibi Usa smiled into her pillow when a thought dawned on her, After all these years…does he still remember me? Chibi Usa slowly sat up, hands still wrapped tightly around her pillow. I wonder how he's doing… She sighed and lied back down again.
When the pink haired princess turned onto her side, Chibi Usa felt a lump sticking into her hips. She reached into her skirt pocket and took out her pink and gold brooch. The happy blush quickly drained away as she held the brooch. "But I have bigger questions on my hands right now. I have to get my crystal to work again…but how?" Chibi Usa closed her eyes and shook her head hard. "Why is this happening?" She cried to the empty air of the attic. Once again she looked toward the former location for the Stallion Reeve.
If only Helios was here, he'd be able to tell me what to do…
Chibi Usa placed the brooch on the desk and pushed the pillow below her head I want to see you Helios… Chibi Usa whispered to herself as she slowly drifted off to sleep in the warm afternoon sun.
As slept claimed her, Chibi Usa began to notice that she was once again falling into a void. That void. The same shrilled noises she heard last time began to bicker in her ears. Every shout, every screech sent a shiver down her back and a sickening feeling in her stomach. Chibi Usa looked frantically around, hoping to find a way to escape the accusations.
"Stop!" she screamed at the top of her voice but to no effect. The voices grew louder, forcing the princess to huddle like a trapped animal. Panicking and feeling sick, Chibi Usa held herself as she tried to keep the voices at bay. "Go away…go away!" she panted desperately.
Then suddenly the voices did disappeared. "How unfortunate…now your crystal doesn't work neither…" said the voice pitifully.
Chibi Usa unwrapped her arms but still sat huddled together and asked, "How…how did you know that? Are you the one who's been causing all this!"
The voice chuckled gently. "No, of course not…but how do you plan to regain your powers? Now with a new enemy on the horizon you will be unable to help your friends…"
Chibi Usa shook her head "I -I don't know…" she whispered.
The voice continued, "And what of your mixed feeling for the priest of Elysian? Do you think that even if he still remembers you he will return you feelings?"
Confronted by this sudden question Chibi Usa looked up, fresh tears already streaming down her cheeks "I don't know…" she admitted solemnly.
The voice replied in the same manner as before, gentle but coercing. "Yes…It's been years since you've seen him…who knows! May be he's found some other dreamer…a dreamer with a dream more beautiful then yours…a person more worthy and more lady-like then you. He might have forgotten all about you…" Chibi Usa could literately feel her heart break at the thought. "But not to worry, there is a world where you will not feel the pain, the worries of which you face now…All you have to do is take my hand…". Chibi Usa looked up to see a pair of pale silky arms reaching out for her. "Take my hands child, and I will lead you away from the pain…for ever…"
This time Chibi Usa didn't hesitate. The negative emotions were simply too strong and all she wanted to do was get away. Just as she was about to touch the hands, Chibi Usa suddenly startled awake. She immediately sat up in her bed but the dream was over.
Just then Ikuko walked in. "Chibi Usa-chan?"
Chibi Usa looked at the violet haired woman as her mind shook itself back to reality "Oh! Um…yes Ikuko-mama?"
Ikuko smiled in that gentle, maternal way of hers and said softly, "It's late. Could you go pick up Usagi-chan since it's almost dinnertime? She might get lost if someone doesn't go get her"
Chibi Usa smiled weakly "Yeah…" she hurriedly rushed pass Ikuko and left the house.
"Took you long enough! I was starting to wonder if you decided not to come!" complained Usagi as she and Chibi Usa walked down the street.
"It wasn't my fault that someone almost didn't make it to class today and her professor yelled at her…again!" retorted Chibi Usa. Usagi glared at Chibi Usa before she remembered something.
"So what did you ask Ami-chan this morning? I know you didn't offer to help her for no reason."
Chibi Usa looked down at her feet "Well… I was asking Ami-chan how she felt about Ryu-kun and…" Chibi Usa suddenly stopped.
"And?" Usagi persisted when she noticed Chibi Usa looking at something "What is it?"
Chibi Usa looked back and pointed at the book store across the street. "Hey there's Ryu-kun!"
Usagi turned and scanned the windows of the store. Ignoring the flashing lights of cars and signs, Usagi focused on a figure she'd seen earlier. Sure enough it was Ryu. Chibi Usa turned to Usagi. "When I asked Ami-chan today she admitted that she likes Ryu-kun. I have a hunch that he was going to say the same thing to her!"
Usagi grinned. "Well, looks I'll have to play match maker! Come on let's go!"
Chibi Usa sighed "Here we go again…" She sighed and slowing followed the older girl across the street.
Mean while in the bookstore, Ryu was looking absentmindedly at the books. I'm so stupid…what if Ami-chan doesn't come tonight? I didn't even wait for an answer from her before I ran… Ryu chided himself as he walked. Oro was also in the bookstore, standing not far from Ryu.
She was dressed in a rich yellow turtleneck with a gold-colored suit and wore a gold mini-skirt. There was a superfluous amount of jewelry on her neck, with everything from pendants to pearls. All of her fingers had at least one ring on it while bangles and bracelets covered her wrists. Two large diamond earrings glistened as she kept a watchful eye on the troubled young man from behind her round rimed glasses.
Now to set the plan in motion…Oro snapped her fingers.
A book appeared out of no where and fell promptly in front of Ryu's feet. "Huh?" Ryu picked up the book and saw a picture of Oro on the back jacket. He looked around at the surrounding bookshelves "Where did it come from?" he asked but saw no other books like this one on any of the surrounding shelves.
Ryu looked at the book title Dr. Oro's Guide to Opening Your Heart… Curious, Ryu flipped through the book and began reading. Soon he was obviously hooked by the book. "I wonder what kind of a person the author is…she must be an amazing person to have written such an intriguing book…" Ryu said to himself.
That's my cue! Oro smiled and walked casually into the open as she pretended to look at the books. Oro purposely walked past Ryu and her presence caught the young man's attention. Surprised, Ryu looked back to the book jacket and back at Oro. He timidly approached Oro and asked "Um…excuse me but are you the author of this book?"
Oro acted pleasantly as she nodded and smiled "Why yes! I am the author. Have you read it?"
Ryu shook his head but replied pleasingly "Not all of it, but I'm very impressed by your work and it's my honor to have meet you…"
Meanwhile, Usagi and Chibi Usa sneaked into the bookstore and were watching attentively as Ryu and Oro conversed. "What are they saying, I can't hear!" Usagi cried as she leaned forward for a better view.
"Usagi stop moving! They might notice us!" whispered Chibi Usa.
"Who's that woman? I've never seen her before, and what's with all that jewelry! She looks like a walking jewelry store!" Usagi exclaimed as she watched the two continued to talk.
Oro smiled at Ryu, but she looked at him intensely from behind her deceptively friendly mask. "But I believe…" Oro said slowly "From the look on your face and the fact that you're reading my book means that there is something troubling you…isn't there?" Ryu looked surprised but he turned his eyes down and nodded. Oro smiled and laid her hand on Ryu's shoulder. "Don't worry! I'm an expert on human emotions and if you want I can help you sort out your feelings." Ryu looked at Oro uncertainly but Oro's enigmatic smiled finally won him over. Oro walked beside Ryu as they exited the store.
Usagi watched as they left the bookstore and turned around the corner. "Hey where are they going?"
Chibi Usa shook her head "Don't know, but let's follow them!" Usagi nodded as they carefully trailed behind Oro and Ryu into the street.
In the park Oro and Ryu were sitting on a lawn chair. Ryu sat bent forward and seemed troubled. Oro, with the smile still on her face, began "So tell me, what's been troubling you?"
Ryu stared at the ground and began slowly. "Well, you see…there's this girl…" Oro nodded, motioning for him to continue. "I've know her for years… in fact since junior high. She's smart, and elegant, and pretty…" Ryu looked up at the lake. "But her life style and mine are so different…my parents moved around a lot so I wasn't able to stay with her…"
A breeze blew a few stray early autumn leaves onto the lake's surface, disturbing the mirror-like tranquillity of the water's surface. Ryu looked up at the night sky, his eyes wondering far off in the distance as the distant light from the city twinkled. "But whenever I'm near her I feel so happy, yet I get so nervous that all the things I want to say to her suddenly disappears… I just can't work up the nerves to tell her…"
Oro nodded "I see…" she said smoothly.
Usagi and Chibi Usa were trying to sneak around some bushes. Having followed the pair all the way from the bookstore, they avoided being seen by walking in the concealing tree line along the paths. As they approached the place where Ryu and Oro were sitting, they unexpectedly bumped into a shadow.
"Ahh!" screamed several distinct voices.
Usagi screamed but Chibi Usa quickly covered her mouth. It turned out the shadow was Rei. The other girls were not far behind, all of them were clinging onto each other.
"Rei-chan, Minako-chan, Mako-chan what are you guys doing here?" Chibi Usa whispered as she looked at the girls suspiciously.
The other girls, who were equally surprised, only began to breathe normally again after they saw it was only Usagi and Chibi Usa. Makoto scratched her head and smiled meekly "Well…uh…we're here to see if Ami-chan will come to meet Ryu-kun so..."
Chibi Usa looked puzzled "But how did…" Chibi Usa then noticed Usagi was adverting her eyes and had an extremely sheepish look on her face.
"Usagi…!"
Usagi laughed and confessed, "Uh…I kinda called everyone about Ami-chan's appointment today during lunch…"
Chibi Usa slapped her hand down her own face "You and that big mouth of yours!" she screamed angrily as the girls continued to walk in the dense bushes and shrubs.
The evening chill was beginning to set in. Out on the paved road, the street lamps hummed gently as stars began to appear in the night sky. "So, do you think Ami-chan will come?" asked Rei.
Minako shrugged, "Can't be sure. Ami-chan is a shy person, she's not the kind that admits her feeling openly."
"She'll come."
The girls stopped to star at Chibi Usa as she continued to walk. Chibi Usa turned her head and smiled confidently. "Because deep inside, Ami-chan has feeling for Ryu-kun, I know she'll come" she said the last phrase with emphasis. The others looked at the pink-haired teenager curiously, having no idea where that came from.
As the girls neared the lake they approached the corner of a road which cut right in front of their woody path. As they were about to cross the road, another person suddenly appeared around the corner.
"What are you all doing here?" asked Ami. The girls paled while Usagi tried to think of another excuse, but before she could say anything Chibi Usa spoke first "Ryu-kun's here and he's talking with a strange woman. Ami-chan you'd better take a look!" before Ami could reply Chibi Usa took her hand and was running through the trees toward the lake. Once they've reached the lake, Chibi Usa, Ami and the others hid behind a roll of trees.
"I know just the solution to your problem…" Oro smiled with a false sincerity.
She took out her gold watch. Ryu looked at the watch skeptically "A watch…for hypnotism?"
Oro nodded "I find it's easier for me to work with a person while under hypnosis. With me at your side I can help you over come your problem."
Ryu gulped and nodded hesitantly. "I guess I'll gave it a try then…"
Oro smiled sinisterly "And I'm sure you'll find it quite interesting…"
The watch began to swing repeatedly before Ryu's eyes. Slowly the image of the swing watch seemed to be imprinted on Ryu's brown eyes as his muscles relaxed and he fell into a waking sleep. Oro watched as her victim slowly came under her spell. "Good boy Ryu…now say good bye to your energy…" Oro whispered silently as the watch continued to swing. The more the watch swung, the rubies glowed brighter and brighter until they were glittering like flaming suns in the gold set watch.
Rei looked back at the other girls, her eyebrows crossed over with concern "Something's not right! I feel a evil aurora in the air!"
Makoto agreed. "It looks to me like she's doing something with that watch of hers. We'd better stop her before something bad happens to Ryu-kun!"
Usagi took out her brooch and nodded. "Right! We'll take care of this while you stay back."
"But Usagi…!" Chibi Usa began.
Usagi shook her head urgently "I'm sorry Chibi Usa but you'll have to sit this one out again!" Chibi Usa lowered her head in shame and anger. She nodded numbly and proceeded to conceal herself behind a nearby bush. Usagi watched with a saddened heart as she apologized silently, I'm sorry Chibi Usa…
"Usagi-chan, let's transform!" shouted Makoto. Usagi nodded and raised her brooch high in the air.
"Moon Eternal Make Up!"
"Mercury Crystal Power, Make Up!"
"Mars Crystal Power, Make Up!"
"Jupiter Crystal Power, Make Up!"
"Venus Crystal Power, Make Up!"
"In the name of the Moon, stop your vile act this instant!" shouted Sailor Moon as they appeared from the tree line.
Oro turned, surprised by the sudden intrusion. She narrowed her eyes, her glasses flashed threateningly, "So you are the infamous sailor senshis? Hmp! I can't believe the others were defeated by pitiful little girls like you."
Sailor Moon clutched her fist angrily "Who are you calling pitiful! You're the one who looks like a walking pawn shop!"
Offended by the remark, Oro stepped forward. She momentarily forgot about Ryu and with a quick snap of the finger changed back to her original costume. "How dare of you to insult my precious jewelry! Go and punish them my Fury! Clock Work!"
Oro threw the watch she held onto the concrete pavement. The watch glistened in the dim lamplights as it skittered to a stop. Suddenly the watch began to shake and quiver. A roar was heard from the clock as a black shadow swarmed out into the air from the glass lens of the golden watch. Slowly the shadow took shape and the sound of mechanical gears in motion could be heard. As the shadow dissipated, it revealed a freakish creature with metal gears of all sizes sticking out from its arms, legs and back. A closed cuckoo clock was placed where the stomach should be. Behind its head hanged two floor-length clock pendulums, dangling like long pigtails behind the monster's grandfather clock of a head.
Immediately the monster leaped into the action, swing the twin pendulums like a whip, cracking the concrete as the senshis tried to get out of the way. The impact of the steel pendulums sent Sailor Moon flying into the air.
"Ahhh!" Sailor Moon cried as she landed face first into the cold, hard concrete. Her wings flopped over indignantly, Sailor Moon turned to see the monster racing back for another round as it swung the heavy orbs in the air.
"Hahaha! Keep up the good work Clock Work!" Oro laughed. She grabbed the gold watch off the ground and soon disappeared into an appearing yellow closet.
"Jupiter Oak Evolution!"
The bullet-like leaves flew at the monster. With the chime of a grandfather clock the gears on the monster's body became loose and rushed forth to meet the attack. The leaves and the gears crashed in mid-air, successfully blocking Jupiter's attack while another set of gears replaced the used ones.
"It countered my attack!" shouted Jupiter as she avoided a deadly swing from the pendulums.
"Yaaa!" once again Sailor Moon had to scramble to her feet and run when the cuckoo clock suddenly opened and instead of a bird, a ragging flame came soaring towards her. Watching from afar Chibi Usa sweat dropped as Sailor Moon ran around comically, trying to avoid the flame.
Sailor Mercury turned to look at Ryu, who was slumped over the chair. A silent anger bubbled in the Senshi of Wisdom. Mercury turned to face the monster and focused her mind on her attack.
"Mercury Aqua Rhapsody!"
The storm of liquid ice rushed toward the monster, freezing it instantly. The other senshis went to help Sailor Moon up while Mercury ran over to where Ryu is and held his head in her arms.
"Ryu-kun? Ryu-kun are you all right?" Mercury asked with concern.
Slowly, Ryu opened his eyes and smiled when he saw Mercury's worried face "Ami-chan…?" Mercury nodded and smiled. She took Ryu's hand, holding it tightly with her own gloved hand.
Just then Venus spotted the ice encasing the monster was beginning to crack. "Watch out behind you!" Mercury looked back in time to see the ice shatter just as the monster broke free.
"Sailor Moon!" Chibi Usa shouted as she watched the monster shake off the last of the ice.
Just as the monster was about to charge at Mercury and Ryu, Sailor Moon held up her wand. "Oh no you don't!"
"Silver Moon Crystal Power Kiss!"
The clock monster screeched as its gears are shattered and turned to dust. Chibi Usa laughed happily and rushed out to greet the triumphant Sailor Moon. The senshis de-transformed and was going to talk to Ami when Chibi Usa stopped them "Shhh! Let's leave them alone for a while." The girls smiled and nodded knowingly before quietly slipping away to watch from a distance.
Ryu walked up to Ami and smiled shyly "Thanks for saving me again, Ami-chan…"
Ami blushed and shook her head "I'm glad you're all right, that's what's important..." Ryu blushed harder as he forced himself to look Ami in the eyes.
"Umm…Ami-chan…"
Ami lifted her head and asked coyly "Yes…?"
"Here it comes!" Usagi whispered, her eyes filled with anticipation. Chibi Usa only looked on, her eyes locked on the two people standing not far from her. The girls behind her were literately pushed their heads forward as they tried to get a better view.
"I …I love you Ami-chan…" Ami's eyes opened wide, then her face slowly turned beet red. Ryu continued, his voice lower than before "Actually I liked you since the day I saw you…but with the Dark Kingdom and my parent's job…" Ryu took a deep breath. "I never got a chance to tell you and now that I'm here I was so nervous that I didn't get to ask you , but now…" Ryu took Ami's hands and looked earnestly in her bright blue eyes.
"I finally have the courage to ask you. Miss Ami Mizuno, will you…be my girl friend?"
Ami was more than shocked. She stared blankly for a few seconds as if dazed, before a gentle smile appeared on her lips. "Yes I will Ryu-kun…because" Ami placed her hand over Ryu's hands "I love you too…"
Ryu's face was lit with a bright inner glow, thinking this must be a dream he asked once again. "Re-Really? You will?"
Ami looked up at Ryu's eyes, her cheeks flush and warm. She quietly nodded. Not knowing what to say Ryu tightly hugged Ami, who only smiled and closed her eyes as she allowed herself to be held by the man she loved.
The girls smiled as they watched their friend held the man she loved. Chibi Usa smiled warmly as she watched the new couple. "It looks like Ami had finally found her prince charming…"
A/N Hello! Well that's chapter 3, I hope you enjoyed it! For those of you who've seen the first season of Sailor Moon or if you're an Ami fan then you can tell something is not quite right in this chapter. I just found out after I finished writing this chapter that Ryu had already confessed his feelings for Ami during their second encounter in the first season. The truth is I wanted to write this story according to the Sailor Moon anime series as much as possible, but sometimes my memory fails me and frankly I can't remember something I saw more then 5 years ago. So if you're an Ami/Ryu fan then think of this chapter as an alternate reality story instead. ;; Also I have no idea where KO University is (except that it's in Japan, I think) or what it looks like. As I've said before, I've never been to Japan so don't sue me if I get the description of the setting wrong. Gomen!
BTW, if you're wondering when Helios will finally come into the picture, worry not! I've already got the idea in my head, all I have to do is type it. All I'll say is SOON, so keep reading!