Frozen Rain
Notes: Yes, I know that I haven't updated in like forever but I have not abandoned this fic either I just have been having a really bad case of writer's block, so enough of my rant and excuses onward to chapter five. P.S. "thanks" is at the end of the chapter.
Chapter Six: Ami
The Worst Enemy
I am really starting to question my sanity. Even hours after that incident I still couldn't shake of the feeling that maybe my confusion was better. Something that Queen Serenity told me realized that for the past several months, ever since I became a senshi, that I was teetering towards some sort of realization. There was something that was so important that it nagged my thoughts whenever I would pause long enough to allow myself to freely think. The past.
There would be snippets of revelations almost like a dream that you are waking up from, as soon as you open your eyes the dream fades from memory in oblivion, this thoughts are the same only sometimes the images, a stray word or phrase stays imprinted in my mind, making me wonder if I had heard those words or experienced those events and action before or if I had just imagined all of these things in my head. But one thing I just can't get over.
Zoicite? My fiancé, betrothed or whatever..ugh! The guy was a complete nutcase; come to think of it I haven't seen him. I wonder what happened to him? Again I know that "we" didn't kill him, heck we haven't "killed" any of the Dark generals Jadeite was ran over by a plane due to his own carelessness and Nephrite was killed by demons set out by Zoicite.
Not that I really care if he really is alive or not, he was a pain in the ass just like his predecessors and of course "Blonde". But even if he was still alive I couldn't be more disgusted at the very thought of the two of us being together ever.
'You say that but I bet if given the change you wouldn't mind if he, or almost any guy for that matter of fact, declared that he loved you. But come on Ami face facts, no one not even that fruitcake would want you; not when your own friends are so much prettier and more interesting than you.'
I shook that thought away as I curled up into one of the large chairs set in front of the fireplace, for den belonging to a monster it seems almost comfortable; who am I kidding I am beginning to feel at home despite myself I feel safe here, in the literal heart of evil. Kunzite isn't too bad either.
Pardon me while I bash my head against the wall.
What am I doing?! I can't start getting comfortable around my enemy and his home/ living quarters. I have to get out of here before I really do go insane.
'Where are those friends of yours when you need them? They're probably not even looking for you.'
No, no that is not true! They all care about me, Usagi she.
'Is not here. Look at yourself; you're so pathetic, clinging to your false hope like a lifeline. Ami, they are not coming to rescue you. You are on your own.'
I trembled, tears threatening to spill down my face.
No, they care about me. They are looking for me; they will come and rescue me. They will, I know they will.
'They wouldn't want you back. You are of no use to them; you are so weak; you are worth nothing. How many times have the others bailed you out? Too many to count if you ask me.'
I am not used to fighting demons.
'Neither were any of the others, except for Mina that is. But look at them, they are getting better at it, they are stronger with each battle, heck even Usagi has become less of a crybaby and has been fighting and what do you do.nothing, squat except typing statistics on that little palmtop of yours and look at where that has gotten you.'
I shook my head trying so hard to deny my own bitterness, my own anger, and my own doubts. I haven't let any youma, or any of the generals from the Dark Kingdom defeat me, but I'll be damned if I am not my own worst enemy.
A hollow and embittered snicker escapes my throat as I stop fighting myself and just admit defeat. Scolding tears course down my face like an acid rain, both containing the same amount of pain and heat. I curl my body tighter into the chair, a fetal position; weak and unprotected, just how I feel.
Please somebody,
A single tear touched my hand, which is curled around my transformation pen.
Please somebody save me before
I close my eyes as a very brief image of a world long since forgotten slips in and out from mind's eye. Strong hands clasping around mine; soft words whispering reassurances and promises that may or may not have been have kept but still meant the world to me because they came from the heart of someone I cared about more than life.
Please somebody save me before I drown myself.
I hear the door open and the heavy footsteps of booted feet. Carefully I glanced up to see Kunzite return from his meeting with Beryl. At first he didn't seem to notice me but when he saw me the only change in his expression was the widening of his eyes.
My throat constricted, suddenly feeling so ashamed for allowing him to see me at my weakest point. I felt tears of shame prick the corners of my eyes but instead of turning away I gave him a level stare and a grim expression whispering a surrender that should have overjoyed him.
"Please, kill me."
Kunzite
I could only blink at the sight before me. Sitting in one of the chairs was Ami, tears streaming down her face, which was red from crying.
"Please, kill me," she hoarsely whispered from her chair
Another blink. What the hell brought this on?
"What?" I asked.
She gulped and slowly stood up, her form trembling; "You heard me. I am giving you permission to dispose of me, isn't that why you captured me in the first place, to kill me? Well go ahead."
Ami drew her body stiffly as if bracing herself for a blow, her head cocked up with her eyes closed tightly.
For a brief moment she looked almost endearingly cute, but I quickly brushed that thought away.
"You look ridiculous. I am not going to kill you." I muttered before turning away.
"Why not?" she suddenly asked, then laughed; it was a very hollow almost toneless sound, "Oh I get it, your are evil enough to take over the world so long as it doesn't result in murder. Well let me tell you something buster, this would be no different then you draining a person of their energy, the only reason that no one has died is because the senshi have stopped you and you cracker Jack plans. Besides I am nothing to you, to anyone as a matter of fact."
I turned my head; all the brave stiff posturing, the fearful doe eyes, even the tears were gone all that was left was a deep-seated animosity and indignation.
She gave me a dark smirk that would have made Zoicite weep out of envy.
"Come on, what are you waiting for? I am giving you a free shot here. No whining, no tears, no trembling. I want you to do this."
"You don't." I stated calmly. "No human in their right mind really desires to die."
Another shallow bark of dark humor comes from her mouth followed by a sarcastic remark, "You literally have been living under a rock. In case you haven't notice oh mighty blond one, the world above us is filled with people who are too afraid to live. Men, women, even kids younger then me have committed suicide, some in many eyes seemed worthless or unimportant, but a very few had promise but felt that they couldn't live. I am both, I am worthless but some think that I have a "bright future" ahead of me because I am a genius. That is all I am is the brains. If I were to suddenly lose everything bit of that mountain of information I have crammed inside my mind for years I would be nothing. I wouldn't have an identity, no promise, no nothing."
Tears sparkled at the corners of her eyes, "Don't you see? You'll be doing not only be doing a favor for me and for yourself but to others. Why waste their hopes at me being something great when I am actually nothing special?"
I felt my hands curl up into tight fists.
What has the world done to this girl?
No, what has she done to herself to make her feel this way?
I was tempted to test her will to die by tossing her a dagger and telling her that if she was so set on dying that she would slice her own throat with me watching. But I knew that instead of deterring her from her self- murderous intentions given the dagger I honestly believe that she would drive it into her own heart, or throat, or across her wrists.
Instead I slowly walked towards her. My right hand drawn to her face like a magnet I struck her.
A short howl of pain resounded as she recoiled; her eyes tear rimmed eyes round and wide with pain and a hint of fear.
"If you are done with wallowing in yourself pity we have work to do Ami." I hissed out as I reached to grasp her shoulders. She yelped and backed away.
"No, you stay away from you son of a bitch!" she screamed.
Ignoring her scream I shot out and grabbed her right arm pinning it behind her back. "Be still and listen to me," I snarled into her ear, wrapping my other arm around her waist so that she couldn't move; at the moment if a causal observer would have looked it would have almost appeared to be a lover's embrace but this was far from loving or tender.
"Are you willing to listen to me?" I asked, quickly growing tried of forcing her to remain still.
She stiffened but nodded.
Slowly, secretly waiting for her to bolt, I released my grasp on her arm and then her waist. Once I had released her Ami, amazingly, stayed in place, the only movement was her eyes, which were now staring at the floor. I took this brief moment to study her, she is small even for someone her age, short dark blue hair, and deep blue eyes that always look deep in thought, the uniform still looks hilariously large on her slight frame but it could be worse, she could be walking around wearing her senshi uniform. Speaking of which, I picked up her discarded transformation pen that I had seen her use when she changed out of her senshi uniform into normal human clothing.
I gently took her right hand and placed the pen inside of it, "Here, you dropped this."
Suddenly she glanced up, her dark blue eyes giving me a stare that I couldn't quite decipher. Her hand flexed over the pen and my hand for a moment before it went limp. The pen dropped, right at the side of her boot. She raised the boot and ground the pen into the floor with a loud crack.
" No thank you. I don't need it anymore," she replied slowly, almost as if the words pained her.
Ami
I can hardly believe what I have just done. I have destroyed my last link with the other senshi and my world. But for some reason I felt very relieved along side the disbelief and worry. I glanced up to face Kunzite.
"I am not Sailor Mercury anymore am I? You replaced all of that energy with the dark energy from that damn crystal of Beryl's didn't you? That is why I was sick for five days." I stated in a calm and even tone. I don't know how I know all of this but I do, maybe I picked all of this information from reading Kunzite's mind at some point when I was sick and had either forgotten that the information was there or didn't deem it important enough at the time.
There is a heavy silence before he replies, "Yes, I had to replace your energy source otherwise Beryl or even a random youma would have recognized your energy signature, plus this world doesn't take kindly to positive energy sources too well. The forces controlling the Dark Kingdom would have focused on you intent on destroying you."
The question that I have wanted to ask since I "woke" up from my sickness erupted from my mouth, "You were planning on killing me, and yet you didn't. Why?"
He didn't answer, just like I knew he wouldn't. Instead her turned away from me for a brief moment, his eyes falling on the crumbled mess that was once my source of power. This is my test for him; as of right now he seems to be having difficulty with it. Now that I am without power aside from the one that he has so "graciously" provided me I want to see how he reacts, if at all, to this new development.
"Just for the record, you are not worthless," he said returning his gaze to face me.
I smiled a weak cynical grin, "Yeah right," I mumbled.
"I am serious." Kunzite replied, his tone not unlike my own.
I was shocked when I felt his fingers brush against the tilt of my chin and force it up so that I was on a level gaze with him.
"You are powerful Ami, and it doesn't come from that little trinket wand or from the others in your group. I may have wanted to kill you at first, until I realized that you were much more powerful then I could have imagined. Are you this upset because the others haven't come to rescue you?"
I couldn't help but honestly reply with a nod.
He surprised me once again by a very faint smile that curled on his lips, "Don't worry about them. You are too good for them. I can understand how frustrating it must have been for you to put up with those idiots. I bet, they never really understood you, or gave you the respect that you deserved did they? "Ami, the genius", "Ami the brains of our operation so that we don't have to think for ourselves", correct?"
Oh, it all sounded so good. Please don't let him be lying.
But I knew that he was lying, or at least distorting the truth.
I can't trust him anymore than I can allow myself to grow accustomed to this dark world.
I want to slap him across the face, just like he did me minutes ago. I want to scream at him. I want to tell him that he is wrong about the others, they do care about me, that they will come. But more than anything I want to believe him.
His fingers ghosted across the fading red mark, his voice filled with such tenderness and so soft that I knew that he must be lying but I was too entranced by his soothing lies and his almost touch against my skin.
At some point I gave up the fight. I allowed myself to not only listen but also believe his lies. The reassurances that the other senshi were my friends and that they were coming to rescue me became fainter and fainter until I could no longer hear the pleas of sanity. Slowly hope slipped, gradually being replaced by something that was filling yet empty at the same time. An insatiable thirst for the power locked inside of me that he spoke so highly of.
Part Two:
Usagi
Usagi nervously chewed on the body of her pencil, there was only five minutes left to take the big Algebra exam but that wasn't what had her so worried. No it wasn't that she had failed so many math tests that it was no longer a big deal to her, in fact she feared those big fat red F's more than ever especially since summer was just around the corner and so was the likely hood of summer cram school. No, what really had her worried was the empty desk three rows across from her seat.
"Ami-chan," the blonde thought before a small sigh of hopelessness escaped her throat.
It had been three months since that fateful battle between them, Kunzite, and three of his youma. It had been a hard battle since they had never battled three youma and Dark Kingdom Dork at the same time but they of course won. It wasn't until after the hasty retreat of Kunzite did they realize that one of their number was missing. Sailor Mercury.
Panic set in and they franticly began to search for their friend and fellow senshi. They scoured the entire park and the surrounding area for hours up until the wee hours of the morning. They all returned to their respective homes feeling very discouraged and worried about the blue haired senshi of water. At dawn the next day Usagi skipped school, despite the very vocal protests of Luna, to ask around for Ami. Before leaving her home she called Ami's apartment, only getting the answering machine. She first returned to the park to find all of the other girls there, all of them skipping school to find Ami.
Again they searched and asked people if they had seen the small girl; the replies and empty-handed search worried them so much. Upon her late return to home Usagi breezed past her mother's yells by picking up the phone.
"Hello?"
"Um hello, are you Usagi?" a woman's voice asked.
"Hai,"
"Oh thank kami, Listen Usagi, is Ami at your house by any chance."
"No," Usagi replied, trying hard not to let her worry seep through her tone.
"Did you see her at school or at the Crown Arcade, anywhere?" the woman asked, now sounding frantic.
"No. I am sorry but I haven't."
"Oh no, Usagi, are you sure that you haven't seen her even yesterday? I was on the late shift at the hospital last night and I just got home so I haven't seen her in since the other day."
Usagi had to bit back tears, "I am sorry Mrs. Mizuo but I haven't seen or heard anything from Ami for the last two days."
"Usagi, I hate to ask you this but has Ami ever mentioned anything about running away from home? Do you know if she has been hanging around a suspicious group of people or."
She had to bit back a bitter laugh at the mention of Ami hanging around suspicious people, well if sailor senshi whom saved the world, demons, and men who controlled the monster counted then yes.
"No, I am so sorry Mrs. Mizuo, we are all worried about Ami, especially when she didn't show up at school this morning."
"Thank you anyway Usagi. Please call me if you hear from Ami."
A chill ran down Usagi's spine, almost as if her blood was being invaded by ice, she suddenly felt very dizzy and sick.
"Uh I will Mrs. Mizuo, goodnight."
"Goodnight Us."
The young blonde bolted away from the phone, heading towards the bathroom. She made it just before she heaved up breakfast and lunch.
A few minutes later her head was still spinning and now her mouth tasted horrible. Curled up on the bathroom floor, her body felt like she was freezing but she was gradually losing that sick feeling in the pit of her stomach.
"Usagi, sweetheart, are you feeling alright?" her mother asked from the other side of the door.
"I.yes mom. I'll be out in a minute." Usagi replied. Once her mother was gone she flushed the toilet. She lingered in the bathroom a little while longer to get the awful taste out of her mouth.
This was strange; Usagi knew that a person just didn't get sick and then suddenly feel better so quickly and violently. "Must have been something I ate," she reasoned even though she really didn't quite believe it herself.
The following days she and the others took turn missing school days to look for Ami, that is until her teacher called her parents to discuss her erratic absents from school. She was severally grounded so it was next to impossible for her to sneak answer any calls to senshi duty let alone continue the search for Ami. It wasn't until this past weekend that she was released from her grounded status but was now under a stricter threat of punishment if she failed any tests.
"Everyone pass your test papers up to the front and I will collect them before you leave class," the teacher prompted. Usagi handed up her test paper even though she never even so much as glanced at the last page of questions.
'Ami please be alright,'
Mrs. Mizuo had reported the disappearance of her daughter to the police a day after she had called Usagi, but the blond knew that if she and the other senshi had yet to find Ami then the police would have no luck.
Funny thing was that aside from Ami missing there had been a sharp decrease in youma attacks, and this time there wasn't even some "complex" plan cooked up by Kunzite, it was just random youma attacking random places, no thought seemed to be put behind any of these attacks anymore. It was almost as if he was just dispatching youma just for the sake of sapping the occasional energy pocket and not to actually accomplish anything.
They did realize after a few days of searching that more than likely Kunzite had kidnapped Ami but instead of accepting the worse possible situation they continued to scourer the city. By now their chances of finding her in the city were down to none they decided to go to the heart of the matter. This time they would try to find the entrance into the Dark Kingdom.
"Absolutely not!" the black cat strongly protested.
"But Luna, that sicko might have Ami, if she is down there we need to get her out as soon as possible." Mina protested.
"And besides, we have been getting stronger. Kunzite should be no problem now."
Luna growled, "Lita it is not just Kunzite that is the problem. You are forgetting that the Dark Kingdom houses all of the youma not to mention Queen Beryl herself. As of now none of you have a snowball's chance in Hades' of surviving one if not all three forces."
Rei shot the cat a wiry grin, "That's what we love about you Luna, you always give us your vote of confidence."
"I am serious!" the cat howled. "We have already lost Ami, I will not lose the rest of you as well."
"But Luna, we're a team. We have to get Ami back. She is our friend and."
"Don't you start with me Usagi, your parents may not be cross with you anymore for skipping school but I for one am very ashamed of your actions."
"Yeah well you're the only one furball! I can't just go to school and act like everything is fine when one of my friends is in danger!" the blonde shot back hotly.
For a moment Luna looked like she was about to give in, her tiny fur covered body sighed heavily, "I am sorry Usagi, but I can't risk your and the other girls' safety. If Ami is in the Dark Kingdom she is smart and resourceful enough to take care of herself until the rest of you are strong enough to face the entire Dark Kingdom, let alone Beryl and Kunzite at the same time. It is for the best. This meeting is closed." Luna finished arising from the temple step then sauntering down the pathway to the stairs. Artemis sighed but followed right behind the ebony cat; leaving the girls discouraged and a bit angry.
For several minutes silence reigned. Then one by one they made their excuses to head for home until only Usagi and Rei were left. Since Usagi dreaded going home to face another lecture session by her mother for coming home with a failed quiz Usagi decided to help Rei with some of her chores at the temple. She was putting up the broom back into the storage closet when her communicator went off.
Reaching down into her book bag Usagi pulled out the communicator and clicked it on, immediately the relieved face of Lita came on screen.
"Lita-chan? What's the matter? Is it another monster attack?" Usagi asked, at that moment Rei entered the hall, she leaned over Usagi's shoulder to look at the communicator.
"No Usagi, no monster attacks, but you'll never believe what I found."
"What did you find Lita?" Rei asked.
"Ami," the Amazon replied.
Notes: Dumdumdum! The evil cliffhanger strikes again! I made it a little bit longer than last time but I will try to update right after the site comes back on-line Sunday. I hope that you guys have enjoyed this chapter, believe me I had a lot of fun writing it. P.S I am really not sure I spelled Ami's last name right or not, so I wasn't sure if I should have written that scene between Usagi and Ami's mom, please forgive me if it was spelled wrong. Anyway on to the thank you's
To Mistress of Ice: Ha! As of now no evil plot bunnies have attacked me! So there! Back on topic Hehe, sorry that chapter is a "bit" late but I really hope that you like it.
To Kaiya: Thank you for understanding, I do try but sometimes I just get so excited about posting a new chapter that I forget to check it through I will try harder. I am planning on redoing this fic along with others and post them on my website.once I actually take the time to set one up.
To Dancing Sprite: Between you and me.and anyone else who might read this fic, that is my favorite line in all of my fics, hehe it is so cool just imagining Ami telling someone off.
To Nova33: Thanks ^_^
To Eggman: Thank you!
To Lydiby: Sorry about that, I must have been running low on creative juices but with the holiday's over and done with and spring break on the horizon I have more ideas than I know what to do with.
To Krylancelo: Don't' worry about it, I for one get a sadistic please from tormenting people, fictional characters and real people alike; but for some reason I don't think that is what you are referring to so I'll just shut up now!
To Magician: Sorry about the confusion, the some of the more confusing aspects of the plot is going to clear up soon.
And last but certainly not the least, To ankle: Thank you so much!
Again be on the look out for a possible update Sunday, once the site is up and running again that is, sighs, god I hate site updates. Peace ^_^
Notes: Yes, I know that I haven't updated in like forever but I have not abandoned this fic either I just have been having a really bad case of writer's block, so enough of my rant and excuses onward to chapter five. P.S. "thanks" is at the end of the chapter.
Chapter Six: Ami
The Worst Enemy
I am really starting to question my sanity. Even hours after that incident I still couldn't shake of the feeling that maybe my confusion was better. Something that Queen Serenity told me realized that for the past several months, ever since I became a senshi, that I was teetering towards some sort of realization. There was something that was so important that it nagged my thoughts whenever I would pause long enough to allow myself to freely think. The past.
There would be snippets of revelations almost like a dream that you are waking up from, as soon as you open your eyes the dream fades from memory in oblivion, this thoughts are the same only sometimes the images, a stray word or phrase stays imprinted in my mind, making me wonder if I had heard those words or experienced those events and action before or if I had just imagined all of these things in my head. But one thing I just can't get over.
Zoicite? My fiancé, betrothed or whatever..ugh! The guy was a complete nutcase; come to think of it I haven't seen him. I wonder what happened to him? Again I know that "we" didn't kill him, heck we haven't "killed" any of the Dark generals Jadeite was ran over by a plane due to his own carelessness and Nephrite was killed by demons set out by Zoicite.
Not that I really care if he really is alive or not, he was a pain in the ass just like his predecessors and of course "Blonde". But even if he was still alive I couldn't be more disgusted at the very thought of the two of us being together ever.
'You say that but I bet if given the change you wouldn't mind if he, or almost any guy for that matter of fact, declared that he loved you. But come on Ami face facts, no one not even that fruitcake would want you; not when your own friends are so much prettier and more interesting than you.'
I shook that thought away as I curled up into one of the large chairs set in front of the fireplace, for den belonging to a monster it seems almost comfortable; who am I kidding I am beginning to feel at home despite myself I feel safe here, in the literal heart of evil. Kunzite isn't too bad either.
Pardon me while I bash my head against the wall.
What am I doing?! I can't start getting comfortable around my enemy and his home/ living quarters. I have to get out of here before I really do go insane.
'Where are those friends of yours when you need them? They're probably not even looking for you.'
No, no that is not true! They all care about me, Usagi she.
'Is not here. Look at yourself; you're so pathetic, clinging to your false hope like a lifeline. Ami, they are not coming to rescue you. You are on your own.'
I trembled, tears threatening to spill down my face.
No, they care about me. They are looking for me; they will come and rescue me. They will, I know they will.
'They wouldn't want you back. You are of no use to them; you are so weak; you are worth nothing. How many times have the others bailed you out? Too many to count if you ask me.'
I am not used to fighting demons.
'Neither were any of the others, except for Mina that is. But look at them, they are getting better at it, they are stronger with each battle, heck even Usagi has become less of a crybaby and has been fighting and what do you do.nothing, squat except typing statistics on that little palmtop of yours and look at where that has gotten you.'
I shook my head trying so hard to deny my own bitterness, my own anger, and my own doubts. I haven't let any youma, or any of the generals from the Dark Kingdom defeat me, but I'll be damned if I am not my own worst enemy.
A hollow and embittered snicker escapes my throat as I stop fighting myself and just admit defeat. Scolding tears course down my face like an acid rain, both containing the same amount of pain and heat. I curl my body tighter into the chair, a fetal position; weak and unprotected, just how I feel.
Please somebody,
A single tear touched my hand, which is curled around my transformation pen.
Please somebody save me before
I close my eyes as a very brief image of a world long since forgotten slips in and out from mind's eye. Strong hands clasping around mine; soft words whispering reassurances and promises that may or may not have been have kept but still meant the world to me because they came from the heart of someone I cared about more than life.
Please somebody save me before I drown myself.
I hear the door open and the heavy footsteps of booted feet. Carefully I glanced up to see Kunzite return from his meeting with Beryl. At first he didn't seem to notice me but when he saw me the only change in his expression was the widening of his eyes.
My throat constricted, suddenly feeling so ashamed for allowing him to see me at my weakest point. I felt tears of shame prick the corners of my eyes but instead of turning away I gave him a level stare and a grim expression whispering a surrender that should have overjoyed him.
"Please, kill me."
Kunzite
I could only blink at the sight before me. Sitting in one of the chairs was Ami, tears streaming down her face, which was red from crying.
"Please, kill me," she hoarsely whispered from her chair
Another blink. What the hell brought this on?
"What?" I asked.
She gulped and slowly stood up, her form trembling; "You heard me. I am giving you permission to dispose of me, isn't that why you captured me in the first place, to kill me? Well go ahead."
Ami drew her body stiffly as if bracing herself for a blow, her head cocked up with her eyes closed tightly.
For a brief moment she looked almost endearingly cute, but I quickly brushed that thought away.
"You look ridiculous. I am not going to kill you." I muttered before turning away.
"Why not?" she suddenly asked, then laughed; it was a very hollow almost toneless sound, "Oh I get it, your are evil enough to take over the world so long as it doesn't result in murder. Well let me tell you something buster, this would be no different then you draining a person of their energy, the only reason that no one has died is because the senshi have stopped you and you cracker Jack plans. Besides I am nothing to you, to anyone as a matter of fact."
I turned my head; all the brave stiff posturing, the fearful doe eyes, even the tears were gone all that was left was a deep-seated animosity and indignation.
She gave me a dark smirk that would have made Zoicite weep out of envy.
"Come on, what are you waiting for? I am giving you a free shot here. No whining, no tears, no trembling. I want you to do this."
"You don't." I stated calmly. "No human in their right mind really desires to die."
Another shallow bark of dark humor comes from her mouth followed by a sarcastic remark, "You literally have been living under a rock. In case you haven't notice oh mighty blond one, the world above us is filled with people who are too afraid to live. Men, women, even kids younger then me have committed suicide, some in many eyes seemed worthless or unimportant, but a very few had promise but felt that they couldn't live. I am both, I am worthless but some think that I have a "bright future" ahead of me because I am a genius. That is all I am is the brains. If I were to suddenly lose everything bit of that mountain of information I have crammed inside my mind for years I would be nothing. I wouldn't have an identity, no promise, no nothing."
Tears sparkled at the corners of her eyes, "Don't you see? You'll be doing not only be doing a favor for me and for yourself but to others. Why waste their hopes at me being something great when I am actually nothing special?"
I felt my hands curl up into tight fists.
What has the world done to this girl?
No, what has she done to herself to make her feel this way?
I was tempted to test her will to die by tossing her a dagger and telling her that if she was so set on dying that she would slice her own throat with me watching. But I knew that instead of deterring her from her self- murderous intentions given the dagger I honestly believe that she would drive it into her own heart, or throat, or across her wrists.
Instead I slowly walked towards her. My right hand drawn to her face like a magnet I struck her.
A short howl of pain resounded as she recoiled; her eyes tear rimmed eyes round and wide with pain and a hint of fear.
"If you are done with wallowing in yourself pity we have work to do Ami." I hissed out as I reached to grasp her shoulders. She yelped and backed away.
"No, you stay away from you son of a bitch!" she screamed.
Ignoring her scream I shot out and grabbed her right arm pinning it behind her back. "Be still and listen to me," I snarled into her ear, wrapping my other arm around her waist so that she couldn't move; at the moment if a causal observer would have looked it would have almost appeared to be a lover's embrace but this was far from loving or tender.
"Are you willing to listen to me?" I asked, quickly growing tried of forcing her to remain still.
She stiffened but nodded.
Slowly, secretly waiting for her to bolt, I released my grasp on her arm and then her waist. Once I had released her Ami, amazingly, stayed in place, the only movement was her eyes, which were now staring at the floor. I took this brief moment to study her, she is small even for someone her age, short dark blue hair, and deep blue eyes that always look deep in thought, the uniform still looks hilariously large on her slight frame but it could be worse, she could be walking around wearing her senshi uniform. Speaking of which, I picked up her discarded transformation pen that I had seen her use when she changed out of her senshi uniform into normal human clothing.
I gently took her right hand and placed the pen inside of it, "Here, you dropped this."
Suddenly she glanced up, her dark blue eyes giving me a stare that I couldn't quite decipher. Her hand flexed over the pen and my hand for a moment before it went limp. The pen dropped, right at the side of her boot. She raised the boot and ground the pen into the floor with a loud crack.
" No thank you. I don't need it anymore," she replied slowly, almost as if the words pained her.
Ami
I can hardly believe what I have just done. I have destroyed my last link with the other senshi and my world. But for some reason I felt very relieved along side the disbelief and worry. I glanced up to face Kunzite.
"I am not Sailor Mercury anymore am I? You replaced all of that energy with the dark energy from that damn crystal of Beryl's didn't you? That is why I was sick for five days." I stated in a calm and even tone. I don't know how I know all of this but I do, maybe I picked all of this information from reading Kunzite's mind at some point when I was sick and had either forgotten that the information was there or didn't deem it important enough at the time.
There is a heavy silence before he replies, "Yes, I had to replace your energy source otherwise Beryl or even a random youma would have recognized your energy signature, plus this world doesn't take kindly to positive energy sources too well. The forces controlling the Dark Kingdom would have focused on you intent on destroying you."
The question that I have wanted to ask since I "woke" up from my sickness erupted from my mouth, "You were planning on killing me, and yet you didn't. Why?"
He didn't answer, just like I knew he wouldn't. Instead her turned away from me for a brief moment, his eyes falling on the crumbled mess that was once my source of power. This is my test for him; as of right now he seems to be having difficulty with it. Now that I am without power aside from the one that he has so "graciously" provided me I want to see how he reacts, if at all, to this new development.
"Just for the record, you are not worthless," he said returning his gaze to face me.
I smiled a weak cynical grin, "Yeah right," I mumbled.
"I am serious." Kunzite replied, his tone not unlike my own.
I was shocked when I felt his fingers brush against the tilt of my chin and force it up so that I was on a level gaze with him.
"You are powerful Ami, and it doesn't come from that little trinket wand or from the others in your group. I may have wanted to kill you at first, until I realized that you were much more powerful then I could have imagined. Are you this upset because the others haven't come to rescue you?"
I couldn't help but honestly reply with a nod.
He surprised me once again by a very faint smile that curled on his lips, "Don't worry about them. You are too good for them. I can understand how frustrating it must have been for you to put up with those idiots. I bet, they never really understood you, or gave you the respect that you deserved did they? "Ami, the genius", "Ami the brains of our operation so that we don't have to think for ourselves", correct?"
Oh, it all sounded so good. Please don't let him be lying.
But I knew that he was lying, or at least distorting the truth.
I can't trust him anymore than I can allow myself to grow accustomed to this dark world.
I want to slap him across the face, just like he did me minutes ago. I want to scream at him. I want to tell him that he is wrong about the others, they do care about me, that they will come. But more than anything I want to believe him.
His fingers ghosted across the fading red mark, his voice filled with such tenderness and so soft that I knew that he must be lying but I was too entranced by his soothing lies and his almost touch against my skin.
At some point I gave up the fight. I allowed myself to not only listen but also believe his lies. The reassurances that the other senshi were my friends and that they were coming to rescue me became fainter and fainter until I could no longer hear the pleas of sanity. Slowly hope slipped, gradually being replaced by something that was filling yet empty at the same time. An insatiable thirst for the power locked inside of me that he spoke so highly of.
Part Two:
Usagi
Usagi nervously chewed on the body of her pencil, there was only five minutes left to take the big Algebra exam but that wasn't what had her so worried. No it wasn't that she had failed so many math tests that it was no longer a big deal to her, in fact she feared those big fat red F's more than ever especially since summer was just around the corner and so was the likely hood of summer cram school. No, what really had her worried was the empty desk three rows across from her seat.
"Ami-chan," the blonde thought before a small sigh of hopelessness escaped her throat.
It had been three months since that fateful battle between them, Kunzite, and three of his youma. It had been a hard battle since they had never battled three youma and Dark Kingdom Dork at the same time but they of course won. It wasn't until after the hasty retreat of Kunzite did they realize that one of their number was missing. Sailor Mercury.
Panic set in and they franticly began to search for their friend and fellow senshi. They scoured the entire park and the surrounding area for hours up until the wee hours of the morning. They all returned to their respective homes feeling very discouraged and worried about the blue haired senshi of water. At dawn the next day Usagi skipped school, despite the very vocal protests of Luna, to ask around for Ami. Before leaving her home she called Ami's apartment, only getting the answering machine. She first returned to the park to find all of the other girls there, all of them skipping school to find Ami.
Again they searched and asked people if they had seen the small girl; the replies and empty-handed search worried them so much. Upon her late return to home Usagi breezed past her mother's yells by picking up the phone.
"Hello?"
"Um hello, are you Usagi?" a woman's voice asked.
"Hai,"
"Oh thank kami, Listen Usagi, is Ami at your house by any chance."
"No," Usagi replied, trying hard not to let her worry seep through her tone.
"Did you see her at school or at the Crown Arcade, anywhere?" the woman asked, now sounding frantic.
"No. I am sorry but I haven't."
"Oh no, Usagi, are you sure that you haven't seen her even yesterday? I was on the late shift at the hospital last night and I just got home so I haven't seen her in since the other day."
Usagi had to bit back tears, "I am sorry Mrs. Mizuo but I haven't seen or heard anything from Ami for the last two days."
"Usagi, I hate to ask you this but has Ami ever mentioned anything about running away from home? Do you know if she has been hanging around a suspicious group of people or."
She had to bit back a bitter laugh at the mention of Ami hanging around suspicious people, well if sailor senshi whom saved the world, demons, and men who controlled the monster counted then yes.
"No, I am so sorry Mrs. Mizuo, we are all worried about Ami, especially when she didn't show up at school this morning."
"Thank you anyway Usagi. Please call me if you hear from Ami."
A chill ran down Usagi's spine, almost as if her blood was being invaded by ice, she suddenly felt very dizzy and sick.
"Uh I will Mrs. Mizuo, goodnight."
"Goodnight Us."
The young blonde bolted away from the phone, heading towards the bathroom. She made it just before she heaved up breakfast and lunch.
A few minutes later her head was still spinning and now her mouth tasted horrible. Curled up on the bathroom floor, her body felt like she was freezing but she was gradually losing that sick feeling in the pit of her stomach.
"Usagi, sweetheart, are you feeling alright?" her mother asked from the other side of the door.
"I.yes mom. I'll be out in a minute." Usagi replied. Once her mother was gone she flushed the toilet. She lingered in the bathroom a little while longer to get the awful taste out of her mouth.
This was strange; Usagi knew that a person just didn't get sick and then suddenly feel better so quickly and violently. "Must have been something I ate," she reasoned even though she really didn't quite believe it herself.
The following days she and the others took turn missing school days to look for Ami, that is until her teacher called her parents to discuss her erratic absents from school. She was severally grounded so it was next to impossible for her to sneak answer any calls to senshi duty let alone continue the search for Ami. It wasn't until this past weekend that she was released from her grounded status but was now under a stricter threat of punishment if she failed any tests.
"Everyone pass your test papers up to the front and I will collect them before you leave class," the teacher prompted. Usagi handed up her test paper even though she never even so much as glanced at the last page of questions.
'Ami please be alright,'
Mrs. Mizuo had reported the disappearance of her daughter to the police a day after she had called Usagi, but the blond knew that if she and the other senshi had yet to find Ami then the police would have no luck.
Funny thing was that aside from Ami missing there had been a sharp decrease in youma attacks, and this time there wasn't even some "complex" plan cooked up by Kunzite, it was just random youma attacking random places, no thought seemed to be put behind any of these attacks anymore. It was almost as if he was just dispatching youma just for the sake of sapping the occasional energy pocket and not to actually accomplish anything.
They did realize after a few days of searching that more than likely Kunzite had kidnapped Ami but instead of accepting the worse possible situation they continued to scourer the city. By now their chances of finding her in the city were down to none they decided to go to the heart of the matter. This time they would try to find the entrance into the Dark Kingdom.
"Absolutely not!" the black cat strongly protested.
"But Luna, that sicko might have Ami, if she is down there we need to get her out as soon as possible." Mina protested.
"And besides, we have been getting stronger. Kunzite should be no problem now."
Luna growled, "Lita it is not just Kunzite that is the problem. You are forgetting that the Dark Kingdom houses all of the youma not to mention Queen Beryl herself. As of now none of you have a snowball's chance in Hades' of surviving one if not all three forces."
Rei shot the cat a wiry grin, "That's what we love about you Luna, you always give us your vote of confidence."
"I am serious!" the cat howled. "We have already lost Ami, I will not lose the rest of you as well."
"But Luna, we're a team. We have to get Ami back. She is our friend and."
"Don't you start with me Usagi, your parents may not be cross with you anymore for skipping school but I for one am very ashamed of your actions."
"Yeah well you're the only one furball! I can't just go to school and act like everything is fine when one of my friends is in danger!" the blonde shot back hotly.
For a moment Luna looked like she was about to give in, her tiny fur covered body sighed heavily, "I am sorry Usagi, but I can't risk your and the other girls' safety. If Ami is in the Dark Kingdom she is smart and resourceful enough to take care of herself until the rest of you are strong enough to face the entire Dark Kingdom, let alone Beryl and Kunzite at the same time. It is for the best. This meeting is closed." Luna finished arising from the temple step then sauntering down the pathway to the stairs. Artemis sighed but followed right behind the ebony cat; leaving the girls discouraged and a bit angry.
For several minutes silence reigned. Then one by one they made their excuses to head for home until only Usagi and Rei were left. Since Usagi dreaded going home to face another lecture session by her mother for coming home with a failed quiz Usagi decided to help Rei with some of her chores at the temple. She was putting up the broom back into the storage closet when her communicator went off.
Reaching down into her book bag Usagi pulled out the communicator and clicked it on, immediately the relieved face of Lita came on screen.
"Lita-chan? What's the matter? Is it another monster attack?" Usagi asked, at that moment Rei entered the hall, she leaned over Usagi's shoulder to look at the communicator.
"No Usagi, no monster attacks, but you'll never believe what I found."
"What did you find Lita?" Rei asked.
"Ami," the Amazon replied.
Notes: Dumdumdum! The evil cliffhanger strikes again! I made it a little bit longer than last time but I will try to update right after the site comes back on-line Sunday. I hope that you guys have enjoyed this chapter, believe me I had a lot of fun writing it. P.S I am really not sure I spelled Ami's last name right or not, so I wasn't sure if I should have written that scene between Usagi and Ami's mom, please forgive me if it was spelled wrong. Anyway on to the thank you's
To Mistress of Ice: Ha! As of now no evil plot bunnies have attacked me! So there! Back on topic Hehe, sorry that chapter is a "bit" late but I really hope that you like it.
To Kaiya: Thank you for understanding, I do try but sometimes I just get so excited about posting a new chapter that I forget to check it through I will try harder. I am planning on redoing this fic along with others and post them on my website.once I actually take the time to set one up.
To Dancing Sprite: Between you and me.and anyone else who might read this fic, that is my favorite line in all of my fics, hehe it is so cool just imagining Ami telling someone off.
To Nova33: Thanks ^_^
To Eggman: Thank you!
To Lydiby: Sorry about that, I must have been running low on creative juices but with the holiday's over and done with and spring break on the horizon I have more ideas than I know what to do with.
To Krylancelo: Don't' worry about it, I for one get a sadistic please from tormenting people, fictional characters and real people alike; but for some reason I don't think that is what you are referring to so I'll just shut up now!
To Magician: Sorry about the confusion, the some of the more confusing aspects of the plot is going to clear up soon.
And last but certainly not the least, To ankle: Thank you so much!
Again be on the look out for a possible update Sunday, once the site is up and running again that is, sighs, god I hate site updates. Peace ^_^