CHAPTER FOUR: A KISS FOR CHARLOTTE
Queen Lucia crushed a skull she'd been holding into dust with her bare hand upon hearing the news that another Youma had failed to kill Princess Ami.
"This girl is no more powerful than a Human so long as she does not have her Henshin Stick," Lucia stood up from her throne. "So what is the problem?!"
"It would appear Solar Pilot is not her sole guardian," said one of her servants. She was a feline looking Youma. "Elke was immune to Solar Pilot's weapon, yet last night Ami was rescued by a Sailor Senshi. Her powers pierced her diamond-hard scales and allowed Solar Pilot to finish her off as he did the others."
"Another Senshi?" Lucia shook with frustration. "Don't tell me one of her simpering friends followed her here!"
"No. Our spies tell us that the Nine are still in Tokyo," said the Youma. "This one was able to create Earthquakes and control the movements of Plants."
"Earthquakes… Plants…" Lucia repeated as she sat back down on her throne and contemplated the evidence. "It can't be who I think it is. Were you not able to get an identification?"
Her Gargoyle spy croaked from her feet, still in pain from being swatted aside by its Queen. Lucia listened to it at length and then closed her eyes. "Enough! If you don't know, just say so. Don't waste my time with long monologues. Charlotte! You are one of my more clever Youmas. I want you to draw this Senshi out once more and identify her. Assassinate Ami, Solar Pilot, AND this Senshi!"
The Cat-Youma bowed before the Queen. "It shall be done, your majesty."
ssssss
Amy closed the cover on yet another book and set it aside. She leaned back in her chair and gazed at the ceiling of the Library in exhaustion. She'd picked apart the entire 'Mythology' section at the University Library, looking for some ancient legend that at least hinted at the possibility of the existence of a great 'Demoness', as the enemy described it, lying beneath Munich, Germany.
Of course, none of the European Myths she'd paged through seemed to contain the information she needed. None of her keyword searches on the Internet seemed to satisfy her curiosity either. So after nearly six hours and two missed classes of searching Amy was left with nothing to show for it.
Everything surrounding the Dark Syndicate and what little I know of it, based on heresay of course which is far from solid, seems to be forgotten in the annals of History… Just like the Moon Kingdom… Amy thought morosely. This search is getting me nowhere.
"Why don't you simply ask this 'Solar Pilot' character?" Robert suggested, leaning back in his chair across from her.
"Because I don't know Solar Pilot," Amy replied. "I don't know where he comes from. I don't know where he goes when he's not fighting evil. I don't even really know exactly what he looks like."
"Maybe he's not so far away as you think," suggested Robert.
Amy lifted her head and looked at him funny. "What do you mean by that?"
Robert was fiddling with a pencil in his hand. "Well… If he's like a Superhero from the Comic Books. Then he's gotta have an alter ego, right? Maybe he's somebody in this city, walking around like an average Joe. Maybe he's a student on campus. He could even be me."
Amy couldn't contain herself and she burst out laughing. "You?… That's funny, Rob… You wish…"
Robert sighed and looked away. "Well you don't have to laugh so loudly about it," he grumbled. "I'm just saying, maybe you're going about this all wrong. Maybe you need to track him down, whoever he is. Get him to come to you somehow. If he is your knight in shining armor and all, he's probably nearby watching you in some other disguise even now."
Amy stopped laughing and wiped a tear from her eye. "You do have a point, there. I'm sorry. I haven't laughed that hard in a while and I think I was just letting off more tension than I care to admit just then."
"Heh…" Robert stood up. "Well it's good that I cheered you up then." Deep down inside, though, he felt slightly injured from her mirth. What else am I apparently good for besides a good laugh? he thought. If you knew that I was really telling the truth I bet you wouldn't laugh.
Amy was gathering books up in her arms. "Well I'm hungry, and I have some class notes to catch up on. Thanks for taking the time to help me out, even though I didn't ask you to."
Robert blushed. "I-it's alright, Amy," he started stacking books on his side of the table on top of one another. "What's a class or two for a friend? Besides… We can catch up on our studies this coming weekend."
I can't tell you just yet who I am, Amy, he said in his mind. Until you open up to me, I can't lay my cards on the table. I swore that when I saw you again I would try to get you to appreciate me as a man before you appreciate me as a hero. I know who you are, but it wouldn't be fair of me to come out and reveal all that to you before you decide to show yourself to me. So even though it hurts to keep secrets, I'm going to just be Robert Prower for a little bit longer.
He was reaching for a book to his right when suddenly his hand clamped down on someone else's. The hand was small and very feminine and smooth. Robert recoiled his hand faster than a gunshot and put his arm behind his head in embarrassment. "Oops! S-sorry Amy! I didn't know you were on my side of the table all of a sudden!" he exclaimed, gazing at the carpet abashedly.
"I am not your friend Amy, but I accept your apology, Monsieur Prower," said the person whom he'd touched. Her accent was French, even though her language was German. Robert's heart was already plunging into his stomach before he looked up, but when he saw who it was he'd grabbed, his whole body turned to stone!
Amy gasped and dropped her books. "Diana Marceaux!" she said in surprise. "I didn't hear you come in. You startled me."
"Bonjour, Amy," Diana inclined her head with a smile. "I'm glad to see you again so soon. What a coincidence, non?" She looked at Robert and her smile took on a decidedly different tone. "And Robert. It is good to see you again as well. I have not spoken to you in such a while, I was beginning to think you'd forgotten about me once more."
Robert eeped and slowly came out of his paralysis. "D-D-Diana… F-fancy m-meeting you here, of all places! Ahhhhhh…. Just what is it that you are doing here, anyway?"
"I study part time when my job allows me to," Diana replied. "I am working on my Masters in Botany."
"You know her, Rob?" Amy asked from across the table.
Robert eeped again and cringed his head down. "Sh-she's just an acquaintance of mine, really!" He spun around and waved his hand up and down in a 'no-big-deal' gesture.
Diana giggled and put her hands on his shoulders. "But, Robert… That's not what you said last time we talked." she cooed.
"WELL! GOTTA GO!!" Robert said a bit too loudly. "LET'S GO AMY! YOU WERE HUNGRY, RIGHT?!" He turned as if to slip past Diana, but ended up tripping and hitting the ground on his face. His stack of books teetered on the edge of the table and then collapsed on top of him with a series of thuds.
Diana chuckled and turned to Amy with a sigh. "He's always such a joker, that man," she said coyly. "He always knows how to make a woman laugh. That's what I adore about him so."
Amy chuckled half-heartedly. How do these two know each other? I had no idea. Rob never said anything to me, she thought. She didn't know why, but she felt a little bit dismayed that Diana and Robert were so familiar with one another. Diana really was an attractive girl, and she knew that boys around here simply melted for French girls. "So… How do you know each other?" she asked Diana.
Diana sighed again and clasped her hands together. Her green eyes became rather dreamy and distant. "We met just a month ago. When I first came here. He helped me get acquainted with the campus back then. He was such a sweet and kind gentleman. We spoke often after that, but lately he hasn't been speaking with me much anymore." She bent over and peered down at Robert sadly. "Was it something I said to you, Monsieur Prower?"
Robert REALLY eeped this time, because from his vantage point down on the floor, as Diana bent over him with her loose dress he got a FULL view of her breasts! He felt a trickle of blood seep out of his nose and he darted to his feet. "Really, Diana! You must stop joking around like that!" He pointed to Diana for Amy. "And she says I'm a kidder!" he laughed nervously.
Amy, however, only smiled icily. "So it would seem," she said to him with a frosty tone. "Are you always so nice around new girls in this school? From your usual behavior I never would have pegged you for a playboy."
Diana laughed and threw her arms around him tightly. "Oh, but that's just what girls like about him," she said gleefully. "He's so clumsy and innocent he's adorable, don't you think?"
Amy smiled all of a sudden. Smiled a little TOO brightly, Robert thought. There was something about her expression that seemed forced by sheer willpower. "Well then… I have some stuff I need to do. Why don't you take Diana out to eat or something, Rob? I'm sure you two have so much to catch up on." Amy picked up her book bag and began to walk away.
"Wait!" Robert dislodged Diana's vise-like arms and ran after her. "Just wait, Amy! I can explain!"
"You don't need to explain anything to me, silly," Amy said a bit too cheerfully. "It's not like I care who you go out with after all."
"But this is critical!" Robert protested.
"I told you I don't care," Amy said, picking up her pace a bit.
"Just listen to me, will you?!" Robert begged, reaching out for her.
Amy stepped beyond his reach, causing him to fall over at her feet. She beamed down at him. "Listen, you two sound like you need time to patch things up, so take her up on dinner or something. It's not like it's the first time in my life I've eaten dinner alone. I don't care, really."
"But, Amy…" Robert lifted his head up.
"Really… I DON'T CARE, Rob!" Amy's blue eyes stabbed icicles down at him and pinned him to the floor like a butterfly to a pinning board. Robert was perfectly paralyzed by the coldness. "You can knock on my door later. It's not like I'm jealous or anything."
Amy spun on her heel and walked out the door with Robert still sprawled on the floor in terror. People in the Library, attracted by the commotion, looked pitifully down at Robert as he lay on the floor. Some simply rolled their eyes and shook their heads.
"Wasn't that so gracious of her, Robert?" Diana walked over to him cheerfully. "She's so kind and gentle. Just like a Princess, don't you think?"
Robert, however, simply stared at the door of the Library with tears running down his cheeks. "So… cold…" he whimpered.
ssssss
Amy didn't know why she felt so angry over the incident in the Library. It wasn't as if she and Robert were an item or anything. They were simply friends, that was it. What did she care if Rob had a girl on the side?
It's because he didn't tell me about her, that's it! Amy decided. If I had any idea he was friends with Diana I would have gone and asked him to introduce me to her a long time ago and then maybe I wouldn't have wasted so much time looking for her.
"You have the means to solve this mystery Amy Mizuno. And know that you are not alone. Someone very close to you watches over you and will never let you come to harm. And others… Are on their way to you even as we speak."
Amy stopped, remembering suddenly that she had wanted to talk to Diana about her words to her the other day. The last thing Diana had said to her two days ago was very cryptic and rather accurate to her plight. It definitely didn't sound like something someone would say if they knew nothing about her.
"I'll bet she knows something," Amy decided. "I'll bet there's more to her than meets the eye. I mean, she got here at the same time I did. Does that mean she's following me? Was it really a coincidence she was in the Library at the same time as me and Rob?" She turned as if to head back to the Library, then she stopped.
Once again that feeling of ambivalence surfaced. The picture of Diana hugging Robert and making him so flustered nagged at her. She suddenly didn't want to talk to either of them!
Oh… I'm getting mad again! Amy realized, clenching her fists. But why?! What do I care if he's dating someone? I'll tell him off later for not telling me about Diana. I know I don't tell him a lot of things, but that's necessary. Keeping Diana a secret was unnecessary for him to do. Yes… That's why I'm angry at him. For not being totally honest with me with something so trivial.
Amy turned once more and stalked off. "I'll just eat by myself," she said stoically. "I've done it lots of times in my life. Besides, I need to study. I missed two classes today and I can't afford to fall any further behind."
Having convinced herself of that, she added. "I'll simply corner Diana some other time when we're alone and ask her exactly what she meant the other day." Amy was so lost in her thoughts that she failed to notice that her weird angry behavior and the act of talking aloud to herself was drawing some worried attention from students nearby.
ssssss
"Ah, what a day. I haven't had that much fun in years," Diana said, entering her Greenhouse.
"Diana…" Robert said in a deadly voice as he followed her inside and slammed the door. "Give me one good reason I shouldn't kill you!"
"Because you love me so much," Diana batted her eyelids at him.
Robert fell over in exasperation. "RRRRT!!! Wrong again, Diana!" he exclaimed.
Diana giggled and leaned against one of her trees. "You never could take a joke very well, Robert."
"Maybe it's because I'm the BUTT of said jokes," Robert griped. "You certainly play the innocent act quite nicely. I didn't even think about it when you first came around here. I thought you were someone quite ordinary. But when I heard your voice last night and again in the Library I knew it was too much to be a coincidence! That's a good disguise, but the jig is up Princess Diana Chiba!"
Diana laughed again. "Oh, Robert. It wasn't like I was hiding from you. You just didn't need to know just yet. Besides, I knew eventually you'd catch on to me. Why so irritable? You haven't changed one bit. Not in a thousand years. I realize how much Amy means to you, that's why I did what I did."
"Did? You only sabotaged what little progress I'd made with her!" Robert lost his patience. "She probably hates my guts now! She thinks I'm some playboy who likes dating older women! She…!"
"Was jealous, non?" Diana finished for him.
Robert froze in mid-sentence. "E-excuse me?"
"In all your years of watching Amy, has she ever been one to give the cold shoulder to anyone?" Diana suggested. "Yet back there at the Library, she gave the best cold shoulder I have ever seen. Even your Sister would be put to shame by her performance. She was jealous of us."
"J-jealous?! Y-you really think s-so?!" Robert blushed. He suddenly paused. "Wait a second... How did you know I was watching her? And just where in tarnation have you been all these years?!"
"Kinmoku," Diana said, picking up a pair of trimmers and walking over to a nearby bush. She put a finger to her chin as if pondering what to do next. "Alora, Andrea, and I had no place to go after the Moon fell. So Sailor Pluto did us a favor by giving us to Sailor Galaxia. Galaxia took us in and we repaid her kindness by working for her for the last millennium or so. We just got released."
Robert sighed. "I thought you were dead. The three of you disappeared when you went to confront Jedite." he thought of something just then. "So you got back to Earth just last month when you showed up in your Diana form. Now that I look at you I realize not much has changed from back then. You still like to walk barefoot. Your hair is the same too."
Diana inclined her head. "You see? You're not dumb. Simply awkward."
"What about the other two? You said they came back as well?" asked Rob.
"They're elsewhere for now. Taking much needed vacations and exploring pieces of their own pasts. I'm certain they'll be along before the end," Diana reached out with the clippers and carefully pruned a twig that was sticking out just a bit too far. "There..." she said with satisfaction. "You look perfectly beautiful now, you darling Momo Plant."
"Momo... Isn't that native to Kinmoku?" asked Robert.
"Most of these plants are not of this world," said Diana. "I still like to collect exotic plants. I even have one that used to reside on Venus before it became a wasteland. He's quite old but he's got quite a bit of life left in him."
Robert looked at the ground. His head was spinning. "Somehow I regret not knowing all this sooner," he muttered.
"It's alright. I didn't want you to think I was interfering. And besides, I wanted to see how you interacted with Amy. You're a very frustrating man to watch, you know? I finally got tired of it and decided to throw myself into the mix. The results were... how should I say... excellent if I do say so myself."
"I wouldn't say they were so 'excellent'," Rob grumbled, getting back on the topic of his anger. "You said so yourself she had a cold shoulder. She'll never talk to me the same way again."
Diana chuckled coyly. "You forget the golden rule of love, Monami," she said. "When chased, one runs. And when one runs, the other cannot help but give chase. Don't you see? By inserting myself in as a romantic interest… I have succeeded in pushing Amy down the road of romance. She might not admit it to herself, but she is jealous of us."
Robert couldn't believe it. "Sh-she… Was really jealous?… But that would mean…"
"She wants you, Robert," said Diana.
Robert felt his heart glow with the thought. Amy? In love with him? It was almost too good to believe! For as long as he'd watched over Amy she never even seemed to notice him. Of course that was because he never really got up the courage to talk to her. Ever since that incident with her Mother…
Diana sensed the change in him. "Don't think about that now. Every time you do you lose your courage and withdraw from her. Like Amy, you are easily discouraged by romance and the obstacles that naturally go along with that. But how much longer can the two of you go on punishing yourselves?"
Robert sighed. "You don't know anything. This is the hardest thing I've ever done. Can I protect her and love her at the same time?"
"Why not? I seem to remember a certain Prince of Earth who managed to love and protect a Princess of the Moon with no trouble at all," said Diana.
"I'd figured of all people you would run to meet him again after being away for a thousand years," said Robert. "I mean he's your only family."
"I'll get to him eventually," said Diana. "There's plenty of time. But there's an emergency growing here in Munich. The enemy is growing stronger with each passing day, and Amy now needs both of us to watch over her."
Robert nodded. "You're right about one thing. And now that Amy is here they do seem to have stepped up their plans more than a little. It's all happening again, just like on Mercury a thousand years ago… Except this time it's on Earth."
"But this time we are prepared for Queen Lucia's treachery," Diana put a hand on his shoulder. "Amy Mizuno needs only to realize her true power and the tide will turn."
"Do you think it's time we were honest with her?" asked Robert.
Diana shook her head and leaned in a bit closer to him. "She is so happy with her personal life at the moment, despite all the problems around her. Let us give her a little longer with her innocence. No matter what happens, she came here to get away from being a Senshi. She deserves a chance to make that happen, though I doubt she will get her wish ultimately."
Robert became heavy-hearted again. "It's too bad, really. She did seem to be happier as a normal person. Destiny can throw some hard curves at you."
Diana put a hand on his chin and directed his face toward hers. "I know you won't fail again. You are her Prince, after all."
"Right…" Robert suddenly grabbed her hand and a crosshair formation of veins poked out of his forehead. "So why do you continue to come onto me like this?!"
Diana giggled again and escaped his glare. "Because I never stop getting amusement from your boyish innocence… And because I am myself just a little bit jealous of what you and she have. But don't worry. I am on your side. In the end the decision is yours."
Diana hummed to herself as she picked up her pot and began watering her plants. Robert watched her busy herself with a giant sweat-drop hanging from his head. "How come life can never, ever, be simple for me?" he groaned.
ssssss
The next morning Amy woke up with a headache. It wasn't often that she wanted to willfully miss her alarm clock, but today was one of those rare days.
Nevertheless she forced herself to get up out of bed and shut her alarm off. She had to get to class before eight o' clock for her Human Anatomy course. Human Anatomy was one of her most critical courses for her Major. She'd missed enough classes to last a Semester already due to her extraneous problems.
There was another reason she wanted to get to this class, however. This was the only class she shared with Robert. He was studying to be an Aviator, so this class was nothing more than an elective for him. But she hadn't spoken to Rob since last afternoon and she felt like she'd acted somewhat immature in front of him and Diana.
I told him I was used to eating alone, but I ate alone last night and I felt terrible, she thought as she took her morning shower. Just because I'm used to it doesn't mean I should like it. I don't really care about him and Diana or what they may have together. It just caught me off guard that's all.
Amy finished her shower in fifteen minutes. After that it took her another half hour to brush her teeth, comb her hair, get dressed and eat a quick piece of fruit from her fridge to hold her over until Breakfast. It was seven forty-five. She had fifteen minutes to walk to her class. There was no rush though. She'd gotten the timing down perfectly and it took her only ten minutes to walk to the Lecture Hall.
Amy entered the classroom and took her usual seat near the front row. She looked around for Rob and found him sitting down toward the right side. He didn't see her just yet, but he looked gloomy. Amy felt bad for him and made as if to go and talk with him, but then a pang of guilt hit her in the stomach and her resolve melted away.
Robert looked up just then and saw her. He smiled and waved to her. Amy felt embarrassed and took a seat in the middle of the row. Rob's face fell a little and he faced forward again with that glum look.
What's wrong with me? she wondered as she took her books out of her bag and laid them neatly out on her desk. Why can't I go and talk to him? The Professor was walking into the classroom so it was too late now. She'd have to screw up her courage and talk to him once class was over.
Suddenly a movement caught her eye and she looked over to see a dark-haired, slender and disturbingly attractive girl take a seat right next to Rob and begin talking to him. Rob greeted her with a smile. She couldn't hear what they were saying because of the talking in the rest of the classroom. Suddenly the Professor signaled for quiet by clapping his hands sharply together. All talking ceased, including the girl and Rob.
All through the lecture, Amy's gaze kept sneaking to the side to keep an eye on the two of them. I wonder who she is? she thought. And how does she know Rob? How many other girls has he not told me about?
Much to her embarrassment, the girl suddenly turned her head and looked directly at her. Amy's face burst into flames and she looked down at her paper. It was five minutes before she dared to sneak another look over and the girl was STILL looking her way. This time, however, her mouth curved into a smug little smile. Amy did not like the nature of that smile!
ssssss
After the class was over, Amy gravitated towards the back door where Rob and that girl were still talking. She stayed inconspicuous until the girl left. Once Amy felt it was safe she approached him.
"Amy," said Robert when she walked up to him. "I tried calling last night…"
"I didn't get home until late," said Amy, averting her eyes. "Who was that?"
"That?" Rob's cheeks became touched with a bit of redness. "Her name is Charlotte. She was asking me for help on the Lab that's due at Midterm."
"Is that all?" asked Amy.
Robert faltered a bit. "Amy… About last night. I was telling the truth. Diana and I… It's really nothing. We're only friends."
"How come you never said anything about her?" asked Amy.
"Honestly, I didn't think it was important," said Robert. "You believe me, don't you?"
"You seem awfully popular with pretty girls lately," Amy said doubtfully. "How long have you known Charlotte?"
"She's been in our class the entire Semester, Amy. Did you really not notice?" asked Robert incredulously. "Trust me, I'm no playboy. It's hard for me to talk to girls. You know I almost didn't approach you at first. Girls intimidate me, honest. Didn't you see how awkward I was around Diana?"
Amy couldn't help smiling at that. That sounded more like Rob. How could she have ever thought he was a playboy? She felt stupid now.
"I've treated you poorly these past 24 hours," said Amy. "Let me treat you to coffee. I want to make this up to you."
"Don't worry about it," Rob waved her off.
"No, really. I feel bad about this. Let me do something for you," Amy insisted.
Robert sighed. This girl wouldn't give up. She was amazingly stubborn for someone so introverted most of the time. "Well alright," he said, thinking for a second. "How about a kiss?"
"A-A what?!" Amy turned fire-engine red!
"Just kidding," Rob said quickly. "Heh, heh… You should see your face, Ames. That was priceless."
Amy was shocked at first, then she slowly settled upon a frown as her choice of expressions. "That wasn't funny! You're mean!"
Rob couldn't help laughing. "Well you said you'd do anything."
Amy raised an eyebrow. "Did I? Or was that just wishful thinking? You know what? Forget it. I made up for it just now by falling for that awful joke." Amy stalked off through the door.
"Oh, come on!" Rob chuckled, trying to keep up. "You're not really mad, are you? It was a harmless joke, that's all. Why are you taking it so personally? Did you actually think I was serious?"
Amy stopped in her tracks. "Of course not…" she said darkly. "You'd rather kiss Diana or Charlotte, wouldn't you?"
Rob urked and halted. "OF COURSE I DON'T!" he whirled on her. He took a deep breath and put hands on each of her shoulders. "What's really wrong with you, Amy? You never act like this."
Amy leaned her head on his chest. "It's just that… Lately ever since I've been getting attacked… I feel so isolated here in this country. I had so many friends in Tokyo and they're all far away and they can't help me anymore. You're all I've got here and I don't want you to get… bored with me…"
Her shoulders began to shake and Robert pulled her into a hug. "I can't believe you'd actually be afraid of that," he said to her gently. "It's funny but until I met you girls didn't really bother to talk to me. You're the first one to take a liking to me. And I enjoy being around you. You brighten my day when I see you. And you help me with my Anatomy homework, which is a plus."
Her eyes were a little misty when she looked up at him. "Thanks, Rob. I think I needed to hear that."
"No charge," said Robert with a grin. "Now how about that coffee? Except I'm buying. Call it payback for that joke back there."
Amy agreed.
ssssss
Another unsuspecting boy dropped to the ground at Charlotte's feet. The last of his Spirit Energy entered her mouth and she smiled. "Get up," she commanded him.
The boy once named Gunther opened his eyes. Like a Zombie he lurched to his feet and growled. His eyes were red and sharp teeth now adorned his mouth. Charlotte smiled and held up a photograph of Amy Mizuno.
"Find this girl, and kill her. I'll take care of her little friend," she chuckled.
Gunther looked at the photo, snarled, and then ran off. Charlotte put the photo in her pocket and went off to find some other victims. Who else did this girl used to know? She began flipping through the real Charlotte's address book to find the next name.
ssssss
Amy went separate ways with Rob feeling much better than this morning. After he had treated her to coffee, he had another class of his own to go to, so she let him go where he needed to go.
That left Amy to her own devices, and it was time to answer some questions. She had been wanting to go see Diana again. Last night's incident made her briefly unwilling to approach the French Gardener, but now that she felt better she knew it was time. She had suspicions about Diana. Suspicions that connected her with the mysterious Sailor Earth.
If I'm right, Diana is Sailor Earth, thought Amy. I must find out for certain.
Amy found the Greenhouse and knocked on the door a few times. After several minutes no one answered. Amy tested the doorknob and found that it was unlocked. Feeling a bit unwelcome, Amy shrugged off her unease and stepped inside. She had to take several gulps of air to get used to the humidity level!
"Diana?" she called out after getting used to the atmosphere. "Diana? Are you here?"
There was no answer. Amy walked around the inside of the Greenhouse to look for her. Along the way she admired the plants and flora that seemed to grow wild and uninhibited in here. She was no Botanist, but Amy was fairly certain she'd never seen many of the plants in here, not even in books. It's almost like they're from another world, she wondered.
On the east side of the Greenhouse sat a large plant that gave Amy the creeps. It had spiked leaves and a broad stem that was as thick as a lamp pole. It supported a giant elliptical head that had sharp bristles around the edges of what appeared to be… a mouth? Amy took a step back and saw that it was a gigantic Venus Flytrap! Or something just like it. Its vines snaked all over the glass panes and on the ground around it. It made a regular noise that sounded almost like inhaling and exhaling. Amy wondered if it was asleep, but didn't want to push her luck. She backpedaled away from the Flytrap until she was sure it was safe to run, then she darted out of the Greenhouse.
Outside she heaved a sigh of relief. Her heart was pounding. What exactly was that thing? Something like that had never existed on Earth, that was for sure. There could be no doubt Diana was not normal! In any case Diana wasn't at home. Where would she be? Should she look around the Gardens for her? Did she dare look for her?
It felt cold outside now. It was September, and the air was definitely beginning to cool, particularly at night. After being in that Greenhouse Amy would probably have felt cold in the Amazon. The air inside had been unusually thick and moist as well as hot. She hadn't noticed the first time, but it was definitely more than the usual Greenhouse humidity. She thought of a quote from "Alice in Wonderland" just then: Curiouser and Curiouser.
She started to walk around the side of the adjoining Botany Building when she spotted a couple of boys walking her way. They walked stiffly, backs perfectly straight, hands tightly at their sides. They looked like tin soldiers the way they walked. They were even in step. It was kind of creepy, yet funny at the same time.
The boys walked straight to her, which was rather surprising.
"Amy Mizuno?" one of them asked.
"Yes," Amy answered dubiously.
Suddenly their mannerism changed. They both snarled and reached out for her. Amy suddenly noticed their eyes had turned red and their mouths were filled with sharp fangs! Amy realized they looked just like the boys Heidi had turned into her servants!
The first boy grabbed her by the arm, his claws dug into her bicep. Amy screamed, took her book bag off her free shoulder, and swung it like a wrecking ball, slamming it into the poor kid's face! The heavy textbooks and the force of her swing caused the boy to let go as his head jerked to the side. The impact broke his nose. She could hear the loud crack and see the blood trickling out between his eyes.
The second boy grabbed her book bag, yanked it out of her grip and tossed it away. Amy turned and saw the building wall was blocking her retreat. Oh, crap! Desperate, she charged the wall full speed, planted one foot on the brick surface, and used momentum to somersault off of it, attempting to flip over the boy's head.
No dice! The boy grabbed her waist in midair, pivoted, and slammed her on the ground. Fortunately the ground was grass and all it did was knock the wind out of her. However the first boy had recovered and now they both stood over her looking ready to finish her off!
One of them held his hand up and his fingernails lengthened into claws. Amy tried to escape, but one of them held her down while the other one got ready to kill her!
He almost succeeded, but a swarm of vines snaked out of nowhere and grasped him by the waist and dragged him off. The boy roared in surprise and struggled, but more vines came out of the ground and wrapped him up in a virtual cocoon. The second boy was distracted by the diversion and Amy saw her chance. She reached with her right arm for a rock, grabbed it in her hand, and cracked it right into the second boy's face. Another sickening crunch followed that move.
She was suddenly free! Amy got up and sprinted as fast as she could. As she passed the boy struggling in the tangle of vines she wondered if that was Sailor Earth stepping in again. However there was no sign of her anywhere. What had saved her then?
There was no time to think. One of the boys was hot on her heels, snarling in rage. His face bled from the forehead and nose, but he didn't seem to be in very much pain. Amy remembered she'd kicked Josef in the balls, but Josef hadn't reacted when he was under mind control. It was like they had no nerves. Or rather, no affliction to pain.
A side effect of having your Spirit removed? Amy thought as she ran as fast as she could. She didn't know where to run to exactly. Robert was in class, not that she wanted to put him through any trouble. Diana was nowhere to be found. And it just occurred to her that these were only underlings. Where was the Youma responsible for transforming those boys? There was no one to help her. Once again Amy felt the loneliness and helplessness of not being a Senshi underneath her fear.
Was it wrong of me to give it up? She thought, passing a group of students who stopped and stared at her oddly, then recoiled as the snarling boy charged by. Is this fate? Can I never escape my Senshi destiny? Mother! Tell me what I should do!
Her forehead began to throb just then. Amy was running out of breath and growing more and more desperate. This running was getting her nowhere! She suddenly stopped and turned, ready for the worst. Senshi or not. It was time to stop running.
The boy plowed into her and tackled her to the ground. He pinned her body down with his legs and body and raised his fist as if to pound her face. He looked angry. His face was covered in blood at this point.
Amy's forehead exploded and felt like it was on fire! It wasn't burning fire. It felt almost… freezing actually. It was burning and it was freezing. She became aware of a bluish white light in her vision as desperation took hold of her. She held her hand up in front of the boy's face without thinking, palm and fingers spread wide open, and screamed. There was a sound like a wave crashing on rocks, and suddenly the boy howled as he was tossed off of her by some force. Amy felt something like water spray onto her face.
Amy opened her eyes. She hadn't even realized she'd closed them, and saw the results of what happened. The possessed young man was now laying in a sitting position against a metal light pole. The pole was warped and teetering from the force of impact. The boy was soaking wet and so was the ground around him. There were some chunks of what looked like ice laying around as well. The boy's body shivered involuntarily.
She sat up suddenly. There was no source of water anywhere nearby. She looked down at her hand in shock. Was that her doing? Had the water come from her? How? She wasn't transformed. She wasn't even a Senshi anymore. How?!
Her forehead stopped throbbing and she put her fingers to it. Nothing but smooth skin greeted her touch. She realized the hand she'd held out to the boy was now ice cold and she gripped it with her other hand to warm it up again. No! It couldn't be!
Amy stood up on wobbly legs. The poor boy was out of commission, just like his friend back near the Greenhouse. First the vines and now water from out of nowhere. Was someone just playing with her?
Things had happened too fast for her. Amy suddenly ran towards the Hoehofer Building where Robert was currently in his Avionics class. She didn't care. For some reason she felt like she had to get to him as fast as possible!
TO BE CONTINUED...
NEXT CHAPTER: THE SOUL OF SOLAR PILOT