Note: This chapter is longer than the others. J

The senshi's are starting to recollect their memories in longer periods, have decided to start with Ami's.

Enjoy!

Chapter 7 – The Reawakening – Zoisite

Two words.

Oh, Shit.

Those were the very first words that were conjured up in Zoisite's mind when he finally completed his transformation from a cuddly stuffed toy, to its life-size and very much warm-blooded counterpart.

The cause of such blatant swearing was attributed to the atypical fact that, at this very moment, this particular young man was lying on a charming four-poster bed located in the middle of a delightful and VERY feminine room, AND. . .

. . .well, he was also lacking the usual attire that one normally had.

In other words, his dear Ami has decided, of all days, to be the sweet little senshi she was, and washed the uniform of the adorable little general, from TOP to BOTTOM.

Ergo, the young man was left (thank God) with only his white boxers on, and ONLY because this particular article of clothing was, still clean. 

Zoisite at the moment wasn't particularly in a rational and calm mood, and was currently maximizing his vast knowledge in the arts of blasphemy and highly developed profanity.

He shook his head in exasperation and attempted to somehow refrain his heart from suffering total cardiac arrest as it cannot seem to stop beating wildly.

The implication of his sudden transformation from doll to man had finally sunk in his currently dazed mind.

He's in deep shit.

The sounds of rushing water from inside the closed bathroom door served as a death toll for the young blond, reminding him that the young blue-streaked haired woman was still very much within the vicinity, and hence, a shocking encounter might occur if he doesn't get his cute little butt out of the room pronto.

Then again, where the hell was he supposed to go?  And wearing only a rather, er, pathetic scrap of clothing.  

Damn.  Damn.  Damn!  Why of all days. . .

Before Zoisite could finish whatever it was that he was thinking, the sounds of flowing water had stopped, and with it, the beating of his heart as well.

SHIT!!!

Zoisite in desperation, quickly rose from the bed and ran towards the opened window.

As soon as he perched on the window, ready to jump out to the lawn in front, he was faced with a more disastrous predicament.

For at this very moment, who else could it be at the front of the house mowing the lawn nonchalantly just like any other normal day but dear old Ami's mom.

Aw, SHIT!!!!

Following the momentarily silence from the other side of the bathroom door moments ago, the rattling of a doorknob being opened can be heard.

The young blond was definitely having a very bad morning.

With no options left, Zoisite decided to forego jumping from the window knowing that the picture of an almost naked young man coming from the window of one's daughter could probably trigger one bloody heart attack for any respectable mother.

And with sweat slipping furiously down his forehead, Zoisite made a mad dash towards the door that will lead to the hall outside Ami's bedroom. 

Zoisite was indeed lucky to have thought of doing such because the two women were the only ones in the house and he could probably have more chances of hiding in other areas within Ami's two-storey house, without being found out.

Zoisite, almost smiling, ran swiftly towards the bedroom door just a few feet away and situated perpendicular from the rattling bathroom door.

Damn.  That was close.

Then again,. . .maybe not.

For lo and behold, by some wicked twist of fate, the poor boy somehow lost his footing when he stepped on a Persian rug just in front of the bathroom door, a few feet away from the bedroom door that was supposed to lead him to his salvation.

With a yelp, Zoisite felt himself slipping, and attempted desperately to keep his balance.

Instinctively, his arms reached out to the closest hard surface he could brace himself into.

With his muscular arms stretched, his lithe body was aiming to bump against, of all rotten luck, the bathroom door in which at that fated moment, was being opened by a young, freshly-showered beautiful woman.

And Zoisite, who was aiming to ram against the hard wooden door, instead, found himself falling into a very soft, very wet, and VERY sweet-smelling, embrace.  

Ami, the young woman who was the recipient of what would have been a delightful embrace under different circumstances, gasped and instinctively gripped the sink behind her in order to stop herself, and whatever it was in front of her, from falling in the hard bathroom floor.

After both bodies have stopped from moving, both heads looked up to gaze to the other person in mute shock.

For one brief moment, Ami's powerful mind refused, I REPEAT, adamantly REFUSED to perform whatever function necessary to process the input that she has just been presented with.

For like any other encounter with an un-chartered territory, one tends to hesitate in stepping over that thin line between familiarity, and that of the unknown.

And in this case, it was definitely, ALIEN territory.

In other words, our dear little Ami, has finally discovered what it feels like to NOT have the answers to this complicated and thrilling theorem of emotional geometry. 

Besides, how would one normally act under such circumstances?

In fact, why was it that she hadn't screamed yet?

She ought to have been screaming bloody murder at the young man for trespassing into her domain – her house, her bedroom, and by God, her VERY private bathroom. 

Not to mention the fact that she was very much naked under the terry blue bathrobe she's wearing, and who's front have started to loosen its knots.

Then again, if a sinfully handsome half-naked young god had just materialized before you, how should a lovely humble mortal like our dear heroine act?

The young man, on the other hand, was stumped.  

But then who could blame him in his position?

In the embrace of his sweet Ami, one could not help the rush of emotional overflow in one's being when placed in such a pleasant situation.

For one wondrous moment, Zoisite looked into the dazzling azure eyes of the young woman in front of him and suddenly found himself drowning in their depths.

And in his submergence to such depths, it is not unlikely that memories of long ago, embedded in both subconscious, would eventually resurface.

Zoisite, who had no proper control of his facilities at the moment, found himself leaning towards the blushing girl, and unconsciously uttering words from long ago in a soft voice.

"Honey."

At the mention of that one word, both individuals gasped simultaneously. 

With widened eyes, both Ami and Zoisite were pulled by invisible hands of reminisce, as they both discover the amazing tale behind that one very simple word from long ago. . .

[Start flashback]

Princess Ami was indeed in a very dire dilemma.  

She was at the moment perched on top of one of the huge branches of a lone magnolia tree located in the middle of the grassy field overlooking the splendid moon castle.

A few feet away were high sturdy-looking wooden fences erected for the purpose of keeping something out, or in this case, something in.

"Oh dear, me and my stupid fancies."

Princess Ami shook her head in vexation - and utter frustration. 

For you see, the young Mercurian princess found herself fancying the fine wild stallion that the young and brazen Lord Zoisite brought to the moon kingdom a few days ago during another one of Prince Endymion's visit to his beloved Princess Serenity.

Lady Ami found herself itching to replicate the fine horse into charcoal and paper and had finally decided to give into her yearning, and draw the handsome stallion.

Being the shy princess she was, she would rather not have Lord Zoisite learned of her secret desire.

For one thing, she found herself quite uncomfortable in the dashing lord's bold presence. 

For the past few days, it seemed that the handsome young man had made it his personal agenda to make certain intimate advances towards the meek princess.

Lady Ami often found herself talking to the young man, but the way the prince was staring at her, and in quite a blatant matter, made the young girl's gentle heart palpitate furiously – something that Lady Ami never experienced before.

Besides, it was rumored that in his kingdom, Lord Zoisite was told to have a number of women who found him quite irresistible. 

And Ami had no plans whatsoever in being included in their numbers - who have reached a whopping ninety-five percent of the female population.

Hence, ever since, Ami had been wary of the Lord Zoisite.  

Unfortunately, it could also be her undoing.

That morning she went out secretly in the hopes of finally drawing the magnificent stallion.

Upon reaching the meadow, she sighted the wild stallion confined within a large fence erected around the superb creature. 

Like a moth drawn to a flame, Ami was not satisfied with the distance between her and the stallion and so without thinking rationally, pushed herself rather unlady-like through one of the larger gaps of the fence to be able to settle herself nearer to the horse.

Seeing that the wild horse was still too far away to sketch in detail, Ami came nearer to the creature until finally she reached the lone magnolia tree in the middle of the meadow.

Now, like all wild creatures of nature, when an outsider decided to trespass one's territory, the creature concerned tend to act on its animalistic instinct to protect its terrain.

This particular wild stallion was no different.

Upon recognizing an unfamiliar figure nearing, the stallion started snorting heatedly and kicking its rear limbs up into the air.

For a moment, the princess was awed by the powerful display of such magnificence.

Wonder however, turned to dread, when she suddenly felt that such display was not of a cordial nature. 

Most especially when the creature in question started trotting furiously towards the young princess.

Ami, who despite her innocence, was well known for her quick thinking and her agile combat movements as a result of the senshi training.

Swiftly, she leaped into the air, caught one of the lower branches of the magnolia tree, swung herself upwards and settled into one of the upper branches.

Looking down, she found herself looking at the irate horse who had now decided to circle around the tree to somehow dispel its frustration, kicking its long limbs into the air, and snorting rather loudly.

Ami smiled at the display and found herself a comfortable niche among the branches to sit on.  She then proceeded to draw the stallion. 

And for that, Ami felt like she was in heaven.

Ami was in hell.

It had been hours since she sat on one of the thicker branches of the tree to draw the handsome stallion.  She had already drawn several sketches of the fine horse, and was quite ready to retreat from her mission.

The stallion however had other ideas.

Every time Ami was on the act of going down the tree, the stallion started acting riotously again, kicking and snorting in the air.

And because of that, Ami was a bit apprehensive in stepping down from the tree.

Looking behind her, she noticed that the stretch of land between the tree and the fence is quite vast.

A run for it would be dangerous.

And currently, Ami was indeed getting desperate. 

For one, it was awfully warm and beads of sweat are starting to run down on her lovely face.

Add that to the fact that she hadn't eaten anything yet since early this morning when she left the castle.

This was definitely not good.

The young princess bowed her head in dejection and irritation.

Argh!  How foolish was I to act without thinking about this thoroughly?  Darn.

It was then however, that not so distant sounds of a trotting horse can be heard nearing the meadow.

Face brightening, Ami sighed and thanked the gods for sending her an angel to aid her in this situation.

"Tsk, tsk.  Honey, you've got to stop teasing my stallion."

Or maybe, the devil himself decided to come and torture her some more.

Ami's heart quickened at the husky sound of her rescuer's or maybe tormentor's voice, and turned around to find indeed that the presence she dreaded the most was indeed the one speaking.

Lord Zoisite went down gracefully from the beautiful horse he's been riding on and casually leaned onto one of the fence's ledges, all the while gazing at the beauty sitting on the tree, an amusing smirk on his very handsome face.

The teasing grin he blatantly displayed, added to the fact that she already felt wretched, somehow made the usual meek Ami fuming.

"Teasing?!" Ami asked indignantly.

"Precisely, Princess.  'Tis here Beauty had been snorting loudly for the past few hours.  Can't blame him though, with you being out of reach and all.  If you're not teasing him, then why are you sitting pretty up there?"

Ami was having difficulties in attempting to explain her situation.

"I-I wasn't teasing him. I mean, not that I did it intentionally.  I was trying to draw him."

"Oh. Well.  Then you don't need me."  Zoisite turned around and moved towards his horse.

Ami panicked.

"Wait, my Lord!"

"Yes, Honey?"

Ami was getting quite uncomfortable, the endearment was giving her the shivers.  A few days ago, the young prince decided to 'baptized' her with the name 'honey' and was not even a tad abashed at his forwardness.

Besides, the other generals and senshi seemed to think that it was quite amusing for a brazen lord to woo a lovely shy princess. 

Ami on the other hand, was not amused.

"Y-you can't just l-leave me here."

The handsome young man turned around to face his princess.

"Did you happen to notice that this fence was rather sturdy in built?  Wasn't that a hint that something was being kept in. . .or in this case, out?"

Ami blushed prettily.

Zoisite felt his heart clenched at the beautiful rosy-cheeked princess.

Oh hell, Sweet Damnation.

Ami muttered in response, "Well,. . .I suppose."

"Smart girl.  Now our dear wild stallion over there had enough to mull over his wicked little brain without some luscious young princess offering herself as a virgin sacrifice."

Ami gasped huffily,

"B-but, I don't want to be a virgin –"

"Good."

" – sacrifice."

"Oh."

Darn.

"So you're waiting for a knight in shining armor then?"

"Yes, please send for Lord Gregory"

Zoisite moved impatiently. "Sweetheart, you've got to give up on Lord Greggy.  He's going to marry Lady Molina as soon as she gets over me."

Ami's left eyebrow rose.

"Oh, so she's one of the ninety-five percent I see."

"Yes." Zoisite sighed gustily. "It's something all the girls have to go through, like chicken pox.  When they get a dose of me young, they get over me in a reasonable time."

Zoisite then gave a wicked smile.

"But honey, when you catch me, you're going to get a chronic case because you will NOT get over me, and you know why?"

Ami shifted on her perch uneasily at the teasing way the young man was looking at her.

Zoisite continued, "BECAUSE I'm going to encourage you."

Ami was indeed quite piqued.

"I beg your pardon?!"

Zoisite merely gave a mysterious smile, then waved his hand as if dismissing the topic.

"Anyway my Lady, what would you give me if I distract the old rascal?"  Zoisite said, pointing to the wild Stallion still trotting back and forth.

Ami thought for a moment.

"Um, well, you will be amply rewarded monetarily for your efforts my lord."

Zoisite scoffed. "Money!  I don't need money.  I have lots of those back home."

"What then, my lord?"

It was then that Zoisite looked at her seriously.

"A kiss."

Ami was flabbergasted.

Zoisite continued.

"A nice big sloppy kiss.  All rescued maidens reward their knights with a kiss."

Panicking Ami replied, "T-that's not true."

"Yes, it is, my dear," Zoisite insisted wickedly.

"No.  They give their rescuer a scarf, which is then tied around their arm."

Zoisite started turning around.

"My lord!"

"Yes, sweetheart."

Ami was hyperventilating at the thought of having to. . .reward the dratted man.

"Oh,. . .all right."

"You promise me a kiss?"

"A. . .k-kiss then, my lord."

For the first time, Zoisite dropped his suave expression, and smiled tenderly at the young woman.

He then turned towards his side and kneeled down.

It was only then that Ami realized that another creature was sitting beside Lord Zoisite, and it was a hound dog.  For a moment, Lord Zoisite seemed to be communicating with the canine, until finally he stood and faced Ami.

"Be prepared to run swiftly, my lady."

At the sound of a bark, the lithe form of a canine can be seen scampering towards the stallion as it came through a gap in the fence.

Immediately, the wild stallion gave chase to the hound dog.

"NOW!!!" Zoisite shouted.

Princess Ami needn't to be told twice.  With a graceful leap, she dropped to the ground and ran towards the gap of the fence that would separate her from the angry stallion, her drawing materials clutched to her chest.

The wild stallion turned back and neighed angrily to discover that his 'quarry' had finally escaped.

The hound dog also ran back to the fence and went through the hole like Ami did, into the safety of the other side of the fence.

Ami laughed merrily at the sight of the irate stallion at the same time felt the sudden rush of adrenaline coursing through her small body.

Zoisite too was also grinning and reached out to pat his pet on the head for the feat accomplished.

Ami too kneeled down, gingerly picked up the dog's head and kissed its forehead.

"What are you doing?"  Zoisite asked incredulously.

"I've just kissed my rescuer."  Ami replied, still laughing.

"Oh, Hell!" Zoisite kicked a stone on the ground and glared angrily at his former pet now turned rival.

Ami laughed happily as she attempted to stretch out the kinks and cramps from her body.

Zoisite's eyes darkened at the sight of the beautiful princess stretching.  He then moved nearer to the princess.

"You, my lady, owe me a kiss."

"I do not.  You're lovely dog rescued me."  Ami stepped back.

"I was behind the plan. . .the strategist, the brain. You owe me, sweetheart." He moved closer.

Pushing back her hair that kept on getting in her eyes, and looking utterly lovely in doing so, Ami opened her mouth to defy the brazen young man.

Only to found herself in a warm embrace.

And was being kissed silly.

Ami was definitely shocked, and started to struggle against the hard body pressed against her.

But her little heart was distracted by the delicious sensations created by the passionate kiss.

It was then, that the shy and meek Mercurian princess had her first kiss,. . .in the embrace of her first true love (which she doesn't know yet). . .in their first lifetime. . .

[End Flashback]

Mrs. Mizuno had just finished mowing the lawn and had just entered the house to wash up.

Walking upstairs towards the second floor where the bedrooms were located, Mrs. Mizuno passed by her daughter's bedroom and stopped a moment to knock on her door.

"Ami sweety, I just finished mowing the lawn.  Let's have our breakfast now."

Mrs. Mizuno waited for her daughter's response, but didn't get any.  With a frown on her face, she knocked again.

"Sweety?"

A door being closed and a few footsteps were then heard from the other side of the wooden door.  A few seconds later, it was opened by a newly-showered, and very flushed, young woman.

"Oh Hi Mom!"

Mrs. Mizuno just smiled.

"I see you are all flushed. Just had a shower huh?"

Ami at first was startled, then laughed.

"Yes mom.  The water's really nice."

"Well, I guess I better have one too.  I'll just come down after I'm done.  In the meantime, you can go right ahead, ok?"

"Sure mom."

And with that her mom walked towards her own room to take a bath.

The young woman then immediately closed her door, and turned swiftly around.

The young man was gone.

The bathroom door which was closed a few moments ago was now wide open – and empty.

Ami's heart was beating wildly.

Just a few moments ago, she had just given the young man in boxers her first real kiss.

Oh. . .my. . .God.

The memory of the stallion incident was so intense that both Ami and the young man were compelled to relive the said memory in the present millenium.

Ami however, still had her mind reeling from all that happened.

Truth be told, she was still unsure of what took place in her bedroom.

Yet she can't help but raised her hand to touch her lips with the tips of her fingers as she recalled the passionate kiss they had just shared.

I just kissed a man. . .a naked stranger at that. . .but,

The young woman looked around, eyes seeking for the trim figure of a young man who moments ago, had her mesmerized.

Was it just a dream?

But it can't be.  His kiss was real, his arms around me were real.  He just can't be. . .

Still confused, Ami stepped towards the middle of her room and suddenly felt a draft in the air.

Looking to her right she noticed her opened window, the blue curtains flapping as it danced with the morning breeze.

Ami walked towards her window and looked outside, heart unknowingly yearning for that which was unknown to the mind, but not to the heart.

Where did he go?  Who is he?  Why is it that I felt I knew him?

Ami was fond of mysteries.  But this was beyond mysterious.

Here, her heart was involved.

And possibly, her whole life.

She braced herself against the sills of her window, looking out farther into the neighborhood for a possible glimpse of a figure of a young man.

But saw none.

But then a small piece of cloth was seen caught up in one of the sills of the windows.

Eyes drawn in a frown, Ami detached the piece of clothing, and looked at it closely.

And found herself even more confused.

It was a lapel.

Zach's lapel.